| CMU Daily - on the inside 18 Mar 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• BPI express concern at BT's lack of concern
• Ms Dynamite mounts another attack on government
• Fun-da-mental mixed up – but not on the war
• City fans provide musical send off to Maine road
• Review: Drew - Under The Weather
• Warp take over artist’s foundation for mini-fest
• BBC Sky rumblings may force government intervention
• Live Review: Vikter Dupliax @ The Jazz Café On 16 Mar
• Former Sony boss struggles to reach deal with major
• Minelli and Gest postpone party until after war
• Dixie Chicks backtrack on anti-Bush remarks
• Weller added to Cancer Trust benefit gigs
• BBC politics make Fame Academy 2 unlikely
• Pop station calls in police after listeners get unruly
• Dire Straits man in motorbike crash
• Review: Mark Xtc - Rollin Beatz / Keys
• Sonia gets email death threats
• Chrysalis enter Glasgow radio race
• Diddy goes dance
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CMU POP QUIZ
Win a free 12 month subscription to Xfm's new monthly music magazine X-Ray,
keep the answers to our movie related pop questions each day this week and
find out how to enter on Friday.
Q2: Soundtracks – Prefab Sprout's 'King of Rock 'n' Roll, Nina Simone's 'My Baby Just Cares For Me' and Queen's 'You're My Best Friend' appear on which movie's soundtrack?
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BPI EXPRESS CONCERN AT BT'S LACK OF CONCERN
Despite last week championing BT's decision to allow music fans unlimited access to tracks stored on its legit music download service, dotmusic, in return for a monthly subscription, the BPI has this week criticised BT for failing to tackle illegal downloading by their legions of internet customers. Speaking to the BBC, a BPI spokesman said the telecoms giant had been reluctant to discuss the issue of online piracy despite repeated attempts by its anti-piracy division to work together on the issue.
Jollyon Benn of the BPI's anti-piracy unit: "BT is the biggest service provider in terms of peer-to-peer traffic but getting them to discuss the issues is like pulling teeth. It will be a red letter day when they talk to us. BT is trying to create business links with the music industry at the same time as being completely intransigent to the issues of piracy."
The BPI points out that other major ISPs such as NTL have met with them to discuss the use of their internet services for the illegal file share of music, and that they have found some ways to deal with the problem – mainly the unpopular decision to cap the amount of bandwidth subscribers can use at any one time, making downloading large music files a slower affair.
"In terms of capping downloads we have no current plans to do that," Duncan Ingram, BT Openworld's MD admitted, but he denied his company was aiding the music pirates. "We aren't supporting an illegal market. Peer-to-peer is a technology and it isn't inherently illegal. Where do you draw the line about what is legal and what isn't? That is a range of responsibility that we are not equipped to deal with."
He said he had spoken to the BPI about the issue, and that he would continue to do so. But he added that without good quality legal alternatives, people were bound to be attracted to the services offered by file-sharing networks. "That is why we have launched Dotmusic, which offers a reasonably priced legitimate alternative for people."
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MS DYNAMITE MOUNTS ANOTHER ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT
Ms Dynamite has once again criticised government policy – this time hitting out at their failure to tackle gun violence in black communities, and at the recent accusations of culture minister Kim Howells that gangsta rap was to blame for the rise in gun crime.
Speaking at the launch of the Stop The Violence campaign she told reporters Howell's comments showed the Government had no real understanding of the problem. "People can make out they are interested in a problem, but then they go and make comments like they have about our music. It shows no one's listening, no one's understanding and no one cares. In terms of gun violence and gun crime it's obvious - the problem is poverty. The Government have to give young people education and jobs, then none of this would be occurring."
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FUN-DA-MENTAL MIXED UP – BUT NOT ON THE WAR
Look out for a Fun-Da-Mental remix album - 'Voices of Mass Destruction' – out on 14 Apr on Nation Records. You'll find highlights from the 'There Shall Be Love' album with remixes from, among others, Temple of Sound, Swami, Moody Boyz and Pressure Drop.
Needless to say Fun-Da-Mental are speaking out against the ever looming war – the album itself features lengthy quotes from Osama Bin Laden and Che Guevara – and you will find much anti-war content at http://www.fun-da-mental.co.uk.
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CITY FANS PROVIDE MUSICAL SEND OFF TO MAINE ROAD
Oasis will lead a bill of Manchester City fans to mark the final match being played at the Maine Road stadium. Oasis, Doves, Johnny Marr, The Cult guitarist Billy Duffy and dance act 808 State will all play after City's final match at the stadium against Southampton on 11 May.
During the sets classic Maine Road moments – including key matches and gigs from the likes of the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd – will be projected onto two giant screens.
From next season Manchester City will be based at the City Of Manchester Stadium which hosted last year's Commonwealth Games.
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REVIEW: Drew - Under the Weather (Virgin/Source)
Why oh why do people who sound like they've just caught their bits in their zip insist on becoming singers? David Gray? What the hell is *that* all about? And Drew's debut effort, a weary collection of miserable, bland acoustic drudgery for Q readers, should be slopped into the same bucket as Mr Gray, and then sealed, weighted down and tossed into a deep river. Really, with the likes of Evan Dando releasing heart-wrenching albums of shimmering balladry, there is simply no need for this turgid EP. And at least Evan's name isn’t in past tense. DR
Release date: 17 Mar
Press contact: Virgin IH [all]
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WARP TAKE OVER ARTIST’S FOUNDATION FOR MINI-FEST
Warp Records will be holding an exciting mini-festival at the Vasarely Foundation in Aix-en-Provence, Southern France from 23-24 May. The label are planning a 'spectacular' show, and one would hope it would be pretty visual too as the Foundation was founded by optical artist Victor Vasarely as "a means to educate and demonstrate how his own carefully developed principles and theories of colour and design could be integrated into architecture to positively affect the daily lives of ordinary people". Music wise Plaid, Jamie Lidell, Brothomstates, Mira Calix, Req and Chris Cunningham will all appear – more info at http://www.warprecords.com
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BBC SKY RUMBLINGS MAY FORCE GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION
Insiders at both Sky and the BBC are predicting something of a battle over that decision last week for the Beeb to no longer scramble their satellite broadcasts, and therefore sidestep paying £85 million to Sky to administer the distribution of unscramblers.
As reported yesterday insiders at Sky are threatening to remove the BBC's main channels from the first two slots in their electronic programme guide, relegating them down to the fifties, and pushing the Sky channels to the top position.
But some reckon BBC boss Greg Dyke will welcome the threats as a way to test the government, and to give ammunition to those in the media who feel the same company shouldn't own the main satellite broadcasting infrastructure and some of the key channels that broadcast via that infrastructure.
Sky are meant to distribute positions on their electronic guide in a "fair way" considering ease of use for the consumer. If Sky do move the BBC's terrestrial channels out of the top two spots the Corporation will look to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell to take action, forcing her into the 'BSkyB are becoming too powerful' debate.
One industry observer told the Media Guardian yesterday: "The BBC will try to paint Sky as some sort of evil operation and force the government to take sides."
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LIVE REVIEW: Vikter Dupliax @ the Jazz Café on 16 Mar
Since I first heard Vikter's 'Manhood' 12" for GAP Recds, and the subsequent collaborations with Jazzanova I knew I had to see the man in the flesh: with his perfect blend of electro & acoustic, and dancefloor & ballad the live show promised to be quite a performance. Vikter was joined on stage by his (electric) drummer, (electric/acoustic) percussionsist and keysman, which may seem like a sparse band for a soul man, but with a touch of backing-track harmony Vikter carried the show single-handedly, wooing the crowd into love with him. Having interviewed the understated Philly resident in the flesh, I was still surprised by how much a showman he was – modest but confident and cheeky. (And as my lady friend kept reminding ‘TOO sexy’). Vikter took us through a mini-DJ set of his influences and inspirations as well as current cuts like ‘Looking For Love’, and the now classic 'Sensuality'. As Vikter's booking agent was keen to say, "Vikter’s eager to be more the performer than the DJ many think he is". Good as he is at the helm, Vikter is wasted behind the decks – his smooth sexy sensuous voice is sublime, and his performance serene, do not miss this man live. JG
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FORMER SONY BOSS STRUGGLES TO REACH DEAL WITH MAJOR
When former Sony boss Thomas D Mottola announced he was stepping down the same press release told us he would be setting up a new music and management company which would work with Sony in a number of different areas. But according to the new York Daily News discussions of exactly how that partnership should work are getting heated, with Mottola very unhappy at the deal his old company has put on the table. Some reckon the former Sony man will now look to other majors for a deal, with the Universal Music Group his favourite.
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MINELLI AND GEST POSTPONE PARTY UNTIL AFTER WAR
Liza Minelli and husband David Gest, who were planning a big star filled party to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, have told reporters they have put party plans on hold until world affairs enter more peaceful times.
A statement from the couple's publicist read: "With the threat of war imminent and considering more than 1,200 guests would be travelling from many different parts of the world, Liza Minnelli and David Gest have decided to postpone their anniversary party which was to be held at the Marriott Marquis in New York on April 15th. The couple feels that it is not an appropriate time for a celebration until after the resolution of the problem with Iraq, when a new date will be announced".
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DIXIE CHICKS BACKTRACK ON ANTI-BUSH REMARKS
Elsewhere in pop related war news, the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines has been back tracking on her criticism of George Bush at a recent London gig. Country fans started a boycott of the girl's album after she told a London audience: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from [their home state of] Texas."
After a number of country radio stations started boycotts of the group (with one station in Kansas City encouraging former fans to dump the group's tapes, CDs and concert tickets into trash cans), Maines told reporters: "As a concerned American citizen, I apologise to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect."
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WELLER ADDED TO CANCER TRUST BENEFIT GIGS
Organisers of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Albert Hall later this month have confirmed Paul Weller will join Richard Ashcroft on the bill for the 26 Mar show, performing alongside the man behind the shows, Roger Daltrey. Full details about all the shows at http://www.teencancer.org.
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BBC POLITICS MAKE FAME ACADEMY 2 UNLIKELY
After the success of the celebrity version of the show, the people behind Fame Academy were hoping they might get a second series. The Pop Idol meets Big Brother show was panned when it launched last year and struggled in the ratings. But the show's producers blamed scheduling for the show's poor audience figures – and they pointed out that the show's audience did build and that finalists have subsequently had considerable chart success.
But according to the Media Guardian senior BBC executives are concerned the show – already unpopular with critics – will be used as ammunition against the BBC as the government review its royal charter - seen by those in charge as the BBC wasting money in an attempt to create populist television to compete with mainstream commercial broadcasters.
One BBC insider told the paper: "While the production team felt the increased popularity of the initial series followed by the massive popularity of the Comic Relief special would have secured a second run, BBC One boss Lorraine Heggessey is so politically astute that she knows full well that if the governors are against it, then she's not going to go the wire on it."
Of course, despite its weaknesses, you could argue Fame Academy was actually a commendable attempt to give a reality TV show a credible educational base without reducing entertainment value – which is surely the BBC's public service remit through and through.
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POP STATION CALLS IN POLICE AFTER LISTENERS GET UNRULY
Liverpool pop station Radio City had to call in the police after a party weekend for listeners at Pontin's in Prestatyn got violent. The station was co-promoting a weekend of 'pubbing and clubbing' for 2700 of its listeners. But in the middle of the night 30 of said listeners started fighting – bar staff were attacked, till money stolen and three punters were left with minor stab wounds. Police were called in who charged one person, while questioning another 29.
A spokeswoman for Pontin's told reporters: "It was a private event and unfortunately there were some problems. Most of those present would have been from the radio station's catchment area."
Richard Maddock, Radio City's programme director said: "We are deeply upset that an unruly element went out of their way to cause trouble. But they have been dealt with by the police."
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DIRE STRAITS MAN IN MOTORBIKE CRASH
Former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler was injured yesterday when his motorbike crashed with a car in central London. He was taken by ambulance to St Thomas' Hospital where he was treated for his injuries and later discharged. Word is the injuries were minor and shouldn't affect his forthcoming European tour which begins next month.
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REVIEW: Mark XTC - Rollin Beatz / Keys (Beatz Records)
From Lemon D and Dillinja's Valve Records off shoot comes this solo out for Mancunian Mark XTC, a bad boy involved in the jungle scene since the off who is usually paired up with Marcus Intalex as Da Intalex. First track 'Rollin Beatz' is a tad bland, a moody steppa that’s nowt to write home about, just on average. But the flip 'Beatz' compensates - simple old skool rave piano keys rolled up with some sub bass pressure, and top craftsmanship - definitely the winner. The label is said to be the outlet for up and coming stars to get to a wider audience, and they may well succeed at this rate. PV
Release date: 21 Apr
Press contact: Valve IH [all]
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SONIA GETS EMAIL DEATH THREATS
After an on air spat with bitter eighties pop duo Dollar, who she beat in the first round of evictions on the ITV show Reborn In The USA, Sonia has received emails from viewers saying "we hope you die".
Sonia and Dollar have both been playing smalltown gigs in America as part of the ITV pop reality show. Audiences at the shows vote on each artist's performance – putting two up for viewer voted eviction. Sonia threatened to quit the show last week, but backed down at the last minute. Dollar's David Van Day said the move was a cynical stunt to win public sympathy in the eviction vote.
Since the bust up Sonia has been receiving threatening emails which her management say are being kept and may be used in criminal investigations against those making the threats.
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CHRYSALIS ENTER GLASGOW RADIO RACE
Radio group Chrysalis have confirmed they will bid for the new Glasgow radio licence about to be advertised by the Radio Authority with an analogue version of their digital rock station The Arrow. They join a battle currently being contested by local consortium Go FM and Scottish Media Group, who are proposing a regional version of Virgin Radio. Other companies rumoured to be considering bidding are Scottish Radio Holdings (who own Glasgow's main pop station Clyde 1), Absolute Radio, Emap and Jazz FM.
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DIDDY GOES DANCE
Pop gossip time. P Diddy is moving into dance music – promising an dance number when he performs with Kelis at the US Dancestar USA event in Miami later this year. No word yet on whether the performance will be the launch of a complete new musical direction.