Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:30 | By CMU Editorial

Beastie Boys name new album

Releases

Beastie Boys have announced that their new album will be called ‘Hot Sauce Committee’. The band emailed fans on Monday, saying: “Our new record that is coming out that we finished the other day is called ‘Hot Sauce Committee'”. And just in case we’ve not made it clear enough yet, the new album by Beastie Boys will be called ‘Hot Sauce Committee’.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs unveil new video

Releases

Yeah Yeah Yeahs have unveiled a new video for their next single, ‘Heads Will Roll’, which is taken from their latest album ‘It’s Blitz!’ and is set for release on 29 Jun. The video was directed by ‘IT Crowd’ star Richard Ayoade.

Watch the video here.

Black metal book to become film

Artist News

Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind’s exhaustive history of the 90s black metal scene in Norway, and the church burning and violence that went with it, ‘Lords Of Chaos’, is to be turned into a film by Japanese director Sion Sono, it has been announced. One of the story’s key characters – Varg Vikernes, best known for murdering the frontman of rival band Mayhem, Oystein ‘Euronymous’ Aarseth – is to be played by Jackson Rathbone, who recently starred in teen vampire movie ‘Twilight’.

Producer Stuart Pollok told Dagbladet:”[Black metal] is a fascinating topic, a great visual world to depict, and a fun portrayal of Norway”.

Some black metal fans will be none too pleased to hear that ‘Lords Of Chaos’ is to hit the big screen, because it’s seen by many as a sensationalist account of that particular period of Norwegian musical history.

Vikernes himself, who was recently released on parole after serving 15 years in prison for the murder of Euronymous, said in 2004: “The vast majority of all the statements made in this book are either misinterpretations; taken out of context; misunderstandings; malicious lies made by enemies; a result of ignorance; extreme exaggerations; and/or third-hand information at best. The authors have managed to fill the heads of a generation of metal fans with lies. What could have been a righteous revolt has been made into some pathetic, embarrassing, brain-dead, impotent and traditional poser-culture”.

Placebo announce UK tour

Gigs & Festivals

Placebo will play five UK arena dates in December to promote their upcoming new album, ‘Battle For The Sun’, which is set for release on 8 Jun.

Tour Dates:

8 Dec: Birmingham, LG Arena
9 Dec: London, O2 Arena
11 Dec: Bridlington, Spa
12 Dec: Manchester, Central
14 Dec: Glasgow, SECC

1990s cancel US tour

Gigs & Festivals

The 1990s have cancelled their upcoming US tour, although they have said that they hope to reschedule the dates later in the year. No specific reason for the cancellation has yet been given.

In a message on the band’s official website, bassist Dino Bardot said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances we’ve had to postpone our upcoming US tour. We feel really dreadful about this. Our apologies to everyone who was looking forward to coming along and seeing us. Hopefully we’ll be able to rearrange for later on in the year”.

Weezer to launch official band blanket

Brands & Merch

Yeah, The Saturdays, you can stick your officially endorsed hair-removal cream, you haven’t properly arrived until you have an official band blanket. And not just any blanket, a blanket you can wear. Now, that’s a band brand extension to be commended.

Weezer have teamed up with a US blanket company who make a product called a ‘snuggie’, which is a blanket with sleeves apparently, and they will launch a Weezer branded version of the blanket you wear, which will be called a ‘wuggie’.

Frontman Rivers Cuomo told Rolling Stone: “A wuggie is basically exactly like a snuggie, except it says Weezer on it. The people at snuggie are doing it with us and promoting it with us. It’s a totally legit snuggie”.

EC Commissioner welcomes moves in European collecting society community – well, mainly French moves

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal

The European Union Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes has welcomed progress in the collecting society sector regarding the provision of pan-European licences for digital music.

As much previously reported, European officials have been in conflict with the collecting society community for a while about the lack of pan-European licences. Officials say that a system whereby providers of digital music services must get a separate licence from each national collecting society is anti-competitive, because the collecting society in each territory effectively has a monopoly.

They want each society to provide pan-European licences that give cross-border digital service providers the rights to use both songs from their own catalogue, but also the catalogues of other societies; licences which would be enabled through reciprocal agreements between competing societies, and/or pan-European agreements between publishers and societies. Aside from making things much easier for anyone wanting to launch a pan-European digital music service, such licences would force societies around Europe to compete with each other, thus ending the monopoly concerns.

Many collecting societies, while not necessarily opposing the concept of pan-European licences, dislike having such systems forced on them by regulators, while others argue that by forcing collecting societies to compete in this way the bigger societies will benefit to the detriment of smaller ones, meaning songwriting communities in smaller European markets lose out. They also fear the royalty rates received by individual songwriters will be pushed down as societies are forced to cut their rates in order to compete.

Anyway, deals are being done to allow more pan-European licensing, and it’s those deals Kroes has welcomed. In particular a move by French collecting society SACEM, who have said they are ready to entrust other collecting societies with their repertoire for pan-European licensing, while offering to represent other societies’ repertoire on a non-exclusive basis. That’s the kind of commitment Kroes wants every European society to make.

Commenting on those and other developments, Kroes said yesterday: “There is a clear willingness expressed by major players in the online distribution of music in Europe to tackle the many barriers which prevent consumers from fully benefiting from the opportunities that the internet provides. I therefore encourage the major players, in particular publishers and collecting societies, to move quickly to adapt their licensing solutions to the online environment. I will review progress at the next meeting of the roundtable that I will organise shortly with other major players in the online music market”.

Will Roc Nation partner with Sony?

Business News Labels & Publishers

Following that speculation last week as to whether Jay-Z’s new music company, Roc Nation, his JV with live music conglom Live Nation, would look to handle the marketing and distribution of its recordings in-house, or whether they would enter into a deal with a major to handle all that, HitsDailyDouble has reported that Sony might be in the running to get that deal.

That rumour seems to be based on the fact Jay-Z’s business partner Jay Brown has been seen meeting with the boss of Sony’s Columbia/Epic division Rob Stringer. An alliance with Sony wouldn’t be too big a surprise given the major’s recent appointment of singer-songwriter Amanda Ghost to the President’s job of the Epic label. Ghost is managed by the Roc Nation team.

Insiders say the deal would be good for Sony who have lacked a credible urban music hub for sometime.

William Morris chief may step down

Business News Industry People Live Business

This is interesting. According to the New York Post, Jim Wiatt, former CEO of the William Morris Agency, who became Chairman of the merged William Morris Endeavour agency, is getting ready to step down.

Rival talent agencies William Morris and Endeavour, the former of which is active in the music space, only merged last month, with Wiatt becoming Chairman of the combined company, while another WMA exec, David Wirtschafter, as well as two Endeavour chiefs, Ariel Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, were named joint CEOs.

It’s thought Wiatt has decided to step down rather than fight a battle for supremacy in the merged company with Emanuel, who, insiders say, has taken the initiative in the new management set up. At the time of the merger the radically different corporate cultures of the two firms was noted by some, and it seems Emanuel is ensuring the new larger company adopts his management style, despite the William Morris Agency’s much longer history in the business.

In fact, Endeavour’s relative youth as a company – it was founded 14 years ago – is arguably why execs from their have had the upper hand in this merger, with some feeling management style at WMA was a little antiquated for the modern entertainment industry. That goes for Wiatt personally too, because, while he’s widely liked across the company and industry, he is also seen by some as being very much of the older generation.

HitsDailyDouble point out the slight irony in Emanuel essentially pushing Wiatt out of his job – Wiatt once fired Emanuel when they both worked at talent agency ICM.

More allegations over Last.fm user data

Business News Digital

TechCrunch has again claimed that Last.fm is handing over user-data to the Recording Industry Association Of America in violation of its own privacy code, though the CBS-owned music service continues to deny it is doing any such thing.

Such data could be useful to the RIAA because they could see which Last.fm subscribers were listening to music ahead of its official online release – if they were, those users must have accessed the music from unofficial sources (well, either that or they’re journalists or label staff or friends or family of the band). As previously reported, as the record industry slowly comes to terms with the fact that rampant online piracy is now just a fact of life, label bosses remain extra sensitive when new music appears on file-sharing networks before it has been officially serviced even to radio – even though pretty much any album anyone is interested in leaks in this way these days. Labels argue such leaks screw up their marketing plans, and impact on sales in the all-important first week of release.

After an earlier TechCrunch story alleging Last.fm was colluding with the RIAA, something bosses at the London-based music service quickly denied, now the IT website has suggested that the collusion is between parent company CBS and the US record label trade body. They allege CBS asked for Last.fm user data for internal use, but then handed said data over to the RIAA.

Last.fm continue to deny any of their user data has reached the record label trade body.

It has to be said that, given Last.fm’s privacy commitments to users, any data handed over to the RIAA presumably couldn’t be used in court if the trade body decided to pursue copyright infringement litigation against any users who they reckoned were illegally accessing pre-release content, so you wonder why they’d want it in the first place. They could, I suppose, amass other evidence once they had identified users who consistently listen to pre-release music, or claim they had simply accessed a user’s listening data from their publicly available Last.fm profile – which would work assuming the user wasn’t deleting obviously illegally accessed track data from their public profile.

Sky Songs rumours

Business News Digital

The Register has reported that BSkyB’s previously reported subscription-based music service could launch this side of the summer, offering access to a Spotify-style streaming music service for a monthly subscription of between £4.99 and £11.99.

The subscription would provide unlimited streaming and some downloads – five tracks with the cheapest subscription package, twenty or two albums with the most expensive. The service, working title Sky Songs, is a JV with Universal Music, though presumably it would look to licence music from all four majors and the bigger indies.

While Sky has not had huge success in developing successful online products, some point out they did successfully manage to launch the pay-TV model in a market where TV had previously been free to access. They also have an existing subscriber base of online and TV customers for whom Sky Songs could be an add-on service bundled in to existing subscription fees.

Zune services to be added to the Xbox

Business News Digital

Microsoft have announced plans to integrate its Zune video service with their Xbox games console, an integration that had been widely rumoured.

Specifics of the integration were not forthcoming though it’s thought the Zune videos will replace the current Xbox Live Video Marketplace. The Zune Marketplace currently feeds Microsoft’s iPod competing Zune player, which has only ever gone on sale in North America and which, despite only having a relatively small market share, does have some fans among US-based digital music consumers.

It’s not clear if Zune services will be available to Xbox users outside the North American market.

More Bauer Radio cuts

Business News Media

Following recent news of cuts in its magazine division, Bauer Media have announced it will be making more cuts in its radio business too, with 20 jobs likely to go from the firm’s Big City network of FM stations, in particular in Scotland and the North.

A spokesman for Bauer admitted: “In light of the continuing economic climate, we are looking to reshape some of our local teams. We have therefore reluctantly had to enter consultation with a small number of staff at each affected station to discuss these proposals. There will be no further comment until this consultation period has concluded”.

Total Rock World Album Chart – w/c 25 May

And Finally

It’s this week’s Total Rock World Album Chart, as counted down on Total Rock last weekend – www.totalrock.com. New entries and re-entries marked with a *.

1. Nickelback – Dark Horse (Warner/Roadrunner)
2. AC/DC – Black Ice (Sony Music)
3. Heaven & Hell – The Devil You Know (Warner/Roadrunner)
4. Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream (Sony Music)
5. Pearl Jam – Ten (Sony Music)
6. Theory Of A Deadman – Scars & Souvenirs (Warner/Roadrunner)
7. Papa Roach – Metamorphosis (Universal/Interscope)
8. Metallica – Death Magnetic (Universal/Mercury)
9. Mastodon – Crack The Skye (Warner Bros)
10. Lamb Of God – Wrath (Warner/Roadrunner)
11. Daughtry – Daughtry (Sony Music)*
12. Lacuna Coil – Shallow Life (Century Media)
13. Hatebreed – For The Lions (Century Media)*
15. Shinedown – The Sound Of Madness (Warner/Atlantic)
16. Disturbed – Indestructible (Warner/Reprise)
17. Rise Against – Appeal To Reason (Universal/Geffen)
18. Static-X – Cult Of Static (Warner Bros)
19. Nickelback – All The Right Reasons (Warner/Roadrunner)
20. Guns N Roses – Greatest Hits (Universal/Geffen)

I Kissed A Girl (Who I Was In A Long Term Relationship With)

And Finally

So, while it might appear that in ‘I Kissed A Girl’ Katy Perry was advocating casual sex and kissing other ladies on a whim, let’s just get it straight right now that she wasn’t. That sort of thing is disgusting.

Perry told New York Daily News: “For me, it’s not a pastime, going out and meeting people and trying to hook up with people. That actually makes me feel disgusting. From a really early age, I was really sensitive to that. Getting your flirt on is the best thing in the world, but when it comes to sharing bodily fluids with a person I don’t know – no thank you”.

Fame is most important thing for GaGa

And Finally

Lady GaGa would die if someone took her fame away. Luckily, she has found a way to be famous without anyone knowing.

She told Fox News: “I was told for a very long time that I was not pretty enough, too strange, not edgy enough. But I’ve always been famous, it is just that nobody knew. … There are times when it can be a lot to deal with, but always when I get up in the morning I try to find that very joyful place that reminds me that I would die if someone took it all away. If someone did that I wouldn’t be a person any more”.

Approved: Hafdis Huld (SNAP Of The Day)

CMU Approved

The pitch from the PR was just too good to resist a listen to the latest offering from this existing CMU favourite: “ex-Gus Gus member has a new single called ‘Kongulo’ – which means ‘spider’ in Icelandic – about the skyscraper-climbing Frenchman, Alain Robert”. Breathy, almost expectedly sweet vocals tell the tale, with dreamy, awestruck lyrics about how he’d “rather swing from the cable than sit by the table and eat cake”, while the musical accompaniment could soundtrack Hawaii’s hula dancers if they replaced the short burst of organ in the middle with a steel drum solo. That ‘Kongulo’ is about as euphonic as words get, particularly when pronounced by Hafdis, helps when it comes to the chorus of “watch out, here comes the Kongulo”, which is delivered in homage to the classic ‘Spiderman’ theme tune. And though it’s by no means anthemic, there’s a summer ‘anthem’ in the making here.

www.myspace.com/hafdishuld
www.muzu.tv/hafdishuld/hafdis-album-two-in-the-studio-music-video/208659

Former Wilco man dies

Obituaries Top Stories

The former Wilco member who sued the band’s main man Jeff Tweedy earlier this month over a royalties dispute has suddenly died of unspecified causes, aged 45. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Jay Bennett died at his Urbana, Illinois home on early Sunday morning, seemingly in his sleep, and an autopsy is being performed to ascertain cause of death.

A posting on the website of the Undertow Music Collective, Bennett most recent label, said simply: “We are profoundly saddened to report that our friend died in his sleep … Jay was a beautiful human being who will be missed”.

Tweedy, currently touring with Wilco in Spain, issued this statement yesterday: “We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him – as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band’s songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time”.

Multi-instrumentalist Bennett joined Wilco in 1994 and wrote for and appeared on three of the band’s albums, 1996’s ‘Being There’, 1999’s ‘Summerteeth’ and 2002’s ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’, as well as taking part in the band’s Woody Guthrie celebrating Billy Bragg collaborations, ‘Mermaid Avenue’ and ‘Mermaid Avenue 2’.

He quit the band in 2001 after a falling out with Tweedy, a falling out which was closely documented because the band were participating in the recording of a documentary film at the time of the split. It was partly royalties relating to that film that Bennett claimed he was still owed earlier this month. At the time it was revealed that the musician needed the allegedly unpaid Wilco royalties to help fund a hip replacement operation, which with hindsight may have been an indication of general ill-health.

As well as his work with Wilco, Bennett recorded three albums in the nineties with his own band Titanic Love Affair, and more recently released four solo albums and appeared as a session musician on tracks by other artists, most notably Sheryl Crow. He was working on his fifth solo album at the time of his death. It is not clear what Bennett’s death means for the litigation he launched against Tweedy.

Rihanna appears in Kanye video

TI will start 366 day prison sentence today

Legal

Rapper TI is due to report to prison today after failing to get his long anticipated prison sentence further delayed. The hip hop man’s legal people last week tried to get a further ten day delay in a bid to secure their man a cell in a prison nearer his home in Atlanta. But a US judge ruled on Friday that TI, real name Clifford Harris, must report to prison in Forrest City, Arkansas today, as originally planned.

As previously reported, TI was sentenced to a year in jail back in March after pleading guilty to two charges of illegally possessing firearms and of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, both relating to an incident in October 2007 when the rapper was found trying to buy unlicensed machine guns and silencers.

Those who think Harris has already got a rather good deal thanks to his expensive lawyers and celebrity status – the standard sentence for his crime is at least five years – will be pleased to here that is seems those reports from last week that the rapper’s sentence had been further reduced to just two months are not true.

As previously reported, there were reports widely circulating on the net last week that because TI has already spent 305 days under ‘home detention’, some of it prior to his trial in March, those days would be credited against his prison sentence meaning he could be out of jail by July. However, it seems there has been some confusion between his prison time and a separate part of his sentence ordering home detention. It is true that, having been under ‘home detention’ for 305 days, TI only has to spend a further two months living under curfew, but that is separate from the prison sentence. The two remaining months of home detention will come once he is out of jail.

Prison time, though, remains unchanged at a year and a day, though he could get two months shaved off that for good behaviour once inside. As previously reported, TI got favourable treatment as part of a plea bargain which included some high profile community service warning young people off guns and crime, some of which was seen via an MTV series.

Confirming that the one year one day sentence still stood, TI told a celeb-filled audience at a special gig held in Atlanta this weekend to mark the start of his prison time: “I’m going to stand up tall, head up high. What I need y’all to do is pray for me while I’m gone. I’ll see y’all in 366 days”.

Drummer sues Billy Joel

Legal

Billy Joel is the latest music star to face a royalties lawsuit. He is being sued by his former drummer who claims he is owed royalties relating to his last ten years working with the singer songwriter. Liberty DeVitto worked with Joel for some thirty years before being kicked out of the band in 2005. The drummer says his dismissal came as a shock, and was possibly caused by his involvement in an intervention in which Joel was challenged about his various addictions. Joel checked into rehab later that year.

DeVitto is clearly bitter, though he claims the lawsuit relates to straight royalty commitments that Joel and his label Sony have failed to fulfil. He is suing to get access to accounts of Joel’s record sales, and for any cut of profits he is due.

Confirming the litigation, DeVitto told the New York Post: “Everybody always assumes that you make a lot of money because you worked with Billy Joel. It didn’t happen that way. People get fired, they get severance or insurance for a certain period of time. I didn’t even get a phone call. It was cold”.

Manic Preacher reckons we’re all corrupt, speak for yourself Wire

Artist News

As Andy Burnham, the MP perhaps most associated with the music business because of his job as Culture Minister, came under fire in the Daily Telegraph’s ongoing MP expenses story, one musician, Manic Street Preacher Nicky Wire, cautioned against obsessing too much about politicians’ questionable expense claims, remarked: “if we were all placed under the same scrutiny as politicians, I reckon we’d all be out of a job, I really do, because we’re all corrupt”.

Burnham is one of the latest MPs to be featured in the Telegraph’s review of politicians’ expenses, and has been criticised for some property arrangements that possibly enabled him to dodge a six grand tax bill. That said, the criticism of Burnham is less clear cut than that levelled against many of his parliamentary colleagues, as it relates to a complicated property windfall which changed in status from income to expenses, reducing tax liabilities, as it went through the parliamentary fees system, rather than simple lavish expense claims or the dodgy practice of ‘flipping’ second home assignment to boost the tax-payers’ mortgage contributions. Only really a tax accountant could say whether Burnham acted unethically or not.

Anyway, back to Wire, who was talking about his band’s reputation for politically charged lyrics in an interview with Absolute Radio. Asked if the recent MPs expenses scandal had left him disillusioned about Britain’s political system, Wire said: “Personally, I’m not disillusioned with politics. I enjoy politics. I still think it gets a lot of things done”.

He also encouraged other bands who participate in political campaigns to bring their politics into their music. Wire: “There’s a lot of musicians who seem to act politically, and you listen to their music and think, ‘Well, why don’t you actually write about it?'”.

McClure to speed debate tonight

Artist News

Talking of pop stars being political, Jon McClure of Reverend And The Makers will take part in a ‘speed debate’ at the Boogaloo pub in Highgate tonight, alongside human rights advocate Bianca Jagger and London Minister Karen Buck, as part of the Instigate Debate project. This is the previously reported venture encouraging involvement in politics supported by music types like Carl Barat and Babyshambles’ Drew McConnell. McClure, Barat, McConnell and guest Baaba Maal will all perform after tonight’s debate. More at www.instigatedebate.com.

Notting Hill sign Ivor Novello nominated Hemming

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

Nick Hemming, the unsigned songwriter who caught the headlines by earning himself a nomination at this year’s Ivor Novello Awards, has signed a two year publishing deal with Notting Hill Music. The deal means Hemming will be able to give up his day job and concentrate on his music full time.

As previously reported, Hemming was nominated in the Best Song Musically And Lyrically category for his song ‘The Last Of The Melting Snow’, which his band Leisure Society self-released late last year. Although he lost out to Elbow at the awards show itself, he confirmed to Billboard last week: “I signed with Notting Hill Music last weekend, so that’s exciting. It’s my last day at work [on Friday] at a warehouse in Wimbledon. I’m a full-time musician as of Monday”.

The band, however, remain unsigned, with Hemming admitting they are cautious about doing a label deal, preferring to release via their own Willkommen Records, though conceding they will probably sign up to a bigger record company eventually. Hemming: “There are a few labels who are interested but we haven’t signed anything yet. We’re holding out a little bit – we’re scared of signing our rights away because we’ve been doing it on our own for so long. But I think we probably will do eventually”.

New Proclaimers next month

Releases

Those Proclaimers will return next month with a brand new single and album. The single is called ‘Love Can Move Mountains’ and is out on 8 Jun, while the album, ‘Notes & Rhymes’, is out on 15 Jun, both via Universal imprint W14 Music.

There’ll be lots of gigging from the Proclaimer boys too, in both the UK and Canada, through to the end of the year. Dates at www.myspace.com/theproclaimers

Diddy to play label boss in Brand film

Artist News

P Diddy whatnot is due to appear as an “eccentric record label boss” in the new movie ‘Get Him To The Greek’, a spin off from ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ in which Russell Brand will reprise his role as rock star Aldous Snow. Diddy has told MTV that he plans to use many of the label bosses he has personally known, including Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, Jimmy Iovine, LA Reid and David Geffen, as an inspiration for his characterisation. Should be interesting.

More Jacko speculation

Gigs & Festivals Jacksons v AEG Timeline

There’s been more speculation that the upcoming Michael Jackson residency at The O2 is turning into a shambles.

Following last week’s announcement that the first four dates of the residency will be postponed, three of them into 2010, one of those sources has told the Daily Mail that the official reason for the delay – that more time was needed to make the ambitious spectacle of a show that has been planned a reality – isn’t true. The problem, they claim, is Jackson himself, who is consistently failing to show up at rehearsals.

The source says: “The suggestion that they need more time to set up the show in London is a joke. I think the fans who have already bought tickets should hold their breath and cross their fingers, because there is no guarantee any of this is actually going to happen. There is a possibility that this will still happen, but it is up to him to get his act together. Michael has only been to two days of rehearsals for the show. His dancers have been working on it every single day for 45 days at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, but Michael has been nowhere to be found”.

But not everyone is predicting doom and gloom for the Jacko comeback. 50 Cent, presumably asked by a passing reporter what he thought about the postponed Jacko dates (he was speaking at the Cannes Film Festival), said that he reckoned the delays in starting The O2 residency were just the result of Jackson’s characteristic perfectionism, something he’d be willing to forgive because of Jacko’s legacy. Fiddy told reporters: “Michael Jackson is such a perfectionist, you know? He is the King Of Pop. Until someone tops ‘Thriller’ he’s going to have that, and the odds are it ain’t gonna happen no time soon”.

East 17 Mortimer prepping for solo show

Gigs & Festivals

Former East 17 man Tony Mortimer has said he is “nervous but excited” about his comeback gig this week. Mortimer will be performing a charity solo show in London later this week, his first live performance since the one-off East 17 reunion three years ago.

Speaking to Digital Spy, he said: “It’s a big deal for me as I’ve only performed once in the past ten years. We’ve been rehearsing a lot for it and I’m still nervous but excited to get back out there. I’m going to be singing our classic songs like ‘House Of Love’, ‘Thunder’ and ‘Around The World’, because I think that is what my fans will want to hear”.

On the motivation to start performing solo, he continued: “It’s really exciting to get back out on the road. I don’t really want to stop gigging now. Although the East 17 comeback didn’t work out, the outcome was positive as it really got me back in the mood for going out and performing again”.

Get the blessing

Gigs & Festivals

Bristol-based BBC Jazz Award winning Get The Blessing launch their new album ‘Bugs In Amber’ this week at a special night at Cargo in Shoreditch held in association with the brilliant Flomotion, the radio show hosted by former Xfm presenter Nick Luscombe on London station Resonance each Friday night (you can also tune in at www.flomotionradio.com). The new GTB long player is the follow up to the quartet’s debut ‘All Is Yes’, which won the public voted Best Album prize at last year’s Jazz Awards. The launch party takes place on Thursday, 28 May, with support from Ernesto and the aforementioned Luscombe.

Eleven die as fence collapses at Moroccan festival

Business News Gigs & Festivals Live Business

At least eleven people were killed and forty more injured when a fence collapsed at a music festival in Morocco this weekend. Kylie Minogue, Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys were among the artists who played the Mawazine festival in capital city Rabat.

According to Reuters, the fence collapsed at the city’s Hay Nahda stadium as the festival was closing and crowds rushed to leave the venue. Some festival-goers have blamed police who, they allege, closed some exits as the festival ended, forcing audience members to use unsafe routes to leave the stadium. However, authorities have said all official gates were open, and it was fans who chose to exit by unofficial routes in a bid to beat the queues.

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:30 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:29 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:28 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:27 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:26 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:25 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:24 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:23 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:22 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:21 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:20 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:19 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:18 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:17 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:16 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Wednesday 27 May 2009, 11:15 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:25 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:24 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:23 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:22 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:21 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:20 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:19 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:18 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:17 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:16 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:15 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Michael Jackson

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:14 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:13 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT:

Tuesday 26 May 2009, 11:12 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: