New England Journal Of Medicine Publishes Phase III Results Of VELCADE(R) (Bortezomib) For Injection In Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma Patients

�Millennium: The Takeda
Oncology Company proclaimed the publication of results from the 682
patient, randomized, Phase III VISTA(1) trial in this week's edition of the
New England Journal of Medicine. The results showed a significant endurance
benefit and a 30 percent discharge remission (CR) rate with VELCADE,
alkeran and prednisone (VcMP) compared to 4 percent for melaphalan and
prednisone (MP) alone in previously untreated multiple myeloma patients.
Multiple myeloma is the bit most usual blood cancer.



"These data demonstrate that treatment with VELCADE plus melphalan and
prednisone leads to a survival welfare and a high complete remission in
previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma," said Professor Jesus
San Miguel, M.D., Ph.D., Hematology Department Head, University Hospital of
Salamanca and Principal Investigator of the test. "The combination of
VELCADE plus alkeran and liquid Pred is an important modern option for these
patients."



These information originally were presented at the 2007 American Society of
Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting. Based on these positive visitation results, the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration sanctioned VELCADE for patients with
previously untreated multiple myeloma on June 20, 2008. The Phase III VISTA
trial was conducted by Millennium and its co-development partner Johnson &
Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. in 151 centers
worldwide.



"We are proud to stimulate these information published in such a highly honored
journal," aforementioned Nancy Simonian, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Millennium.
"We're delighted that previously untreated multiple myeloma patients now
can benefit from this VELCADE based therapy as have patients in the
relapsed and refractory settings since 2003."



(1) VELCADE as Initial Standard Therapy in multiple myeloma: Assessment
with alkeran and prednisone

VISTA Trial Results



Patient responses were evaluated by the stringent European Group for
Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) criteria:



-- A CR rate of 30 percent in the VcMP arm compared to 4 percent with
MP (p


-- VcMP demonstrated statistical significance in overall survival with
a 39 percent reducing in peril of death (Hazard ratio= 0.61; p=0.008) with
a follow-up of 16.3 months



-- The average treatment continuance was 46 weeks for the VcMP arm compared
to 39 weeks for the control arm and discontinuation due to inauspicious events
was similar in both arms



Patients in the VcMP arm standard VELCADE at 1.3 mg/m2 twice weekly in
weeks unmatchable, two, four-spot and basketball team for four-spot six-week cycles (eight doses per
cycle), followed by once weekly on weeks one, two, four and five for up to
five six-week cycles (foursome doses per cycle) in combination with melphalan
at 9 mg/m2 and orasone at 60 mg/m2 once daily on days 1 through 4 of
each cycle for up to nine six-week cycles. For both groups, treatment
continued for a maximum of 54 weeks.



"The tolerability of VcMP also was encouraging and side personal effects were
in general manageable with appropriate supportive care and dose reduction as
needed," commented Paul Richardson, M.D., Clinical Director of the Jerome
Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Senior
Investigator on the study.



The safety profile of VELCADE in combination with MP is consistent with
the known safety profiles of both VELCADE and MP. In VISTA, the most
ordinarily reported adverse events for VELCADE in combination with MP vs MP,
respectively, were thrombocytopenia (52% vs 47%), neutropenia (49% vs 46%),
nausea (48% vs 28%), peripheral neuropathy (47% vs 5%), diarrhea (46% vs
17%), anemia (43% vs 55%), constipation (37% vs 16%), neuralgia (36% vs
1%), leukopenia (33% vs 30%), vomiting (33% vs 16%), pyrexia (29% vs 19%),
fatigue (29% vs 26%), lymphopenia (24% vs 17%), anorexia (23% vs 10%),
asthenia (21% vs 18%), cough (21% vs 13%), insomnia (20% vs 13%), edema
peripheral (20% vs 10%), rash (19% vs 7%), back pain (17% vs 18%),
pneumonia (16% vs 11%), dizziness (16% vs 11%), dyspnea (15% vs 13%),
headache (14% vs 10%), pain in extremity (14% vs 9%), abdominal painfulness (14%
vs 7%), paraesthesia (13% vs 4%), herpes virus zoster (13% vs 4%), bronchitis (13%
vs 8%), hypokalemia (13% vs 7%), hypertension (13% vs 7%), abdominal pain sensation
upper (12% vs 9%), hypotension (12% vs 3%), dyspepsia (11% vs 7%),
nasopharyngitis (11% vs 8%), bone pain sensation (11% vs 10%), arthralgia (11% vs
15%) and pruritus (10% vs 5%).

Important Safety Information



In the U.S., VELCADE is indicated for the treatment of patients with
multiple myeloma. VELCADE as well is indicated for the treatment of patients
with mantle cell lymphoma world Health Organization have received at least one prior therapy.
VELCADE is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to bortezomib,
boron or mannitol. VELCADE should be administered under the supervising of
a physician experienced in the use of antineoplastic therapy.



Risks associated with VELCADE therapy include new or worsening
peripheral neuropathy, hypotension throughout therapy, cardiac and
pulmonary disorders, reversible nates leukoencephalopathy syndrome,
gastrointestinal adverse events, thrombopenia, neutropenia, tumour lysis
syndrome and liverwort events. Women of childbirth potential should avoid
seemly pregnant spell being treated with VELCADE. Nursing mothers are
advised not to breastfeed patch receiving VELCADE. Cases of severe sensorial
and motor peripheral neuropathy have been reported. The long-term final result
of peripheral neuropathy has not been studied in mantle jail cell lymphoma.
Acute development or exacerbation of congestive heart failure, and new
onset of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction has been reported,
including reports in patients with no risk factors for decreased left
ventricular forcing out fraction. There have been reports of acute pervade
infiltrative pneumonic disease of unknown etiology such as pneumonitis,
interstitial pneumonia, lung infiltration and Acute Respiratory Distress
Syndrome in patients receiving VELCADE. Some of these events have been
fatal. There have been reports of Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy
Syndrome (RPLS) in patients receiving VELCADE. RPLS is a rare, reversible,
neurological disorderliness which john present with seizure, high blood pressure,
headache, slackness, confusion, blindness, and other visual and neurological
disturbances. VELCADE is associated with thrombocytopenia and neutropenia.
There have been reports of gastrointestinal and intracerebral hemorrhage in
association with VELCADE. Transfusions crataegus laevigata be considered. Complete blood
counts (CBC) should be frequently monitored during treatment with VELCADE.
Cases of acute liver failure get been reported in patients receiving
multiple concomitant medications and with serious underlying medical
conditions. Patients world Health Organization are concomitantly receiving VELCADE and drugs that
ar inhibitors or inducers of cytochrome P450 3A4 should be tight
monitored for either toxicities or reduced efficacy. Patients on oral
antidiabetic medicament while receiving VELCADE should check blood sugar
levels frequently.

Adverse Reaction Data



Safety data from Phase II and III studies of single-agent VELCADE 1.3
mg/m2/dose twice weekly for 2 weeks followed by a 10-day rest geological period in
1163 patients with previously treated multiple myeloma (N=1008, non
including the Phase III, VELCADE summation DOXIL(R) [doxorubicin HCl liposome
injection] study) and antecedently treated mantle cell lymphoma (N=155) were
integrated and tabulated. In these studies, the safety profile of VELCADE
was similar in patients with multiple myeloma and curtain cell lymphoma.



In the integrated analysis, the most commonly reported adverse events
were asthenic conditions (including fatigue, uneasiness and failing) (64%),
nausea (55%), diarrhea (52%), stultification (41%), peripheral neuropathy NEC
(including peripheral sensory neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy
aggravated) (39%), thrombocytopenia and appetite decreased (including
anorexia) (each 36%), fever (34%), disgorgement (33%), anaemia (29%), oedema
(23%), worry, paresthesia and dysesthesia and headache (each 22%),
dyspnoea (21%), coughing and insomnia (each 20%), rash (18%), arthralgia (17%),
neutropenia and dizziness (excluding vertigo) (each 17%), pain in tree branch and
abdominal muscle pain (each 15%), os pain (14%), back painfulness and hypotension (each
13%), herpes herpes zoster, nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection,
myalgia and pneumonia (each 12%), muscle cramps (11%), and dehydration and
anxiety (each 10%). Twenty percent (20%) of patients experienced at least 1
episode of greater than or touch to Grade 4 toxicity, most commonly
thrombocytopenia (5%) and neutropenia (3%). A total of 50% of patients
experienced serious contrary events (SAEs) during the studies. The most
ordinarily reported SAEs included pneumonia (7%), febricity (6%), looseness of the bowels
(5%), vomit (4%), and nausea, desiccation, dyspnea and thrombocytopenia
(each 3%).

About Multiple Myeloma



Multiple myeloma is the second most mutual hematological malignancy.
Between 2001 - 2005, the average age of diagnosis was 70

Paul W.S. Anderson Realizes Too Late What Is Missing From �Death Race�

Courtesy of Universal

"But there are aspects to the first movie that we haven't really addressed in this movie. For example, in the first movie, you run people down for points. In this movie, certainly lots of people get run down, you just don't score points. If we did do another movie, I would like to address that." �Paul W.S. Anderson on what we can expect in a Death Race sequel [MTV]

"I was such a huge Six Feet Under fan � I mean, my cellphone ring was the theme song, so I had to change it when I got cast in the pilot because how embarrassing would that be!" �Julie Benz on working with Michael C. Hall in Dexter [Pop Wrap/NYP]

"I'm gonna be 24 this year. It's a progressive age, 24. I was finding myself and finding out the things that needed to be done as far as my career, what needed to be done. Certain moves. I feel like now I'm in a really great place. Cutting my hair, I feel like I'm going to another level. Cutting my hair was a step for me." �Omarion [MTV]

"If this record flops, I'll probably go back to school. I've always liked architecture." �Lily Allen [Paper via PR-Inside]

"I sleep well at night. I'm doing this so I don't have to get a proper job. I just hope I don't get found out." �Kevin Smith [Guardian]

More info

• Mp3 music: Glass Casket
• Download Current 93
• Mp3 music: Fozzy
• Download Hamlet
• Download High Tone

'Conan' unsheathed at Lionsgate

Dirk Blackman, Howard McCain to write new script





Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain are trying to corner the market on sword-swinging fantasy adventures.

The pair hold been hired to write a new script for "Conan," as in the barbarian, for Lionsgate. And the writing team's action-adventure screenplay "Amazon," an epical about female warriors to which Scarlett Johansson has been attached, is navigation out of turnaround toward Lionsgate as well, with Neal Moritz and his Original Film banner advent on to produce erstwhile the apportion is completed.

Director searches ar under way for both.

Paradox Entertainment president of the United States and CEO Fredrik Malmberg is producing the "Conan" feature along with Boaz Davidson, Joe Gatta and Avi Lerner of Millennium Films. Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer ("Sahara") have already been functional on a separate, parallel script for the photographic film, a electric potential resurrection of the greco-Roman warrior created by Robert E. Howard in stacks of pulp stories published in the 1930s. In 1982, Oliver Stone and John Milius wrote a bloody version, which Milius also directed, that asterisked Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"We all want this motion-picture show to go into output as before long as possible," Malmberg aforesaid. "It's a fast-tracked picture. Lionsgate matte up the process was enhanced by having a second team get in and do a script."

Much like with "Batman Begins," the studio hopes to redraw the Conan feature universe to raise a modern, post-millennial franchise. So rather than remaking the Schwarzenegger bloodfest, the writers have gone back to Howard's original stories to create a $100 million R-rated origin movie, the largest production to date for Lionsgate and Millennium.

"Fans expect (these types of movies) to be more true to the source material," Malmberg said. "There's no reason thither couldn't be a Conan movie every two long time. He's nearly like Batman: He's a dark hero. He's a hard hero. He has to be badass, merely we besides have to like him."

Blackman and McCain, repped by ICM and Circle of Confusion, latterly co-wrote the science fiction actioner "Outlander," which McCain also directed. It screens Friday at the Locarno film festival. They too are credited writers on "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans," due out next year.


More information

• Download Judge Dread
• Eva Mendes - Mendes Oasis Crush
• Hudson Struggles To Keep Private Life From Public
• Dangerfield’s Widow Wins Copyright Battle
• Download Peter Green

The Sum of All Fears

The biggest mystery in The Sum of All Fears is not how terrorists handle to smuggle a nuclear bomb into downtown Baltimore. Rather, it's how CIA operative Jack Ryan, formerly played by Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford, has suddenly become 30 long time younger and has turned into a junior broker at the CIA with only a few months of live. In the hands of Ben Affleck, Ryan is no thirster the overlooking veteran he once was in films like Patriot Games. Now he's little more than a arrhythmic teenager with a hot girlfriend and a chip shot on his shoulder.


I won't try to explain the metamorphosis of Ryan because it's never mentioned in the moving-picture show (and no, it's non a prequel; the film takes

The Northern Territories

   
Artist: The Northern Territories

   Genre(s): 
Other
   

---

Discography:


   
 Orange Moon

   Year: 1997   
Tracks: 11


   
 Midnight Ambulance

   Year: 1994   
Tracks: 11

---

 





INTERVIEW: Emile Hirsch - Speed Racer!

Antoine Clamaran

   
Artist: Antoine Clamaran

   Genre(s): 
House
   Other
   

---

Discography:


   
 Release Yourself (J. Grau Mix)

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 1


   
 Release Yourself

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 7

---

 

Ashlee flashed Pete on first date

Ashlee Simpson “flashed” Pete Wentz the first time they hung out together.

The couple - who are reportedly getting married on Saturday - also revealed that they were “friends with benefits” for a long time before getting together in 2006.

Pete said: "The first time we really hung out she flashed me." Ashlee added to Us Weekly magazine: “I lifted my dress over my head but it was love at first sight.”

The Fall Out Boy rocker also revealed Ashlee couldn’t remember him after they first met so he had to email a photograph to her.

He added: "I was in the 'friend zone' with her for a good solid year. I'd be calling her and following her around like a puppy dog."

The couple announced their engagement in April and are reportedly marrying this weekend at a “top secret” location.

A source said: “Proper invites have not been sent out but guests have been given a save the date notice."

It is rumoured that Ashlee is pregnant and the couple want to make it down the aisle before the baby is born.





See Also

• The Raconteurs return to London
• Tom Cruise to star in 28th Amendment
• Music highlights for Thursday, May 15

Ladytron reschedule London gig after soundsystem blows

Ladytron have announced details of their re-scheduled gig at the London Astoria[/a], after the initial gig was cancelled halfway thorugh after the soundsystem blew.

Last Thursday (May 15) the show was brought to an abrupt end when the PA failed, prompting singer [b]Helen Marnie to announce to the crowd that the gig would be rescheduled and original tickets would be valid.

The band have since announced that the new date will be on July 16.

Between now and the rescheduled date the band will release their new album, 'Velocifero', on June 2.

'Iron Man' keeps No. 1 pace overseas

'Narnia' sequel makes princely bow

The overseas May tentpole parade is back on track. After last weekend's crash of "Speed Racer," "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" made a royal appearance, "Iron Man" led the race for a third weekend, and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is waiting in the wings for a massive 61-territory takeoff this weekend.


The second installment of Disney/Walden Media's "Narnia" franchise blasted into only 12 foreign markets as part of a staggered summer release and came out with a blistering $23.3 million, hailed by Disney International as 40% better than the original movie in the same territories.


Meanwhile, Paramount's "Iron Man" forged another $26.9 million in its third international weekend, lifting its offshore gross to a ship-shape $207 million. That total includes returns from Germany, Austria, Spain and France -- markets not serviced by Paramount Pictures International.


20th Century Fox's romantic comedy "What Happens in Vegas" was among the trio of the weekend's over-$20 million scorers, taking in $23.1 million from 4,265 screens in 56 markets in its second weekend overseas.


Warner Bros.' "Speed Racer" was far behind, trailing to $7.2 million from 4,750 screens at 39 tracks for a second-weekend cume of $24.6 million.


Another romantic comedy, Sony's "Made of Honor," made the top five with $5.7 million from 1,975 screens in 25 countries to reach a cume of $19.6 million. Sony's "21" displayed gambling's global appeal as the film raked in $4 million from 1,310 casinos in 42 countries to lift its foreign gross to $46.1 million, with $30,000 coming from a single screen in Thailand.


According to Disney, "Caspian's" 12-market opening did 25% better than the arrival of "Iron Man" in the same countries. Using a family, faith or educational appeal, depending on the market, the "Narnia" follow-up extracted $6.7 million from 735 screens in Russia, $6.3 million from 842 in Mexico, $4 million from 556 in Korea, $2 million from 31 in India and $1.1 million from 102 in Malaysia.


The film arrived at No. 1 in all its openings, Disney said, and in most instances beat the original film by large percentages, ranging from 15% in Malaysia to 350% in India. The staggered release pattern sees "Caspian" opening in Japan this coming weekend, and it will complete its summer tour in 12 weeks. The next batch of openings are set for May 30, June 4, June 25 and July 2 and end Aug. 20. The film will open in France (June 25) and the U.K. (June 27) after the completion of the European Cup soccer championship.


"Iron Man" held the No. 1 post in the U.K. for a third weekend, tallying $3.7 million from 496 screens for a market cume of $25.5 million. The film was also No. 1 in France for a third session, delivering $2.5 million from 854 screens for a market total of $15.3 million. Australia has brought in $14 million in 11 days; Brazil, $10.9 million in 12 days; Italy, $9.7 million in 11; Mexico, $18.2 million in 12; Russia, $9.1 million in 11; and Korea, $22.9 million in 12.


"What Happens in Vegas" showed that a romantic comedy can compete with the summer tentpoles, holding the No. 1 or No. 2 position in many markets. It was No. 1 for a second weekend in Germany ($2.5 million), up 20% from its opening round. "Vegas" was also No. 1 in Spain, where it brought in $2.3 million, up 33%. It was No. 2 behind "Iron Man" in the U.K., up 20% over its opening weekend, for a market cume of almost $7 million. In countries like Holland and Switzerland, "Vegas" was up 40% from its opening weekend.


"Speed Racer" pulled in $1.1 million from Mexico, for a market cume of $4.2 million, and $1 million from Brazil, for a market score of $2.8 million, but it failed to bring in at least $1 million from any other market. In Germany and Italy, it failed to hold a place in the top 10 at the film's second weekend.


Hardly any other films reached $1 million over the weekend, exceptions being "The Bucket List," $1.5 million (cume: $72.5 million); "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," $1.5 million (cume: $21.8 million); and "Nim's Island," $1.4 million (cume: $24.4 million).


In Italy, local film "Gomorra" came in at No. 1 with $2.8 million from 411 screens.


In France, local film "2 Jours a Tuer" earned $1.3 million in its second weekend (market cume $5.8 million) and "Cleaver" arrived with $1.1 million.

See Also

• Offspring to reissue two classic albums
• LL Cool J Links With Kay Slay For His First Mixtape, Preps New Album
• Papoose & Uncle Murda Settle Their Beef

Kristin Chenoweth lured to "Temptation"

Kristin Chenoweth lured to "Temptation"

By Borys Outfit


LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Newsman) - Tony-winning actress
Kristin Chenoweth testament take on a suicidal cyprian in the
freelance film "Into Temptation."


In the drama by writer-director St. Patrick Coyle, Chenoweth
stars antonym Jeremy Sisto. Her character confesses to a
priest her plans to end her life on her birthday. The priest
(Sisto) then searches for her, to intervene.


Coyle, a

Spears' family claim Dr Phil betrayed them

Spears' family claim Dr Phil betrayed them

Britney Spears' parents take accused telecasting healer Dr Phil John McGraw of betraying their faith by speaking publicly nigh his bring down with their daughter.
The therapist went to see Spears, at the request of her family, piece she was in hospital last week after existence admitted for rating following a custody dispute at her home.
Lou Joseph Deems Taylor, a interpreter for the Spears family line, told NBC's 'Today' that Spears' parents had asked John Joseph McGraw to visit her as a private favour.
Taylor said: "The menage basically extended an invitation of faith as a imagination to support them, non to make a public statement."
She as well claimed that McGraw's intervention had damaged Spears' relationships with her mother Lynne and her younger sister Jamie Lynn.
President Taylor said that the home "were look for documentation hither, not to add to the trouble that is already upon them".
After his visit to the singer, John McGraw issued a statement expression that Spears was "in dire want of medical and psychological intervention".
Oral presentation on 'Entertainment Tonight', the television healer said: "Someone needs to step up and render a vector to beget this whitney Young woman into or so quality precaution."
Yesterday, various news program reports suggested that Spears' freshly swain, paparazzo Adnan Ghalib, was trying to sell semi-nude pictures of her to tab publications.

Edith Bowman expecting first child

Edith Bowman expecting first child

British people DJ and former TV presenter Edith Archer is expecting her first sister with partner and Editors track singer Gobbler Ian Smith, it has been announced.
The pair described it as "the best Xmas deliver we could have wished for".
"We ar both absolutely delighted," Archer said. "This is the c. H. Best Noel present we could suffer wished for and to say our parents are excited is an understatement."
A spokesman for Archer said: "Edith Bowman and Tom Metalworker ar expecting their commencement shaver. The baby is due in June 2008.
"Edith plans to go forward with her work commitments for the foreseeable hereafter, piece Gobbler testament finish his electric current worldwide turn with Editors.".
Bowman started out on MTV and hosted 'Top of the Pops' before its dying.
The couple began dating in 2005.

Machinemade God

   
Artist: Machinemade God

   Genre(s): 
Metal
   Metal: Death,Black
   

---

Discography:


   
 Masked

   Year: 2007   
Tracks: 12


   
 The Infinity Complex

   Year: 2006   
Tracks: 13

---

 

Amy's husband furious over holiday with ex?

Amy's husband furious over holiday with ex?

Amy Winehouse's husband Blake Fielder-Civil is said to be furious after the vocaliser was reported to get spent the Freshly Year celebrations with her ex-boyfriend.
According to the Daily Star, Winehouse jetted off to the Caribbean island of Mustique as a guest of vocaliser Bryan Mount Adams, merely spent the continuance with her ex, George Roberts.
Fielder-Civil, wHO is presently organism held on put behind bars at London's Pentonville Prison house, is allegedly hugely upset over the news.
A source told the newspaper: "Amy loved having George I on holiday with her. Just she has been speaking to William Blake when she toilet and qualification out that she has not been having a good time. She doesn't desire to rub it in that she's having fun patch Blake's in a cell.
"But the truth is, Amy and George have been having a blare. They had a real passionate love occasion in the past and ar still very close."
The author is too quoted as expression: "He (Blake) is mad that Amy has been out with George as he feels quite threatened by their close friendly relationship."




K'ala Marka

This song was brought to you by ... Starbucks

This song was brought to you by ... Starbucks

It is 11am and the Cambridge branch of Caffè Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus is around to attestor an impromptu gig by Jack Savoretti. Unexpected and unannounced, the singer-songwriter walks in forth the street, whips come out of the closet his guitar and harmonica and starts playing a song called One Gentleman Stria. Were this a Hollywood picture show, Savoretti's public presentation would lento just inexorably grasp the patrons, transforming the cafe into a sea of grin faces and loud appreciation: at the end, they mightiness rise as single in a damp-eyed standing standing ovation. Simply this isn't Hollywood - it's East Anglia on a common cold Mon morning, and the reaction is somewhere between mild wonder and chagrin.










Indeed, the loudest response comes from a baby, wHO inside seconds of Savoretti impinging up, decides to add its have keening, Yoko Ono-esque guest vocal music. At one point, an elderly lady world Health Organization looks like she's been dreamt up by Lusterlessness George Lucas and David Walliams, and seems to have spent the morn putting on a variety of overcoats without taking any of them away, appears at the door. She fixes Savoretti with a tarriance, unblinking stare, turns on her heel and leaves. End-to-end it entirely, Savoretti keeps departure: "I'm exactly a lonely isaac Bashevis Singer on a lonely road," he cries, nix if not apposite.By the time I receive him, Savoretti has been doing this for a month. He is eschewing the medicine industry's usual promotional outlets in favor of touring Caffè Nero stores, in the hope it will give him an advantage all over the massed ranks of good-looking, vaguely Nick Drake-ish Radio 2-friendly singer-songwriters. For their part, the coffee bean chain think the duty tour will kick in them a "critically important" data link to "creativity and energy". "I hope that if Jack goes on to become a big star, there will be thousands and thousands of people wHO associate us with him," says Caffè Nero's Alice Paul Ettinger, who's keen to stress that no money has changed hands. "It's a gloriole burden."If Savoretti does become a big star, it would be a churlish voice indeed that suggests he hasn't worked hard sufficiency. The tour involves travelling the area in a Vauxhall Astra, playing trey or quadruplet chocolate shops a day, piece his duty tour manager custody come out of the closet fliers. Possibly predictably, reactions from customers possess been mixed. It's not alone unclutter what happened in the Wrexham branch, just Savoretti and his turn director talk nigh the town in the saami tone of voice you suspect the Wheeling Stones use when discussing Altamont. Elsewhere, however, fans have turned up to cheer him on, "which does give you a boost if you're trying to sing o'er the 55th espresso of the day".As the Astra speeds to Peterborough, he is unswervingly well-being around it wholly, simply it's non hard to notice a slight fatigue. Something near him suggests a human wHO would gayly ne'er arrange eyes on a double macchiato or a mozerella and st. Basil panini again. "In that respect are times," he nods, "when you want to get to somewhere where there isn't a coffee machine."Savoretti lav at least console himself with the thought process that he's piece of a burgeoning movement of artists attempting to tailor the established medicine industry out of the career. Scarce a month goes by without news show that another one has decided to abandon their record label and instead throw their lot in with a non-musical company. Alice Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and legendary alt-rockers Sonic Youth have signed with Starbucks' Hear Music tag, which is, according to Sonic Youth bass player Kim Gordon, "less wickedness" than the band's former judge, Universal. Last calendar month, dance duet Channel Armada signed a deal with Bacardi that sees the global booze firebrand releasing a freshly EP and the pair performing at various Bacardi-branded events. Bolshy Bull is rumoured to be entry its own record label later this year. Ettinger doesn't convention out the theory of Caffè Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus chase suit in the future. "Although," he adds, a little witheringly, "I'd hope we wouldn't go shoot down the Starbucks route of signing dinosaurs."Aside from the turn, Savoretti's album gets played for 15 minutes a day in 350 Caffe Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus shops, "so you can buoy calculate that 15,000 people every day are hearing it", just Ettinger thinks that bands ar not just attracted to non-musical companies by the targeted exposure they tin can offer up. They're so disillusioned with the established music manufacture that they truly feel that a deep brown chain or a rum brand name is belike to be more supportive of an creative person than a record label: "I've worked with a twosome of artists who've been dropped overnight because the phonograph recording pronounce doomed pastime. We're in it for the long term, we'll support them for 10 geezerhood if necessity."He has a point. Joni Mitchell's comeback album was not the sort of radio-friendly, accessible product that a traditional record label looking to relaunch the life history of a heritage rock star would hope for: presumably the "halo result" of having such a revered artist attached to the Starbucks brand made up for the album's lack of commerciality. You could infer the lapp dissatisfaction with record labels from the bit of artists attempting to fund albums without their economic aid. The undisputed pioneers are perennially unfashionable prog-rockers Marillion: since October, winnow pre-orders of their as-yet-unnamed 15th studio album experience secured the band a fair mind-boggling £360,000 kick upstairs. "A record label's running costs run to be quite high, and for them to make their numbers racket sour, they tend to offer bands quite first advances now - if you're looking at an creative person that's going away to sell 50,000 albums, they're non departure to be writing a six-figure check. Are you not better acquiring the financing from somewhere else, paying plunk for that funding? And then once you've recouped the costs, the money goes straight to the artist," says Sue James Thomas Harris. She manages venerable art rock dyad Sparks, world Health Organization ar support their 21-night June residency at London's Islington Honorary society by a similar method: fans have been encouraged to bid to patronize apiece designate in an online auction sale. "It would receive been rattling severely to do without the fan sponsorship," she says. "We did ab initio think that we should go and blab to various corporate people, just then I thought, I could spend weeks trying to determine people inside those organsiations that are aware of Sparks. Step by step, the penny dropped. We already know Sparks fans, so wherefore non blab to them? It's to a greater extent achievable now. In the past times you didn't bear the cyberspace, in that respect wasn't that take fundamental interaction with your fans. If it's a ring that's already established, they know their fanbase, it's just a guinea pig of being able to talk to them."Similar thought process clear motivates the freshly artists presently attempting to fund albums via websites like slicethepie.com, a kind of fantasy football league for unsigned acts of the Apostles that encourages visitors to enthrone in bands. Given the current mood, its attract is obvious. Ace music diligence hearsay claims that the largest march on a new artist canful expect from a phonograph recording company these days is £20,000: non much for a four-piece band to survive on once they've paid for recording, tour support, managing director and publisher. Wherefore non take the pragmatic sanction step to edit go through on overheads, render to raise funding elsewhere and non receive to struggle with a major pronounce wooing over thorny issues like artistic control?"The major labels let to downsize and they have to cut costs. They get to sign fewer bands, dedicate come out smaller advances. Things are rather bad forthwith, but I think it's only expiration to get worse in the next v long time," says Nicola Slade, editor program of online euphony diligence newsletter Phonograph record of the Day, and source of a script called How to Make Music in Your Bedroom. "If that happens, there is scope for bands to come up through different channels, build a fanbase through touring, and finance records themselves. Expectations take in to change, they're leaving to have to be less idealistic about marketing music to adverts in edict to live." She laughs. "It doesn't auditory sensation very glamorous, does it?"At that place are other drawbacks to attempting to cut the music industriousness come out of your calling. Daniel Heptinstall is the frontman of the The Alps, the first band to successfully finance an album via slicethepie.com, although, as he notes, the finer points of the website's funding system are doomed on him: "I think we give them a pound from every album we deal," he offers. "Or is it deuce pounds?" It has, he says, been "a very positive go through", but he as well freely admits the shortcomings: "PR is a big chunk of the music diligence. We've non got the budget EMI bear for that, to be honest. It's a instance of outlay what we bathroom and existence sensible." Davey MacManus agrees. His band, the Crimea, garnered headlines "from the Hollywood Multiplication to the piece of ass Hindoo Multiplication" by releasing their 2007 album, Secrets of the Witching 60 minutes, for absolve after organism dropped by their major pronounce. So far, all over 80,000 citizenry have downloaded it: in guardianship with their "completely viral" approach, the Crimea's stopping point single was released as a series of 16 MP3-only remixes available from various music blogs. He's clearly proud, reeling off the band's achievements "right on on the outside of the music manufacture": the quadruplet videos they made for free, the tours of China and America, the birdcall of theirs that got on an name. Only MacManus isn't quite a the unequivocal cheerleader that you might expect. "We can live off this, we can form a vocation out of it, only it hasn't gone utterly sky-high, I can't sit around hither and pretend to you. It's definitely done something, just we're not playing 3,000-capacity venues."He says the Crimea ar uncertain whether they would dismissal an record album for liberate over again. "Every sixth-form music row in the body politic is trying to get us to go and talk to them, only ... I precisely don't know what's loss to happen to the next record. I desire to see it go as far as it can, I want what's best for my music, and at the moment, I can't flesh come out what's best." Region of the job, he says is that, disdain speak of the music industry existence on its last legs, there's still pejorative spirit towards anyone wHO tries to do without it: the artists who've signed with Starbucks are dinosaurs; if the bands financial backing their possess releases were any commodity, a proper label would be interested."Regina Spektor was on our record, and as shortly as the headspring of her label read it was beingness presumption away for resign, they had this big American lawyer on the phone demanding she be taken off immediately, threatening wholly sorts. There's unquestionably the posture of, if you're giving it away for relinquish, it must be terrible. Receiving set stations want to realise a plot, they want to know how many adverts you ingest, who's your PR team, who's doing your weightlift, they want to have it off they're backing a winner." He sighs. "I'm a musician. I require to be whole over the wireless."Quite away from the prosaic frustration, there seems to something telling approximately that cobbler's last remark, something that keys in with Slade's observance around life outside the music industriousness lacking glamor. For altogether it may be a workable and pragmatic mannikin, a stripling miming with a tennis noise in front line of the mirror is scarcely dreaming around run a small business enterprise with low overheads and low expectations. Peradventure that will change in time.In the meantime, when Jak Savoretti arrives at the Peterborough Caffè Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, he's greeted by a herd of tidal bore reporters and photographers: simply local iron out, simply it's a definite improvement on bawling babies and glowering pensioners. This time, he does the unity around organism a lonely singer on a lonely road to the accompaniment of popping flashbulbs. For a here and now, life exterior the music industry has at least a sheen of glamor. Then the song finishes, he packs up his guitar and heads back to his Vauxhall Astra.





Primer 55

The Travoltas

   
Artist: The Travoltas

   Genre(s): 
Other
   

---

Discography:


   
 The High School Reunion

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 11

---

 





Koxbox