| CMU Daily - on the inside Wednesday 22nd December |
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In today's CMU Daily:
- Young Buck formally charged over Vibe stabbing
- Robbie spokesman plays down drug remarks
- Snoop Dogg sues woman for extortion
- Fiddy says 'not my fault' over snapper bust up
- Norah Jones cancels Jakarta show over terrorism concerns
- Live Review: Towers Of London at On The Rocks
- Iain Archer plans London date
- Mcfly record Comic Relief track
- Keane's album best seller of 2004
- Usher has year's best selling album in US
- Pixies plan live DVDs
- Ringo set to track Santa again
- NIN rename album
- Hard disk makers benefiting from MP3 craze
- Mogwai to release Radio 1 sessions
- Telewest drop Nickelodeon after contract dispute
- Ben Christophers to support American Music Club
- Cowell v Osbourne may continued at the Comedy Awards tonight
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CMU TRACK OF THE YEAR
Well, Christmas is nearly here, so you have just two more days to cast your votes in the CMU Track of the Year poll survey thing. Just email your vote to vote@cmumusicnetwork.co.uk. If you want to offer a 50 word explanation of your vote then that would be cool - we'll include a couple of votes in here each day this week for inspiration. Today, one reader, three votes!
Voter: Nick Wallis
Vote: Mercury Rev - Secret For A Song
Words: My track of the year is 'Secret For A Song' by Mercury Rev - in which Jonathan Donahue becomes a slightly unnerving dream catcher, weaving a hypnotic, magical spell over an epic natural backdrop. "I told you where we're going babe - we're going for a dark country ride." Indeed.
Vote: Kanye West - Jesus Walks
Words: My other track of the year would be 'Jesus Walks' by Kanye West - successfully shoehorning a heartfelt spiritual message into a monster beat takes some doing.
Vote: Nick Cave - Abbatoir Blues
Words: And my other other track of the year would be 'Abbatoir Blues' by Nick Cave - some songs sound perfect already, but when you hear them played live as the opener to a full band set at the Brixton Academy, you feel thankful and mildly unworthy that songwriters and performers like Nick Cave can still be bothered to keep going just for your entertainment.
Agree? If not, get voting, vote@cmumusicnetwork.co.uk
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YOUNG BUCK FORMALLY CHARGED OVER VIBE STABBING
G-Unit member Young Buck has been formally charged with assault with a deadly weapon relating to that stabbing at last month's Vibe Awards. As previously reported, rapper Young Buck, real name David Darnell Brown, allegedly confronted one Jimmy James Johnson at the awards event in response to Brown allegedly lashing out at label boss Dr Dre. In the altercation that followed Johnson was stabbed and it is claimed Brown held the knife.
The rapper, currently on $500,000 bail, will now go to court to face the charges on 14 Jan. He could face up to eight years in jail if convicted. Johnson, meanwhile, is already in jail because his attack on Dre was a violation of previous parole conditions. He also faces new charges for allegedly hitting Dre.
There's been no further comment on those rumours - that circulated at the time of the stabbing and again a few weeks later - that one of Dre's rivals in the hip hop world, Suge Knight, had asked Johnson to punch the Aftermath boss. Nor any more info on reports that Knight himself faces questioning because he sat so close to Dre at the awards event - a violation of his previous parole conditions.
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ROBBIE SPOKESMAN PLAYS DOWN DRUG REMARKS
A spokesman for Robbie Williams has played down the comments much quoted in yesterday's press in which the singer admitted that: "Some of the best times in my life happened under the influence of drugs". Williams has been criticised by anti-drugs groups for being flippant about his past drug taking, and for his suggestion that the only reason he kicked his drink and drug habits was because they was making him fat.
Following that criticism yesterday a spokesman for Williams told reporters: "Robbie has always been candid about his past and has spoken about addiction. Certain comments he made to a local radio station were taken from a 20-minute interview and have been lifted out of context. Robbie makes it clear in his interview that he does not condone drug use."
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SNOOP DOGG SUES WOMAN FOR EXTORTION
Back to the hip hop courts, and Snoop Dogg is reportedly suing a woman who threatened to sell revelations relating to an alleged assault at one of his gigs if he didn't pay her $5 million.
The woman, referred to as Jane Doe in the legal proceedings, allegedly, erm, alleges that she was assaulted at one of Snoop Dogg's shows last year. Snoop's legal people, aside from denying their client was involved in any assault, say the woman threatened to sell her story to the National Enquirer and a book publisher unless they paid her the $5 million.
The rapper accuses the woman of extortion and is suing her in an attempt to secure punitive damages and to prevent the risk of future threats. Neither side have formally commented on the lawsuit.
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FIDDY SAYS 'NOT MY FAULT' OVER SNAPPER BUST UP
And back to G-Unit legal news now. 50 Cent has appeared in court to give an official statement relating to allegations his entourage attacked a photographer. New York based snapper James Alcorn claims Fiddy's bodyguards attacked him after he took a picture of the rapper as he left a Manhattan store. Alcorn says the attack, which took place in Aug 2003, left him with "severe and serious injuries, mental shock, and psychological trauma" and he is suing for $21 million.
Testifying to court last week, Fiddy said he was not formally associated with the bodyguards involved in the incident, and he did not instruct them in anyway to attack the photographer. The minders were hired by Fiddy's manager through Violator Management, which also handles the careers of Missy Elliot, Busta Rhymes, Lil Scrappy and others. Fiddy's lawyers argue that if there was any incident involving Alcorn, then liability lies with that company not their client.
However Alcorn's attorney says he reckons Fiddy is guilty by association and should shell out a significant amount of money for his connection to the bodyguards, even if he wasn't directly involved.
The case, as they say, continues.
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NORAH JONES CANCELS JAKARTA SHOW OVER TERRORISM CONCERNS
Norah Jones has cancelled a concert in Indonesia because of terrorism warnings. Jones was due to play in Jakarta on 1 Mar, but that gig has been cancelled after the US, Australian and British governments all released a new terrorist alert for the country last week. Jones isn't the first artist to cancel gigs in Indonesia because of the threat of terrorist attacks – a number of other artists have cancelled gigs there this year, most prominently Alicia Keys.
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LIVE REVIEW: Towers Of London at On The Rocks on 17 Dec
It's summer. I'm at the V festival. I'm on my tod. I've managed to lig my way into the Virgin Mobile enclosure with a wrist band full of free drinks tokens. So I'm awaiting the arrival of mates, sitting in an inflatable Virgin advert spotting members of Hollyoaks and generally enjoying my hayfever. But a couple of inflatables in front of me is a battery of guys dressed as Motley Crue. They're throwing their weight around: spitting beer, pushing each other into other people and looking surly. Tut, I thought from my high horse, and imagined their not-proud mothers, the record deal they wouldn't get, and wished I was Nikky Sixx so I could go and tell them that that wasn't rock and roll. I found out yesterday that they were the Towers of London.
Before hearing the Towers I loved them simply because they looked so fucking cool, and because they have been working everyone up into a nervous sweat from Derby freehouses to showcases for cheque-signers in old army barracks. While their forthcoming single, 'On A Noose', is every bit as raw and anarchic as they are, it does sound better when you know the legends (or are they myths?) about this band. And the discovery that the anti-social leather rebels from V were in fact Towers only makes me love them more.
On The Rocks was absolutely heaving albeit, predictably, with trendies, and the odd person who looked suspiciously like they have a real job. Last on a four-band line-up, the Towers no less than erupted onto the stage. People always talk about the spitting, the half-fights and the venue damage, so I was a little nervous to be at the front while the trendies cowered in their polka dots. And sure enough, the volatility, unpredictability and erratic manner of front man Donny is enough to make a GI feel uneasy: you can feel the catharsis as if this 22 year old had been bottling up trauma his entire life. They drank beer, smoked fags and broke strings while wires fell from the ceiling, bottles flew about the stage and people slowly backed further away.
Comparisons to Motley Crue are purely aesthetic, their actual music is as near as you can get to the Sex Pistols without actually being the Sex Pistols. They roared through six feral, aggressively charged and visceral songs; and then it was suddenly over. It was absolutely exhilarating. DB
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IAIN ARCHER PLANS LONDON DATE
Iain Archer, who will support Athlete at two dates in Jan, will play his own acoustic show at the Troubadour in West London on 28 Jan. He will be joined by Andy Thornton and other guests - tickets are £8. More info at http://www.troubadour.co.uk or http://www.iainarcher.com. Press info from PIAS in house.
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MCFLY RECORD COMIC RELIEF TRACK
The McFly boys have recorded what will be the official single of Comic Relief 2005. According to the Daily Star the band were joined by a 60-piece orchestra for the charity recording at Abbey Road. The single will be released on 7 Mar.
As if that news wasn't exciting enough, we also hear there will be another celebrity version of Fame Academy in the week running up to Comic Relief's next Red Nose Day on 11 Mar. Oh joy.
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KEANE'S ALBUM BEST SELLER OF 2004
OK, I've got an admission. My sister asked for a copy of Keane's debut album for Christmas and since our promo copy had long left the office I had to nip down to my local record store (well, Asda actually) to buy a copy. Which probably explains why 'Hope And Fears' is the best selling album of 2004. I'm sorry.
According to the figures released by HMV, Keane's hugely successful debut has beaten even Robbie's greatest hits to be the best selling album of the year (though I wonder if Robbie's LP, currently number one in the album chart and no doubt a big seller in both the pre and post Christmas record buying rush, has any chance of overtaking Keane at the last hurdle).
Band Aid 20 is the biggest selling single of the year while, if you're interested, 'Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King' has topped the DVD Chart of 2004.
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USHER HAS YEAR'S BEST SELLING ALBUM IN US
Over in the States, unless one of George Bush's mates is put in charge of the count at the last minute, it seems unlikely anyone will outsell Usher's album 'Confessions' in what remains of 2004. That album sold more than 8 million units in the US in the last year, 3 million more than the second best selling album from country superstar George Strait.
Other albums likely to appear in the US top ten of 2004 are Eminem's 'Encore', Norah Jones' 'Feels Like Home', Gretchen Wilson's 'Here For The Party' and Outkast's 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Inside' (the fact OutKast sold 4 million copies in 2004 is particularly impressive given that album was released in Sep 2003!).
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PIXIES PLAN LIVE DVDS
The Pixies will release two DVDs featuring coverage from this year's reunion tour. The first disk will contain a collection of live tracks compiled from six or seven shows. The second will have documentary-style footage from behind the scenes on the tour. It is unclear if the two DVDs will be sold separately or as part of a package.
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RINGO SET TO TRACK SANTA AGAIN
A bit of a strange one this, but it's Christmas, so what the hell.
This Friday night Ringo Starr will be operating one of Norad's 'santa-cams' tracking the progress of Santa Claus as he flies over Britain. It is the second year that Ringo has been involved in the project run by North American Air Defense Command which beams pictures of Santa flying around the world back to its website - http://www.noradsanta.org (they got over 500 million hits last Christmas!).
Speaking in an advert for the project, Ringo says: "I'm going to be operating one of Norad's SantaCams and I'll try to get some high-tech images of Santa".
Commenting on Ringo's support, a spokesman for Norad told reporters: "The reason why he said that he wanted to do this is because he's a personal friend of Santa Claus and he has been ... for many years".
So now you know.
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NIN RENAME ALBUM
Trent Reznor has confirmed he has changed the name of the upcoming Nine Inch Nails album. The new long player had a working title of 'Bleeding Through' but will now be released with the name 'With Teeth'. No release date has been set, though it should surface sometime in Spring 2005.
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HARD DISK MAKERS BENEFITING FROM MP3 CRAZE
MP3 player makers aren't the only people benefiting from the growing interest in digital music this Christmas. Word is that the makers of hard disks are also doing well, with music fans keen to upgrade the storage capacity of their home PC in order to store all those MP3s. So much so, a part of the computer industry that was struggling (many had predicted a price war between hard disk manufacturers which would most likely have put the smaller players out of business) is now enjoyed a new period of good health.
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MOGWAI TO RELEASE RADIO 1 SESSIONS
Mogwai are putting together a collection of live tracks that were recorded as part of sessions for John Peel and Steve Lamacq. The album, to be called 'Government Commissions', is set for a Feb release on Matador.
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TELEWEST DROP NICKELODEON AFTER CONTRACT DISPUTE
Kids TV network Nickelodeon has issued a statement after their service disappeared from the Telewest cable TV network. The cable operator dropped Nickelodeon's four channels after the two companies reached deadlock in new contract negotiations.
David Lynn, MD of Nickelodeon UK, told reporters: "We are extremely disappointed that Telewest has chosen to reject our offer. We are especially disappointed on behalf of our Telewest viewers, since the channels will be removed just days before Christmas."
Nickelodeon say Telewest are demanding unreasonable changes to their past contract. Telewest argue they are simply looking for the best deal to ensure value for their customers. While both sides say they still hope an agreement can be reached, Nickelodeon bosses are encouraging their loyal viewers to contact Telewest and demand their channels are reinstated.
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BEN CHRISTOPHERS TO SUPPORT AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB
Ben Christophers will support American Music Club on their forthcoming UK tour, dates as follows:
23 Jan: London Islington Academy
25 Jan: Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
26 Jan: Fiddlers, Bristol.
30 Jan: Manchester Academy 3
31 Jan: Liverpool Academy Rooms
1 Feb: Newcastle University
2 Feb: King Tuts, Glasgow
3 Feb: Sheffield Leadmill
4 Feb: Nottingham Rescue Rooms
5 Feb: Birmingham Academy
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COWELL V OSBOURNE MAY CONTINUED AT THE COMEDY AWARDS TONIGHT
According to the Daily Mirror security people at tonight's British Comedy Awards have been told to keep a special eye on X Factor judges Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne who are said to be still very much at odds after the latter's live TV outburst against the reality show's winner Steve Brookstein, who was being championed by Cowell.
Osbourne is apparently equally pissed off with Cowell - one source claims: "The Osbourne clan are furious with Cowell for the way he has behaved during the X Factor series. He even had the cheek to joke that their recent break-in - when £2m of jewellery was stolen - was a publicity stunt."
Although Cowell and Osbourne, who will both present awards at tonight's event, have been given dressing rooms at opposite ends of the studios, insiders fear some kind of altercation will take place before the night is over.
