Music Week articles from April 2005

Music Week archives from April 2005

Woolies cues MVC sell-off: retail group seeks buyer for specialist chain as Music Zone completes management buyout.(Retail)
April 2, 2005... Woolworths Group is expecting to finalise the future of MVC within weeks after putting the specialist music chain on the market last Wednesday. The retailer is now on the hunt for a new owner for MVC after deciding it was not prepared to...

Gorillaz set to grab spotlight.
April 2, 2005... Parlophone is launching what is set to he one of the most unusual and ambitious campaigns of the year for its new Gorillaz album. The band will follow up their 6m-selling debut with Demon Days, which is due for release on May 23, two weeks...

US market on the upturn.(Bottom line)
April 2, 2005... The US is experiencing a slight recovery in the recorded music market, according to Recording Industry Association of America figures. After four consecutive years of decline, shipments of CDs in 2004 increased by 5.3%--a 2.7% increase in...

Chrysalis Group.(Bottom line)
April 2, 2005... Chrysalis Group has confirmed to the London Stock Exchange it is considering making a formal offer for Guardian Media Group's radio assets. A statement issued last week followed speculation in the national press that the Heart and Galaxy owner...

Brixton Academy.(Bottom line)
April 2, 2005... Brixton Academy has defended its "high level of security" after a man fired a weapon during a concert there last week by US rap star Nas. The suspect is reported to have fired two gunshots towards the ceiling midway through the performance.

Make Poverty History.(Bottom line)
April 2, 2005... Bands and musicians will be invited to screen a special film at their concerts this year to help stamp out global poverty. The new "click ad" is one innovation from Make Poverty History--a coalition of hundreds of charities--to focus global...

Chrysalis US boss inks joint venture.(People)
April 2, 2005... Chrysalis Group has entered into a partnership deal with New York-based A Fein Martini to launch a management division with a roster including Good Charlotte and My Morning Jacket. It will be headed by Kenny MacPherson, newly promoted to the...

Emap.(People)
April 2, 2005... Emap has appointed one-time Capital Radio executive Andria Vidler to take charge of its London radio station Magic 105.4. Vidler, who left Capital in 2003 where she was managing director for Capital Radio and the Capital FM Network, will take...

Asda.(People)
April 2, 2005... Asda has promoted its chief operating officer Andy Bond to the role of president, following the exit of the supermarket's previous head Tony DeNunzio.

BBC1.(People)
April 2, 2005... Peter Fincham, who has been involved in both X Factor and Pop Idol, is to replace Lorraine Heggessey as BBC1 controller in early summer. He will be responsible for commissioning, scheduling and developing an editorial vision.

Emap Performance.(People)
April 2, 2005... Emap Performance has poached Chrysalis-owned Heart 106.2 managing director Steve Parkinson to become its national brand director. In his new role Parkinson, also until now marketing director across Chrysalis Radio, will oversee the development...

Southbank's Meltdown.(People)
April 2, 2005... Patti Smith is to follow David Bowie, Nick Cave and Elvis Costello by becoming a curator of the Southbank's Meltdown festival from June 11 to 26.

Yell Music.(People)
April 2, 2005... Former Warner/Chappell international royalty development manager Jana Yell, who left the company earlier this month after 20 years, has launched her own company. Yell Music will offer publishing and consultancy.

A media package with a ratecard value of more than 250,000 [pounds sterling] will be one of the big attractions of an auction at tomorrow night's (Tuesday) HMV Football Extravaganza at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.(Digest)
April 2, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: A media package with a ratecard value of more than 250,000 [pounds sterling] will be one of the big attractions of an auction at tomorrow night's (Tuesday) HMV Football Extravaganza at London's Grosvenor...

Carling Weekend unveils line-up.(Exposure)
April 2, 2005... Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds festivals organiser Mean Fiddler has announced the first names for this year's August bank holiday event. The Pixies, Foo Fighters and Iron Maiden will headline each night, while The Killers, Elbow, The Coral,...

T in the Park.(Exposure)
April 2, 2005... Big Day Out, organiser of Scotland's T In The Park festival, has almost confirmed the entire line-up for the July 10 to 11 event at Balado, Kinross. It includes Doves, who will headline the King Tut's tent on the Saturday.

Capital FM Help a London Child.(Exposure)
April 2, 2005... Natasha Bedingfield scooped two awards at last Wednesday's Capital FM Help A London Child event. Jamelia was named favourite UK female vocalist, Joss Stone won the favourite UK album category and Keane were favourite group. Scissor Sisters won...

Radio One.(Exposure)
April 2, 2005... Radio One has revealed details of its coverage of the Skolbeats festival in Brazil this April, which will feature live sets from Pete Tong, Fergie, Mylo and Faithless. It is the first year the station has covered the event.

Choice FM.(Exposure)
April 2, 2005... London-based Choice FM is linking up with some of the UK's biggest urban artists to mark 15 years on air. Beverley Knight, Terri Walker and Keisha White will perform as part of the Capital Radio-owned station's birthday party celebrations at...

Led Zep singer joins Sony/ATV.(Sign here)
April 2, 2005... Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant has signed a global deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) for new album Mighty Rearranger, to be released through Sanctuary on May 2.

Javine.(Sign here)
April 2, 2005... Universal has signed UK Eurovision hopeful Javine and will release her entry as a single on May 16. Touch My Fire will come out through a joint venture between manager Jonathan Shalit and Island Records. Eurovision takes place in the Ukraine on...

EMI Music UK and Zip Television have announced a partnership.(Sign here)
April 2, 2005... EMI Music UK and Zip Television have announced a partnership to develop interactive TV campaigns using the major's repertoire to offer consumers the chance to download music tracks via the interactive "red button" on their TV remote.

The Music Publishers Association (MPA) and Music Managers Forum (MMF) are launching a series of development programme training sessions at the beginning of April.(Sign here)
April 2, 2005... The Music Publishers Association (MPA) and Music Managers Forum (MMF) are launching a series of development programme training sessions at the beginning of April. Each session will include an expert panel and is designed to inform delegates...

Shazam.(Sign here)
April 2, 2005... Mobile music recognition service Shazam is joining forces with a US company to deliver its product to a new audience. The Shazam service will be integrated with NMK's Musikube service, which under the banner Encyclomedia offers NMK partners a...

Loudeye has inked a deal to create an online digital music store for Gizmondo, which develops gaming, music and movie handheld devices.(Sign here)
April 2, 2005... Loudeye has inked a deal to create an online digital music store for Gizmondo, which develops gaming, music and movie handheld devices. The deal will result in a Gizmondo-branded music store offering more than 450,000 tracks.

Richard Hawley.(Sign here)
April 2, 2005... Singer-songwriter Richard Hawley, who played guitar with the Longpigs and continues to play with Pulp, has signed with Mute Records. Hawley's third full-length album Cole's Corner will be released by Mute in September.

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 2, 2005... Correction: Phonogenic is run by Tops Henderson and Paul Lisberg and not as stated in last week's Music Week.

Music Zone unveils expansion plan: independent specialist secures funds to double its number of stores throughout the UK.(Retail)
April 2, 2005... Music Zone is bucking the trend in specialist music retailing with its new owners unveiling ambitious plans to double the number of stores in the next three years. Just as new Bard research shows the number of indie and specialist chains...

BBC restructuring will result in 'opportunities' for music.(News)
April 2, 2005... The BBC is promising huge opportunities for music programming if the 2,050 job cuts it proposed last week go ahead. The cuts are expected to save 355m [pounds sterling] per year, which the Corporation promises will be invested in...

The Music Week playlist.(News)
April 2, 2005... M.I.A. Arular (XL) The surprise star of SXSW is getting plenty of attention for her unique debut album (album, April) CLEAR STATIC Talking In Your Sleep (Lizard King) Introducing the 21st Century Duran Doran, hot on the heels of...

BPI awards.(News)
April 2, 2005... ALBUMS Graham Coxon--Happiness in Magazines (Parlophone) (silver) Various--The Album 05 (EMI Virgin) (silver) Rufus Wainwright--Want Two (Polydor) (silver) Mario--Turning Point (J) (gold) Various--I Love Mum (EMI Virgin) (gold)...

A fresh price on live music: Licensing Act set to cut costs for venues, but may hit small festivals.(News)
April 2, 2005... Clubs and pubs promoting live groups and singers are expected to be significantly better off under the new Licensing Act, although small festival promoters may face higher fees. The fee levels for the new premises licence is based on the...

Bodyrockers.(Snap Shot)
April 2, 2005... Another sign that the dance market is continuing to make a strong recovery comes from evidence that major labels are once again investing in electronic music. Anglo-Australian dance duo BodyRockers are among the acts benefiting from a...

Flyposters take a pasting as Camden sets precedent.(News)
April 2, 2005... The granting of an Anti Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) against Diabolical Liberties managing director Tim Horrox last week looks set to create a precedent for a clampdown on flyposting across England and Wales. Diabolical Liberties has been...

Top 10 world markets.(News)
April 2, 2005... $m (% change) US 12,153 (2.6%) Japan 5,168 (-1.8%) UK 3,509 (-1.6%) Germany 2,149 (-4.2%) France 1,979 (-14.8%) Australia 717 (-6.1%) Canada 694...

MU leads opposition to draft moral rights law.(News)
April 2, 2005... The Government's plan to roll out legislation to provide moral rights for performers may run into a brick wall if the Musicians Union and others successfully challenge its latest draft legislation. With the consultation process drawing to a...

World sales level off after rise of digital: 2004 figures highlight turnaround in global music sales.(Sales)
April 2, 2005... The global record industry achieved its best year-on-year performance for physical sales in five years in 2004, despite an explosion in the digital music market Although the number of tracks downloaded increased 10-fold in the year, IFPI...

CDs gain competitive edge.(News)
April 2, 2005... The IFPI believes the digital music market could be helping to prop up the CD sector, rather than hurting sales as some have predicted. The organisation's director of market research Keith Jopling points to the proliferation of...

Brit pack unleash talent at SXSW 05: the UK industry featured impressively at this year's South By Southwest--now the leading festival in the world for new music--with XL-signed M.I.A. emerging as a surprise hit.(Talent)
April 2, 2005... British music put its stamp firmly on the worldwide map at South By Southwest 2005, which concluded last weekend in Austin. It seems every aspect of the UK music industry--artists, labels, publishers, agents, media--has upped the ante in...

How was it for you?: Nine Black Alps.(Talent)
April 2, 2005... For some UK acts, the purpose of visiting SXSW is to get signed or to introduce themselves to the US market. But the increased coverage the festival now gets via media such as Radio One, Radio Two, 6Music and MTV means it is sometimes worth...

As Kazaa and Grokster face courts, Arvato pushes legal P2P platform: file-sharing networks face legal action, but new products may offer legitimate alternative.(Downloads)
April 2, 2005... Litigation and issues surrounding the legitimacy of peer-to-peer file sharing have taken centre stage in global technology and music news over the past 10 days. While ongoing court cases have stolen most music technology headlines--both...

Improved u-myx aims to involve fans.(Company profile)
April 2, 2005... Seven months after the release of Muse's Butterflies And Hurricanes single, which heralded the introduction of the interactive music format u-myx, a new version of the software has been released. This time it is Feeder who are pioneering...

Top 20 ringtones.(Digital)
April 2, 2005... Despite a 15-place climb, the charity crooner power of Tony Christie featuring Peter Kay's (Is This The Way To) Amarillo is not enough to dislodge the highly repetitive, but hugely popular, Nelly featuring Tim McGraw's Over And Over from the...

Music TV hits the rewind button: classic footage from shows such as Top of the Pops and The Tube is in demand from both "list shows" and DVD producers--and licensing is becoming more flexible.(TV archive)
April 2, 2005... In these content dependent times, anybody possessing a catalogue of archive television footage is, theoretically at least, sitting on something of a goldmine. For music this is particularly so. The appetite for archival performances and...

Down, but certainly not out: Woolworths' move to divest itself of MVC could change the shape of retail for the better.(Editorial)
April 2, 2005... The news that Woolworths is to put its MVC operation on the market might be viewed by some as further evidence of the music retail malaise. However, it may not be as simple as that. A few weeks ago, Music Week reported on a string of...

We need an agenda to help indies join download race.(Viewpoint)
April 2, 2005... I would like to thank Music Week for highlighting the issue covered in the article, "New chart sparks race against time" [MW 19.03.05, p6], which described how independent labels are struggling to get proper representation in the digital arena....

What should the buyer of MVC do with the chain?(The big question)
April 2, 2005... What should the buyer of Woolworths' MVC do with the retail chain? Russ Grainger, former boss of Music Zone "I'd close them down. The problem MVC had was they came up with the idea of two-tier price with a membership card. But the...

Quickfire: the man behind the Buena Vista Social Club, Juan De Marcos Gonzales, has set up Cuba's first independent label to offer the world new talent.(Forum)
April 2, 2005... Because of its sheer success, many people in the UK will define Cuban music simply through Buena Vista. But how rich and diverse a musical culture is there beyond this? Many people think the only music we have in Cuba is music like that,...

One of the shining stars of Mother's Day week, UMTV artist Patrizio Buanne is pictured with Universal chief Lucian Grainge (right) picking up a disc marking UK sales of 100,000.(Forum)
April 2, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: One of the shining stars of Mother's Day week, UMTV artist Patrizio Buanne is pictured with Universal chief Lucian Grainge (right) picking up a disc marking UK sales of 100,000. The Italian crooner has...

As jobs go, hanging out in Santa Monica with glamorous young pop stars certainly beats working down a mine.(Forum)
April 2, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: As jobs go, hanging out in Santa Monica with glamorous young pop stars certainly beats working down a mine. And this was the task that befell BMG Music Publishing staff when the company held its 2005...

Now that's just not right ...(Dooley's Diary)
April 2, 2005... Remember where you heard it: What a miracle worker Roger Ames must be. Just days after being taken on by EMI as a senior adviser, the Daily Mirror last week reported that the major owned "a number of major record labels, including Universal,...

When it comes to seeking out a hit, Steve Tandy is always ready to, well, leap into action.(Forum)
April 2, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: When it comes to seeking out a hit, Steve Tandy is always ready to, well, leap into action. The Gut Records and Intermedia Regional Promotions managing director turned frogman at the video shoot for...

Key releases.(Datafile: Britain's most comprehensive charts service)
April 2, 2005... ALBUMS APRIL 4 Mariah Carey The Emancipation Of Mimi (Mercury); Natalie Imbruglia Counting Down The Days (RCA); I Am Kloot Gods And Monsters (Echo); Tom Vek We Have Sound (Tummy Touch/Go Beat) APRIL 11 Garbage Bleed Like Me...

Singles and albums get Easter boost.(The Market)
April 2, 2005... Increasing for the 10th time in 11 weeks, singles sales jumped by 9.1% to 775,465 last week, achieving their highest level for more than a year. The last time they exceeded the 750,000 mark was in the final week of 2003, when 940,570 singles...

Market indicators.(Datafile: Britain's most comprehensive charts service)
April 2, 2005... SINGLES Sales versus last week: +9.1% Year to date versus last year: -20.2% Market shares Universal 62.3% Sony BMG 24.1% Others 7.4% EMI 3.8% Warner 3.5% ALBUMS Sales versus last...

Fast chart.(Datafile: Britain's most comprehensive charts service)
April 2, 2005... SINGLES NUMBER ONE TONY CHRISTIE (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO Universal TV Seven singles have sold 1m copies in the 21st Century, eight have topped the 750,000 mark and 36 have surpassed 500,000. Tony Christie's Amarillo is the...

Morcheeba set for comeback: UK trip-hop soul trio Morcheeba are preparing to be relaunched in May with a new label and singer.(The Plot)
April 2, 2005... MORCHEEBA THE ANTIDOTE (ECHO) With former vocalist Skye retained by Morcheeba's previous label Atlantic and currently working on solo material, the remaining members of Morcheeba have recruited former Noonday Underground chanteuse Daisy...

Lisa Miskovsky.(Snap Shot)
April 2, 2005... Lisa Miskovsky spent nine weeks at number one in her native Sweden with her first single, Lady Stardust. Universal TV, which has made her a priority for 2005, must be hoping for the same level of success when the single is released in the UK on...

Tipsters: a selection of UK tastemakers select their favourite upcoming releases.(Upfront)
April 2, 2005... Sam Jackson, programme director, Forth 1 & 2 FAITH EVANS AGAIN (CAPITOL) "Probably best remembered for her efforts on the Puff Daddy track I'll Be Missing You in 1997, Faith Evans is back with her fourth album, Lady. The first track...

Radio playlists.(Upfront)
April 2, 2005... RADIO 1 A LIST 50 Cent Candy Shop; Basement Jaxx Oh My Gosh; Estelle Go Gone; Feeder Feeling A Moment; Freeloaders So Much Love To Give; Green Day Holiday; Gwen Stefani feat. Eve Rich Girl; Kaiser Chiefs Oh My God; Kasabian Club Foot;...

Top 10 radio growers.(Upfront)
April 2, 2005... Adds GALAXY Jennifer Lopez Hold You Down; Has Just A Moment; Trick Daddy Sugar KISS FM Akon Lonely; BodyRockers I Like The Way; Jayme Blue Jeans; Lil' Jon feat. Usher & Ludacris Loves & Friends VIRGIN The Tears...

TV airplay chart: Destiny's Child gains massive support at TV but still not enough to unseat current queen of the screen Mariah Carey.(TV)
April 2, 2005... 2. Destiny's Child Destiny's Child's Girl garners massive support from TV and radio this week, soaring 170-2 on the TV chart and debuting at number 88 on the radio list. Fifty-five radio stations give it a grand total of 351 plays,...

The UK radio airplay chart: Jem makes considerable gains, jumping 10 places to two behind Natalie Imbruglia as Tony Christie continues to grow on the airwaves.(Radio)
April 2, 2005... 2. Jem Jem's debut single They dips 6-11 on its second week on the sales chart but catapults 12-2 on airplay, helping the merged Sony BMG company to its first Top Three shut-out. They has wide appeal and shares most-played honours at Radio...

PSAPP.(Snap Shot)
April 2, 2005... London-based electronic pop duo Psapp have been steadily gaining ground since their mention in Rolling Stone as one of the top 10 acts to watch in 2005. Their debut album for Arable Records, Tiger My Friend, was licensed to Leaf in America,...

In-store next week.(Cued up)
April 2, 2005... ASDA In-store--New Order, Will Smith, Brandy, Big Tunes 2; Single--Rachel Stevens; Artist--Will Smith; Compilation--Kiss Presents R&B BORDERS In-store--Shivaree, OC Mix 4, Mariah Carey, British Sea Power, Aaliyah, Teenage Kicks;...

Tastemakers.(Cued up)
April 2, 2005... JULIE CULLEN presenter, BBC 6Music 1. RILO KILEY PORTIONS FOR FOXES (WARNERS) 2. THE ARCADE FIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD #2 (LAIKA) (ROUGH TRADE) 3. BRENDAN BENSON SPIT IT OUT (V2) 4. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE LITTLE SISTER (POLYDOR) ...

TV listings.(Cued up)
April 2, 2005... CD:UK Avril Lavigne; Garbage Why Do You Love Me; Kasabian Club Foot; Mario Let Me Love You; Rachel Stevens Negotiate With Love GMTV Mel C (Fri); Russell Watson (Tue) HIT 40 UK 50 Cent; Basement Jaxx Oh My Gosh; Green Day...

Radio listings.(Cued up)
April 2, 2005... RADIO ONE Lamacq Live Razorlight live from Alexander Palace, a Fog Fighters live special and a report from LA about new hot US bands (Mon) Zane Lowe--Bullet For My Valentine live from Maida Vale (Tues) The Lock Up with guests Jimmy Eat...

Brum Massive makes a noise.(Media Insider)
April 2, 2005... Trading from a 600 sq m shop spread over two floors in a busy, central location in Birmingham, lance music specialists Massive Records have been operating successfully in the city under manager Dan Gilbert, who moved from Massive's other shop...

Razorlight: Somewhere Else.
April 2, 2005... Razorlight Somewhere Else Vertigo 9869892 This is the first new material from Razorlight since half-million-selling debut album Up All Night picks up where that record left off, with the more mournful closing track Fall Fall Fall. The new...

Garbage: Bleed Like Me.
April 2, 2005... Garbage Bleed Like Me Warner Bros 5046776812 This comeback album has been heralded as a return to form and a heavier sound four years after the sensual pop-rock-electronica that marked Garbage's previous release beautifulgarbage, which...

Anastacia: Heavy on My Heart.
April 2, 2005... Anastacia Heavy On My Heart (Epic 6758401) This dramatic ballad, replete with bombastic orchestral crescendos and rock guitar flourishes, will be the third single from Anastacia's self-titled third album. It follows Left Outisde Alone and...

Melanie Blatt: See Me.
April 2, 2005... Melanie Blatt See Me (Swollen Ankle CDSWA1) This track--more rocky than the All Saints work with which Blatt made her name--shows an admirable ability to switch genre but perhaps lacks some of the sparkle of her former band's best work....

Ciara: 1, 2 Step.
April 2, 2005... Ciara 1, 2 Step (La Face 82876688342) This second electro-flavoured R&B stormer from the US star of the so-called crunk'n'B craze, is a melodic rhythmic monster featuring Missy Elliott. C-listed at Radio One and A-listed at Capital, it...

Daft Punk: Robot Rock.
April 2, 2005... Daft Punk Robot Rock (Virgin VSCDX1897) Taken from the recent Top 10 album Human After All, Robot Rock is a riotous, over-the-top slice of disco-rock-funk that is unmistakably Daft Punk from the opening bar. Soulwax and the duo themselves...

Four Tet: Smile Around the Face.
April 2, 2005... Four Tet Smile Around The Face (Domino RUG200T) Kieran Hebden returns with his first single since 2003's Rounds with this taster from new album Everything Ecstatic. Jazz drums and gleeful psychedelic FX orbit around a clipped, metronomic...

Hard-Fi: Tied Up Too Tight.
April 2, 2005... Hard-Fi Tied Up Too Tight (Atlantic LC01557) Listening to Hard-Fi's second single, it is easy to see why this hotly-tipped band have drawn comparisons with The Clash and prompted both recording and publishing bidding wars. It is the sound...

Interpol: C'Mere.
April 2, 2005... Interpol C'Mere (Matador OLE1238-2P) Despite the fact that Interpol wear their influences on their sleeve, there is something undeniably beguiling about the US four-piece--perhaps it is the Stipe-esque vocals or the meandering basslines....

Juliet: Avalon.
April 2, 2005... Juliet Avalon (Virgin VUSCD299) Produced by Stuart Price (Les Rythmes Digitales), this is a hypnotic slice of electro-pop topped by Juliet Richardson's spiky lyrics. Backed by a C-listing at Radio One and support from Pete Tong, this...

Kings of Leon: King of the Rodeo.
April 2, 2005... Kings Of Leon King of the Rodeo (Hand Me Down HMD49) This new single from KoL's excellent second album A-Ha Shake Heartbreak shows all the Camden pop punks how to craft a great rock song. Why it isn't A-listed at Radios One and Two is a...

Maroon 5: Must Get Out.
April 2, 2005... Maroon 5 Must Get Out (Octone/Sony BMG 82876689062) The fifth single from the million-selling album Songs About Jane is not Maroon 5's strongest. But this good mid-tempo pop swinger with a memorable chorus is an effective advert for the...

The Modern: Industry.
April 2, 2005... The Modern Industry (Universal Digital Services, download only) While Eighties pastiches continue to be all the rage, this five-piece have recreated the mid-Eighties sound which is less Cure and Joy Division, but more Dollar tinged with a...

Secret Machines: Road Leads Where It's Led.
April 2, 2005... Secret Machines Road Leads Where It's Led (679 W669CDI) The Texas trio follow December's Top 40 hit Sad And Lonely with this thumping psychedelic outing based around an insistent drum beat which simply demands attention. Having just...

Super Discount 2: Fast Track.
April 2, 2005... Super Discount 2 Fast Track (Pias Recordings 1039) The previously instrumental Fast Track is reworked with a strong vocal from Nouvelle Vague singer Camille and a new wave bassline to create a single strong enough to lend further weight to...