| CMU Daily - on the inside 8 Aug 2003 |
|
In today's CMU Daily:
• Hoxton venue faces closure
• Pink puts pressure on Vogue over fur
• Dennis plan Jack relaunch
• Review: Koma And Bones - Shutterspeed
• White Stripes reschedule
• West coast ATP postponed again
• More strange goings on with Libertine Doherty
• Manson too sinister for Darien Lake
• US rock band sue Ticketmaster
• Is EMI really interested in Warners too?
• Asian radio station moves into TV
• Diva update
------------------------------------------------
HOXTON VENUE FACES CLOSURE
Hoxton based club pub the Bridge & Tunnel is facing closure after Hackney Council decided to revoke the venue's music and dance licence, meaning they can no longer stage club or DJ events. The pub's owners are now appealing against the decision, meaning they can continue to trade until 16 Aug. Just in case their appeal is unsuccessful they are staging a series of special events for what could be their final ten days in business.
The pub's owners told us: "We have made the reluctant decision to close after Hackney Council Licensing Committee decided to revoke our Music and Dance Licence. Neighbours had mounted a major campaign to close the venue from day one, and finally succeeded. We know we ran a quality venue, dedicated to good music, great sound and stylish service... for all to enjoy. We have appealed against the decision, which will give us the next 2 weeks to eat drink and yes... dance at the B&T. A last chance to visit this rather special, but short-lived, venue. Meantime thank you for your support, we hope you enjoyed it."
The venue points out that the decision seems a little harsh given that all relevant council departments (Fire, Police, Environmental Health, Building Control and Liquor Licensing) had no objections to a license renewal.
Anyone wishing to lend support to the venue at the appeal stage should write to Hackney Borough Council, Licensing Service. Mike Smith, Dorothy Hodgkin House, 12 Reading Lane, Hackney, E8 1HJ.
------------------------------------------------
PINK PUTS PRESSURE ON VOGUE OVER FUR
Pink was the latest pop star to join PETA's anti-fur campaign this week when she sent a hand written fax to the editor of Vogue magazine asking her to stop putting fur fashions in her magazine. In the fax to Anna Wintour Pink urges the Vogue editor to "modernize your magazine and stop promoting fur." She goes on to suggest that if that isn't possible the magazine could at least give PETA free ad space to run anti-fur campaigns.
Pink continues: "many designers, unaware of my respect for animals, have sent me fur in every shade of pink. I would like to say I've always been fur-free. Unfortunately, I went through a selfish phase and wore fur on a couple of occasions. I've since learned how animals are trapped, drowned and even beaten to death in the woods and in streams, and hideously electrocuted and strangled on fur farms, and I wouldn't be seen dead in the stuff. If your readers knew the horrors that these animals go through to supply a hairy swath of skin, coated with chemicals to stop it from decomposing, they would gag. Won't you use your unique position to help fashion evolve rather than rot?"
No comment as yet from Vogue.
-----------------------------------------------
DENNIS PLAN JACK RELAUNCH
Dennis Publishing are planning a considerable overhaul to Jack – the magazine they bought off Loaded founder James Brown earlier this year. Word is the pocket size format will be dumped and the cover price upped as part of the revamp.
The magazine's new editor, Michael Hodges, told the Media Guardian that the new format would allow it to increase its "well-earned reputation for photography", adding: "I can guarantee writing and ideas that stand Jack far apart from the 'small c' conservative and suburban titles that have previously characterised this end of the market. I'm not declaring the revolution just yet, but we can look forward to a healthy period of civil unrest."
When Dennis took over Brown's publishing company earlier this year the Loaded man initially stayed on to run the operation. But he soon resigned that post – though he is still a 'consultant editorial director' on Jack.
------------------------------------------------
REVIEW: Koma and Bones - Shutterspeed (Thursday Club Recordings)
The Bones trio return with their second LP from the heart of the Pennines. Variety is the name of the game – the tracks stacking up like this. 'Take Me Back' opens the account with the awesome Robert Owens on vocals and some soulful pacy breaks. Nice. 'Donkey Spanner' traces into the mech sound, 'Questo e Sporco' is a pumping number, 'Bootabang' brings some tribal beats while 'Pusherman' is a slow electro brooding affair. 'Flip Flop' is a tribute to the breakdance / boogaloo beats era, while 'Basic Emotion' is a stormer – dark haunting vocals over some morphed b-line, perhaps the highlight – but too hard for chart success. TCR celebrate 10 years in the game and what a better way to put them properly on the map where they belong. Top Rack. PV
Release date: 8 Sep
Press contact: Trailer Media [all]
------------------------------------------------
WHITE STRIPES RESCHEDULE
The White Stripes have said they will resume their US tour on 13 Sep with their Berkeley Greek Theatre date. This month's cancelled dates will be rescheduled once the autumn dates are over – starting off on 10 Nov with a rescheduled Milwaukee Eagles Ballroom gig. According to Billboard, all performances have been rescheduled bar those in Norfolk, Virginia, and Nashville.
As previously reported Jack White had to cancel his US tour and a number of UK festival dates after damaging his finger in a car accident.
------------------------------------------------
WEST COAST ATP POSTPONED AGAIN
The LA version of All Tomorrow's Parties has been postponed again. Originally due to take place in June the event was pushed back to September because of poor ticket sales. The official reason for pushing the event back even further into November is that the September dates clashed with the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah. The rescheduled event will be cut from three days to two, and will move to a docked cruise ship at Long Beach.
The further delays follow the news that the New York edition of ATP has been pushed back into 2004. However, despite the US setbacks, word is things are looking good for two UK ATP events in March and April next year.
------------------------------------------------
MORE STRANGE GOINGS ON WITH LIBERTINE DOHERTY
More on the woes of former Libertines singer Pete Doherty – who parted company with the rest of the band earlier this year due to 'personal issues'. Now Doherty has said he is setting up another band also called the Libertines, at the same time as telling the press he wants to perform with his old bandmates at the Carling Weekend.
Talking to NME about comments made by former band mate Carl Barat (who said Doherty was too ill to perform) Pete said: "I think he's deluded about the extent of my overall deterioration. I think he hasn't been able to write for a while. Over the years it's always been the same. We'll have a little fall out. Sometimes it'll last six months. I'm not going to sit home like a wife like I used to back in the day. Like when he was out gallivanting round town and I'd be sitting at home sticking chords together. I've got a new band together. And we're still called The Libertines. If he's playing in a band called The Libertines then I'm going to play in The Libertines without him."
But despite the aggression he then added: "I'd play Reading and Leeds with Carl, definitely. I'd love to play all our songs any time. Anywhere. You know I'll play them tonight. With Carl, without Carl. I don't care. I can't be arsed. I'm not going to mope about it."
------------------------------------------------
MANSON TOO SINISTER FOR DARIEN LAKE
Ozzy, Korn, Disturbed and Chevelle are OK – Marilyn Manson is just too sinister though. That's the opinion of the Six Flags Darien Lake amusement park in New York State which is hosting an Ozzfest date. They dictated that Manson, though on the Ozzfest bill, will not be allowed to perform at their venue. Manson told a local paper: "Marilyn Manson is simply too dangerous for Darien Lake."
------------------------------------------------
US ROCK BAND SUE TICKETMASTER
US band String Cheese Incident are suing Ticketmaster over claims the major ticket-seller used unfair business practices against their fan ticket distribution service.
A number of US rock bands have started the practice of asking venues to set aside a block of tickets which they sell direct to die-hard fans, normally via their fan clubs. This means that at venues where Ticketmaster has the rights to all ticket sales they have to give up a certain allocation.
Ever the business men, String Cheese Incident have set up a company to sell tickets for their gigs to their fan base, and said company has been offering that service to other bands.
But the band claim that Ticketmaster have been threatening the business of their company by banning venues from giving them a ticket allocation. Word is Ticketmaster see SCI's operations as a rival agency rather than a true fan club, and are therefore not so keen to cooperate.
SCI hope to use the courts to force Ticketmaster to make ticket allocations for theirs and other gigs available. Ticketmaster are yet to comment.
------------------------------------------------
IS EMI REALLY INTERESTED IN WARNERS TOO?
More major label shenanigans.
First rumours EMI have approached Warners with an offer to take a 75% stake in their record company in return for $750 million. Neither side have commented on the reports – though Warners stress their merger talks with BMG continue. While EMI and Warners have long been favourites to merge, some reckon the latest rumours may actually be part of a bid to increase Warners negotiating position with BMG.
Meanwhile BMG top bods are very busy sounding out European authorities regarding their proposed merger with Warners – as previously reported if anything is likely to scupper the merger it is EU or US authorities concerned about one company monopolising the music industry. Insiders reckon EU officials are likely to ask the two partners to sell off some of their periphery companies to decrease their overall market share.
Publishing companies will be favourite to go – though it that's not enough to satisfy EU concerns Warners might have to consider selling off EastWest, or BMG its recently acquired Zomba empire.
------------------------------------------------
ASIAN RADIO STATION MOVES INTO TV
According to Broadcast magazine Asian broadcaster Sunrise Radio is planning on launching a digital TV station – initially on the Sky network with a view to rolling out to cable services too. Sunrise Radio director Shammy Batra: "We've embarked on a diversification drive into related areas and TV is one of the initiatives we're planning to come to fruition."
------------------------------------------------
DIVA UPDATE
CMU's diva update – first up J-Lo and Ben Affleck have denied reports in the American press that they are splitting up after Affleck spent a night out with a bunch of strippers. Despite claims in the National Enquirer that it had obtained CCTV footage of Ben misbehaving and that Jen was calling the wedding off, sources close to the couple now say Lopez has "shrugged off the whole episode".
Mariah Carey, meanwhile, is reportedly in talks with Bond producers about singing the theme to the next 007 movie. Word is Carey wants to follow Madonna in performing a Bond theme and then making a cameo in the same film (though presumably not in making a God awful song).