Kaiser Chief's miffed

Ricky Wilson reacts as Ruby is dropped from Brits single's category

18 Feb 08 - "They've all got their merits, but I am just a bit annoyed" 

Ricky Wilson reacts to the news that Hoosiers, Leona Lewis, Mark Ronson, Mika and Take That have made the shortlist for British single of the year, not The Kaiser Chiefs.

The final five were whittled down from ten by the public, and full details of how to vote for the winner can be found at the official website for the awards, which take place on Wednesday evening.

The Kaiser Chiefs are still nominated for best British group and best British live act, and Ricky was typically modest about not making the singles shortlist:

"Apparently we were in the nominees and then (he just handed me a piece of paper) with five nominees and we were not in there. Everyone knows Ruby is the best single, if you are gonna whittle them down to five, you'd think Ruby would be in there wouldn't you?"

"The Brits is good, it's the big one" -   Ricky Wilson

No hard feelings... sort of

Worried About Ray by Hoosiers is up against Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis, the UK's biggest-selling song of 2007. Mark Ronson has been included for Valerie featuring Amy Winehouse, while Grace Kelly by Mika and Take That's Shine completed the nominees.

Ricky says he is not going to have a go at any of them:

"They've all got their merits, but I am just a bit annoyed. There is no point making enemies with these people cos they will all be there."

Despite all this, Ricky admitted he is looking forward to the bash on Wednesday night:

"The Brits is good, it's the big one, it's like the Oscars. It's just fun sitting there watching all the famous people. I like Paul McCartney, no matter how many times you meet him you always get a bit of a school girl flush on."

The top five singles were whittled down from a list of ten:

Hoosiers - Worried About Ray
James Blunt - 1973
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Kate Nash - Foundations
Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
Mark Ronson - Valerie (featuring Amy Winehouse)
Mika - Grace Kelly
Mutya Buena - Real Girl
Sugababes - About You Now
Take That - Shine

Ruth Barnes

Oasis top UK Poll

Gallagher brothers get first and second slot

18 Feb 08 - Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe has topped a new Q Magazine and HMV poll of the top 50 Best Ever British Albums.

The British public voted the Gallagher brothers' 1994 debut Definitely Maybe as their number one favourite album of all time and their follow-up, (What's The Story) Morning Glory? , got the number two slot.

Radiohead's The Bends , Revolver by The Beatles and The Stone Roses’ debut have made up the rest of the top five.

Q Editor Paul Rees said: "Having voted in their thousands, Britain's music fans have demonstrated a number of things through the results of the poll, not least of which is an abiding passion for great music.

“It's clear that, having polled three times more votes than any other act, Oasis are undoubtedly the nation's most loved band.

"Oasis are undoubtedly the nation's most loved band"
Q Editor Paul Rees

As for the strong placing of relatively new artists, Rees added: “The likes of Keane, Arctic Monkeys, Muse and Amy Winehouse have emerged in recent years to be seen as genuinely classic artists in the eyes of the people that matter most - those who buy music.”

Rudy Osorio, HMV Head of Music said: "Most album polls of recent years have tended to see the likes of The Beatles, Radiohead and Stone Roses vie for the top five spots.

“However, as our perspective changes, it looks like many more of us are starting to recognise the iconic appeal of Oasis and the brilliance of Definitely Maybe as an era defining album."

Bill Bragg and KT Tunstall will play a special Best of British show at HMV in London’s Oxford Circus on Monday 18 February to mark Q’s 50 Years of Great British Music month.

The full best of British albums list is:

1. Definitely Maybe Oasis
2. (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? Oasis
3. Ok Computer Radiohead
4. Revolver The Beatles
5. The Stone Roses The Stone Roses
6 . Sgt Pepper The Beatles
7. London Calling The Clash
8. Under The Iron Sea Keane
9. Dark Side Of The Moon Pink Floyd
10. Urban Hymns The Verve
11. The Bends Radiohead
12. Abbey Road The Beatles
13. Hopes And Fears Keane
14. Don’t Believe The Truth Oasis
15. Violator Depeche Mode
16. The Queen Is Dead The Smiths
17. A Night At The Opera Queen
18. Whatever People Say I Am… Arctic Monkeys
19. The Beatles The Beatles
20. Nevermind The B******* Sex Pistols
21.  Rubber Soul  The Beatles
22. Be Here Now Oasis
23. Absolution Muse
24. Rio Duran Duran
25. Parklife Blur
26. A Rush Of Blood To The Head Coldplay
27. The Holy Bible Manic Street Preachers
28. Origin Of Symmetry Muse
29. IV Led Zeppelin
30. The Wall Pink Floyd
31. Up The Bracket The Libertines
32. X & Y Coldplay
33. Who’s Next The Who
34. Black Holes And Revelations Muse
35. Back To Black Amy Winehouse
36. Songs Of Faith And Devotion Depeche Mode
37. Word Gets Around Stereophonics
38. The Fat Of The Land Prodigy
39. Different Class Pulp
40. In Rainbows Radiohead
41. Hunky Dory David Bowie
42. Favourite Worst Nightmare Arctic Monkeys
43. Everything Must Go Manic Street Preachers
44. Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd
45. Behaviour Pet Shop Boys
46. Ziggy Stardust David Bowie
47. Parachutes Coldplay
48. Exile On Main Street Rolling Stones
49. Unknown Pleasures Joy Division
50. Let It Bleed Rolling Stones
 
What do you think of the list? Tell us...

Kelly Stooke

Macca's "mid-life crisis"

Former Beatle reacts to his Brits honour

17 Feb 08 - Sir Paul McCartney has a big week ahead of him: he's back in the High Court on Monday for his divorce hearing, then on Wednesday the former Beatle will perform at the Brits and collect the outstanding contribution award.

He's scored 24 UK number one singles over his career, although the 65-year-old doesn't want this gong to be described as a lifetime award.

"I don't really like lifetime achievement awards because you feel as like you're going to stop any second," he said. "Mid life crisis award I wouldn't mind. Outstanding contribution is all right. It sounds like I've made a big donation to somebody so it's great. It's really lovely and getting any award is special but the Brits is even more."

"Mid-life crisis award I wouldn't mind”
Sir Paul McCartney

Macca will close the show with a live performance and, amid the current media focus on his divorce, his award acceptance speech will also come under scrutiny. But he said they are never pre-prepared.

"No, truth is that I haven't written it and I never do," he said. "I try and just pick up something on the night you know. One of the presenters might say something that's relevant and you go off that or I might just be truly thankful.

"You never know how it's going to grab you. It might just be a silly night or it may be a deeply moving night, I don't know. I'll probably try and work my family in because they're cool and I need to thank them constantly, or they'll kill me."

Andre Paine

Curtains for Glasto?

Festival organisers deny that this year is the last

14 Feb 08 - Emily Eavis has cast a shadow of doubt over the future of the famous festival, saying this year's 38th bash could be "the last".

Festival organiser Michael Eavis's daughter, who has helped run the event for the last eight years, said she discussed the shelf life of the festival with her father at Christmas. 

Emily Eavis said they were treating this year's festival, headlined by Jay-Z, as though it were the last.

"I kinda feel that we should ply everything into this as if it be the last." -   Emily Eavis

Asked whether Glastonbury has a limited time span, she told Orange World: "Yeah I probably do to be honest.

"We had a kind of retrospective time during Christmas, talking about it and whether it's a long term thing. I kinda feel that we should ply everything into this as if it be the last.

"It's a risky, risky business and it would be nice to think, to know that it could go on forever, (but) I don't know if that's possible."

Michael Eavis is denying reports, saying the phrase "treat it as if it is the last" is a family phrase and has been taken out of context.


Ruth Barnes

More cash for artists

EU proposes copyright extension 

14 Feb 08 - The proposal is one that'll make Sir Cliff Richard happy, he's one artist who has been campaigning for the changes as it directly affects him.

The EU is proposing that performers should earn copyright fees for 95 years, an extension on the current 50 years. 

If changes aren't made, artists like Sir Cliff, who recorded in the 50's and 60's, could lose their airplay royalties over the next ten years.

"Performing artists should no longer be the poor cousins of the music business" - Charlie McCreevy

The European Union's internal market chief, Charlie McCreevy said today (14 Feb):

"I have not seen or heard a convincing reason why a composer of music should benefit from a term of copyright that extends to the composer's life and 70 years beyond, while the performer should enjoy 50 years, often not even covering his lifetime

"I am proposing that performing artists should no longer be the poor cousins of the music business."

McCreevy told a news conference that many performers who began their careers in their early 20's would get to their 70's, only to see the copyright for their work running out when they would more than likely need the income.


Ruth Barnes

SMD get the funk

Simian Mobile Disco set to unite with soul sensation

14 Feb 08 - Jas Shaw from Simian Mobile Disco has told 6 Music News that the band have lined up a special guest to work on their new album.

They are joining forces with funk and soul sensation Jamie Lidell, and Jas could not contain his excitement: “I’m a massive fan of his.

"I would say that his live show was massively influential on the SMD live show and probably is the most interesting live performance out there.”

The group played as part of the NME shows on Wednesday (13 Feb) at London’s Astoria, and Jas admitted they approached the forthcoming collaboration as fans.

“We don’t know him personally, we have been trying to get in contact with him for ages and finally we have got a day booked in the studio with him.

"We have been trying to get in contact with him for ages"
Jas from Simian Mobile Disco

“We have no idea what we are going to do but to be honest, that’s always the best way. If we plan it out too much then nothing ever good happens.

“You have to leave space for something to happen and just cross your fingers.”

Jas said the band will not be racing to get their next album, the follow up to 2007’s Attack Decay Sustain Release , finished as they still have a busy tour schedule ahead.

“I would imagine that the next album probably won’t see the light of day until the end of this year, start of next year.

“I know how slow things move. Even if we get it finished quite soon, we have got a lot of other things booked in this year so we are not hurrying it.”

As previously reported, James Ford from the duo has just completed work on Alex Turner's and Miles Kane's solo project.


Kelly Stooke

Fatboy for Wireless

Underworld, Bootsy Collins and Mark Ronson join him on Saturday night bill

13 Feb 08 - Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, travelled to London on Wednesday (13 Feb) for the announcement of the artists who will be playing on Saturday 5 July at the 02 Wireless Festival.

Speaking at the line-up launch at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel earlier, Fatboy revealed that he, Underworld, Bootsy Collins and Mark Ronson will be the main acts.

The Wireless Festival, which is now in its fourth year, gets underway on 3 July and will run until 6 July.

"Hopefully we can bring some of the spirit of the Brighton shows into the heart of London town.”
Norman Cook

Speaking to reporters at the hotel which overlooks Hyde Park, where the festival will take place, Norman said: “I remembered the other day that Hyde Park was the venue for my first ever gig in 1975 when I came to see Queen.”

In an earlier statement he said: “For a long while I have wanted to play outdoors in London, but I just couldn’t find a beach. Hopefully we can bring some of the spirit of the Brighton shows into the heart of London town.”

Funk legend Bootsy Collins’ appearance at Wireless is a European festival exclusive and will mark his first UK appearance in seven years.

This year marks the second Wireless appearance for Mark Ronson who performed there last year.

Tickets for Wireless 2008 go on sale on 18 February at 9am and more acts are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.


Kelly Stooke