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TODAY'S NEWS
Top Stories
Mandelson makes three-strike announcement at C&binet
Spotify launch TV ad, discount promotion runs out Monday
In The Pop Hospital
Clapton misses Hall Of Fame for surgery
Awards & Contests
BET Awards honour Ice Cube
Reunions & Splits
Pulp not reforming
Cymbals Eat Guitars get new bassist
In The Studio
Limp Bizkit in the studio
Release News
Cold War Kids announce new EP
An Experiment announce new EP
Films N Shows News
Jackson premiere takes place worldwide
Gigs N Tours News
Wall Of Sound celebrate fifteen years
Reviews
Single review: The Wave Pictures - Strawberry Cables (Moshi Moshi)
The Music Business
FAC might consider UK Music affiliation
Alchemy Soho move to Smithfields
The Digital Business
Last.fm to launch Last.tv
Seven million tune into YouTube U2 webcast
The Media Business
London Lite to go
Should the BBC start charging for iPlayer?
Chart Of The Day
This week's sub.tv playlist
And finally...
Liam wants a new band
Amy and Blake married again. Or not. Probably not
Advertising info
Consulting info
CMU Credits + Contacts
 
WEDNESDAY 28TH OCTOBER


NANCY ELIZABETH
Hailing from Manchester, Nancy Elizabeth is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, mixing folk and post-folk influences. Her debut EP, 'The Wheel Turning King', was released under her full name Nancy Elizabeth Cunliffe in 2006 on Timbreland, followed by the release of her first album, 'Battle And Victory', in 2007 on The Leaf Label. Her second album, 'Wrought Iron' was released this month. Nancy will be supporting Efterklang on their UK tour from the 29 Oct, before going out on her own headline trek next month, which includes a show at The Borderline in London on 21 Nov. We spoke to Nancy to ask our Same Six Questions.
 
Q1 How did you start out making music?
By drumming on my mum's pots and pans when I was tiny. I was fascinated and obsessed by everything musical from then on, and I suppose it was inevitable that I'd start writing once I'd learned how to speak.

Q2 What inspired your latest album?
Hard to say, but in general, the feeling that I lacked a home to call my own, and the itchy feet which prevented me settling.

Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
I start by messing about with a guitar/piano/other instrument, then comes the excitement of an initial musical idea and feeling it's the best idea I ever had, then comes lyric writing, then self-loathing, then feeling it is the worst idea in the world, then deciding to make the structure work, and make the lyrics fit, then not listening to it for a while, then coming back and making an objective decision as to whether I should let it out of the bag and record it. Maybe making a last minute change if I think something needs it.

Q4 Which artists influence your work?
I think it's beyond me to know exactly what has influenced me. Michael Jackson has probably had a big input, so by default, blues and Motown. Folk from the 70s, Radiohead. Arvo Part is a massive inspiration. Smashing Pumpkins, Aphex Twin. Anything. I'm even sure that Muzak that I have subconsciously heard in lifts has influenced me on some level!

Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Please listen and don't be impatient, but I totally understand if you don't get it or can't be bothered.

Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest single, and for the future?
I'd love my single to do as well as it can. I want to carry on making music, and I'd like a nice place to live in peace where I can write. I'd like to own my own piano, and to tour beautiful concert halls. I want get involved in other projects which challenge me, to work with great musicians and be able to create wonderful sound. I would also secretly like designers to give me free clothes, but it's not a priority and I'm not willing to starve myself to become a skinny pop star. I'm not entirely serious about the free clothes thing. Mainly, I want my music to be able to reach all ears that will enjoy it, to always be able to make great recordings and play wonderful shows. I'd also very much like to write a film score in the future.

MORE>> www.nancyelizabeth.co.uk and www.myspace.com/nancyelizabethcunliffe

 
THE QUIETUS & DOMINO'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
The Quietus and Domino Records have teamed up for a series of very cool Halloween features, which will see Domino artists creating special spooky content exclusively for the music website. Over the course of this week, The Quietus will be making available stories, poems and songs from the likes of Wild Beasts, Lightspeed Champion, Eugene McGuinness, King Creosote, James Yorkston, The Kills, and more. At the end of the week, all the original manuscripts will be collected together in a handmade book and given away to one reader. The first to go up is a ghost story by Wild Beasts' Tom Fleming with the next installment up later today.

thequietus.com/features/a-domino-halloween



 

 


Name are one of the UK's leading music PR and marketing agencies, with unrivalled specialist knowledge and direct links to the heart of the UK music industry.

With over 10 years of experience, Name deliver full-spectrum PR services for a wide range of music clients, both trade and consumer. These include [PIAS] Entertainment Group, the Association of Independent Festivals, Merlin, Digital Stores, MusicTank, WeGotTickets, Blink TV, Corsica Studios and the Soundwave Festival.

For more information or to see how Name can help your business, visit www.namemusic.co.uk or email [email protected]

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Self-contained office space available in the centre of Shoreditch, on the corner of Shoreditch High Street and Great Eastern Street, next to the CMU HQ. 5-8 minutes walk from Liverpool Street and Old Street tube stations. A top floor workspace with plenty of natural light in an exciting neighbourhood that is home to numerous music, media, PR and creative companies. 764 square feet, with room for 15-20 desks plus its own kitchen area and adjacent toilets. £1000 per month plus service charge and business rates (full breakdown available on request). Includes heating. Available from November. For more information contact [email protected].

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Advertise your stuff here: £120 for five editions - [email protected]

 

MANDELSON MAKES THREE-STRIKE ANNOUNCEMENT AT C&BINET
So, movers and shakers from the content industries are this week enjoying the previously reported government-organised jolly in the countryside - The C&binet Forum - to discuss "access to finance for creative industries, new business models for online content, developing talent and securing creative rights". The big headline from the shindig so far is Peter Mandelson's announcement on three-strikes, more on which in a minute.

But first, yesterday one of the main events was EMI Music boss Elio Leoni-Sceti being interviewed by Wall Street Journal hack Patience Wheatcroft. According to Billboard, he admitted that the music industry was suffering "because of the lack of innovation at one end and because of the lack of regulation on the other".

Dwelling on the latter half of that observation - which made sense, given expectations regarding Mandelson's speech - he spoke up in support of a three-strike style system for combating online piracy, adding that "[the UK government] needs to legislate, so that there is a very clear reference [to copyright in the digital domain]. This can and should happen as soon as possible to clear the parameters of what is allowed".

Asked about the carrot that can accompany the big stick of three-strikes, Sceti observed that "as long as legal models are more enjoyable than illegal ones then we're moving in the right direction". Which is, of course, a definite truism, though the people behind those enjoyable legal music services might wonder if Sceti therefore plans to completely overhaul his company's attitude to digital licensing, something some argue is necessary across the record industry if Spotify-style platforms are to survive once the venture capital runs out.

The government's IP man, David Lammy, was also on hand to give the politician's take on the need for copyright reform. He waffled a bit about the need to simplify copyright law, to make it accommodate the nature of content consumption in the digital age, and to provide some sort of private copying right to consumers, none of which is especially controversial among either content owners, technology firms or consumer rights groups, and therefore begs the question "yeah Lammy, why you telling us this, why don't you just do it, you muppet?" Though I'm sure everyone at C&binet was far too polite to say so. You see, this is why I should make the effort to attend these things.

He also talked about the European element of copyright reform, which is fair enough, though you can't help thinking the line "ah, but, think about the international dimension" is primarily a delaying tactic when used by a politician. Whatever, given Lammy's initial criticism of the three-strikes system, and the impression it is Mandleson that has led the change of heart on this issue within government, rather than Dave, I'm not sure anyone cares what Lammy's department is doing just now. Content owners simply hope Mandelson can get three-strikes on the statute book before he, the Lammy man and the rest of their posse are kicked out at next May's General Election.

And so to Mandleson's big three-strikes announcement, which came this morning. We've all known since August that, despite previous government resistance to the three-strikes proposal, Mandelson would try and get some sort of 'graduate response' deterrent through parliament before next year's Election. ie A new law that would force internet service providers to send out warning letters to those who persistently access and share unlicensed content, and to then suspend the net access of those who still continue to infringe.

A consultation has been ongoing ever since, with most of the content owners, and relevant trade unions, piling in with their support for the proposals, while the trade bodies for featured artists, songwriters, producers and their managers, alongside net firms and consumer rights bodies, expressed their concerns.

This morning Mandelson confirmed a variation of three-strikes would be in the Digital Economy Bill due to be put before parliament next month. It would become law in April 2010, and warning letters would be sent out with immediate effect (presumably to the same people who received letters through the record industry and ISP sector's voluntary anti-piracy programme last year). If file-sharing doesn't drop by 70% in a year - which it probably won't - net suspensions will begin in April 2011. It would take at least three months for net suspensions to actually happen, presumably because some sort of judicial procedure and opportunity to appeal will need to take place.

According to the Guardian, Mandelson told the C&binet: "The British government's view is that taking people's work without due payment is wrong and that, as an economy based on creativity, we cannot sit back and do nothing as this happens. [This is] a proportionate measure that will give people ample awareness and opportunity to stop breaking the rules. The threat for persistent individuals is, and has to be, real, or no effective deterrent to breaking the law will be in place".

As for who will pay for all this, Mandelson said he expects both content owners and net firms to contribute.

Given all the uncertainty there is in political circles at the moment, and the potential for these proposals to be tweaked, changed and loudly objected to as they hit parliament, Mandelson's timeline - which will probably be too soon for those against three-strikes, and not soon enough for the content owners - may or may not become a reality. What is certain is there is likely to be much more debate on this issue before the year is out.

As we've said 4317 times before - copyright law really should be more specific on what rights copyright owners have online, and needs to provide a way to protect those rights other than the totally ineffective option of suing individual consumers. That said, even the more draconian kind of three-strikes is unlikely to actually stop file-sharing - which is increasingly hidden and offline - and the content industries should really think hard about what they have to gain, commercially, before investing too much time and money, and lost public goodwill, into the three-strike system.

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SPOTIFY LAUNCH TV AD, DISCOUNT PROMOTION RUNS OUT MONDAY
There is some confusion as to what the offer is exactly, but Billboard seem to be certain that a price cutting promotion by Spotify, sponsored by Iggy Pop-endorsed insurance firm Swiftcover, will end on Monday.

Spotify have been offering both new and existing premium subscribers the option to reduce their monthly subscription rate from the standard ten pounds a month for a six month period. Special codes have been emailed out which can be redeemed for a discounted subscription. Said subscribers can continue to access the streaming music service without ads, and use the Spotify mobile app, but have to do so knowing that they are beneficiaries of the insurance firm that brought us *that* Iggy Pop ad.

Initial reports suggested a one pound discount, meaning the service would cost £8.99 a month. Billboard has reported a special price of £6.49, while many bloggers say they have received emails offering them a five pound a month subscription. Pocket-Lint.com says it is aware of £9, £8 and £5 offers, though it isn't clear who is being offered what and why.

The discounts, which have been available since last week, come as both Napster and Sky launch rival services to Spotify, both undercutting Spotify's ten pounds a month rate, and both bundling some free MP3s into the subscription package.

In related news, Spotify have launched their first TV ad in home country Sweden. The service has, to date, recruited subscribers mainly through word of mouth and the subsequent press coverage, though some reckon more above the line marketing will be needed if it wants to break into the mainstream music market.

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CLAPTON MISSES HALL OF FAME FOR SURGERY
Eric Clapton has pulled out of the second of two gigs to celebrate the US Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame's 25th anniversary, due to take place at New York's Madison Square Garden on Friday, to have some gallstones removed.

A statement issued by the guitarist's publicist said that he be "recuperating at home in the UK and is very sorry to disappoint the fans and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame".

The two nights of concerts will feature performances by U2, Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne and Annie Lennox, so Clapton's not exactly going to be missed.

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BET AWARDS HONOUR ICE CUBE
This year's BET Hip Hop Awards ceremony took place in Atlanta last night to celebrate hip hop's biggest and best, with the main winner of the night being Jay-Z, who took home four awards, including Hustler Of The Year and, probably more importantly, Lyricist Of The Year. Elsewhere, DJ AM was posthumously awarded DJ Of The Year.

The high point of the evening, however, was an impassioned speech from hip hop veteran Ice Cube, who was given the 'I Am Hip Hop' Lifetime Achievement Award, and who urged everyone in the genre to push themselves creatively, before pointing out that he is better than all of them.

He said: "We gotta do what we feel. We can't be slave to video programmer, radio programmers, or A&Rs. We gotta be slave to our own creative minds. To all the older rappers, keep doing what you doing. Don't let the industry push you out. As long as you got a tongue, you aint too old to rap. BET, I hope you give out two of these, because I have a whole 'nother life of work ahead of me".

Here's the full list of winners:

Verizon People's Champ: Fabolous - Throw It In The Bag (feat. The Dream)
Best Hip Hop Collabo: TI & Rihanna - Live Your Life
Best Live Performer: Jay-Z
Lyricist Of The Year: Jay-Z
Video Director: Hype Williams
Producer Of The Year: Kanye West
Track Of The Year: Young Money - Every Girl
CD Of The Year: TI - Paper Trail
Rookie Of The Year: Drake
Best Hip Hop Video: TI & Rihanna - Live Your Life
MVP Of The Year: Jay-Z
DJ Of The Year: DJ AM
Hustler Of The Year: Jay-Z
Made-You-Look: Kanye West
Best Hip Hop Blog: AllHipHop.com

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PULP NOT REFORMING
Pulp will not be reforming next year, no matter what anyone says. Jarvis Cocker has "categorically" denied rumours that they will be getting back together in 2010.

Cocker was quoted by The People on Sunday as saying: "Glastonbury means an awful lot to me, I would love to play there again. We've talked about it, there we go; there'll be a band reunion".

However, he told Teletext's Planet Sound yesterday: "I can categorically tell Teletext that Pulp have no plans to get back together. Someone asked me if I fancied playing at the 40th anniversary of Glastonbury, I said yes, they twisted that into a 'Pulp reform' story. It's not true".

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CYMBALS EAT GUITARS GET NEW BASSIST
Cymbals Eat Guitars have got a new bassist. Matthew Whipple replaces Neil Berenholz, who apparently left the band because he doesn't like touring. Coincidentally, their debut album, 'Why There Are Mountains', is out via Memphis Industries this week and the band will be in the UK and Ireland for some touring next month.

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LIMP BIZKIT IN THE STUDIO
Limp Bizkit's new album is apparently nearing completion. But I'm sure I've written those words at least once this year already.

Well, whatever, Fred Durst has been talking about it. Here's what he said: "We have recorded what we feel is our most addictive album yet - instrumentally. I am in process of doing vocals now in my home studio. So far I am four songs deep and moving along with confidence and grace. We haven't committed to an album title yet, but we know of one we like. [The] release date will be a soon as I am finished. A single and video will be out way before that".

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COLD WAR KIDS ANNOUNCE NEW EP
Cold War Kids will release a new EP, called 'Behave Yourself', in January. And, just in case anyone thought they were lying, they got director Vern Moen to make a little video trailer for it, which you can view at www.coldwarkids.com.

Here's what they had to say on the matter: "We will be releasing a four song EP called 'Behave Yourself' on 19 Jan. We made a one minute video with our friend Vern to give you a preview of the songs and the video for 'Audience' that will come soon. We had a great time filming it in San Pedro; in our rehearsal space, skating on the docks, driving on the bluffs, shaving in the tide pools and being nude in a friend of a friend's bathroom".

They added that they are currently working on their third album, which will also be released at some point next year.

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AN EXPERIMENT ANNOUNCE NEW EP
An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump have announced their latest release, the 'Silent Hour EP', via Buy A Life Records on 7 Dec. Make a note of this because they are one of the best new bands around, particularly when placed on a stage in front of people.

The band will play an in-store performance at Rough Trade East on 16 Nov, where you will be able to buy advance vinyl copies of the Steve Albini-produced EP.

You can listen to one track from the EP, 'Only In Death', right now on the band's MySpace page: www.myspace.com/anexperimentonabirdintheairpump

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JACKSON PREMIERE TAKES PLACE WORLDWIDE
The premiere of the Michael Jackson non-concert film 'This Is It' took place simultaneously in eighteen cities around the world last night. This meant that those attending the London event didn't get to watch it until 4am.

The LA screening was attended by Jackson's brothers and Jackson Five bandmates Jermaine, Marlon, Tito and Randy, as well as the film's director, Kenny Ortega, who while introducing it called it "the last sacred document of our leader and friend".

Those were not sentiments echoed by some fans in London though, who have started a campaign they are calling This Is Not It, and staged a protest in Leicester Square last night. They believe those previously reported rumours that AEG Live are using 'This Is It' to try to show Jackson was in good health in the week's before his death, in a bid to counter suggestions they worked him too hard, in part causing his death. Footage, these fans say, has been selectively picked to hide what they claim was Jackson's actual ill-health. AEG have, of course, already denied those rumours, claiming film studio Sony had complete control over what footage was used.

Far from showing Jacko in too good a light, Jermaine Jackson said he feared fans might be disappointed with his late brother's rehearsal performances, which make up a chunk of the film, because, he says, the singer would never put as much effort into a practice performance than the real thing. He told reporters: "We're going to see him going through the motions, not giving 1000% because he's making sure everyone else is going to do their part but, at the same time, once he got on that stage, he was going to give them 100,000%".

Whatever, having seen the film Jackson's friend Elizabeth Taylor said it was: "The single most brilliant piece of filmmaking I have ever seen".

The film is now being released in 110 countries for a limited two week run. Though I'm still fairly sure they'll make a bit song and dance about extending the run in about ten day's time.

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WALL OF SOUND CELEBRATE FIFTEEN YEARS
Wall Of Sound, one of our very favourite record labels, is fifteen years old, and is celebrating with a special Halloween party at The Den, which is the London venue formerly know as The End. Mpho will perform live, while Jon Carter, Propellerhead Will White, Infadels, Shy Child and label chief Mark Jones will all DJ. It takes place this Saturday, obviously.

Elsewhere in the anniversary celebrations, there will be a special 'Where There's A Wall... There's A Way' iTunes compilation, a re-issue of the seminal Propellerheads album 'Decksandrumsandrockandroll', and the aforementioned Jones will takeover a whole chunk of EddyTM's Remix show on Xfm on 6 Nov.

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SINGLE REVIEW: The Wave Pictures - Strawberry Cables (Moshi Moshi)
"Running like a runny egg sandwich" may be one of the more relatable opening lines you'll hear, and it's typical of a song so simple and sweet, never looking to change its listener's life, but to make him or her hum along nicely.

That humming will come naturally too, with the soft melody constant and soothing, playing gently with the acoustic rhythms and very subtle horns that all combine for an overall feeling that can only be described as pleasant. For it is. And anyone who'd think differently must have egg in their ears. Or is just thinking of the word 'nice' instead.

Your legs may not be running like that sandwich, but a stroll to the shops to pick up whatever Wave Pictures records you can find wouldn't be a surprise.

Physical release: 26 Oct
Press contact: Freeman PR [All]

Buy from iTunes
Buy from Amazon

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FAC MIGHT CONSIDER UK MUSIC AFFILIATION
Pink Floyd drumming man Nick Mason, in his guise of co-Chair of the Featured Artists Coalition, has told Music Week the artist-focused trade organisation might affiliate with industry-wide UK Music, despite the FAC speaking out against the cross-sector body's stand on three-strikes.

Asked about possible affiliation with the Feargal Sharkey-headed UK Music, Mason told reporters: "I think it is something we should review constantly. The more you can speak with one voice that is obviously better. We just need to make sure we do have the voice rather than finding ourselves signing up to UK Music and finding we are reduced in volume".

In terms of volume, the creation of both UK Music and the FAC has arguably reduced the prominence of the record companies - and therefore the BPI - in industry wide debates. Whereas news media and political types may have previously headed to the BPI whenever a music issue came up - even if it wasn't really an issue directly relating to the sale of sound recordings - increasingly it's UK Music chief Sharkey, or the FAC's more eloquent speakers like Billy Bragg, who are called upon for comment.

While UK Music, in theory, speaks for all of its affiliates, including the BPI and their members' collecting society PPL, some in the labels have in the past suggested Sharkey has his own agenda. Though, it has to be said, on three-strikes the UK Music position was very much in line with the BPI's position, even though one of its very original affiliates, the British Academy Of Songwriters, Composers & Authors, expressed similar concerns to that viewpoint as the FAC.

The Featured Artists' Coalition came into being just a few weeks after Sharkey formally reinvented the music publishing focused British Music Rights into UK Music last September. While the Music Managers' Forum, which was involved in the creation of the FAC, is a UK Music member (though it in itself is increasingly vocal also), the artist body has so far chosen not to affiliate. Some wondered whether FAC's disagreement with the UK Music stand on the government's proposals for a 'graduated response' to tackle piracy might have convinced the artists organisation that staying independent from the trade body of trade bodies was the right option long term. Even though the FAC's position on three-strikes post the Lily Allen debate wasn't so far from that of UK Music.

But both Mason and the body's acting CEO, Jeremy Silver, stress they remain on good terms with UK Music, and will continue to consider if and when affiliating with the organisation would be a good move. Silver: "We are having conversations with them [all the time], it is not like there is a big rift with UK Music at all. On the contrary Feargal and [chairman] Andy [Heath] are supportive of FAC".

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ALCHEMY SOHO MOVE TO SMITHFIELDS
Sound recording mastering company Alchemy Soho have re-located to new premises in the Smithfields area of London, which isn't Soho at all. The move comes a year after the company went into administration, and its management hope it will help put a period of uncertainty behind it.

The company decided to leave its old premises in the Centrepoint tower next to Tottenham Court Road mainly because of a substantial rent increase, but also because noise from renovation work in the building, not to mention disruption from the new Crossrail station set to be built across the road, caused too much noise and hassle.

Confirming the move, the company's Barry Grint told Music Week: "[Noisy renovations] combined with a 75% rent increase and the start of major works on the Crossrail project, forced our hand. We could not realistically have continued to run a viable studio operation out of Centrepoint. We had been searching for suitable premises for several months and checked out many possibilities before settling on where you find us today. It's a good central location and we have all our facilities on one floor".

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LAST.FM TO LAUNCH LAST.TV
Last.fm will next year launch Last.tv, an online video service.

While the new service may offer music videos, similar to YouTube, MUZU and Universal/Sony's planned Vevo flim flam, Last.tv will centre around original content, including music festival coverage and bespoke artist sessions. It's thought the original programming with be available to premium subscribers, and will also be sponsored.

Of course Last.fm's owners CBS are major TV players in the US, so television programming expertise sits within the wider group. It is unclear whether Last.tv will tap into this expertise, or operate independently from its owners' other TV operations.

CBS, of course, used to be part of the same group as MTV and VH1 until Viacom was spun off as a separate entity.

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SEVEN MILLION TUNE INTO YOUTUBE U2 WEBCAST
Almost seven million fans logged into the previously reported U2 live webcast that appeared on YouTube on Sunday. The Pasadena date of the band's 360 degree tour was made available to YouTube users worldwide. That Bono chap reportedly kicked off the show by saying "Thank you Los Angeles. Thanks to everyone watching on YouTube all over the world - seven continents!"

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LONDON LITE TO GO
Associated Newspaper yesterday informed staff on its London evening freesheet London Lite that the paper was closing. There had been much speculation about the future of the Lite since its main rival, thelondonpaper, closed down, and its former sister title the Evening Standard also went free.

The Lite began life as the Standard Lite, a free slimmed down lunchtime edition of the capital's evening paper. Associated bosses launched the free edition amid speculation Daily Express owner Richard Desmond would launch a free rival to the Standard.

While Desmond's grand plans never came to anything, Rupert Murdoch owned News International announced it would launch a free evening paper - the aforementioned thelondonpaper - in 2006. Associated responded by reinventing the Standard Lite as the bigger London Lite paper (bigger in terms of size and distribution).

Both the Lite and thelondonpaper haemorrhaged money, especially once the advertising recession started to kick in. Once News International announced it could no longer afford to pour money into its freesheet, most media commentators expected Associated to follow suit. After all, the Lite had been created to spoil efforts by Desmond or Murdoch to launch rivals to the Standard.

Both those efforts had failed. Not only that, but as of earlier this year Associated became but a minority shareholder in the Standard. Lite was therefore a costly venture to combat a threat that no longer existed to protect a title Associated no longer owned. Once the Standard's new owner, Alexander Lebedev, gave the all clear to make the flagship title a freebie, it was only a matter of time before the lights went off at the Lite.

There has been no word as yet as to when the Lite will finally bite the dust. The 36 staff based at its HQ will either be found work elsewhere within the Daily Mail empire, or be laid off.

Confirming the fate of the Lite, the MD of Associated's free titles division (which also publishes Metro), Steve Auckland, said this: "The latest development in the London afternoon free newspaper space dictates that we look again at the future of London Lite. Despite reaching a large audience with an excellent editorial format, we are concerned about the commercial viability in this highly competitive area".

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SHOULD THE BBC START CHARGING FOR IPLAYER?
The cosy chatter of digital content types in Hertfordshire - the aforementioned C&binet bash - isn't just focused on music. There was also some talk about the future of television in the digital age, during which the former boss of digital at the BBC - Ashley Highfield - suggested the Beeb should consider charging for its popular iPlayer service now that it is such a popular thing.

According to the Guardian, when asked whether the BBC should think about charging for the iPlayer, even for licence-fee payers, Highfield - now heading up video-on-demand projects at Microsoft - observed: "I think the iPlayer was a catalyst to get a lot more content [made available on demand] in the UK. All boats rise on that, commercial or not. A reasonable question to ask now is about 'windowing'. Is seven days free right or should it be shortened [with fees after that time]".

Another commercial player on the same panel, BT Vision's Marc Watson, said he agreed that perhaps the BBC shouldn't offer so much on-demand content for free, but added that "it is probably too late now" to start charging. But he added that "I believe the BBC should be allowed to charge for the iPlayer. It should be possible going forward".

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THIS WEEK'S SUB.TV PLAYLIST
Hey look people, it's the music videos that are playing this week on the Sub.tv network of video screens in students' unions all around the god darn United Kingdom of Great Britain and whatnot. New additions marked with a *. More info on all things Sub.tv from [email protected].

A-List
Alexandra Burke - Bad Boys
Alphabeat - The Spell
Beyoncé - Broken Hearted Girl*
Biffy Clyro - The Captain
Calvin Harris - Flashback
Cobra Starship - Good Girls Go Bad
Duck Sauce - aNYway
Editors - Papillon
Florence And The Machine - You've Got The Love
Foo Fighters - Wheels
Jay Sean feat Little Wayne - Down
Kids In Glass - Houses Youngblood (Let It Out)
Lostprophets - It's Not The End of The World...
Tinchy Stryder - You're Not Alone

B List
The All-American Rejects - The Wind Blows
Arctic Monkeys - Cornerstone*
The Dead Weather - I Cut Like A Buffalo
Dionne Bromfield - Mama Said*
Erik Hassle - Hurtful
In Case Of Fire - The Cleansing
JLS - Everybody In Love
Kasabian - Underdog
Ladyhawke - Magic
Snow Patrol - Just Say Yes
Stereophonics - Innocent*
Sugababes - About A Girl*
Sway - Mercedes Benz*
Young Soul Rebels - I Got Soul

Tip List
Belligerence - Inner Realm*
Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This*
The Chapman - Family Virgins
DeLorean - Drivers Scarlet (Save Me)
Ke$ha - Tik Tok
Kings Of Convenience - Boat Behind
Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry
Roddy Hart - Send A Message*
Röyksopp - This Must Be It
Soft Toy - Emergency Critical

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LIAM WANTS A NEW BAND
Liam Gallagher says that he'll form a new band at some point, because performing as a solo artist doesn't interest him. But first he's going to have a bit of a sit down.

He told The Scotsman: "Getting away from the whole Oasis thing is going to be a good thing, I suppose. I don't want to do anything solo. I want to be in a band. But we can do things a lot differently these days. It'll definitely be rock 'n' roll. For now, I'll be relaxing at home, just getting out of music for a bit and then I'm going to start up something maybe after January, do something different. But I'll be having a breather from the music for a bit without a doubt".

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AMY AND BLAKE MARRIED AGAIN. OR NOT. PROBABLY NOT
Amy Winehouse and Blake Fielder-Civil have remarried. We know this because two people on Facebook who claim to be the boozy singer and her thuggish ex have changed their relationship status to "married". So that's all sorted then. Nothing more to say, they're definitely back together.

Oh, except Amy is denying it, which puts a bit of a spanner in the works. But, hey, she got stuck in a lift the other day, what does she know? I reckon we should definitely trust the Facebook profiles.

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