| CMU Daily - on the inside 20 Feb 2003 |
|
• Coldplay Brits favourites,
• Popstars and those flying fears,
• Review: The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight,
• Eminem’s mum concerned for Slim,
• VH1 score top ratings with Jacko repeat,
• Popstars respond to tour cancellation,
• Capital plan digital radio plug fest,
• DVD of Beatles jam
planned,
• Pearce to resident at Ministry night,
• Roxette girl may sue Swedish paper,
• Coxon surprised at Blur guitarist choice,
• 50 Cents still dominates US charts,
• Mel C on the non-Spice Girls reunion,
• Review: Various – Om Lounge 7,
• More Leeds rioters in the dock,
• R Kelly dedicates album to club tragedy victims
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Brits
trivia: So Annie Lennox has been Best Female at the Brits
six times (see the answer to yesterday’s pop quiz) –
two other female singers have won the Best Female award twice
– who are they? Answer tomorrow
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COLDPLAY BRITS FAVOURITES
With the Ms Dynamite backlash officially beginning last Tuesday
at 1.35pm (being so publicly anti-war don't go down well with
the pro-war press) the safe money is now on Coldplay dominating
the Brits tonight. So much so Ladbrokes have stopped taking
best on the band winning best group and best album.
Odds fans should know that Coldplay are 4-7 to win best album,
followed by Ms Dynamite at 3-1 and The Streets at 6-1. Meanwhile
Robbie Williams is 4-5 favourite to be named best male, with
The Streets at 3-1 and Badly Drawn Boy at 5-1.
The Brits take place at Earls Court this evening. If you haven’t
blagged a ticket (I mean, if you’ve decided to follow
Mikey Skinner’s lead and boycott such a corporate back-slapping
event) you can watch the proceedings on ITV from 8pm.
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POPSTARS AND THOSE FLYING FEARS
Kelly Osbourne has blamed her mum Sharon for the decision
to drop out of the NME Awards last week. Kelly pulled out
after the army appeared at Heathrow heightening fears terrorist
activity was expected. She told NME.com: "Mum didn't
want a war to start and me to be on the other side of the
world. I
understand, I guess, but I was so pissed off. I really was
so angry and I ended spending the night of the awards at home
by myself."
Meanwhile the Sugarbabes have joined the list of artists getting
edgy about flying around the world as war in Iraq becomes
more and more likely. Heidi Range told reporters: "I'm
not getting on a plane when there are army tanks and people
around." The trio cancelled a TV performance in Denmark
after the heightened security appeared at Heathrow. "We
cancelled the trip because of everything that's going on at
the moment. I'm really scared of flying."
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REVIEW: The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight (Universal/Polydor)
As far as this writer's concerned, the day The Cardigans began
taking themselves too seriously (with the release of 'Gran
Turismo') was the day they got really, really boring. Like,
you’d never hope to hear Eddie Izzard reading the Radio
4 news, and nor did we enjoy this band’s move from stylish,
flirtatious, witty pop songs towards po-faced arena rock.
As such, 'Long Gone Before Daylight' is a double-edged sword.
See, it’s miles better than 'Gran Turismo', but the Cardies
have taken another strange turn they’ve made a country
album. And a damn fine one at that. The delicate, beautiful
songs paint pictures of love lost, of reflection, of new hope.
Breathtaking first single ‘For What it’s Worth’
sounds like the irrigation of a desolate Americana landscape,
while the adjacent grouping of 'And Then You Kissed Me', 'Couldn’t
Care Less' and 'Please Sister' becomes downright depressing,
as far from UK debut ‘Life’ as can be. That’s
quite a feat really. Sonically there are bits of 'Globe Sessions'-era
Sheryl Crow, A Camp (Cardigans singer Nina's side band), and
even a bit of Fleetwood Mac. The subtle orchestration and
acoustic melancholy suit Nina’s voice perfectly, and
the soaring emotional content carries the weight of a JCB.
So, 'Long Gone Before Daylight' isn’t a return to The
Cardigans of old; but it's a return to form nonetheless, and
that's a truly wonderful thing. DR
Release date: 24 Mar
Press contact: Polydor IH [all]
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EMINEM’S MUM CONCERNED FOR SLIM
In an interview with US TV show 'Celebrity Justice' Eminem's
mum has said she fears for her son's life. Describing the
music industry as "scary" and "violent"
she said she is frightened at how many people take her son,
and all of his lyrics, so seriously, and that she is constantly
worried about getting a call to say that someone has "taken
the controversial rap star out". When the interviewer
asked if she thinks she'll get that call she replied "I
hate to say it, but yes."
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VH1 SCORE TOP RATINGS WITH JACKO REPEAT
Time for today's obligatory Jacko story. VH1 enjoyed its highest
weekend ratings for four years after the looped repeats of
the Bashir documentary started to air on Saturday – the
first screening almost doubling the audience normally tuned
to the music channel at that time – and each of the five
screenings over the weekend averaged an audience of a million.
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POPSTARS RESPOND TO TOUR CANCELLATION
Both the Popstars bands have assured fans their respective
careers are still progressing full throttle, despite yesterday's
news their joint headline tour had been cancelled due to poor
ticket sales. A spokesman for One True Voice said the boys
were "disappointed and upset" by the news but determined
to press ahead with their next single.
Girls Aloud's record label, meanwhile, said: "The girls
are disappointed the Popstars - The Rivals tour has been cancelled.
Sarah, Nadine, Kimberley, Nicola and Cheryl were looking forward
to performing in front of the fans that had made them number
one for three weeks."
ITV company Granada, meanwhile, is considering taking legal
action against AAA, the promoter who pulled the 12 date tour.
An insider at the company told Media Guardian: "Granada
is not happy with the situation and has referred it to their
lawyers.”
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CAPITAL PLAN DIGITAL RADIO PLUG FEST
The Capital Gold network which, despite its name, now reaches
South Wales, Birmingham and Manchester as well as London,
will next month embark on an eight week cross-station promotion
of digital radio. The promotion will centre on people who
listen to the station at work and include competitions to
win digital radio sets – the winners will have their
sets delivered to their place of work by a local Capital Gold
presenter.
Talking about the campaign the network's MD Lyn Long told
reporters: "Digital radio is a very important part of
Capital Gold's future, and we believe that this promotion
will help to show our audience of the benefits of digital
radio in a simple and accessible way through on-air and on-line
explanation and promotion."
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DVD OF BEATLES JAM PLANNED
More good news for Beatles fans. After McCartney's announcement
of UK dates which will include a large number of Beatles tracks
in the line up, details have now been released of a new DVD
which will include footage of a 1994 jam session between McCartney,
Ringo Starr and George Harrison which took place at
Harrison’s Oxfordshire home.
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PEARCE TO RESIDENT AT MINISTRY NIGHT
Ministry of Sound have announced Radio One's Dave Pearce will
become a resident at their monthly Future night – it
will be his only London residency.
Announcing the residency Future's Phil Sales told reporters: "After the massive success we've had with Dave at the
Bank Holiday Euphoria events we've decided to steal him away
from Euphoria and give him our own Future night to play around
with! Future will be the only place you’ll be able to
catch Dave Pearce in London in 2003."
His first Future set will be on 15 Mar alongside guests John
Askew, John ‘00’ Fleming, Paul Woolford, Will Grant,
Gareth Cooke and VUDU Records.
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ROXETTE GIRL MAY SUE SWEDISH PAPER
Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson, recovering after an operation
to remove a brain tumor last Autumn, has threatened to sue
a Swedish tabloid over an article which alleged she could
be suffering from a second tumor. The Stockholm daily tabloid
Expressen last month said that doctors had discovered another
possible tumor. Fredriksson's lawyer has subsequently written
to the paper saying the report was false and violated Fredriksson's
integrity. She is now demanding a full apology, $59,000 in
damages (to go to a cancer charity) and her legal fees.
The paper's editor wouldn't comment on the demands but said
the newspaper didn't mean to offend Fredriksson. He told reporters: "If she feels that we have written too much or come too
close, then we are sincerely sorry about it".
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COXON SURPRISED AT BLUR GUITARIST CHOICE
Graham Coxon has told NME he was surprised to learn who that
ex-Verve guitarist Simon Tong had replaced him for Blur's
live performances. Saying he hadn't expected them to choose
a "name guitarist" he said: "I don't know what
the obvious choice would have been really. The obvious choice
wouldn't have been a musician, it'd have been someone who
had a guitar and knew how to play it. Just a loony person.
It's kind of not too difficult a job. You don't have to be
a great player to be in Blur. Or to be in any band, really.
I'm sure he'll behave."
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50 CENTS STILL DOMINATES US CHARTS
50 Cents, the much hyped signing to Eminem's Shady Records,
is still way ahead in the US album charts this week. His album
'Get Rich or Die Tryin' has shifted 822,200 copies this week,
on top of the 872,000 units it shifted last week. No word
yet on a UK release date.
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MEL C ON THE NON-SPICE GIRLS REUNION
Mel C has backed up Victoria Beckham's spokesman who yesterday
denied rumours the Spice Girls were planning a reunion. The
rumours began after the girls had a social reunion this weekend.
But Mel C has told the BBC none of the band want to reform. "It was just a friendly get together, it was just a social
thing, and none of us are interested in getting back together,
none of us are interested in a reunion. We didn't discuss
the Greatest Hits, it was just a get together - and it was
just to catch up and that's it. That is the God's honest truth.
I swear on my mother's life."
Talking about the chances of a final tour some day she added: "I don't think that any of the girls had that intention
in mind. But I think if that had been raised at the dinner
I would have left because I'm absolutely not interested, and
I don't think any of them are either." However she did
not completely rule out a reunion tour at some point.
All five of the Spice Girls attended the get together chez
Beckham – including Geri. Mel C says: "It was strange
because really we haven't seen each other for such a long
time and so much has happened to all of us, but it was just
like we'd not been together for a couple of weeks. I think
we were all a little bit nervous, but we were more excited
than anything." Mel C’s second solo album 'Reason'
is out on 10 Mar.
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Various – Om Lounge 7 (Om Records)
The fact that this series has reached volume 7 should be enough
evidence of its quality, without someone saying ‘well
done Om, another winner’ etc etc. Lounge 7 is another
great long-player rammed with downbeat upbeat, jazz, funk,
soul and Latin influences. This is bar-beats par excellence.
Well done Om, another winner. JG
Release date: 31 Mar
Press contact: Zzonked [all]
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MORE LEEDS RIOTERS IN THE DOCK
Eight more festival goers were in court yesterday over those
riots at the Leeds festival last August. But all eight, one
of whom is the son of Clwyd South MP Martyn Jones, were let
off without charges after the court agreed that although they
took part in the riots they were not ring leaders.
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R KELLY DEDICATES ALBUM TO CLUB TRADGEDY VICTIMS
R Kelly has said he will dedicate his new album, released
in the US this week, to the memory of victims of that Chicago
E2 club tragedy that took place earlier this week when chaos
erupted in the packed venue after security guards fired pepper
spray in an attempt to break up a fight. He also plans to
donate £2000 to each of the families of the 21 people
who died in the stampede.
"I know the club and I know the people," Kelly told
reporters yesterday. "While nothing can ever replace
the loved ones who were lost, hopefully we can help ease the
burden on their families. The funds will be distributed to
the victims' families through Salem Baptist Church in Chicago."
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Answer to Wednesday's pop quiz:
Brits trivia: The best male and best female at the Brits in
1990 were the same as in 1989 and 1986 – who were the
winners (that female has won that particular Brit award more
than anyone else – how many times)?
Mr Phil Collins and Ms Annie Lennox. According to our counting
Lennox has won the Best Female Brit 6 times (in 1984, 1986,
1989, 1990, 1993, 1996).