| CMU Daily - on the inside 3 Dec 2003 |
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In today's CMU Daily:
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Limp Bizkit cancel Southeast Asia dates
- BT recognise innovative online music initiatives
- Manson faces Swiss prosecution
- Jagger moves KBE date
- Fatboy lobbys for new Brighton football arena
- Single Review: Daniel Merriweather - City Rules
- Darkness frontman reckons it'll be Christmas number two
- RIAA get ISP court battle moved to capital
- Vivendi back in profit - music division still struggles
- Robson warns pop idols they won't make much
- More Jacko stuff
- ATP California will return
- Eminem competes with 50 Cent in peoples choice award
- Live Review: James Brown At St Luke's Church
- Stokes pause gig after barrier shifts
- Busted boy on meeting the teacher he "went to school for"
- Collins thanks wardens with hamper
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LIMP BIZKIT CANCEL SOUTHEAST ASIA DATES
With the US government warning its citizens away from Southeast Asia because of a 'terror threat', Limp Bizkit yesterday cancelled a whole chunk of their world tour including all the Southeast Asian dates.
The tours promoter¸ Michael Hosking, was quoted in the Straits Times newspaper as saying: "The band wishes to extend their deepest apologies to their fans in Southeast Asia and promise to return once security for their fans can be assured."
The fears will relate to those warnings that there is an increased risk of possible terror attacks in that part of the world by the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah militant group, who are blamed for the October 2002 attacks in Bali.
The news will come as a blow to Southeast Asian authorities who claim the warnings are uncalled for and that high profile reactions to those warnings - such as Limp Bizkit's decision to cancel their dates - has a detrimental effect on the region's major life line - the tourism industry.
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BT RECOGNISE INNOVATIVE ONLINE MUSIC INITIATIVES
BT yesterday congratulated the music industry for (finally!) harnessing the opportunities the internet presents with their second ever Interactive Music Awards. The awards recognise those artists who have used online promotions most innovatively.
BT's head of music Ben Drury told the audience at the awards: "The launch of iTunes in the US, EMI's announcement that it would put almost its entire catalogue online and a re-launched, legal, Napster are just some of the highlights of a year which saw incredible momentum build around music and interactive media. There's a lot of cynicism about the time it's taken the industry to wake up to new media but that doesn't change the fact that right now the UK music scene is leading the way when it comes to interactive music..."
And the winners are:
Best Pop Artist - Abs
Best Rock / Indie Artist - Muse
Best Dance / Urban Artist - Sasha
Best Promotional Campaign - Robbie Williams
Best Use of Mobile - Dizzee Rascal (Boy In Da Corner)
Best Use of Broadband - Ministry of Sound
Best Innovation - iTV Videos for Hell Is For Heroes & Robbie Williams
The Amused & Bemused Award - Simple Kid for the Simple Kid website
Best Music DVD - U2 (The Best Of, 1990-2000)
Best Radio Station Online - Virgin Radio
Best Interactive TV Programme - TRL (MTV)
Best Music Video Online - Feeder (Just The Way I'm Feeling)
Best Web-based Music Game - Project Rockstar v2 game
Artist of the Year - Will Young
People's Choice Award - Winner (Official site) - Westlife
People's Choice Award - Winner (Unofficial site) - Radiohead fansite (www.ateaseweb.com)
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MANSON FACES SWISS PROSECUTION
More Christians are getting in a sweat over Marilyn Manson - this time in Switzerland. Zurich's Christians For Truth have made a complaint to local police regarding a Manson's 2002 concert in the city. They reckon Manson breached Swiss law by ridiculing religious groups and allegedly making incitements to violence during the concert.
Zurich District Prosecutor Michael Scherrer yesterday confirmed investigations were underway. He said he had spoken to Manson about his act prior to a more recent gig in the city to discuss the concerns of local groups who had unsuccessfully called for the concert to be banned. He told reporters that during that conversation Manson rejected the accusations, saying his act was meant to provoke a debate about violence and religion.
Scherrer says he is yet to decide whether to proceed with charges.
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JAGGER MOVES KBE DATE
Mick Jagger has agreed to switch the day he receives his knighthood from the queen to avoid overshadowing (being overshadowed by?) Johnny Wilkinson, who is picking up an MBE. Both were due to get their award on 10 Dec - but given Wilkinson's new superstar status Jagger has agreed to accept his knighthood on 12 Dec in order to split media attention onto two days.
As previously reported Jagger has waited sometime to pick up his knighthood. The award was made over 18 months ago, but Jagger has been too tied up with the Stones' mega-world tour to accept the title.
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FATBOY LOBBIES FOR NEW BRIGHTON FOOTBALL ARENA
Fatboy Slim yesterday joined Des Lynam to lobby the government to allow Brighton and Hove football team to build a new stadium in the Brighton suburb of Falmer. Norman's beloved team are currently homeless after selling their Goldstone Ground back in 1997. Plans to build the new stadium have dragged on because of local opposition to building the Falmer stadium. Cook and Lynam were delivering a 62,000 signature petition in support of the stadium proposals to the government officials who will now decide whether to allow planning permission.
Cook told the BBC: "Just for us to have a home is the important thing - it will never be the Goldstone but it will be home."
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SINGLE REVIEW: Daniel Merriweather - City Rules (Ice-Station Records)
There is something so wonderfully incongruous about the fact that Daniel Merriweather sounds like D'Angelo on heat, but looks like an extra from Heartbreak High. The Australian white boy has a voice that's so rammed full of smooth soul that you want to get inside it and zip it up behind you. Mark Ronson and Justin Stanley provide the track's backing: lazy swing-beat kick and hand-clapping snare, and a svelte and sanguine bass and organ groove. While NY's Saigon supplies the rhymes good and proper, it is Merriweather's voice that carries the track single-handedly; the young Melbournian is surely one to watch making Dwele and Maxwell look like Johnny Mathis. JG
Release date: Jan
Press Contact The Play Centre [all]
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DARKNESS FRONTMAN RECKONS IT'LL BE CHRISTMAS NUMBER TWO
The Darkness' Justin Hawkins prepared the way for being pipped to the post of Christmas number one by the Pop Idol team yesterday. When asked if his band would take the festival number one by Xfm yesterday Hawkins said: "I think next year. But I think this year it's gonna be numéro deux. You mark my words."
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RIAA GET ISP COURT BATTLE MOVED TO CAPITAL
The ongoing dispute between American internet service provider SBC and the Recording Industry of America Association will now be heard by a federal court in Washington rather than San Francisco as originally planned. SBC is challenging the RIAA's right to subpoena the names of its customers in its battle against downloading. The court location shift is important - especially for the RIAA - because the Washington courts are known to be sympathetic to the record labels' cause.
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VIVENDI BACK IN PROFIT - MUSIC DIVISION STILL STRUGGLES
Universal Music's parent company Vivendi Universal announced its first quarterly profit for two years yesterday - demonstrating moves by chief executive Jean-René Fourtou are achieving some success in overcoming that financial disaster the Group found itself in eighteen months ago. That said, it was mainly the French based pay-TV and phone operations that delivered profits - the music division in particular is still struggling, and even the group's gaming operations failed to make a profit. The group will now start evaluating whether the CD price-cut promotion it launched in the US recently has, as hoped, helped to rekindle music sales there. If not Universal's music bosses may have to consider a restructure to boost efficiency.
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ROBSON WARNS POP IDOLS THEY WON'T MAKE MUCH
Actor Robson Green, who topped the charts with Soldier Soldier co-star Jerome Flynn after being signed to BMG by Simon Cowell back in 1995, has warned the new generation of Pop Idol contestants that they "won't make a penny", arguing the only people to profit from the show are Cowell and its producer Simon Fuller.
Talking to the Sun he said: "When Jerome and I had our deal, we had very good contracts. But I guarantee, not one of those Pop Idol kids will make a penny. The only people who may get a bit are Gareth Gates and Will Young - but I will be amazed if they get more than £100,000."
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MORE JACKO STUFF
A teenager who made several visits to Michael Jackson's Neverland home has told reporters he had many conversations with Gavin Arvizo, the child behind the latest abuse allegations - and that Arvizo only ever had compliments for Jackson.
Ahmad Elatab recalled one such conversation: "He said [his illness] healed up because Michael taught him how to get rid of cancer through meditation and stuff like that. He said he never saw Jackson do anything inappropriate. He told me how he hates his parents a lot... He said Michael was like a father to him."
"He called Michael sometimes 'Dad' and stuff. I saw how they acted around each other. He gives all the kids fatherly love, nothing sexual... Michael never touches him inappropriately and he never touches Michael inappropriately. They just hold hands, all the kids hold hands with Michael. It's fatherly."
Elatab admitted that Jackson's people had encouraged him to speak out in support of the singer, but added he strongly believes Jacko is innocent of all charges.
Elsewhere in Jacko news, Michael's brother Jermaine had to slip out of a UN press conference yesterday after being bombarded with questions about the latest Neverland sex abuse allegations. Jermaine was at the press conference to support an upcoming boxing match being held in aid of organisations trying to fight AIDS in Nigeria. Despite insisting he wouldn't comment on the Jacko scandal that's pretty much all the press wanted to talk about!
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ATP CALIFORNIA WILL RETURN
All Tomorrow's Parties founder Barry Hogan has confirmed the alternative music festival will return to California in 2004. The West Coast date of the ATP franchise hit problems earlier this year when the University of California at Los Angeles, hosts of the 2002 event, pulled out. But with the support of Southern California concert promoter Goldenvoice the event went ahead last month - 20,000 music fans flocked to a former cruise ship, the Queen Mary, to see the likes of Iggy & the Stooges, Sonic Youth, Built To Spill, Spoon, Cat Power and the Mars Volta.
Following the success of that event Hogan has announced the 2004 event will also take place on the Queen Mary from 6-7 Nov.
The next UK version of the event takes place in March at Camber Sands. No word yet on the long-awaited New York version.
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EMINEM COMPETES WITH 50 CENT IN PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD
More end of year awards... And in one US year-end poll American people will have to decide whether, following a phenomenal year, 50 Cent is now bigger than his mentor, Eminem.
Gallup yesterday announced the nominations for its People's Choice Awards. In the music categories hip hop/r&b takes on country with Tim McGraw competing with 50 Cent and Eminem for Best Male Artist, and Shania Twain competing with Beyonce and Faith Hill for Best Female Artist. For best group it's between country (Brooks & Dunn) and rock (Matchbox 20).
But perhaps more interesting will be whether 50 Cent beats Eminem to that Best Male title when the awards are made on 11 Jan.
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LIVE REVIEW: James Brown at St Luke's Church on 30 Nov
Yes, THE James Brown, not only is he still alive and mobile, he was in London recording a gig for the BBC. Entering with a flourish of trumpets and saxophones this magical old man in a wig proceeds to wow the small crowd. With excellent musicians backing him, the "Godfather of Soul" reprises his well known hits, proving he can still sing and move and perform like a superstar. Vocally it's amazing, but like all old people, he did go on a bit. In the two-hour recording, the set consisted of about five songs, interspersed with trumpet and drum solos and other assorted interludes. Anyone wanting a simple song-by-song recital would have been sorely disappointed, but the superb musicianship more than made up for the fact that he didn't just come on and do 'Sex Machine' and walk off. So, three backing singers, three drummer, two comperes and two capes (red and green - very festive) later the enigma had gone, and you are left in a room full of people, still stunned at the fact that they had just seen, and were totally blown away by THE JAMES BROWN. FC
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STOKES PAUSE GIG AFTER BARRIER SHIFTS
The Strokes had to stop their Glasgow gig midway through their set on Monday night because of crowd safety concerns. It all began when the stage barrier shifted forward. Attempts by singer Julian Casablancas to get the crowd to move back so stage crew could fix the barrier proved unsuccessful, in the end the gig had to be paused for seven minutes while the tour's manager organised the crowd and barrier.
A spokesman for the Glasgow Braehead Arena, where the gig was taking place, told NME: "There were no injuries as a result of the barrier moving, and no danger of the barrier collapsing. We took precautionary measures to make sure there was no further movement. There was not, and the brilliant show continued without incident. The band were superb in how they dealt with the situation and showed admirable concern for the fans."
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BUSTED BOY ON MEETING THE TEACHER HE "WENT TO SCHOOL FOR"
Busted Boy Matt has spoken to Radio 1 about meeting up with the teacher who inspired the song 'What I Go To School For' - the band's debut track all about having a crush on a teacher. Matt met up with his former teacher on the Frank Skinner show earlier this week.
Matt: "No, I did not get it on with Michelle. She's married, man! I went for a drink with her after the show. She's so lovely - it must be so embarrassing for her! Even more embarrassing for me though. I remember when she found out I used to have a crush on her, and she was so kind of shocked and very embarrassed. And it was kind of that thing like 'Yeah, I wrote a song about you, sorry...' and then we don't really have anything much else to say!"
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COLLINS THANKS WARDENS WITH HAMPER
Phil Collins has sent a luxury food hamper to council staff who found his wife's purse after it was snatched by a pickpocket. The purse was stolen during an incident in central London where the Collins were Christmas shopping. Wardens for Westminster Council later found the discarded purse, still containing Ms Collins' bank cards, next to a litter bin and returned it to its owner. The multi-millionaire couple thanked the wardens, Alan Auchterloine and Sabah Boulakhra, by sending them a luxury food hamper. Mr Auchterloine told reporters: "It's nice to be thanked for doing a great job. Celebrity or not, we'd do the same for everybody."