 how we see the world. Often, our eyes become fixated on opportunities to judge, divide, and criticize. We can become wrapped up in pointing out the wrongdoing of others and looking for where God isn’t. We should instead seek to recognize where God is and be open to seeing Him in unexpected places. If God is truly “everywhere present and filling all things,” then all things are His. Those who are close to the heart of God will see Him anywhere and everywhere. Let us have open eyes and open hearts to love the world He died for, rather than to condemn it.
Stuart Clark looks back at the music stories that made the headlines in 2004.
JANUARY:
Louis Walsh denies reports that Samantha Mumba has been dropped by her UK record company.
“Sam’s still with Polydor in the UK but has changed labels in America,” he maintains. “She had been with Interscope but we weren’t happy with them. She’s currently recording her new album.”
It appears that Mumba has more or less scrapped an earlier collection of material, Woman, which was meant to surface in April 2003 but then disappeared from the release schedules amidst reports that Interscope weren’t impressed with what they’d heard.
Also hoping to revive his career is Samantha’s 14-year-old brother, Omero, who’s collaborating with various members of So Solid Crew on a rap album.
The Frames sign a worldwide deal for most of the world with Anti, the leftfield wing of hardcore label Epitaph which is also home to Tricky, The Black Keys, Daniel Lanois and Tom Waits.
The territories not covered by the pact are Ireland, Australia and New Zealand where the band remain on their own Plateau label.
Getting straight down to business, Glen and the boys join Damien Rice in March for a 19-date American tour.
“The Frames and Radiohead are probably my two favourite live rock bands in the world,” Rice enthuses.
Hotpress.com picks up the ‘Best Interactive Magazine’ gong at the 2003 PPA (Periodical Publishers’ Association) Awards • David Bowie and The Darkness are both being mooted for headline slots at Witnness • The Thrills underline the wonders of modern technology by making a new live EP available through iTunes just 48 hours after it was recorded at a KFOG Radio-sponsored bash in San Francisco • In what may very well be an Irish first, Pierce Turner is planning a nationwide tour of fan’s houses.
FEBRUARY:
Veteran Irish composer Brendan Graham is celebrating one of the biggest successes of his already hit-laden career.
A two times winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, Graham’s lyrics feature on ‘You Raise Me Up’, one of the stand-outs from Josh Groban’s Closer album which is number one this week in America, selling two million copies in the process.
Groban is performing the song at Superbowl XXXVIII as a tribute to the seven astronauts who died last year when the Columbia Space Shuttle exploded.
The tenor is obviously regarded as being more palatable than Bono whose offer to premier a new AIDS awareness song during the half-time interval is rebuffed by the National Football League.
‘An American Prayer’ was co-written by Jennifer Lopez who’d also made herself available for the February 1 final in Houston.
Explaining their decision, an NFL spokesman says: “We simply decided that we were going to deliver, as we do annually, an extremely entertaining half-time show. We don’t believe it’s appropriate to focus on a single issue.”
The Pixies are coming to Ireland but not, as first thought, for Witnness.
The Americans have opted instead for “special guest” status on June 12 when the Red Hot Chili Peppers headline the Phoenix Park.
Frank Black, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering play their first gig in over 10 years in May when they headline one of the days at the Coachella festival in California.
Dervish follow in W.B. Yeats, Ray McSharry, Westlife and Mother Theresa of Calcutta’s footsteps and receive Sligo’s highest civic honour, the Freedom of the Borough • Heineken confirm that they’ve ended their sponsorship of the Rollercoaster tour • The Enigma superclub in Carrickmacross closes •?Ash reveal that the eagerly awaited follow-up to Free All Angels will be called Meltdown. Why? “‘Cause it’s a full-on rock monster,” explains Tim Wheeler, “a real face-melter” • It’s a landmark month for Snow Patrol with their ‘Run’ single entering the UK chart at number 5 and a re-released version of its parent album, Final Straw, expected to follow in its footsteps.
MARCH:
hotpress exclusively reveals that Madonna will be this year’s Slane headliner. It’s the only outdoor show on her 2004 re-Invention world tour.
“Madonna has already started rehearsals and can’t wait to get back on stage to recreate her songs from the earliest days of her career up to the present,” reveals manager Caresse Henry. “There’s no doubt that this tour will be the pinnacle of her long standing and well deserved reputation as one of the most exciting live performers of our time.”
Alanis Morissette, Bob Geldof, The Chieftains, Dolores O’Riordan, The Divine Comedy, Katie Melua, Kila and Maire Brennan are among the first batch of acts to be confirmed for A Beautiful Night, a free cross-border musical spectacular taking place on Saturday May 1.
Co-promoted by BBC Northern Ireland and RTE, two shows will take place simultaneously outside Belfast City Hall and, subject to licence, Dublin’s O’Connell Street.
John Sheehan, regarded by many as the father figure of the Irish record industry, announces his retirement as MD of Sony Ireland • Snow Patrol’s Final Straw goes gold in the UK • Paddy Casey is the inspiration behind a modern ballet, Strings, which Chrysalis Dance are premiering in Galway • Setanta Records head honcho Keith Cullen confirms that his MCD counterpart Denis Desmond has acquired a stake in the London independent. “I’ve sold a minority share to Denis,” he says. “I’m happy that he’s bought in – he’s a silent partner” • A Bob Geldof tip-off results in British police raiding the house of a man who’s been selling a pirate Live Aid DVD for £110stg • Shelbourne FC chairman Ollie Byrne issues a “come and get us” plea to promoters who are interested in using their Tolka Park ground in Dublin for gigs.
APRIL:
The Irish government pulls the plug on the Dublin leg of A Beautiful Night by refusing to close O’Connell Street for five days to accommodate the concert.
“Once again we’re left looking like complete idiots down here,” says a source close to one of the acts on the Dublin bill. “I can’t believe that there weren’t consultations between the A Beautiful Night organisers and Dublin Corporation before the O’Connell Street gig was announced.”
Two former members of Shane MacGowan’s band The Popes lend their support to the campaign for Joey Cashman to step down as his manager.
“The set-up at the moment under Joey Cashman is the most unprofessional since Spinal Tap,” Popes founder member Danny Heatley tells hotpress. “His dad, Maurice, is 100% correct when he says that Shane’s career is being strangled by Joey and that he deserves better.”
Controversially, Heatley suggests that Shane is no longer pro-active, partly because his manager wants it that way.
“When Joey Cashman’s in town with Shane, he even sleeps in the same room as him. He answers the phone and nobody who’s trying to help Shane can get to him,” he alleges.
MAY:
Bono is condemned again for uttering the f-word during the 2003 Golden Globe Awards.
“If you use expletives in your everyday speech, sometimes they will come out. I didn’t mean to offend anyone,” the singer reflected after saying on live TV that receiving a gong for ‘The Hands That Built America’ was “really, really fucking brilliant.”
The matter appeared to be closed when the US broadcasting regulatory authority, the FCC, ruled that it “did not describe sexual or excretory organs or activities.”
The decision wasn’t unanimous, though, with FCC President, Michael Powell, now looking to reverse it.
“I personally believe that this growing coarseness is abhorrent and irresponsible,” argues Powell who wants obscenity fines for broadcasters hiked to $275,000.
Meanwhile, two Republican congressmen want to make the use of “shit”, “piss”, “fuck”, “cunt”, “cocksucker”, “motherfucker” and “asshole” illegal on free to air channels.
Ash can’t help blabbing to hotpress that George Lucas has invited them to Skywalker Ranch in California.
“We’re not really supposed to talk about it,” Tim says, “but we got contacted by the head of Lucasarts in the UK. She knew we were massive Star Wars fans, and she hooked it all up. I think it could be a computer game he’s making, or it may be some soundtrack work. They’ve got