| CMU Daily - on the inside 29 Sep 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
• Cable hits back at sacking
• Robert Palmer to be buried in Switzerland
• The Strokes gigs sell out in an hour
• NBC launch mini-movies to make us watch the ads
• Album Review: Jazzinho - Jazzinho (Ecco Chamber)
• REM best of
• Slim Dusty state funeral
• MTV Latin America awards line-up
• Commercial radio: sales, purchases and bids
• MTV are playing 50 Cent
• Springsteen tops best album survey
• Carey looks for book publishing deal
• Live Review: Stereo Total at the Metro, London on Saturday 27 September 2003
• BBE release Bar Rumba compo
• Kylie fine despite annoying letters
• Trick Daddy arrested for drugs possession
• Big Day Out line-up latest
• Jehst previews album with tour
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CABLE HITS BACK AT SACKING
Trouble is brewing in the Valleys - because Stereophonics' Stuart Cable isn't going to go quietly. According to reports this weekend the drummer is seeking legal advice after band mate and lifelong friend Kelly Jones announced to the world on Thursday he was being dropped by the band because of "commitment issues".
In a statement Cable told reporters: "I'm a founder member of the Stereophonics and I would like to stress that I did not leave nor ever had any intention of leaving the band. As has been published, I underwent a minor operation whilst in the US and was unable to play two of the gigs. My doctor subsequently told me I was able to continue the US tour. However, Kelly and Richard suggested I return to the UK to recuperate for the forthcoming UK and European tours. Richard and Kelly then telephoned me from the US and I was stunned to be told that they had decided to sack me. I still want to continue to be a part of the Stereophonics and play on the band's forthcoming UK and European tours. I am, and have always been, a fully committed member of the Stereophonics and am very upset that Kelly seems to be saying that I was not committed to the band."
Neither Stereophonics' management or V2 have commented on Cable's response to his sacking. Insiders reckon it is unlikely Cable will rejoin the band, but if he goes out of his way to cause trouble following his departure it could make it harder for Kelly Jones and bassist Richard Jones to continue as a duo.
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ROBERT PALMER TO BE BURIED IN SWITZERLAND
Following Robert Palmer's death in Paris on Friday after a sudden heart attack, his manager has confirmed that the singer will buried in the Swiss town that has been his home for the last fifteen years. Manager Nick Cater told reporters this weekend that Palmer's body had been released by the French authorities and will now be returned to Lugano in Switzerland. A post-mortem examination has been conducted though the cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Cater: "The body has been released and the French police are satisfied. The cause of death is not on the certificate, but we will be told early next week. We have no reason to believe he died from anything other than a massive heart attack."
Commenting on Palmer's wish to be buried in Switzerland Cater added: "Robert lived in Switzerland for the last 15 years, and that is where he wanted to be. He said it was the first home he ever had."
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THE STROKES GIGS SELL OUT IN AN HOUR
Another fast selling gig - this times The Strokes two London Alexandra Palace dates. Tickets for the two dates - on 5 and 6 Dec - were sold out within an hour of going on sale. Tickets for the band's Glasgow (1 Dec) and Cardiff (3 Dec) dates were also selling fast. According to the NME tickets were already going on eBay for £100 a pair.
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NBC LAUNCH MINI-MOVIES TO MAKE US WATCH THE ADS
In a bid to allay fears in the advertising industry that no one is watching TV ads any more US TV network NBC are starting to air minute long 'vignettes' in the middle of ad breaks. The mini-movies appear in two 30 second chunks in two consecutive ad breaks - encouraging viewers to stay tuned in during the ad break. The first vignette aired during Will & Grace on Thursday night.
Finding innovative ways to encourage people to watch ads is becoming increasingly important. MTV recently piloted a project in the UK to encourage people to stick with the channel during the ads. On Sky Digital during Wimbledon fortnight viewers can play a bat 'n' ball game against the TV with their remote - their score is carried forward from one break to another providing viewers don't switch channel.
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ALBUM REVIEW: Jazzinho - Jazzinho (Ecco Chamber)
Jazzinho means 'Sweet Little Jazz' in Portuguese, and this fact will be quoted by anyone who reviews this album for it is what Lisbon born, London living vocalist Guida da Palma and her collaborators Cristian Franck and Michel Chiavarini have created. Think sunkissed Latin jazz percussives - all mixed with the silky golden caramel vocals of Guida herself, who has been making waves in the nu-jazz scene -performing with Smoke City, Kyoto Jazz Massive and Nathan Haines. There's the lively upbeat 'Yambou', the true jazz mid-tempo of 'Vertigo' (with Graeme Flowers on horn) and powerful vocals a plenty in 'Moody Maria'. The highlight is a folk song about a country girl 'Camponesa' Beautiful lyrics with meaning, and almost hymn like in quality. I have to say there is not one bad track on this album, making it one of the best projects I have heard in a while. Full Marks. PV
Release date: 20 Oct
Press contact: Ecco IH
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REM BEST OF
Warners have released more details about the REM best of due out next month. As well as the main 18-track compilation - including all the classics and two new songs - there will be a special edition which features a 15 track rarities album and a DVD of videos and live footage.
The 15-track rarities disc includes alternative versions and live recordings of album tracks as well as unreleased demos. The DVD features some sixteen videos including Everybody Hurts and Losing My Religion, plus footage from the South Africa Freedom Day concert in London in 2001.
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SLIM DUSTY STATE FUNERAL
Legendary Australian country singer Slim Dusty was given a state funeral on Friday attended by, among others, the Australian prime minister John Howard. As previously reported Dusty died after a long battle with cancer. The funeral was screened on three Aussie TV channels.
Among those gathered at the funeral was Peter Garrett, singer with Australian rock band Midnight Oil, who said Dusty's songs were "a conversation in an Australian accent free of prejudice and vanity". Slim didn't come from the wrong side of the tracks. Where Slim came from, there were no tracks at all."
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MTV LATIN AMERICA AWARDS LINE UP
Dido, Control Machete, Alejandro Sanz, La Ley, Natalia Lafourcade, Iggy Pop, Sum 41 and the Mars Volta are among the line up so far confirmed for the MTV Video Music Awards Latin America which take place in Miami on 23 Oct. The show will air live on MTV Latin America and on MTV2 in the US.
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COMMERCIAL RADIO: SALES, PURCHASES AND BIDS
Radio company Forever Broadcasting has sold the Liverpool version of the Juice station to Absolute Radio for £3.1m as part of a strategy to reduce the company's debt load. Juice Liverpool, which began life as an Xfm styled station called Crash, has become more of a youth station in the Kiss / Beat 106 vein, branded with the same name / identity as Forever's Brighton youth station. But there has been much talk for some time about financial problems at the Liverpool station and its parent company. No word yet on whether the sale will mean a rebrand or reposition.
Elsewhere in radio takeovers, Fife radio station Kingdom FM have bought the Scottish radio assets of a company called UKRD Group, which include Lanarkshire's Clan FM, a 25% equity stake in West Lothian's River FM and an 18% stake in Go-FM, a consortium led by Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark bidding for that new Glasgow licence.
And finally, according to the Media Guardian, Capital Radio are considering putting in a bid to gain an FM licence in Dublin through which to launch Xfm Dublin. Word is the bid would be a joint effort with Popstars judge Louis Walsh. In a statement Capital told reporters: "Xfm Dublin would build on the success of Xfm London creating an innovative guitar-led new music radio station showcasing the best new music in an authentic irreverent and exciting way."
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MTV ARE PLAYING 50 CENT!
It seems reports in the tabloids last week that MTV were among the UK broadcasters shunning both the uncensored and edited versions of the 50 Cent video for new single 'PIMP' on the grounds it was too raunchy are untrue. MTV told us on Friday: "Contrary to recent press reports we have been & will continue to show the clean version of 50 Cent's video P.I.M.P on MTV UK in rotation throughout the day. MTV Base will be playing the uncensored version after 10pm. We judge each video submission on a case by case basis and adhere to all local broadcast regulations, which are governed in the UK by the ITC".
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SPRINGSTEEN TOPS BEST ALBUM SURVEY
Bruce Springsteen. the Beatles and U2 dominate in a new US survey to find the best album. Publisher Tim Zagat surveyed some 10,500 music fans and found the following to be most popular:
1. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
2. Abbey Rd - The Beatles
3. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
4.The Joshua Tree - U2
5. The White Album - The Beatles
Other albums in the top ten included Miles Davis's A Kind of Blue at 6 and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at 9.
On his book Zagat told reporters: "I hope there is some controversy. People can argue until the cows come home over whether Mozart was a better songwriter than Bob Dylan. But just that you are juxtaposing Dylan and Mozart catches you by surprise and makes you think."
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CAREY LOOKS FOR BOOK PUBLISHING DEAL
Mariah Carey has been meeting publishers in New York in a bid to sell her autobiography and a collection of poetry. According to a thirty-page proposal the book would focus on her childhood and "overcoming adversity", but would not be a memoir per se, because, as Carey's manager says: "Mariah isn't done living yet". Word is the book would be penned with music journalist David Ritz, who has written biographies on Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye.
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LIVE REVIEW: Stereo Total at the Metro, London on Saturday 27 September 2003
Y'know what? We British are full of shit. We're so proud of our spiteful, pathetic cynicism and always accuse the Germans and French of lacking a sense of humour, just because they don't laugh and win a quid on their office's Celebrity Deathwatch when Robert Palmer dies or somesuch. Well it's bullshit - why look, Stereo Total singer/drummer Francoise Cactus is pretending to steal things from synth master/guitarist/singer Brezel G'ring's pocket, whilst singing about a kleptomaniac film star. And then G'ring's off dancing around the two-tiered stage, his spindly leather-legs wobbling frantically as he drums on the ceiling. Meanwhile the cheap sounding sequencer does the hard work of pumping out varying shades of fun, poppy electro-shambles that gets the stern London audience dancing like, well, Europeans. The music is beautifully written but retains a childlike glee, a modest charm that is enhanced by lyrics about menages a trois, party tricks at a Holiday Inn and being madly in love with goonish Tank Engine narrator Ringo Starr. They exaggerate gloriously; Cactus speaks of her ailing drum kit as a moped ("I knew I should have bought a Harley"), sacrifices herself to a concentration camp for cocking up a song, and, when an ounce of distorted guitar comes into play, calls it death metal. And despite the fact that nobody's being made fun of, the crowd turns into some sort of real-life Laughing-Box, praising the duo's cover of Salt 'n' Pepa's 'Push It' and screaming requests like medication-starved third worlders at an NHS open day. Not bad for a bunch of Brits; must be that continental influence. DR
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BBE RELEASE BAR RUMBA COMPO
BBE will release a compilation album to mark the tenth anniversary of London venue Bar Rumba on 20 Oct. 'Bar Rumba - 10 Years of Dancing' will include remixes and productions from some of the musical talents who have passed through the venue's doors over the last decade including Roni Size, Kenny Hawkes and King Britt. A fifth of all profits will be paid directly to Amnesty International.
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KYLIE FINE DESPITE ANNOYING LETTERS
Kylie Minogue's management say she is "absolutely fine" despite reportedly receiving a series of "annoying" letters which have been passed onto the police. Kylie's management told reporters: "There have been no death threats but letters of an annoying nature have been reported to the police and are being investigated. The situation has simply been blown out of proportion. I spoke to her this morning ... she is her usual self, absolutely fine and happy as ever."
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TRICK DADDY ARRESTED FOR DRUGS POSSESSION
Rapper Trick Daddy was arrested near Miami last week after being found in possession of cocaine-and marijuana. The MC was being searched after the police received complaints that Trick Daddy was being unruly at a high school football match. The charges are more serious because they break a bond requirement on a past felony charge for allegedly pulled out a gun on and crowd member at basketball game in February. He was released on a $22,000 bond but ordered to serve under house arrest beginning today until at least the first set of charges go to court.
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BIG DAY OUT LINE UP LATEST
Lineup highlights for the 2004 Big Day Out Festival, which will tour Australia and New Zealand next January, have been announced.
The Strokes, A Perfect Circle, Black Eyed Peas, the Flaming Lips, the Dandy Warhols and the Mars Volta will all appear alongside the previously announced headliners Metallica. Dance wise Basement Jaxx and Peaches will perform, plus there is an unusual collaborative performance involving Aphex Twin and Luke Vibert planned. Among the Antipodean acts set to perform are the Datsuns, Jet, Gerling, the D4 and the Hoodoo Gurus.
Between 16 Jan and 1 Feb the festival will visit Auckland, the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne to finish with two dates in Adelaide. More at http://www.bigdayout.com/
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JEHST PREVIEWS ALBUM WITH TOUR
Lowlife signed artist Jehst will preview his new single 'Run Hard' (out 10 Nov) and new album 'Falling Down' (out late Nov) with a UK tour in October and November. Dates as follows:
10 Oct: Brighton Substance
17Oct: Penzance Debtcollectors
23 Oct: Lincoln Longuistics
25 Oct: Tunbridge Wells
28 Oct: London Jazz Cafe
31Oct: Cardiff STOPITLIKEIT
1 Nov: Norwich Sure Shot
4 Nov: Leeds Critical Beatdown
7 Nov: Mancheter C'mon Feet
12 Nov: Reading gRHYME
13 Nov: Cambridge Rawganics