CMU Daily - on the inside 10 Mar 2003
yesterday's Daily - Daily archive

In today's CMU Daily:
• Eye witnesses talk about the Rhode Island fire,
• Tributes for Faith,
• Review: The Delays -Nearer Than Heaven, • Apple founder planning mp3 site,
• Neneh returns as a DJ,
• Warner consider CD pressing sell off,
• Live Review: Blacktronica @ ICA,
• Anti-war stuff one: club nights,
• Anti-war stuff two: George Michael,
• Anti-war stuff three: Cat Stevens,
• Review: Rubberfunk - Latin Player,
• Backstreet should be back this year,
• Dollar reckon Gina's bum helped her avoid eviction

------------------------------------------------

OUT TODAY: RECOMMENDED RELEASES

Singles: The Kills - Keep On Your Mean Side (Domino); Placebo - The Bitter End (Virgin/Hut); OK Go - Get Over It (EMI/Capitol); 50 Cent - In Da Club (Universal/Interscope/Shady Records)

Albums: Pest - Necessary Measures (Ninja); Beans - Tomorrow Right Now (Warp); Bangkok Impact - Traveller (Clone / Creme Organisation); Beans - Tomorrow Right Now (Warp); Bent - The Everlasting Blink (Sport / Ministry Of Sound Recordings); Futureshock - Phantom Theory (Junior/Parlophone); Futureshock - Phantom Theory (Junior/ Parlophone); The Detroit Cobras - Seven Easy Pieces (Rough Trade)

------------------------------------------------

CHART REPORT
Well, we expected Eminem to storm into the charts a bit higher than number 6 this week. Are we getting bored of Mr Shady? Or were his fans not willing to spend on a single release which comes from last year's 'Eminem Show' album? That said, Eminem does have two singles in the charts this week - 'Sing For The Moment' at six 'Lose Yourself' at 14. Pretty good going given the latter was released last year. Matching Mr Mathers on the 'two tracks in the Top 40' front is Justin Timberlake - 'Cry Me A River' still at 8, his collaboration with Nelly ('Work It') entering the chart at 7.

Down to business though - Christina Aguilera stays at number one with the rather nice 'Beautiful', the other Minogue gets highest new entry with 'I Begin To Wonder' at 2, the excellent Junior Senior move up one place to 3.

New entries wise welcome arrivals from The Coral with 'Don1t Think You're The First' at 10 and that slightly Norman Cook tweaked version of Mock Turtles 'Can You Dig It' goes in at 19 - that's more or less it.

Albums wise single success pushes Christina Aguilera's 'Stripped' back to 2, though not enough to knock the ever successful Norah Jones off the top. New entries for Turin Brakes with 'Ether Song' at 4, Moloko's 'Statues' at 18, Mull Historical Society's 'Us' at 19 and that Ozzy Osbourne best of at 21. The continued hype around Michael Jackson may be causing him some strife - but it's helping his record sales. Now 'Bad' and 'Thriller' have re-entered the Top 40 - sitting at 38 and 39.

------------------------------------------------

EYE WITNESSES TALK ABOUT THE RHODE ISLAND FIRE
With three more of those injured dieing over the weekend the deathtoll of the Rhode Island club fire is now 99. Some of those who survived the blaze have been talking to the US press. "With this experience, you just have a whole new outlook on life and how much you have to appreciate it," student Mike Ricardi, who lost a friend in the fire, told reporters. "In the future, if I think there's any kind of danger, any kind of safety hazard, I'm not going in. It's just going to trigger too many bad thoughts. I'm going to be a lot more cautious of my surroundings and just make sure I'll be safe in a club."

Talking about the fire he said: "At first we thought that maybe they'd have a fire extinguisher. But then when that egg crate sound proofings went up it was like a toxic black smoke, and it spread in seconds. When I first felt that smoke and heat on me, it was just unbearable. I'm thinking this is life or death now; this is a very bad situation. I've got to do everything I can to get out of here. You literally could not see anything - I just got forced with the crowd. I couldn't even tell you if my feet were on the ground at that point. I was being moved with them and I had gotten knocked down for a second, which looking back could have been one of the best things. I was getting some fresh air."

Once outside the venue he says: "There was a lot of chaos. I tried to keep my cool. I was more in a state of shock. I tried to keep my composure. It didn't really last that long after I realized how badly I was burned and that I couldn't find my friend yet ‹ not so much panic but worry. Did he make it out? Did he not make it out?"

-----------------------------------------------

TRIBUTES FOR FAITH
Tributes galore for sixities pop idol Adam Faith who died of a heart attack this weekend. Fellow 60s pop star Cilla Black told reporters she was "shocked and saddened" at the news: "Adam Faith was a pioneer in pop music and a great actor. My thoughts are with his wife and daughter at this difficult time." Tony Blackburn described Faith as a kind and genuine person - and "a bit of a workaholic" - "He just put everything he had into what he was doing at the time. But the main thing I remember about him more than anything else is he was just so nice. There was no ego there. He was the most friendly person I think I have ever known."

The pop star turned actor turned business man's agent Alan Field said: "Adam was one of the best communicators that I ever knew. It could be a taxi driver in the street or a member of royalty - he was able to communicate with everybody at every level and he was respected and loved by them all. He came through in the pioneering days of pop music and really was a big icon along with Cliff Richard - they were the first wave of the British version of the pop music world."

----------------------------------------------

REVIEW: The Delays - Nearer Than Heaven (Rough Trade)
Well, on the press release it says they like the La's, but they're from Southampton so they couldn't possibly sound so Scouse, could they? Well, not quite, but vocalist Greg Gilbert makes an impressive fist of that nasal Merseyside vocal style we all know and love. Hmm. This is actually a nice single, though, rescued from jaunty twee by the fact that it's produced like something from 4AD with a blurred sleeve (think a slightly more audible 'Tremolo' by My Bloody Valentine) and it's coming out in April, just in time for the sun, which is perfect timing for a slice of whimsical (but not fey) guitar pop. Just wish I'd heard this before they played the Barfly the other day. MB
Release date: 7 Apr
Press contact: Wild [CP, CR], Coalition [RP, NP], Anglo [RR, NR]

----------------------------------------------

APPLE FOUNDER PLANNING MP3 SITE
Apple founder Steve Jobs is reported to have been in talks with all five major labels to secure licenses to current and catalogue records for a new online music service he is launching. Word is heads of agreement have been signed with each record company for the new service, which is likely be geared toward users of Apple's popular iPod MP3 player and iTunes software. The service might just work given that Apple won't be looking to make millions out of the website itself - their interest is in using it to sell their MP3 playing hardware. Although no label has commented on the new service the LA Times reckon it might just launch next month.

----------------------------------------------

NENEH RETURNS AS A DJ
Ms Neneh Cherry (remember her) is back, this time as a DJ. She will be Djing this month on the Po Na Na Experience tour - which also include Gilles Peterson and Norman Jay dates. Word is the night will be a mix of jazzy disco beats, soulful rare groove, hip hop, trip hop and carnival classics. Dates as follows:

13 Mar: Po Na Na Norwich, Neneh Cherry
13 Mar: Lincoln, Gilles Peterson
15 Mar: Manchester, Norman Jay
20 Mar: Bristol, Neneh Cherry
21 Mar: Cambridge, Neneh Cherry
25 Mar: Portsmouth, Norman Jay
27 Mar: Cheltenham, Neneh Cherry
3 Apr: Reading, Gilles Peterson

-----------------------------------------------

WARNER CONSIDER CD PRESSING SELL OFF
According to the Wall Street Journal, AOL Time Warner is considering selling its CD and DVD-manufacturing division in a bid to tackle those record breaking debts. Word is the prospering DVD business makes the division quite an attractive buy - with Technicolor and Cinram International potential buyers.

-----------------------------------------------

LIVE REVIEW: Blacktronica @ ICA on 5 Mar
Zeena Edwards, a performance poet, said of Charlie Dark, "Charlie doesn1t do scenes: he invents them". And although it's easy to create profound-sounding jingles at will, there is a lot of truth in this phrase. From working on the Word, to the Face magazine and the creation of the seminal Attica Blues project with Tony Nwachuku and Roba El-Essawy Charlie has always been several steps ahead. And Blacktronica is no different. In association with the Watchman Agency and Guiness Extra Stout, Charlie's night is as reflective as it is progressive. Reflecting the demand for an outlet for Black music other than garage, hiphop and drum & bass, and progressive in its showcasing of futuristic Black music - often live, spoken word, live visuals. Wednesday the 5th saw Charlie at the helm playing the unsurprisingly brilliant blend of future soul, broken beats and vintage funk, dub and dance-floor jazz, as well as live poetry from Richard Blackmale, and an acoustic set from West London1s queen of future soul, Izzi Dunn (who was - as usual - enchanting). After the success of last year1s mini-tour, Blacktronica will be on the road again soon. JG

-----------------------------------------------

ANTI-WAR STUFF ONE: CLUB NIGHTS
More anti-war shenanigans (got to get these in quick, that war is a beckoning). First a London night at Shepherds Bush Empire on 15 Mar called The One Big No. Faithless, despite their break from live performances, will be playing a rare acoustic set, performing alongside Paul Weller, Ian McCulloch and Evan Dando and video messages from Yoko Ono, Badly Drawn Boy and David Gray. All proceeds will go to the Stop The War Coalition and CND.

Meanwhile there will be a free Anti War Allnighter in Birmingham on 4 Apr at the 2000 capacity Sanctuary venue. Bentley Rhythm Ace, Atomic Hooligan, Klaus (2 Sinners) and former DMC champ Cutmaster Swift are all booked to perform.

More on both as we get it.

-----------------------------------------------

ANTI-WAR STUFF TWO: GEORGE MICHAEL
Elsewhere in the world of anti-wardom, the BBC has responded to George Michael accusations that they made him take of an anti-war t-shirt prior to his performance of the Don McLean's anti-war song 'The Grave' on Friday's
Top of the Pops.

"George wore a black sweatshirt with denim jacket during rehearsals and a brown leather jacket and black hooded top during his main performance. At no stage did he wear a T-shirt. His backing singers did wear anti-war T-shirts but the programme was still being edited right up until transmission. We are not giving George Michael a platform to air his political views, we are giving viewers the fantastic opportunity to see an international star perform on TOTP for the first time in 17 years. The BBC has a duty to air all points of view equally, so if for instance, there was a pro-war song performed by an equally established artist it would be considered in the same way adhering to BBC editorial policy guidelines."

McLean, meanwhile, said of the performance of his song that he was "proud of George Michael for standing up for life and sanity".

-----------------------------------------------

ANTI-WAR STUFF THREE: CAT STEVENS
Even more anti-war news! Yusuf Islam, formerly and better known as Cat Stevens, has recorded two songs to express his opposition to military action in the US. The first is a rerecording of his 70s hit 'Peace Train', the other, 'Angel of War', a reworking of his melancholy love song 'Lady D'Arbanville'.

Writing on his website he says: "As a member of humanity and as a Muslim, this is my contribution to the call for a peaceful solution to the dangerous path some world leaders today seem to be taking".

-----------------------------------------------

REVIEW: Rubberfunk - Latin Player (GPS Recordings)
This is one of those 12"s that can only be described by its parts, not in terms of existing genres, pigeonholes or brackets. Live-not-looped Latin guitar, funky mid-tempo hiphop breaks, a squelchy 303-style Norman Cook loop, a funky bassline, and nice strings. In many ways it sounds like Mr Scruff feeling esoteric and Mediterranean. The flip includes 'Come On In & Get Some', a heavy funk loop with wicked cutting and scratching interspersed with funky horn - like Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow getting frisky. JG
Release date: 31 Mar
Press contact: Zzonked [all]

-----------------------------------------------

BACKSTREET SHOULD BE BACK THIS YEAR
Billboard has reported that the Backstreet Boys will be back in the studio soon - just as soon as constituent member's solo duties are over. Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough told the magazine: "I've done a lot of writing in the past year. I've written about 12 songs individually and about 15 songs group-wise. I think we'll get together again in March, after group member Kevin [Richardson] gets done with 'Chicago' and Nick [Carter] gets done with his solo tour. I'm hoping to have the new album out at least by September, but I'd like it to be by the summer."

Talking about that lawsuit the band took against their record label Zomba (now part of BMG) - in which the band claimed label bosses had pushed back their release schedule to get out of paying a delivery bonus - Dorough said he expected a peaceful resolution soon - "I think eventually it's all going to work out."

-----------------------------------------------

DOLLAR RECKON GINA'S BUM HELPED HER AVOID EVICTION
David Van Day and Thereza Bazar - better known as Dollar - have told the Sun that Gina G - one of their competitors on ITV's 'Reborn in the USA' (the talent show for has been pop stars) used the Kylie method to avoid eviction.

The American audience who watch the live performances from each of the acts participating in the show vote on which two performers should go forward for eviction - UK viewers then vote one of the two out. Dollar and Sonia are both up to be removed from the show this week - but the former reckon the only reason Gina G isn't up for the vote is because she showed a bit of bottom. Describing her own act Bazar said: "It's not about the dress and the bum - it's about the voice and performance. We are great performers. I could have worn something like that, but I know what's appropriate for my years."

yesterday's Daily - Daily archive

© UnLimited Publishing | subscribe at www.theCMUwebsite.com/daily