Sony Engineer Norio Ohga - Father Of The CD Format - Dies At 81

Former Sony president Norio Ohga, who helped transform the music industry with the development of the compact disc format, has died at the age of 81, the company said.

The invention of the CD arguably saved the music industry. Under threat from home taping, record labels struggled to find a way to reinvigorate their back catalogues and inject investment into new talent. Pioneered by Sony, the CD sent sales to record levels. Famously billed as being virtually indestructible - can you really smear jam on them? - the CD soon became the primary means of listening to music.

Sony engineer Norio Ohga led this change. President of the Japanese company from 1982 to 1995, Ohga actually began life as an ambitious young opera singer.

Drawn into the world of engineering, Norio Ogha soon focussed this ambition on new technology. When discussions about the possibility of the compact disc began, it was Ogha who insisted that the CD should be 12 cm in diameter - enough to safely carry Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

Later, Norio Ogha would preside over the purchase of the Columbia label and also launched Sony's games division - who would in turn produce the Playstation.

Commenting on the loss, Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation said, "When I first joined Sony in 1997, Ohga-san was serving on the frontlines of Sony management as Chairman and CEO. His numerous and successful endeavors were well-known both inside and outside of Sony. Witnessing Ohga-san's leadership firsthand was truly an honor, and one I continued to enjoy and benefit from in countless ways in the years that followed."

"By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed. It is no exaggeration to attribute Sony's evolution beyond audio and video products into music, movies and game, and subsequent transformation into a global entertainment leader to Ohga-san's foresight and vision."

"I offer my deepest condolences on his passing and pray that he may rest in peace."

Liam Gallagher Changes Hotel To Avoid Brother Noel

Liam Gallagher moved hotels this week to avoid his brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel, according to reports.

According to the Daily Star, Liam had been scheduled to stay at the Hope Street Hotel when current band Beady Eye played the O2 Liverpool Academy. However, the singer discovered that Noel was also booked into the luxury accommodation, as he travelled to watch Manchester City play Liverpool.

A source said: “Liam wasn’t having any of it, he refused to check in and demanded to be moved to another hotel.”

The feuding brothers are not thought to have spoken since an argument in August 2009 led to the demise of the iconic Britpop band, when guitarist Noel announced his departure.

Since then, Liam has established Beady Eye and they are currently on their first full UK tour.

(facebook.com/LiamGallagherOfficial)

Tags: Liam Gallagher

Listen: Radiohead Single Leaks

New tracks from Radiohead have emerged online ahead of Record Store Day.

Set to be released tomorrow (April 16th) the new 12 inch from Radiohead is highly unusual. The vinyl release is being kept to a strictly limited edition.

The first physical pressing of two new tracks, 'Supercollider' and 'The Butcher' have been kept under wraps. Referring to the new 12 inch, the drummer claimed that the material is offcuts from recent sessions. "The Butcher is from the King Of Limbs sessions," he revealed.  "Supercollider was recorded during that period and finished off after the album came out."

The tracks were not jettisoned from the album because of quality, but more due to neither fitting into the LP's overarching structure. As a result, the quality of the new release is high. Leaking online, fans have been able to hear exactly what they will be queuing for tomorrow...

Meanwhile 'The Butcher' is a far more focussed track - beat heavy, but not at the expense of songwriting.

As part of the Record Store Day celebrations, Ed O'Brien praised the role of independent record shops. "Record stores are some of the most important places for people coming together [and] choosing music that they love," O'Brien said, "so anything we could to help out in these very hard times, we wanted to do."

Listen to both below...

Radiohead - Supercollider

Radiohead - The Butcher