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A round up of music and music business events happening in the next seven days... Classic BRITs nominations. It's already been announced that film composer John Williams, responsible for theme music for 'Star Wars', 'Indiana Jones', 'Jaws', 'ET' and 'Jurassic Park', amongst many others, will be honoured at this year's Classic BRITs in October. This Thursday we'll find out the rest of the nominations when they're announced at the Savoy Hotel in London. LCD Soundsystem film in cinemas. 'Shut Up And Play The Hits', the documentary about LCD Soundsystem's final show at Madison Square Gardens last year, will premiere in cinemas around the UK on Tuesday night. A live Q&A with frontman James Murphy will also be beamed into most screens. If you can't make it, the film will also be shown in selected cinemas throughout September and October, or you can head over to PledgeMusic, where pre-orders for the DVD and Blu-ray are currently being taken. CMU Training. A brand new season of training courses from CMU Insights kicks off this Wednesday, with courses in the coming weeks on music rights, revenue and investment models, social media, and music promotions. These well-priced one-day courses for music business professionals are a great way to brush up on the basics, hear about the latest trends, and then learn best practice ways for managing, monetising and promoting music. Info at www.theCMUwebsite.com/training iTunes Festival. This year's iTunes Festival kicked off at the weekend, which means there are 28 more nights of free music at The Roundhouse in London to go. Artists playing this year include Muse, Usher, Jack White, Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding, Elbow, Labrinth, Ed Sheeran, Plan B, The Killers and Emeli Sande. New releases. It's September, which means the rush to get new albums out before the Christmas compilations season starts is on. Amongst this week's album releases are new LPs from Cat Power, Animal Collective, The Vaccines, Jens Lekman, iamamiwhoami, Deerhoof, Mono, Minus The Bear, Toy, Delicate Steve, Philco Fiction, Maria Minerva, Mount Eerie and Sauna Youth. Metronomy also curate the new LateNightTales compilation, Clark has an EP out, and Wall officially becomes the first person to release as single on Black Cab Sessions' new label. Gigs and tours. The live music scene is also hotting up now that most of those pesky festivals are out of the way. Lady Gaga will be in the UK for two shows, as will Leonard Cohen. There are a few one-offs too, with Richard Hawley and the BBC Philharmonic performing in Sheffield, Pendulum DJing in London's Koko, Rustie headlining up the road at Electrowerkz, and Peggy Sue playing a Pussy Riot benefit. Amongst those heading out on tour this week are Africa Express (with a long list of impressive guests), Dan Deacon, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Sleep Party People and Amanda Mair. THIRD PIRATE BAY FOUNDER ARRESTED IN CAMBODIA Svartholm was found guilty of enabling mass infringement alongside his co-TPB-founders Peter Sunde and Fredrik Neij, and the Bay's main funder Carl Lundstrom, in the Swedish courts in 2009. All four men appealed, but when that appeal came before the courts Svartholm did not show up, his legal reps explaining that he was too ill to leave his new home in Cambodia to attend a court hearing in Sweden. Svartholm then subsequently disappeared completely - and at one point Sunde suggested he may be dead - though it was generally assumed he was still in Cambodia. In his absence, Svartholm's first appeal was rejected, and all further rights to appeal were withdrawn, with the prison sentence and damages payments ordered at the end of the original trial fixed. As previously reported, Sunde, Neij and Lundstrom all ultimately failed to have their convictions overturned, though their prison sentences were cut, Lundstrom's sufficiently so that he could, under Swedish law, opt to serve his time under house arrest, which he subsequently did. Sunde and Neij are still trying to avoid their respective prison sentences, the former by pleading to the Swedish judicial system for clemency, and both by taking their cases to the European human rights courts. If Svartholm was to return to Sweden he'd face a year in jail for his involvement in setting up the controversial file-sharing website. Cambodia has no current extradition treaty with Sweden, though a legal rep for the TPB founder reckons there is still a chance his client will be transferred back to his home country. Confirming Svartholm had been arrested in Cambodia, meanwhile, lawyer Ola Salomonsson said: "As far as I understand [the arrest] is because he is on an international wanted list". It's not clear if Svartholm is still in poor health, though Torrentfreak says sources claimed he was relatively recently. -------------------------------------------------- DAVID BOWIE ISSUES RARE STATEMENT, DENIES CURATING V&A EXPO Writing last Tuesday in his first public statement for two years, Bowie said he hadn't "participated in any decisions relating to the exhibition", which is being staged at London's Victoria & Albert Museum in 2013. He added that his official archive had granted V&A staff "unprecedented access" to his collections, but that "the museums curator's have made all curatorial and design choices". As for being allegedly against the expo, Bowie was quick to refute an article in The Mirror alleging a "bizarre rift" between him and the V&A. Referring to a quote in which a Mirror source implied he wasn't "comfortable" with certain choices being made on his behalf, Bowie added via Facebook: "A close friend tells me that I am neither 'devastated', 'heartbroken' nor 'uncontrollably furious'". The V&A are set to issue an official press release on the exhibition later this month. AEG EXECS EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT JACKSON PRIOR TO HIS DEATH The emails have seemingly come to light as part of the previously reported legal bid by insurer Lloyds Of London not to pay out on an insurance policy linked to the 'This Is It' venture, that was cancelled after Jackson's untimely death in 2009 of course. Lloyds claims that AEG failed to declare information about Jackson's health problems and drug dependencies. In the emails published by the LA Times, many seemingly sent while 'This Is It' rehearsals were underway, the show's music director says: "MJ is not in shape enough yet to sing this stuff live and dance at the same time", while a production manager claims "he was a basket case, doubt is pervasive". Meanwhile AEG Live executive Paul Gongaware, in an email to the company's President Randy Phillips, warned that the company should be prepared to stop Jackson from suddenly pulling out of the shows, "which MJ will try to do because he is lazy and constantly changes his mind to fit his immediate wants". Other emails show concerns began even before the rehearsals, with an email from Philips revealing what really caused the delay in the high profile press conference in London that announced the 'This Is It' residency. While the official line was that traffic problems had pushed back the start time of the event, according to the LA Times Philips reported back to his US colleagues at the time: "MJ is locked in his room drunk and despondent. I [am] trying to sober him up. I screamed at him so loud the walls are shaking. He is an emotionally paralysed mess riddled with self loathing and doubt now that it is show time". As the actual shows got closer, overall 'This Is It' director Kenny Ortega expressed his concerns to Philips, writing: "It is like there are two people there. One trying to hold on to what he was and still can be and not wanting us to quit him, the other in this weakened and troubled state. I believe we need professional guidance in this matter". Ironically with hindsight, Philips wrote in an email after a meeting had been called to address Ortega's concerns that he felt confident the medic currently caring for the singer - ie Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of causing Jackson's death due to negligent care - could handle the problem. According to the LA Times, he said of Murray: "I am gaining immense respect for [him] as I get to deal with him more", before adding: "This doctor is extremely successful (we check everyone out) and does not need this gig, so he [he's] totally unbiased and ethical". Neither AEG nor reps for the Jackson family or Michael Jackson Estate have responded to the LA Times reports. -------------------------------------------------- LEANN RIMES SUES OVER ALLEGED CYBER BULLYING According to New York Daily News, the lawsuit states: "Though she has many supporters, over the past several years, Ms Rimes has been the target of an increasingly aggressive internet campaign by supporters of her husband Eddie Cibrian's first wife ... Until now, Ms Rimes has patiently put up with the defendants' campaign of harassment in the hope that they would tire of posting false and defamatory statements. Her restraint has been rewarded with only escalating outrageous conduct by defendants". The lawsuit was launched after a recording of a phone call between Rimes and, allegedly, Riley, was posted to the offending blog last month. Rimes claims that she called Riley earlier this year to try to make peace but was "taunted and provoked" and recorded without her knowledge. The same day the legal action was first reported, Rimes checked herself into an LA rehab clinic. Her rep told The Hollywood Reporter: "LeAnn has voluntarily entered a 30 day in-patient treatment facility to cope with anxiety and stress. While there will be speculation regarding treatment, she is simply there to learn and develop coping mechanisms. While privacy isn't expected, it's certainly appreciated". HAL DAVID 1921 - 2012 Born in New York, David studied journalism at the city's university and, after a stint in the US Army during World War II, mainly in the military's entertainment unit, he started work as a copywriter at the New York Post. But writing songs was always his passion, and while copywriting by day he also contributed lyrics to various bandleaders of the era, including Sammy Kaye and Guy Lombardo. As a songwriter, David started working at New York's Brill Building, and it was there that he met Bacharach. The duo began to collaborate, and in 1957 wrote 'Magic Moments' together. Recorded by Perry Como, the song became a big hit the following year, and established Bacharach and David as a songwriting partnership. In 1962 they began writing songs for Dionne Warwick, an alliance that led to a string of hits and classics, including 'Don't Make Me Over', 'Walk On By', 'I Say A Little Prayer' and 'Do You Know The Way To San Jose'. Topping the charts with Warwick, the duo also wrote for numerous other top singers of the sixties, including Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones and Gene Pitney, and also began to successfully write hit songs for movies. Though it was a movie project that ultimately brought the Bacharach/David partnership to an end. The duo spent two years working on the music for the 1973 musical remake of 'Lost Horizon', and when the film was panned by critics and audiences alike, Bacharach did not respond well. For a time he based himself at his holiday home and refused to work, and in the years that followed legal battles ensued between the two hit makers, and between them and Warwick. However, David continued to write, and to collaborate with a number of other composers, including Albert Hammond, Henry Mancini and John Barry, often on new movie themes. And in the early 1990s David, Bacharach and Warwick overcame past squabbles to collaborate again on the song 'Sunny Weather Lover'. Also active in the American music business, David joined the board of collecting society ASCAP in 1974 and served as its President from 1980 to 1986, and subsequently headed up the US Songwriters Hall Of Fame from 2001 and 2011. Meanwhile his oeuvre stood the test of time, his works, and especially those with Bacharach, becoming more loved and respected as the years went by. Earlier this year the duo were honoured with the Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song at a White House tribute event, though by that time David himself was too ill to attend. He is survived by his wife Eunice David, who told reporters last night: "Even at the end, Hal always had a song in his head. He was always writing notes, or asking me to take a note down, so he wouldn't forget a lyric". DEFTONES NAME NEW LP Frontman Chino Moreno defines the duality of Deftones' sound to date: "Obviously we're an aggressive band - not the heaviest, but there's a lot of attack. But there's also this lush beauty that flows within everything that we do, and that's my favourite part of the band. To me, it's the epitome of what the Deftones do". Chino and co will pay respect to this, their seventh studio set, via a headline tour of the United States in October. And, who knows, maybe a British one too. -------------------------------------------------- LUPE FIASCO LISTS LP TRACKS The hip hop MC - who last week urged fans to boycott Spin magazine over an unfavourable review of his clumsy sexism-in-rap critique 'Bitch Bad' - will release part two of the 'Food And Liquor' trilogy on 24 Sep. Oh, and this is its cover artwork, such as it can be called so. Tracklisting: Ayesha Says (Intro) -------------------------------------------------- HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR MAKE SPIRITUAL DJ-KICKS MIX Featuring a brand new Hercules track titled 'Release Me', it spans the many scenes the band have inspired and felt inspired by, from "proto house, through New York's golden years in the 90s, to Chicago jack tracks and modern takes on house music's halcyon days". HALA's Andy Butler, who has also strewn vocal samples from his personal yoga guru across the mix, says: "I wanted to include a spiritual aspect because nightclubs, as silly as they are in some ways, there is a religious experience to it for a lot of people, and that's the way it was for me when I was young". He enlightens us further: "I've had nights when I've danced for hours until I was a mess of sweat at Body & Soul and people would come up to me and ask, What are you on? And I was like, I'm not on anything, I'm just having a spiritual moment. So I wanted a bit of that in the mix". Dance music as religion, it all makes perfect sense. As does this tracklisting: Mankind - Don't Keep Me Waiting SWEET BILLY PILGRIM PLAYING ACOUSTIC PUB DATES Says singer Tim Elsenburg: "We decided to find a nice little venue, break out the acoustic guitars and the banjo and bring back the idea of the 'residency', where we get to play weekly, make new friends, have a regular place to meet old ones, and just play". Find info on the residency, plus a free MP3 of 'Crown And Treaty' standout 'Blakefield Gold', at www.sweetbillypilgrim.com CREAMFIELDS GRANTS POST-FLOOD REFUNDS As previously reported, the Sunday edition of the two-day dance weekender was cancelled following "significant flooding" across its Cheshire-based site. As per the festival's repayment scheme, Sunday day ticket-holders will be given all of their money back, while those who had tickets for the full weekend will receive half of the original sums paid. A statement from Creamfields HQ reads: "Firstly we'd like to apologise for the delay in getting these details to you, we do understand your frustration, however there are several parties involved and it's taken a little longer than anticipated to pull all this information together, [but] rest assured this has been a top priority for us". Find further details at www.creamfields.com ------------------------------------------------- BESTIVAL TO BROADCAST LIVE ON YOUTUBE Bestival head honcho Rob da Bank told CMU: "I've been watching festivals such as Coachella and Tomorrowland on YouTube and loving the futuristic new angle on showing festivals in a different light via a medium that nearly everyone in the music and festival worlds is tuned into. We're really pleased that Bestival is the first UK festival to go down this route". You can catch all the action here later this week, and here's a little preview just to prove we haven't made this whole thing up. ------------------------------------------------- FESTIVAL LINE-UP ADDITIONS REWIRE, Rond de Energiecentrale, The Hague, 2-4 Nov: Diiv, Young Magic, Errors, Lichens, Kreng, Legowelt, Xosar. www.rewirefestival.nl TWO MORE SONY/ATV UK EXECS DEPART The virtual merger of the two music publishing firms has led to various redundancies, and more are expected in the coming year. In the main it's thought more jobs will go within the old EMI team than the Sony/ATV workforce, though in the UK former EMI Publishing man Guy Moot will head up the combined Sony/ATV/EMI business, meaning in London at least cuts may be more evenly distributed between the two former halves of the now combined publishing company. Ambler and Mahoney's exit follows the departure of Rak Sanghvi, formerly MD of Sony/ATV UK, who left just before the Sony-led acquisition of EMI Music Publishing was completed. DIGITAL ALLIANCES: SPOTIFY, 7DIGITAL, DEEZER Deutsche Telekom's Niek Jan van Damme says: "Music streaming is the business model of the future, and we are proud to be the first German telecommunications provider to offer our customers the pleasure of unlimited music as part of our tariffs. Spotify is an outstanding partner for this endeavour. Our customers have access to the complete world of music without any need for digital storage space - and sharing music with others has never been easier". Elsewhere, and 7Digital has announced a new deal with Toshiba which will see its music store being made available via the consumer electronics giant's net-connected televisions. The 7Digital store will sit within the Toshiba Places interface, via which users will be able to browse the digital music firm's catalogues, create playlists, buy tracks and stream them through their telly. The service will go live in the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain later this month. Toshiba Europe's Thomas Teckentrup told CMU: "We're delighted with the deep integration of 7Digital's service on our Smart TV devices - it not only enriches the experience for our TV customers, but adds further value to the existing integration on our other devices". And finally, Deezer has announced a global partnership with Philips that will see the streaming music platform bundled in with the tech firm's Fidelio Wireless Hi-Fi range. Edouard Petit, Marketing Manager of Audio at Philips, told CMU: "The way we listen to music is changing, and so is the technology we use for enjoying music at home. We are now living in a connected world, and we are increasingly enjoying streaming from the internet. Through our partnership with Deezer, the new Philips Fidelio Wireless Hi-Fi range gives you unlimited access to a whole universe of music at your fingertips". FORMER HMV CEO TO HEAD UP TRINITY MIRROR Announcing the appointment, Trinity Mirror Chairman David Grigson said: "Simon will provide the strategic leadership the company needs. His experience gives him a current and in-depth understanding of how consumers' habits are changing and the technology that is driving these changes. He is a great team player and leader and his skills and experience perfectly complement those of the existing executive team". Fox added: "I am delighted to be joining the Trinity Mirror team. I have been enormously impressed by the people I have met so far and look forward to starting shortly. Whilst the Group's current financial performance is robust, we will need to continue to evolve the business to meet the changing needs of our customers". The new post will officially come into effect on 10 Sep. ADELE ISN'T MARRIED, OK? "I'm not married...", tweeted the 24 year old '21' star, adding: "Zzzzzzz". So Adele is not married... I repeat: not married. Now stop the tedious speculation, everyone, and have a nice sleep. -------------------------------------------------- ROBBIE WILLIAMS REGRETS HIS "WEIRD AND FAT" UFO PHASE Speaking to The Sun to promote his "genuine World War I Winston Churchill"-inspired (his words, not mine) new men's fashion label Farrell, Robbie's thoughts were also drawn to previous less conventional solo projects. He said: "Ever since I was sixteen all I have been doing is make album, promote album, tour album... and I did that for 20 years. Then I got a bit burnt out and I was looking for something else. I thought that something else was making documentaries about UFOs. But that wasn't going to work out for me. It just made me weird and - at the time - fat. Weird and fat, looking for UFOs. But, he adds, salvation came when his people proposed the fashion design thing: "So I thought I would reverse out of this situation, which was a PR nightmare, and my management put the idea to me. I live in America, where pop stars and actors all seem to do a multitude of things. I pretty much thought I could do a clothing line. I didn't know how we would, but we've done it". Yes, yes they have done it. 'They' being Robbie and ex-Burberry designer Ben Dickens. If you'd like to see the collection, here are some models angrily modelling it. Williams' new solo album, 'Take The Crown', will be out on 5 Nov, preceded by the Gary Barlow co-authored single, 'Candy', on 29 Oct. |
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