| CMU Daily - on the inside 6 Mar 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• Minister talks to Musicians Union over legislation,
• Rhode Island lawsuits begin,
• Rules twisted to honour Shania,
• Fatboy to play Brighton racecourse,
• Eminem update,
• Festival line up latest,
• BBC reconsider message board policy after Celebdaq problem,
• Radiohead announce intimate dates,
• Robbie wants a family,
• Changes continue at Sony,
• Phonics announce album name,
• Young reconsiders US options,
• S Club movie date confirmed
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MINISTER TALKS TO MUSICIANS UNION OVER LEGISLATION
Culture Secretary Kim Howells has met with the Musicians Union to discuss that new licensing legislation which, by making pubs apply for licenses in order to stage live music, the Union fears will close down a vital network of small venues for its members. Although refusing to budge on the legislation itself Howells has promised a representative from the Union can join a working group which will discuss how best to implement the new legislation.
Talking to the BBC the Union described the meeting as "constructive". "Our chairman emerged with a positive attitude because the government had made this constructive proposal about us participating on the issue of guidance. But we still have this fundamental difference about basic approach."
Although the House of Lords also expressed concern at the affect the new law would have on live music – proposing an amendment to remove unamplified music from the new ruling – the Department for Culture, Media and Sport says it is supportive of live music, and that the new legislation should encourage its growth.
A spokesman for the department told reporters that pubs can apply for the public entertainment licence as part of their alcohol licence, at less cost than at present. They considered live music important but added "live music has to be balanced against residents' rights to a quiet night's sleep."
With regards the meeting with the MU the spokesperson said: "The minister acknowledged the union's concerns, but agreed that the DCMS and the Musicians' Union will work together to ensure the new legislation significantly increases opportunities for performers to perform."
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RHODE ISLAND LAWSUITS BEGIN
The first of what is likely to be a string of lawsuits regarding the Rhode Island club fire was filed yesterday. Relatives of two of the people killed during the tragedy filed their suits at Providence Superior Court – among those named as responsible in the suit were the city of West Warwick, club owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian, the band Great White, their representatives Manic Management, their manager Paul Woolnough, their tour manager Dan Biechele, West Warwick fire inspector Dennis Larocque, and American Foam Corp (who supplied the sound proofing foam that turned out to be so incredibly flammable).
Meanwhile no word on the Grand Jury investigation into the fire. Investigations are still centring on whether or not the band were given permission to include pyros in their show.
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RULES TWISTED TO HONOUR SHANIA
Organisers of Canada's Walk of Fame, Canada's equivalent of the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame, have twisted the rules so that Shania Twain can get her star. Although Twain has consistently come top of surveys on which Canadian star should get added to the 'walk', current rules say a star must have a minimum of ten years in the business in order to be eligible. If you count Shania's career from her first hit (‘Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under’) then she's got two years to wait. But organisers have decided to count from her less than successful releases for Nashville Recordings a few years earlier, making Shania eligible to be awarded her star later this year.
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FATBOY TO PLAY BRIGHTON RACECOURSE
Fatboy Slim is to perform another open air gig in Brighton, though this time on the Racecourse rather than the beach. According to the NME the show will take place on 4 May and will include a number of other acts. Unlike the free for all Big Beach show tickets will be sold limiting access to the party.
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EMINEM UPDATE
Eminem is very busy in the studio just know, though he is yet to start work on his own new album, which record label execs hope will be ready for an early 2004 release.
But just now Marshall is working on new material for artists signed to his record label Shady Records. Word is he has just finished working with Obie Trice on his debut LP, which has now been handed over to Dr Dre for final production. Next on the list is D12's next album, scheduled for a summer release. Eminem will handle most of the production duties on the album, as well as adding some raps along the way. And once that is done work will begin on a second 50 Cent album – the million selling new rapper apparently keen to follow up the success of 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' with a quick second album, possibly out as early as the Autumn.
Elsewhere in the world of Eminem - Universal Studios Home Video have said they will launch the US DVD release of '8 Mile' next week with a party hosted by Eminem at Detroit's St. Andrew’s Hall. The party will include a Rap Battle Competition, with winners from heats that have been taking place around the country flown in to face-off in a contest judged by the film's co-star Mekhi Phifer and D12's Proof. The overall winner will get to record a demo at the Record Plant in Hollywood.
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FESTIVAL LINE UP LATEST
More festival line up stuff. Firstly the NME reckon Super Furry Animals and Suede will be appearing alongside headliners REM at the Friday stint of Glastonbury. Other acts rumoured to be among the Glasto line up include Supergrass, Flaming Lips, The Libertines, The Music, The Coral, Turin Brakes, Sigur Ros and Idlewild.
Meanwhile, up in Scotland, The Charlatans, The Streets, The Coral and The Music have all been confirmed as playing at this July's T In The Park. They join confirmed headliners REM and Coldplay and previous line up additions The Datsuns, Supergrass, The Polyphonic Spree and John Squire. Slam, Dave Clarke, H Foundation and Underworld are all booked for the dance tent.
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BBC RECONSIDER MESSAGE BOARD POLICY AFTER CELEBDAQ PROBLEM
The BBC has confirmed it will review the editorial controls on the message boards connected to the BBC3 show Celebdaq after a viewer named a footballer who had taken out an injunction preventing publication of a kiss 'n' tell story – violating said injunction. The Corporation had to admit that it does not vet messages submitted to all of its boards – only vetting selected boards such as those connected to kids shows or, for some reason, Asian targeted programming!
The Celebdaq message board, where people swap gossip and tips about celebrities who are likely to be in the news, is only "moderated" - edited after people have posted their messages. The BBC could now face a costly legal battle after said footballers name was published. And the law is increasingly finding against online publishers – who sometimes let things get published on the basis they can 'take it down' if someone complains. A teacher last year won a libel action against school reunion website Friends Reunited over libellous allegations made by a former pupil. Two years ago internet service provider Demon had to pay more than £200,000 to settle a libel action over material posted on one of its newsgroups.
That said media lawyer Dan Tench told the Media Guardian it's still a tricky area: "Ostensibly the BBC is likely to be liable for a breach of an injunction committed by a third party using their system. However, this is an uncertain area. If the BBC can show it acted properly and took down the offending posts as soon as they were noticed, it's unlikely in this case that a court would seek to punish the BBC heavily. However, the courts may in future be looking at the steps that celebrity gossip sites take to discourage or prevent such material being posted."
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RADIOHEAD ANNOUNCE INTIMATE DATES
Radiohead have announced a series of intimate gigs prior to the release of their next album, and just before their series of festival dates over the summer. Parlophone, confirming the gigs, said dates and venues will be released in the coming weeks.
Talking about new album guitarist Ed O'Brien has told NME: "To me, this record feels like the culmination of the best bits of The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A and Amnesiac."
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ROBBIE WANTS A FAMILY
More ramblings from Robbie, busy talking to journalists in Japan where he is pushing 'Escapology', this time on life ambitions: "I'm reaching 30 now and I've been having a look at myself for quite some time. It's really important for me that I don't pass whatever I've got on to my children - and I really want children. I'm doing really really well, I'm really happy this album's the first album that I've actually found a joy to do. To turn up, to work… I get the chance to be a pop star and for the first time I'm actually soaking it up and really, really enjoying it."
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CHANGES CONTINUE AT SONY
More on the changes at Sony under new boss Andrew Lack. Word is many of the old guard are planning their own departures. Vice Chairman Mel Ilberman is said to be retiring, with senior players John Murphy and Craig Applequist expected to follow head of the company's distribution division Danny Yarbrough who confirmed his retirement last week. Latest rumours on Lack's plans for the company are more integration between Epic and Columbia's operations.
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PHONICS ANNOUNCE ALBUM NAME
Stereophonics have confirmed their new album, due May, will be called 'You Gotta Go There To Come Back'. According to NME the first single, out 19 May, will be 'Madame Helga' – word is the band have gone in a more electronic direction this time. Kelly Jones told Kerrang: "There's probably about three songs on there which are similar to the single like a Sly And The Family Stone glam rock kind of thing. A couple are a bit like Massive Attack, with more electronic sounds. So it's really all over the fucking place."
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YOUNG RECONSIDERS US OPTIONS
Will Young has told The Sun that record label bosses have recommended he play down the 'gay thing' in the US – and that he ought to get his teeth whitened and straightened before playing over there. As a result he is considering putting his US ambitions on hold - "I've been offered a major deal but I'm in a dilemma. They want me to keep quiet about my private life and, worse, they've told me to get my teeth straightened. I thought they were joking but that is the bottom line."
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S CLUB MOVIE DATE CONFIRMED
Well, here's the news you've been waiting for – the S Club movie has a release date. 'Seeing Double' will be in UK cinemas on 11 Apr, presumably in time for the Easter school holidays. As the name suggests, the movie centres on the band battling with their evil clones - Bradley explains: "Some of our fans will be surprised to see us in jail but they needn't worry. We haven't turned into movie baddies and it sets the crazy tone for the rest of the film. It was great fun to make and is a bit more grown-up than our TV series." Talking of pop clones – Gareth Gates makes a cameo in the new movie.