NEWS

U2: SMELLS LIKE CUISINE SPIRIT

U2 launched their new dance label Kitchen Recordings in Dublin last night appropriately enough at The Kitchen, the club owned by the band in the basement of The Clarence Hotel in the city's Temple Bar district.

ROB ROWLAND and BASIC, two of the label's acts, performed live sets' Dublin techno artist Rowland's 'Ground ~Zero' will be the label's first release.

The band are not overseeing the project; long time friend REGGIE MANUEL will run the label with advice and assistance from U2 collaborator HOWIE B's Pussyfoot label.

"Myself and BONO are hoping that the club is gonna keep us tuned into what's happening in our dotage," THE EDGE told NME. "We won't have to worry about keeping our finger on the pulse. So rather than us feeling that we're going to change the world of dance music, we're happy just to let Reg do it. We're gonna listen to tapes and be involved, but really it's his baby."

We asked Bono if he thought the label could express a more dance -conscious aspect of Irish youth culture.

"I'm not sure if Irish people can dance," he said. "Except for The Edge, that is, who is our own funky chicken. But what I like about the scene her is that it's wide open and there's not so much poise. It's raw, and you'll see that, which in a funny way is where we were coming from in the 80s. We were making ecstatic music in the 80s. But we met Paul Oakenfold and he said 'Do you know they're playing 'With Or Without You' at these big open air raves?' So maybe that's what's happening here, on a DJ level. People are being a bit less guarded."

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MIND HOW YOU GO SIR

Police will not take any further action against LIAM GALLAGHER following his arrest in London on wednesday november 4th due to a lack of any evidence.

A statement issued by Creation records today pointed out that Mel Bouzad, the paparazzi photographer who was allegedly assaulted has frequently been seen outside Liam's home, despite claiming that he had not been stalking the OASIS singer.

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TURKEYS BET ON CHRISTMAS

FAT LES are currently being hammered by THE SPICE GIRLS in the race to be Christmas number one. The Spice Girls are favourittes at 4-7, while Fat Les's 'Naughty Christmas (Goblin In The Office)' is in ninth place so far at 16-1. STEREOPHONICS, on the other hjand, languish at 100-1, thrashed in the bookies' odds by DANIEL O'DONNELL, DES LYNAM and ACE OF BASE.

From now until Christmas, NME.COM will be running the latest prices and giving you a chance to hear some of the particularly horrible runners in this race.

The odds courtesy of Paddy Power Bookmakers are:

SPICE GIRLS 4-7 JANE McDONALD 3-1 B*WITCHED 8-1 ALBERTA 12-1 BILLIE 16-1 BOYZONE 16-1 CLIFF RICHARD 16-1 FAT LES 16-1 SOUTH PARK 20-1 ALL SAINTS 25-1 MARIAH CAREY & WHITNEY HOUSTON 25-1 911 33-1 STEPS 33-1 BARE FOOT MAN 40-1 BING CROSBY 40-1 BRYAN ADAMS & MEL C 40-1 F!VE 40-1 ROBBIE WILLIAMS 40-1 ANOTHER LEVEL 50-1 BONK BONK BONK 50-1 CELINE DION & R KELLY 50-1 CHARLOTTE CHURCH 50-1 CULTURE CLUB 50-1 ISAAC HAYES 50-1 MANIC STREET PREACHERS 50-1 THE ARTIST 50-1 ACE OF BASE 66-1 THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH 66-1 EMMA 66-1 FLUSH 66-1 JAY-Z 66-1 JODY & JOHANN 66-1 MADONNA 66-1 TROUBLE 66-1 BARRY MANILOW 80-1 DANIEL O'DONNELL 80-1 DES LYNAM 80-1 LINDA McCARTNEY 80-1 SHANIA TWAIN 80-1 THE McGANNS 80-1 CHER 100-1 E17 100-1 ELECTRASY 100-1 STEREOPHONICS 100-1

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"FUCK YOU VERY MUCH" FERGIE

MASSIVE ATTACK managed to upset former Royal turned chat show hostess Sarah 'Fergie' Ferguson at last night's MTV Europe Awards.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess Of York, presented an award to Massive Attack, made an incompetent speech where she fluffed her lines and acted as though she had never heard of them when she presented the award for Best Video.

"Someone's having a fucking laugh," said DADDY G after Fergie got the band's name wrong.

The band then refused to shake her hand, taking the piss out of the embarassed former-Royal turned chat show hostess.

"Fuck you very much," one of the band said as they left the stage.

Apart from All Saints miming oral sex during their live set ( a version of LaBelle's 'Lady Maremalade'), the Awards were otherwise a staid, controlled affair.

SPICE GIRLS, ROBBIE WILLIAMS and THE BEASTIE BOYS all picked up awards at the Filaforum in Milan, Italy.

PRODIGY also picked up an award for Best Dance Act, which was collected by KEITH FLINT, his fifth year running collecting MTV Awards.

"I don't know why I've got this," he said. "Because we've hardly done anything this year."

The glitzy, corporate showbiz affair was watched by over a billion people worldwide, according to MTV's press office.

The awards, hosted by JENNY McCARTHY, saw performances from the MANIC STREET PREACHERS, MADONNA, RAMMSTEIN, REM, Robbie Williams, FAITHLESS, BUSTA RHYMES, AQUA and ALL SAINTS.

Amongst the nominees were GARBAGE, SMASHING PUMPKINS, FATBOY SLIM, APHEX TWIN and Massive Attack's album 'Mezzanine' The winners were:

Best Male Act: Robbie Williams Best Group: Spice Girls Best Dance Act: Prodigy Best Song: NATALIE IMBRUGLIA for 'Torn' Best Rock Act: AEROSMITH Best Female: MADONNA Best Pop Act: Spice Girls Breakthrough Artist: All Saints Best Rap Act: THE BEASTIE BOYS Best Album: Madonna - 'Ray Of Light' Best Video: Massive Attack - 'Tear Drop' Select (awards voted for by viewers in) UK: F!VE Select (awards voted for by viewers in) Northern (Europe): EAGLE EYE CHERRY Select (awards voted for by viewers in) Central (Europe): THOMAS D & FRANKE POTENTE Select (awards voted for by viewers in) Southern (Europe): BLUVERTIGO Free Your Mind Award: B92 (independent Serbian radio station)

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