ROCK star Pete Doherty escaped a jail term on Wednesday despite pleading guilty to possession of crack cocaine and heroin.
The troubled Babyshambles frontman was instead issued with a 12-month drug rehabilitation community order at Ealing Magistrates’ Court and told he must have drug tests every month.
But if he breaks the conditions of the order he could still find himself in jail.
Doherty, 26, had previously pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing Class A drugs, including morphine, as well as posession of cannabis.
Defence counsel Sean Curran said Doherty had an “entrenched drug addiction”.
“The easy option would be a custodial sentence but that would leave him vulnerable and open to drug use,” he told the court.
Doherty, standing in the dock wearing a dark jacket and cream-coloured shirt, was back in court for sentencing following his arrest in Ealing, on November 30, last year, and his subsequent arrests in east London for drugs possession on December 4, 2005, and January 26, 2006.
Mr Curran said Doherty wanted to “repay the fans’ loyalty and support” following his series of arrests during the last three months.
He said: “Pete Doherty has asked me to point out another reason he is in the public eye is that people derive enjoyment and are entertained by him.
“These people are his fans and he is happiest when he’s playing his guitar to others. He wants to repay their loyalty and support by coming through this at the other end as a successful and talented musician.”
Mr Curran argued that a custodial sentence should be deferred for Doherty to show the court that he was willing to rehabilitate himself. “If he comes back to court then there would really be no other option,” said Mr Curran.
Around 20 fans crowded into the public gallery to watch their hero face the charges.
Also in court were the remaining Babyshambles members, Doherty’s entertainments’ lawyer and members of Doherty’s family.
Cheers erupted in the courtroom as the magistrate declined to send the enigmatic singer to prison.
Speaking to Doherty directly, magistrate Ann McLaughlin said: “For all the offences before us today we are making a community order for a period of 12 months.
“You will submit to a treatment with a view to ending your dependency on drugs, and provide samples each month to see if you have drugs in your body.”
She added: “You will be brought back to court if you break any of the requirements. The court can increase the order or revoke the sentence which could involve being sent to prison.”
Sister Amy Jo said it was “a great result”.
Babyshambles have had to cancel three sell-out concerts in the past two weeks while Doherty has been remanded in Pentonville prison.
As he left court through a back door, he smiled and saluted to fans before being bundled into the back of a black Landrover.
Doherty, who was granted legal aid, was also ordered to pay costs of £129.
He is due to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on March 8 to review the order.
February 9th, 2006
Winners at Wednesday’s 48th Annual Grammy Awards:
Album of the Year: “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” U2.
Record of the Year: “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” Green Day.
New Artist: John Legend
Male R&B Vocal Performance: “Ordinary People,” John Legend.
Pop Vocal Album: “Breakaway,” Kelly Clarkson.
Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Numb/Encore,” Jay-Z featuring Linkin Park.
Song of the Year: “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own,” U2.
Female Pop Vocal Performance: “Since U Been Gone,” Kelly Clarkson.
Country Album: “Lonely Runs Both Ways,” Alison Krauss and Union Station.
Rap Album: “Late Registration,” Kanye West.
Rock Album: “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” U2.
Rap Solo Performance: “Gold Digger,” Kanye West.
Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: “Don’t Phunk With My Heart,” The Black Eyed Peas.
Rap Song: “Diamonds From Sierra Leone,” D. Harris and Kanye West.
Solo Rock Vocal Performance: “Devils & Dust,” Bruce Springsteen.
Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own,” U2.
Hard Rock Performance: “B.Y.O.B.,” System of a Down.
Metal Performance: “Before I Forget,” Slipknot.
Rock Instrumental Performance: “69 Freedom Special,” Les Paul and Friends.
Rock Song: “City of Blinding Lights, U2, (U2).
Alternative Music Album: “Get Behind Me Satan,” The White Stripes.
Female R&B Vocal Performance: “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey.
R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: “So Amazing,” Beyonce and Stevie Wonder.
Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “A House Is Not a Home,” Aretha Franklin.
Urban/Alternative Performance: “Welcome to Jamrock,” Damian Marley.
R&B Song: “We Belong Together,” J. Austin, M. Carey, J. Dupri & M. Seal, (D. Bristol, K. Edmonds, S. Johnson, P. Moten, S. Sully & B. Womack, (Mariah Carey).
R&B Album: “Get Lifted,” John Legend.
Contemporary R&B Album: “The Emancipation of Mimi,” Mariah Carey.
Male Pop Vocal Performance: “From the Bottom of My Heart,” Stevie Wonder.
Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: “This Love,” Maroon 5.
Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Feel Good Inc.,” Gorillaz Featuring De La Soul.
Pop Instrumental Performance: “Caravan,” Les Paul.
Pop Instrumental Album: “At This Time,” Burt Bacharach.
Traditional Pop Vocal Album: “The Art of Romance,” Tony Bennett.
Female Country Vocal Performance: “The Connection,” Emmylou Harris.
Male Country Vocal Performance: “You’ll Think of Me,” Keith Urban.
Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal: “Restless,” Alison Krauss and Union Station.
Country Collaboration With Vocals: “Like We Never Loved at All,” Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.
Country Instrumental Performance: “Unionhouse Branch,” Alison Krauss and Union Station.
Country Song: “Bless the Broken Road,” Bobby Boyd, Jeff Hanna and Marcus Hummon, (Rascal Flatts).
Latin Pop Album: “Escucha,” Laura Pausini.
Latin Rock/Alternative Album: “Fijacion Oral Vol. 1,” Shakira.
Traditional Tropical Latin Album: “Bebo De Cuba,” Bebo Valdes.
Salsa/Merengue Album: “Son Del Alma,” Willy Chirino.
Mexican/Mexican-American Album: “Mexico En La Piel,” Luis Miguel.
Tejano Album: “Chicanisimo,” Little Joe Y La Familia.
Engineered Album, Classical: “Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets,” Da-Hong Seetoo, engineer (Emerson String Quartet).
Producer of the Year, Classical: Tim Handley.
Classical Album: “Bolcom: Songs of Innocence and of Experience,” Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Christine Brewer and Joan Morris, University of Michigan School of Music Symphony Orchestra).
Orchestral Performance: “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13,” Mariss Jansons, conductor (Sergei Aleksashkin, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus).
Opera Recording: “Verdi: Falstaff,” Sir Colin Davis, conductor (London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra).
Choral Performance: “Bolcom: Songs of Innocence and of Experience,” Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Christine Brewer, Measha Brueggergosman, Ilana Davidson, Nmon Ford, Linda Hohenfeld, Joan Morris, Carmen Pelton, Marietta Simpson and Thomas Young, Michigan State University Children’s Choir, University of Michigan Chamber Choir, University of Michigan Orpheus Singers, University of Michigan University Choir and University Musical Society Choral Union, University of Michigan School of Music Symphony Orchestra).
Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra): “Beethoven: Piano Cons. Nos. 2 & 3,” Claudio Abbado, conductor; Martha Argerich (Mahler Chamber Orchestra).
Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra): “Scriabin, Medtner, Stravinsky,” Evgeny Kissin.
Chamber Music Performance: “Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets,” Emerson String Quartet.
Small Ensemble Performance: “Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maitre, Derive 1 & 2,” Pierre Boulez, conductor, Hilary Summers, Ensemble Intercontemporain.
Classical Vocal Performance: “Bach: Cantatas,” Thomas Quasthoff (Rainer Kussmaul, Members of the RIAS Chamber Choir, Berlin Baroque Soloists).
Classical Contemporary Composition: “Bolcom: Songs of Innocence and of Experience,” William Bolcom (Leonard Slatkin).
Classical Crossover Album: “4 plus Four,” Turtle Island String Quartet and Ying Quartet.
Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Ray,” Ray Charles.
Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Ray,” Craig Armstrong, composer.
Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Believe,” Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri, songwriters, from “The Polar Express.”
Instrumental Composition: “Into the Light,” Billy Childs, composer.
Instrumental Arrangement: “The Incredits,” Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Various Artists).
Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): “What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?” Billy Childs, Gil Goldstein and Heitor Pereira, arrangers (Chris Botti and Sting).
Traditional Blues Album: “80,” B.B. King and Friends.
Traditional Folk Album: “Fiddler’s Green,” Tim O’Brien.
Contemporary Folk Album: “Fair & Square,” John Prine.
Native American Music Album: “Sacred Ground A Tribute to Mother Earth,” Various Artists.
Hawaiian Music Album: “Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Vol. 1,” Various Artists.
Reggae Album: “Welcome to Jamrock,” Damian Marley.
Traditional World Music Album: “In the Heart of the Moon,” Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate.
Contemporary World Music Album: “Eletracustico,” Gilberto Gil.
Polka Album: “Shake, Rattle and Polka!” Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra.
Musical Album for Children: “Songs From the Neighborhood The Music of Mister Rogers,” Various Artists.
Spoken Word Album for Children: “Marlo Thomas & Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long,” Various Artists.
Spoken Word Album: “Dreams From My Father,” Sen. Barack Obama.
Comedy Album: “Never Scared,” Chris Rock.
Musical Show Album: “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”
Gospel Performance: “Pray,” CeCe Winans.
Rock Gospel Song: “Be Blessed,” Yolanda Adams, James Harris III, Terry Lewis and James Q. Wright, (Yolanda Adams).
Rock Gospel Album: “Until My Heart Caves In,” Audio Adrenaline.
Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: “Lifesong,” Casting Crowns.
Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Album: “Rock of Ages … Hymns & Faith,” Amy Grant.
Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: “Purified,” CeCe Winans.
Gospel Choir or Gospel Chorus: “One Voice,” Gladys Knight, choir director.
New Age Album: “Silver Solstice,” Paul Winter Consort.
Jazz Vocal Album: “Good Night, and Good Luck,” Dianne Reeves.
Jazz Instrumental Solo: “Why Was I Born?” Sonny Rollins.
Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: “Beyond the Sound Barrier,” Wayne Shorter Quartet.
Contemporary Jazz Album: “The Way Up,” Pat Metheny Group.
Large Jazz Ensemble Album: “Overtime,” Dave Holland Big Band.
Latin Jazz Album: “Listen Here!” Eddie Palmieri.
Traditional Soul Gospel Album: “Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs,” Donnie McClurkin.
Dance Recording: “Galvanize,” The Chemical Brothers featuring Q-Tip.
Electronic/Dance Album: “Push the Button,” The Chemical Brothers.
Bluegrass Album: “The Company We Keep,” The Del McCoury Band.
Contemporary Blues Album: “Cost of Living,” Delbert McClinton.
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Steve Lillywhite.
Short Form Music Video: “Control,” Missy Elliott Featuring Ciara and Fat Man Scoop.
Best Long Form Music Video: “No Direction Home” (Bob Dylan).
Recording Package: “The Forgotten Arm,” Aimee Mann and Gail Marowitz, art directors (Aimee Mann).
Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: “The Legend,” Ian Cuttler, art director (Johnny Cash).
Album Notes: “The Complete Library of Congress Recordings by Alan Lomax,” John Szwed, album notes writer (Jelly Roll Morton).
Historical Album: “The Complete Library of Congress Recordings by Alan Lomax,” Jeffrey Greenberg and Anna Lomax Wood, compilation producers (Jelly Roll Morton).
Engineered Album, Non-Classical: “Back Home,” Alan Douglas and Mick Guzauski, engineers (Eric Clapton).
Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: “Superfly (Louie Vega EOL Mix),” Louie Vega, remixer (Curtis Mayfield).
Surround Sound Album: “Brothers in Arms 20th Anniversary Edition,” Chuck Ainlay, Bob Ludwig, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits).
technorati tags: Awards, Grammys, 48th annual, winners, music awards
February 9th, 2006
It was yet another unhappy New Year for the music industry: Despite hits by Mariah Carey, 50 Cent and Green Day, 2005 saw album sales drop 7.2 percent as labels continued to struggle with adapting to the age of the iPod and the Internet. Overall, consumers bought 48 million fewer albums than in 2004, marking a disastrous twenty-one percent slide from the industry’s peak in 2000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. And the holiday season, which typically accounts for forty percent of annual sales, was a bust. “It was arguably the worst in the music business’s history,” says Steve Bartels, Island Records president.
In contrast to CD sales, digital-song downloads jumped 150 percent in 2005 as consumers bought 352 million of them. “With digital technology, everyone’s figured out that a business built only on the manufacture, distribution and sale of CDs has ended,” says Dixie Chicks manager Simon Renshaw, echoing many other industry veterans. “The traditional model can’t continue.”
Where Are the Hits?
In 2000, the industry’s last boom year, the top five albums — including megahits by Britney Spears and Eminem — sold a combined 38 million copies. The top five in 2005 sold just 19.7 million. Mariah Carey had the comeback story of the year, selling 5 million copies of The Emancipation of Mimi, the year’s top album. Green Day, who sold 1.8 million copies of American Idiot in ‘04, sold 3.4 million more in ‘05. And a baby diva, American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, broke through, selling 3.5 million copies of Breakaway.
Just below the top ten, there were signs of hope, as developing artists — Ciara, Young Jeezy, Fall Out Boy — all sold at least 1 million copies. But expected best sellers from Missy Elliott and Santana barely broke 500,000 copies. “Last year you had releases from superstars such as U2, Eminem, Lil Jon,” says Best Buy music buyer Lon Lindeland. “This year didn’t match that.”
Latin music was the only genre to see increased sales in 2005. As the reggaeton-heavy “hurban” radio format grew — taking over rock stations in several major markets — the genre’s sales leaped 12.6 percent. Sales of alternative rock fell 8.8 percent, hip-hop dropped 7.8 percent and R&B saw an 11.6 percent decline. “Consumers who used to buy a lot of hip-hop are now buying Latin records,” says Virgin exec Jerry Suarez. “It’s something for the younger demographic to get excited about.”
Digital Music Surges
In 2005, digital downloads became a major moneymaker for the first time, earning more than $500 million as sales of digital tracks jumped from 141 million in 2004 to 353 million in 2005, and sales of digital albums rose from 5.5 million to 16.2 million. In the fall, Apple’s iTunes Store became one of the ten biggest U.S. music retailers, ahead of Tower and Sam Goody. And in the last week of 2005, digital single sales exploded to a record-setting 19.9 million — outselling CDs for the first time in history — as about 11 million Christmas-gift iPods flew off shelves. The digital boom helped offset some of the labels’ losses; using SoundScan’s formula of counting every ten sold singles as an album, album sales dropped just 3.9 percent.
Ring tones were even more profitable, as revenues doubled to $600 million. Real tones — actual music rather than tinny reproductions — became the dominant format.
But as sales shift toward digital distribution, battles are brewing over how much downloads should cost, and who should get the money. Apple CEO Steve Jobs called the labels “greedy” for suggesting iTunes should charge more than ninety-nine cents for hits; Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. shot back, “We want, and will insist upon having, variable pricing.” Artists, meanwhile, complain that their royalties from digital tracks — fourteen cents is the typical rate — don’t make up for the loss of income from CD sales. “This is where the sales are going,” says Josh Grier, a music lawyer for Wilco. “But being part of the transition might be a bad thing.”
Major-Label Woes
As the industry contracted, market share declined or remained steady for three of the four major record companies. The exception was Universal Music Group, which sold thirty-two percent of all music and six of the year’s top ten albums. Warner, which became the first publicly traded record label in 2005, managed to hold steady, thanks to Green Day and the Asylum subsidiary, which scored hits with Houston rappers Paul Wall and Mike Jones. EMI dropped just 0.4 percent, with strong releases from Coldplay and Gorillaz. “It’s not a growth market,” says Arista exec Tom Corson. “This is a mature market that’s being attacked on all sides.”
Of all the labels, Sony BMG — which merged in 2004 — had the toughest year: The company’s market share shrunk three percent, it paid $10 million to settle a payola investigation (Warner eventually settled for $5 million) and had to recall 4.7 million CDs that included invasive copy-protection software. “How does a record label self-destruct?” says Darryl Pitt, manager of the Bad Plus, whose CD was recalled. “This is a pretty good way.”
The labels continued to battle piracy, filing hundreds of lawsuits against peer-to-peer downloaders. But in the month of November, for instance, twenty-one percent more users traded music online than in the same period the year before.
The Indie Scene
As the majors stumbled, independent labels gained market share, accounting for eighteen percent of CD sales in ‘05. Indie labels proved especially adept at Internet marketing via outlets like MySpace; the emo label Victory Records sold 558,000 copies of Hawthorne Heights’ album The Silence in Black and White without radio play. And several hip indie acts — the Arcade Fire, Interpol and Bright Eyes — sold more than 250,000 copies each. The indie model of earning profits on a broad range of small-scale releases, rather than focusing on blockbusters, may offer a new direction for the majors. “The major labels want to say the glass is half full,” says Gwen Stefani’s manager Jim Guerinot. “I think everybody’s getting the message: You better get a fucking smaller glass. The music business is a different game.”
- Rolling Stone
January 15th, 2006
Contemporary urban stars Nelly, John Legend and Jamie Foxx will appear alongside a host of Motown legends at Motown Music Fest, to be held Feb. 4 at Detroit’s Masonic Temple, the day before the National Football League’s Super Bowl XL.
Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp will launch his first-ever solo tour in support of his platinum debut, The Great Divide, on February 23rd in Orlando, Florida.
For his first tour since Creed’s 2003 massive outing behind Weathered, the singer will make the transformation from arenas to intimate clubs. Creed disbanded the following year, and Stapp struggled with an addiction to prescription drugs and alcohol.
U2 have announced some new dates for their ‘Vertigo 06′ tour.
The Babyshambles man is stopped by police in Hackney
Meg White’s long-held wish comes true
