| CMU Daily - on the inside 12 Jun 2003 |
|
In today's CMU Daily:
• Jackson lawsuit settled out of court
• One True Voice not splitting up tragedy
• EMI deny Kidman rumours
• Prince previews for fans
• Review: Ben Harper: Diamonds On the Inside
• VH1's 100 greatest songs of all time
• Experts deny asbestos linked to Most's death
• Radiohead still have what it takes
• Cheeky promotional gimmick
• iTunes: story so far
• Life gets worse for Evans
• The underdog rises
• Review: Blur – Crazy Beat
• Stereophonic hatrick
• New London club
• Gallagher theme park – all the fun of the fayre
------------------------------------------------
JACKSON LAWSUIT SETTLED OUT OF COURT
Michael Jackson has 'settled out of court' with his former business manager Myung-Ho Lee who had taken him to court over $12m in unpaid fees. The trial threatened to expose the shape of Jackson's finances, which Lee claims are in ruins.
In the lawsuit, Lee claims that Jackson is a man living beyond his means, squandering his multi-billion dollar fortune, racking up more than $200m in credit in a single year, and accusing him of taking the advice of charlatans and hangers-on.
The terms of the settlement will remain confidential.
------------------------------------------------
ONE TRUE VOICE NOT SPLITTING UP TRAGEDY
One True Voice, who's new single has gone in at number 10, have denied a report published in the Sun that they are to split after only six months, due to poor sales.
Matt Johnson dismissed suggestions that Daniel was leaving the band to pursue a solo career as "complete rubbish".
Matt told GMTV: "Basically, it is just all rumours, rumours, rumours. We are not splitting".
The band were recently voted Britain's worst group in a poll, a day after their tour was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.
------------------------------------------------
EMI DENIES KIDMAN RUMOURS
Rumour has it that Nicole Kidman may be starting a music career having signed a deal with EMI.
Kidman is no stranger to the studio – singing on the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack, and going to number one with her duet with Robbie Williams a few years back. Kidman also got to number one in her native Australia, with 'Come What May' from Moulin Rouge.
EMI denies the deal has happened.
------------------------------------------------
PRINCE PREVIEWS FOR FANS
Members of Prince's New Power Generation Music Club (NPGMC) will have the opportunity to buy his forthcoming album, 'N.E.W.S', weeks before it is released on 19 Jun. The album will be made available exclusively through the official website of Prince and the New Power Generation, www.npgmusicclub.com,.
The experimental album features 4 14-minute tracks, titled 'North', 'West', 'South' and 'East'. A preview of the latter is currently available to paying club members in Vault III of the website.
Club members also have access to various other exclusive bits and pieces including music and full-length selections from the forthcoming DVD, 'Prince Live at the Alladin Las Vegas'.
------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: Ben Harper: Diamonds On the Inside (Virgin)
This single is the title track of an album which has gone top twenty in Harpers native US. Its unassuming folk-rock, a genre which isn't exactly setting the charts alight in this country. Its simple earthiness is difficult to find fault with. If you like Evan Dando and his twangy guitar when he's having a Simon and Garfunkel moment - then you'll probably like this too. JW
Release date: 7 July
Press contact: Virgin IH/APB
------------------------------------------------
VH1'S 100 GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME
Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit has been voted number one in VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years.
The series will countdown over five nights starting on next Monday, and will feature clips of videos and performances by the artists along with interviews from musicians and celebrities discussing why the songs
matter.
Michael Jackson rocked in at number 2 with 'Billie Jean' and at 40 with 'Beat It'. Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' reached number 4, while 'My Name Is' only reached 85 – how this travesty happened is a mystery.
The top 10:
1. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit;
2. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean;
3. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine;
4. Eminem - Lose Yourself;
5. U2 - One;
6. Run - DMC, Walk This Way;
7. Prince - When Doves Cry;
8. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You;
9. The Police - Every Breath You Take;
10. Madonna - Like a Virgin.
------------------------------------------------
EXPERTS DENY MOST'S DEATH LINKED TO ASBESTOS
Rumours that producer Mickie Most's death last week was linked to asbestos exposure in the studio, have been refuted by experts and his label. Most died of mesothelioma, a cancer associated with asbestos.
The autopsy, that revealed Most died of mesothelioma, led many to speculate that the substance had been used in soundproofing tiles, but recording studio experts say that asbestos did not have acoustic properties and was unlikely to have been used.
Experts admit that it may have been used for sound-deadening to absorb noise in some circumstances in the 1950s and 60s, he said.
Cancer Research UK said 90% of cases of mesothelioma were caused by exposure to asbestos.
------------------------------------------------
RADIOHEAD STILL HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
Radiohead's sixth album 'Hail To The Thief' has sold over 60,000 copies in only two days, putting it on course to be the UK's biggest first week album seller this year.
If the album continues to sell at such a rate, it could beat last year's best, Coldplay's 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' (270,000) and Robbie's 'Escapology' (260,000).
'Hail To The Thief' has sold more copies this week than the rest of the top five combined, leaving Metallica's 'St Anger', Justin's 'Justified' and the Stereophonics' 'You Gotta Go There To Come Back'.
------------------------------------------------
CHEEKY PROMOTIONAL GIMMICK
The Cheeky Girls, Gabriela and Monica, have announced that they will be performing new single 'Hooray, Hooray (It's a Cheeky Holiday)' amongst their other hits, 'We Are The Cheeky Girls (Touch My Bum)' and 'Take Your Shoes Off', at Britain's major airport terminals up and down the country from next month.
The Cheeky Airport Tour is to promote their cover of Boney M's 'Hooray Hooray It's A Holi-Holiday', set for release on 4 Aug.
Heathrow, Manchester, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle can all look forward to the girls' inimitable delivery.
------------------------------------------------
ITUNES: STORY SO FAR
iTunes Top-Seller charts only reflect the last 24 hr period.
All labels are getting the same, non-negotiable deal from Apple: which wants three-year reseller agreements to buy material wholesale, with nonexclusive, worldwide distribution rights.
Apple apparently wants to deal with invited labels only - no individual artists.
Suppliers may not sell albums on iTunes without also selling each track as a single, and the album price must be the same or less than the sum of their tracks.
6-7m copies of iTunes are in use.
More than 75% of songs have sold at least once.
45% of all songs have been bought as part of an album.
Exclusive tracks are the best sellers.
------------------------------------------------
LIFE GETS WORSE FOR EVANS
After his 'Boys & Girls' flop catastrophe, Chris Evans is having his 'Live With... Christian O'Connell' programme axed as well. Despite a significant marketing push by Channel Five, the show only managed to pull around 400,000 viewers in its pre-Christmas run.
Although 'officially' Channel Five is claiming no decision has yet been made on whether to recommission 'Live With...', which reached the end of its second series last Friday, insiders have privately admitted that there will be no more.
The show was broadcast live every evening of the working week from the upstairs room of a bar – original format. The show included chat, tabloid gossip and pub games – original format.
And although Evans seems to be on a slippery slope, Christian O'Connell has received praise from Five's entertainment controller for his involvement.
------------------------------------------------
THE UNDERDOG RISES
Preliminary reports predict that American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken will upstage winner Ruben Studdard in the charts.
The two individuals have released their singles on the same day: Aiken's version of Simon and Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' is outselling Studdard's cover of 'Flying Without Wings' by Westlife.
Online retailer Amazon's sales chart puts Aiken at the number one spot, and Studdard at number nine.
Out of 24m votes cast – Studdard beat Aiken by a marginal 130,000 votes in the American Idol 2 final on US television in May. Studdard and Aiken have albums due for September to release their first albums.
38m people watched the final.
A third series of American Idol is being planned for nest year.
------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: Blur – Crazy Beat (EMI/Parlophone)
Blur, Blur, Blur, Blur, Blur. As anyone who saw the recent Astoria shows or have the latest album 'Think Tank' can testify Blur are still utterly and brilliantly fantastic. Yes, Graham may of left and rumours of world music may of put you off but this is innovation within the perfect form of pop music that only Blur can provide. Its definitely no 'Song 2', and it may not be the strongest track off 'Think Tank' by a long way, but producer Norman Cook only adds to the equation and it will keep us all happy over drunken summer days. DH
Release date: 7 Jul
Press Contact: Virgin IH
------------------------------------------------
STEREOPHONIC HATRICK
Stereophonics next single 'Maybe Tomorrow' will be out 21 Jul.
Coming from their latest album, the tracks will be available on two CDs and a DVD. CD1 has two new songs 'Have Wheels Will Travel' and 'Change Changes Things', CD2 has the original demo versions of 'Maybe Tomorrow', 'Madame Helga' and 'You Stole My Money Honey'.
The DVD of the single will include the making of the 'Maybe Tomorrow' video.
In Nov, Stereophonics are embarking on their first UK arena tour in two years, with extra dates added due to high ticket demand.
------------------------------------------------
NEW LONDON CLUB
New London club, Studio 33, will open its doors on the Albert Embankment on 5 Jul to an invited crowd.
The 800-capacity venue cost of £2 million, uses three arches of the Albert Embankment, and took a year to renovate.
Stats: Licensed until 6am. Custom made 50k sound system by Turbosound. Two main rooms. A number of mezzanine levels. Large lounge area. Upstairs champagne bar. Courtyard garden.
Sources said: "the venue hopes to appeal to people who have become tired of industrial and uncomfortable clubbing. Studio 33 is for the glamorous and hedonistic party crowd".
-----------------------------------------------
GALLAGHER THEME PARK – ALL THE FUN OF THE FAYRE
Inspired by seeing Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch in Martin Bashir's recent documentary, Liam Gallagher has admitted that he wants to open a similar theme park - free for underprivileged kids.