| CMU Daily - on the inside 28 Jul 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• Clear Channel investigations
• ITV2 gets Vfest rights
• Louis Austen at 93 Feet East
• Review: Snow Patrol - Final Straw
• Ian Brown's Under the Influence
• Eminem more honest than Bush
• Majesticons tour
• Peter Malik and Norah Jones EP
• Audio Bullys live
• Mick Jagger is 60
• NME car share scheme
• New head of marketing at eMap Performance
• Mclusky new single, tour & drummer
• Shortlist Music Prize
• Lollapalooza for europe?
• Music good for your memory
• New Sonopress appointments
• Gates cancels
• Review: Chris Liebing – Evolution
• Ozzy's tour manager dies
• Lennon home movie sold for £33k
• Canterbury Fayre
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CHART UPDATE
Well as predictions, erm, predicted, Daniel Beddingfield proved he's still Mr popular by knocking Beyonce off the top of the singles charts with 'Never Gonna Leave Your Side' yesterday. She drops to number two, with the new entry from Stereophonics – 'Maybe Tomorrow' – entering at three.
Not much new entry action this week – only ones of note are the All American Rejects who go in with 'Sing Swing' at 13, Goldfrapp who gets a new entry for Strict Machine at 25 and The Delays who go in at 40 with 'Hey Girl'.
Albums wise Super Furry Animals didn't quite manage to knock Beyonce off the top spot – in fact 'Phantom Power' goes in at 4 behind Daniel Beddingfield and Delta Goodrem. Again very few new entries – only ones of note are Janes Addiction with 'Strays' at 14 and Dizzee Rascal in with 'Boy In Da Corner' at 40.
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CLEAR CHANNEL INVESTIGATIONS
A US government official has revealed that US radio giant Clear Channel is to be investigated over those claims it has abused its market dominance. Eighteen months after a congressman first called for an inquiry into the US' largest radio company the department's head of antitrust, Hewitt Pate, told a congressional committee that there would be an "open investigation", that investigators had made "significant efforts to find additional evidence" and that they had already held "a number of interviews". Mr Pate's words are in part a response to congressman Howard Berman, who criticised officials for their unwillingness to follow up formal complaints he made against the radio group in Jan of last year.
Two sets of allegations are being investigated by the justice department: including a charge that Clear Channel restricted the airplay time of music artists unwilling to use its concert promotion services. The group is also accused of stifling voices opposed to the Bush administration
Senior vice president for government affairs at Clear Channel, Andrew Levin, said that the company was confident it would escape censure, adding that they were co-operating fully with all requests.
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ITV2 GETS VFEST RIGHTS
ITV2 has acquired the exclusive UK TV rights to V Festival 2003. Announcing the deal ITV2's Head of Programmes, Daniela Neumann, said: "V is the concert of the year to be at - it's exciting, young and has a great line up. We're thrilled to be part of it again this year."
ITV2 have planned to have two live ninety-minute programmes hosted by Zoe Ball for broadcast on 16 – 17 Aug. The move comes in a new wave of high profile programme signings for ITV's digital offshoot, including David Beckham's debut matches for Real Madrid on 2, 5, 8, and 10 Aug.
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LOUIS AUSTEN AT 93 FEET EAST
Austrian easy listening king, Louis Austen, is set to perform a live show at 93 Feet East, London on 6 Aug. The show is part of the venue's new 93 Live session, to promote his 'Easy Love' album, released in Jun Germany's Kitty-Yo.
The 'Hoping' 12" (2001) recently brought the crooner to new ears with remixes from Herbert and Jimi Tenor, and its subsequent inclusion on Swayzak's recent Fabric compilation amongst others. Austen has also worked with Peaches.
Swedish leftfield electronica combo, Plej will be on hand providing the support.
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REVIEW: Snow Patrol - Final Straw (Polydor/Black Lion)
The last Snow Patrol album ('When Its Over We Still Have To Clear Up') contained a song called 'One Night Is Not Enough', one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Although none of the tracks on here quite aspires to those giddy heights there is much to like about this album especially if you enjoy a bit of old skool indie miserablism. There's a great guitar sound and Gary Lightbody's vocals are as sombre and lovely as ever. It's ideal late night/early morning listening. 'How To Be Dead' is tender and bitter/sweet, while the rocky, fast guitars of 'Wow' sound like Placebo. Mostly it's songs about chocolate and girls with a definite nostalgic look back at the schoolyard. On the melodic, buzzy 'Spitting Games' Gary sings, "I broke into your house last night / I'm far too shy to speak to you at school." Listening to the album you wouldn't guess that it's produced by Garrett Lee aka Jack Knife Lee, who's worked with people like Basement Jaxx and TLC. Due to its artwork it will probably come to be known as 'The White Album', we say, fab! JW
Release date: 4 Aug
Press contact: APB [CP, RP] Polydor IH [CR, RR, NP, NR]
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IAN BROWN'S UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Ian Brown has compiled the next album in the 'Under The Influence' series. Due out on 8 Sep, the album – available on CD and vinyl - draws on a wide range of musical styles and artists including the Sex Pistols, the Isley Brothers and Burning Spear. The Brown compilation follows that UTI album from Morrissey – future compilations from Paul Weller and The Beautiful South's Paul Heaton are no expected
The tracklisting on the Brown album is: Gza/Genius 'Liquid Swords', Brand Nubian 'Meaning of the 5%', Burning Spear 'Man In The Hills', Junior Byles 'Fade Away', Buju Banton 'Complaint', The Clash '(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais', Papa Levi 'Mi God Mi King', Sizzla 'No Other Like Jah', Cymande 'Fug', Edwin Starr 'T.I.M.E', Isley Brothers 'Take Some Time Out For Love', Osiris 'War On The Bullshit', Larry Williams 'Too Late', Bobby Womack 'Across 110th St', Sex Pistols 'I Wanna Be Me', Dorothy Love Coates '99 1/2'.
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EMINEM MORE HONEST THAN BUSH
A survey of 1,016 Americans has found that people believe Eminem to be 'more truthful' than President George W Bush, with 53% finding the rapper's rhymes more credible and believable than Bush's speeches.
According to Los Angeles radio station KIIS FM, almost two-thirds of those involved in the survey preferred Eminem to Bush and 55 per cent of 35-44 year-olds thought the same.
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MAJESTICONS TOUR
New York poet/MC Mike Ladd and his suit-wearing bling-parodying MCs – The Majesticons - are on tour. The CMU favourites and their debut 'Beauty Party' album received much praise, not least for the eloquent spoofing of the jiggy hiphop that's saturating the market.
The dates are:
23 Aug: Carling Festival, Reading
24 Aug: Carling Festival, Leeds
26 Aug: The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
27 Aug: T On the Fringe, Edinburgh (supporting Blackalicious)
28 Aug: 93 Feet East, London (with Youngblood Brass Band) - TBC
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PETER MALIK AND NORAH JONES EP
A collection of songs by Peter Malik featuring Norah Jones on vocals has sold more than 20,000 units in the US in its first week.
The 7 track EP 'New York City' by Peter Malick was recorded in Boston in 2000 after Malick saw the unknown Norah at a showcase performing songs that would eventually become part of her 'Come Away With Me' album.
The songs will eventually feature on an album due as early as October, with Malick adding new songs.
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AUDIO BULLYS LIVE
Audio Bullys will be doing a one off show at The Scala, London on 13 Aug.
The gig accompanies the release of their third single from 'Ego War', 'Way Too Long' on the 18 Aug.
Tom Dinsdale and Simon Franks will also be headlining the dance tent at Reading on 23 Aug, and Leeds on the following day, and the Subliminal Tent at Creamfields, also on 23 Aug.
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MICK JAGGER IS 60
Mick Jagger has celebrated his 60th birthday with a private party in Prague, where he was performing a date on his mega European tour. Jagger is only the second member of the current Stones line-up to hit 60, behind Charlie Watts. Keith Richards joins them in December. The Stones gig at Letna Park which preceded the party was their fourth appearance in the city during the past 13 years.
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NME CAR SHARE SCHEME
The NME have launched a novel plan to help people get to the Reading Festival following the news that Network Rail have picked the Bank Holiday weekend to cancel all services from London Paddington to Reading. While services still run from Waterloo organisers expect many more people to drive to Reading this year, so the NME scheme hopes to reduce congestion by putting festival goers from the same localities in London together via the web.
NME editor Conor McNicholas told reporters says: "Our liftshare puts people travelling in the same direction in contact with each other, allowing them to arrange to travel together and share the costs, whilst also reducing congestion and pollution."
More at www.liftshare.org/subsiteentry/nme.asp
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NEW HEAD OF MARKETING AT EMAP PERFORMANCE
EMAP Performance have appointed a new Head of Marketing to work on their jukebox TV empire – which includes The Box, Smash Hits, Kiss, Magic, Kerrang! and the freeview channel The Hits. Vikki Timmons takes the position of Head of Marketing for Television following her move from the Disney channel.
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MCLUSKY NEW SINGLE, TOUR & DRUMMER
McLusky are set to take a break from recording their second album with producer Steve Albini to play some UK dates around the release of their new single, 'Undress For Success' (25 Aug). The dates will see new drummer Jack Eggleston at the sticks. The single will include 'Join The Mevolution' and 'The Saltwater Solution'. The album is expected in 2004.
The dates are as follows:
11 Aug: Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
12 Aug: Roadhouse, Manchester
13 Aug: Garage, London
14 Aug: Zodiac, Oxford
15 Aug: Freebutt, Brighton
22 Aug: Reading Festival (Carling Stage)
23 Aug: Leeds Festival (Carling Stage)
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SHORTLIST MUSIC PRIZE
The founder of the Shortlist Music Project – something of a US version of the Mercury Music prize – has said he is in negotiations with TV networks to screen the event on 16 Oct where the overall winner is announced.
Tom Sarig told Billboard: "We're in discussions for a Shortlist television special with a cable outlet. We're also planning a tour right now that will go out right after the show, as well as a compilation CD featuring many of the nominees. Basically, we're expanding on our mission to enlarge the audience for some of the best emerging artists."
Among the panel choosing the albums to go on the (not so) short list of best albums for this year are: Dave Matthews, Tori Amos, Tom Waits, Coldplay's Chris Martin, Spike Jonze, Cameron Crowe, Mos Def, Gwen Stefani, the Neptunes, Ahmir Thompson of the Roots and Erykah Badu.
Commetning on his judging panel Greg Spotts said: "The listmakers seem to understand what we're trying to do better and better every year -- we get fewer nominations from artists who have sold a ton of records and we get more and more with a remarkable range and diversity."
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LOLLAPALOOZA FOR EUROPE?
Jane's Addiction's Perry Farrell has revealed that he wants to bring his Lollapalooza festival to Europe, but he says he is worried about possible problems with the technology required for the interactive part of the festival, and that he has concerns that getting a line-up to rival the US tour would prove problematic.
Farrell said: "We have ambitions to be there, but once you jump across the pond, the quality changes. The line-up necessarily has to change because people move on from the summer and there might be obligations…. and then there is the technology, we'd have to set things up quite differently over there."
Possible technical issues stem from the fact that Europe uses different satellite networks than America for its mobile phones. The tour utilises these networks for the interactive gaming components of the event and reconfiguring them for European technology might be expensive.
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MUSIC GOOD FOR YOUR MEMORY
Researchers from Hong Kong have found that children who are given musical training have better verbal memories than those who have not had lessons.
Psychologists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong who studied 90 boys between the ages of six and fifteen, say their findings could help people recovering from brain injuries as well as healthy children.
Critics say that these children may simply be making better progress because they are getting more help and encouragement.
The research is published in the journal Neuropsychology.
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GATES CANCELS
More than 30,000 pop fans were left disappointed yesterday when Gareth Gates' had to cancel his set at Glasgow's Live and Loud gig at the last minute because he was unwell. Whether or not Scottish reality show personalities Darius and David Sneddon made up we're not sure – though with Blue, Liberty X, Sugababes, Mis-Teeq, Busted, Girls Aloud, Dannii Minogue, Blazin Squad and Kym Marsh also on the bill most pop fans should have found something to please.
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REVIEW: Chris Liebing – Evolution (CL Records)
Pour me a stiff drink – it's a concept techno album. According to the press release, the backdrop to this album is the future of human evolution. Forgive the short paraphrase, but the explanation (read excuse) for this work bangs on and on about over-population, the possibility of descending into barbarism and the rise of a giant race of beings genetically engineered to look like Bobby Davro. Or something. I'll paint a more simple picture: it's the kind of directionless and jarring bass bothering nonsense that fans off The Matrix would probably enjoy pleasuring themselves to. If you're in a club and someone suddenly dropped 'American Madness' or 'Fires Of Hell?', everyone would go mad. And quite right too. But listening to it at home is as dark and moody as Marilyn Manson insisting on wearing his prosthesis and slap while he takes tea with his Nan. Apparently this album set out to answer some of life's toughest questions. I'm left with only one at the end: Why?
Release date: 29 Sep
Press Contact: Rocketscience Media [all]
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OZZY'S TOUR MANAGER DIES
It has been confirmed that Ozzy Osbourne's tour manager, Scotsman Robert 'Bobby' Thomson, died last Thursday having battled with throat cancer for 18 months. Thomson was found dead in his bed at the Townsend Hotel in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham, Michigan. He was in Detroit with the current Ozzfest tour.
Ozzy said: "We are devastated by the loss of our dear friend Bobby. He has been a part of our family for 23 years and loved very much. He will be greatly missed by all of us. Our sincerest sympathies go out to the Thomson family."
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LENNON HOME MOVIE SOLD FOR £33K
Two private reels of film featuring John Lennon, shot by a student who met the former Beatle on a New York street in 1974 were sold for $53,775 (£33,235) at a New York auction last week.
Sold to an anonymous bidder, the two reels were the most expensive of several Lennon items sold at Christie's auction house on Friday. His written lyrics to the 1964 Beatles song 'If You've Got Trouble' and a 1971 letter went for £23,600 each.
The memorabilia sale, which included the two previously un-broadcast footage of Lennon meesng about, raised more than £290,000 in total.
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CANTERBURY FAYRE
The Inspiral Carpets, Robert Plant and Arthur Lee and Love (with full orchestra!) will headline this year's Canterbury Fayre, which takes place on the bank holiday weekend of 22nd – 24th August 2003.
Now in its fourth year, Canterbury Fayre is set on the lush grounds of a Victorian mansion in the Kent countryside and surrounded by orchards, gardens and vineyards, and this year promises to be better than ever with the addition of the Whirl-Y-Gig big top dance tent featuring DJ Monkey Pilot and special guests, the Croissant Neuf acoustic stage, a chill out tent, festival market and an extensive kids area.