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If misery really does love company, then Thom Yorke never got the memo. Either that or he simply couldn't read it through the cloud of anxiety that seems to have enveloped him during the making of his melancholy new album, "The Eraser."   Yorke's vocals are presented in a much more natural and naked state than on the typical Radiohead album, with Godrich skipping the processing tricks employed throughout the band's catalogue. Combined with the stark ambient soundscapes, which tend to sound like

Sub-Urban Brands, Inc., a multi-brand apparel company pursuing high revenue growth in the global fashion industry, has announced a partnership with musical icon EMI/Capital Records to cross-promote the Company's Mash Culture Lab brand clothing.   EMI is the world's largest independent music company, operating in 50-plus countries. EMI is comprised of two divisions: EMI Music and EMI Music Publishing, which together generated revenues exceeding $2 billion in 2005.   Representing more than 1000 a

Warner Music is reviewing its £18 million media planning and buying business currently held by Media Campaign Services (MCS).   The music group, whose record labels Atlantic Records and Warner Bros Records are home to artists including James Blunt, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Craig David, is drawing up a list of agencies and has invited incumbent MCS to repitch for the account.   The review is being overseen by Atlantic Records marketing director Richard Hinkley and Warner Bros Records general

Coldplay's love affair with Australia has resulted in all three of their albums, including the debut Parachutes, leaping back into the top 30.   That's it!

Coldplay front man Chris Martin once famously said: "There would be no Coldplay music without Jonny Buckland."   The 28-year-old guitarist — real name Jonathan Mark Buckland — may not have his mug plastered all over the tabloids like Martin, 29, for supporting political causes or marrying a high-profile actress (Gwyneth Paltrow in Martin's case). But he has been consistently ranked as Coldplay's most valuable member.   For one thing, Buckland is the man with the plan as far as the rest of the

EMI has suffered a decline in its market share of US album sales in the second quarter, which could undermine its position in a pound stg. 2.5 billion ($6.2 billion) two-way takeover battle with Warner Music [pictured].   EMI, which manages artists including Coldplay and Janet Jackson, has seen its album sales decline 8 per cent year-on-year, and the company has lost 0.4 percentage points to 10 per cent in US market share, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan.   In contrast, Warner Music's

A day after receiving the good news that it would be safe for the space shuttle Discovery to return to earth, astronauts awoke Monday to begin their latest task: taking the second of three planned spacewalks to make repairs to the international space station.   Their more mundane tasks this time involved installing a spare external pump compartment to the station‘s cooling system and replacing a severed cable that provides power, video and data to the space station‘s rail car.   Replacing the

EMI has suffered a decline in its market share of US album sales in the second quarter, which could undermine its position in a £2.5bn two-way takeover battle with Warner Music.   EMI, which manages artists including Coldplay and Janet Jackson, has seen its album sales decline 8 per cent year-on-year, and the company has lost 0.4 percentage points to 10 per cent in US market share, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan.   By contrast, Warner Music's album sales in the US increased 11 per cent

EMI is expected to join most of the world's major music groups and table a first-round bid tomorrow for £800m song rights giant BMG Publishing.   German owner Bertelsmann has put the New York-based business, which owns the rights to songs by Coldplay and Christina Aguilera, up for sale and hopes for a swift deal.   It needs to raise more than £3bn to buy back the 25% stake that Groupe Bruxelles Lambert has in Bertelsmann and so take back control of the business.American firm Warner Music, whic

Since it's the 'T In The Park' weekend it seems only fitting to devote much of this week's column to the DVD release of Julien Temple's enjoyably grubby documentary Glastonbury (available from 16 July).   If only because it captures something of the spirit of a music festival without having to endure thousands of sunburnt Neds hurling half-drunk pints into the crowd while doing vocal approximations of the guitar riff from Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out.   Piecing together archival material, inte

Britain's EMI is keen to discuss valuations with bid target Warner Music Group, but will not pay as much as $5.6 billion, a source close to the company said on Friday.   The Times newspaper said earlier on Friday, in an unsourced report, that New York-based Warner Music (Charts) would consider selling itself for around $37.5 to $38.0 a share, or about $5.6 billion.   "EMI has for some time been keen to discuss valuation with Warner, but clearly believes $38 is a completely unrealistic valuation

Universal Music Group, the world's largest record business, is among the bidders preparing to submit offers for Bertelsmann's music publishing business by Monday's first round deadline.   Universal controls 12% of the global music publishing market and would become the world's largest music publisher if it acquired BMG's arm, which has a share of 13%. Other bidders include Apax Partners, the private equity firm, and Warner Music Group.   British record group EMI is reportedly considering leading

Legendary The Beatles recording studio Abbey Road has been granted a new licence to host live music despite complaints from disgruntled neighbours.   The London studio came under fire in February after holding an "illegal" Coldplay show which was later broadcast on BBC radio. As a result, the world-famous Abbey Road location was told to apply for a live performance licence which would allow it permission for gigs, as well as the sale of alcohol from 10am to midnight.   The proposal infuriated lo

The takeover battle between two of the world’s biggest record labels intensified today amid reports that Warner Music is contemplating an improved £2.7bn (€3.9bn) bid for EMI.   The Times newspaper said United States giant Warner was looking at an offer worth 340p-a-share having had two earlier bids at 315p and 320p rejected.   Such a bid would raise the stakes in the tug-of-war between the two companies which has also seen EMI launch two unsuccessful bids for Warner, including one of £2.52bn (€

Legendary The Beatles recording studio Abbey Road could be refused permission to host live gigs after complaints from disgruntled neighbours.   The venue came under fire in February after holding an "illegal" Coldplay show which was later broadcast on BBC radio. As a result, the London studio was told to apply for a live performance licence which would allow it permission for gigs, as well as the sale of alcohol, from 10am to midnight.   But the proposal has infuriated local residents who have f

This week it was Coldplay; next March water play will take over Rod Laver Arena. The home of tennis and concerts and even Disney on Ice was incorporated into the 2007 World Swimming Championships program by organisers last July.   The venue will be used for swimming and synchronised swimming in a specially installed Olympic-sized pool that will not greatly reduce the stadium's 15,000-spectator capacity.   The installation system, known as "skypool", allows the pool to sit on the floor using free

You didn't think Microsoft would sit on the sidelines forever as its longtime rival Apple Computer grew into the 800-pound gorilla of portable music, did you?   After years of allowing other manufacturers to make MP3 players that used its software, Microsoft is developing its own handheld music and video player to take on the iPod, according to a report in The New York Times.   And it will have at least one thing the iPod doesn't: WiFi capabilities that would let users download music without con

Thom Yorke is not here to comfort you. His voice isn’t made for that. It is all about intense pain and raw beauty, a sound weary and a little crazed from alienation, aggravation, boredom, fear. The usual modern problems.   Radiohead has chosen this path, delivering on this bleak and somehow uplifting worldview with sparks of swirling guitars and electronics and a muted kind of intensity that can’t be easy to pull off, real or fake.   The endless comparisons to Pink Floyd and Coldplay are underst

Bolton fans eagerly anticipating the new series of Ricky Gervais's TV comedy Extras may feel at home when it is shown later this year.   In a new plot line, Andy Millman, the hapless would-be actor played by Gervais, writes his own sitcom and sets it in a Bolton factory.   The town [birthplace of Coldplaying.com's webmaster no less] appears to be becoming the choice location for comedy shows since Peter Kay set Phoenix Nights in Farnworth. Sadly, the crew and cast of Extras, which is to feature

German media group Bertelsmann is considering selling a part of its 50 percent stake in Sony BMG, the music recording company it owns jointly with Sony Corp, a source familiar with the situation said.   "It is basically half now, and half later," the source said on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity.   Any changes to the ownership structure would have to be approved by Sony under the terms of the joint venture, another source familiar with the situation said. Sony Chief Executive Howa

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is currently in talks to star opposite Ben Stiller in a new romantic comedy.   The Farrelly Brothers are desperate for Paltrow to appear in ‘The Seven Day Itch’, a new film loosely based on 1972 film ‘The Heartbreak Kid’. Stiller and Paltrow have previously appeared together in 'The Royal Tenenbaums'. According to the Boston Herald Bobby Farrelly said of the film’s plot: "Ben thinks he's married the girl of his dreams. She's beautiful, but then, on their honeymoon, he fin

If proof were needed that commercial radio is undergoing a revolution, Ofcom has just provided it. The communications industry watchdog yesterday slashed the annual licence fees for several analogue radio stations.   Classic FM, owned by GCap Media, will now pay the Government just £50,000 for its national analogue licence, down from £1.16m. SMG's Virgin Radio will see its outlay fall tenfold to just £100,000. The cuts reflect the increasing popularity of digital radio; fierce competition from b

Posters and hockey jerseys autographed by musicians from Broken Social Scene, Great Big Sea, The Tragically Hip and Alexisonfire are among the Junos memorabilia being put up for auction on EBay.   The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences says proceeds from the online sale will benefit MusiCan, a music education program that helps fund music programs across the country.   From July 14-24, music fans can bid on 30 items of autographed memorabilia from the 2005 and 2006 Juno Awards.The

After starring in both blockbusters and critically acclaimed films, winning a best actress Oscar and pretty much conquering the acting world, Gwyneth Paltrow is ready to try her hand at music.   The 33-year-old actress, who is best known for her starring roles in films like Se7en, Shakespeare In Love and Proof, is currently in the midst of recording an album. She is working with producer William Orbit, who has previously worked with artists like Blur and Madonna.   This isn’t Paltrow’s first f

And concentrate on albums...   Cult indie label Fierce Panda is to stop releasing its legendary 7” singles this summer. The label has helped launch the careers of a plethora of top bands with its one off single releases including the likes of Coldplay and Keane.   Other bands that have featured on its books include iLiKETRAiNS, Art Brut, Battle, Shitdisco and Boy Kill Boy. According to the BBC founder Simon Williams says that the label now wants to concentrate on albums and developing the compan