Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:39 | By CMU Editorial

Citigroup sets 5 Oct deadline for EMI sale

Business News EMI Sale Timeline Labels & Publishers Top Stories

Those Citigroup bankers – and that’s not a euphemism, honest – have asked a small group of bidders interested in owning both the electric and musical industries of Great Britain, by which I mean EMI, to submit their final and best possible bids by 5 Oct, according to the LA Times.

As much previously reported, the US bank put the major music company up for sale earlier this summer, having repossessed it from equity twonks Terra Firma back in February. Various parties are known to be interested in buying some or all of the company, including music business rivals Warner, Sony, BMG and Universal, as well as some private equity types and a couple of rich dudes.

There have already been two rounds of bidding in the sale so far, but insiders reckon the bankers are now looking to move to the final stage. It’s thought that those through to the final party include bidders for EMI outright, like Warner and its new owner Access Industries, and those bidding for either recordings or music publishing, such as BMG, Sony and Universal.

Given any sale involving an existing major player in music will come with at least some regulatory concerns – ie will US and European competition regulators want to investigate before green lighting any deal? – it may be that Citigroup, anxious for a quick and simple deal, could still opt for one of the consortiums not involving an existing music firm. Though it’s also known the bank wants to recoup as much as it can from its past investments in EMI, via loans to Terra Firma, and whoever the highest bidder is on 5 Oct could be automatically the successful one.

Press Conference footage not allowed: Murray trial update

Jacksons v AEG Timeline Legal

So, as the Conrad Murray trial prepares to kick off properly today, there was time for one last preliminary hearing yesterday in which the judge overseeing the case denied the defence’s request to screen Michael Jackson’s big ‘This Is It’ press conference during the trial.

As previously reported, Murray’s lawyers wanted to show footage of the press conference, which took place at The O2 in London, because they believe it shows that the late king of pop was frail in the months leading up to his death, and possibly under the influence of the drugs they claim he was addicted to while speaking to fans.

Legal rep Nareg Gourjian told Judge Michael Pastor yesterday that the press conference was delayed by 90 minutes because Jackson was passed out on a sofa backstage, and that when he did appear he was clearly “hungover” and “under the influence” of some sort of drug.

Team Murray want to show that, prior to his untimely demise, Jackson was ill, addicted to prescription drugs and anxious about the 50 night residency he had signed up to in order to address his mounting debts, ie he was of mindset where he might, as Murray will claim, have self-administered the shot of propofol that killed him.

But Pastor denied the request to show the press conference footage, arguing the video was irrelevant because it occurred months before Jackson died. The trial proper is due to kick off later today.

Axl Rose settles Bentley hire lawsuit

Legal

Axl Rose has settled a previously reported legal battle with a car rental firm, which sued him for $73,976 after he returned a Bentley he had hired from the company both late and damaged. Somehow Rose had managed to crack the windshield, damage two tyres, break a tail light and get dents all over the doors and bumper, though to be fair he had had the car for several months – several months more than he’d paid for, as it happens.

Anyway, according to TMZ the legal squabble has been resolved and Rose has agreed to pay Bentley Financial Services $53,000.

Bono most trusted pop star, says reputation poll

Artist News

Bono is the eighth most liked and trusted public figure in the world, according to a survey by The Reputation Institute. Yeah, think about that for a minute.

I have a suspicion this survey is bollocks, which I guess means I’m not trusting a survey about trusting, which is a nice loop to find yourself in. But yes, this Institute evaluates which politicians, actors, musicians, sports stars and other celebs people trust most each year. There are quite a few political types and plenty of business leaders in the list of respected dudes, which – and with no offence to Nelson Mandela at one and Bill Gates at three – I find hard to believe, surely we’ve all been conditioned to distrust anyone in politics and big business? Yeah, even Steve Jobs at six.

Celebs-wise, tennis player Roger Federer leads at two, Oprah Winfrey is at seven and Bono is the highest rated musician at eight, four spots safely ahead of the Dalai Lama at thirteen. Madonna comes in at 29 and The Gaga at 41.

Coal Chamber to reform

Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Alt metallers Coal Chamber have announced that they will reform to play next year’s Soundwave festival in Australia. Three of the band’s four original members will be involved – vocalist Dez Fafara, guitarist Miguel Rascón, and drummer Mike Cox – with new bassist Chela Harper.

In a statement, Fafara said: “These reunion shows are for the fans that want to see us again as well as all the people that never got to see Coal Chamber. It is and always will be a very special part of my life, so these few shows are for those people and for us … We’ve all grown up and put the personal past behind us now and are moving forward with these few shows in a spirit of friendship through music. You must remember where you came from in order to know where you are going”.

Rascón added: “Australia has never seen us, nor have we seen them. It will be an extraordinary exchange of energy and adrenaline … This reunion will mark a decade since we last played together, so staring at my brothers on stage face to face will be an emotional rollercoaster for me. Tears of joy would be an understatement, to say the least. You know, all of us have gone through our separate journeys in life, but we’re coming back to rekindle this and throw the past in the past and put the future in our hands”.

Not wanting to be left out of making overblown statements, Cox said: “Of all the great achievements Coal Chamber made in the past, getting back together after all we’ve been through will be the greatest achievement to date”.

The band originally broke up in 2002 during a tour in support of their third album, ‘Dark Days’.

Lou Reed and Metallica stream full track

Releases

Having streamed a 30 second preview last week, Lou Reed and Metallica have now made the full version of ‘The View’ available online. The track is taken from their collaborative album, ‘Lulu’.

To say that response has been mixed wouldn’t get across just how negative much of it has been. On YouTube over two thirds of people claimed to dislike the song, while some choice quotes from SoundCloud, on the player below, are “This is one way to keep people from stealing your music” and “Imagine the band The Fall without any inspiration and talent, and this is what it would sound like”.

Of course, plenty of others are pointing out that, while you certainly shouldn’t judge a 90 minute concept album on a 30 second preview, it probably isn’t fair to make up your mind based on one of its shortest songs either. Though other people still are screaming: “AN HOUR AND A FUCKING HALF?!”

Anyway, listen here:

Slipknot announce tenth anniversary Iowa re-issue

Releases

Slipknot have announced that they will release a special tenth anniversary edition of their second album, ‘Iowa’, on 31 Oct. As well as the original album, it will also come with a bonus CD of live tracks from the band’s 2002 DVD release ‘Disasterpieces’, and an hour long behind-the-scenes documentary on DVD, called ‘Goat’.

You can see a picture of a goat nailed to a door here.

REM announce greatest hits package, no reunion tour coming

Artist News Gigs & Festivals Releases

Suggesting that their decision to split last week might not have been a spur of the moment thing, REM have announced that they will release a 40 track greatest hits album on 14 Nov. ‘REM: Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth Part Garbage 1982 – 2011’ will, as the title suggests, feature tracks from across their entire career. That makes it the first time songs from their time on indie label IRS and their later stint at Warner have been jammed together on the same release. So that’s nice.

Speaking about the collection, guitarist Mike Mills said: “Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey. We realised that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together”.

And if you’re thinking to yourself, ‘Well, that’s all well and good until they get back together for a reunion tour and an ill-advised new album’, well stop it. It’s not happening. Mills told Rolling Stone: “There is sadness because I will never play on the same stage as Peter and Michael again. We’re doing this for good reasons, and we end up looking back at all the fun, the joy and the incredible opportunities we had. It’s not because we have to or we can’t stand each other or we suck. We’re happy, but we’re done”.

I give it five years.

Elton John biopic producer speaks

Artist News

The producer of Elton John’s previously reported biopic, which is being made by the singer’s own production company Rocket Pictures, has been speaking to Deadline about the project. Steve Hamilton Shaw said that the film, entitled ‘Rocketman’ and written by Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall, will be “a radically different kind of biopic”.

Hamilton Shaw: “‘Rocketman’ will be as unique as Elton’s life, told in a non-linear and hyper-visual manner that will transport people through the many intense experiences, some wonderful, some not, that helped define Elton as an artist, musician and man”.

Earlier this year, John told Chris Evans on his Radio 2 show: “I’d just like to make a really great film about my life story. We have a great script already by Lee Hall … It will be more of a fantasy – ‘Moulin Rouge’ type of stuff. Obviously, it’s not going to be your normal, run-of-the-mill film. My life’s been so surreal, from buying a football club to God knows what”.

Pete Doherty plays “last gig in a long time”

Gigs & Festivals

Pete Doherty paid tribute to both Amy Winehouse and Robyn Whitehead at the Brixton Academy on Friday night, where he played what he said would be “last gig in a long time”.

Speaking from the stage, he said: “This will be the last gig in a long time because we need to go and get some new things together so this is it for a while. I want to dedicate this show to the memory of Robyn Whitehead and Amy Winehouse, two good friends of mine”.

He then played a song written especially for Winehouse.

Cults announce UK tour dates

Gigs & Festivals

Cults have announced that they will play a string of UK tour dates in November, ahead of their appearance at ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas festival.

The dates are as follows:

15 Nov: London, XOYO
17 Nov: Bristol, Thekla
18 Nov: Nottingham, Social
19 Nov: Manchester, Ruby Lounge
9 Dec: ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas

Dappy announces UK tour

Gigs & Festivals

Not content with his debut solo single, ‘No Regrets’, being at number one, Dappy has also decided that he has to have a tour of his very own. Greedy that boy is.

Here are the dates:

9 Dec: Norwich, UEA
10 Dec: Birmingham, Institute
11 Dec: Manchester, Academy
12 Dec: Sheffield, Plug
13 Dec: Liverpool, Academy
15 Dec: Glasgow, ABC
16 Dec: Bristol, Academy
17 Dec: Oxford, Academy
18 Dec: Cambridge, Junction
19 Dec: London, IndigO2

Government publishes IP guide for employers

Business News Legal

The government’s Intellectual Property Office has published a new guide for employers advising them on how to ensure their staff are not infringing copyright on company time.

Noting the civil and criminal risks to both employers and employees of being found guilty of infringement, it offers advice on business processes and policies that could stop that tedious bloke in accounts from downloading the new Nickelback album pre-release via a dodgy file-sharing site, or that irritating woman in a HR from catching up on ‘X-Factor’ via an unlicensed video sharing website.

Am I stereotyping there? I should stress there is no reason why a tedious bloke might not want to watch ‘X-Factor’ on MegaVideo nor why an irritating women might not be downloading Nickelback via The Pirate Bay. I’ve just never personally come across that bloke or woman. Not that I would have done anyway, because no tedious or irritating people work at CMU, and they certainly wouldn’t be infringing anyone’s copyrights even if they did. Oh no.

Anyway, here’s Business Minister Baroness Judy saying words: “This new free guidance is a great example of government, enforcement agencies and industry working together to raise awareness of the importance of managing intellectual property in the workplace. I would urge companies of all sizes to look at the guidance so they know how to protect their own IP and how to respect the IP of others. If they don’t, they expose themselves to the risk of legal action and risk damaging their own reputation and brand. Intellectual property rights are essential to the success and growth of any business. However, many companies can leave themselves open to prosecution if they or their staff infringe the IP rights belonging to other companies or individuals”.

The government’s IP guide is online here.

EMI Publishing extends relationship with Shine Group

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers

EMI’s publishing company has announced a worldwide agreement with the Shine Group, the telly firm set up by Elisabeth Murdoch and now owned by the family firm, the always honest News Corp. The deal will see EMI Music Publishing represent the publishing rights in music generated for various Shine Group franchises, including ‘MasterChef’ and ‘One Born Every Minute’, and expands on previous deals between the music major and some of Shine’s constituent businesses.

Confirming the new partnership, Shine Group’s Alex Mahon told reporters: “We have long enjoyed a good relationship with EMI Music Publishing in the UK and are delighted to be able to formalise this on a global basis throughout the group. Their expertise, scale and professional approach make them the perfect partners with which to realise the full potential of our owned music on a group level and to build upon our library”.

EMI’s Jonathan Channon added: “Extending our deal with Shine enables us to increase the revenue potential for their music assets from a wider range of programming genres across the world. Shine is an incredibly strong business that continues to grow, and we are delighted to be able to partner with them and offer business support to acquire music assets for their wider group of companies”.

Spotify criticised for enforced Facebook login for new users

Digital

There was much discussion online yesterday about Spotify’s decision to force new users to log in using their Facebook accounts, so that anyone signing up to the streaming music service for the first time must also have an account with the social network.

It follows the revamp of Facebook last week which means the social network can now track, share and report on any one user’s use of services like Spotify, assuming they opt in. Although numerous music and other digital content services are offering apps that allow Facebook tracking, Spotify does seem to have a particularly close relationship with the social networking giant.

Critics point out that some people still find the concept of Facebook, and sharing of all that personal information, unpalatable, possibly more so as the social network, by default, becomes more intrusive. Therefore, while many sites now allow you to log in using your Facebook account, forcing that on new users is an interesting move.

Meanwhile, others have criticised an update screen some existing Spotify users have seen when logging into the service, which requests to more closely ally their Facebook and Spotify accounts, including allowing the social network to track usage by default. This basically means users must opt out of the new functionality, rather than opt in by installing an app within the Facebook interface.

Of course, most Spotify users are likely already Facebook users, many will want the two services to work in unison, and you can still opt out of the some of the new integration. Meanwhile Spotify insists that the closer integration with Facebook is a good thing, creating, it says, “an amazing new world of music discovery”. Though it is possible Facebook and its various content partners have confused data capture and usage stats with the art of credible human recommendation, but perhaps in this amazing new world there’s no difference.

Absolute Radio off the market

Media

If you were looking forward to the prospect of Absolute Radio, expensively rebranded from Virgin Radio in 2008, being bought back by Branson and expensively rebranded as Virgin Radio again, bad news. The music station is no longer for sale.

Absolute’s current owner, India-based TIML Radio, indicated it was considering selling the UK-wide radio station earlier this year, and both former owners the Virgin Group and rival UTV, which operates national talk station TalkSport, were rumoured to be interested. Though it’s thought neither were willing to pay the £20 million TIML Radio wanted for the national AM licence, London FM licence and various digital and online spin-offs.

According to The Guardian, TIML says it has now completed a review of its business and decided not to sell Absolute, which, it said, would now enjoy “long-term backing and confidence as it continues its ambitious digital growth plans”.

Simon Cowell pays ex girlfriends

And Finally

Simon Cowell has revealed that he pays some of his former girlfriends money so that they can continue to live the lifestyle they have become accustomed to while they were with him, which is in equal parts creepy, arrogant and patronising. And besides, even if they do have to return to poverty, you’d think not having to date Simon Cowell any more would be compensation enough.

Speaking to The Guardian, Cowell said: “You can’t have somebody in your life who’s become accustomed to a certain thing, and just because you don’t want to be in the relationship any more say to them, now everything is cut off. That doesn’t make sense. It’s not alimony. It’s, I believe, doing the right thing. That comes back to me wanting them to be happy; you just can’t do it too many times”.

Eddy Says: Not quite the break I was looking for (or How my neck was fractured on live television)

Eddy Says

Live TV is an unpredictable thing. Sure, you can plan things to an extent, but once the camera is rolling no one really knows what might occur to knock things off course. Though, actually, this is not a tale of a live TV broadcast going wrong, as such. The broadcast itself went off without any obvious hitches. It’s just that two minutes from the end, the presenter, a Mr Eddy Temple-Morris, quietly broke his neck.

Whenever I’m tired, stressed, or hold my neck still for any length of time, I can hear it crunch when I move my head. It’s horrible, off-putting, and really annoying – calcium rubbing against calcium – but how it happened is so bizarre, it sounds like it was written for a sitcom.

The year was 1998, and Alton Towers had approached MTV with an idea to broadcast my show, ‘Up For It’, live from the park, in celebration of its latest, greatest ride, Oblivion. They wanted me to be the first person to ride this thrilling new rollercoaster, and to do it live on the telly. It sounded like fun to me; I relished the change in normal routine, and have always been a fan of outside broadcasts in general.

After Zane Lowe (my sidekick in those days), producer Paul and I had gone through how we planned to tackle this ride televisually, and how we were going to fill two hours of live TV with, essentially, a two minute ride, I found a quiet spot to work on the script.

We’d decided to build the whole show up to the ride, and to have us all, the whole team, get on Oblivion for the last shot of the show. The Production Manager at the time approached me holding a bright orange beanie hat with the Oblivion logo front and centre. He said that the Alton Towers’ people wanted me to wear this hat on the ride, at the end of the programme. I was busy writing, so didn’t give it much thought and just said “yeah, OK”, and when it came time for the ride, I put it on, as requested.

Now would be a good time to explain, for those who’ve never been on it, how Oblivion works: Your seat is winched up high, over 100 feet above the ground, then you are pivoted forward, so you face downwards, looking at a big tunnel below you, then you are dropped. The almost freefall rollercoaster accelerates very quickly to around 70mph, hurtles into the tunnel, then banks up and to the left, as I recall from my one and only ride.

I loved rollercoasters, I still do, so I was properly excited and happy to be going on this ride. Zane and I did our job of building the excitement up to a crescendo at the tail of the show. When the time came we all rushed up excitedly to the embarkation point, cameras following us all the while, for our thrilling ride and the climax of the show. I’d put the promotional beanie hat on, and I was ready to roll.

We sat down. We were lashed down. Then it began. I was wild eyed with excitement and the smile I wore threatened to rupture my cheeks. Somewhere, somebody pushed a button and we were released over the Staffordshire countryside.

The couple of seconds of almost freefalling were breathtaking. Then, as we hurtled towards the massive hole in the ground and the coaster reached its terminal velocity, the inevitable happened: My hat blew off. No, not my hat, the hat they suggested I wear. Of course it did. I was face first at 70mph. Only superglue or a chin-strap would keep a hat on anyone at 70mph.

So, I did what anybody would do in the split second after realising their hat had blown off. Imagine it. I thought ‘fuck!’ and looked up, involuntarily. At that precise moment the rollercaster bottomed out and banked sharply. The G-force at this moment was stupendous as the carriage suddenly whipped upward, transferring all that energy to my neck.

It was all over so quickly. The show was still live and as we pulled into the terminus the cameras were still rolling for the goodbye link, a very quick one, which I did ably, still buzzing on the double adrenal rush of both live TV and a joyfully exciting rollercoaster ride.

As soon as the red light went off on the camera, I stood up and started to feel really strange. I remember Huse, one of the team, and Zane, saying: “Come on Eddy, let’s go again!” Their smiles were broad and their eyes were on fire.

Before we’d gone on the ride, I couldn’t wait, and was totally up for going as many times as I could get away with, but at that precise moment, as the boys asked me that normally rhetorical question “go again?”, I remember feeling puzzled, really bizarre, and distracted. I said “No…” in an oddly distant way, and let the crew hoop off back onto the ride.

I walked away, in a kind of trance, handed my microphone back to the sound guy and just walked away, all I knew was that I had to get home. That was my only thought. Later I would discover that at this point I was in shock, but at the time all I knew was I wanted the safety of home as soon as I could get there. I didn’t say goodbye to anyone, I just left, stunned, dazed and a little confused. I drove silently down the motorway, keeping my head and neck very still, and got home. In those days I would have smoked a spliff and then gone to bed.

When I woke up the next morning, I couldn’t move. I was, literally, paralysed. This was now becoming very scary. My legs worked fine but the whole top half of my body was petrified. I somehow got out of bed, into a cab and off to St Marys Paddington A&E, where they gave me an X-ray and, after a quick look, said my neck was not actually broken but that I had horrible whiplash. They gave me some drugs to make me feel better. They didn’t make me feel bette. So I ended up going to a private spine specialist to get a second opinion.

He took four X-rays, one from each quadrant, and examined them closely. One shot, taken from the side, revealed what had happened. The whiplash was so bad that the ‘fin’ at the rear of my spine, at the point they call C7, had smashed into the one next to it, and the tip had broken off. So my neck was broken, just not all the way through, thankfully. It took a long time to get functioning properly again, years even, and to this day, it’s still not really better, and never will be – that crunching sound when I move my neck comes and goes depending on how I use it.

I spent over £5,000 on physical therapy at the time to get back to a level of normality. It was a lot of money, and the specialist treating me suggested I sue MTV to get my money back, on the grounds that their Production Manager had been negligent in making me wear that hat without any thought for the consequences. So that’s what I did, with a recommended law firm, comically named Reid Minty.

As it happened the lawyers’ name was rather apt, as the whole situation became a little bit ridiculous. In this scenario, in America let’s say, I would have expected a six or even seven figure sum. Unfortunately for me, the way the British system works is loaded in favour of the corporate defendants, in this case MTV and Alton Towers, who teamed up to fight me. Because I had gone home straight away, and not reported my accident to anyone on site, they argued that I must have left Alton Towers fit and well and then broken my neck at home, or perhaps, they said, on the way home in an unreported car accident!

The fact that neither MTV nor Alton Towers had ever made me aware of any health and safety person, or office, to report my injuries too was irrelevant. It was astonishing, but my lawyer advised me that I could actually LOSE the case and should therefore settle out of court. I was gobsmacked at how hideously unfair it was looking.

There were two possible settlements. One of a more substantial sum, with my not being able to say anything to anyone about the case, or a payment of around £30,000 but with no gagging order. They took the second option. My legal costs were £25,000 and my medical costs were a little over £5000, so I came out with less than nothing in the end. Just this painful and expensive story, and the legal right to be able to tell it to whomever I choose.

In retrospect I should have gone to court, I think. We never made it there, but I’ve been to court six times since, facing the same scenario, ie where my opponents were lying to the judge and I just wanted the truth to come out. I’ve found all the courts and judges I’ve faced to be exactly how they should be, great at getting the truth out. And all six times I’ve won.

The last two times I even represented myself, because my solicitors had already taken all my savings with their fees. Which is possibly the conclusion to all this, and pretty much every story that involves the legal profession and having your day in court: Whatever you fight over, there is only one winner. The lawyer.

X eddy

Approved: Achilles

CMU Approved

Having had demos played on Radio 1 and 6music over the last couple of years, Dorset-based quartet Achilles signed to A Future Without earlier this year, releasing a double A-side single in July and an EP a few weeks ago.

It’s that EP which really peaked our interest, featuring vocals from Boxettes vocalist Alusha Chagrin, whose voice sits perfectly on top of their usually instrumental jazz-influenced post-rock. Also featuring Florence And The Machine harpist Tom Monger, the EP’s title track ‘Yoga For Cats’ is a show-stopping seven minutes of prog joy. Although at times the band’s sound does bear more than a passing resemblance to Jaga Jazzist, their tracks are so well constructed that it’s something I’m happy to let pass.

You can hear the whole ‘Yoga For Cats’ EP via Bandcamp here:

[wp_bandcamp_player type=”album” id=”2778062101″ size=”venti” bg_color=”#FFFFFF” link_color=”#4285BB”]

Five Day Forecast – w/c 26 Sep 2011

CMU Planner

Having spent most of the weekend in the countryside, I readjusted myself to urban life last night by going to see Death Grips at XOYO. There’s nothing like some aggressive hip hop with live drums from Hella’s Zach Hill performed in almost total darkness to tell you you’re back in the big city. It was a great show; dark not just in lighting terms (although stage illumination was mostly left to the occasional camera flash), performed in one intense stream with no audience interaction, save for a “thank you” right at the end. Let’s see if there’s anything happening this week that might match up to that…

01: Conrad Murray trial. After a number of false starts, a new jury has been selected and the trial of Dr Conrad Murray, who is accused of killing Michael Jackson through negligence of course, is due to begin tomorrow. It’s expected that Murray’s legal team will argue that Jackson administered the dose of Propofol that killed him all by himself, possibly in a bid to commit suicide, because he couldn’t face actually going through with his looming 50 date residency at the O2 Arena. The prosecution will argue that the doctor shouldn’t have been giving the singer a surgical anaesthetic as a cure for insomnia.

02: BT Digital Music Awards. It’s probably about time someone handed out some more awards, isn’t it? It’s been ages! Sometimes I wonder if the world has just forgotten about the concept of awards ceremonies, they happen so infrequently these days. Thankfully, BT is on the case. The formerly public-owned telecoms network will be handing out acknowledgements for folks who’ve done well in the field of digital music at The Roundhouse in London on Thursday.

03: BBC Music Video Festival. This started last week, but in the previous Five Day Forecast I chose to instead tip an event that, as it turned out, wasn’t actually happening. Luckily, this celebration of music videos continues to run throughout this week as well, finishing on Saturday, so I can mention it here now. Events are happening all around the country, though the focus is in Norwich, where The Forum venue is home to Europe’s largest permanent video screen. There you can see the Norfolk County Youth Orchestra playing along to videos created especially by Efterklang this Thursday, amongst other things.

04: New releases. Right, where do I start with new releases this week? There are a lot. Particularly exciting are the new albums from Roots Manuva, Dum Dum Girls, Mastodon, Sleep ∞ Over and Death In Vegas. There’s also the re-issue of Nirvana‘s ‘Nevermind’, a load of Smiths re-releases, and the physical release of Polyvinyl’s Japan benefit compilation. Plus records from Twin Sister, Zola Jesus, Apparat, L-Vis 1990, Jane’s Addiction, Machine Head, Plaid, Brett Anderson and SCUM. Blimey.

05: Gigs. To launch this year’s Oxjam, various artists will play in-store shows at a number of currently secret Oxfam shops this week. Headliners include Damon Albarn’s DRC Music project, Fatboy Slim, Brett Anderson and Charlie Simpson. As well as that, The Cinematic Orchestra and various guests will be adding new soundtracks to silent film at the Barbican in London on Saturday, there’ll be the latest Ja Ja Ja Nordic showcase on Thursday, and the likes of Shabazz Palaces, Zola Jesus, Theophilus London, Male Bonding, St Spirit and Young Legionnaire will all be playing variously.

And whatever you do, don’t forget to listen to the latest CMU podcast. Who knows what terrible things would happen if you did? Stream it below or get it through iTunes here.

Andy Malt
Editor, CMU

The jury is in place: Murray trial update

Jacksons v AEG Timeline Legal Top Stories

So the jury is in place and opening remarks are presumably already scripted, as the long awaited trial of Conrad Murray – the medic accused of causing the death of Michael Jackson by negligently administering the dangerous anaesthetic propofol – kicks off properly tomorrow.

Selecting a jury – for the second time, an earlier jury was dismissed after various delays in getting the trial going – has taken much of the month. A pool of almost 400 potential jurors had been cut down to just 84 by last Friday, mainly as a result of the answers said candidates had given to a written questionnaire. On Friday lawyers for both the prosecution and defence questioned the final 84, cutting more candidates out of the equation as they went.

By the end of the day a twelve person jury had been agreed on. The jury will consist of seven men and five women, from an eclectic mix of backgrounds. Ethnically speaking, six are Caucasian, five Hispanic and just one African-American. Unsurprisingly, all admitted to having prior knowledge about Jackson’s lifestyle, controversies and death, though they will have to try to put those past preconceptions to the side once testimonies begin later this week.

As much previously reported, Murray, who is pleading not-guilty to the manslaughter charges, will claim Jackson self-administered the fatal shot of propofol, possibly by drinking the liquid drug, either in a misguided attempt to induce sleep, or as part of a suicide bid. While media interest in jury selection has been modest, the full media circus is expected once the trial kicks off proper.

US student arrested over Sony hack

Digital Legal

Ten years ago tech-savvy students were taking content that belonged to entertainment giants and dishing it out to all and sundry for free. These days they are hacking into the IT systems of said entertainment giants, leaking data and forcing networks offline. If you’re caught, the former can result in being forced to pay six figure damages. The latter can get you fifteen years in jail. Come back Kazaa, all is forgiven.

So, yes, a college student from Arizona has been charged over allegations he was one of the hackers who attacked computer systems owned by Sony Corp, though not the big data grab against the entertainment firm’s PlayStation and streaming content networks, but another smaller attack against the servers of Sony Pictures Entertainment, during which private data relating to 37,000 customers was taken.

The attack on the servers of the Sony film company was claimed by the LulzSec group, so presumably the authorities believe 23 year old Cody Kretsinger is part of or affiliated to that supposedly now retired network of hackers. He’s been charged with both conspiracy and unauthorised impairment of a protected computer, which together could result in fifteen years jail time if he were to be found guilty.

There have been various arrests in both the US and UK this summer of people believed to be part of or linked to LulzSec, or that other notable hacking party Anonymous, while authorities in some other countries have also arrested people believed to be linked to other hacking groups who have together pursued a particularly prolific campaign in the last twelve months designed to take down the IT systems of organisations they believe to be impeaching freedom of speech or to be enforcing copyrights too forcefully.

Lady Gaga fails to seize dot org domain

Digital Legal

Lady Gaga has failed to take ownership of the LadyGaga.org domain. Team Gaga applied to America’s National Arbitration Forum, which hears domain disputes on behalf of the Internet Corporation For Assigned Names & Numbers, claiming that the owner of the dot org domain that uses the pop star’s name was acting in bad faith and violating the singer’s trademark.

However, in the main domains are distributed on a first come first served basis, and ownership of a name via a registered company or trademark is not usually sufficient to demand related domain ownership over an earlier registrant. In order to take control of an already registered domain you usually need to show particularly ‘bad faith’ on the part of the original registrant, which might include passing off or extortion, the latter basically enabled Madonna to take control of her dot com domain.

But none of that could be proven by Team Gaga in this case, given that LadyGaga.org is a fan site that makes no claim to be official, which has no commercial objectives, and which exists solely to tell the world how great Lady Gaga is, albeit when she’s not going to arbitration to try and steal domain names off fans.

All of which means last week the National Arbitration Forum rejected Gaga’s application to seize control of her dot org domain.

Britney criticised over video shoot in Hackney

Artist News

Some London political types have hit out at Britney Spears for filming a pop video in Hackney which seems to glamorise gun violence.

Some seem offended by the concept of the video in general, others that she chose to film it in East London, and others still that the filming involved the popstress waving a fake pistol around outside Stoke Newington Town Hall. The video is for new single ‘Criminal’, and has a Bonnie and Clyde theme apparently.

Presumably aware of the damage recent riots did to the reputation of some of London’s suburbs, including Hackney, local councillor said of the Britney video to ‘London Tonight’: “I think she should apologise and make a sizeable donation to a Hackney charity that deals with young people… for the rudeness and damage she’s done to this community”.

Meanwhile local MP Diane Abbott added: “It is only a music video but it’s images like this, with pop stars glamorising gangs, which means that some young people … get drawn in. Britney should really know better”.

Hackney Council, which was in the news last week for turning down an application for a new Channel 4 crime drama set on a fictional housing estate to be filmed in the area, admitted it had given the Britney video the go ahead, but said it did not give permission for a replica gun to be used and that it would be taking the matter up with the production company behind the pop promo.

Vesta Williams dies

Obituaries

American R&B singer Vesta Williams has been found dead in an LA hotel room. According to TMZ, the singer died last week, but an autopsy was inconclusive regards cause of death pending the results of toxicology tests. Sources say prescription drug bottles were found at the scene, and that no foul play is suspected.

48 year old Williams first appeared on a US TV show called ‘Jack And Jill’ as a child in the 1960s, before beginning a career in music, initially as a backing singer working for various groups and with the likes of Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight. She secured a solo recording contract with A&M in the mid-1980s, and debut album ‘Vesta’ followed in 1986.

Her singles performed well in America’s R&B charts, and that first album scored one UK hit too, in the form of ‘Once Bitten, Twice Shy’, which went top 20. Meanwhile, in America, what was arguably her biggest hit, ‘Congratulations’, came on album number two ‘Vesta 4 U’. That said, the title track of third album ‘Special’ resulted in her highest position in the R&B charts, at number two, though subsequent albums did not match the first two in terms of sales.

She continued to work with A&M, even after its acquisition by Polygram, until the late 1990s, when the company chose to not renew her contract. Williams continued to work as a vocalist though, albeit mainly as a session singer and recording jingles for brands as diverse as Nike, McDonalds, Diet Coke and Exxon, although another album via an independent label was released in 2007.

By this point, however, Williams was probably better known as a radio personality, especially in Dallas where she co-hosted a morning show on KRNB. In recent years she also became an advocate for the campaign to prevent childhood obesity and diabetes, having dropped 100 pounds herself through a period of dieting.

Various US celebrities tweeted their tributes this weekend, including Grammy nominated R&B singer Shanice who said, simply: “My friend Vesta died… I can’t believe this… RIP”.

Pink Floyd re-releases? Pigs will fly

Releases

EMI will today float a big balloon pig above Battersea Power Station in South London, recreating the cover artwork to Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’ album in order to celebrate the release of remastered versions of all of the band’s studio albums on CD and digitally, plus a special box set contained all fourteen records.

The pig is expected to float above the ruined former power station all day. It’s not actually the same pig used in for the cover artwork of the 1976 album – in case anyone thought it might be – though that inflatable was only declared unairworthy a couple of weeks ago. A PVC replica has thus been made for the occasion.

Following the release of the remastered albums today, a best of compilation will come out in November. There will also be special editions of three albums including rarities and previously unreleased extras – the ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ special edition is out today, ‘Wish You Were Here’ will follow in November, and ‘The Wall’ next February.

McCartney ballet “forgettable and bland”

Artist News

So, the ballet for which Paul McCartney has written the score has opened in New York. So should we all be booking our flights to catch the show, ‘Ocean’s Kingdom’? Erm, probably not. The New York Times says McCartney’s music is “never less than agreeable” but “in no way an important addition to the corpus of ballet music”. As for the dance element, “‘Ocean’s Kingdom’ isn’t offensive: it’s just harmless, forgettable, bland, thin and occasionally incompetent”.

Oh well, next to the reviews Bono and The Edge’s Spiderman musical received at first, that’s high praise.

Black Eyed Peas to play Jackson tribute

Gigs & Festivals

The Black Eyed Peas may be on hiatus, but they are getting back together for a one-off performance at that Michael Jackson tribute show that is due to take place in Cardiff next month.

Says Will.i.am: “This show is going to be an incredibly personal and moving evening for me. Remember that Michael’s music, his great, great songs, have been an inspiration to my whole life and certainly formed the soundtrack to my childhood… One day about four years ago, with The Black Eyed Peas well established, I got a call from him I will never forget. I then had the great privilege of working with him and getting to know him and his beautiful family. That’s why The Black Eyed Peas wouldn’t miss being at the Millennium Stadium for this gig on 8 Oct; we all owe Michael such a lot. It seems plain to me that the real star of this tribute to Michael is going to be the music itself. And that’s the only way it should be”.

Also signed up for the Jackson tribute show at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium are Christina Aguilera, Leona Lewis, Ne-Yo and Cee Lo Green. As previously reported, some of Jackson’s family and fans have criticised the timing of the tribute concert, coming in the middle of Conrad Murray’s trial over the death of the late king of pop. Some other fans also criticised the price of tickets, though they have reportedly come down in price due to slow sales.

I say the BEP’s set at the Jackson tribute will be a one-off return to the stage, the band will also play at a free charity show in New York next Friday. But that’s a show postponed from back in June.

Zulu Winter London gig

Gigs & Festivals

Recently CMU approved London five-piece Zulu Winter will play their first headline show at London’s CAMP Basement on 1 Nov, just ahead of the 7 Nov release of their debut double A-side single, ‘Never Leave’ and ‘Let’s Move Back To Front’, on Double Denim.

This is all very excited. Tickets for the 1 Nov show are on sale now here.

Katy B tour dates

Gigs & Festivals

Want to see Mercury-nominated Katy B live? Well, hey, here you go, some tour dates for next month:

8 Oct: Ipswich, Regent
11 Oct: Leeds, Academy
12 Oct: Manchester, Apollo
13 Oct: Newcastle, Academy
14 Oct: Glasgow, Academy
16 Oct: Liverpool, Academy
17 Oct: Sheffield, Academy
18 Oct: Nottingham, Rock City
20 Oct: Birmingham, Academy
21 Oct: Cardiff, Great Hall
22 Oct: Bristol, Academy
24 Oct: London, Shepherds Bush Empire
25 Oct: London, Shepherds Bush Empire
29 Oct: Cambridge, Corn Exchange
30 Oct: Bournemouth, BIC Solent Hall
31 Oct: Brighton, Dome
2 Nov: Plymouth, Pavilions

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:39 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Citigroup | EMI

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:38 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Conrad Murray | Michael Jackson

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:36 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Axl Rose

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:33 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Bono

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:32 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Coal Chamber

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:26 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Lou Reed | Metallica

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:24 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Slipknot

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:23 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: REM

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:22 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Elton John | Rocket Pictures

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:20 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Pete Doherty

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:19 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Cults

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:16 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Dappy

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:10 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Intellectual Property Office (IPO)

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:09 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: EMI Music Publishing | News Corp | Shine Group

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:07 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Facebook | Spotify

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:06 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Absolute Radio

Tuesday 27 September 2011, 11:05 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Simon Cowell

Monday 26 September 2011, 16:06 | By Eddy Temple-Morris

READ MORE ABOUT: Eddy Temple Morris | MTV

Monday 26 September 2011, 12:09 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: Achilles

Monday 26 September 2011, 12:08 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT:

Monday 26 September 2011, 12:07 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Conrad Murray | Michael Jackson

Monday 26 September 2011, 12:06 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Sony Corp

Monday 26 September 2011, 12:03 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Lady Gaga

Monday 26 September 2011, 12:01 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Britney Spears

Monday 26 September 2011, 11:58 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Vesta Williams

Monday 26 September 2011, 11:57 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Pink Floyd

Monday 26 September 2011, 11:55 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Paul McCartney

Monday 26 September 2011, 11:53 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Black Eyed Peas | Michael Jackson

Monday 26 September 2011, 11:52 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Zulu Winter

Monday 26 September 2011, 11:49 | By CMU Editorial

READ MORE ABOUT: Katy B