| CMU Daily - on the inside 30 May 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• Glastonbury line up: no surprises there then
• Truck Festival
• Snickers Game On festival
• Kosheen to preview new material
• Review: Fallacy - Blackmarket Boy
• Download: a stay
• Adam & Joe Go Tokyo!
• Apple's itunes clamps down on pirates
• Toronto safe from sars concert
• New media: new danger
• Midweek chart update
• Eminem sets good example
• Courtney Love signs to virgin
• Channel 4's musical summer
• Review: Nu -Any Other Girl
• Tatu update
• Xfm shift music:response into competitive chart slot
• Oasis have enough material for another
• One True Voice too pretty to succeed
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GLASTONBURY LINE UP: NO SURPRISES THERE THEN
Glastonbury always make a big deal about not releasing their line-up until all the tickets are sold and the festival is looming, though most of the bands playing this year said as much months ago so there's few surprises now the official line up has been published. No Dolly Parton or Prince mind (both short lived line up rumours) though highlights include:
The Streets, John Cale, Sugababes, Radiohead, Jools Holland, Jimmy Cliff, Supergrass, Turin Brakes, The Polyphonic Spree, Echo and the Bunnymen, Inspiral Carpets, Suede, REM, David Gray, De La Soul, The Manic Street Preachers, Moby, Macy Gray and the Chemical Brothers. Full line up at http://www.glastonburyfestivals.
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TRUCK FESTIVAL
While we're on a festival tip - some other festivals not getting so much media hype that are definitely worth your time. Firstly this year's Truck Festival taking place on 19 - 20 Jul at Hill Farm in Oxfordshire. Up until now the Festival's organisers have been refreshingly vague about their line up - saying "We really don't have any idea who will be playing, but we've asked a few people and they've said maybe". But with a bit more certaintly current line up includes: British Sea Power, The Broken Family Band, Finlay,
Fonda 500, Saloon, Sharko, Chris T-T and Vic Twenty.
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SNICKERS GAME ON FESTIVAL
A festival of sorts, Kerrang is presenting Europe's largest SK8, BMX, Rock and Hip Hop party at The Millenium Dome on 21-22 Jun with Snickers Game On. The confirmed line-up will provide the accompanying cacophony to the largest combined skate and BMX competition in Europe all competing for a prize fund of £30,000. Over 30 bands are set to play on the two stages over the weekend daily line-up updates. Highlights so far: Cypress Hill, The Vandals, Mad Capsule Markets, Buck 65, Kelly Osborne, Sick Of It All, Reef, The Androids and Electric Six. Press info from Hall or Nothing on 0208 740 6288
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KOSHEEN TO PREVIEW NEW MATERIAL
Kosheen promise to serve up an exclusive live preview of new material from their forthcoming second album, 'Kokopelli' (due 4 Aug) at London's Scala on 17 Jul. Fans of the Bristolian three-some (Markee Substance, Darren Decoder and Sian Evans) were treated to the first live performance of 'All In My Head' (due 21 July), their forthcoming single, at Homelands last weekend. The track is already Pete Tong's Essential New Tune. Kosheen are also performing a small gig at Staffordshire University on 7 Jun.
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REVIEW: Fallacy - Blackmarket Boy (Virgin)
It seems odd that even though Fusion produced all but a few of the 18 tracks, the LP is only Fallacy - not Fallacy and Fusion. Maybe it's a major label thang? Anyway, this huge album will not only make the grass roots hiphop fans and UK scene happy as a pervert on the net, but help to bring the burgeoning UK hiphop scene to the masses through Virgin's prominent HMV/Tower racking and inevitable playlisting. It's reassuring that the album is uncompromising - rude words and tough beats throughout. The album also includes the massive 'Groundbreaker' 12" and new single 'Big N Bashy' ft Tubby T and it's mixes. JG
Release date: 26 May
Press Contact: Virgin IH [all]
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DOWNLOAD: A STAY
Well, what with Limp Bizkit pulling out to concentrate on their album, for a moment it looked like more problems were looming for this weekend's Download Festival when the lead singer of the band taking LB's place, A, injured his back - word is he is in considerable pain with an recurrent back injury caused by too much stage diving and snowboarding. But the good news is the show will go on.
A's Jason told Radio 1: "It took two hours to get out of bed this morning - it was so much pain. It'll be pretty weird at the gig this weekend, but we're not going to cancel it. If we were a millionaire American band, I think we would have pulled the show as 'the lead singer's hurt his back', but we're not Limp Bizkit so we're going to do it."
Despite the Durst dig he added: "I'm actually a fan of Limp Bizkit, I quite like their music and stuff, but if I'd paid my money for a Limp Bizkit ticket I'd feel a bit cheated really."
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ADAM & JOE GO TOKYO!
Adam & Joe will launch their new TV show 'Go Tokyo!' on BBC3 tonight. The eight-part series promises to recreate their famous bed-sit as a high-tech apartment in Tokyo, while the comic pair look at Japanese youth culture; focusing on music, film, comics and fashion. Of particular interest to CMU readers will be the music section, which includes such superb bands as Polysics and Supercar. The first episode airs tonight at 11:25pm on BBC3. For press info on the show contact Hilda Mclean at BBC3 at [email protected].
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APPLE'S ITUNES CLAMPS DOWN ON PIRATES
Apple will score more brownie points with the majors with the news it is getting tough on piracy by putting more restrictions on the way that music downloaded from its iTunes service can be shared. The changes to the service stop people listening to other people's playlists across the web (never an official part of the service, but something some simple hacking allowed). Needless to say the news has been less well received by music fans who say the reason the service was so good was that it placed no restrictions on what people could do with the music once they had downloaded it.
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TORONTO SAFE FROM SARS CONCERT
Some of Canada's biggest acts will be playing a concert at the Toronto Skydome and next door Air Canada Centre 21 Jun. The concert is an effort to convince people that it is safe to go Toronto despite the SARS scare. The outbreak has affected tourism and trade, as well as killing 27 people in the city. Among the artists involved are: Avril Lavinge, Sum 41, Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies and Our Lady Peace.
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NEW MEDIA NEW DANGER
A massive US campaign has been designed to invoke opposition to Rupert Murdoch, who they bill as "the man who wants to control news in America". The campaign is in response to plans to relax the media ownership laws in the US, which will allow Murdoch to expand his already huge media empire. US TV stations (though presumably not the Fox network) are airing adverts that show Murdoch's frowning face with the slogan: "This man wants to control the news in America, The FCC [federal communications commission] wants to help him." Print adverts feature Murdoch's face in four different TV screens with the logos of NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox and read "Rupert Murdoch, the Australian media mogul, already owns the Fox TV network, eight cable networks and local TV stations in 34 US cities." We'll see whether the campaign has an affect on the legislators when the FCC announce details of their plans for legislation change early next week.
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MIDWEEK CHART UPDATE
Latest sales figures suggest R Kelly's 'Ignition' wil be toppled from the top spot on Sunday's singles chart by extruded-pop-monkeys S Club with their finale track 'Say Goodbye' - though word is it's very very close. Radiohead's single 'There There' should take the number three spot. Other new entries are expected from Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey with 'I Know What You Want', 'Free Me' by the gorgeous Emma Bunton, Abs with 'Stop Sign' and 'Fly On' by XTM and DJ Chucky. Justin Timberlake's 'Justified' LP is likely to still be at the top of the album chart, though Girls Aloud are selling well with their debut, 'Sound of the Underground' (currently the second best seller). Led Zeppelin should also get some top five action with a new collection of live material, 'How The West Was Won'.
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EMINEM SETS GOOD EXAMPLE
Eminem says he doesn't mind using bad language in front of his seven year old daughter Hailie, saying that she loves hip hop, which invariably contain a barrage of profanity. In an interview with Jo Whiley he added that he would rather educate the seven-year-old at home than at school, saying: "She's going to hear it in school regardless, do you know what I mean. I would rather be able to educate her at home. If she ever has a question or something about a song, I try to explain it in the best way that I can, how she's going to understand."
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COURTNEY LOVE SIGNS TO VIRGIN
Following her time consuming departure from Universal label Geffen, it seems likely Courtney Love will sign to Virgin's US division - more news as we get it.
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CHANNEL 4'S MUSICAL SUMMER
4Music returns on 7 Jun shifted to a new Saturday post-BB slot. Regular shows will include the Lig (short interviews with more established acts), Virgins (up and coming acts), Auteurs (new music videos) and U-Music (unsigned/new talent slot). Between the programme former RI:SE presenter and temporary Radio 1 Evening Session guy Colin Murray will present bits from the Miami Winter music conference and Ibiza. The launch night will feature a performance and interview from Mike Skinner (The Streets) in Miami and bits from Harvey, P Diddy, Kelis and Dirty Vegas, Goldie, DJ Shadow and Lemon D and Dillinja amongst others. press info from the Channel 4 Press Office on 020 7306 8444.
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REVIEW: Nu -Any Other Girl (Adventure Records)
Bit of a buzz surrounding this lot. Hailing from Denmark (hmm, Skandimania!) Nu first appeared on these shores with the release of last years radio friendly 'Disco Hurts' single and this month follow it up with this three minute piece of pop punk pie that is 'Any Other Girl' which precedes a debut album, 'Alphabravoshockpopdisco' to boot. Produced by Michael Patterson (Beck, Black Rebel Motorcycle club) this maddeningly catchy aural sex treat sounds like Garbage stripped of the pretence and is so refreshingly proud to be pop that I deny any one not to be sucked into its honest to goodness party love vibe. Add this to the fact that they include lyrics like Dancing is cue and kissing is fun and that elfin-like lead singer, Stine is so much hotter than Shirley Manson and I reckon they can't fail. TM
Release date: 2 Jun
Press Contact: Wild
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TATU UPDATE
And now for today's TaTu news - this just in...
Firstly TaTu's 'All The Things She Said' is set for release in Japan - except it is a cover version by Japanese girl duo Juemilia, also signed to a Universal label. The backing track on the Juemilia version is significantly different from TaTu's UK version (which is in turn quite different from their original Russian release), although the song structure is much the same. The chorus is in English but the rest is in Japanese, of course. Presumably this move is meant to open the hearts of the Japanese for when TaTu make their own stab at success their. Most amusingly, Juemiliaís website is filled with pictures that copy TaTu's own press shots. The single was released this week, and the song, video and images can be found at http://www.universal-music.co.jp/juemilia/index_main.html
Elsewhere in the world of TaTu, Russia's state-owned Channel One TV has launched an official protest against the Eurovision Song Contest result which put the country's favourite lesbian pop stars in third place despite being the runaway favourites to win. The Russian TV company says there were "unlikely low points" from certain countries that would normally give high votes to Russian entries, and that a mix-up on phone voting in Ireland lost them vital points. With only three points difference between first and third place they argue mistakes in the vote gathering process may have robbed them of victory. A spokesperson from the channel told reporters: "Considering insignificant difference in points (three points) between the first and third places, there are grounds to believe that the contest results could be much different for Russia." Eurovision organisers are yet to respond.
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XFM SHIFT MUSIC:RESPONSE INTO COMPETITIVE CHART SLOT
Xfm are to move their listener voted Music:Response chart to the crowded Sunday chart show slot of 4pm. The Music:Response chart is based on the online votes of listeners. The chart is updated each night, with a full Top 20 counted down on Friday evening and Sunday lunch time. In the latest shift the chart show will air on Sundays at 4pm competing with the three pop chart shows - the Hit 40 UK on most commercial pop stations (including sister station Capital), the Smash Hits Chart on EMAP stations and Radio 1's UK Top 40.
The move is probably an attempt to give the Xfm chart a bigger profile in the music industry. When EMAP launched their Smash Hits Chart, which takes into account the votes of Smash Hits readers / viewers, they made a big deal about the fact that in the MP3 age the actual sales of singles are no longer a good indicator of what songs are popular, of what bands are big and of what albums are likely to sell. They argue a public voted chart is in many ways more reliable - and if you buy that argument that gives Xfm's long standing listener voted countdown more legitimacy, especially within the 'alternative rock' genre.
Whether putting the Music Response show in the traditional chart slot steals listeners from other chart shows remains to be seen. Listeners to the Hits 40 UK and Smash Hits charts are unlikely to fall into Xfm's demographic, though some of Radio 1's listeners might. Xfm has always competed with Radio 1 for their indie-kid listenership, and that competition has grown of late as the London station slowly increases its national reach through digital and web broadcasting and its national magazine spin off X-Ray. And then of course, after the arrival of a Radio 1 veterans Zoe Ball and Kevin Greening at the London station, the BBC stole man of the moment Zane Lowe to front their new evening show. Whether the chart show shift is the first stage in a ratings war between the two stations remains to be seen.
(On an aside, one Xfm insider was keen to point out that the exclusive Foo Fighters gig being staged at the intimated Mean Fiddler venue as part of Zane's new Radio 1 show for which tickets can be won on air, and of which a BBC spokesperson said: "This is a unique and very special event and only Radio 1 could make this happen", is not altogether unlike the Foo Fighters gig Xfm staged last year, also at a small venue (ULU), where tickets were also given away on air, and which was also part of Zane's radio show!)
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OASIS HAVE ENOUGH MATERIAL FOR ANOTHER ALBUM
Liam Gallagher has told reporters the band have penned enough new material for a new album - with six new songs from Liam himself. However with the band taking the rest of the year off there is no word on when a possible release might take place. So you might have to wait some time to hear what Liam modestly calls the "best songs in the world."
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ONE TRUE VOICE TOO PRETTY TO SUCCEED
It seems the first trick of modern popstardom is to get your excuse out before you flop. A few weeks back the Girls Aloud were keen to tell us that a delay in distribution on the R Kelly release meant he was likely to outsell their second single even though his record had been in the shops for a week already. Now fellow popstar winners One True Voice have said they may well flop when their second single is released next week because they are, erm, too pretty. Interesting argument. Though we're more convinced by an off the cuff remark by the group's Jamie Shaw who said of new single 'Shakespeare's (Way With) Words' "it's really cheesy" adding he wouldn't buy it if he wasn't on it!