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If you haven't already heard on the messageboard, the makers of The Simpsons have announced they're "tired and, frankly, too rich to care any more" about creating new characters for the award-winning cartoon. So they've asked their fans to do it for them.   The television show's website - thesimpsons.com - is giving viewers one week to come up with a name, catchphrase and description of a new character to be written into an episode to air in January 2010.   Coldplay's Chris Martin will feature i

With Coldplay and The Killers nominated in a total of five categories at this year’s Brits, it seemed inconceivable that, between them, the two bands wouldn’t emerge from Earls Court with one or two trophies.   And with that in mind, what better way to celebrate than to join forces in aid of War Child and triumphantly bash out a few tunes? In the end, both bands emerged empty-handed. If you had to guess which of the two groups might be most affronted by the perceived ignominy, chances are you w

Pity poor Coldplay! Not a single Brit award, despite all those nominations, writes the Telegraph today. Still, to distract themselves from their catalogue of failure, they headlined this late-night gig which simultaneously marked the 15th anniversary of the War Child charity while boosting brand awareness for the newly-named O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, now part of the O2/Live Nation juggernaut.   They took the stage after a rousing introduction from Al "Pub Landlord" Murray, who declared them "pr

Wednesday's War Child gig, celebrating 15 years of the rock-affiliated charity, makes no secret of its allegiances, reports The Guardian Online. The audience is packed in long beforehand but proceedings don't start until 11pm, giving joint headliners Coldplay and The Killers plenty of time to digest their ceremony dinner across town before heading for Shepherds Bush.   The pay-off is the gig's status as the unofficial Brits aftershow, and a rumour mill buzzing with speculation about who else wil

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin doesn’t know if Michael Stipe will be on hand when Coldplay returns to Atlanta Sunday, but having R.E.M.’s lead singer sit in with Martin’s band back in 2005 was “a front man’s wet dream,” Martin says.   One might imagine the admiration goes both ways, considering the triple-Grammy-winning, multimillion-selling success of Coldplay’s latest album, “Viva La Vida.”   The extended tour that began almost a year ago to support the album brought Coldplay to Atlanta last N

Hate him if you like, but at least Chris Martin has the good grace to bash out a decent tune and keep us entertained with his antics, says Ed Power of independent.ie. Why does everybody hate Chris? Say what you like about his band's faintly antiseptic music, but the Coldplay frontman seems a decent enough sort (albeit with a whiff of the batty yoga instructor about him).   And yet, if asked which rock star we'd most like to smack on the nose, a sizable majority of us would walk right past Bono,

“Whispers around the sport are Mick Jagger has been courted by series broadcaster Channel 9 to make a cameo appearance at at least one of the five Test matches between Australia and England,” reports the Daily Telegraph’s Sydney Confidential.   On a day for big name dropping, Shane Warne reveals his friendship with Coldplay’s Chris Martin during the Australian launch of his latest book.   Alex Brown becomes the Sydney Morning Herald’s music reporter for a minute. "We bumped into each other in

Senior executives at EMI, the British record label, and its American rival Warner Music Group are preparing for preliminary talks that could lead to the creation of the world’s third-largest music company.   Sources close to both groups said the firms’ on-off discussions would resume in earnest within months, with advisers on both sides being briefed to prepare for merger talks.   EMI, which counts Coldplay among its top artists, is understood to have lined up Citigroup and UBS to assist it, whi

Senior executives at EMI, the British record label, and its American rival Warner Music Group are preparing for preliminary talks that could lead to the creation of the world’s third-largest music company.   Sources close to both groups said the firms’ on-off discussions would resume in earnest within months, with advisers on both sides being briefed to prepare for merger talks.   EMI, which counts Coldplay among its top artists, is understood to have lined up Citigroup and UBS to assist it, whi

Warner Music has drawn up a shortlist of agencies to pitch for its £18m media planning and buying account, inviting MindShare, PHD, ZenithOptimedia and the incumbent Media Campaign.   ZenithOptimedia will pitch for the account along with specialist entertainment agency Media Mix. Contrary to reports, Interpublic Group's Universal McCann has not made the shortlist. Warner Music controls record labels Atlantic Records and Warner Bros Records. Artists on Atlantic include James Blunt, Hard-Fi and Mi

Music group EMI yesterday revealed a fresh blow in its long-running attempts to secure a takeover of US rival Warner Music.   A combination would create the world's third largest music company behind Universal and Sony BMG, bringing together artists such as Coldplay and Robbie Williams in the EMI stable with Madonna in the Warner camp. But the London company said it had been told by the US group that it did not wish to enter into takeover talks with EMI.   Such a deal has long been expected in t

Music group EMI yesterday revealed a fresh blow in its long-running attempts to secure a takeover of US rival Warner Music.   A combination would create the world's third largest music company behind Universal and Sony BMG, bringing together artists such as Coldplay and Robbie Williams in the EMI stable with Madonna in the Warner camp. But the London company said it had been told by the US group that it did not wish to enter into takeover talks with EMI.   Such a deal has long been expected in t

U.S. Warner Music Group has bid 2.5 billion pounds ($4.6 billion) for Britain's EMI Group Plc in an attempt to take control of the company that has been pursuing it, the Financial Times said on Wednesday.   The offer is worth 320 pence per EMI share which closed at 283.75 pence on Tuesday, the FT said on its Web site. EMI was not immediately available for comment.   On May 3 Warner Music (WMG.N: Quote), the world's fourth largest music company and home to Green Day and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, re

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Warner Music Group said it will not launch a counterbid for UK record label EMI Group, leaving the way clear for buyout company Terra Firma's agreed 2.4 bln stg takeover offer.   The US music major, home to acts like Madonna, said in a statement that it has decided against bidding for EMI, after saying in early June that it was weighing a bid for the Beatles and Coldplay publisher.   EMI's board recommended a 265 pence-per-share takeover bid from Terra Firma in late

A private equity firm that part owns America’s Warner Music has held preliminary talks with advisers to EMI about resurrecting last summer’s failed bids.   The recent talks – opened without Warner’s authority – were prompted by interest from rival Permira, which is widely expected to make a 320p bid shortly.   Warner, which floated on the New York Stock Exchange in May last year, is still part owned by Bain Capital, Thomas H Lee, Providence Equity Partners and chairman Edgar Bronfman’s investm

LONDON (Reuters) - Warner Music Group has made a bid approach for Britain's EMI despite uncertainty over whether any deal would win regulatory approval, in the latest twist in a seven-year tit-for-tat takeover battle.   EMI, which announced the move on Tuesday, said there was currently no proposal for the board to consider and no certainty that the approach would result in one, but the statement still sent its shares up 5.4 percent to 233-1/2 pence at 1140 GMT.   Analysts had speculated that EMI

Warner Music Group said Monday that it may take another run at struggling music company EMI, which last month agreed to be acquired by private equity group Terra Firma in a $4.7 billion deal.   Manhattan-based Warner and London-based EMI have flirted with a transatlantic partnership for seven years. Earlier this year, EMI rejected a $4.1 billion offer from Warner. That bid came after both companies each offered about $4.6 billion to acquire the other.   A fresh offer from Warner could come withi

World's fourth-largest music company denies $4.2 billion offer after board evaluation determines deal not in best interest of shareholders   Warner Music, the world's fourth-largest music company, has rejected a $4.2 billion takeover approach from its larger rival EMI Group, the latest in a long-running quest to combine the two companies.   EMI, whose artists include Coldplay and Robbie Williams, revealed the bid of $28.50 per share Wednesday and said it still believes that buying Warner Music w

World's fourth-largest music company denies $4.2 billion offer after board evaluation determines deal not in best interest of shareholders   Warner Music, the world's fourth-largest music company, has rejected a $4.2 billion takeover approach from its larger rival EMI Group, the latest in a long-running quest to combine the two companies.   EMI, whose artists include Coldplay and Robbie Williams, revealed the bid of $28.50 per share Wednesday and said it still believes that buying Warner Music w

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

Shares of Warner Music Group fell after London-based EMI Group said it would no longer pursue a $4.6 billion merger with the U.S. recording giant.   EMI backed out of merger talks following a European court ruling earlier this month that scuttled two-year-old BMG Music Entertainment -- the joint venture between Sony Music Corp. and Bertelsmann AG.   Manhattan-based Warner Music issued a statement after EMI's announcement, saying it would also back out of its counteroffer for EMI.Shares of Warn

Warner Music is to make its latest attempt to buy EMI, the record group behind Norah Jones and Coldplay, joining three financial bidders in the £3bn ($5.9bn) battle for the UK music group.   The US music company, led by Edgar Bronfman, has begun due diligence after gaining access to EMI's books. Private equity firms Fortress, Cerberus Capital Management and One Equity are also going through EMI's data room.   Warner Music has tried repeatedly to merge with EMI. Last summer, Warner offered 320p a

Warner Music addressed fears it was struggling to line up sufficient funding for its £2.6bn (E3.76bn, $4.8bn) bid for rival EMI last week by securing a formal guarantee from investment banks Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs to underwrite the debt.   The details of the financing, seen by The Business, will reassure the board of EMI, which had concerns.   EMI and Warner, the world’s third and fourth-largest music groups, are bidding to buy each other.In a document known as a “highly confident” le

April 9, 2007 -- Warner Music Group may pursue a merger with EMI Group, the world's third-largest music label, by appealing directly to EMI shareholders. EMI last month rejected a $4.1 billion bid from Warner, saying the price was "inadequate."   Warner is eager to push ahead with a bid because the European Commission's review of a merger between Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG offers an opportunity to reshape the industry, the Sunday Times of London reported. Warner is also concerned that EMI ma

LONDON (AFX) - Warner Music Group is unlikely to come back early this week with a fresh approach for its London-based rival EMI, according to a report in the Guardian.   EMI, the world's third-largest music group, said last week that it had received a 'non-binding proposal' from Warner indicating that the US group might be prepared to make an offer, pre-conditional on regulatory clearance, of 260 pence a share. But EMI, which counts Robbie Williams and Coldplay among its artists, added it would