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THE MERCIA AREA IS A HOT BED OF MUSICIANS
The  Midlands has long been hailed as a breeding ground for creative talent, and this gallery of famous musicians is no exception.
 
Birmingham indie rock outfit The Twang were formed in Quinton in 2001. Their debut single Wide Awake, released in early 2007, was recorded at The Magic Garden Studio in Wolverhampton. The band's football loyalties are sharply divided, with one member supporting Villa, another supporting Birmingham City and the rest supporting Albion.

1980s songstress Tiffany, most famous for the pop song I Think We're Alone Now, was actually born in California but moved to Cannock in around 2005 to be with her British husband. She now divides her time between there and Los Angeles. Since mid-2005, Tiffany has notched up several TV appearances, taking part in reality shows Hit Me Baby One More Time and the fifth season of Celebrity Fit Club.
Fran Healy found fame as the lead singer of the Scottish alternative rock band Travis, but was originally born in Stafford. He moved to Glasgow with his family at an early age and is now based in Berlin. The band were twice awarded BRITS and are widely noted to have influenced subsequent British bands like Coldplay and Keane. Their most memorable hits include Sing and Why Does It Always Rain On Me?.
Dexy's Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland is from Wolverhampton. The band formed in Birmingham in 1978 and hit the big time in 1982 with their pop anthem Come On Eileen - which went straight to Number One in both the UK and the US. Kevin is now based in London and has reformed the band.
Rob Halford, pictured holding an award with fellow Judas Priest band members, was born and bred in Walsall. Although he now lives in Phoenix, Arizona, Rob is said to still have a house in his home town in the Midlands. Judas Priest, formed in West Bromwich in the early 1970s, remain one of the most successful British heavy metal bands of all time and enjoyed worldwide mainstream acclaim throughout the 1980s.
Soul diva Beverley Knight was born and raised in Wolverhampton. She has enjoyed hit singles like Greatest Day, Shoulda Woulda Coulda and Come As You Are and supported Take That on their 2006 comeback tour. As well as notching up three MOBO awards, Bev received an MBE in 2007 for her work with several charities. She also has an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton.
Cannock-born rocker Glenn Hughes sang and played bass with Deep Purple and Trapeze. Now living in Los Angeles, Glenn is still performing today and in June he returned to his native West Midlands to play a one-off gig at The Robin 2 in Bilston. His family still live in Cannock. 
 


 
Most of the members of the band Duran Duran hail from the Birmingham area. Keyboardist Nick Rhodes (pictured second left) is from Moseley, while drummer Roger Taylor and bass guitarist John Taylor are also Brummies. The band rehearsed in the late 1970s at the former Rum Runner Club on Broad Street, Birmingham, and enjoyed worldwide fame throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Walsall rocker Noddy Holder found fame with 1970s rock group Slade, best known for their hits Merry Xmas Everybody and Cum On, Feel the Noize. The star frequently pops up on television and was famously the face of Nobby's Nuts in their 2005 ad campaign. Although he now lives in Cheshire, Holder still maintains a quintessential Black Country accent and his voice can be heard in the lifts at the Walsall New Art Gallery. 
Former UB40 frontman Ali Campbell founded the band in his native city of Birmingham with an eight-strong line-up of fellow Brummies. Having played their first ever gig in a Kings Heath pub, the reggae outfit had huge success with over 50 hit cover singles, including Red Red Wine, Kingston Town and Can't Help Falling in Love With You. Ali left the band in January this year after almost 30 years to focus on solo projects.
Singer and actress Toyah Wilcox hails from Kings Heath in Birmingham and now lives in Worcestershire. She trained as an actress at the Old Rep Drama School and became prolific in the punk rock era of the late 1970s with appearances in films like Jubilee and Quadrophenia. Nowadays she regularly appears on television and radio.
World famous and highly respected Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley was born and raised in Cannock, like fellow rocker and close pal Glenn Hughes (the pair played in the band Trapeze together). Tragically, Mel died at his home in Heath Hayes in July after being diagnosed with cancer in February.
Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason (pictured second right) was raised in London but born in Edgbaston. As well as being the only constant member of Pink Floyd since the band formed in London in the mid-1960s, Nick is a qualified pilot and has become well-known on the auto racing circuit, having successfully competed in the 24 Hours at Le Mans.
Mercury Prize-winning singer-songwriter Jamelia hails from Smethwick. She was signed to record label Parlophone at just 15 after recording herself singing along to a kareoke machine at her home. She since reached the Top 40 with each of her three self-penned albums, belting out hits like Superstar and Thank You. Her fourth studio album will be released in 2009.
Slade's lead guitarist Dave Hill (pictured here on the left with Steve Priest from Sweet) moved to Wolverhampton from Devon with his parents as a baby. After attending Highfields Secondary Modern school, Dave worked for Tarmac before meeting up with Walsall singer Noddy Holder and fellow Wolverhampton resident Jimmy Lea, who went on to play bass in Slade. He lives in Penn and is reported to occasionally teach music at Lower Penn School. 
 
Multi-instrumentalist musician Steve Winwood, who hails from Handsworth in Birmingham, has enjoyed tremendous success both as a solo artist and with various bands including Traffic, Blind Faith (with Eric Clapton) and Go. He hit the city's rhythm and blues scene while still at school, playing backing keyboards for Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, and released a new studio album Nine Lives earlier this year.

One of Birmingham's most famous rock exports is the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, who formed in the city in 1968 against a bleak industrial backdrop. One of the most influential rock bands of all time, Black Sabbath became pioneers of their genre with the 1970s quadruple-platinum album Paranoid. They have since sold over 100 million albums worldwide.


Singer, songwriter and keyboardist Christine McVie, who was born in Cumbria but raised in Bearwood, Smethwick, found fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac. She wrote several hit songs for the band, including Over My Head, You Make Loving Fun and Don't Stop, which Bill Clinton used as a soundtrack for his 1993 Presidential campaign trail. 
Grammy Award-winning musician Jeff Lynne shot to fame as the leader of the 1970s symphonic rock group ELO (Electric Light Orchestra). He met fellow Midlander and band member Roy Wood   while he was living in his native Shard End in Birmingham. As a producer, he's worked with music legends such as George Harrison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan.
Walsall-born drum and bass artist Goldie was a member of a breakdance crew based in Wolverhampton's Whitmore Reans and Heath Town before making his name as a graffiti artist in the West Midlands. In the 1990s he made the switch to drum and bass music, becoming a prolific breakbeats DJ and releasing his first global album Timeless in 1995, featuring the hit song Inner City Life. He's also appeared in several television shows and films including Guy Ritchie's Snatch.
Perhaps the region's best-loved star is Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant, who is still a West Midlands resident and an active supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Plant was born in West Bromwich but raised in Halesowen. He impressed Jimmy Page in 1968 with his powerful voice and the duo teamed up with drummer John Bonham and bass player John Paul Jones to form one of the biggest selling rock bands in the world, performing iconic hits such as Stairway to Heaven. More recently, Plant released a duet album last year with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss, which won critical acclaim.
Compiled by Lara Page
Ozzy Osbourne   Singer
Steve Winwood  Singer
Gerald Berners  Composer
Lloyd Cole - Singer
Elgar Howarth - Trumpeter
Sir Adrian Boult   Conductor
Vince Hill  Singer
Davy Graham  Guitarist
Eric Coates  Composer
John Ogdon   Composer
William Alwyn  Composer
Charles Burney   Composer
Noddy Holder  Musician
Rick Astley  Singer
Christopher Evans  Singer
Beverley Knight  Singer
James W. Tate Pianist
Maggie Teyte   Singer
Rutland Broughton   Composer
George Michael  Singer
Henry Clifton 1 Singer/songwriter
Paul Young  Singer
Blaze Bayley – (Musician - former vocalist
 of Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden)
Geezer Butler – bassist of (Black Sabbath) Ali Campbell and Robin Campbell
– (Musician, UB40)
Andy Cox Musician - Fine Young Cannibals & The Beat Niki Evans – (Singer) Frank Farrell – (Rock bassist and co-writer of chart hit "Moonlighting") Fuzzbox late 1980s girl band Roland Gift – (Actor and musician - Fine Young Cannibals)
Mark "Barney" Greenway –(Musician - Napalm Death) Rob Halford – (Musician - Judas Priest) Norman Hassan Percussionist - UB40 Mr Hudson – (singer) Tony Iommi – guitarist of (Black Sabbath)
Jamelia – (R&B singer) Earl Falconer Bass Player - UB40 Albert William Ketèlbey – (Composer) Denny Laine – (Paul McCartney and Wings) Jeff Lynne – (Musician; co-founder of the Electric Light Orchestra)
Clare Maguire (Musician) Zena McNally – (Singer - Mis-Teeq) Christine McVie Musician - Fleetwood Mac Carl Palmer – (Musician - Emerson, Lake & Palmer) Michael Pinder – (Musician - The Moody Blues)
Nick Rhodes – (Musician - Duran Duran) John Taylor – (Musician - Duran Duran) Roger Taylor – (Musician - Duran Duran) Brian Travers Sax Player - UB40 Bill Ward – drummer of (Black Sabbath)
Toyah Willcox – (Singer, actress and television presenter) Chris Wood – (Musician; co-founder, Traffic) Roy Wood – (Musician - co-founder of the Electric Light Orchestra) Aetherfx (Jacob Tugby, Industrial electronic musician) Blab Happy (band)
The Bomb Party (band) Felix Buxton (Half of Basement Jaxx) Cornershop (band) Crazyhead (band) John Deacon (bassist, Queen)
The Deep Freeze Mice (band) Diesel Park West (band) The Displacements (band) Family (band) Gemini (musician) (DJ)
Gaye Bykers on Acid (band) Robert Gotobed (drummer, Wire) Ric Grech Violinist/ Bassist/Writer/ Producer.
Blind Faith. Traffic. Gram Parsons
H "Two" O (band) Trevor Horn (record producer and singer of The Buggles)
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer, Release Me, Misty Blue) The Hunters Club (band) John Illsley (bassist, Dire Straits) Tony Kaye (keyboard player, Yes) Kasabian (band)
Frank Benbini (drummer, Fun Lovin Criminals) Jon Lord (organist, Deep Purple) Paul Martinez Bassist/Guitarist/Writer. Led Zeppelin. Stretch. Dave Edmunds. Tom Meighan (vocalist, Kasabian) Mark Morrison (singer, Return of the Mack)
Perfume (band) Sergio Pizzorno (Musician, Kasabian) Po! (band) Prolapse (band) Kav Sandhu (former Happy Mondays guitarist,
 solo artist,musician, co launched UK festival Getloaded in the Park
Scum Pups (band) Showaddywaddy (band) Stunt (band) Yeah Yeah Noh (band) The Young Knives (band)
John Crocker, clarinettist and saxophonist with Chris Barber's Jazz Band until 2003. Christopher Hogwood conductor. Alvin Lee, rock guitarist and singer, was born Graham Barnes in Nottingham Elton Dean, the jazz saxophonist, Ian Paice, drummer for Deep Purple.
Graham Russell, guitarist and vocalist from soft rock group Air Supply. Judith Bingham, composer and singer Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of legendary heavy metal band Iron Maiden Corinne Drewery, lead singer of Nottingham group Swing Out Sister. Nick Hallam and (1961) Robert Birch, founder members of Stereo MCs
Andy Fletcher of synth band Depeche Mode Stuart A. Staples, guitarist and singer, most notably of the band Tindersticks Chris Urbanowicz, Lead guitarist in Editors Liam Bailey, acoustic soul musician Natalie Duncan, soul/blues singer
Jay McGuinness, member of the boyband The Wanted, Bianca Claxton, a trained musician and member of the girl group Parade, Jake Bugg, singer/songwriter, Dog Is Dead are a 5-piece indie band Pete Burns (singer/songwriter)
The Coral (indie folk/rock band) Elvis Costello (singer/songwriter) Engine (boogie-rock band, active 1979-1997) Half Man Half Biscuit pop group Paul Heaton (singer and songwriter for the Beautiful South)
Malcolm Holmes (musician) Stephen Hough (pianist) Paul Humphreys (musician) Rita Hunter (Wagnerian soprano) Andy McCluskey (musician)
Mike McGear (photographer, musician (The Scaffold) and brother of Paul McCartney) Oceanic (band) Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark pop group The Rascals indie band More to come ............

How to go to a music festival for free
Rebecca Rutt
by Lovemoney Staff Rebecca Rutt on 15 February 2013 
Instead of spending a fortune on festival tickets, why not go for free?

 
 
Festival season is fast approaching and whether it’s Glastonbury, Reading or Latitude you’re after, paying for the ticket can cost a small fortune.
But instead of bankrupting yourself buying festival tickets, there are some ways of getting in free.
Obviously being best friends with a musician would come in handy, or being in the band yourself, but if neither of these apply fear not as there are still ways to get your hands on tickets without paying a penny.

Become a steward
Working at a festival means you’ll be able to get a free ticket and you also won’t have to spend ages on hold trying to get through on the ticket line.
One of the most popular ways to do this is through stewarding. This involves directing campers around the campsite, giving out advice and directions, chatting to campers and answering any questions, and reporting back any concerns to the event management team.
There will normally be a certain number of hours you’ll have to commit to working, typically two eight-hour shifts over three days, and if you’re going with friends you can generally arrange your shifts together.
When you apply you’ll need to fill in an application form, submit your CV and pay a deposit. Once the festival is over, if you’ve completed all your shifts, you’ll get this back.
Most companies allow you to apply two months in advance but if you want to be picked you’ll need to act quickly as these spots are very competitive. Some companies, such as Peppermint Bars, will also pay you an hourly wage.
Useful websites include Event Staffing, Peppermint Bars and Festival Volunteer.
 
 
Volunteering for a charity
Many charities such as The Samaritans and Oxfam offer up free tickets to music festivals in return for a few hours’ work. You’ll need to do two or three shifts and this can be anything from handing out leaflets or water to keeping an eye on festival-goers.
To get involved, apply on your chosen charity’s website and pay a returnable deposit of around £200 to cover the cost of the ticket. Once the festival is over, this will be returned to you. There will also be a training day you’ll need to attend before the actual event.
With volunteering, as well as working, not all charities will have spaces open at all the festivals and smaller charities will only have limited numbers of spaces. You’ll also have a better chance of scoring a ticket if you pick a smaller festival.
 
Get behind a bar
Events companies, such as Workers Beer, hire staff for each festival and in return you’ll get free entry to the festival, meal vouchers and some free drinks vouchers. You’ll also get to camp in the slightly nicer workers arena with showers, regularly cleaned toilets and a subsidised canteen.
In return for your ticket you’re normally expected to do one six-hour shift per day and some companies will require that you have previous experience.
Litter picking
Another, slightly less glamorous, route in is via litter picking. Festival sites get completely covered in rubbish and often hire temporary teams to help clear away the litter.
Again, you’ll need to sign up with a company in advance and complete certain shifts over a weekend. It’s not the nicest job going, but it does give you the chance to watch your favourite band for free.
Good websites to try include Cash and Traffic Management and DC Site Services.
Press passes
If you’re a music journalist, professional or wannabe, you might be able to review the festival in return for a free ticket.
Your local newspaper, website or magazine is a good place to start. If it hasn't already got someone covering an event, you may have a shot. But remember these tickets are not given out lightly and you'll have more luck if you're applying for a less popular event.
If you get commissioned by an editor then approach the festival and ask for media accreditation. You can normally do this two to three months before the festival and you may be required to interview some of the bands playing.
Competitions

A slightly hit or miss approach to getting into a music festival is winning a ticket. In the run up to most of the events this summer there will competitions left, right and centre to get hold of festival tickets.
Keep your ears and eyes alert and get your friends to also enter any ticket competitions. Social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, are a good place to start.
There’s no guarantee you’ll get a ticket
Whichever festival you’re trying to get into, the more popular the event the less likely you’ll be able to get a ticket. Glastonbury tickets, for example, sold out in an hour and a half so most people who couldn’t get paid-for tickets will be desperately trying to get in another way.
Give yourself the best opportunity possible to get a ticket by being organised and applying early. The more times you apply and successfully work at a festival, either paid work or volunteering for a charity, the greater your chances the following year.
Even if you do manage to get a ticket, you also need to factor in extra costs such as transport, camping gear and spending money. Our article on the top money-saving tips for festival goers is stacked full of advice to help.

Reference
MUSIC
  Mercian Shield

 
If you wish your website to be added to this list call0207 183 4978
or email : info@nerciatouristboard.org.uk
818Music
www.818music.com
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818 Music is dedicated to giving new artists a break by letting the listening public download their music as MP3 files. As you might expect, 818 Music keeps growing and there are now there are even more MP3s to download and listen to! Visitors are invited to listen to tracks selected by 818music before buying a hard copy direct from the 818music online store. The site's artist development program is growing larger with each day and provides a relatively simple path to recognition that many musical artists are seeking.
The Dance Music Resource Pages
www.juno.co.uk
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On first impressions the dance music resource pages don't look up to much, because there is little colour, no images and no logo. In fact this site is exactly what it says it is, a resource, pure and simple. All the latest dance music releases can be viewed by genre and by the release date over the last week, two weeks etc. In addition to viewing a list of the latest releases, 40 second 'taster' MP3's are available for each tune, which can then be bought direct from the website's online store.
Monster Guitars
www.monsterguitars.com
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Offering purely MP3's of guitar players Monster Guitars is aptly named. There's no upload feature, this site is based quite simply on people downloading MP3's, which are sorted by the artist that created them. Design, it has to be said, isn't the greatest in the world, with all of the content being squeezed onto a single page. However, as all of the available MP3's are recorded by professional guitarists, the quality is very good, and makes up for the appearance of the page. With a little work, and with the design tidied up this site good be even better than it already is.
AMP3.com
www.amp3.com
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AMP3.com offers over 1 million downloads, so whatever genre of music you're into, there's bound to be tracks here to suit your taste. The site is mainly text based, so the pages load quickly. Every day there's a featured artist as well as a 'pick hit' to have a listen to. AMP3 is designed with artists in mind as well as music lovers, and to that end has a Pay for Play program where artists get compensated for all their hard work. You'll also the usual software, hardware and music reviews to help you choose the best of what's available.
Sonicnet - The online music network
www.sonicnet.com
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Sonicnet provides a complete information service for all the latest music news, as well as MP3 and music video downloads by a wide selection of well-known artists. The search facility allows you to quickly find what you're looking for and read a biography, among other details, while listing to samples of the bands latest releases. The website itself is very stylised with great looking graphics and images on the home page, which don't seem to slow down the site when clicking through the numerous different sections.
MP3.com
www.mp3.com
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MP3.com is one of the more popular MP3 site around, mostly due to it's highly obvious Web address, but also because it has an absolutely vast database of music that would keep even the fussiest of listeners busy for hours. Not only does MP3.com allow you to listen to and download songs, but you can also link direct to their online store and buy the CD for those times when you really must have it. Perhaps the most dynamic aspect of MP3.com is that, as an artist, you are able to promote your music, your live performances and sell your CDs for free!
Audiofind
www.audiofind.com
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In simple terms, Audiofind is a massive online database of music and artist information with sample songs, which can be played online or downloaded in MP3 format. An artist or song can be found by searching by artist name and by browsing by initial or date. The results are displayed in list format with an icon links to an additional information page and the MP3 sample song. Although the homepage looks pretty flash, the website itself is kept simple to minimise the download time for each page and the search results. Nevertheless the site still looks stylish and is easy to navigate.
Peoplesound.com
www.peoplesound.com
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Peoplesound enables amateur artists to submit their music in various formats to be downloaded and heard by anyone and everyone who's interested. New artists can be found by browsing your favourite kind of music or by conducting a search of the massive Peoplesound database. Entire songs can be downloaded for free in MP3 format or played online, if you like what you hear you can buy the CD direct from peoplesound.com.
Ministry of Sound
www.ministryofsound.co.uk
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Having grown from a humble nightclub into a global empire, Ministry of Sound has branched out onto the web in a big way. This busy site features the latest dance music news and features but that's just the tip of the iceberg. 
A streaming radio station pumps out banging tunes 24 hours a day, while Ministry TV utilises Realplayer technology to deliver video interviews with some of the biggest DJs in the world.
Opera Base
www.operabase.com
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The popularity of Classic FM and the omnipresence of opera music on adverts and television programmes proves that opera is no longer thought of as only for people with diamond tiaras and weekend retreats in the country. 
This sprawling site will delight anyone with even the slightest interest in the art form, with reviews of the latest productions and a useful guide to more than 500 opera houses worldwide, complete with maps and booking details.
CDDB
www.cddb.com
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This is the world's largest database of CD titles and tracks and no matter how hard you try to stump it, from the most obscure artist to the most famous, it's likely to have a listing.
Best of all, though, is the way that it will automatically identify audio CDs played in your CD-ROM drive. Just download a compatible player from the site and every time you listen to a CD, the artist, track titles and times will appear as if by magic.
Ultimate Band List
www.ubl.com
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This site started out as a simple yet effective way of listing every single music and fan site on the web but has mutated into so much more. Not only will it helpfully direct you to a plethora of sites devoted to your favourite artist but also includes its own informative content and an online shop. Yet it still serves its primary function very well, helpfully grouping sites into those which have multimedia content, those which are run by fans and so on.
Warp Records
www.warprecords.co.uk
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A leftfield dance label from Sheffield, Warp has used the web as something more than a mere promotional tool by imbuing the whole site with a real sense of identity.
Stylish design and good use of animation draw you in, while generous archives of video clips and sound files from the likes of Aphex Twin will either be music to your ears or frighten you to death, depending on your tastes. If you like what you hear, you can browse for those rare singles in the online shop.
Roots World
www.rootsworld.com
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This fascinating site is devoted to world and 'roots' music, covering artists from the four corners of the globe. 
Alongside reviews and interviews with the artists concerned, you'll find loads of streaming Real Audio clip, so you can try before you buy. The colourful layout and regularly updated content make this a site you'll be keen to return to again and again. There's also the option to sign up for a weekly email newsletter.
Classical Net
www.classical.net
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If your passion is classical music then there's no better place to start surfing than Classical Net. Providing a point of entry to thousands of reviews, articles and informative overviews of major and lesser-known works, it can greatly enhance your understanding and appreciation of a composer. 
There are also links to other classical music sites on the Internet, allowing you to learn at your own pace away from the sometimes stuffy and oppressive atmosphere of the concert hall.
Global Music Network
www.gmn.com
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The Global Music Network can really enhance your understanding of a piece of music, whether through listening to it for the first time, watching a background video or reading more about the performers and composers. 
From early baroque through to Dixieland jazz and right up to the present day, you're sure to find something that takes your fancy. It's also nice to see that lots of thought has gone into the design of the site in order to ensure that the impressive multimedia elements don't obscure the excellent content.
Bowie Net
www.davidbowie.com
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The Thin White Duke has embraced the Internet with a fervour unmatched by any other artist. 
This portal site gives access to six sites relating to all things Bowie. One offers you the chance to view his artwork online while another is a more typical site giving you news on his latest releases, a biography and so on. 
Perhaps most interesting, however, is Bowie Net, an ISP set up specifically for Bowie fans. Members can read extracts from David's own personal diary and even collaborate on songs with him.
Love 4 One Another
www.love4oneanother.com
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He might be completely bonkers, but Prince (or the squiggle by which he prefers to be called these days) certainly knows how to put together a web site. Aside from being graphically sumptuous and purely icon driven, Love 4 One Another also has a serious point to make about the greed of the record industry.
Together with articles promising a brave new world of democratic music distribution, you'll find several exclusive and unreleased tracks available for download.
Radiohead
www.radiohead.com
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This critically lauded band are having a few teething troubles with their fourth album. We know this because their excellent website features a regularly updated online diary from guitarist Johnny Greenwood. 
Giving fans a real insight into the workings of the band, he pulls no punches and also uploads photographs regularly to the site. A well used message board, the latest news and a smart design in keeping with the band's image complete a great site.
Steps Official
www.stepsofficial.com
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If you're fed up with pompous rock bands and monotonous dance music then turn to every schoolgirls favourite band for a little light relief. 
Colourful and fun, this official site is well stocked with Steptacular content. The diary will keep you up to date with bands antics while the extensive profiles of each band member will tell you everything from their height to, inevitably, their favourite colour. There's even animated instructions to their dance routines so you can jump around in front of the mirror to your hearts content.
Manic Street Preachers
www.manics.co.uk
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Following their Millennium Eve extravaganza, the much loved Manics have vowed not to play live again this year. So this smoothly designed website is probably the closest their fanatical followers will be able to get to the Welsh trio.
With more history and baggage than many other bands there was always going to be scope to produce a good site, but the designers here have done an excellent job in capturing the spirit of the band.
Blur
www.blur.co.uk
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One of the most consistently excellent British bands of the last 10 years, Blur have produced a similarly excellent site here.
The design is slightly obtuse and hard to navigate but then even that mirrors the band's recent musical direction. Aside from up to date news of tours, releases and so on, the main attraction is the video wall, which takes advantage of some neat embedded technology to showcase the band. 
Then there's music and video clips galore, an illustrated discography and a well written potted biography.
The Oasis
www.theoasis.co.uk
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As is so often the case on the web, this unofficial site run by a besotted teenage fan knocks spots off the official version.Slavishly updated every day with even the merest sniff of any news about the Gallaghers, you'll also find a comprehensive discography and some highly entertaining Real Audio files of Liam in full flow. You can test your devotion in the Oasis quiz and chat about how they're not as good as they used to be on the message board.
Public Enemy
www.public-enemy.com
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They may not be the incendiary musical force they once were but the members of Public Enemy still influence just about every hip-hop act in the world today.Leader Chuck D is also in the vanguard of the online music revolution and you'll often find new tracks available here months before they're released in the shops. The stylised design suits the content well and you'll also find all the usual biographies, news and discographies.
 
MTV
www.mtv.co.uk
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The MTV UK site does not follow the normal pattern of news and album reviews. Instead you it has some information on the shows and the presenters, plus some cool interactive features which let you create you own dance music online. You will need the Macromedia Shockwave plugin for that, but it is fun to play with. And to top it all off there are a few interviews with artists like Jamiroquai, Suede and Boyzone.
Music999.com
www.music999.com
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Whatever you are looking for, you'll find it here on Music999. It has the latest news from the world of music, as well as reviews of albums and singles. But it also has a huge amount of links to other sites. There are hundreds of links to band sites, so you can find all your favourite items, and there are links to all the important MP3 sites. You can even find links to festival sites and the music industry.
S Club 7
www.sclub.com
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If you want to see this site in all its glory you will need Macromedia Flash, and the files do take some time to download, but they are probably worth the wait. In addition to biogs on the members of the band, you also get to read the lyrics to their song, and of course there is a large section devoted to the band's TV series, Miami 7. And as if that is not enough you can join the club, registering online to get all the latest S Club 7 news mailed to your inbox.
Spice Girls
www.virginrecords.com/newspice/index.html
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There are no end of unofficial sites devoted to the Spice Girls, all put together by ardent fans, but this is the official site. There are the usual pictures and biographies and a link to the SpiceWorld The Movie site, but most fans will come here for the downloadable video and audio clips. There are plenty of videos of the band being interviewed and live versions of their songs, and when we visited the site you could see the new Spice Girls video for their single Goodbye exclusively online.
B*Witched
www.b-witched.com
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If you are a B*witched fan you probably already know all about this site. It has the usual stuff here, including the story of the band, profiles of the girls and news of their upcoming records. You can download wallpapers and screensavers and you can even nominate yourself to be featured on the site itself by filling in an online questionnaire explaining why you think you are the world's greatest B*witched fan.
Blur
www.blur.co.uk
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Most music stars' web sites are a little thin on content and the design is pretty unimaginative. Blur stand out from the crowd with this extremely cool site. The graphics are impressive, but so is the content. There are loads of samples of tracks to listen to in RealPlayer format and the Blur VideoWall may take a while to download, but it is well worth the wait. It is cobbled together from Blur's videos, but it is so imaginative that the result is fascinating.
Steps
stepsofficial.com
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Listen to the music, do the dance. Not only do you get the usual photos and band profile on the official Steps website, you get to learn how to do the dances. There are eight tracks listed, including Tragedy and Last Thing On My Mind, and for each song there is a written description of the steps, but you also get a little rolling slideshow of Steps themselves doing the dance, so you will get a much better idea of how it goes. There is also a lively forum session and online chat with other Steps fans.
Top of the Pops
www.totp.beeb.com
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There is far more to the Top of the Pops site than just seeing who is going to be on the show next week. There is a busy news section full of showbiz gossip, interviews with the stars, a run-down of the current chart and news of who is touring at the moment. If you want to get more involved you can ask a question of Pop Sherlock, enter one of the competitions or even post your own reviews on the site. Phew!
TELEVISION
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Beeb.com
www.beeb.com
While Auntie has continued to lead the way in Internet presence, pressure on it to justify spending licence payers' money has seen beeb.com take on the organisation's commercial activities. A huge amount of content is still available, but around you are a large array of shopping distractions and the site suffers because of it. Hopefully, the BBC will find a better compromise in the future.
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Carlton
www.carlton.co.uk
Carlton is one of the UK's biggest independent TV programme makers and in the last year has got into the Internet in a big way. This new focus shows on the company's Website, which packs in more information than you could shake a stick at, while remaining easy-to-read and navigate. Aside from in-depth coverage of all its channels, it also includes news, weather, TV listings and the marvellous online games site Jamba.
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Channel 4
www.channel4.com
This is a stylish site from the television channel that can always be relied upon to come up with something new. However, while most broadcasters have to forcibly stop themselves from putting too much content on the Web, Channel 4 has gone the other way and leaves you waiting for more. Considering the enormous amount of output produced each year, this fact counts against it. It is to be commended on the high level of interaction, however.
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Channel 5
www.channel5.co.uk
Channel 5 is well known for being garish, dumbed-down and downright entertaining and it carries these attributes through to its website. The different sections are accessed through a snazzy cartoon front room and once there you will find lots of daft games and competitions to entertain you. One niggling hiccup, though, are the photos of channel frontwoman Melinda Messenger. Presumably, their effect was supposed to be sexy rather than disconcerting. That said, you'll probably come back for more.
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Court TV
www.courttv.com
The democratisation of justice in the US continues apace and this site is just the beginning of a fundamental change in the way law is handled. The site contains a huge amount of information on forthcoming and ongoing court disputes as well as world news and a handy guide to the country's Most Wanted. Although criticised as a gross simplification of a complex system, court reports are soberly written and often prove fascinating reading. Visit and see the future.
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Food TV
www.foodtv.com
Ever wanted to know how to julienne carrots or safely crack open a bottle of champagne? Well now you can learn to do both in your own time through FoodTV. Aside from a massive recipe database, guides on the correct wine or caviar, or how to get over a hangover, this site includes a range of video teaching guides complete with simple written instructions and a voiceover - great for any would-be chef. Good eating begins here.
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Skynow
www.skynow.co.uk
The Sky site is so jammed full of content that you don't know where to start. Sky News, Sky Sports and Sky Movies all have their own sections and the rest of the Murdoch media empire is there in force, including the US Fox network. The Sky Sports site deserves a special mention for its comprehensive coverage of sports news and endless fantasy sports games and trivia quizzes. As you'd expect you get TV listings for all the channels. Sky's exclusive web casts of pop concerts and celebrity chats will pull in the younger Internet user.
RADIO STATIONS
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Antenna Radio
www.antennaradio.com
 One of the great advantages to Internet radio is that you can cater for everyone's tastes and this is exactly what Antenna does. The design is very comfortable and the music well defined, so you can be sure to find something you like. 
Sound quality is excellent and it doesn't take long to download any of the mixes you choose. You may even try something new.
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BBC Radio 1
www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
This is a mean-looking site and a good example of the BBC's Internet vision. Offering far more than a simple radio rundown, the site involves you with a whole range of up-to-date information (although it was a little premature with a vote on a single that had only been released hours earlier). The large amount of material put up every day is kept in check by the design, and of course to can listen to the station and its highlights.
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BBC Radio 5 Live
www.bbc.co.uk/radio5live/
we hoped that Radio 5 would have changed its garish design - yellow gets a bit too much after a while - but then the station has always been a case of content over style. Everything you would expect is here - live chat, sports news and weekly schedules - but sadly not a lot else. While other stations have tried to expand beyond radio, Radio 5 is sticking to its roots. But with a wide selection of downloadable moments, you can't argue.
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Capital Radio
www.capitalfm.com
The Capital Radio and Virgin websites could have been separated at birth as far as content goes. The colour scheme is equally bright and the home page is packed full of the latest entertainment news. Fair play to Capital though it was one of the first radio stations to broadcast over the Internet. The site is rounded off by pages devoted to the Capital DJs and a tour around the Capital studios. The interactive features of the site are useful; allowing you to email your requests in to Foxy's Jukebox and chat with other Capital listeners.
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Classic FM
www.classicfm.com
A successful site will always cater for its audience and this is exactly what Classic FM has done. A calming blue design with subtle graphics wafts you into the world of classical music. There's a good selection of highlights too, if what is playing isn't to your liking. 
Another good feature that we mentioned last time was the seamless move from the music you're hearing to buying the CD online - something that a lot of sites have subsequently included.
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CNET Radio
www.news.com
CNET News covers the latest stories on just IT. The front page gives you the latest headlines to browse through, which you can then use to move onto more in depth news stories. It's an easy to navigate site, although the advertisements can get in the way at times. Apart from the new headlines, the news is split into categories, which you pick from a menu on the right of the screen.
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Essex FM
www.essexfm.co.uk
This is an imaginative and entertaining site from one of the country's smaller stations. Witty cartoon graphics and fancy animations keep you interested, while a load of other information is pumped into your brain. Why not meet the crew and get interactive with them. As long as you don't want to actually listen to the station - a link must be there somewhere, but then if we can't find it there is definitely something wrong.
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Hard Radio
www.hardradio.com
Claiming to be The world's largest online music station, Hard Radio is very impressive and comprehensive - if, that is, you like heavy metal. The design will not be to everyone's tastes but it is clear that the metal fraternity loves it and this may account for the impressive stock of new tracks, albums and live concerts that are available at the touch of a button.
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Jazz FM
www.jazzfm.co.uk
You get some nice laid back and stylish website design at the Jazz FM site - cooool. The content is also impressive and includes reviews of the latest Jazz CDs (often with track samples to download and listen to), features and a comprehensive gig and event guide. You'll find all the programme schedules for the station on the site and you can tune into the live broadcast, as long as you've got the Windows Media Player. And Jazz FM hasn't missed out on merchandising opportunities; there's an online store selling clothing as well as CDs.
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Kiss FM
www.kiss100.com
It's hard to tell what Kiss FM is trying to do with this site. Why a station playing mostly dance and house music has dressed itself up in a My Little Pony outfit is anyone's guess. Sadly, beyond the pink and red love hearts there isn't much else going on. You can learn about your favourite DJ in a Smash Hits style interview or wander off to the chat room, but just try and find how to actually listen to the station.
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Martini In The Morning
 martiniinthemorning.com
Rat Pack Music. If you are a young or old swinger Tune In
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RTHK Cyber Radio
www.rthk.org.hk
If you doubted that the Web releases people's imagination, then pay this site a visit. Set up by Hong Kong students, the design is extraordinary. It doesn't stop there either - listen to any of the four channels on offer and the huge mix of music will make you wonder why you've been listening to the same 20 albums for the past 10 years. There is a downside though - you won't be able to understand a blessed word the DJ says.
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Talk Sport
www.talksport.net
Talk Sport is the UK's first online sport radio network (it's a spin off from Talk Radio at www.talk-radio.co.uk). Sports fans who can't get access to UK radio or TV stations can catch up on the latest results at this site. A good selection of sports are covered including football, cricket, rugby, golf, motorsports, horse racing, greyhound racing and cycling. The content includes professional sports news, interviews with sporting stars and live commentaries on sports events, including some of the big footie matches. The Fan Chat area is a great place for sports fans to get together and chat about the latest scores.
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Town Hall
www.town.hall.org/radio
This is an extremely basic and low-tech site, but is the perfect example of content winning out over presentation. Obscure and uninteresting titles like 'club' lead to a large range of fascinating and often rare speeches given by eminent people in their different fields. We were so intrigued by some of these hidden diamonds that an hour went by before getting past the first page. It's almost a crime that you can tell what's around the corner before you've got there
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Virgin Radio
www.virginradio.com
It's possible that you haven't heard quite enough from Chris Evans yet. Fear not, you can listen to Chrissy Boy 24-hours a day from the Virgin Radio website. Yes you can listen to all the 'best bits' from Chris's Breakfast show in the Virgin audio archives. The design is bright and brash with lots of primary colours - don't visit if you've got a hangover. Listen to the radio station live, check out the Virgin playlist and listen to the tracks listed there. Get the latest in entertainment and footie news and enter online competitions.
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WWOZ Radio
www.wwoz.org
This New Orleans radio station makes the most of the Big Easy's year-round jazz festivals, offering a large range of live and recorded traditional and dixie jazz. The site itself is decked out in pleasing pastel colours and is extremely easy to move about, but it is the music that has made it such a popular choice with punters. Apart from jazz it also offers an equally high-standard selections of blues, gospel, Brazilian and Caribbean music.
RADIO LISTINGS
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BBC
www.bbc.co.uk/schedules
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Broadcast.com
www.broadcast.com/radio
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BRS Web-Radio
www.web-radio.com
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CCI
www.culham.ac.uk/tvr/listing.html
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Discjockey.com
www.discjockey.com
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Live Radio
www.live-radio.net/info.shtml
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Media UK
www.mediauk.com/directory/radio/index_stations.html
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MIT list of radio stations
wmbr.mit.edu/stations/list.html
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Music Search
www.musicsearch.com/Audio_Place/Radio_Stations.html
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Radio Now
www.listen.at
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Radio Times
www.radiotimes.co.uk
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Real
realguide.real.com/stations
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UK Pirate listings
website.lineone.net/~stealth54/uklist.html
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UK Radio.com
www.ukradio.com
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Web Radio
www.web-radio.com


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