| CMU Daily - on the inside 10 Jul 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• Megaman cleared in Dizzee Stabbing
• Vivendi shuts mp3.com
• Words from Beanie Sigel
• Bono civil disobedience
• Download/buying survey
• REM exclusive
• Review: Cosmic Rough Riders - Too Close To See Far
• LL Cool J re-signs to Def Jam
• Macy cancels Australian shows
• US live industry happy
• More pro-Knight evidence
• Muse name new album
• Live review: Frank Black, Camden Underworld
• White memorial planned
• Remember electroclash?
• Tribal Gathering wristband anyone?
• Review: The Prunes - The Red Moon EP
• Bowie in water ad
• Layo & Bushwacka repress LP
• Ocean Colour tour
• Gareth & Charlotte (or Church Gates)
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MEGAMAN CLEARED IN DIZZEE STABBING
So Solid Crew member Megaman has been interviewed by police in connection with the stabbing of Dizzee Rascal in Ayia Napa earlier this week.
A statement reads: "There have been rumours circulating following the stabbing of MC Dizzee Rascal in Ayia Napa this week that the So Solid Crew were somehow involved. There were reports from Cyprus that the police had issued a warrant for the arrest of Megaman in connection with this incident. Megaman has fully cooperated with the police who have now eliminated him from their inquiries following the interview."
Rascal, who sustained injuries to his chest and back, was due to perform at Sound in Leicester Sq 16 Jul – needless to say being stabbed is a legitimate 'sick note'.
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VIVENDI SHUTS MP3.COM
Vivendi Universal has closed the European arm of its MP3.com as part of its ongoing mission to shed many of the excesses of its former chief executive, Jean-Marie Messier. VU bought the online music site two years ago for £265m.
The site, (worth £3bn in the dotcom boom), will close on 8 Aug, and around 20 Europen redundancies are expected. In an effort to salvage something from the wreckage the US arm of the site is up for sale – but analysts doubt that a buyer will be found willing to operate it as a going concern.
Leanne Sharman, the vice president of sales and marketing at MP3.com Europe, said: "We have started to generate significant revenues and now we have got to that stage it is a shame, there's general disappointment among staff and in the industry generally."
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WORDS FROM BEANIE SIGEL
Beanie Sigel has been talking to reporters about his involvement with Jay Z's Rock the Mic tour, though he hasn't touched on his arrest and subsequent bail over attempted murder charges in Philadelphia last week.
Sigel said: "Me and Bleek been rolling out with Jay for a while, so we know what to do. This whole tour is me schooling [the younger guys]. So my whole focus is making them where I was at on the Hard Knock Life tour with Jay."
Sigel was due to release his third LP, 'The Becoming', this summer, but is said to have pushed it back to spotlight his crew's second LP, 'State Property Presents the Chain Gang Vol. I', due 5Aug.
Sigel said: "I was still recording, my album was pretty much done, but Chris and Neef have the hot joint blazing right now, 'Can't Stop, Won't Stop.' I didn't want to hold them up. Besides, I can still do clothing, movies, cartoons. I'mma get mine regardless. Whether I put an album out or not, I'm still gonna see a check."
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BONO CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
At the launch of the UN Human Development Report in Dublin this week Bono threatened to launch a campaign of civil disobedience. Telling reporters that it was unacceptable for 7,000 Africans a day to die due to poverty and disease he said he would launch the campaign if UN efforts do not generate better solutions.
The UN Human Development Report is published annually, and assesses world poverty. This year's report revealed that one billion people survive on less than a dollar per day and that 54 countries got poorer in the 1990's despite the global economic boom.
Bono said: "We are about to get very noisy, we are about to bang a lot of dustbin lids. This issue is the defining issue of our time. This is the first generation that can actually eliminate absolute poverty from the planet, this is the first generation that can afford it because of the wealth of the wealthy countries."
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DOWNLOAD/BUYING SURVEY
Market research company Music Programming Ltd (MPL) have just completed a survey that suggests that music fans who download songs from the internet go on to buy more albums. The survey's findings come in opposition to the music industry's long-standing argument (fear) that internet downloading is responsible for a slump in CD sales, with album sales falling 5% in the last twelve months.
(MPL) said that 87% of its downloading respondents admitted that they bought albums after hearing tracks through the internet. An MPL spokesperson said: "Downloading is actually a 'try before you buy' tool for a significant amount of people. It allows people to sample new music and decide whether or not to buy it - it is not necessarily a replacement for purchase."
MPL did, however, find that downloading tracks did lead to a significant drop in the number of singles being bought.
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) said: "There is an element of truth in the survey's findings, but that it would be disingenuous to suggest that downloading can boost album sales. We did a survey in April that asked people the reasons why they downloaded, and 65% said because it was free. That's just human nature."
While the American authorities back the RIAA in their suing of heavy downloaders the BPI have said that it is unlikely to push for prosecutions in this country.
The survey also said 41% of its respondents declared themselves "heavy downloaders" - but 34% of these still felt they bought more albums than they did a year ago – adding that they used downloading "to check out music I've heard about but not listened to yet" (75%) and "to help me decide whether to buy the CD" (66%).
MPL said its survey suggested people used the internet as a way of finding out about new music, and that the industry should use it as a way of promoting new artists.
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REM EXCLUSIVE
On 8 Jul, REM treated their Viennese fans to the first airing of an unreleased track 'Permanant Vacation' during the encore of their show at the Austrian capital's Schönbrunn Palace.
Although Stipe said it was requested by a fan, the fact that the band had it rehearsed suggests that it may be included on the band's forthcoming 2CD best of compilation 'In Time', due 27 Oct.
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REVIEW: Cosmic Rough Riders - Too Close To See Far (Measured Recds)
Cor. Is it 1992 again? What with Morrissey's impending new album, and the likes of The Delays and Cosmic Rough Riders, you'd think jingly-jangly guitar indie that sells about three copies was rather en vogue at the moment. Next thing you know (and if we're lucky), The Sundays might release another album. 'Too Close To See Far' was recorded in Glasgow and sounds rather like Teenage Fanclub. This is not inherently a bad thing, especially when the album opens in such fine form (the effervescent fizzy pop and wistful Beach Boys vocal harmonies of 'Justify The Rain' and 'For A Smile' will inevitably be heard sound-tracking a Brit-flick rom-com before the year is out). After that though…'Too Close…' doesn't so much deteriorate massively in quality, but just becomes a predictable case of diminishing returns; veering between Gigolo Aunts second division indie and Travis-by-numbers, except without the emotive longing. Pretty then, but ultimately ineffectual. MS
Release date: 7 Jul
Press Contact: APB [RP, NP] Measured Recds IH [CP, CR, RR, NR]
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LL COOL J RE-SIGNS TO DEF JAM
Hip hop old hand LL Cool J has re-signed to Def Jam. Announcing the new deal LL said "I have been with Def Jam from the very beginning and am proud to be a part of their ongoing growth and success. Together, we paved the way for an entire hip-hop community and I am blessed to continue to call Def Jam my home."
LL's most recent album '10', went into the Billboard chart at number 2 in Nov 2002, and his 'Love You Better' 12" reached No. 4. He also guested, of course, on Jennifer Lopez's No. 1 'All I Have'.
Def Jam president Kevin Liles said: "LL is one of urban music's greatest architects. He is the embodiment of what Def Jam is all about; he continues to be a major trendsetter whose many talents have always earned him the highest respect and praise."
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MACY CANCELS AUSTRALIAN SHOWS
Macy Gray will no longer be performing in Australia in August as proposed.
Promoter Michael Coppel Presents said: "due to a change in recording commitments, Macy Gray is now required to return to the USA after completing her tour of Japan, unfortunately resulting in the cancellation of the Australian dates. Macy Gray & Michael Coppel Presents regret her Australian fans will be disappointed. A full refund is available from point of purchase".
The tour was due to start on 31 Jul in Perth.
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US LIVE INDUSTRY HAPPY
US Concert/gig attendance is up by 24% for the first half of this year. Fans bought 13.1m concert tickets to the top 50 concert tours from Jan to Jun, compared with 10.6 m during the same period last year. Gross receipts were up 26% to $678m, up from $538m in 2001.
Gary Bongiovanni of live music industry magazine Pollstar said: "We're back up to kind of where we were in 2000. We had progressively been selling fewer tickets as the prices escalated."
It is believed that the drop in ticket sales after 2000 was due to the increasing price of tickets. While increases have slowed down this year (the average ticket is up $1 in price, they were up $3 last year) the actual recovery of the industry is more likely down to the fact that many of this year's big tours were by acts who draw a more 'mature' audience – ie audience who are able to fork out £35 for a ticket. The top-grossing tours was the Elton John and Billy Joel co-headliners which was $113 a ticket.
The top 10 concert tours from January to June, and their grosses:
1. Elton John-Billy Joel, $52.7m
2. The Rolling Stones, $37.4m
3. The Dixie Chicks, $35.1m
4. Celine Dion, $33.2m
5. Cher, $31.7m
6. Tim McGraw, $30.6m
7. Fleetwood Mac, $28.3m
8. Eagles, $27.2m
9. Bon Jovi, 26.9m
10. Kenny Chessney, $24.4m
Where's Justin?
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MORE PRO-KNIGHT EVIDENCE
As if having a million people and various insects saying that Suge Knight didn't punch a parking valet wasn't enough, his lawyer, Rose Kogeman, has produced a video tape that proves it even further.
Kogeman has told reporters that a security tape backs up the claims of the unidentified victim who refutes accounts by police and state parole officials that Knight punched the attendant in the face from behind last month. Knight could do time if his parole board ascertain that he was in breach of his parole terms.
Later, more assorted forensic evidence, satellite pictures, GPS, DNA mapping, and testimonies from the population of Texas state, saying that Knight is innocent.
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MUSE NAME NEW ALBUM
It's been a long time coming, but Muse have finally announced that the name of their new album – their third - is to be 'Absolution'.
Frontman Matt Bellamy said: "It's got a lot of apocalyptic stuff going on. It's come across more as a general fear and mistrust of the people in power. It's about moments of extreme fear, and a fair bit of 'end of the world' stuff."
The first single will be 'Stockholm Syndrome', available as a download only for a limited time from 14 Jul, and the album is due 22 Sep.
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LIVE REVIEW: Frank Black at Camden Underworld on 8 Jul 2003
It must be weird, being Frank Black. You know you've got the power to sell-out venues with practised ease, but is it you or your history that people have come to see? Camden's Underworld is crammed to the rafters with the sort of boy:girl ratio that you would usually only find in small towns in Alaska, and I appear to be the youngest member of the crowd, a mere whippersnapper of 27. Still, as the opening chords of Pixies b-side classic 'Into The White' fill the room, we all remember why we're here. Age hasn't mellowed the Blackster, he still howls and yelps and with only an acoustic guitar for company, making the unholiest of noises. Even the patchier songs from previous solo releases are given a new lease of life in their unplugged setting, and the material from September's forthcoming 'Show Me Your Tears' sees Frank moving into Nick Cave territory with songs lamenting lost love and torturous situations. His legendary truculence leads him to chide the audience for singing along and putting him off his stride in a particularly new number - otherwise, the between song banter is negligible. Ninety minutes with nary a pause for breath and a brief encore later, Frank departs and leaves us bathed in the glow of a show well done. There's no arguing that the Pixies could ever be replaced, and his renditions of 'Cactus' and 'Velouria' still make the back of your neck prickle, but there's life in the old dog yet. LA
Meanwhile, Frank Black & The Catholics have announced the dates of a UK tour to promote the release of their forthcoming album, 'Show Me Your Tears'.
26 Sep: Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
27 Sep: Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
28 Sep: Garage, Glasgow
30 Sep: Cockpit, Leeds
1 Oct: MDH, Manchester
2 Oct: Stanley Theatre, Liverpool
5 Oct: Leadmill, Sheffield
6 Oct: Academy 2, Birmingham
7 Oct: Waterfront, Norwich
9 Oct: Bristol Fire Station
10 Oct: Zodiac, Oxford
11 Oct: Wedgeroom Rooms, Portsmouth
13 Oct: Junction, Cambridge
14 Oct: Concorde II, Brigton
15 Oct: London Astoria
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WHITE MEMORIAL PLANNED
Barry White's family have announced that a public memorial is being planned for early Aug. The service will combine a celebration of White's life with the renaming of the South Park Recreation centre in his honour.
In a written statement his family said: "We wish to extend our thanks to everyone who has offered expressions of sympathy and love for our father, husband and brother. Your kind words of support and encouragement mean more than we can say and have helped to sustain the family during this difficult time."
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REMEMBER ELECTROCLASH?
The founder of New York's Electroclash™ Festival, Larry Tee, is all set make his debut at Turnmills, London on 31 Jul for Death By Stereo. While blamed with giving Fischerspooner to the world, the owner of Brooklyn's Luxx club has been a champion of nu-electro sound through hisUS based Mogul Electro label. His recent 'Larry Tee's Electroclash Mix' album featured tracks from Felix Da Housecat, Miss Kitten, Adult and Ladytron.
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TRIBAL GATHERING WRISTBAND ANYONE?
Thieves have broken into Tribal Gathering's office and stolen all the backstage passes for their forthcoming Tribal Gathering Warehouse Party. Needless to say the organisers noticed and all the bands are void. Tribal are apparently doing backstage bandanas instead. The Tribal Gathering Warehouse Party line-up includes Groove Armada, LFO, A Guy Called Gerald and Photek.
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REVIEW: The Prunes – The Red Moon EP (Jazz Fudge)
Most people who recorded for Mo Wax in it's heyday have since become self-obsessed ego-maniacs who release mediocre shit on major label imprints (See Howie B). But after working with Mo Wax as well as Grand Royal, The Prunes are back for a truly fantastic 7 track EP of moody and haunting organic hiphop featuring the vocal talents of Shabazz the Disciple and Maylay Sparks. The tracks have that rugged-bu-not-too-lo-fi acoustic that too much hiphop doesn'y have anymore. Solid inde hiphop from people who know how it was. JG
Release date: Aug tbc
Press Contact: Zzonked [all]
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BOWIE IN WATER AD
David Bowie has been appearing on French screens in a new 30-second Vittel ad, several times.
The commercial for the mineral water has a modern day Bowie bumping into different versions of himself - Ziggy Stardust, Diamond Dog, the Thin White Duke and Pierrot the Clown.
The advert also includes 'Never Get Old', the first single from his forthcoming album 'Reality' due for a Sep release.
'Reality' will be Bowie's 26th studio album.
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LAYO & BUSHWACKA REPRESS LP
Layo and Bushwacka are set to re-release last year's 'Night Works' album on 18 Aug.
The word is that the album sold 45,000 copies and has since been deleted. The new re-packaged version will include their 'Love Story'/'Finally' bootleg, which went Top 10 earlier this year when it finally got a commercial release.
The new single 'It's Up to You (Shining Through)' which includes remixes from Lee Cabrerra and Roni Size, is due for 4 Aug.
L&B plan to tour later this year.
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OCEAN COLOUR TOUR
Ocean Colour Scene have added 3 more dates to their extensive 2003 UK tour – Plymouth 24 Sep, Aberdeen 7 Oct and a second Glasgow show, 6 Oct.
The full dates are
4 Sep: Caird Hall, Dundee
5 Sep: Edinburgh, Playhouse
6 Sep: Glasgow Academy (SOLD OUT)
9 Sep: Hull City Hall
10 Sep: Rock City, Nottingham
12 Sep: York Barbican
15 Sep: Dublin Olympia
17 Sep: Waterfront, Belfast
19 Sep: Corn Exchange, Cambridge
20 Sep: Carling Apollo, London
21 Sep: Guildhall, Southampton
23 Sep: Winter Gardens, Margate
24 Sep: Plymouth Pavilions
26 Sep: Royal Court, Liverpool
27 Sep: Hexagon, Reading
28 Sep: Cliffs Pavilion Southend
30 Sep: Middlesbrough Town Hall
1 Oct: St. Georges Bradford
3 Oct: Brighton Dome
4 Oct: Cardiff University
6 Oct: Barrowlands, Glasgow
7 Oct: Aberdeen Music Hall
9 Oct: Sheffield City Hall
10 Oct: Manchester Apollo
12 Oct: Bristol Academy
13 Oct: Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
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GARETH & CHARLOTTE (OR CHURCH GATES)
Rumour has it that Gareth Gates will be doing a duet with Charlotte Church. Apparantly the collaboration aims to bring them both back into the spotlight, and launching Church as a pop artist.