Jenjie

Coldplay's gig at Abbey Road was aired on BBC Radio 2 this evening. It was interesting listening to the way it was edited, some of the chatty bits left in, and some obvious cuts between songs. There was lots of commentary from Chris during the first half an hour or so. Whoever edited the show decided to leave in the part where Chris asked for more light because "it feels like a seance". 'Swallowed in the Sea' was introduced as "the best ballad we've ever written, apart from 'The Scientist'. There was a particularly rambling introduction to 'Don't Panic', which Chris dedicated to his brother, for the occasion he wore a pink tux (although this apparently wasn't true!) I particularly like the fact that they left in the bit where Chris said "You can't put any of this stuff on the radio" and proceeded to re-introduce 'Don't Panic' as a "song of our first album which sold more than 237 copies". The setlist was slightly reduced from the one reported by attendees at the gig. Square One Politik White Shadows Swallowed In The Sea How You See The World Don't Panic Clocks Talk The Hardest Part In My Place Fix You Join the discussions of the radio show here and catch up with the accounts of the jammy beggars who got to go, here

According to XE.com its US$237

The Orchard, the world's leading distributor and marketer of independent music, and Amp'd Mobile, the first mobile entertainment company created to bring next-gen broadband wireless services for youth and young adults, today announced at CTIA a new partnership where The Orchard will provide music and video from its 800,000-track catalogue-the largest in the world-to Amp'd Mobile's U.S. consumers. The Orchard is the first major independent distributor to provide content to Amp'd Mobile. Amp'd U.S. subscribers will have access to mastertones, tones, and full track downloads (with dual delivery to phone and PC) from The Orchard's global music catalogue. In addition, The Orchard is making portions of its video catalogue available to Amp'd users. This will mark the first time most of these videos-including classic 3 Stooges footage, scenes from The Toxic Avenger and other cult classic films, and music videos from breaking acts like The Hold Steady and Ted Leo-are available for mobile devices in the United States. The Orchard will provide Amp'd Mobile the best independent music from around the world, including landmark indie rock and punk from SST (Black Flag, Minutemen) and Lookout! Records (The Donnas, Ted Leo), classic hip-hop from Delicious Vinyl (Tone Loc, Young MC) and Nature Sounds (MF Doom), and much more. The Orchard catalogue also includes music from multi-platinum acts such as Green Day, Coldplay, and Ray Charles from their early years, before they were signed to major labels, and breaking bands like The Hold Steady and Art Brut. Overall, The Orchard's catalogue encompasses music from thousands of record labels spanning 73 countries and every music genre. "The Orchard has the largest and greatest collection of independent music," said Larry Mattera, Senior VP of Music for Amp'd Mobile. "For our subscribers seeking entertainment content outside of the mainstream-be it music, voice, or video-The Orchard offers unparalleled choice. We are pleased that our partnership with The Orchard has enabled us to diversify our entertainment offering." "Amp'd understands the diverse broadband wireless content that young people want and how to deliver it," said Greg Scholl, chief executive of The Orchard and managing director of Dimensional Associates, the company that owns The Orchard, eMusic and Dimensional Music Publishing. "We're excited to be the first independent distributor selected to partner with Amp'd." Source: The Orchard

American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. He was on a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness. The cause of death is not yet known but is not suspicious. His biggest success was in the 1960s and he enjoyed a 1989 revival with his chart-topping duet, Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart, with Marc Almond. Almond said he was "saddened and shocked" at the news. "Together we had one of the biggest hits of 1989 with Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart and it was an honour to have worked with him," he said. "He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs. Today is a sad day." Mark Howes of his management company In Touch Music said the singer was found in his bed. Mr Howes told BBC Wales that everyone had been shocked by the death and there had been no signs that he was ill. "He did a good show last night at St David's Hall and it was wonderful," he said. "I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well. He said it was the best tour he had done for quite a few years." Pitney has continually toured over the last 40 years. He received a glowing review for the South Wales Echo - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff. He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday. Pitney's songs have been recorded by some of the world's biggest stars - Hello Mary Lou was released by Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison recorded Today's Teardrops as the B-side to his million-selling single, Blue Angel. He is also credited with helping the Rolling Stones break the American market with his endorsement of the band. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote his hit That Girl Belongs to Yesterday which became the Stones duo's first composition to reach the American charts. The son of a mill worker, Pitney said childhood ambitions of becoming a performer could not have been further from his mind. He once recalled how his first solo performance at school degenerated into an embarrassing whimper as Pitney was petrified by the expectant audience. Overcoming his nerves over the next few years, Pitney learned to play the guitar and piano and formed a schoolboy band. It was during one of their gigs that his distinctive voice was discovered by the "the proverbial fat man with a cigar" who took him off to New York. He is survived by his wife Lynne and three sons who live in his native Connecticut. BBC WALES

MegaStar says: ‘Put the rock ’n roll back into the Brits before we die of macrobiotic boredom.’ Organisers of next year’s Brit Awards are already drawing up their wish-list for a line-up that promises to cause a bit of controversy. After several years of Coldplay getting millions of nominations and James Blunt sipping herb tea backstage, they’ve decided things need spicing up a bit and we’re right behind them. Gone are the days when a disgruntled rock star would get trollied, grab the mic and start hurling abuse at their record label or a rival band. Now it’s all fey singer-songwriters, getting along with each other and holding the doors open for each other because their mothers taught them that politeness costs nothing. Borrrrrrring! Next year, plans are afoot to go back to showing the ceremony live on television. If that didn’t give it enough of an edge, the people behind the mega-budget show are thinking of inviting The Sex Pistols along. They figure, if they dish out a lifetime achievement award to Johnny Lydon and the boys, they might be repaid with a bit of punk-style bad behaviour. Other dust-ups at Brit Awards gone by have included Jarvis Cocker waggling his bum at Michael Jackson during his ludicrous performance of Earth Song and Chumbawumba’s Danbert Nobacon chucking a glass of water over Deputy PM John Prescott. Now we’ve seen Lydon do a stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, we know he’s still as nutty as a fruitcake. So anything could happen. We’ll be tuning in. Source: Megastar

Why oh why does the film have to be called by the american title of the book? What's wrong with calling it "Northern Lights". Looking forward to this though. Should be a really good film.

Lyra Belacqua. Philip Pullman heroine and star of upcoming movie The Golden Compass. But who will play her? The thousands of girls who turned up for the first audition for the role were hoping the answer would be "Me! me! me!" An icy night followed by a windy morning were not the ideal conditions for queuing in Cambridge. But they came in their thousands. Nine-year-old Hannah, from Derby, had given up a lot to attend the auditions. She's taken part in the World Ladies Snooker Championship and was meant to be playing in the billiards competition on Tuesday. "I like drama and I like billiards, but I had to choose between the two," said Hannah. "I think going to an audition is the same as playing snooker in that you have to concentrate and people are looking at you." She added: "I like Lyra because she gets into mischief a lot and I like doing that too." The queue stretched around the block. Most girls faced a two-hour wait before seeing the casting directors. Nine-year-old Rachel from Peterborough started queuing at 8.30am - an hour and a half before the doors opened. She said: "It's been a bit boring at times, but I've found a friend to talk to." Rachel described Lyra as determined. She said: "I was determined to read the book before I came here." Then she disappeared into the audition with her new friend, Lottie. Newsround wasn't allowed into the audition but 11-year-old Georgia from Essex told us what happened behind the scenes. "They asked for the children to go into the hall but for the parents to stay behind," she revealed. "There was a group of about 60 of us. They asked the children their names and where they came from. "Then they asked random kids a few questions. They asked me who my favourite character was. I said Pan. "Afterwards they asked four people to stay. I was one of them. I felt really nervous about what they were going to do. "They took photos of us then our parents came to get us. They might contact me now to read some lines. I would feel nervous but very excited." Georgia had been and gone before 11-year-old Mireille from Grantham joined the queue - and it was still before midday! "It doesn't matter, it's moving fast," said Mireille of the long wait ahead. "I really really like acting. Some people have said Lyra's like me, I'm a bit weird. Being sisters didn't stop Sam and Michelle from Cambridge going for the same part. "It's cold but we're nearly at the front," said 10-year-old Michelle. Sam, 11, said she liked Lyra because: "She's a star." The girls were joined by their brother Tom who kept them amused while they were waiting. Eleven-year-old Charlotte from Tunbridge Wells said her 5.30am start had been worthwhile after getting a recall from her audition. "They asked me which character I preferred in the His Dark Materials series. I said Mrs Coulter. She's so powerful. She's evil but she's different. She can be nice and she can be horrible." As Newsround left the audition, the queues were getting longer, even though the 2pm cut-off point was edging closer. Thousands of girls had been seen by the casting directors. A few lucky ones were waiting for the call to see if they would be returning to read a script. Meanwhile the search for Lyra goes on, with auditions in Kendal, Oxford and Exeter in the coming days. Good luck, girls!! Newsround

Pearl Jam To Rock Reading Weekend Pearl Jam, Franz Ferdinand and Muse are announced as the headline acts for the Reading and Leeds Festivals as tickets go on sale for the twin events. The Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys, The Futureheads and The Streets will also play on the main stages. The bands will perform at both Richfield Avenue, Reading, and Bramham Park, near Wetherby, on the weekend of 25-27 August. Other acts lined up include Belle and Sebastian, Feeder and Placebo. More than 100,000 people are expected to flood to the festivals, paying up to £135 for a weekend pass. Although the festivals always sell out well in advance, they have taken on greater significance this summer because there is no Glastonbury Festival this year. Other bands to play at Reading and Leeds include My Chemical Romance, The Rakes, Dirty Pretty Things and The Subways. US rock band Pearl Jam, fronted by Eddie Vedder, were playing at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 2000 when a crowd surge resulted in eight fans being trampled to death. The band immediately cancelled the remaining dates of their European tour because they were so devastated by the tragedy, and criticised organisation at the festival, saying the deaths could have been avoided. BBC Entertainment

The music industry has launched a fresh legal assault on people accused of illegal file-sharing. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is taking legal action against nearly 2,000 song-swappers in 10 countries. The British music industry says illegal file-sharing has cost it £1.1bn over the last three years. Research firm XTN data said that illegal downloads in the UK have increased by 3% to 28% of music downloads since last September. Last year the UK record industry's trade association, BPI, won landmark court cases that resulted in two file-sharers paying thousands of pounds in damages for their online activities. Cheaper prices, the removal of digital rights management (DRM) on tracks, and services that are easier to use would encourage them to move to commercial services, it said. "Clunky software, difficulty in finding tracks and over zealous protection limiting where customers can play music they've bought are continuing to fuel file-sharing," said Greig Harper, founder of XTN Data. The new courts cases are aimed at uploaders, the people who make music available on file sharing networks. The IFPI said they are targeting what it calls persistent file-sharers, who typically upload thousands of music files. If the IFPI wins the cases, the defendants could end up paying compensation of several thousand euros. In Germany, where 542 people have made financial settlements with the music industry, the average payout is 2,670 euros (£1,900). But the IFPI is keen to point out that it is not always the uploader who ends up footing the bill. It has warned parents that they are responsible for their children's online activities. Read the full story at BBC Technology

It was 35 years ago that Mr Tickle first made an appearance, kicking off generation after generation's love for the Mr Men and the Little Miss books. The Mr Men were the creation of Roger Hargreaves who came up with the Mr Tickle character when his young son Adam asked what a tickle looked like. Now decades later there are more than 40 Mr Men characters and 30 Little Misses. An exhibition to mark the anniversary has opened at the Animation Art Gallery in London. Adam took over the Mr Men empire in 1988 when his father died suddenly at the age of 53. He had never attempted to draw any of the Mr Men before he was plunged into the world of children's fiction. "My mum says I have drawn from as soon as I could hold a pencil. I did a year at art college but really it was just a hobby until I got involved with the Mr Men," said Adam. "I had never drawn the Mr Men before he died. It took a long time to learn to draw them, my dad drew in a different style to me. I think it took about three years to learn to draw them." The Mr Men and Little Miss book titles were sold to entertainment group Chorion in 2004 in a £28m deal. Adam joined the company as a part-time creative consultant, which is the part of process he enjoys. "I have been working on the Mr Men books for about 16 years, nearly as long as my dad, which is a strange thought as I never considered working on them. "I only found out I was going to take over after my dad died, but there was a company to run and I was at a bit of a crossroads in terms of career. "I now don't work on Mr Men every day, so I'm able to pursue my other ambition which is oil painting, mainly landscapes." The newer books are still published with the name Roger Hargreaves on the front of the book. "It doesn't actually say 'by Roger Hargreaves' but it has his name on the front of the new books because I feel his name is what Mr Men are synonymous with, it's part of the brand in a way," said Adam. Little Miss Naughty is Adam Hargreaves favourite Little Miss character The original books written from 1971 are the ones that continue to be published to this day. They have never been re-illustrated, except for one page of Mr Silly which was redrawn while Roger was still alive, because the character was smoking a cigar, which was considered too un-PC for young children. Adam Hargreaves said: "I don't think they have dated at all. "They are possibly not as contemporary as the new ones because there are technological differences out there that have changed the way the world looks, so they get incorporated in the new books, like mobile phones. "The characters themselves have not dated because they don't sit in a particular time frame." Adam would like to see the Mr Men franchise continue for another 35 years, breaking into new countries, particularly in the US where they have had a degree of success in the past but have not been heavily promoted. "I think there are elements of the Mr Men that are quintessentially English in the stories but the characters are international because the human emotions, characteristics are there in every culture in every language - funny, happy, naughty, is something that is very easily translated." Mr Birthday, who likes parties, was created to mark the 35th anniversary of the Mr Men For the latest books, Mr Birthday and Little Miss Birthday, Adam returned to the first books written by his father for inspiration. "I tend to go back to the original stories just to get a feel of the stories and the way he wrote. There's a degree of formula to the Mr Men so I always like to remind myself of them. Adam has two children, aged 12 and 18, and admits it was only his youngest Jacob who really enjoyed the Mr Men. "Both are arty so there's every chance they could take over from me. Hopefully that's a long way off." The Mr Men and Little Miss exhibition is running at the Animation Art Gallery in London. BBC Entertainment

I've just updated the first post with a quote from GQ

Thanks ticking*clocks

Roger Daltrey, Coldplay and Charlie Gillett were among the stars to pick up awards at the 22nd Radio Academy Awards. Daltrey picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event, which was held at the Cafe de Paris in London and was hosted by Phill Jupitus. The star, who recently revealed that the years spent performing and recording with The Who has left him almost deaf, picked up the accolade in person before dashing off to perform in concert with Razorlight. The Neilsen Music Control Award for the Most Played Artist on UK Radio went to Coldplay. The band became only the fourth act to win the award since it was set up in 1999, joining the likes of Robbie Williams, Kylie and Jamelia. Coldplay’s third album X&Y has recently been named the best-selling album of 2005, ahead of Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi and rapper 50 Cent’s The Massacre. Renowned broadcaster and BBC world music DJ Charlie Gillett was handed The PRS John Peel Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio by Trevor Nelson. PRS chairman Ellis Rich commented: “Charlie Gillett is the man who pioneered world music in Britain. His radio shows have brought a diverse range of music to new audiences and we are delighted that he has joined the illustrious ranks of winners for this prestigious award.” The PRS Award was renamed in honour of the late John Peel last year, the DJ received the PRS Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio in 1994. Former Radio 1 controller Johnny Beerling was presented with a Radio Academy Fellowship at the industry event. Source: The Stage

Found this little piece penned (typed?) by Aaron Brophy:

I think the voters might be readers of GQ magazine but the article doesn't make it very clear. The article was only posted online an hour ago, so hopefully somewhere else will pick it up and give us some more info. Short of that, I'll see if I can grab a copy of GQ at work to get more info.

A city resident who admitted he planned to sell counterfeit tickets to a rock concert at the Tweeter Center last summer pleaded guilty Monday to attempted theft by deception. Khile Warren, 32, of the 600 block of Royden Street, must pay a $250 fine and $155 in penalties. Warren admitted that he planned to sell bogus tickets for the Coldplay concert on Aug. 7, 2005. Before any sale could be made, Warren was arrested by Camden police as the result of another crime in which he was not involved. Warren and an associate were with Charles Winslow, 32, of North Philadelphia, when Winslow was seen breaking into a car parked at the Tweeter Center, police said. When Winslow and the two other men fled, Warren dropped the tickets. Winslow pleaded guilty to theft from the car. Source: Courier Post

In a recent poll to find the best & worst dressed men of 2006, Chris Martin was voted as the 12th Most Badly Dressed Man. Source:itv UPDATE!! Have checked out GQ and it is indeed their poll. Here's part of what they had to say about Chris

try here

Nah!!! got them wrong! Syriana only deserves a 2/10. The 2 because the idea of the film was a good one but no more because they didn't follow through Walk the Line 9/10. I loved it alot, and could watch it again. And it was very interesting, and it was very sad, and it was just ace!

Saw this last night. It was a brilliant film, kept me hooked the entire time.

POLLO-/PESCO-VEGETARIANS: Pescetarians adhere to a vegetarian diet but also consume fish and seafood, while pollo-vegetarians round out their diets with fowl. LACTO-/OVO-VEGETARIANS: Lacto-vegetarians include dairy products in their diets, while ovo-vegetarians eat eggs in addition to their greens. VEGANS: The "truest" vegetarians, dietary vegans omit all animal products from their diet, including eggs, milk, cheese and honey. Bryan Adams and Alicia Silverstone are some examples. MACROBIOTICS: Loosely based on Chinese medicine, macrobiotic diets eschew all processed foods -- including flours and sweeteners -- in favour of unrefined foods like beans, whole grains, seaweed, certain vegetables and fermented foods (pickles, miso, soy sauce). Think Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and John Travolta, to name a few. RAW FOODISTS: Usually vegan, these folks won't eat food with a temperature above 46.7C, claiming the cooking process kills essential enzymes and/or portions of each nutrient. Some warm their food slightly, while others activate enzymes by soaking their food in water before eating. Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson are practitioners. FRUITARIANS: Taking things even further, fruitarians only eat foods that can be gathered without harming the plant (an attitude that typically arises from a holistic approach) and some only eat food that's already fallen off the plant itself. Diets include fruits, nuts and seeds, although some believe fruitarians are more susceptible to malnutrition than other vegetarians.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!! bit the top off, lick the middle out, then cram the rest of the chocolate in my mouth. and now I want one, and its bad because its chocolate. bad, bad people!!

I've never had a cream egg, but I absolutely adore Creme Eggs :P

Does it really matter if Debs visits here? She's as welcome as anyone else.