CMU Daily 04.08.17: Furious Five member accused of murder, Phil Alexander to join new Kerrang! owner

The Kidd Creole accused of murdering homeless man in New York
A member of the iconic hip hop group Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five has been arrested in relation to murder charges following a violent run in with a homeless man in New York earlier this week.

Nathaniel Glover was one of the five rappers that made up the Furious Five performing as The Kidd Creole (not to be confused, of course, with Kid Creole, the stage name of singer August Darnell, frontman of Kid Creole And The Coconuts).

Although the Furious Five disbanded in the eighties, the four surviving members have performed again under that name in more recent years, after two of Glover's bandmates - including his brother Melvin, aka Melle Mel - went on tour together in 2014.

Though Glover also seemingly works as a handyman and security guard at a building in New York near where Tuesday night's incident occurred. According to the New York Daily News, Glover attacked the homeless man, named as John Jolly, after the two men got into an argument, the details of which are not currently clear.

A source told the Daily News: "They had no prior relationship. They had words. Things got out of hand. It was some sort of diss. [Glover] turned, interpreting that the guy was making an advance toward him. One thing led to another, and he shivved him twice in the chest".

Meanwhile a police report about the incident provided to Rolling Stone states: "On Tuesday, August 1, 2017, police responded to a 911 call of a male possibly stabbed at East 44 Street and 3 Avenue within the confines of the 17 Precinct. Upon arrival, police observed a 55 year old male with multiple stab wounds to the torso. EMS [emergency medical services] also responded and transported the male to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased ... The investigation is ongoing".

Glover was identified as the other man involved in the incident via CCTV footage and was subsequently arrested on Wednesday.

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Suge Knight pleads not-guilty to latest set of criminal charges
Former hip hop mogul Suge Knight was back in court yesterday to plead not-guilty to charges that he threatened to kill or cause serious harm to F Gary Gray, the film director who directed NWA biopic 'Straight Outta Compton'.

The alleged threats were made in August 2014, a year before the biopic - in which Knight is portrayed - was released. The matter was in court this week following a grand jury indictment making formal charges against the one time Death Row Records boss.

The grand jury indictment states that the threat Knight allegedly made to Gray was "on its face and under the circumstances in which it was made ... so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate and specific as to convey to Felix Gary Gray a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution. It is further alleged that the said Felix Gary Gray was reasonably in sustained fear of his safety and the safety of his immediate family".

Knight denied the grand jury's allegations in court yesterday. He is now battling three sets of criminal charges. In addition to this, he is facing robbery charges in relation to a 2014 altercation with a photographer, and murder charges after causing the death of Terry Carter - by driving into him - after a row in a car park in early 2015 nearby the filming of a trailer for the 'Straight Outta Compton' film.

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Universal Publishing signs Roxette's Per Gessle
When is a worldwide deal not a worldwide deal? Am I a tedious pedant for thinking that you shouldn't really use the term "worldwide deal" if you immediately add the word "excluding" after it? Because the minute you exclude anywhere, it's not a worldwide deal any more, right? You're nodding. Are you agreeing with me about the worldwide deal thing or that I'm a "tedious pedant"? No, actually, don't tell me.

Anyway, Universal Music Publishing has signed a "worldwide deal" - wait for it - here it comes - are you ready? - enjoy it - "excluding the Nordic region and the Baltic states" - with Per Gessle off of Swedish pop rock combo Roxette. The administration deal covers all of Gessle's songwriting work with Roxette and some other tunes too.

Confirming the deal, UMPG UK MD Mike McCormack said: "Roxette's phenomenal song collection has a place in the hearts of music lovers across generations, with a longevity that has few comparisons".

He went on: "Per wrote all of his and Roxette's massive worldwide hits almost exclusively on his own, which is extremely rare in the pop marketplace where multiple writers are usually involved in each song. This gives the songs real personality and a sense of fun - and always with a killer chorus. We're incredibly honoured and excited to have been selected to represent the catalogue".

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Warner/Chappell signs Josh Record
Warner/Chappell has signed Josh Record who has written and produced tunes for artists like Anne-Marie, Dan Owen, Ella Henderson, Jones, Jorja Smith, LP, Matrix & Futurebound, Mr Probz and Wilkinson, as well as releasing his own music, including via a deal with Virgin Records.

Confirming the new publishing deal with Record, Warner/Chappell UK's Paul Smith said: "Josh is an incredible songwriter who has worked with some of the best in the business. We're so delighted to support him on the next stage of his journey, building his career as a leading international songwriter".

Meanwhile Record himself went 'on the record' (ha - classic!) to say: "I'm so pleased to be signed to Warner/Chappell. They've got a great reputation for helping songwriters build their careers and I'm looking forward to working with Paul Smith and the rest of the team as I take my songwriting to the next level".

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LeeFest offers free tickets to Y Not attendees to "restore faith in festivals"
Organisers of LeeFest are offering a hundred free tickets to people who attended the recent editions of Truck and Y Not in a bid to "restore their faith in festivals".

As previously reported, the final day of Y Not was called off last weekend after heavy rainfall caused chaos on site. There was much chatter online accusing management at the event of not being properly prepared for the bad weather conditions, and also criticising onsite security and communications, among other things.

Although the company overseeing production at Y Not denied that it hadn't been prepared for the bad weather, that hasn't stopped some ticket-holders complaining online about various alleged logistical issues at both Y Not and its sister festival Truck, which took place the previous weekend.

Some have also noted that both festivals were acquired last year by the acquisitive live music side of Global - via its Broadwick Live business - alleging that that has impacted on customer service.

It's seemingly in response to that chatter that LeeFest is offering the free tickets to its 2017 event - LeeFest Presents The Neverland - which takes place from 10-12 Aug.

The festival's founder Lee Denny said yesterday: ""We don't want people to lose faith in festivals because a major company failed to deliver. Hopefully we can give a few people the experience they deserved at Y Not and Truck and that will restore their love of festivals!"

Also implying that the alleged issues at Y Not and Truck were possibly linked to them now being operated by a major player in live entertainment - rather than an independent promoter - Denny added: "Independent festivals are toiled over by teams for the love of the event, not just for profit. We don't want to be tarred with the brush of the majors so hopefully this is a small contribution to combat that!"

Anyone who had a ticket for Y Not or Truck can enter the draw for free LeeFest tickets by sending the order confirmation they received from the other events to [email protected] by midday on Sunday, 6 Aug.

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Wasted Talent hires Phil Alexander to oversee development of Kerrang!
The new owner of Kerrang! has hired Phil Alexander to oversee the development of the rock media brand. Alexander has had a long career in the UK music press, most recently in a role that saw him oversee all three of Bauer Media's music magazines, which included Kerrang!

As previously reported, the publisher of dance title Mixmag bought Kerrang! back in April, hoping to employ the same tactics it has used to grow the business side of the former to restore the fortunes of the latter. Both music magazines were previously owned by Bauer (or, technically in Mixmag's case, its forerunner in the UK, EMAP).

Alexander will join the senior management team at what is now known as Wasted Talent in September as Global Creative Director of Kerrang! and Rock Music Media. He will be responsible for the print, digital and events side of the Kerrang! business as well as contributing to the wider development of the Wasted Talent company.

Confirming the hire, Wasted Talent CEO Jerry Perkins said: "Phil manages to combine two things that are rare: the passion of a fan with a sense of where things are heading next. Added to that is his ability to build extraordinary teams and to understand the needs of the audience. He also has the respect of musicians themselves as well as that of the wider the music industry. Then, there's his understated business acumen".

Perkins concluded: "He is the perfect person to contribute to Wasted Talent's expansion, and to oversee Kerrang!'s global development in particular".

Alexander himself said: "I am honoured to have worked as part of the remarkable editorial teams at Bauer Media and, before that, at EMAP. During my time there I have been allowed the freedom to develop new ideas, and I have enjoyed a set of unique, life-changing experiences for which I will always be grateful. Working with Jerry and the Wasted Talent gang is a fantastic challenge that I am tremendously excited about as we embark on a series of new adventures".

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Justin Bieber responds to speculation about his cancelled tour - sort of
With some people - somewhere - probably - still chatting about why, exactly, Justin Bieber decided to cancel his remaining tour dates, the man himself took to Instagram earlier this week to explain. Sort of.

His typed up message was rather waffley, but he wants you to know that his 'Purpose' tour was unbelievable, that he is "blessed", that he's looking to the future, and that he is just taking some time out right now in order to be "sustainable". And why not, say I.

In amongst the waffle, future looking Bieber wrote: "I have let my insecurities get the best of me at times. I let my broken relationships dictate the way I acted toward people and the way I treated them. I let bitterness, jealousy and fear run my life. I am extremely blessed to have people in the past few years help me build my character back up, reminding me of who I am and who I want to be. Reminding me my past decisions and past relationships don't dictate my future decisions and my future relationships".

While on the need to take time out, he added: "Me taking this time right now is me saying I want to be sustainable. I want my career to be sustainable, but I also want my mind, heart and soul to be sustainable. So that I can be the man I want to be, the husband I eventually want to be and the father I want to be. This message is just an opportunity for you to know my heart, I'm not expecting anyone to understand, but I do want people to have an opportunity to know where I'm coming from".

The whole message is here. As previously reported, Bieber announced last week that he was cancelling remaining tour dates in North America and Asia due to "unforeseen circumstances".

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Beef Of The Week #366: Simon Cowell v One Direction solo careers
Now, you might be a former One Direction member currently pursuing a solo career, and you know what it's like being a former One Direction member currently pursuing a solo career, don't you? It's fun, right?

Fun, fun, fun. So fun. So very very fun. Majorly fun. Amazingly fun. Magnificently fun. Tremendously fun. Stupendously fun. Astoundingly fun. Immensely fun. Terrifically fun. Fantastically fun. Incredibly fun. Marvelously fun. Awesomely fun. Massively fun. Wonderfully fun. Basically, it's fun. Fucking full of fucking good fun.

But do you know what's also fun? Being a current member of One Direction, that's what. By which, I mean, being a current member of One Direction not currently pursuing a solo career. That's fun, right?

Fun, fun, fun. So fun. So very very fun. Majorly fun. Amazingly fun. Magnificently fun. Tremendously fun. Stupendously fun. Astoundingly fun. Immensely fun. Terrifically fun. Fantastically fun. Incredibly fun. Marvelously fun. Awesomely fun. Massively fun. Wonderfully fun. Basically, it's fun. Fucking full of mother-fucking good fun.

Now, those of you paying attention will spot that while being a former One Direction member currently pursuing a solo career is almost as much fun as being a current member of One Direction not currently pursuing a solo career, being a former One Direction member currently pursuing a solo career is "fucking" good fun while being a current member of One Direction not currently pursuing a solo career is "mother-fucking" good fun. And - while that might seem like mere semantics - we all know that mother-fucking good fun is better than fucking good fun. Check your swears scale people, that's just obvious.

The conclusion? Those former One Direction members currently pursuing a solo career should come to their senses and become current members of One Direction not currently pursuing a solo career. Because, as I said, IT'S MORE FUN.

It's like what Simon Cowell said to The Sun this week: "You know, it's fun being out there on your own but what I hope is going to happen is that they remember now how much fun it was being in a group". The "they" he was referring to there, by the way, in case you wondered, were the former members of One Direction currently pursuing a solo career.

"I always believe that you don't make rules, you break the rules", Cowell continued, referring to that famous rule that says broken up boy bands can't reform. "So there's nothing to stop them, if they want to, getting together for a tour, for an album". And would 1D creator Cowell and his Syco pop machine be up for joining in? "I made it absolutely clear" he added, "obviously, 'we're in'".

But what if that Harry Styles decided he wanted to go full time with his new career of playing bit parts in war movies? No worries, the other One Direction boys could reunite without him. Especially if that Zayn Malik could be persuaded to jump on board. Though, Cowell concedes, 1D-minus-Styles "wouldn't be the same".

No, of course not. But would it be as much fun? That's the real question. Would a One Direction reunion without Harry Styles still be fun? Fun, fun, fun? So fun? So very very fun? Majorly fun? Amazingly fun? Magnificently fun? Tremendously fun? Stupendously fun? Astoundingly fun? Immensely fun? Terrifically fun? Fantastically fun? Incredibly fun? Marvelously fun? Awesomely fun? Massively fun? Wonderfully fun? Basically, fun?

Cowell wouldn't comment on this all-important question. Typical! But worry not, we've just engaged the greatest mathematical minds in the world and they're now embarked on a seven year study involving fourteen of the top universities. The title of their research? 'Would One Direction without Harry Styles be more fun that fucking good fun even if it can't be as fun as mother-fucking good fun?' We'll let you know the answer post peer review.

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