Music Week articles from October 2003

Music Week archives from October 2003

Singles rules offer hope: Charts body agrees changes to chart rules and agrees to explore launch of download chart.(Singles)
October 4, 2003... The singles fight-back has received official approval for the first time, in the form of a series of chart rules changes designed to make the single more attractive to consumers. The Official UK Charts Company's chart supervisory committee...

Muse win stripes with hit album.
October 4, 2003... A week after Warner Music became the takeover target of EMI, the UK company's hot streak continued yesterday (Sunday), as Muse's third album, Absolution, debuted at number one. Muse had sold 50,000 copies by the end of last Thursday to be...

Tributes follow Palmer death.(People)
October 4, 2003... Tributes Flooded in last Friday morning to Robert Palmer, who died aged 54 in Paris after suffering a heart attack. Elkie Brooks, co-vocalist, with him in the band Vinegar Joe, remembers him as both one of the most stylish and greatest male...

Rondor UK.(People)
October 4, 2003... Rondor UK managing director Richard Thomas and three other staff are in talks with Universal about their futures following a decision by the major to close Rondor's London office. Universal bought Rondor for around $400m in August 2000, but...

Music Zone.(People)
October 4, 2003... Music Zone has poached HMV's loss prevention controller, Marcus Howard, to become the indie store's first loss prevention officer. The chain's founder and managing director Russ Grainger says his appointment marks "a natural progression" in...

Universal loss marrs results.(Bottom line)
October 4, 2003... Universal Music has blamed the continuing declining music market, restructuring costs and the absence of asset sales in 2002 not repeated this year for a 42m [euro] loss in the first half of the year. Revenue fell 24.5% to 2,168m [euro] for the...

Absolute Radio.(Bottom line)
October 4, 2003... Absolute Radio, whose key players include one-time Capital executive Clive Dickens, has secured its first radio station after strikinq a 3.1m [pounds sterling] deal with Forever Broadcasting last Friday to buy Liverpool's Juice 107.6FM. Juice...

Capital, Emap and GWR have offered a mixed picture of the state of the radio advertising market.(Bottom line)
October 4, 2003... Capital, Emap and GWR have offered a mixed picture of the state of the radio advertising market. In trading statements issued last week Capital predicted a 4% drop in revenues this year, while Emap forecasts a 9% rise in radio revenues for the...

Universal Music International.(Bottom line)
October 4, 2003... Universal Music International is this week expected to "largely complete" a restructuring of its London headquarters with a suggested 10% of the workforce expected to lose their jobs. A Universal spokesman says, "The exact number of people...

BPI.(Bottom line)
October 4, 2003... BPI anti-piracy investigators are hailing one of their most successful investigations yet after hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of counterfoil CDs Were seized in a series of raids across Tyneside. Eight arrests were made in Operation...

HMV.(Bottom line)
October 4, 2003... HMV is launching three stores in the UK in the space of a week featuring PAs by Fame Academy finalists. A Greenwich store launches on October 8, followed by an opening at Epsom's Ashley Centre two days later and one on October 14 in Stirling's...

MusicTank.(Bottom line)
October 4, 2003... Music Tank will this Wednesday examine the potentially-lucrative revenue stream of using music in digital audio-visual media. Topics covered at the event at Bertorelli's in London's Soho will include digital radio and TV, publishing and audio...

Coldplay lead Q Awards list.(Exposure)
October 4, 2003... Coldplay lead the nominations at Thursday's Q Awards taking place at London's Park Lane Hotel. The band are competing for best single, video, live act and best act in the world. Fellow Parlophone act Athlete, who performed at the nominations...

The Music Publishers Association.(Exposure)
October 4, 2003... The Music Publishers Association has unveiled the shortlist for its first Music in Advertising Awards, recognising music that has featured in ads aired on UK TV or at the cinema between June 1 2002 and May 31 this year. The pop category...

BPI.(Exposure)
October 4, 2003... The BPI is hosting a British showcase at New York's CMJ seminar on Saturday, October 25. The event, to be held at the city's Don Hill's venue at 511 Greenwich Street, will feature The Koreans, Clearlake and Kinesis. The showcase is also...

MTV Networks Europe.(Exposure)
October 4, 2003... MTV Networks Europe today (Monday) presses the button on a new website for the MTV Europe Music Awards ahead of the event's nominations announcement this evening at London's Royal Festival Hall. The website is available in eight languages via...

Warner ties up Orange deal.(Sign here)
October 4, 2003... Warner Music UK has signed a deal with Orange to make repertoire from artists including Blazin' Squad, The Darkness and The Streets available for use as ringtones, The tie-up will allow customers access to official ringtones and pictures direct...

Real Networks.(Sign here)
October 4, 2003... Real Networks, which is behind the deal to make The Rolling Stones' Virgin Records catalogue available in legitimate digital form for the first time, has been secured as sponsor for next month's Music Industry Trusts dinner in honour of Rob...

Island's Amy Winehouse was among a string of acts which turned out for a night of music--all completely free of charge and supported by Music Week--at London's Borderline venue last Tuesday.(digest)
October 4, 2003... Island's Amy Winehouse was among a string of acts which turned out for a night of music--all completely free charge and supported by Music Week--at London's Borderline venue last Tuesday. The highly-acclaimed Winehouse, making one of her first...

Sanity quits UK with speedy deal: Primemist, the new owner of former Our Price chain, is yet to reveal its business strategy.(Retail)
October 4, 2003... Britain's newest entertainment retailer is keeping the industry guessing over its plans after taking over Sanity's 111 UK stores for around 5m [pounds sterling]. London-based investment company Primemist becomes the fourth controller in...

Majors battle it out with flagship album head-to-head.(News)
October 4, 2003... A combined ship of more than 1.1m on new albums from the UK's biggest male and female solo artists looks set to turn this week into this year's busiest yet for music sales. Retailers are preparing for Robbie Williams' Live At Knebworth and...

The music week playlist.(News)
October 4, 2003... KEANE This Is The Last Time (Fierce Panda) Scoring their first Radio One playlisting last week, word is quickly spreading on one of our bands of the year. (single, Oct 13) KELIS Milkshake (Virgin) Generating polarised...

High stakes in merger game: Warner's "non-exclusive discussions" likened to a poker game by analysts.(News)
October 4, 2003... Last week the music business was less about tunes and more about chat as all the majors owned up to--or were charged by the media about--negotiations about mergers, takeovers and offers. While EMI's takeover bid was the most concrete...

EMI eyes up Warner prize: EMI confirms that talks are in progress with Time Warner over $1.5bn buyout of Warner Music.(Mergers)
October 4, 2003... EMI and Time Warner are expecting a speedy resolution to their discussions about a potential $1.5bn-$1.6bn deal. It is understood that last Monday's offer by EMI to buy Warner's recorded music division is likely to be either agreed or...

Time right for EC but indies voice doubts: market favours majors at EC but Impala ready to fight.(News)
October 4, 2003... Whatever other obstacles may stand in his way, EMI executive chairman Eric Nicoli could hardly be blessed with more suitable market conditions to justify a major music merger. Although the latest EMI offer comes three-and-a-half years after...

Unpaid royalties get personal for PPL boss: Fran Nevrkla underlines promise to recoup lost assets.(Retail)
October 4, 2003... PPL chairman and chief executive Fran Nevrkla says he will take it as a personal failure if his organisation cannot fully tap into the mountain of unpaid UK royalties from overseas it is chasing. Nevrkla, who has made the issue one of his...

EMI chief joins DVD line-up.(News)
October 4, 2003... EMI Recorded Music chairman and CEO Tony Wadsworth and acclaimed live music director Hamish Hamilton are among the latest additions to the speakers list for next week's DVD Europe conference. Wadsworth, who has been the record industry's...

The BPI Awards.(News)
October 4, 2003... Various Bitter sweet Love Songs (silver) The Chemical Brothers Singles (silver) Rachel Stevens Funky Dory (sliver) Amy Studt False Smiles (silver) Limp Bizkit Results May Vary (silver) Muse Absolution (gold) ...

Capital revamp refines output and DJ line-up.(News)
October 4, 2003... Capital FM is extending the amount of music it plays per hour in daytime as part of a revamp of its output. The London station today (Monday) switches to a new programming schedule, which will coincide with the introduction of a policy...

Lostprophets.(Snap Shot)
October 4, 2003... Welsh act Lostprophets' have completed work on their second album, Start Something, which was produced by Queen Of The Stone Age producer Eric Valentine in Los Angeles. "The album has incredible production values, and Eric has really taught the...

DVDs add sparkle to Christmas: DVDs are forming a crucial part of many high-profile acts' campaigns for the festive season.(Music DVD)
October 4, 2003... It is possibly overstating the case to suggest that any artist who has had any degree of albums chart success in 2003 is represented in the slate of Christmas DVD releases. Certainly, top line acts such as Justin Timberlake, Robbie Williams,...

Sketch draws on wealth of talent.(Jazz)
October 4, 2003... Although Senegal broke an untold number of French hearts in the opening match of last year's World Cup, there was at least one Parisian who claimed a small but not insignificant victor, from the defeat. For it was during the 90 minutes in which...

Diary.
October 4, 2003... J-Noir, the independent promoters who have been putting on fine gigs with and coming jazz musicians in the capital for some time now will present a special gig featuring four artists at this year's London Jazz Festival, On November 19 at Lock...

Jazz playlist.
October 4, 2003... Michael Brecker--Modus Operandy (Universal) Star saxophonist cranks up the orchestral Funk on his best album in ages. Jason Moran--Planet Rock (Blue Note) Great live version of the young pianist's inspired reworking of Afrika Bambaata's...

Nicholas Payton Sonic Trance (Warner 9362484472).
October 4, 2003... Trumpeter Payton has long been considered by many as an arch classicist--his previous Universal releases confirmed him as a dyed-in-the-wool Wyntonian disciple. Sonic Trance could make Marsalis weep though. Payton has turned into an electric...

Dave Holland Quintet Extended Play (ECM 0385052).
October 4, 2003... As impressive as the veteran British bassist and his superlative band's studio work have been, what they present on stage is on another level. A live album was, thus, a logical stage in the documentation of the band's development and this...

Michael Brecker Wide Angles (Universal 0761422).
October 4, 2003... Brecker is arguably the most technically-giffed saxophonist in contemporary jazz--a man whose rhythmic drive, complex phrasing and towering solos are guaranteed to make jaws drop. But, for all the excitement he can cook up, his solo records...

Matthew Bourne The Electric Dr M (Sound SoundCD1004).
October 4, 2003... Words such as "maverick" are thrown around faster than red cards at an Arsenal match when Matthew Bourne's name is mentioned. The Leeds-born pianist is cast as an enfant terrible to France's badly drawn boy Mederic Colignon. Yet Bourne's...

Consolidation is good for business: music mergers would reduce costs--something that would benefit the whole industry.(Editorial)
October 4, 2003... Those who were at Midem in January 2000 are unlikely to forget the day when news came through about EMI and Warner's plans to merge their music divisions. Few would have thought, however, that three-and-a-half years later, they would be no...

Changes to US law mean more red tape for visas.(Viewpoint)
October 4, 2003... Planning and arranging a tour to the US can be a nightmare given the many logistical hurdles you need to get over, particularly the process of getting tour members into the country. It's about to get worse, following recent changes to US...

Who's going to sell the most albums, Dido or Robbie?(The big question)
October 4, 2003... "Super Monday" hardly gets more super than today, when the UK's biggest-selling male artist Robbie Williams and his female equivalent Dido have new albums released simultaneously. But who is going to win the battle of the genders? Michelle...

Quickfire: Bon Jovi have recorded an album of new versions of their greatest hits, but Jon Bon Jovi says he won't be joining The Darkness in a full-on Eighties rock revival.(Forum)
October 4, 2003... Why are you releasing new versions of your greatest hits instead of a new studio album? The last album was only released last year, so we couldn't release more new material so soon. The idea of a live album didn't appeal and we wanted to...

Crib sheet.(Forum)
October 4, 2003... The Mobos crew strutted into town last Thursday for their eighth annual awards bash at London's Royal Albert Hall. From humble beginnings in 1996 when the awards fell in favour of UK talent (Goldie, Courtney Pine, Seal and Gabrielle all picked...

All the gossip from PPL's AGM.(Dooley's Diary)
October 4, 2003... Remember where you heard it: Best wishes to Aim's Alison Wenham who, in a strange case of synchronicity, had to miss out on last Wednesday's PPL AGM after damaging her knee ligaments in a collision with an enthusiastic Labrador. Back in the...

East West Records marked the end of the summer in style last week with a boat party on the river Thames.(Diary)
October 4, 2003... East West Records marked the end of the summer in style last week with a boat party on the river Thames, simultaneously celebrating the label's impressive run of success over the season under new managing director Korda Marshall with the likes...

Key releases.(Datafile)
October 4, 2003... ALBUMS THIS WEEK Dido Life For Rent (Cheeky/Arista); Robbie Williams Live At Knebworth (Chrysalis) OCTOBER 6 Belle & Sebastian Dear Catastrophe Waitress (Rough Trade); Aretha Franklin Do Damn Happy (Arista); Elvis Presley 2nd To None...

Big debuts power artist album sales.(The Market)
October 4, 2003... With six debuts in the Top 10 and 16 debuts in the Top 75--the most since 24 November 2001 and 30 November 2002 respectively--and massive clearance sales commencing in Virgin, HMV and Woolworths, artist album sales exploded by nearly 40% last...

Market indicators.(Datafile)
October 4, 2003... SINGLES Sales versus last week: -7.9% Year to date versus last year, -34.5% Market shares Polydor 24.2% RCA:Arista 19.9% East West 11.6% Sony Music 11.3% Parlophone 4.4% ...

Fast chart.(Datafile)
October 4, 2003... SINGLES NUMBER ONE BLACK EYED PEAS WHERE IS THE LOVE? Interscope Sales are down just 12% week-on-week as Black Eyed Peas complete a fourth Week at number one. HIGHEST NEW ENTRY THE DARKNESS I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE Must...

Scream back on the case: the Primals best of will reinforce the fact that this band are a national treasure.(The Plot)
October 4, 2003... PRIMAL SCREAM DIRTY HITS (SONY) Dirty Hits is a collection of tracks which span Primal Scream's 18-year career and demonstrates how the band has changed, often quite radically, over the years. The album, out on November 3 through Sony...

Linus Loves.(Snap Shot)
October 4, 2003... Ministry Of Sound imprint Data is limbering up for what could be the label's seventh Top 10 hit of 2003 thanks to a new version of a Prince-written song first performed by Stevie Nicks in 1983. Stand Back has been building steadily thanks to a...

Tipsters: a selection of UK tastemakers select their favourite upcoming releases.(Upfront)
October 4, 2003... Andy Ross, Boss Music VUE BABIES ARE FOR PETTING (BMG) "This is a US rock'n'roll band with a difference--they really are good, This EP is a consistently strong five-tracker, with David Johanssen-style vocals and a surly nod towards...

Radio playlist.(Upfront)
October 4, 2003... RADIO 1 A LIST 50 Cent feat. Snoop Dogs PTMP; Beyonce feat. Sean Paul Baby Boy; Black Eyed Peas Where Is The Love; Christina Aguilera feat. Lil' Kim Can't Hold Us Down; Dido White Flag; Fatman Scoop feat, The Crooklyn Clan Be Faithful;...

Top 10 radio growers.(Upfront)
October 4, 2003... Adds BIG CITY Kevin Lyttle Turn Me On: Pink Trouble; Solitaire I Like Love (I Love Love); Sophie Ellis-Bextor Mixed Up World; Static Orrico (There's Gotta Be) More To Life; KISS FM Blazin' Squad Hip Reverse: Blue Guilty; David Guetta feat....

TV airplay chart: non-movers make up half of the Top 10 this week, with only Sugababes, Blue and The Darkness showing gains.(Airplay TV)
October 4, 2003... 3. The Darkness Despite featuring the bared bottom of vocalist Justin Hawkins, The Darkness' video for latest single I Believe In A Thing Called Love is getting major exposure. Indeed, in a quiet week when the rest of the Top Five are...

Kelis.(Snap Shot)
October 4, 2003... Kelis is set to build on specialist radio support on her groundbreaking new single Milkshake, with a live performance of the Neptunes-produced track at the Princes Trust Fashion Rocks event at the Royal Albert Hall on October 15. Milkshake is...

The UK radio airplay chart: Dido holds off a challenge from Rachel Stevens thanks to an audience of more than 100m, while Texas, Sugababes and Craig David all make rapid ascents of the chart.(Airplay Radio)
October 4, 2003... 1. Dido Black Eyed Peas' Where Is The Love? has been the most-played record on UK radio for each of the past two weeks but Dido has had the larger audience on both occasions and, therefore, is number one. After 10 weeks of growth, however,...

In-store next week.(Profile)
October 4, 2003... IN-STORE NEXT WEEK ASDA Singles--Beyonce feat. Sean Paul, Texas, The Strokes, Fast Food Rockers, B2K, Scooter, Lovebug, Funeral For A Friend, Blondig; Albums--Elvis Presley, Mariah ...

Tastemakers.(Profile)
October 4, 2003... CASPAR LLEWELLYN SMITH, EDITOR, OBSERVER MUSIC MONTHLY 1. CHICKS ON SPEED 99 CENTS (CHICKS ON SPEED) 2. PRIMAL SCREAM DIRTY HITS (SONY) 3. DAARA J BOOMERANG (WRASSE) 4. DM & JEMINI GHETTO POP LIFE (LEX) 5. THE INNOCENCE...

TV listings.(Profile)
October 4, 2003... CD:UK Atomic Kitten tbc; Blazin' Squad Flip Reverse; Holly Valance State Of Mind; Texas Carnival Girl MTV UK Pink Trouble; Feeder Find The Colour, Sophie Ellis-Bextor It's A Mixed Up World POPWORLD Amy Studt Under The Thumb; Blondie...

Radio listings.(Profile)
October 4, 2003... RADIO 1 Lamacq Live Blur at Reading (Monday) John Peel Sessions DJ Twitch (Tuesday); Zane Lowe The Keys & Alkaline Trio guest (Thursday) One World--John Kennedy & Agoria guest (Thursday) Pete Tong Derrick Carter guests...

New launch makes waves.(Media Insider)
October 4, 2003... Previously served by stations based in Brighton, residents of Worthing, Littlehampton and Shoreham in Sussex finally got their own radio station in May when Splash FM was launched. A wholly independent station, with a target audience of...

Also out this week.
October 4, 2003... SINGLES Billy Childish & The Buff Medways--Just 15 (Transcopic); Harry's Afro Hut--C'mon Lady (Positiva); Nodesha--Get It While It's Hot (Arista); Tomcraft--Brainwashed (Data) ALBUMS Mariah Carey--Remix Album (Polydor); Shelby...

50 Cent PIMP (Interscope/Polydor 9812333).
October 4, 2003... The third single from 50 Cent's debut album Get Rich Or Die Tryin' features rap courtesy of Lloyd Banks and Young Buck of G-Unit. With its sparse yet funky rhythms and steel-drum backdrop, PIMP has been on Radio One's A-list for the past three...

Aqualung Brighter Than Sunshine (B-Unique BUNO72CDS).
October 4, 2003... This precursor to Matt Hales' second album Still Life is another sturdy slice of indie-rock that benefits from Jacknife Lee frontman Garret Lee on co-production duties. This won't match the VW-endorsing Top 10 success of Strange & Beautiful,...

Bonobo Flutter (Ninja Tune ZENCDS147).
October 4, 2003... Fluttering by with an Indian-sounding sitar hook, this is a whimsical yet infectious release from Brighton's Simon Green. Backed by a Four Tet mix and a Conkerco video, it is lifted from his album Dial M For Monkey.

Craig David The World Filled with Love (Wildstar 24678010721CD).
October 4, 2003... This fifth single from David's platinum album Slicker Than The Average is less urban-sounding than his previous singles, and sees him moving into ever more mainstream circles. Radio One has C-listed this single, which should help it reach the...

Electric Six Dance Commander (XL XLS170CD).
October 4, 2003... Expectations will be high after this Detroit band's two recent Top Five hits, but this sounds rather contrived compared with its predecessors. Nevertheless, its wall of guitar and techno touches will appeal to the dancefloor, and the track has...

Sophie Ellis-Bextor Mixed Up World (Polydor 9812108).
October 4, 2003... Co-written with Gregg Alexander and Matt Rowe, this track is not a great departure from Ellis-Bextor's debut material. The dated bassline and cheesy horn sample reminds one of 1985, but once she starts singing it fast forwards into the present....

Emma Maybe (19/Universal 9812785).
October 4, 2003... Bunton's adventurous second single for 19 is co-written with Yak Bondy, and is very Sixties French pop in its production and feel. C-listed at Radio Two, it has a memorably infectious chorus, which should see Bunton back in the Top Five.

Matt Goss I'm Coming with Ya (Emgie/Concept CON49).
October 4, 2003... The ex-Bros star comes closer to his George Michael aspirations with this gospel/reggae-tinged effort. The song is strong enough to compete at a high level, but it is uncertain whether the public will see him as anything other than the prancer...

Michelle Lawson I Just Wanna Say (Fontana 9811848).
October 4, 2003... This is a stylish debut single from a name to watch. Lawson was spotted after winning Trevor Nelson's urban talent search but, judging from this strong debut, she is far removed from the TV audition norm.

REM Bad Day (Warner W624CD1).
October 4, 2003... A fun promo and more upbeat demeanour marks this out as a track with the potential to be the most crossover-orientated REM track since Out Of Time, more than 10 years ago. That promo is ensuring some TV spins, while radio is also coming on...

Mark Ronson feat. Nate Dogg & Ghostface Ooh Wee (EastWest/Elektra E7490CD).
October 4, 2003... New York party DJ Ronson steps into the spotlight, ably assisted by Nate Dogg and Wu Tang man Ghostface. With the bassline from Don't Look Any Further and the percussion from Konk's legendary Konk Party augmented by a string hook, this catchy...

Kevin Lyttle Turn Me On.
October 4, 2003... Atlantic ATO167CD Lyttle's ragga-pop style is already on course to make the leap from the clubs into the charts, hot on the heels of labelmates Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder. This three-year-old song's carnival vibes swing in the right...

Sugababes Hole in the Head (Island CID836).
October 4, 2003... This is possibly Sugababes' poppiest single to date and, while it is certainly catchy and radio-friendly (it is A-listed at Radio One), it lacks that dark and twisted edge which made some of their other singles so special. It is a taster for...

Butterfly Boucher Flutterby (A&M 9860775).
October 4, 2003... This is a strong collection of songs, imaginatively executed by this emerging talent, who is managed by Nettwerk. Brimming with seductive melodies, Boucher's sound has a huge potential audience, if it can manage to find its way past...

Sheryl Crew The Very Best of (A&M/Polydor CA90404).
October 4, 2003... Ever since she assaulted the charts with the huge hit single All I Wanna Do, Sheryl Crow has amassed a healthy fanbase. Those with a passing interest in her good-time sound will be drawn to this collection.

The Distillers Coral Fang (Reprise 9362484202).
October 4, 2003... Fast emerging as one of acts to watch on the US underground punk rock scene, The Distillers are also being currently tipped by the NME. Descriptions of them as a harder Breeders, or a more animated Hole, are perhaps explained by the fact that...

Dub Pistols Six Million Ways to Live (Distinctive DISNCD108).
October 4, 2003... Sometime Massive Attack collaborator Horace Andy adds his reggae expertise on this album, which also draws on hip hop, ska and dance. Currently pricking up eats at radio is the track Problem Is, which features Terry Hall on vocals.

Funeral for a Friend Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation (East West 82564609472).
October 4, 2003... This Welsh band started the year unsigned and on Music Week's Welsh Talent CD, and haven't looked back since. Currently forging their own unique path with a post-hardcore sound, this is one of the most significant debuts of the year. The band's...

Electric Soft Parade The American Adventure (BMG 82876563692).
October 4, 2003... Moving on from the Britpop influences of their Mercury-nominated debut, ESP's second album covers considerable ground: winning melodies meet punchy rock on songs such as the single Things I've Done Before, the title track is a Beach...

Liz Phair Liz Phair (EMI 5939992).
October 4, 2003... Longtime Liz Phair fans are aghast at their hero's decision to enlist The Matrix and make a pop album, but then everything she has done since Exile On Guyville has taken a kicking anyway, so why not? It is actually pretty good, and musically it...

Carina Round The Disconnection (Disconnected DEHISCD001).
October 4, 2003... With Dave Stewart helping to fund this album and now a US deal with Interscope, it cannot be long before singer-songwriter Round is brought to the attention of the UK public. This album should serve to do exactly that. Rocking out like Led...