The Government is closing the loophole which allows amazon and play etc to sell CDs and DVDs VAT free. Looks like the end of paying 8.99 for a new release CD. Somewhat shortsighted, I think. I don't know about others here, but I absolutely refuse to pay thirteen quid for a new album. I shall either not bother, burn a copy off a friend or wait until the album is in the bargain bins after shifting bugger all units due to the inflated price. And blaming the demise of Fopp and Zavvi on the VAT loophole is nonsense. Fopp went belly up after buying out another chain saddled with debt and Zavvi was simply an awful shop that seemed to stock only chart CDs.

** Cheap DVD VAT loophole to close **
The Treasury says it is removing a tax loophole that allows Channel Islands-based firms to ship goods VAT-free to the UK.
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15646470 >

Tickets for The Cure at the Royal Albert Hall performing their first three albums in their entirety have a face value of £150! Aside from being utterly ridiculously expensive, it also sold out in minutes. I earn a modest wage, can afford to feed myself, pay the bills and indulge in a few gigs over the course of a year, but I was utterly shocked when I saw the price of the Cure show. Isn't that nearly twice what Macca is charging?

Steve Davis gets interesting as a prog rock DJ

Steve Davies is going to sit in for Jarvis for one show in July, on 6 Music and promises a prog rock extravaganza! I for one will be tuning in! It really does sound interesting, and I'm not being sarcastic!

REM were probably my favourite band between 1985 and 1992. I see that their new album leaked online, today. Without getting into the morality of illegal downloading, I will often download an album if it is leaked early, and delete the download upon purchasing the cd. So I have a chance to hear the new album, days early of my former favourite band.......but I can't be arsed.

I bought their last album in a sale for three quid. I don't even think I've listened to it all the way through.

What does this say about them?

Whilst browsing the racks of my local HMV, recently, looking for some sale bargains, I noticed a copy of the most recent Meatloaf CD. Entitled "Hang Cool, Teddy Bear" I reasoned that this must be one of the most awful album titles, ever. Now, I've no idea what the music contained within is like, but were I a fan of Mr Loaf, I think I might think twice about purchasing an album with a title like that.

So, what are the worst album titles, ever? The title could have no bearing whatsoever on the quality of the music itself. Indeed, "OK Computer" is one of my favourite albums ever, but I always thought that title sounded a bit iffy. Thirteen years on it sounds dated, and will sound even more dated in another ten years, but the music is timeless. I've never gone a bundle on "Sgt Pepper" either......

Yesterday, my postman delivered the album from him off of The Beta Band. Being a big fan, I was quite excited and tore off the celophane wrapper, which included a cover sticker, and hoofed said wrapper in the bin. I put the cd on the table to answer the telephone, at which point, my wife dumped several kinds of shite into the bin, too.

It was only after picking the disc back up and looking at the booklet, that I realised, the sticker was the only part of the package that had the song titles on it. Worse still, it was now buried under inches of cotton wool balls, stuff from the hoover and various other bits. Now I have to go on the interweb to get the song titles.

It's put me off listening to it a bit, to be honest.

I happened upon a colleague's copy of a tabloid newspaper at lunch today, and I was slightly perplexed to see that the front page headline was some story about Mark Owen from Take That. Aparently, the "Thatter" has spent much of his time in the band quaffing up to three bottles of expensive champers per night and "romping" with a "bevy of busty beauties."

I don't understand. What's the story, here? Are we meant to be feeling sorry for him, or something? If he hates it that much, I'll gladly swap places with him, and he can be a pensions administrator instead.

has just offered Mark "Tommo" Thompson out for a fight live on Channel 4 news! It's the best bit of TV I've seen all year!! "Mark Tommo Thompson. I would like to have a fight with you. I think I can take you..."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/8461879.stm

Alan Ellis, the chap that ran the much missed torrent site Oink's Pink Palace has walked free from court after a seven day trial, having been cleared of conspiracy to defraud.

He is the first person in the UK to be prosecuted for illegal file sharing, and he walked.

So, what now for the music industry? I'm no legal eagle, but doesn't this set some sort of legal precedent? Would it now not be pointless to bring any more of these cases to court?

The influential Birthday Party guitarist has died from liver cancer at just 50 years old.

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i4045046a22fd3...

I'm not sure what makes me more sad; the fact that this brilliant musician has died at such a young age, or that I had to spend considerable time trawling the internet to confirm what a friend in the states had emailed to me as speculation. Nothing on the NME site and nothing on any major news sites. This guy was the same age as Jacko, and was a hell of a lot more significant in my musical upbringing.

This is my favourite. Not the Peter Powell bit, obviously, but the bass, drums and echoplex guitar bit is just so wonderfully atmospheric. Not my favourite song ever by any means, but those first twenty or thirty seconds are hard to beat. What's your favourite song intro, massive?

After watching Lady Gaga's performance on X factor on another thread here. I must admit to a bit of a stirring in the old trouser department. However, a friend of mine is convinced that there are rumours rife on 'tinternet that the good Lady may well be/has been/once was/is still sort of a fella.

Can it be true? I can't search myself as Mrs Futurenoir shares the PC and I'm already in trouble for googling Sasha Grey after reading an article about her in a reputable film magazine. That brought up a few interesting sites in the old search history, I can tell you.

Additionally, I succumbed and bought Miss/Mr Gaga's cd the other day. It really is fantastic pop music.

Play.com are today offering the box set of the entire series of the show for £35!! That's 33 discs and a 226 page hardback book for less than the price of the original retail price of one series! I intend to buy one and flog my original dvds on ebay.

Offer only stands today, apparently.

According to 6music, Marilyn Manson has been dropped by record label Interscope after his last album only sold 100,000 copies.

Seems like, in the words of Spinal Tap manager Ian, his appeal is becoming more selective.

Well, I've really been looking forward to seeing the new film "Zombieland" as all of the reviews I have read have been extremely enthusiastic about the performances and the story. All of the critics make reference to a terrific and unexpected cameo halfway through the film. Somewhat uncharacteristically, the critics managed to keep a lid on the identity of the mysterious cameo. Even mark Kermode managed to keep his mouth shut.

So, a big thanks to Kate Mossman for ruining the surprise in the new issue of Word. Still, I'm sure it won't spoil my enjoyment of the film. But please, can no-one give away the major plot developments of "Titanic" "Pearl Harbour" or "World Trade Centre" as I haven't gotten round to seeing those yet, either. And what's all this about a sledge in "Citizen Kane?"