| CMU Daily - on the inside 30 Jul 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• Robbie blames ecstasy
• Mottola boast
• Will Capital get Ross
• Stereophonics want to take the US
• Chris Evans saga settled
• Online market stunted
• Hip hop summit men take action against lobbying commission
• Actionzone enlists djs
• Dannii Minogue accidental dance craze
• All American Rejects not rejected
• NME MTV2 chart
• Pete Doherty arrested
• Vivendi Universal appeal rejected
• S Club singer in the west end
• BBC variations on free view
• Isaac Hayes gets BMI icon award
• Fifth Beatle nonchalance
• Emimen phone call prank puppet
• Toronto SARS concert
• Andi Peters TOTP plans
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ROBBIE BLAMES ECSTASY
In an interview with Radio 1's Sara Cox, Robbie Williams has spoken out about his depression, blaming his adolescent intake of ecstasy.
Robbie said: "When you take ecstasy, your brain releases loads of this thing called serotonin, and it makes you go: 'Great!' The reason why you're going: 'Great' is because the serotonin in your head's going: 'Wey hey hey, loads of it!' and then you use it all up and your brains got nothing to bathe in. There's this stigma of: 'Oh he's weird', you know? And also, people go: 'What've you got to be depressed about?' And they're right, there's nothing. Now I'm on these pills! Depression isn't about: 'Woe is me, my life is his, that and the other', it's like having the worst flu all day, that you just can't kick."
Robbie said that he hoped that him opening up about his illness would help other sufferers.
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MOTTOLA BOAST
There has been rumoured friction between Universal Music Group chief Doug Morris and former Sony boss Tommy Mottola after the latter told the press that he was getting $50m to revive Casablanca, rather than $10m the Universal boss agreed. Word has it Morris is furious about Mottola's words, but the pair have denied that there is any bad feeling.
Morris said: "We see each other every day. When Universal made a deal with Puffy, I was criticized for it and guess whose record is number one? Puffy's Bad Boys II soundtrack. And when Tommy comes out with his first album, it will be number one as well."
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WILL CAPITAL GET ROSS
Rumour has it Capital Radio has approached Jonathan Ross on more than one occasion in attempt to lure him away from BBC Radio 2 to help them rejuvenate its flagship London station. Presumably the coup of winning Ross' award winning radio show would hide any fallout after Tarrant's inevitable departure from the breakfast show.
Ross's agent added to conspiracy theories by saying said that Ross has a year to go on his contract with Radio 2, adding that: "They are bound to be sniffing around the top talent and Jonathan has got one of the highest rating shows. Plus Chris is a big fan of Jonathan. Jonathan has a contract with the BBC until next July and we don't break contracts - but what happens after that, I don't know. We're in the middle of discussions with the BBC over his deal."
Meanwhile in radio land – RAJAR time is upon us again – our review of the figures next week, but it will be interested to see how Capital's revamped breakfast show is faring.
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STEREOPHONICS WANT TO TAKE THE US
The Stereophonics will be doing a number of acoustic sets around America to promote their 'You Gotta Go There To Come Back' album which is released State-side on 9 Sep. The band are currently in Australia doing the same.
The video for the acoustic version of 'Maybe Tomorrow'which debuted in the UK chart at number 3, has been nominated for Best Music Video at the upcoming Edinburgh Mirrorball Film Festival. The results are announced in Aug.
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CHRIS EVANS SAGA SETTLED
Virgin Radio owner, the Scottish Media Group has told the London Stock Exchange that it has reached a multi-million pound settlement with Chris Evans following their high profile court case with the former radio star earlier this year. The courts decided that not only was Evans not due the share options in SMG which he claimed were his, but that he should pay compensation to Virgin Radio to cover the commercial fallout that followed is impromptu departure from the station's breakfast show. In the statement to the LSE, SMG said simple that Evans had now presented a settlement that "covers all costs and damages".
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ONLINE MARKET STUNTED
Internet research firm Jupiter Media has changed its formerly optimistic estimates for online sales in the US and recommended that record companies should not rely on a growing online market to make up for financial losses accrued by dwindling CD sales. Although the company predicted that legal internet downloads would generate revenues of $5.1bn by 2007, they have changed that estimate to $3.3bn by 2008. This despite the recent success of Apple's iTunes and the crackdown on illegal downloaders.
Jupiter Research analyst Lee Black said: "The industry is suffering from competition for entertainment dollars, changing demographics, the end of the CD upgrade cycle and piracy."
The research also says that despite the tough approach of the Recording Industry Association of America towards illegal downloading, less than 17% of US adults have cut back on online piracy.
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HIP HOP SUMMIT MEN TAKE ACTION AGAINST LOBBYING COMMISSION
Hip-Hop Summit Action Network Chairman Russell Simmons and President Dr. Benjamin Chavis have filed a compliant in the US, claiming that the New York Temporary State Commission on Lobbying has violated their First Amendment rights by investigating the Network and requiring its leaders to register as lobbyists. The moves by the Commission followed a rally staged in New York to protest at the state's mandatory minimum sentencing rules for drugs related offences, known as the Rockefeller Drug Laws.
Simmons said: "We have a fundamental right to speak out on issues of government policy. We should not have to register with the government before speaking out on issues."
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ACTIONZONE ENLISTS DJS
AIDS/HIV Charity Actionzone will be raising awareness at the Reading and Leeds Festivals with the help of A Guy Called Gerald, Bez, FC Kahuna and Lamb in their ActionZone Tent.
ActionAid's Youth Network Co-Ordinator,Louise Ashford, said: "It is vital that the UK youth pressure the Government into committing more money to tackle the problem of AIDS and HIV. Reading gives us the opportunity to enlist thousands of young people in the war on AIDS."
More at http://www.action.cc.
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DANNII MINOGUE ACCIDENTAL DANCE CRAZE
Dannii Minogue started a new dance craze at an outdoor concert at Kingsbury Water Park near Tamworth when she tried to alert the crowd to a capsized boat behind them.
Dannii waved her arms around and pointed at the lake but fans merely started pointing back at her, thinking it was part of a new dance.
After the show, Dannii said she had wanted to stop singing and shout for help, but was then relieved to see the man, who was an experienced member of a sailing club, was safe.
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ALL AMERICAN REJECTS NOT REJECTED
The All American Rejects are far from feeling rejected just now. Aside from chart success for their current single they have just come third in a poll for best haircuts, and singer Tyson was named one of the 20 sexiest men of the summer.
The band said: "If they knew what we did to our hair to make it look as crappy as it does, it would probably be like No.1 for most filthy. If they took a blacklight over it, there'd be a lot of mites. Maybe not mites, but urine stains! Five years from now, I'll be like 'Remember like five years ago when I weighed 140 and now I'm like 215? I used to be that hot, dude.' My mum's proud. I have no idea why. She's like 'That's my boy. That's my spawn!"
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NME MTV2 CHART
MTV 2 have hooked up with NME launch a daily alternative music chart show. Starting this weekend, and hosted by Zane Lowe, the 'NME Chart Show on MTV2', will include breaking music news, exclusive videos and a chart voted for by viewers.
Conor McNicholas, the NME's editor said: "NME invented the original music charts so it's totally appropriate that we should take them back in 2003 by introducing the definitive chart for fans of great music. Over many beers with our new friends at MTV2 we discovered we share a passion for brilliant bands and brilliant tunes now we want to get music fans involved. The NME Chart on MTV2 will be the weekly music chart that shouts loudest about what fans of real music are into. Get voting - let your voice be heard!"
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PETE DOHERTY ARRESTED
Ex-Libertines frontman Pete Doherty has posted bail after being arrested for illegally entering a flat in London. Although Pete left the band in Jun after failing to turn up at the airport for a tour, his fellow band-members hope he will return after he has resolved some of his health 'issues'.
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VIVENDI UNIVERSAL APPEAL REJECTED
The FTC has rejected an appeal by Vivendi Universal against a 2002 ruling that found PolyGram – later bought by Vivendi – guilty of price fixing releases by the Three Tenors with partner Warner Communications. VU'sUniversal Music Group says it will appeal the decision in court.
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S CLUB SINGER IN THE WEST END
Former S Club Seven member Jon Lee has made his debut in Les Miserables in London's West End. Prior to the show he admitted that he was worried about his first live performance because he was used to miming with the band:
After the show Lee commented on his surprise to the media reaction to his 'miming' admission: "They made it out to be some huge revelation, it was just like 'that's a fact', you know, I thought everybody knew that, I didn't think it was such a surprise - we sounded the same on every single TV show that we did so we were obviously miming, you know. I guarantee you, I was not miming tonight."
As far as the rest of S Club go, Bradley says he's working on becoming the next Justin Timberlake, Hannah is busy shooting the sequel to 'Agent Cody Banks', Rachel's debut solo single is due out in Sep and Tina isn't doing much.
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ISAAC HAYES GETS BMI ICON AWARD
Isaac Hayes is to receive the BMI Icon award at this year's Urban Awards on 5 Aug in Miami. R. Kelly and Ja Rule are both expected to attend, and Anthony Hamilton, Bilal and UK hiphop act Floetry are all scheduled to perform. Past BMI Icon awards have gone to Chuck Berry, James Brown, Bo Diddley and Little Richard.
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FIFTH BEATLE NONCHALANCE
That 'fifth Beatle'/Stuart Sutcliffe memorabilia that had been collected by the bassists sister that we reported on last week have drawn a disappointing response at auction.
Sutlciffe died of a brain haemorrhage in 1962 aged just 21 before the Beatles became a global phenomenon, and his sister Pauline has been hording a number of items for the past 40 years, finally deciding to put 100 of them up for sale earlier this year.
While a 1967 sketch book for admission to art school in Liverpool reached the low end of its estimate at £3,000, Sutcliffe's birth certificate, estimated to fetch between £5,000 and £8,000, his geography exercise books priced at up to £1,200 and a poem entitled Deserted Heart, all failed to find buyers.
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EMIMEN PHONE CALL PRANK PUPPET
Eminem is set to voice an as-yet-unnamed puppet for the third season of 'Crank Yankers', the Comedy Central hit centred on prank phone calls. Eminem, who's love of the show led him to parody it in an acceptance speech at the MTV Movie Awards, had his manager approach the show about a guest spot.
Show creators Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla and Daniel Kellison happily obliged and have since shot a couple of calls. Unfortunately, details about the skits and when they will air is a closely guarded secret.
Eminem is currently busy producing Shady Records acts Obie Trice, D12, and developing his fashion line.
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TORONTO SARS CONCERT
Many concert-goers had already arrived last night for tonight's Toronto's SARS benefit gig headlined by the Rolling Stones due to take place today.
With over 400,000 music fans expected the local buzz is that the event will be a 'bit of a Woodstock'. Jake Berry, the Stones' production director said: "This is a huge undertaking. We're going to be the size of Woodstock Only, Woodstock was planned in a year. We just call this Woodstock in a month here. This is going to be superb. It's the biggest rock show in the world."
Nine video screens and 36 sound delay towers will ensure all attendees, including 45,000 US ticket holders, can watch and hear Justin Timberlake, AC/DC, the Guess Who, Flaming Lips, the Isley Brothers and the Stones when they take to the stage tonight.
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ANDI PETERS TOTP PLANS
Ex broom-cupboard presenter and Channel 4 youth TV boss Andi Peters is took take over as producer of Top of the Pops this autumn, and is promising some big changes.
Announcing the appontment Lorraine Heggessey, BBC1's controller, said: "The question is, are the pop charts as valid as they were? I'm hoping Andi will be able to tell me. We have to evolve the strand all the time. There are now lots of different charts and the music scene has fragmented. My daughter is downloading music from the internet, by bands I've never heard of, and she's only 13."
Chris Cowey, who has executive-produced Top of the Pops for the past six years, made the decision to leave the BBC after learning that Peters was set to run things above him.