Tingly's News Archive May '07- July '08 [Archive] - Jam Session

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 12:43 PM

GUITAR LEGEND JOHN ABERCROMBIE TALKS ABOUT JAZZ IMPROV

Over the last 30 years, jazz guitarist John Abercrombie has made nearly 50 recordings for the adventurous ECM label, playing a lead role in many of them. On his new CD, The Third Quartet, Abercrombie continues his partnership with drummer Joey Baron, violinist Mark Feldman and double-bass player Marc Johnson.

Abercrombie pays tribute to Ornette Coleman and Bill Evans on the new disc by playing a piece by each of his two jazz heroes. But the rest of the songs are his, and as usual, Abercrombie makes room for plenty of open-spaced improvisation.

The band doesn't sound like your typical jazz quartet, chiefly because of the instrumentation, Abercrombie says.

"When we improvise freely, that is without a structure, it tends to sound more like 20th century classical music, more like a classical ensemble improvising, as opposed to a free-jazz group, where you're more used to hearing saxophones honking."

Like many American teenage boys in the late 1950s, John Abercrombie bought an electric guitar and tried to imitate rock 'n'roll guitar heroes like Chuck Berry.

But Abercrombie soon found himself drawn to jazz. He studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and over the last four decades forged a unique sound and aesthetic.

He has little interest in cramming in as many notes as possible. Instead his playing breathes, inviting an easy interaction with his fellow musicians. Over decades of playing and recording, Abercrombie has quietly become one of the established masters of jazz guitar.

-NPR

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 12:47 PM

BIG CHANGES COMING FOR DOWNLOADED MUSIC?

LOS ANGELES – The last time Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs took on major recording companies, he refused to budge on his 99-cent price for a song on iTunes.

As a new round of talks ramp up this month, however, Jobs has opened the door to higher prices – as long as music companies let Apple Inc. sell their songs without technology designed to stop unauthorized copying.

Jobs contends that would “tear down the walls” by allowing consumers to play music they buy at Apple's iTunes store on any digital music player, not just the company's iPods.

Although most of the major labels insist that safeguards are still needed to stave off online piracy and make other digital music business models work, one company has already struck a deal with Apple.

Last month, Britain's EMI Music Group PLC, home to artists such as Coldplay, Norah Jones and Joss Stone, agreed to let iTunes sell tracks without the copy-protection technology known as digital-rights management. The DRM-free tracks cost 30 cents more than copy-restricted versions of EMI songs and feature enhanced sound quality.

The other major labels – Warner Music Group Corp., Vivendi's Universal Music Group, and Sony BMG Music Entertainment, a joint venture of Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG – will be watching closely to see how the unrestricted EMI tracks sell.

“At this point, no one can ignore Apple or what Apple wants, given its position in the marketplace,” said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with Jupiter Research. “The fact that they were able to do this deal with EMI puts more pressure on some of the other labels to follow suit.”

For their part, at least two of the recording companies will ask Jobs to sell a wider variety of content in digital bundles of songs, videos and other multimedia, according to two recording company executives familiar with their companies' plans. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the confidential nature of the negotiations.

Apple already sells some bundled tracks, but the music companies hope expanding those offerings will boost online revenue and help offset lagging CD sales.

Apple and the recording companies declined official comment on their negotiations.

Four years ago, the majors bought into Jobs' one-price-fits-all vision and agreed to such licensing terms at a time online music services were failing to attract significant interest from music fans.

Since then, the popularity of Apple's iPods has swelled and the sleek devices now dominate more than 70 percent of the digital music player market, by some estimates.

While studies have suggested that only a fraction of the music on most iPods is actually purchased on iTunes, the service has ridden the iPod's coattails and helped cement its position as the top-selling online music service and one of the biggest music retailers overall.

That's given Apple considerable leverage in its dealings with the recording industry.

Last year, the main issue that dominated iTunes licensing talks was pricing, as some of the big music companies urged Jobs to entertain charging more for some songs than others.

The dispute percolated for months, but Jobs didn't budge, not wanting to complicate iTunes' simple pricing scheme for singles.

Eventually, the music companies each agreed to one-year deals, which expire this spring.

Now, Apple is facing pressure in Europe to license its brand of DRM technology to rivals, so consumers can play the music they buy on iTunes on any digital music player, not just iPods.

Critics of the recording industry have argued for years that the labels are alienating customers by placing copy restrictions on legal music downloads, especially as many CDs have been sold without them.

The technology behind such measures differs, depending on the retailer and the music device. Apple, for example, has its own version, called FairPlay, that only works with iPods, making it cumbersome for consumers to transfer songs they bought across other portable digital devices. Likewise, DRM systems used at other online stores won't work with iPods.

Many music fans who don't want to deal with the hassle simply turn to online file-sharing networks to download no-strings tracks for free.

The recording industry has argued that copy protection software itself is not what makes some songs incompatible with some digital players, but the fact that there are different versions of the technology in use. The music companies have called on Jobs to license out FairPlay to makers of rival devices.

Jobs has countered that the best way to get rid of technological barriers is for record labels to strip the copy safeguards from their music. He defends keeping FairPlay closed, saying that if it was widely available, it would become easier for hackers to figure out how to bypass it.

No matter what, Apple plans to continue selling standard, copy-restricted versions of songs for 99 cents each. With the EMI deal, Apple will this month start selling $1.29 premium tracks that are not only DRM free but also of higher quality, compressed at twice the usual bit rate.

John Heard, an iTunes user in Santa Monica, said he would jump at the chance to buy no-strings download, even if it costs more.

“If I have the choice between something that doesn't have copy protection or it does, I'm always going to choose the thing that doesn't have copy protection,” said Heard, 28, a television producer who spends about $300 a year on music, almost all on iTunes.

Buying a better-sounding track is appealing to David Sholle, 54, of Long Beach, a college professor who has purchased several hundred songs from iTunes.

“I'd be willing to pay for that,” he said.

Anticipating a more competitive market, other companies are looking to break into online music sales. Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. first approached the major recording companies 18 months ago about launching an online music store.

A recent meeting prompted speculation that Amazon might begin selling unrestricted MP3s and other music downloads as early as this month. The company has declined to comment.

David Pakman, president and CEO of eMusic, said the elimination of copy protection could help his company mine the rare, catalog recordings owned by major labels but not typically available on iTunes.

EMusic already sells music from independent labels in the MP3 format and boasts some 300,000 subscribers.

Pakman believes the major record labels will also eventually relent on requiring copy restrictions.

“We really think the market is breaking our way,” Pakman said. “A noteworthy major will probably take some steps in this direction later this year.”

-SignOnSanDiego

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 12:51 PM

THOUSANDS ATTEND DON HO MEMORIAL SERVICE ON WAIKIKI BEACH

HONOLULU - Thousands of people, some in electric wheelchairs and others in bikinis, gathered Saturday for a sunset memorial service on the beach at Waikiki for legendary Hawaiian crooner Don Ho.

As they have for decades, fans of different generations brought flowers and reminisced about the late entertainer's earlier years.

"I remember my mom would swoon every time she heard him sing. My dad would get so mad," said Rick Williams, of Visalia, Calif., who was wearing a T-shirt with Ho's unforgettable smile. "Hawaii was two things back then: Don Ho and Pearl Harbor."

Officials expected as many as 25,000 people to attend, which city officials said would make it one of the largest crowds ever in Waikiki. The city arranged extra buses, parking and traffic control.

-KeralaNext

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 12:58 PM

STARS HELP OUT NEW ORLEANS

Musicians including Harry Connick Jr, John Legend and Joss Stone are lending a hand to residents still rebuilding their homes and lives in New Orleans.

A number of artists have taken time out from the city's Jazz Festival to take part in community projects following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

R&B star Legend washed clothes as part of a free mobile laundry service for families still living in trailers.

Connick Jr and his daughters helped paint and clean a new house.

The crooner was putting the finishing touches to the "musicians' village", a new development he conceived with saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

Joss Stone, who performs on the festival's final day on Sunday, will promote volunteer work in New Orleans the following day.

Jazz stars Marcia Ball, Ivan Neville and Walter "Wolfman" Washington helped fund-raising efforts to buy instruments for local schools.

A number of festival performers are also recording Fats Domino songs for a tribute to raise money to buy school instruments and help artists recovering from the hurricane.

Hollywood actor Danny Glover and potential US presidential candidate John Edwards were among the others helping with rebuilding work in the city at the weekend.

-BBC

Dude Absher

May 6th, 2007, 01:11 PM

Hi, Boys and Girls!

This is like, Tingly's News, Part Deux.

Let me explain, here, how and why this happened.

Ya see, JS member Dude Absher, who is like this genius, brainiac, brilliant musician-computer guy, pointed out that, because the first News Thread was like a gigondo enormous 5 million pages (yes, I exaggerate), it took 314 light years to load, and then his computer would flash this message:

"Are you @#$*#@ KIDDING me?!!" And then it would explode and shower his chest with hot sparks. So, he was, like, a little reluctant to open the thread. That's understandable. He figured out that it had something to do with Alexander Graham Bell and something called "scripts," which is pretty weird because, believe me, I ain't workin' from no script here (as you can probably tell).

Um, anyhoo - I alerted The Conjurers, behind the scenes, here at JS. So, all the mods met at a secret convention in Chicago (Mish appeared by satellite phone) and worked on this problem, for months, and they came up with a stunningly imaginative and creative solution: Start another thread! So here it is.

But, seriously, humble thanks to Dude Absher and Sixsting for all their help!

Enjoy the news!!!!

Big T:

This will stop someones partition wall from collapsing from unstable scripts if they did not catch this and manually override the browser.

A Big Thanks to You and ALL MODS!!!

Take Care:

Dude Absher

May 6th, 2007, 01:13 PM

A NEW WOMAN IN PAUL'S LIFE?

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/jimcirin/nmarsh.jpg

Rumours are rife that legendary singer Sir Paul McCartney has taken a fancy to sexy opera star Natasha Marsh, who bears a resemblance to his estranged wife Heather Mills.

They met at the Classical Brit Awards and the former Beatle was spotted admiring soprano and telling his friends that he finds her 'very sexy', reports contactmusic.com.

He was overheard telling a friend 'she is very sexy' and later arranged a date with the blonde singer.

Marsh's spokesperson confirmed it saying, 'McCartney asked to be introduced to Marsh afterwards, he was very impressed with her.'

-IANS

I wonder if this one will have to sign a prenup??

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 01:36 PM

80+ SUMMER CONCERTS COMING TO U.S. PACIFIC NORTHWEST

The summer concert season already looks hot, with shows set by the Police, Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, John Mayer, Fergie and the free Ozzfest.

But you ain't heard nothin' yet.

Beyonce is going to be touring from July through September, her first headlining jaunt since Destiny's Child broke up. And with some 30-plus dates, according to Billboard, Seattle is almost sure to get her. Expect an elaborate production, with ticket prices to match.

And then there's the "American Idols Live" tour, also set for July through September. With two locals in the lineup — the booted-but-not-forgotten Sanjaya Malakar and beatbox belter Blake Lewis — ticket demand will be huge. Look for this one to land at the 20,000-capacity White River Amphitheatre.

And hometown heroes Pearl Jam will probably do another multidate gig at the Gorge, likely selling out two, maybe three, nights.

Hot tickets

Last year, the superstars of rock — the Stones, McCartney, Dylan, Elton, the Who — came around, so this summer was supposed to be tame by comparison. There will be fewer big names this year but more shows overall.

The most anticipated summer concert is not by some old, established star but rather a relatively new face who's going to be around for a long time to come. Justin Timberlake, who plays the T-Dome in September, hit a new high with "Sexy Back," his hip-hop dance tune that was an across-the-boards smash, charting on the rock, pop and hip-hop charts. Timberlake is more than a charmer; he can also sing and dance. This tour will be his biggest chance yet to show what he can do.

The eyes of the concert business will be on White River July 12 when Ozzfest kicks off its history-making free tour. You won't be able to just walk in, however. You have to get tickets either by pre-ordering Ozzy Osbourne's new album, "Black Rain," at www.ozzy.com (it'll be in stores May 22) or by logging onto the site on June 12. Tickets for the 24-city tour will be available there while supplies last.

Pricey tickets

The Police's exorbitantly priced two-day outing at KeyArena in June is this summer's wallow in nostalgia. Top tickets are $256, and fans will gladly pay that, and more, to revisit their youth. The print and TV ads for the reunion tour even use images from the '80s. The group hasn't been active for almost a quarter century, and the tour reeks of money-grubbing.

The biggest show in terms of attendance will probably be Kenny Chesney's all-day outing July 7 at Qwest Field. Last year at the same venue, he drew some 45,000 paying customers, raking in more bucks than any concert in Seattle history, almost $2.9 mil (and that doesn't count merchandise, which probably brought him another half-mil). Hopefully, Chesney's sound engineers can do better this time. The sound was terrible to nonexistent in the upper levels last year.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's enormous vanity production, one of the biggest-grossing tours of 2006, will probably be a sellout again this year, at the T-Dome. Brad Paisley, a country superstar in the making (and more talented than Chesney, McGraw and Hill combined), kicks off White River's season May 26.

While summer 2007 may not be as star-studded as 2006, the concert list has many potential delights, including John Legend, one of the most promising new artists to come along in years; the popular but underrated John Mayer; the multitalented Harry Connick Jr.; the bracing, highly original Lucinda Williams; the young and gifted Norah Jones; and the amazing singer-instrumentalist Alison Krauss.

-Seattle Times

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 01:39 PM

MUSIC BUSKERS COME OUT FOR KENTUCKY DERBY

The Bongo Man settled into his sweet spot around 10:30 this morning, settling on a bricked section of the Churchill Downs infield just outside the tunnel entrance.

He sat on a ratty bed pillow behind two bongos and worked the crowd like a carnival barker, his comic raps coming as fast as his playing.

“Come on over and be my friend — throw a fifty in,” and “I’m not a bum and I’m not a scum, so I’d appreciate it if you dropped me some.”

The Bongo Man — Nahru Lampkin — has been performing for cash at the Kentucky Derby for 14 years. The full time musician travels from Detroit and usually works the Oaks and Derby, specializing in mildly racy double-entendres.

“I do this all over, the Rose Bowl, Super Bowl. I did it at the ’96 Olympics, Mardi Gras,” said the dreadlocked Lampkin, 45, who added that the Derby is always a good payday.

“Between this and Mardis Gras it’s about a tie for making money. The first year I came … it was raining cats and dogs. It was horrible but I made more money than at any other Derby.”

Street musicians, or buskers, are always active at the Kentucky Derby, which is the perfect storm of massive foot traffic, ready cash and heavy drinking.

Those working are expecting to make at least $400 to $600, more if they got lucky and less if rain forced them to quit early.

David Pogue, 25, came from Chicago with his battered saxophone and a green plastic bucket for a tip jar.

He was playing on Central Avenue near Third Street, facing a steady stream of people pouring in from Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

“I had to come down for Derby, man,” said Pogue with the voice of a 70-year-old bluesman. “I need the money. If I stay all day I can get like $400.… The first money I made today was $20 from some rich folks.”

Most Derby goers filing past Pogue barely acknowledged him as he performed workmanlike versions of “Tequila,” “Danny Boy” and “My Old Kentucky Home.” Some glanced over and smiled and a few danced a couple of steps, but only a handful donated.

“Good luck today,” called out Celi Sharp as she passed.

Sharp knows a little about luck, as it turned out. She set up shop with her violin only a block away from Pogue, resting her red felt-lined case on a square of plastic decorated with a Derby hat. Sharp’s specialty was old-time fiddle tunes such as “Turkey in the Straw.”

“A lot of people out here appreciate the fiddle songs,” said Sharp, 29, a music student at the University of Louisville who has busked for three years. She plans to use the money for more training so she can teach advanced Suzuki courses.

“I just hope it doesn’t rain,” she said as it began to drizzle. “I’ve made a little raincoat for my fiddle out of plastic and duct tape. I can’t get the instrument wet.”

-Courier Journal

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 01:45 PM

BRANDY SUED IN CALIFORNIA CRASH THAT CAUSED WOMAN'S DEATH

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/jimcirin/brandy02.gif
Brandy Norwood

Singer/actor Brandy was sued for negligence and wrongful death by the husband of a waitress who was killed in a freeway crash involving the entertainer.

Marouane Hdidou filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. He seeks unspecified damages. His wife, 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj, died on Dec. 30 in a crash on the San Diego Freeway.

A California Highway Patrol report said a Land Rover driven by 28-year-old Brandy (full name: Brandy Norwood) failed to slow in traffic and was going 65 mph when it struck the back of a Honda driven by Aboudihaj.

The Honda hit another vehicle, slid sideways and struck a center divider, then was hit by a car driven by 50-year-old Mallory Ham of Simi Valley, the report said.

The lawsuit names both Brandy and Ham and contends both were driving recklessly. Aboudihaj's parents and her two children earlier filed separate lawsuits against Brandy.

The city attorney's office is still deciding whether to charge Brandy with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, spokesman Frank Mateljan said. If charged and convicted, she could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 6th, 2007, 01:47 PM

BORAT WILL NOT PLAY FREDDIE MERCURY IN MOVIE

In Hollywood, casting rumors float around every day. Well, "Another One Bites the Dust."

Reports that "Borat" star Sacha Baron Cohen will play legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in a musical biopic are "absolutely untrue," the actor's publicist told MTV News.

An unidentified source told Britain's Daily Mirror that "filmmakers are working flat out to get the best possible script. Sacha loves the idea he can get away with playing Freddie after modeling Borat's look on him."

"Pure hokum," the publicist said.

Baron Cohen rose to fame as the racy (and racist) faux reporter Borat in last year's surprise comedy hit "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." The flick won Baron Cohen a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical (see "Knowles, Baron Cohen React To Golden Globe Noms With Surprise, Laughs").

The rumor might have surfaced because the actor can actually sing well. His next project is Tim Burton's musical "Sweeney Todd," alongside Johnny Depp.

-VHA1

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:28 PM

SNOOP DOGG DEFENDS WOMEN IN RAPPER VIDEOS

Rapper Snoop Dogg has defended women who appear semi-naked in hip-hop music videos against accusations they are 'hos' and says they are just 'following their dreams'.

Dogg is angry that these women are criticised, reports contactmusic.com.

He said: 'Who's to say that these women in videos are hos? They are classy women, and if you really try to mack to them, they'll tell you, 'Well, I have a man' or 'I'm not into that' or 'I don't do that'.

'Not every girl in the videos has sex with the rappers or lays out her body and does whatever the rapper says. A lot of these women do this as a means of modelling or being appreciated for their looks.

'It's a shame that they are being classified as video hos. Halle Berry was in a video with (Fred Durst). Does that make her a hos? She kissed him in the video too. Does that make her a hos? 'Some girls are into it because they are following their dreams.'

He says that TV is a long way for these girls who hail from the country or small parts of the world.

-IANS

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:34 PM

UPSTATE NY CLUB SUED FOR COYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

Broadcast Music Inc., a company that represents more than 300,000 songwriters, publishers, and composers, including Sheryl Crow and Charlie Daniels, has sued Northern Lights, a Clifton Park club, over alleged copyright infringement.

The lawsuit alleges that Northern Lights owner Kip Finck played music on 10 occasions without paying the required fees to Broadcast Music Inc.'s New York City office. The lawsuit, filed on May 3 in federal court in Albany, N.Y., references performances on Aug. 4, 2006 and Nov. 16, 2004.

According to Finck, the lawsuit is the latest installment in a long-running dispute between BMI and Northern Lights Inc. over how the club pays for music.

He has been paying copyright fees based on one-time use of the material during special shows, such as karaoke night, Finck said. BMI wants him to pay an annual fee for the music, Finck said. His lawyers are meeting with BMI attorneys to reach a settlement, Finck said.

BMI spokesman Jerry Bailey, said the lawsuit was filed because BMI has been unable to reach a settlement with Northern Lights and Finck since June of 2004.

BMI takes any lawsuit it files very seriously, Bailey said.

"It is a difficult situation he is in," Bailey said about Finck.

Finck was licensed to perform music written and published by BMI clients from 2000 through 2004, Bailey said. In June 2004 BMI canceled the contract because Northern Lights was late making its license payments.

License payments vary based on the venue and the use of music there. A small restaurant can pay $300 per year to play CDs in the background while a license fee can cost a large club with live music $9,000 a year.

Northern Lights is a large club so the license fee was on the larger end of that scale. Northern Lights could have paid composers and publishers a fee based on each use of their music, but there is no record Finck has done this, Bailey said.

Most club, bar and restaurant owners opt to pay an annual licensing fee which allows them to play 6.5 million songs.

Most of these lawsuits are settled without going to trial, Bailey said. BMI, though, will now demand court costs as well as a larger fee payment to settle the case.

BMI is headquartered in New York City, but the non-profit company's largest office is in Nashville.

-Business Review

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:37 PM

WARNER MUSIC REPORTS $27 MILLION SECOND QUARTER LOSS - WILL FIRE 400 PEOPLE

LOS ANGELES – Warner Music Group Corp., home to artists such as Madonna and Linkin Park, reported a wider fiscal second-quarter loss on Tuesday, the result of a decline in revenue and costs of a restructuring that includes eliminating some 400 jobs, or 10 percent of its work force.

The New York-based recording company lost $27 million, or 19 cents per share, in the three months ended March 31, compared with a loss of $7 million, or 5 cents per share, a year ago.

Excluding one-time items, losses totaled 10 cents per share in the latest quarter.

Revenue fell 2 percent to $784 million from $796 million in the year-ago quarter, which included stronger recorded music sales.

Analysts expected a loss of 9 cents per share on revenue of $738.1 million, according to a Thomson Financial poll.

The company said it expects to record one-time charges of $65 million to $80 million by the end of the fiscal year due to its restructuring plan.

In announcing the plan Tuesday, Warner noted that the job cuts would come from positions related to sales of CDs and other physical formats. The restructuring, however, is not expected to result in major savings because the company plans to boost hiring in digital music and video.

Warner employs some 4,000 people worldwide. The layoffs were expected to be completed within a few months.

-SignOnSanDiego

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:42 PM

ENTIRE YEAR WILL CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF GRAMMY AWARDS

Against a backdrop of Grammy memorabilia, from statuettes and original membership applications (including those of Beyonce and Frank Sinatra) to clothing from a new fashion line, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow, producer Quincy Jones and singer Joss Stone unveiled plans for the Academy's yearlong celebration of the 50th annual Grammy Awards.

Kicking off with today's (May 8) press conference at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, the celebration will include a host of special events and projects through 2008. Chief among them will be the 50th Grammy Awards telecast, taking place Sunday, Feb. 10 at the Staples Center. Preceding that will be the nominations announcement press conference on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007.

In other events leading up to the telecast, Jones -- also named as the Recording Academy's official 50th anniversary ambassador -- will receive the Grammy Foundation Leadership Award at the organization's Starry Night benefit concert on July 28, and Aretha Franklin will be honored Feb. 8, 2008, as the MusiCares person of the year.

Special commemorative projects include the 30,000-square foot Grammy Museum, which will be housed in AEG's new L.A. Live venue across from the Staples Center and opening in September 2008; a retrospective coffee table book that will be sold at Borders starting in October; and Grammy Brand lifestyle clothing under the tag line, "Music makes me..."

A portion of the proceeds from the fashion line, available at select retailers in the fall, will benefit the Grammy Foundation and MusiCares, Also unveiled were the new 50th anniversary Grammy logo and official artwork for the 2008 awards program book and poster: a handcrafted mosaic by artist Roy Feinson consisting of hundreds of images from various Grammy telecasts.

Portnow tells Billboard.com he began thinking about this celebration four years ago after becoming the Academy's president. "It's been a long process getting to this and it's definitely a milestone," he acknowledges. "But we're just getting started."

-Billboard

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:44 PM

BUSTA RHYMES TURNS DOWN PLEA DEAL IN NY

Rapper Busta Rhymes turned down a plea deal today (May 8) that would have sent him to jail for one year, the Manhattan district attorney's office said.

Rhymes has been arrested four times in 10 months, most recently on May 3 on suspicion of drunken driving. He also faces two charges for assault and one for driving with a suspended license.

In exchange for pleading guilty, Rhymes would have served one year for the assault charges, been fined $1,500 and forced to participate in an anti-drunken driving program, said Edison Alban, a spokesman for the DA's office. The next court date was set for July 10.

Rhymes, 34, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was pulled over shortly after midnight on May 3 in midtown Manhattan while driving a 2006 GMC Yukon Denali, which police described as having "excessively tinted windows." A police spokeswoman said Rhymes had a "strong odor of alcohol on his breath."

In February, the rapper was arrested for driving with a suspended license and in 2006 he was arrested in January and August on separate assault charges.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:46 PM

2007 MTV AWARDS TO BE 'HUGE POP CULTURE EVENT' [GAG ME WITH A SPOON!]

Pop-culture superstars and newbies alike will come together at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards on June 3, bringing to the big-screen lovefest such big names as Jay-Z, Jessica Alba, Rihanna, Samuel L. Jackson and Amy Winehouse. But that won't be all — the diverse names are just the first wave of presenters and performers, released Tuesday (May 8) as the buildup continues for Hollywood's most irreverent annual awards show.

Shia LaBeouf, John Travolta, Josh Duhamel, Amanda Bynes and Chris Tucker are also among the high-wattage celebrants host Sarah Silverman will be welcoming to the Movie Awards stage (see "MTV Movie Awards Nominees: Pirates, Spartans — And That Crazy Kazakh" and see "Sarah Silverman To Host MTV Movie Awards; Promises 'Pinch Of Fun' "). Undoubtedly, many of the stars will be drooling over the Golden Popcorn trophies they'll hope to snag next year for their own movies — such highly anticipated summer flicks as "Transformers," Rush Hour 3," "Hairspray," "Knocked Up" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" will have their major stars in attendance.

But while the Sunday event — to be broadcast live for the first time ever, at 8 p.m. ET — might appear to be mad about movies, it wouldn't be an MTV show without a few musical moments to steal the spotlight. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of instantly classic performances like the one Gnarls Barkley gave last year and Eminem and D12 did in 2004, chart-toppers Rihanna and Jay-Z will take the stage together to perform the single "Umbrella" from her upcoming album Good Girl Gone Bad.

Also competing for the most water-cooler-worthy performance will be soulful British singer/songwriter Winehouse, set to play her international hit "Rehab." Winehouse isn't only a record-maker but a record-setter, recently becoming the highest-debuting British female artist in the history of the Billboard albums chart.

But as any movie fan knows, up-and-comers (as well as references to rehab) aren't limited exclusively to the music world. Appropriately, then, the MTV Movie Awards will also boast Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl, the mismatched couple stuck with a pregnancy in next month's "Knocked Up." The buzzed-about flick already has some expecting them to be the big breakout stars of the summer, and it seems only appropriate that they'd swing in to Universal City, California's Gibson Amphitheatre, since Heigl filmed a scene from the flick on last year's awards red carpet.

In addition to the "Hairspray" high-steppers (Travolta and Bynes), the "Transformers" titans (LaBeouf and Tyrese Gibson), and the "Fantastic Four" filmmakers (Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis and last year's host, Alba), additional guests include "High School Musical" heartthrob Zac Efron, "Rush Hour 3" funnyman Tucker and another former Movie Awards host in Samuel L. Jackson.

Previously announced nominations for the coveted Golden Popcorn trophy include "300" (leading the charge with five nominations) and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (four nominations). Also aiming to make it a big night are such crowd favorites as "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," "Blades of Glory" and "The Devil Wears Prada," with three nominations each. Also, for the first time ever, MTV will celebrate the user-generated category Best Movie Spoof, in which viewers have the opportunity to submit their own original movie shorts parodying films from the past year via Yahoo! Movies. Finally, another new category called Best Summer Movie You Haven't Seen Yet is sure to spice things up while giving a nod to upcoming blockbusters.

Fans can vote by visiting MovieAwards.mtv.com before May 29, or from their mobile phones by texting "MOVIES" to 22422. Voting is also available by dialing toll free to 1-877-MTV-VOTE, through which fans can support their favorite nominees in each category. For the first time ever, the 2007 MTV Movie Awards will offer live voting during the show, with one category remaining open for viewers.

-VH1

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:51 PM

PRINCE STUDYING THE BIBLE

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- U.S. rock star Prince will play 21 concerts in London later this year and plans to take time off music to study the Bible, he announced on Tuesday.

The innovative funk artist, who created such groundbreaking works as 1984's "Purple Rain" and 1987's "Sign O' The Times" and sold an estimated 80 million albums, made a brief appearance in the city to announce the gigs, beginning August 1.

Outside Organisation, a PR company helping to publicize the tour, said in a statement that Prince would be performing his greatest hits "for the very last time", but the artist did not confirm the claim.

Wearing dark shades, a high-collared purple shirt and cream suit, Prince explained why his only appearances in Europe this year would take place in London.

"I love London. I've had some of my favorite shows here."

Prince said he would be looking for a place to live for the duration of his stay.

He will charge 31.21 pounds per ticket ($62), after his recent record "3121", with which he scored his first U.S. No. 1 album in almost 17 years in 2006.

"Last time I was here, a lot of people didn't get to see me, so we're trying to make it affordable for everybody," he said.

Barbra Streisand recently hit the headlines in Britain when tickets to her upcoming show at the 02 venue in London went on sale for up to 600 pounds each. Prince plans to open his London tour with seven nights at the same location, starting Aug. 1.

Prince said he planned to change his show every night, meaning fans who came to several shows would get a broader cross section of his music.

"We play so many different styles of music, it's really hard to get a full dose of what we do unless you come to several shows. I also have a wide fan base that comes to multiple shows all the time."

He said he had learned about 150 songs from which to choose, and hinted that he may perform up-and-coming British singer Amy Winehouse's "Love is a Losing Game". Asked if he would ask her on stage to perform with him, he replied: "Absolutely".

Unsurprisingly for a performer who has had run-ins with the music establishment in the past, Prince referred to the industry as "the speculation business". He plans to give away copies of his new album to anyone attending the concerts.

"It's direct marketing and I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now," he explained, when asked why he was giving his music away.

The 48-year-old, who said he was getting his inspiration these days from "prophets from the Bible", added that he did not expect to be back in London performing for some time after the 2007 visit.

"That's another reason why we're trying to stay so long. I just need to take some time off for study and travel." When asked what he was studying, he replied: "The Bible".

-CNN

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:55 PM

ISLAMIC MILITANTS IN PAKISTAN WARNING MUSIC SHOP OWNERS ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN SELL

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Map, News) - Islamic militants are confiscating music cassettes from public buses and ordering shops to only sell CDs promoting jihad in the latest push to Talibanize a lawless Pakistani frontier region, residents said Tuesday.

The campaign was launched Sunday in North Waziristan, a tribal region where the government reached a peace deal with pro-Taliban militants last fall, an intelligence official confirmed on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of his job.

Bands of armed militants have visited shops selling music cassettes and CDs in the main town of Miran Shah, warning owners to only sell "jihadi" recordings - featuring sermons by clerics or songs without musical accompaniment that praise holy war and those who fight it.

"They came to us and said, 'Do not sell music and song cassettes and CDs,'" shop owner Omar Jan said. "They warned us to close our shops or they would punish us."

A 30-year-old vendor in the Razmak Ada bazaar, who requested anonymity because he feared retaliation, said he would abide by the warning and only sell jihadi material.

"There is fear among the people," he said.

On Monday, about 30 armed militants stopped public transportation vehicles at a traffic intersection in Miran Shah, confiscating music tapes from drivers, residents said.

The actions underlined how militants have expanded their influence since the September peace deal in North Waziristan, which ended months of bloody fighting between pro-Taliban tribesmen and Pakistani security forces, although not cross-border attacks by militants targeting U.S. and NATO forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

The campaign against music is reminiscent of the hard-line rule of the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan that banned music, movies, TV and nearly all other forms of entertainment as part of their strict interpretation of Islamic law or Shariah.

Despite the government's promotion of moderate Islam, there has been a growing "Talibanization" of Pakistan itself, particularly in the conservative northwest where hard-line views get most support among the region's ethnic Pashtun majority.

Last week, two bombs in a market in the Charsadda district destroyed several music shops - the latest in a series of such attacks in the frontier region. In the nearby Bajur tribal region, barbers have been warned not to shave beards.

In an editorial Tuesday, The News daily called on the government to take action against "fanatics" trying to force a "flawed and pernicious interpretation of religion on everybody else."

"Or else we should not complain as the nation continues to slide into the Dark Ages," it said.

An Interior Ministry official in Islamabad said it was up to authorities in North West Frontier Province, where pro-Taliban parties hold sway, to respond.

"We hope and expect that the NWFP government will take measures and steps to curb this menace," Brig. Javed Iqbal Cheema said.

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 05:59 PM

MUSICIAN AMONG DEAD IN TERRIBLE UK TOW TRUCK CRASH

A doctor and a promising musician were among the five stag night partygoers killed early yesterday in one of the worst crashes in the M25's history, it emerged today.

The first of the victims to be formally named was Dr Christopher Janaway, 28, who worked at the Royal Sussex hospital in Brighton, Surrey police said.

It is understood that Jon Chandler, a vocalist and guitar player with the Brighton-based band the Mojo Fins, which is signed to Amazon Records, was also among the dead.

Five of the 13-strong stag group from Brighton, aged between 25 and 30, died after a recovery truck that six of them were travelling in collided with the back of a lorry.

A sixth man, the driver of the recovery truck, also died. The driver, who has not yet been named, was aged 46 and from Rugby.

The stag group were coming back from Leicestershire in a minibus when it broke down on junction 18 of the M25. After one of the group called the AA, seven of the party were safely taken home. It is understood this group included the groom.

The remaining six of the men had to travel in the cab of a low-rider recovery truck that came out from Dunchurch Hire in Rugby.

The stag group had completed more than half of their journey and were just 30 miles from home when the truck was involved in a collision with a lorry between junctions 8 and 9, Reigate and Leatherhead, at 2.15am.

Only one passenger in the recovery truck survived the collision. He is being treated in East Surrey hospital for a broken leg and facial injuries.

Surrey police said the names of all the deceased would be released when they have been formerly identified, which could take another day. The force has allocated a family liaison officer to each of the six families.

The chief superintendent of Surrey police, Rob Price, said the collision was one of the worst the force had dealt with on the M25. He said: "Our officers were faced with a tragic scene on the M25 yesterday morning, and I'm proud they delivered a professional service in very difficult circumstances. These officers returned to duty today."

Investigations into what caused the crash were continuing. Police confirmed that the recovery vehicle was set up to seat seven people, one driver and six passengers, safely and with proper seat belts. A spokeswoman said: "This cab was configured to seat two passengers in front with a driver and four passengers behind."

The impact completely destroyed the cab of the recovery vehicle and left debris strewn across the carriageway. It took police more than nine hours to collect evidence and clear the wreckage. The driver of the HGV was uninjured. He is being treated as a witness and was yesterday helping police with their inquiries.

One message on Mojo Fins' MySpace page read: "Words cannot express the sadness ... RIP."

Staff at Dunchurch Hire were too upset to speak to callers yesterday but they released a short statement, which said: "This is a terrible, terrible tragedy. We are trying to come to terms with this ourselves. Our thoughts are with the family of our driver and the families of those others affected by this tragic incident."

-Guardian

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 06:03 PM

BASE ENTERTAINMENT REACHES AGREEMENT WITH LAS VEGAS SANDS TO PROVIDE SHOWS IN ASIA

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – (PRESS RELEASE) -- BASE Entertainment has reached an agreement with Las Vegas Sands Corp. to be the company's entertainment programming partner for its expanding projects in the Asia-Pacific Rim. Expanding their role, BASE Entertainment will program multiple theater and arena productions for Las Vegas Sands Corp.'s properties on Macao's Cotai Strip and the Marina Bay Sands, an integrated resort being developed in Singapore.

The first of these projects will be a new Cirque du Soleil production scheduled to open Summer 2008 in a custom-built, 1,800-seat theater at The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. Next, in 2009, will be a world-class theatrical production for The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

In Las Vegas, BASE already partners with Las Vegas Sands on various projects including, Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular, Gordie Brown and Wayne Brady "Making It Up!" at The Venetian and Jersey Boys which will be featured at The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino in 2008. BASE was formed in 2005 and is led by entertainment industry veterans Scott Zeiger and Brian Becker.

-Investor News

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 06:06 PM

DMG'S CONTENT TO BE AVAILABLE THROUGH INTERNET TV SOURCE 'JOOST'

Digital Music Group Inc.'s film and television content will be available through Joost, a broadcast quality Internet television service.

Sacramento-based Digital Music controls the distribution rights to 4,000 hours of video content, from comedians Andrew Dice Clay and Jamie Foxx to classic TV shows such as "Gumby" and "My Favorite Martian."

Financial details were not released Tuesday.

"Both Joost and DMGI share a passion for bringing top quality media to consumers worldwide, and we look forward to creating a successful partnership," Digital Music chief executive officer Mitchell Koulouris said in a news release.

Digital Music's video lineup should be available starting in June.

Shares of Digital Music dipped 6 cents to $4.02 in midday trading Tuesday.

Joost has been gaining much attention in the business and media circles, as the Web site adds to its lineup, which features classic TV programs such as "Lassie" to National Geographic documentaries.

The company -- founded by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis who teamed up to create and later sell phone service Skype to eBay Inc. for $2.6 billion in 2005 -- has agreements with several media giants, including Sony's movie and TV units, Turner Broadcasting and recently Time Warner's Warner Bros. Television Group.

-Business Journal

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 06:09 PM

TELEVISION GUITARIST RICHARD LLOYD GOING SOLO

Richard Lloyd has a new album coming this fall. We even know the title ("Radiant Monkey"), but the Television guitarist tells Billboard.com -- quite adamantly -- that "you may not speak the term!"

For now, then, we'll cede to his wishes refer to it strictly as "RM," and Lloyd promises, "It's good. It's as good as any record. It's a perfect record. As a personal statement, it's as strong as (Television's) 'Marquee Moon' or (the Jimi Hendrix Experience's) 'Axis: Bold as Love' or (Patti Smith's) 'Horses' ... anything you can think of.

"Maybe I'm overconfident," he says. "Maybe I'm telling the truth. Maybe I'm gonna become a social phenomenon, a household word. We'll just have to wait to see."

One thing is for certain: Lloyd will make his final appearance with Television June 16 at New York's Central Park SummerStage. He's leaving the band "in order to concentrate my own magnetic force and supernatural powers on my own career" -- particularly the forthcoming "RM" project.

Lloyd, who plays everything but drums on "RM," says he's being secretive right now because he's in the midst of formulating a "really hot" campaign to promote the album. "There's philosophy involved in 'RM,'" he says. "There's religion involved in 'RM.' There's a board game and a dance. I can't tell you about it because that would spoil the surprise. And everyone likes surprises, don't they?"

Lloyd and his current backing band, the Sufi Monkeys, may play some of the "RM" material on the road beginning Thursday (May 10) in Toronto as they tour to promote the recent deluxe two-disc reissue of Lloyd's 1985 solo album, "Field of Fire." The shows will also include a mini set of Jimi Hendrix covers -- under the alter ego Jaime Neverts - such as "Purple Haze," "Spanish Castle Magic," "Castles Made of Sand," "Axis: Bold as Love" and "Are You Experienced?"

As for Lloyd's split from Television, he insists, "It's amicable. I love all four of the guys -- including me. But I can't ride two horses. I took a vow in '73 to be invisible so that Tom (Verlaine) could be the leader so there'd be no challenge in public, and I've held to that. But the new record I have is too good to give a half-assed effort."

-Billboard

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 06:16 PM

A TINGLY NEWS BULLETIN! THIS JUST IN!

EVANESCENCE GUITARIST AND DRUMMER FIRED

NEW YORK (Billboard) -- The guitarist and drummer with Evanescence have left the top-selling rock act for undisclosed reasons.

Guitarist John LeCompt claimed on his MySpace.com blog that he was fired during a cell phone conversation with singer Amy Lee, while drummer Rocky Gray said he was asked by band management not to discuss the situation.

However, Lee said in a statement that Evanescence remains "alive and well" and will soon return to the road with new musicians.

"John and Rocky were in Evanescence for four years and we shared some great times together playing live, but they were ready to move on and so we have parted ways," she said. "Evanescence is something I have loved and nurtured since I was 14, and I will continue to protect and fight for it as I always have.

LeCompt did not paint the situation so rosily on his blog. "Without any warning or negotiations for my future, I was fired for no good reason," he said. "We have not always seen eye to eye on everything, but who does? Our common goal was always the same. To make Evanescence the best rock band it could ever be. I have always given blood, sweat and tears to make that happen but apparently that is not enough. I have now become just another of the people fallen by the wayside on the revolving door of her life."

LeCompt was referring to the messy 2003 departure of founding guitarist Ben Moody, who was replaced by former Cold principal Terry Balsamo, and the 2006 exit of bassist Will Boyd, who was replaced by former Revolution Smile guitarist Tim McCord.

Lee said no shows would be canceled due to the lineup shift, but the group won't have long to draft replacements for LeCompt and Gray. It is due to return to the stage May 19 at the first Rock on the Range festival in Columbus, Ohio, and has European dates on tap through late June.

-Reuters

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 06:17 PM

GEORGE MICHAEL PLEADS GUILTY TO 'DRIVING WHILE UNFIT' IN UK

POP star George Michael today pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs.

The 43-year-old singer admitted the charge on the first day of his trial at Brent Magistrates' Court. A further charge of being in charge of a vehicle while unfit through drugs on October 1 last year was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

-Scotsman

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 06:20 PM

LILY ALLEN LAUNCHES HER LINE OF CRAP THROUGH 'NEW LOOK' CHAIN

Singer Lily Allen is to launch her own brand of clothing through the New Look fashion chain.

The 21-year-old is known for her "chavvy chic" style which often pairs long prom-style dresses and ballgowns with trainers.

She is following in the steps of pop culture icons Madonna and Kate Moss, who have their own clothing lines at H&M and Top Shop.

Items priced from £5 to £55 will be available in stores from Wednesday.

The collection features dresses in sizes six to 18, high-heeled shoes, patterned trainers and flowery jewellery.

Allen said she looked at the 300 dresses in her wardrobe for inspiration and wanted something more than the "usual pretty flower style".

"You know how I feel about fashion: it's for everyone, not just a load of super-skinny models," she said.

The launch of the Kate Moss collection at Topshop last week prompted long queues of shoppers in the Oxford Street branch.

Allen recently postponed part of her US tour saying she was too tired to continue and wanted to work on her second album.

-BBC

AMusicalViking

May 8th, 2007, 07:55 PM

Tingly

May 8th, 2007, 08:19 PM

^^ Yeah, that is very possible. I wasn't too sure about that, from the way the article was written...

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:38 AM

MORE STARS ADDED TO DIANA CONCERT LINE UP

London, May 10 : Sir Tom Jones and rapper P Diddy have been added to the line-up for the Diana memorial concert at Wembley Stadium on 1 July.

The duo will also be joined by new additions Nelly Furtado, former Pop Idol winner Will Young and Supertramp, who were said to be one of Lady Diana's favourite bands.

The show, which will take place at London's Wembley Stadium, commemorates the tenth anniversary of the Princess's death and also what would have been her 46th birthday on July 1.

Other performances at the concert include Sir Elton John, Joss Stone, Lily Allen, Kanye West, Duran Duran, Status Quo and Take That.

There will also be a performance by the English National Ballet and an Andrew Lloyd Webber medley.

Princes William and Harry have described it as "the best birthday present she ever had".he Princes will appear on stage at some time during the five hour show.

-ANI

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:39 AM

KYLIE MINOGUE'S PALS SAY SHE IS A MESS

London, may 10 : Australian pop star, Kylie Mingoue, may have found love in director, Alexander Dahm, but her friends say that the singer is lonely and worryingly near burn-out.

A source close to the singer said that when Kylie is away from the crowd, she seems to be a person, who is alone and tired.

"In her quiet moments, when she is away from the crowds and the cameras which follow her everywhere, we're seeing an altogether different Kylie these days. She is rather tired and rather lonely," the Daily Mail quoted the friend, as saying.

The source added that the singer is just good friends with Dahm, who is a married man, and that their relationship would have been different if he was single.

"And while she is genuinely just good friends with Alexander, there is no denying that she would feel entirely different if he was a single man," the friend said.

The confidante also said that although the 38-year-old wants to share her life with someone, she can't bring herself to trust anyone after the way her former beau, actor Olivier Martinez treated her.

"The fact is that Kylie's desperate to find someone to share her life with, but after the way Olivier treated her she just can't bring herself to trust anyone," the source added.

The friend also said that Kylie is now concentrating on looking good, and ensuring that the ageing process doesn't show.

"She hasn't really got anything else in her life, so she's obsessing about her image and making sure the ageing process doesn't catch up with her," the source said.

-ani

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:40 AM

ROLLING STONES VENUE CHANGED IN SERBIA

London, May 10 : Animal rights activists in Serbia are rejoicing after getting organisers to change the venue of the Rolling Stones' first ever concert in the country - Belgrade's horse racing track - as it has saved 300 horses from being sedated.

The Rolling Stones were scheduled to belt out their hit numbers in front of 100,000 screaming fans at the Belgrade Hippodrome this July, but staff at the track were worried that all the noise would end up spooking the horses that live in the stables near the stage.

The gig will now take place in a public park in the Serbian capital.

Jovanka Prelic, who helps looking after the horses at the hippodrome, revealed that staff had planned to sedate the horses if they started panicking due to the noise.

"Horses differ, just like people. Some are nervous and more skittish. If they start to panic they'll get sedatives," the BBC quoted Prelic, as stating last month.

The move had Serbia's largest animal protection group, Orca up in arms, as it insisted that sedating the animals, or moving them to another place was not the answer.

The organisation had asked for the venue to be shifted so that the animals could be left in peace.

"Surely our big city has enough open spaces where even 150,000 people can fit in. We think the Hippodrome should be left to horses," said Orca head Elvir Burazerovic.

The Rolling Stones have never played in Serbia.

Plans for a performace were scrapped in 2003 following the assassination of the then Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, and again in 2006 when guitarist Keith Richards suffered a head injury.

-ANI

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:42 AM

MUSIC WILL BE PART OF 'MOBILE CONTENT' REVOLUTION

Mobile content is set for a revolution, with gaming, music and TV all poised to transform the market in the next five years.

With regulatory and competitive pressures pushing down the average consumer spend on voice and messaging, Screen Digest mobile analyst David McQueen advised mobile operators to look to new content offerings to deliver the business growth they've enjoyed over the past decade.

"Screen Digest believes the revenue is out there - and operators should be looking to TV, music and games to deliver it."

According to the research carried out by Screen Digest, mobile TV is set to be the winner in the battle of the services, generating €4.7bn in revenue from 140 million subscribers by 2011. This is despite the fact that mobile TV is currently only available in a handful of markets.

The service has its detractors, with the principle grumble being the small size of the handsets, and the speculation that consumers won't be happy watching TV on miniature screens. However, the services have taken off in Japan and South Korea, where just under six million people watch broadcast mobile TV, and in Italy, where broadcast mobile TV services have already signed up close to half a million subscribers in only a few months.

Meanwhile, Irish operators are also getting in on the act with Vodafone launching a mobile version of Sky channels on its 3G services, Three Ireland winning a licence for DVB-H broadcast mobile television service and O2 also trialling a similar service.

Screen Digest said the revenue potential of mobile TV is also significantly greater than games or music, with simulcast channels - simultaneous broadcasts of conventional TV programming - expected to be a popular choice among viewers.

-The Register

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:43 AM

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES REVEAL MUSIC CHOICES

By NEIL GRAVES

May 10, 2007 -- A presidential candidate who loves Willie Nelson can't be all bad.

And while some candidates running for the White House are just a little bit country, tastes in music among the Republican and Democratic contenders ran the gamut from rock to opera.

Responding to a question from The Associated Press, the candidates revealed their last musical purchase.

Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton went into her feminist bag, saying her most recent purchase was Carly Simon's "Into White."

In a scary scenario, Rudy Giuliani said Verdi's opera "Macbeth" - the cautionary tale of a leader who stopped at nothing to become top dog - got his money.

Barack Obama said his last purchase was "probably" "Ray," the score from the Oscar-winning movie on the life of R&B crooner Ray Charles.

John Edwards was partial to U2, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich selected Willie Nelson. Arizona Sen. John McCain bought into "Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys."

-NY Post

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:45 AM

SOUTH KOREAN SINGER JANG SA-IK TO START U.S. TOUR

SEOUL - A top South Korean singer is set to launch his first concert tour of the United States, hoping to bring solace to his countrymen living there after a shooting rampage by a Korean-born student.

"All people are longing for something or missing someone and we all feel lonely and isolated in large cities," 58-year-old Jang Sa-Ik told AFP in an interview.

"The Virginia Tech shooting was also caused by loneliness and isolation.

"I felt I had to do something for these people, especially for Koreans in America who were so hurt by this tragedy. So I plan to put on my own rite to console them through music."

Jang, who fuses traditional music and jazz, will take his "Longing" tour to New York on June 2 and go on to Chicago, Washington and Los Angeles, performing such hits as "Road to Heaven" and "Wild Rose."

Last month, Korean-born student Cho Seung-Hui went on a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech University that left 32 people dead.

Koreans expressed shock and shame at the crime, even though Cho had lived in the United States since he was eight.

Jang, who only made his debut at age 46, made his name with a unique singing style based on traditional Korean vocal and percussional music known as pansori.

"Jang is the only vocalist in this country who can communicate through music with a foreign audience without using a foreign language," said music critic Kang Hun

-KeralaNext

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:46 AM

R&B SINGER AKON APOLOGIZES FOR ONSTAGE ROMP WITH UNDERAGE GIRL

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - R&B singer Akon apologized on Wednesday for an underage liaison that drove phone company Verizon Communications Inc. to drop its sponsorship of a tour featuring the chart-topping artist.

Last month, during a concert in Trinidad, Akon engaged in a sexy on-stage dance with 15-year-old fan. After video of the romp circulated online, Verizon this week pulled out of pop singer Gwen Stefani's "Sweet Escape" tour, on which Akon is the opening act.
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"First, and most important to me, I want to sincerely apologize for the embarrassment and any pain I've caused to the young woman who joined me on-stage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert in Port of Spain on April 12th," Akon said in a statement.

"It was never my intention to embarrass or take advantage of my fans in any way, especially those under the age of 18. That is why we tried to make sure that the club did not admit anyone under 18 in the audience. Somehow, that standard was not met."

A spokesman for Live Nation, which is promoting the Stefani tour, said Akon would remain on the bill, and that no new sponsor had come aboard.

Verizon is still mentioned on Stefani's Web site (http://www.gwenstefani.com), and the tour has several stops at amphitheaters where Verizon has the naming rights. The trek, which began on April 21 in Phoenix, reaches Atlanta on Friday.

Akon, born Aliaune Thiam in Senegal, topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart twice in the past year, first in November with "I Wanna Love You" and then in March with "Don't Matter." His current album, "Konvicted," peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:48 AM

MUSIC SHOPS BLOWN UP BY ISLAMIC MILITANTS IN PAKISTAN

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - Suspected Islamic hardliners blew up four music and video shops in a bombing in northwestern Pakistan overnight linked to a wave of blasts last week, police said Thursday.

The single powerful device badly damaged the outlets in the Amir Abad area of Charsada district, a security official told AFP.

There were no casualties as the market was closed.

The official said the explosion was caused by a home-made bomb and appeared to be linked with similar blasts in the district in the past week.

On Wednesday, police defused a bomb planted outside video shops in another area of the same district where three music shops had been hit last week.

Traders said they had received letters attributed to pro-Taliban Islamists, warning them to stop selling music and video CDs because they considered them to be repugnant to the teachings of Islam.

Charsada was rocked by a suicide bombing at a rally last month in which 29 people were killed and Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao was injured.

Islamic militancy is widespread in the deeply-conservative province, which is ruled by an alliance of six hardline Islamic parties.

Tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan are a stronghold of pro-Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants.

-Yahoo

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:50 AM

PUMPKINS ROBBED - NEW BASSIST HINTED AT

Smashing Pumpkins fans are eager to find out who is joining Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin in the soon-to-relaunch group and to hear its upcoming reunion album, Zeitgeist. But a pair of 21-year-old men might have taken their fandom a bit too far over the weekend.

At the same time, MTV News reached out to the woman who has reportedly been tapped to be the new Pumpkins bassist and found out ... well, that we'll all find out who's joining Jimmy and Billy in a few weeks (see "Smashing Pumpkins Reunion Is Under Way, According To Sources" and "Smashing Pumpkins Drummer Offers More Clues About Forthcoming LP").

Joshua Kuhl of Madison, Wisconsin, and Simon Brown of Rockford, Illinois, allegedly broke into a Chicago rehearsal space being used by the Pumpkins on Friday night and made off with three guitar picks and 39 photographs that police suspect the men may have tried to sell online, according to Chicago Police Department spokesman Marcel Bright. The pair were arrested Monday and charged with felony burglary after other tenants of the building provided a description that led police to the suspects.

Bright did not know how many of the photos — which were briefly posted on Pumpkins fan site Netphoria.org — were discovered during the arrests. According to Netphoria webmaster Andrew Pakula, one of the two suspects posted the photos along with information about the theft. Among the allegedly pilfered shots that Bright said police suspect were slated for use in the album packaging and promotional materials are images of Paris Hilton posing in front of an exploding bomb, the grim reaper at a podium featuring the presidential seal with a black-and-white Pumpkins flag in the back, a person in a business suit wearing a devil mask while being crucified, five blond children saluting, a close-up of Corgan in a hoodie and another of him standing next to a topless woman.

The band's management released a statement on Tuesday confirming that the burglary had taken place. "The two people who are now in jail illegally gained access to the band's private space and stole various items belonging to them over the course of several hours while the band had left for the evening," the statement read. "The band's management says the group feels their rights have been violated by this crime and will always pursue their rights and the law to protect their property and the safety of themselves, their families and their fans."

A group spokesperson would not comment on what images were taken or what they were intended for.

A statement posted on Netphoria by the moderator confirmed that the photos were briefly available and chided the overzealous fans for crossing a line. "What this person did amounts to theft and [the] band takes this very seriously as does Netphoria. I know everyone here is hungry for more information on the new album but this is not the way to go about it. Nobody here should condone or be supportive of the actions this individual took. It is unfortunate that the person chose Netphoria to leak these stolen works. Netphoria has always been a free and open forum without hard censorship but obviously in a case like this a line was crossed and I will not tolerate actions like this which is why numerous posts and threads were deleted last night."

The shots were taken down at the band's request, according to the post. Brown and Kuhl appeared on Tuesday in bond court, where each was ordered to be held on $100,000 bond and scheduled to appear in court again on Monday. A court spokesperson was not able to confirm if the two were released on bond pending their next court date.

Kuhl and Brown don't appear to have divulged the biggest secret of all: Just who is in the Pumpkins these days? At South by Southwest in March, former guitarist James Iha confirmed to MTV News that he was not onboard, and original bassist D'arcy Wretzky has virtually disappeared since leaving the group in 1999.

The group's publicist, Mitch Schneider, said Pumpkins management has not yet confirmed the lineup to him, but the Chicago Tribune recently reported that the group's new bassist is Ginger Reyes (formerly of the Halo Friendlies) and Iha's replacement is Jeff Schroeder, guitarist for the obscure Southern California noise-pop band Lassie Foundation.

On Wednesday (May 9), MTV News reached Reyes — whose defunct girl-pop group is best known for landing the song "Me vs. the World" on the 2003 "Freaky Friday" soundtrack — to get confirmation that she's the new Pumpkins bassist. She said she couldn't comment but confirmed that she's still making music and that she might have something to say "in a few weeks." Schroeder could not be reached for comment.

-VH1

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:51 AM

'NEW ORDER' ARE DONE

Legendary English rock act New Order has broken up, according to a post from bassist Peter Hook on his MySpace.com site. "I'm relieved," he wrote. "Really hated carryin' on as normal with an awful secret, so let's move on, shall we?" Hook made similar comments in an interview last Friday on XFM, telling host Clint Boon that he and singer/guitarist Bernard Sumner were no longer working together.

New Order, which also included drummer Stephen Morris and guitarist/keyboardist Gillian Gilbert, formed in 1980 following the dissolution of their prior band, Joy Division. That act's lead singer, Ian Curtis, committed suicide on the eve of an American tour.

New Order went on to become one of the most influential acts in modern music, fusing synthesizers and dance beats to rock structures on classics such as "Bizarre Love Triangle," "Blue Monday," "Age of Consent," "Ceremony," "Temptation," "True Faith" and "Regret."

The group went on a five-year hiatus beginning in 1993, but reconvened for new studio albums in 2001 ("Get Ready") and 2005 ("Waiting for the Sirens' Call") that introduced its music to a new generation of listeners. New Order's last show was in November in Buenos Aires.

Curtis is the subject of the upcoming film "Control," the score for which was performed by New Order. The movie will premiere May 17 at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 06:53 AM

GRATEFUL DEAD STUFF SOLD FOR $1.1 MILLION

SAN FRANCISCO — An auction of Grateful Dead memorabilia Tuesday brought in more than $1.1 million for items collected by the band's longtime road manager.

The collection of Lawrence "Ram Rod" Shurtliff included a 1975 cream-colored Travis Bean electric guitar played by vocalist and lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, which fetched $312,000, according to Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers.

Deadheads bidding by phone and in the crowded auction room bid up prices for band photos, original album artwork, guitars and other musical gear collected by Shurtliff over decades.

A leather guitar strap worn by Garcia on stage around 1973 sold for $20,400 — four times the estimated selling price. A flight case containing Garcias picks, unopened guitar strings and other accessories sold for $16,800. Garcia, who struggled with drug addiction throughout his life, died of a heart attack in 1995.

Shurtliff passed away in 2006. He started as a truck driver for the band in 1967 and went on to become president of the group's board of directors when the Dead incorporated in the 1970s.

-AP

Tingly

May 10th, 2007, 08:20 AM

WHAT THE HELL IS THE WORLD COMING TO? FIGHT BREAKS OUT AT BOSTON POPS!

BOSTON (AP) -- Concert-goers, and even Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart, were caught off-guard on Thursday night when a fight broke out on opening night at usually sedate Symphony Hall.

Television video of the fight showed two men struggling in the balcony - one having his shirt pulled off - as several people stood around them.

Lockhart briefly halted the performance, which featured Ben Folds, while the men were escorted out.

Boston police spokesman David Estrada said police officers on security detail at the hall escorted the men off the property, and no charges were filed. No injuries were reported in the 7 p.m. incident, he said.

A Boston Symphony spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.

Witnesses said they heard a scream from the balcony, and the sound of chairs falling, then a second scream as the fight escalated.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:05 AM

POLICE INVESTIGATING BOSTON POPS FIGHT

BOSTON (AP) -- Police are investigating a fight that broke out between two men during a Boston Pops concert this week and will refer the case to a magistrate to determine if charges are appropriate.

No charges were filed after Wednesday night's incident, which drew international attention, including jokes on "The Tonight Show."

"We have a detective reviewing the incident, and the two gentlemen will be summonsed into court in front of a clerk magistrate," police spokesman David Estrada said Friday.

The brawl on the Pops' opening night at Symphony Hall led conducter Keith Lockhart to briefly halt the performance, which later featured a guest appearance by rocker Ben Folds.

The Boston Globe reported Friday, citing a police report, that one of the men, Matthew Ellenger, 27, of Boston, told officers the incident began when he told another concertgoer, Michael Hallam, 44, of Bourne, to be quiet during the performance. Ellenger told police he repeatedly asked Hallam to stop talking and that Hallam punched him after the two bickered, the police report said.

Hallam did not immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press on Friday night. The Globe said it could not locate him for comment.

Ellenger said Friday he was considering whether to file a complaint against the other man.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:09 AM

PUNJABI SINGER BUSTED ON OPIUM RAP

Gurmeet Nagra, an upcoming Punjabi singer, was Friday nabbed by the Jalandhar police for possessing opium.

Gurmeet and an accomplice were caught by police when he was trying to deliver a consignment of 5 kg of opium.

The consignment had come from drug smugglers in Madhya Pradesh.

The singer, who released his first music album 'Tera Nakhra' last year, was planning another album.

'I did not have enough money to get the new album released. Someone told me about this illegal trade and I was lured into making quick money,' Gurmeet told reporters here.

Police officials said that the artiste had admitted to selling 10 kg of opium in Punjab in last couple of months.

-IANS

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:11 AM

NEW McCARTNEY ALBUM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

Washington, May 11 : Fans of former Beatles singer Paul McCartney have happy news, for the singer's upcoming solo album 'Memory Almost Full' will be on hand for uploading on the internet

The album described by McCartney as 'evocative', 'emotional' and 'rocking' is due June 5 via Hear Music, the new label formed by Starbucks Entertainment.

This will be the first McCartney solo release available for download and streaming on PCs and mobile phones.

In an interview with Billboard, the singer revealed that his deal for digital distribution has been 'virtually settled' following the settlement of a lengthy trademark feud between iPod/iTunes-owner Apple Inc. and Apple Corps, the Beatles label, E! Online reports.

The two sides finally settled the dispute in February, opening the door to clear the catalogs for distribution via iTunes and other digital retailers

As part of the digital marketing strategy, Starbucks plans to give the album prime positioning in its Hear Music area in the Apple iTunes Store.

Apple Corps exec Neil Aspinall earlier confirmed that the company is working for the digital release of 'The Beatles' stars McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo's songs.

-ANI

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:13 AM

DELAWARE STATE FAIR TICKET SYSTEM CRASHES INVALIDATING 1,200 CONCERT TICKETS

If you were one of many who didn't get the chance to purchase tickets to see your favorite singer at the Delaware State Fair, you shouldn't necessarily be disappointed.

On Wednesday, about 1,200 music fans thought they bought tickets for Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith and others.

But late Thursday, they received a notice from the State Fair via e-mail telling them their tickets were not valid -- but that their credit cards had been charged.

The bad news came after a long week for fairgoers who watched as the on-sale date for concerts was pushed from Monday to Wednesday, only to have the ticket system crash.

The owners of the 1,200 invalid tickets were told that their credit cards had been charged by E-Tickets Software Inc., the California-based ticketing service initially used by the fair, and that they would have to dispute the charge with their credit card companies.

"Due to a misunderstanding between the Delaware State Fair and E-Tickets, grandstand tickets were briefly and erroneously made available through the E-Tickets Web site," the e-mail stated.

The e-mail told customers the state fair will try to fill their requests with available seats if they filled out an additional order form and made another purchase.

Gary Casadei of Long Neck was upset he wasn't able to get through to purchase tickets after six hours Wednesday.

But after hearing about the news, anger has turned to relief.

"Now I feel lucky that I didn't get through," said Casadei, 61.

He had better luck than Connie Elks, 53, of Viola, who went from having six front-row tickets to Toby Keith in her hands to having nothing.

"I feel stomped on," Elks said.

Elks had purchased the concert tickets on Wednesday for her 10-year-old grandson's birthday.

"He's a Toby Keith freak," she said. "[The Delaware State Fair] is lucky I didn't tell him about the tickets, because I would be down there at their office this morning instead of at work."

Earlier in the week, she received confirmation about her $284 purchase, netting her front-row seats.

"When I opened my e-mail this morning, it was like someone just punched me in my stomach," said Elks, a lifelong fairgoer who takes a week vacation each year to coincide with the fair. "I think I've aged 10 years. It so disheartened me, I almost cried this morning."

The invalid tickets are just the latest problem with the fair's ticketing system this year.

Tickets were initially set to go on sale Monday, but sales were suspended due to problems with E-Tickets.

Then on Wednesday, tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. with Georgetown-based Inclind Inc. taking over the ticketing system. After more than nine hours with thousands of fair customers trying and failing to buy tickets, sales finally began to flow after 6 p.m.

Software switchover

Fair officials explained Friday that several problems caused the fiasco.

On Monday, the state fair decided E-Tickets' software was not working properly, and postponed ticket sales until Wednesday when Inclind took over at the "11th hour," said Danny Aguilar, state fair director of marketing and publicity.

According to Aguilar, the site received 3 million hits within the first hour of sales, completing 23,951 orders throughout the day.

Despite the problems, the fair praised Inclind's performance in a statement Friday, saying it has gone "far beyond the fair's expectations given the brief time for them to start from scratch."

So why did the fair go on with sales Wednesday when it was clear there were still major problems?

"The artists want to get their product out there, and we had promised the general public we would have tickets on Wednesday and we felt comfortable we'd be able to handle the demand," Aguilar said.

The publicity over the delay in ticket sales from Monday to Wednesday heightened demand, he said, and caused three times the amount of traffic officials were expecting.

1,200 tickets in 20 minutes

The invalid tickets were sold by E-Tickets on Wednesday after the fair board asked the company to step in and help Inclind with the heavy traffic. But it began sales before it had received official clearance to start, and thus 1,200 tickets sold over about a 20-minute period ended up with inaccurate seat assignments and bar codes.

"It wasn't fraudulent, but [E-Tickets] knew not to sell the inventory," Aguilar said. "[E-Tickets] did not have access to the inventory."

E-Tickets executives did not respond Friday to messages left seeking an interview.

The decision to allow E-Tickets to place a link on their site to help with traffic was a "bad decision," Aguilar admitted.

-delawareonline

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:16 AM

MUSIC EXECS MUM ON RAP LYRICS CONTROVERSEY

NEW YORK — Facing fierce criticism of sexist and depraved rap lyrics, top music industry executives planned a private meeting. They would discuss the issue, they said, and "announce initiatives" at a press conference afterward.

That was three weeks ago. The press conference was canceled, without explanation. And ever since, music's gatekeepers have been silent.

Leaders of the four major record companies, which control nearly 90 percent of the market, may fear cracking the door to censorship. Others say the record chiefs are "scared to death" of further damaging sales in an industry already hobbled by digital downloading — or that they choose to remain in the shadows rather than protect "indefensible" lyrics.

Or perhaps they are leery of stepping into a racial minefield: While black rap artists recite those lyrics, the top execs are white — like the man who ignited the controversy, radio host Don Imus, fired for describing a women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos."

"They want this whole thing to go away and keep doing what they've been doing, which is selling records," said Don Gorder, chair of the Music Business/Management Department at the Berklee College of Music.

While music industry leaders remain reticent, others are reacting very publicly:

Ebony magazine pulled the rapper Ludacris from its June cover. Verizon dropped pitchman Akon after video surfaced of the singer simulating sex with an underage fan on stage. Chart-topper Chamillionaire says his new CD contains no curses or n-words. Percy "Master P" Miller, founder of No Limit Records, whose son Romeo also is a recording artist, says he's starting a new label for "street music without offensive lyrics."

"I was once part of the problem and now it's time to be part of the solution," Miller, whose gangsta raps once sold millions of albums but have been met with indifference lately, told AllHipHop.com. "I am ready to take a stand by cleaning up my music and follow my son's footsteps and make a clean rap album."

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who protested outside major record labels last week, is planning to lead busloads of protesters to music executives' homes in the Hamptons over Memorial Day weekend.

"It's indefensible," Sharpton said of why the record executives keep silent. "They're hoping it'll go away. We're not going anywhere."

-seattletimes

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:19 AM

PINK FLOYD 'SORT OF' RE-UNITE FOR BARRETT TRIBUTE

All four members of Pink Floyd appeared at a tribute concert for founding member Syd Barrett — but not together. According to the BBC, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright joined for the show's finale of Barrett's "Bike," while earlier in the show, Roger Waters performed one of his own compositions solo. Barrett, who wrote most of the songs on the group's 1967 debut but grew increasingly unstable due to drug abuse, died in July of last year.

-VH1

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:22 AM

A RANGE OF SINGERS PREP FOR EUROVISION CONTEST

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) -- A Slovenian mock-opera artist, a Hungarian blues singer and a Ukrainian drag queen in a glitzy silver outfit were among 24 competitors in the Eurovision Song Contest - an annual extravaganza of colliding musical tastes.

The showdown in Finland on Saturday will have an Eastern European flavor after former communist bloc countries scored a near clean-sweep in the semifinal that ended in the early hours on Friday.

Some 3,000 enthusiasts braved near-freezing temperatures to watch the acts - including pyrotechnic flares and skimpily clad dancers - on giant screens in Helsinki's central square, broadcast live from the concert arena a few miles away.

The competition, with a record 42 entries, is being held for the 52nd time in an unparalleled show in the Nordic country, which shocked fellow Europeans last year when its latex-masked monster band Lordi stole the show in the Greek capital, Athens.

On Saturday, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey join last year's top 10, as well as the traditional "Big Four" - Britain, France, Germany and Spain - which are given automatic participation as the show's biggest sponsors.

The 10 from last year are Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, Romania and Finland, which as the 2006 winner hosts this year's contest.

In the semifinal, Bulgaria's folklorist entry "Water" - featuring thumping, monotonous drumbeats - surprised many by qualifying for a place on the big night. Others, considered by many Eurovision watchers as favorites, dropped out, including Norway's Latin-beat dance number and Swiss DJ Bobo's neo-Gothic vampire song.

Israel's entry, "Push the Button" by the group Teapacks, which fueled controversy months before the competition for purported allusions to Iran's nuclear ambitions, also failed to make the grade.

Saturday's winner will be picked by millions of European viewers voting by phone and text messages.

Last year, Lordi's victory with the growling hard rock number "Hard Rock Hallelujah" shocked many traditional fans of the contest, which is known for bland pop songs, camp acts and over-the-top performances.

Finns, acutely aware of their image, reacted with horror to the performance, but then welcomed the victory after 40 years of failures, with accolades coming even from President Tarja Halonen.

This year's Finnish entry, a pop song by local "Idol" winner Hanna Pakarinen, is seen by many as an unlikely winner.

-AP

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:24 AM

DADDY YANKEE ALBUM DUE OUT JUNE 5, THEN A TOUR

As reggaeton's primary ambassador and best-known name, Daddy Yankee spearheaded a new wave of Latin music into the mainstream. He'll try to take his career to the next level with "El Cartel: The Big Boss," due June 5 as his first full studio album to be released under his joint-venture deal with Interscope. The first single is the Scott Storch-produced "Impacto," an English remix of which features Fergie.

The album has some English but is primarily sung in Spanish. "That's who I am. That's my essence," Daddy Yankee tells Billboard. "I've told you I speak 'Tony Montana English.' But I feel that's part of who I am. If I polish it too much, it won't be me."

Daddy Yankee acknowledges reggaeton got stuck in a bit of a creative rut after it crossed over to the mainstream. "There was a musical pattern that never changed," he says. "[But] I try to never go back to what I've done before. For me, every hit has its moment. I never stick to a formula. If you're an artist and you like your art and you look for your hit in the same way, you'll go nuts, because it will never happen. When people hear 'El Cartel,' they'll hear something totally different, and they'll want to follow that pattern."

The artist remains adamant about not affiliating with liquor endorsements, "because in my personal life there were problems with drugs and alcohol," he says. "It really touches me because it goes back to when I was a kid."

Asked if he's addressed these subjects in his music, Daddy Yankee offers, "No. Out of respect for my father, who I'm still very close to. I would like to talk about what I lived in my home, but it's so raw that I don't want to offend my father. Because I understand it's an illness. Now I understand that, and we try to help. And now, he's been clean for over six months."

Daddy Yankee will embark on a 40-date tour of the U.S. and Latin America on Aug. 31 in Chicago.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:25 AM

GUITAR HERO: ROCKS THE 80'S TO BE RELEASED ON PlayStation 2

Activision paid a tribute to the classic rock era of 80s by announcing the development of "Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s", which will be released exclusively on PlayStation 2.

The announcement comes following weeks of speculation of such a game in development. To be released this summer, "Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s" will feature hits of various genres including "I Wanna Rock" by Twisted Sister, "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls, "Round and Round" as made famous by Ratt, "I Want Candy" by Bow Wow Wow, "Metal Health" by Quiet Riot, "Holy Diver" by Dio, and "Heat Of The Moment" by Asia.

Featuring visually stunning retro rock venues and hipster characters, gamers will be able to unlock guitars, intense game play modes as well as 30 brand new songs. Announcing the launch, Dusty Welch, Head of Publishing at RedOctane, publisher of the game, said that "Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s" has got something for everybody.

"The 80s features an amazing variety of rock genres from hair metal to punk to new wave, and our dedicated "Guitar Hero" fans will definitely appreciate the opportunity to play all the new and exciting content we've added. As we delve deeper into the history of rock, we'll continue to offer a fresh experience and even more explosive tracks with the Guitar Hero franchise", he said.

Welch also revealed that "Guitar Hero III" is being currently developed by Neversoft, and will be released later this year on PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii.

-earthtimes

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:26 AM

BON JOVI TO TOUR THE WORLD IN 2008

Jon Bon Jovi says fans who are disappointed in his band's light touring schedule for 2007 will be rewarded in their patience in 2008.

"There's going to be a real tour, but not 'til next year," Bon Jovi tells Billboard.com. "They're routing it now. I think it's Japan and Australia for January into mid-February, then the States. Early spring in Europe we'll be outdoors, then outdoors in America -- the usual kind of run that we do."

As previously reported, the band's country-flavored new album, "Lost Highway," is due June 19, but the vocalist won't be touring immediately because his family is preparing to move from the Rumson, N.J., area to Manhattan and he wants time to settle everybody.

"It's part of my growth period," Bon Jovi explains. "My wife and I just want to make the change. We're not selling our house here; we're just moving to New York. It's one of those kinds of things. The kids'll go to school here. It's a big change."

Bon Jovi will still be visible once "Lost Highway," which features collaborations with Big & Rich and LeAnn Rimes, comes out. He's planning a TV blitz that will include "Today" on June 19, "The View" on June 20, "Ellen" on June 21-22 and "Larry King Live." There will be some spot shows, including Milwaukee's Summerfest, the Live Earth show July 7 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., and a 10-night stand to help open the new Prudential Center in Newark this fall.

The band will also tape a version of "Unplugged" that's slated to be shown on MTV, VH1 and CMT later this year. "I think because it's going to be on all three, I'm gonna over-record a lot of songs and then give them different programming," says Bon Jovi, who plans to augment his band with other instrumentalists and hopefully the guests from "Lost Highway." "I'll get LeAnn to come up, maybe Big & Rich to come up. It'll be a free for all -- why not?"

Billboard

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:28 AM

JAZZ SINGER DENISE THIMES KEEPING BUSY!

Jazz singer Denise Thimes just keeps on rolling. Earlier this week, she performed in Washington for President George W. Bush and Queen Elizabeth II, and in June she's opening for Tony Bennett at Chase Park Plaza. Next up is her annual Mother's Day concert at the Sheldon Concert Hall — always one of the day's biggest happenings. Making this year's concert even more of an event is legendary trumpeter Clark Terry, with whom Thimes has partnered lately for special shows including their weeklong booking at the Blue Note in New York City. This is the last Terry-Thimes date on the schedule in St. Louis for now, though it's a collaboration she'd like to keep going. "Even at the tender age of 86, he's still got it. He's still clear on what he wants, and he knows good stuff when he hears it," says Thimes, who considers Terry a great mentor. "He always says something that's about teaching and improving, and everyone in the band loves and respects him." Also performing Mother's Day are pianist Helen Sung, drummer Sylvia Cuenca, bassist Tom Kennedy and saxophonist Peanuts Whalum. (KCJ)

-STLtoday

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:29 AM

'MAGIC NUMBERS' ALBUM BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Out since November internationally, the Magic Numbers' sophomore set, "Those the Brokes," will finally arrive July 17 in North America. Originally slated to be released in February, the album hit a few snags during the band's switch from Columbia Records to Astralwerks.

"Well, it's about time, isn't it?" frontman Romeo Stodart laughs. Stodart describes the new album as a continuation of the group's 2005 self-titled debut, which addresses the deterioration of an eight-year romance.

Comprising two brother-sister pairs, the Magic Numbers have all the benefits and miseries of traveling with family. "We all get lonely and start missing people from back home. That's hard to keep up. We're all so involved in each others' lives, that we know exactly what the others are feeling and we can make each other stronger," says melodica/Wurlitzer player Angela Gannon.

Bassist Michele Stodart chimes in, "We're also around to call each other out whenever someone's talking bull*****." "Some of us have more of that than others," her brother says. Michele rolls her eyes.

Both women stepped out to sing lead on a couple of songs on "Those the Brokes," a first for the band. The group also worked extensively on string arrangements with Robert Kirby, who previously worked on the late Nick Drake's "Bryter Layter" and "Five Leaves Left." The nine-piece orchestra fit perfectly with the album's sound, with moments of soul and sunny pop melodies peaking through introspective rock narratives.

But particularly after a few scathing reviews in the British press for "Those the Brokes," Romeo is eager for fans to make up their own minds about the record. "If that means they have to go on peer-to-peer [services] just to hear it, so be it," he says. "Some people just don't get what we're doing. We were never about making only fast songs. We've always had slow songs. We're about creating a complete album."

"We get a lot of comparisons to the Mamas and Papas, this whole hippy happy family '60s West-coast feel," he continues. "Sure, there's an element of that, but we're just simply hook-oriented. "When people understand that even after reading harsh reviews, then that's the time I'm happy to be misunderstood."

-Billboard

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:31 AM

CIARA FANS TO SELECT ARTIST FOR HER VIDEO

Following in the footsteps of Pink, Ciara has selected three unsigned artists, Paula Campbell, Tiffany Evans and Samantha Jade, for the Nissan North America-sponsored Glamour Reel Music contest, which launched earlier this week. Fan voting on Glamour.com will determine a winner, who will then appear in a video directed by Ciara.

Voting is open through June 8; the video will premiere in August. Last year, Pink chose the Pretty Boys as the winner of Glamour Reel Music, and made her directorial debut with a clip for their song "Hello Bonjour!"

-Billboard

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:33 AM

MySpace TECHNOLOGY PREVENTS RE-POSTING OF BANNED VIDEOS

MySpace has introduced new technology that prevents members from reposting videos that have previously been removed for copyright reasons. Called "Take Down, Stay Down," the feature creates a digital fingerprint of any video that has been taken down at copyright holders' request. It then places that fingerprint into a filter that will block any other user from uploading that same video in the future.

Content owners have long complained that members of services like YouTube and MySpace simply repost videos that they have previously demanded be taken down, resulting in an endless cat-and-mouse game that they rarely win.

The digital fingerprinting and filtering technology used for the service is provided by Audible Magic.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:34 AM

ALLTELL WIRELESS PARTNERS WITH FROG DESIGN ON FREE PC TO PHONE APPLICATION

Alltel Wireless has partnered with Frog Design and eMusic to offer Jump Music, a free application for transferring music from your PC to your cell phone.

Similar to the iTunes Music Store model, consumers can navigate to eMusic directly from the Jump Music interface and purchase songs from eMusic's vast catalog of DRM-free MP3s. New Jump Music users can take advantage of a special introductory offer of 35 free eMusic songs. All this, and you can transfer your existing music collection to your cell phone as well. It's initially compatible with only five Alltel phones: the LG AX8600, the Motorola Krzr K1m, the Motorola Razr V3m, the Samsung u520, and the Samsung Wafer.

Alltel hopes to add more phones to the list. You can purchase a Jump Music accessory kit--featuring a 256 MB memory card, a USB cable, and a stereo headset--for $49.99 from the Alltel store.

-Cnet News

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:38 AM

BEATLES CATALOGUE WOULD NOT MAKE iTUNES A LOT OF MONEY

By Ben Charny, MarketWatch
Last Update: 2:33 PM ET May 11, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Despite signs that Apple Inc. may land a historic deal with the Beatles to make the band's entire catalog of music available on its iTunes store, analysts say that such a move would be a "nonevent" in terms of the company's profits.
Rumors of such a deal have been circulating for years. Speculation grew to a feverish pitch Friday when ex-Beatle Paul McCartney told Billboard magazine that an agreement with iTunes is "virtually settled."

Currently, none of the digital-music merchants has rights to sell Beatles tunes online. iTunes is by far the largest player in the sector, but the company was hampered by a long-running trademark dispute with the band's music-publishing arm, which is named Apple Corps.

The two sides reached a settlement in February, which many expected to pave the way for an eventual deal to sell Beatles songs.

Still, this won't do much to boost profits at Apple and other online sellers, analysts said during interviews Friday.

At 99 cents a song, it is believed by most that Apple simply breaks even on song sales.
Though the company does not disclose its actual profitability on music sales, Chief Executive Steve Jobs has said publicly that there is little in the way of profits in sales of music. He added that he started iTunes as a way to help boost sales of the company's popular iPod music player.

"Having the Beatles on iTunes is fabulous, but it's a nonevent," according to W.R. Hambrecht & Co. analyst Matthew Kather, who has a buy rating on Apple.
"It's not a needle mover," agreed Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research, who also has a buy rating on Apple.

Wu and others believe that to significantly boost any music seller's bottom line, it would take a jump in online sales, and such a spike is unlikely to come from the sudden availability of the Beatles.

Still, the development is sure to be a boon for music aficionados and for Apple Corps, the company that manages the Beatles' commercial interests, Wu said.

Meanwhile, Apple Corps and EMI Group, which holds the rights to the band's recordings, in April said that they had settled a long-standing dispute over royalties -- paving the way for the band to release its back catalog through digital-music retail platforms.

A recent agreement between Apple Inc. and EMI to make EMI's artists available over iTunes without copyright-protection software, albeit at a higher price point, also has raised expectations that a deal will soon be reached to allow the Beatles' material to be sold digitally.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:42 AM

PHIL SPECTOR PAL TESTIFIES SPECTOR 'WAS NOT HIMSELF' THAT NIGHT

A friend of Phil Spector testified yesterday (May 10) that the music producer "was not his usual self" during a dinner date hours before actress Lana Clarkson's death at his mansion.

Rommie Davis said at Spector's murder trial that she was concerned about him because he was drinking and taking medication, calling it a "lethal combination."

After the dinner, authorities say Spector met Clarkson, a hostess, at a nightclub and asked her to accompany him to his home. She was found dead early Feb. 3, 2003, a gunshot through her mouth. The defense says she shot herself.

During testimony yesterday, Davis said she and Spector, who were high school classmates, dined out all three nights of the weekend leading up to Clarkson's death and Spector's behavior concerned her.

He was ordering drinks at each restaurant they visited on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it was the first time he had consumed alcohol during the their five-month relationship, she said. "I was very concerned about him," she said.

On Feb. 2, 2003, she said she told Spector he should not be drinking but he ordered two daiquiris before dinner.

"He was not his usual self," she said. "He was not interested in what I had to say ... In all the time I went out with him, he was great fun to be with ... This weekend, the behavior was totally different."

She said she never saw Spector with a gun but she recalled that he once told her "politely" that he carried a gun in the trunk of his car. She said he never mentioned it again.

On cross-examination, Davis said she did not remember whether Spector finished both drinks he ordered and couldn't tell whether he was drunk. She said she never saw him in possession of a gun and that he had never threatened her.

She said Spector delivered her back to her home at 11:15 p.m. The testimony set the stage for a detailed account of events in the hours before Spector arrived at the House of Blues, where he met Clarkson.

After dropping off Davis, Spector continued on with Kathy Sullivan, a waitress who joined him after work at several drinking spots.

Sullivan testified that by the time they reached the House of Blues it was nearly 2 a.m. and she wanted to go home. She said she ordered a bottle of water and Spector became annoyed, saying if she wanted to drink water she could go home. He enlisted Clarkson to escort her out and she was driven home by his driver, she said.

On cross-examination, Sullivan testified that Spector was not drunk, may not have consumed all the drinks he ordered and had no trouble walking or talking.

Before Davis and Sullivan took the stand, the defense sought to undermine the credibility of one of the four women who have testified to being threatened with guns by Spector in the years before Clarkson's death.

Melissa Grosvenor told a story similar to the others -- initially finding Spector to be charming and suddenly being terrorized with a gun when she sought to leave his presence.

Defense attorney Roger Rosen sought to attack her story and suggested one of her sisters had heard a different account from her. Grosvenor said the sister is a drug addict and she believes the sister is receiving money from Spector.

Rosen also sought to emphasize that she didn't know if a gun she claims Spector pointed between her eyes was loaded. She acknowledged she did not know. But when he sought to point out that the gun wasn't fired, she replied, "I wouldn't be sitting here if it was."

Prosecutors followed up on previous testimony by Stephanie Jennings, a music industry photographer who described a gun-wielding Spector hold her hostage at a New York hotel and him later threatening her when she stood him up for a date.

Prosecutors played for jurors expletive-filled messages left on Jennings' answering machine in which Spector berated her with obscenities and threatened to make sure she wouldn't work again.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:44 AM

'ERASURE' STARTS ITS OWN TOUR JULY 6

A week after it concludes its stint on the summer True Colors tour with Cyndi Lauper, Blondie's Debbie Harry and the Gossip, Erasure will embark on a run of headlining dates, beginning July 6 in Tampa, Fla.

The veteran synth-pop duo will also visit Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Mexico on the way to an Aug. 1 finale in Cleveland.

Erasure will be touring in support of its new Mute album, "Light at the End of the World," due May 22. First single "If I Could Fall in Love With You" recently peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Hot Dance Singles Sales chart and No. 20 on the Club Play tally.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:47 AM

IRISH TIMES INVESTS IN entertainment.ie

Entertainment website, entertainment.ie has announced a strategic investment in the company by The Irish Times.

The investment is part of the Irish Times' online strategy, and follows the group's acquisition of Myhome.ie last year.

Entertainment.ie provides listings for more than 5,000 venues around the country.

Every cinema screen in Ireland is featured on the website along with schedules for 46 TV channels and more than 2,000 movie reviews, trailers, albums and DVDs.

-BreakingNews.ie

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:52 AM

91 YEAR OLD GUITAR LEGEND LES PAUL THRILLS HOMETOWN CROWD

By EMILY FREDRIX
Associated Press Writer

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) -- Guitar legend Les Paul enthralled a hometown crowd at a concert that raised more than $100,000 for an exhibit on his life.

The 91-year-old Grammy winner hadn't played in Waukesha in decades. Even though he claimed earlier he's never nervous before going onstage, he said, "I was lying. I'm nervous tonight."

Wearing a blue turtleneck and black slacks, Paul dazzled the crowd with his playing and with stories from his long career Thursday night.

During his 90-minute concert, he joined his jazz trio in playing tunes such as "Tennessee Waltz," "Lady Is a Tramp" and "Embraceable You" as the crowd paid rapt attention.

After "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," Paul got emotional, telling the crowd it was his mother's favorite song.

"You have no idea what it means to be back here," he said.

At one point, he jokingly accused his piano player of missing a note but added that he's missed his share, too.

"All the time I've been playing the guitar, the notes I missed, I say I'm saving them for the next album," he cracked.

Paul said at an earlier news conference that his trip was stirring up memories, including the motivation to invent the solid-body electric guitar in the 1940s.

He recalled coming home from a gig after an audience member told him his guitar needed to be louder.

"I went home and I said to my mother, `I've got a critic and the critic has something to say. It's up to me to do something about it. So I'll make an electric guitar,'" he said.

The invention caught on and helped Paul and his wife at the time, Mary Ford, record a series of hit records in the 1950s. Guitar-maker Gibson began mass-producing the Les Paul model in 1952. Many rock musicians became famous playing on the model.

"Thank God the younger generation latched onto it and said, `Look what we got here,'" he said.

Tickets for Paul's performance ranged from $300 to $375. All 350 tickets were sold, with all the money going to the Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum, which is raising money for the Les Paul exhibit. In March, Paul donated $25,000 to the museum.

Paul is also known for developing recording techniques such as close miking, multitracking and use of echo and delay. He's credited with introducing the first eight-track tape player in 1950s and building an early model synthesizer.

He's often called the "Wizard of Waukesha," though he said he's not sure where it came from.

"I didn't create it. I don't care ... but if the shoe fits," he said with a laugh.

Paul, who lives in Mahwah, N.J., has donated many artifacts and memorabilia for the planned exhibit, a $3 million project expected to open in 2010.

Paul didn't need much warm-up time Thursday. He has played twice every Monday night with his trio at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York since 1996.

He said he had one regret about the hometown concert - he wished some of his friends, who have since died, could have been around for it. Still, he was happy to come home.

"I think of the wonderful days I had and the people who taught me and who I grew up with," he said.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 04:59 AM

RAPPER 'THE GAME' ARRESTED IN L.A.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Game was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats after police searched his home for more than three hours, authorities said.

The arrest Friday was related to an incident that occurred in February, said Officer Martha Garcia, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman. She declined to elaborate.

KABC-TV captured the 27-year-old rapper being driven off in the back of a patrol car as a bystander yelled, "We love you Game, we love you."

The Game stuck his tongue out at the camera and said, "I want to say that I'm not guilty, and I love California."

The rapper, whose real name is Jayceon Taylor, was booked at the police station, and bail was set at $50,000, according to the county sheriff's department.

It was not immediately known whether The Game had hired an attorney.

He was arrested in November in New York City after authorities said he told a cab driver that he was an undercover police officer, persuading him to run a series of red lights.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 05:01 AM

L.A. CEREMONY INDUCTS CLASSIC ACTS INTO HOLLYWOOD'S 'RockWalk'

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Mamas and the Papas, Al Kooper and Otis Redding - all performers at 1967's Monterey International Pop Festival - were inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk.

The ceremony Friday marked the 40th anniversary of the celebrated Monterey rock festival, which was organized by music producer Lou Adler and John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas.

Redding, who died in a plane crash in December 1967, was posthumously inducted. His widow, Zelma Redding, and daughter, Karla Redding-Andrews, received a plaque on his behalf.

A bronze bust of the R&B singer, who recorded the hit "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay," will be installed at the sidewalk gallery outside the Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard.

The Mamas and the Papas singer Michelle Phillips, the only living member of the '60s folk-rock group behind the hit "California Dreamin'," put her hands in wet cement at the gallery.

"I'm a little overwhelmed that I'm really the only one here," she said. "I know that I can speak for all of us when I thank all of you very much for being here."

Kooper, the 63-year-old songwriter, pianist and record producer, also attended the ceremony.

He co-founded the Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears. He also played with Bob Dylan, including the signature organ riff on Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone."

The RockWalk was established in 1985 to honor musicians who have made a significant contribution to the history of music.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 05:02 AM

SHERYL CROW ADOPTS KID

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Happy Mother's Day to Sheryl Crow - the singer-guitarist has adopted a baby boy. "I am so excited to share with you guys that I've adopted a little boy. He was born two weeks ago," Crow announced on her Web site Friday.

She told fans the boy's name "is Wyatt (after my dad) Steven (after my little brother and Scooter) and we are enjoying some very private family time."

Her publicist Dave Tomberlin wouldn't give further details.

This is the first child for Crow, 45, who underwent breast cancer surgery in February 2006.

That same month, she and cycling champion Lance Armstrong announced that they had broken up their engagement. It would have been her first marriage and the second for Armstrong. The pair met in October 2003 and began dating shortly after.

A nine-time Grammy winner, Crow is best known for the hits "Soak Up the Sun" and "All I Want to Do."

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 05:04 AM

WHEELING SYMPHONY MOVES OUT OF FAMOUS VENUE DUE TO BUILDING CODE VIOLATIONS

WHEELING -- The Wheeling Symphony will not be playing their last concert of the season at the Capitol Music Hall.

Instead, the Wheeling Symphony will be performing at St. Joseph's Cathedral for the first time.

The classical series concert, set for the night of May 18th, is already sold out due to the fact that the Cathedral seats less than the Music Hall.

Executive Director Susan Hogan said recent publicity over the exact nature of code violations at the Capitol forced the move. Hogan wants patrons to feel completely at ease while enjoying.

She says the Cathedral will be a wonderful place to play. She's urging subscribers who can't come to turn in their tickets so others can use them.

Hogan thanked Bishop Michael Bransfield for the use of the Cathedral. She is confident that next fall they will be back in the Capitol.

-West Virginia Media.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 02:53 PM

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/jimcirin/pakishop2.jpg
A Pakistani shopkeeper collects his stuff
after a bomb blast

PRO-TALIBAN MILITANTS IN PAKISTAN CRACKING DOWN ON MUSIC

By MATTHEW PENNINGTON
Associated Press Writer

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Islamic militants are confiscating music cassettes from public buses and ordering shops to only sell CDs promoting jihad in the latest push to Talibanize a lawless Pakistani frontier region, residents said Tuesday.

The campaign was launched Sunday in North Waziristan, a tribal region where the government reached a peace deal with pro-Taliban militants last fall, an intelligence official confirmed on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of his job.

Bands of armed militants have visited shops selling music cassettes and CDs in the main town of Miran Shah, warning owners to only sell "jihadi" recordings - featuring sermons by clerics or songs without musical accompaniment that praise holy war and those who fight it.

"They came to us and said, 'Do not sell music and song cassettes and CDs,'" shop owner Omar Jan said. "They warned us to close our shops or they would punish us."

A 30-year-old vendor in the Razmak Ada bazaar, who requested anonymity because he feared retaliation, said he would abide by the warning and only sell jihadi material.

"There is fear among the people," he said.

On Monday, about 30 armed militants stopped public transportation vehicles at a traffic intersection in Miran Shah, confiscating music tapes from drivers, residents said.

The actions underlined how militants have expanded their influence since the September peace deal in North Waziristan, which ended months of bloody fighting between pro-Taliban tribesmen and Pakistani security forces, although not cross-border attacks by militants targeting U.S. and NATO forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

The campaign against music is reminiscent of the hard-line rule of the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan that banned music, movies, TV and nearly all other forms of entertainment as part of their strict interpretation of Islamic law or Shariah.

Despite the government's promotion of moderate Islam, there has been a growing "Talibanization" of Pakistan itself, particularly in the conservative northwest where hard-line views get most support among the region's ethnic Pashtun majority.

Last week, two bombs in a market in the Charsadda district destroyed several music shops - the latest in a series of such attacks in the frontier region. In the nearby Bajur tribal region, barbers have been warned not to shave beards.

In an editorial Tuesday, The News daily called on the government to take action against "fanatics" trying to force a "flawed and pernicious interpretation of religion on everybody else."

"Or else we should not complain as the nation continues to slide into the Dark Ages," it said.

An Interior Ministry official in Islamabad said it was up to authorities in North West Frontier Province, where pro-Taliban parties hold sway, to respond.

"We hope and expect that the NWFP government will take measures and steps to curb this menace," Brig. Javed Iqbal Cheema said.

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 02:59 PM

THE 99 CENT 'SINGLE' IS KILLING THE MUSIC BUSINESS

It sounds like a horror movie: a beloved friend is callously exterminated, then reincarnated in a different form to wreak havoc on the killer.

That's the nightmare currently facing the music industry. Almost a decade after virtually eliminating 45s and cassette singles, thereby forcing fans to spend more money on whole albums, the digital single is largely responsible for the industry's woes.

Consumers no longer need to buy an album if they want that cool jam they heard on the radio — and in growing numbers, they're choosing 99-cent downloads over $15 CDs.

Some worry this trend is worsening the quality of albums as a cohesive musical work, and that label executives are more and more interested in quick hits than lasting music or artists.

While the vast majority of music consumers still buy CD albums, they are buying less of them, while digital tracks are exploding: According to Nielsen SoundScan, sales of physical CDs this year have declined 20 percent from the same point in 2006, from 112 million to 89 million. Digital tracks are up to 288 million from 242 million at the same period last year. And that's not counting the millions of singles that are illegally downloaded.

"Now, we're in a very difference place in terms of the single business," Jim Donio, president of National Association of Recording Merchandisers, said in an interview. "The single business is alive and well, and it's in the form of track downloads."

The same cannot be said, however, for albums. Even counting albums that are downloaded along with physical CDs sold, album sales are down 10 percent from the same period last year, according to Nielsen SoundScan, continuing a decline that has been growing for several years.

The industry's hard times are evident in recent label consolidations, widespread layoffs, reduction in budgets and an overall air of belt-tightening.

In 1996, music companies shipped more than 1.1 billion units — all physical product — for a value of $12.5 billion, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Ten years later, despite a decline in physical product sold, they industry has "shipped" approximately 1.6 billion units — but its value is down by a billion dollars, to $11.5 billion.

"There's probably a fair amount of purchases that would have been albums but are now individual track sales instead," said Geoff Mayfield, director of charts at Billboard magazine.

And at 99 cents or so, singles bring in much less profit than albums (which is why iTunes has been pressured by record companies to raise their prices).

Other signs show of the singles-driven market: One of the most consistent album chart-toppers is the blockbuster "Now That's What I Call Music!" series, which features a compilation of the hottest tracks of the season and routinely debuts at No. 1.

And of course there is the enormous popularity of music download services like iTunes. Recently, iTunes introduce its "Complete the Album" feature, an enticement which gives credit for songs purchased from an album toward purchasing the rest of it.

The question remains whether consumers are as interested in completing the albums as they used to.

Ciara hopes so. The 21-year-old's latest platinum album, "Ciara: The Evolution," on La Face/Jive Records (a unit of Sony BMG Music Entertainment, a joint venture between Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). and Bertelsmann AG) wasn't designed to provide just hits, but as an entire experience about her development into a woman, complete with interludes between the tracks.

"For me growing up, there was nothing like listening to an album that you could literally sit down and listen to from the beginning to the end," she said. "It can't just be about singles. That's the purpose of an album, it's almost like a story within itself."

Avril Lavigne, 22, whose latest album "The Best Damn Thing" on RCA (also a part of Sony BMG) debuted at No. 1, is also still in love with the album: "I'm so all about going to the store and buy a CD."

"(But) times are changing," she added. Someday "people aren't going to do records, they're just going to do singles, probably."

That would have been hard to believe just a few years ago, given that the single — which gave birth to the recording industry and dominated it for decades — was virtually phased out at a time of huge industry profits. While there are still physical singles in stores, the numbers are so minute that Nielsen SoundScan doesn't even track them.

"We tried to stop selling a commercial single because people were making great, great records and albums were selling like hot cakes," says longtime music industry executive Steve Rifkind, founder Street Records Corporation, home to platinum singer/producer Akon, and Loud.com.

But removing the option of purchasing a single may not have helped the album much, either — and may have actually boosted the original illegal downloading services like Napster, says Mayfield.

"The notion that someone would jump to an album-length purchase because they couldn't find the one song they wanted available was a naive one," he said.

Rifkind acknowledges that "we are definitely in a singles market," — but blames the problem on a lack of creativity and "lazy" executives.

"People are going after one hit. They are not really caring what the album sounds like ... They are not into artist development anymore. If us as an industry went and started developing talent again, and not worrying about one hit, it would be more than a singles-driven business again."

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Jay-Z, the superstar rapper and president of Def Jam Records, also blamed the quality of the music for the current climate.

"We're making disposable music. You can't make disposable music again and again and again and again and not expect anything to happen. We have these huge radio records ... and then won't sell any records," he said. "If you're making just songs, they'll listen to it in the clubs, that's great, they'll listen to it in their car, that's beautiful. Will they buy it? No."

-AP

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 03:01 PM

NEW SHOW: SEARCH FOR THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BAND

Reality shows can have spinoffs, too. The producers of "American Idol" are launching "The Search for the Next Great American Band," a new talent series.

That's a working title for the Fox show, which will "scour the country, seeking musical groups of all ages, styles and genres," producers 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America said Thursday.

An air date for the show was not announced.

For Fox, the spinoff means it's expanding its dependence on the "American Idol" brand. The show is the linchpin of the network's ratings success.

The format as described by the production company parallels Fox's hit singing contest. The band competition will start with nationwide auditions, with judges then narrowing down the entries to 10 semifinalists.

Viewers will decide on who stays and who goes, with the three finalists to compete in a "showdown" for a record contract.

"If you thought `American Idol' was intense, wait until you see what a band must go through for its shot at fame," the producers said. Contest details were available online at http://www.americanidol.com.

-Yahoo

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 03:04 PM

MARTINA McBRIDE GRANTED RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST 'STALKER'

Martina McBride is a little bit country, a little bit in need of a restraining order.

The Waking Up Laughing singer was granted an order of protection Wednesday against a 42-year-old obsessed fan charged with stalking the star after making two late night appearances at her Nashville home last month.

According to court documents, McBride's husband, John McBride, said that Ricky D. Fissel first tried to secure his own personal meet and greet with the country heavyweight on Apr. 1, showing up at the couple's home at roughly 10 p.m. and asking if McBride was home.

Fissel was told by the singer's spouse to remove himself from their property on Nashville's Franklin Road, which he did—albeit temporarily, according to the filing.

Just a week later, Fissel returned to the duo's abode at 9:15 p.m., again asked the hubby "Who lives here?" before hightailing it off the land, per court documents.

Nashville's finest subsequently set up a photo lineup for McBride, and he successfully identified Fissel as the man who repeatedly played ding dong ditch at their home.

After the positive ID, cops conducted a search of Fissel's home and found a newspaper article on the country superstar with circles drawn around her photo.

Fissel is scheduled to appear in court on the mental health docket on Friday.

As it is, McBride isn't letting the incident get her down. Roughly a week after her near run-in with Fissel, on Apr. 17, the multiplatinum singer appeared as a mentor on the country music theme week of American Idol. McBride's songs have been routinely covered by the contestants on Idol over the years.

The singer has sold more than 16 million records and her latest album, Waking Up Laughing, debuted at number three on the pop charts last month.

McBride has also scored four Country Music Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year, tying Reba McEntire for the most wins ever in the category. Next week, she'll attempt to beat the record.

McBride has again been nominated for the CMA honor at the kudosfest, her 16th career nod from the academy. In addition to her would-be win, McBride is also set to perform at the ceremony, airing Tuesday on CBS.

-Yahoo

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 03:06 PM

DEBORAH HARRY: 'PHIL SPECTOR PULLED A GUN ON ME'

Blondie star Deborah Harry has made claims that music producer Phil Spector pulled a gun on her.

The singer described how Spector was "sniffing around her" when he pointed the firearm into her boot, reports London's The Mirror.

Speaking about the incident, Harry said: "He did it--he pulled a gun, that notorious thing he does. He stuck it in my boot and went, 'Bang.' I thought, 'Get me outta here. I just wanna go home.'"

Spector is currently on trial for murder after being accused of shooting actress Lana Clarkson dead at his Los Angeles home in 2003.

-NME.com

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 03:08 PM

FRANZ FERDINAND LAUNCHING T-SHIRT LINE

Franz Ferdinand have followed the lead of Lily Allen and Madonna, and have entered the world of fashion design.

The band's bassist, Bob Hardy, has joined fellow Domino Records artists Bonde Do Role, Psapp, and the Kills in designing a series of limited-edition T-shirts.

The designs will be sold exclusively through Airside, the graphic design company run by Lemon Jelly's Fred Deakin.

The shirts will be dispatched a rate of one per month for fans who sign up to the Domino T-shirt Club.

The entire set will cost 99 British pounds (approximately $196).

-Dotmusic

Tingly

May 12th, 2007, 03:10 PM

THIS YEAR'S OZZFEST MIGHT BE OZZY'S LAST

Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne has suggested this year's Ozzfest, which starts on July 12 in Seattle, might well be his last.

In a new interview with Guitar World magazine, 58 year-old Osbourne admitted he didn't know how much longer he could continue doing the tour.

Speaking about his misgivings, Osbourne explained: "At my age, I don't know how many more of these tours I have left in me. This could be the last one. It's a hell of a lot of responsibility for me. If I get sick or if my voice gets blown out or whatever the ****** happens, and I can't make a show, the audience gets pretty ******ing mad."

Although he initially scaled back his participation last year, appearing at only half the dates, he is headlining every show this time.

Osbourne will release his first album of brand-new material in six years, titled Black Rain, on May 23.

He added that this is the first record he has ever made while completely clean and sober.

-NME.com

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:25 AM

PUMPKINS ANNOUNCE U.S. DATES

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- The Smashing Pumpkins announced Monday they will give nine concerts in Asheville and eight in San Francisco this summer in the band's first residencies in more than a decade.

The band will perform at the Orange Peel in Asheville on dates from June 23 to July 5, and at the historic Fillmore in San Francisco on dates from July 22 to August 1.

According to information posted on the band's Web site, fans attending any of the shows are allowed to capture them with audio and video recorders.

"They were looking for one West Coast venue and one East Coast venue," Liz Whalen of the Orange Peel told the Asheville Citizen-Times. She said the shows are the biggest event in the club's history and an entertainment milestone for the city in far western North Carolina.

The Smashing Pumpkins last played a residency in 1994 in Chicago before the release of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness."

Leaders in the early 1990s alternative rock revolution, the Smashing Pumpkins broke up in 2000 after winning two Grammys and selling millions of albums. Band leader Billy Corgan announced about two years ago that he wanted the band to reunite.

The band will perform live for the first time since December 2000 next week in Paris.

A new album, "ZEITGEIST," is scheduled to be released in July.

-AP

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:26 AM

TONY NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

NEW YORK (AP) -- "Spring Awakening," the Duncan Sheik-Steven Sater rock musical about the sexual longing of 19th century German teenagers, received a leading 11 Tony nominations on Tuesday.

"The Coast of Utopia," Tom Stoppard's epic trilogy about 19th-century Russian intellectuals, and "Grey Gardens," a musical look at two of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' more eccentric relatives, each garnered 10 nominations.

"Curtains," a backstage whodunit set during a theatrical tryout in Boston, got eight.

Besides "The Coast of Utopia," the nominees for best play were: "Radio Golf," the final chapter in August Wilson's decade-by-decade look at the black experience in 20th century America; "Frost/Nixon," Peter Morgan's docudrama about the celebrated interviews between British journalist David Frost and Richard M. Nixon; and "The Little Dog Laughed," Douglas Carter Beane's social comedy about Hollywood hypocrisy.

"Mary Poppins," a lavish adaptation of P.L. Travers novels and the classic Disney movie, picked up seven nominations during the morning announcement at Lincoln Center.

The Tonys will be broadcast June 10 (8-11 p.m. EDT) on CBS from Radio City Music Hall.

-AP

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:33 AM

SMALL TAMIL MARKET HAS ITS HITS AND MISSES, TOO

With no impressive releases in the last couple of weeks, the Tamil audio list remains the same. Though not a great album by A.R. Rahman's standards, 'Sivaji' is still a big hit.

The top five Tamil albums are:

1. 'Sivaji' - Music Director: A.R. Rahman. The song introducing Rajnikant and sung by S.P. Balasubramaniam, Rehanah Benny and chorus is creating a buzz among the actor's fans. But the pick of the album is 'Sahara pookal', a melody rendered beautifully by Vijay Yesudas and Gomathishree.

2. 'Unnale Unnale' - Music Director: Harris Jayaraj. 'June ponna' sung by Krish and Arun is still the favourite. Yet another hit album from Harris Jayaraj.

3. 'Mozhi' - Music Director: Vidyasagar. Vidyasagar's best album continues its dream run. You will never get tired of listening to Sujatha and Balram's rendition of 'Kaatrin mozhiye'.

4. 'Chennai 600028' - Music Director: Yuvan Shankar Raja. The film's surprise box office success has helped the album sales.

5. 'Naan Avan Illai' - Music Director: Vijay Antony. There is nothing great about the album but the film's success has helped it. The song 'Ean enakku' rendered by Jayadev and Sangeeth Rajeswaran is doing quite well.

-IANS

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:34 AM

NATASHA SAYS AMERICAN GUYS COME ON STRONG

Washington, May 15 : British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield insists that American guys are more confident than British men when it comes to the dating game.

The 'These Words' singer, who has been living in LA for the last few years, feels that men in the US are 'more forward' than their British counterparts, and will not hesitate in asking a woman out.

"Guys in America are a bit more forward than in England. You can be out, food shopping, and guys will just come up to you and go, 'I just have to ask, will you go out with me?' and I'm like, 'Erm, no!'", Contactmusic quoted Bedingfield, as saying.

The Grammy Award nominated singer admitted that she is the one who has to approach Brit guys to hang out all the time as they are shy and need to be drunk to gather the courage to ask a girl out.

"Here (in the UK), the guy has to be ****** before he can ask you. That's why I can do the asking. I've never been a person who gives out their number on the street," she said.

ANI

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:35 AM

IS MICK JAGGER CHEAP?

London, May 15 : As the frontman of one of world's most famous rock bands, Rolling Stones legend, Sir Mick Jagger has all the money, but his ex wife, Jerry Hall, has revealed that the singer was so thrifty that he made her pay the bills for daily expenses.

The mum of four said that Sir Mick made her fork out money for everything that was bought for the house and the children on a day-to-day basis.

She added that she did not mind paying because she could afford to pay, and that though Jagger was generous with presents, he was tight with routine expenditure.

"He always wanted me to pay for everything to do with the house and children, which I didn't mind doing, I guess, because I had the money. He's generous with presents, but yeah, he's pretty tight with the day to day stuff," the Daily Mail quoted her, as telling the Evening Standard.

Hall, who separated from the rocker in 1999, added that she separated from him on a friendly note and she thinks marriages do not have to last forever

"I had a friendly divorce, which is quite an achievement these days. I don't actually think that marriages have to last forever," she said.

However, she added that she still likes the 63-year-old, who can still mesmerise her while on stage.

Hall added that Jagger is a great dad for his kids because he takes out time to be with them, when he hasn't got work.

"I still like Mick. I think he's mesmerising on stage, and he's a great dad. I mean, he travels a lot, he's very busy, but when he's here he tries as much as he can to see them," she added.

-ANI

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:40 AM

BONAROO ADDS JAZZ TENT!

MANCHESTER, Tenn. (AP) -- The Bonnaroo Music Festival is adding a jazz tent to its sprawling festival, sponsored by the renowned Blue Note label.

Among the performers slated to perform at the festival, scheduled June 14-17 on a 700-acre farm 60 miles southeast of Nashville, are Stefon Harris, Ravi Coltrane, Robert Glapser, and Jacky Terrasson, according to a statement released Monday.

Though jazz permormers have appeared at the event in previous years, the festival is known primarily for its rock acts. Last year, Elvis Costello, Radiohead, and Tom Petty were among those who played to approximately 80,000 fans.

The acts slated to perform this year include the newly reunited Police, the White Stripes, Tool, Wilco, Widespread Panic, the Roots, Franz Ferdinand, the Flaming Lips, Ziggy Marley, Dierks Bentley and Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys.

DownBeat magazine will present panel discussions on jazz June 15-16 with jazz musicians and others who will discuss legends such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.

Blue Note Records will sponsor the air-conditioned jazz tent, called "Somethin' Else." Photography from the label will be on display.

TBO.com

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:41 AM

COMPANIES TO TRY TO 'STIGMATIZE' MUSIC PIRATES

LONDON (Hollywood Reporter) - With almost one in three people in the now said to be acquiring or viewing illegal content, British home entertainment companies are launching a major campaign to change consumer attitudes toward copyright theft.

Under the auspices of the Industry Trust for IP Awareness, a broad coalition of content owners, wholesalers and retailers, the campaign will aim to create a social stigma around the consumption of illegal content. The initiative marks a move away from previous messages that concentrated on enforcement and the criminal nature of those involved.

Kicking off in June with a national television advertisement that also will be screened in cinemas, the campaign features "Knock-off Nigel," described by the coalition "as a label for the type of character that buys 'knock-off' DVDs and downloads illegal content."

The campaign also will feature online and viral marketing as well as targeted print editorial and will be supported by a substantial PR drive aimed at underlining the value of copyright.

According to the Trust, new research shows that copyright theft cost the U.K. film and television industry 460 million pounds ($920 million) in 2006. Losses to the DVD retail sector were equivalent to 14% of the sector's total value and cinema losses equivalent to 13.5%.

-Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:44 AM

RICKY MARTIN INJURED WHILE WIGGLING

EL PASO, TX - Ricky Martin has been forced to postpone today's concert at the El Paso County Coliseum due to a low back strain he sustained at a concert in Laredo (Tx) Friday night.

Martin received treatment in San Antonio and in El Paso today, however, his physician insisted that he should not perform his show tonight to avoid further injury.

Officials say potential dates for the rescheduling of the concert are being explored.

Tickets will be honored for the new date or may be refunded at the place of purchase.

-KVIA.com

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:46 AM

SERB FEMME WINS EUROVISION 2007

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- Marija Serifovic was given a hero's welcome by some 30,000 fans when she returned to Serbia after winning the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest in Finland.

"Ave, Marija," read one of the banners in the crowd around city hall in the Serbian capital Sunday, where authorities organized the homecoming event.

"I won for Serbia, I won for all of you!" the 22-year-old singer said after landing at Belgrade airport, delighting much of the Balkan country, which has been craving recognition after years of pariah status brought about by Serbia's role in the 1990s Balkan wars.

Serifovic won the annual extravaganza with a heart-wrenching ballad "Molitva (The Prayer)."

She sang the tune Sunday evening from the balcony of the mayor's office while the crowd chanted "Serbia! Serbia!"

Congratulations also poured in from government officials, political parties and President Boris Tadic, who said Serifovic's success "brought a great joy to all of Serbia."

The competition in the Finnish capital of Helsinki was broadcast live to an estimated audience of 100 million, with viewers picking the winner by phone and text messages.

Minutes after the vote count, lawmakers in the Serbian parliament took a break from a political debate at an overnight session to congratulate Serifovic.

"At long last!" screamed 33-year-old Ana Timotijevic. After "following every Eurovision Song Contest for over 16 years ... I can finally celebrate my country's victory."

It was Serbia's first participation in the contest as an independent country. Previously, it was a federal state of Yugoslavia and, in more recent years, part of the Serbia-Montenegro union.

-TBO.com

Tingly

May 15th, 2007, 06:48 AM

RIAA SENDS 'FOURTH WAVE' OF 402 *NEW* LETTERS...

On behalf of the major record companies, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sent a fourth wave of 402 pre-litigation settlement letters to 13 universities.

Earlier this year, the RIAA launched new deterrence and education initiatives focused on illegal file trafficking on college campuses – a significant escalation and expansion of the industry’s ongoing efforts, coupled with the implementation of a new process that gives students the opportunity to resolve copyright infringement claims against them at a discounted rate before a formal lawsuit is filed. Each pre-litigation settlement letter informs the school of a forthcoming copyright infringement suit against one of its students or personnel and requests that university administrators forward that letter to the appropriate network user.

In the fourth wave of this new initiative, the RIAA sent letters in the following quantities to 13 schools, including: Brandeis University (15 pre-litigation settlement letters), Duke University (35), Iowa State University (15), Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT (23), Northern Illinois University (50), Syracuse University (20), Tufts University (15), University of Georgia (19), University of Iowa (25), University of Southern California (50), University of South Florida (50), University of Tennessee (50), and the University of Texas - Austin (35).

A survey by Student Monitor from spring 2006 found that more than half of college students download music and movies illegally, and according to market research firm NPD, college students alone accounted for more than 1.3 billion illegal music downloads in 2006. While college students represented only 10 percent of the sample in the new online NPD study, they accounted for 26 percent of all music downloading on P2P networks and 21 percent of all P2P users. Furthermore, college students surveyed by NPD reported that more than two-thirds of all the music they acquired was obtained illegally.

These enforcement actions come in addition to the lawsuits that the RIAA continues to file on a rolling basis against those engaging in music theft via commercial Internet accounts.

-technologynews

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:30 AM

JESSICA DISSING CHARITY?

Pop singer Jessica Simpson was not present at the Operation Smile benefit for children and raised questions about her support to the organisation.

Simpson has been a huge supporter of the charity, which works to repair childhood facial deformities, for the past 10 years but has stopped after her much-covered trip to Africa last year and the split from her husband Nick Lachey, pagesix.com reported.

An informed source said: 'She's turned her back on them. She got a lot of good publicity from the charity but refused to let pictures of her be in the commemorative book and hasn't done anything with them in a year.'

Simpson's rep countered by saying that she was in Germany being honoured at the UNESCO Gala to Benefit Children in Need, 'partly for her work with Operation Smile. Jess was one of four honourees for her philanthropic work. She sang two songs, and the event raised about $3 million to build schools all over the world'.

-IANS

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:31 AM

AI, SPONSORED BY FORD, REFUSED TO ALLOW SONG ABOUT BENZ

Indian American singer Sanjaya Malakar could not sing the song of his choice at the 'American Idol' talent hunt show because it wasn't accepted by the show's sponsors.

Malakar, while speaking on a radio station in Seattle, said that during the show's country week he wanted to sing Janis Joplin's song 'Mercedes Benz' but was not allowed to do so because the show was sponsored by Ford, reports newsweek.com.

Asked what he missed most about his home he replied: 'Being able to walk around the streets singing really, really loudly and not worrying about anyone recognising me...'

-IANS

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:33 AM

AMY WINEHOUSE WED IN FLA

London, May 19 : British singer songwriter Amy Winehouse has reportedly married fiance Blake Fielder-Civil secretly in Miami.

The couple did not want to make a hullabaloo about the wedding, and have been trying to avoid the media since they wed.

They also signed a 250,000 dollars deal with a magazine for exclusive pictures of the D-day to keep their Miami visit secret.

According to Miami-Dade County marriage license bureau clerk Sammy Calixte, the two came alone to get married.

"They came in this morning to get married and they were alone. I read the vows and each one said 'I do'. When I pronounced them man and wife, they hugged and kissed," the Sun quoted Calixite, as saying.

The newlyweds later celebrated at the Shore Club hotel with friends and members of Amy's management team.

-ANI

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:35 AM

ROGER DALTRY SLAMS HYPOCRITES AND CHARITY CONCERTS

London, May 19 : Rock star Roger Daltry has slammed former US Vice-President Al Gore's plan to organise the big Wembley concert, Live Earth, in order to raise awareness about global warming.

'The Who' vocalist, who played with U2 at Live Aid and Live8, insists that global warming is too a big an issue, for a rock concert to be able to help answer all the questions linked to it.

"Bo***cks to that! The last thing the planet needs is a rock concert. I can't believe it. Let's burn even more fuel," the Sun quoted him as saying.

"We have problems with global warming, but the questions and the answers are so huge I don't know what a rock concert's ever going to do to help," he added.

The gig, which features performances from the likes of Madonna and Red Hot Chili Peppers, is slated to take place at Wembley on July 7.

Daltry further said that organising a concert to spread awareness about climate change would be nothing more than wastage of time, because almost everyone in the world knew about the problem.

"Everybody on this planet at the moment, unless they are living in the deepest rainforest in Brazil, knows about climate change," he said.

"My answer is to burn all the f***ing oil as quick as possible and then the politicians will have to find a solution," he added.

Daltry bemoaned that while the original Live Aid in 1985 was successful with the money raised through it going directly to famine relief, its follow-up 20 years later did not have any achievable aims.

"What did we really achieve at Live 8? We got loads of platitudes and no action. Who were we kidding there?" he said.

"At least with Live Aid, Bob Geldof was willing to work the trenches and they did save a lot of lives. We could see what we achieved at the end of it," he added.

The singer also confirmed that he and Pete Townshend will not perform at this summer's the Concert For Diana, another big charity music event scheduled for this summer.

"It would be wrong of us to play. It should be for those two boys, the show that they want," he said.

"They obviously want Elton John, as he holds memories for them, but it would be a joke for us to play. Not unless they are real Who fans, which I very much doubt," he added.

-ANI

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:36 AM

ACTOR CHOSEN TO PLAY COMPOSER VIVALDI

Washington, May 19 : English actor Joseph Fiennes has reportedly been lined up to star as 18th century music composer Antonio Vivaldi in an upcoming biopic.

Vivaldi, nicknamed Il Prete Rosso, 'The Red Priest', was a Venetian priest, baroque music composer, as well as a famous violinist.

The Four Seasons, a series of four violin concertos, are his best-known works.

According to a source, the movie is based on the life of the music maestro from the time he began as an opera singer at 13 and reached the zenith of his career.

"(The film) will follow the career of the violinist and baroque composer from his first opera at the age of 13 to its culmination in (seminal classical work) The Four Seasons," Contactmusic quoted the source, as saying.

Filmmakers had been thinking from a long time to make this film, but its only now that the idea would be implemented, as proper funds are available.

"The idea has been in the pipeline for some time now and the money is now there. Joseph will be working alongside a stellar cast, which includes Gerard Depardieu, Malcolm MACDowell and Jacqueline Bisset," the source added.

-ANI

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:37 AM

TWO FAMOUS 'FERGIES' MEET

London, May 19 : The two Fergies finally met at the Unicef concert at Cipriani Wall Street on May 18.

One Fergie is a former singer of the American hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, while the other is the Duchess of York.

The two met when Sarah Ferguson asked the singer to perform at the charity concert, which also had performances by 50 Cent, Lenny Kravitz and The Pussycat Dolls.

The Duchess of York earlier said that she liked being confused with the other Fergie as it gave her street fame.

"It's fine because she's young, she's beautiful. Everyone goes, 'Oh my God, she's the most beautiful girl in the world.' I go 'Ha, that's me,'" The Sun quoted The Duchess of York, as saying.

-ANI

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:41 AM

OLD NEWS FLASH: FEMALE MUSICIANS *MUST* BE HOT, OR ELSE THEY ARE NOT AROUND

By Nekesa Mumbi Moody

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — She was an "amazing talent," a young singer with a wonderful voice who wrote beautiful songs. But she was no beauty, plus flat-chested and overweight to boot.

Remembering the aspiring star, music executive Jody Gerson still feels terrible about thinking: "She's never going to get signed, even though she's fabulous."

Gerson might feel even worse after Wednesday night's exit of the matronly Melinda Doolittle from "American Idol." In today's music industry, Plain Janes need not apply. Sex appeal was once considered a bonus for a woman; now it's practically a requirement.

Doolittle and the heavyset, gap-toothed LaKisha Jones were widely considered this season's most talented "Idol" contestants. Yet both were eliminated from the final four in favor of Blake Lewis, who makes the teen girls swoon, and the long-locked, 17-year-old looker Jordin Sparks.

A quick check of the Billboard Top 40 turns up a list of candidates for "America's Top Model": Avril Lavigne, blonde stunner Carrie Underwood; tomboyish but sexy Ciara, fashionista Gwen Stefani and hip-swiveling Shakira (on a song featuring bootylicious Beyonce).

The only two in the Top 40 who might not be considered perfect 10s: Pink, who is still svelte and appealing; and multiplatinum Grammy-winner Kelly Clarkson, who got her break only through winning the democratically elected "American Idol."

When asked whether a female with so-so looks and sex appeal could get a record deal, Gretchen Wilson quickly replied: "They can't."

"I believe that very few will get through and they better be amazing," Wilson said in an interview. "The music is not about just music anymore, it's about the look, the 'it' factor if you will ... it's marketing."

True, looks have always been a part of the music business: Diana Ross played a model in the movie "Mahogany," Marianne Faithfull was considered a beauty, Tina Turner's legs were part of her sex appeal, Olivia Newton-John was the lovely girl-next-door and Stevie Nicks rocked teenage boys with more than just her guitar.

But there also were stars like wild-haired, pudgy Janis Joplin and Barbra Streisand, who challenged beauty standards with her protruding nose. Even curvy Aretha Franklin was known mainly for her one-of-a-kind voice.

Today, it's hard to find a singer larger than a size 6 and without a sexy look — all of which are played up with sensuous videos, modeling spreads and provocative magazine covers. Lavigne, who once scoffed at singers who stripped for the cameras, fronts the new issue of Blender topless save for a strategically placed banner that reads "Hell Yeah, I'm, Hot!"

The hit reality show "Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll" is a striking example. In finding a replacement for current lead doll, stunner Nicole Scherzinger, the judging panel — which included the cosmetically enhanced rapper Lil' Kim — did talk about vocal qualities. But while a few contestants had strong voices, all were taut, toned and sexy, and the focus was more on their dancing and overall desirability. Which is to be expected from the group responsible for the anthem "Don't Cha" (as in, "don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?").

Even singers who are heralded for their talent are gorgeous, like Alicia Keys, Corinne Bailey Rae or Norah Jones. And while critically acclaimed Amy Winehouse may not win any beauty contests, her songs have a raw sexuality that give her that "it" factor.

Dolly Parton, whose buxom figure sometimes overshadowed her talent as a songwriter and singer, said being "a good looking woman certainly can't hurt you any if you're trying to make it."

"But I would like to believe that true and great and pure talent will rise above whatever else," the country legend said in an interview. "But certainly in music these days, the better you look, the more apt you're going to get a contract.

"It's a damn pity though, that people have to judge real talent on looks."

Gerson says the way female artists look reflects our society, where women are constantly judged on their appearance and oversexualized. But she also says it reflects the way we listen to music these days — or don't listen.

"They have to look hot and sexy in these videos," says Gerson, who is credited with helping discover Alicia Keys, among others, and is now executive vice president of the U.S. Creative division of EMI Music Publishing.

"In the days of Aretha Franklin, people saw Aretha maybe a couple of times a year," she said, "but you listened to a record without a visual. You didn't watch it. Everything today, you watch it."

Gerson also agrees with Wilson about the marketing factor. With dwindling profits and budgets, record labels try to maximize artist exposure with clothing deals, cosmetic contracts, movie roles and modeling gigs.

"How many endorsements does Beyonce have? Do you think it's because she's the most talented person on earth or do you think it's because she's gorgeous? I think she's talented but she's also gorgeous," Gerson says. "I think you need the whole package."

And that notion, according to Wilson, "totally sucks."

"My favorite singers in the world were Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, and Patsy was a large woman, and Loretta — she was never some kind of a supermodel, but they were the greatest female voices in country music, and they changed lives and they made a difference," says Wilson, who although considered sexy, feels she doesn't fit today's beauty standards.

Where are the Patsy Clines of today? More often than not on smaller, underground labels, which put more of a premium on talent. And with the devolution of today's music industry, Gerson says, small labels may be the best path to success for a woman who doesn't look like a mold of a Barbie doll.

So how would Gerson advise the flat-chested, overweight, amazingly talented singer to chase her dream? Put out her own music and promote herself on the Web.

"As far as we've come as women," Gerson asked, "where are we really?"

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:48 AM

ALEJANDRA GUZMAN SUED BY PROMO COMPANY

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/jimcirin/guzman.jpg
Alejandra Guzman

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A concert promotion company has sued Mexican rock singer Alejandra Guzman and her promoter, alleging they backed out of a deal to have her perform at a June 16 concert in Southern California.

Regional Music Inc. claimed it sent a $28,650 deposit to Julio G. Esparza and his Houston-based company, Esparza Entertainment, to secure Guzman's commitment to sing at the Pico Rivera Sports Arena, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The suit alleged Esparza said Tuesday that Guzman had decided to pull out.

Regional Music claimed it spent $120,000 in advertisement, tickets, hotels and other expenses. It said it also owes money for renting the arena and other performers who were to appear onstage.

The lawsuit alleges breach of contract, fraud and unjust enrichment and seeks compensatory damages of at least $500,000.

A call to Esparza was not immediately returned late Friday. Guzman could not be reached for comment. Her Web site directed inquiries to Esparza Entertainment.

Guzman won a Latin Grammy award in 2002 for best rock solo album for "Soy."

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:52 AM

THE KILLERS STOP CONCERT AT RED ROCKS AFTER 2 SONGS - THROAT INJURY

The Killers pulled the plug on their Thursday night show at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado, after just two songs. Brandon Flowers walked off following "When You Were Young," and a doctor later stepped onstage to announce that the singer's throat had been injured and singing would harm his voice, local NBC affiliate KUSA reported. Drummer Ronnie Vannucci promised the crowd that the band would make it up to them. The concert has not yet been rescheduled.

-VH1

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:54 AM

EVANESCENCE FILLS ITS HOLES

Evanescence have rounded out their lineup by grabbing two members of Dark New Day, the band announced Thursday. Drummer Will Hunt and guitarist Troy McLawhorn replace Rocky Gray and John LeCompt in the lineup. "I am a big fan of Dark New Day and can't wait for the fans to see what the guys bring to our live show," Amy Lee said in a statement. The new Evanescence will debut Saturday at the Rock on the Range festival in Columbus, Ohio. Meanwhile, Rocky Gray is unloading the gold and platinum discs he was awarded with band on eBay. There are no bids yet on the six auctions, which open at $500.

-VH1

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:56 AM

LINKIN PARK, T-PAIN, SCORE NUMBER 1's

Linkin Park are a lock for #1 on the next Billboard albums charts, according to one-day sales reports gathered by Hits Daily Double, which predicts Minutes to Midnight will sell more than 550,000 copies its first week in stores. ...

Elsewhere on the charts, T-Pain scores his first #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 with "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')." Maroon 5 drop to #2 after two weeks on top with "Makes Me Wonder," while Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" climbs one spot to #3.

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:57 AM

BO DIDDLEY FELLED BY STROKE

Bo Diddley was up and walking around on Thursday after suffering a stroke Sunday, AP reports. Doctors are encouraged that the 78-year-old guitarist, whose speech has been impaired by the stroke, would be able to perform again.

VH1

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 08:59 AM

'GOD HATES THE WORLD'? YEAH, REAL CATCHY...

And Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-gay organization best known for picketing soldiers' funerals — and inspiring 34 states to enact laws restricting such demonstrations — is branching out into music ... and possible copyright infringement. They've remade "We Are the World" as "God Hates the World," only they didn't get permission to use the original song. Warner/Chappel Music Inc. has issued a letter to the church alleging copyright infringement, according to an AP report. The church claims the song and video are parodies protected under the First Amendment.

VH1

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:01 AM

OZARK HERITAGE FESTIVAL PLAYS IN MISSOURI

West Plains, MO - There are new hours, headliners and events, plus the old favorites for the Old-Time Music, Ozark Heritage Festival set for June 15, 16 and 17 on and around Court Square in West Plains.

Traditionally, the festival has started on a Friday evening. This June it will begin at noon, Friday, June 15, close at 10 that evening. It will continue 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 16 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 17. Admission is free.

Headliners will be Hank Thompson and the Brazo Valley Band, Riders in the Sky, and Mike Webb and Charlie Collins, according to Festival Director Kathleen Morrissey.

Webb and Collins and Riders will perform June 15. Thompson will perform twice, in the afternoon and evening of June 16.

The festival, in its 13th year, family friendly and now a signature event in the city, is well-known for showcasing local artisans, preserving the heritage of the Ozarks by passing traditions from one generation to the next through picking circles and workshops, Morrissey said. In the past, most Ozarks households owned a fiddle and youngsters picked up playing skills from their elders. "These musical traditions are not being passed down the same way anymore. Now, we have to find other ways to make that happen," she added.

-KAIT

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:03 AM

CLASSICAL SINGER RENEE FLEMING KNOCKS THEM DEAD IN SEATTLE

The capacity house Thursday night at Benaroya Hall came prepared to worship soprano Renee Fleming, and worship it did, with multiple standing ovations and many bravos.

In addition to a voice that was opulent in tone, individual and multicolored, Fleming sang music that was, in the main, familiar, and, in some cases, famous, so people could sit back and wallow in music they knew, sung by one of the reigning sopranos of the day.

Fleming's voice is full and rich, with an attractive bottom range, traveling seamlessly up to the highest register. There are no fault lines and no problems with pitch. It is like the smoothest cream, with radiance and purity, strength and openness, warmth and roundness thrown in for good measure. Her line is long and limber, blossoming at the top and slipping into slim pianissimos when desired. She can sing sweetly, exquisitely, ardently and always in control.

-seattlepi

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:05 AM

GEORGE MICHAEL MAY LEAVE UK

LONDON (Reuters) - Singer George Michael said he may quit Britain to escape the relentless media attention on his troubled private life.

He admitted to a dependency on prescription drugs, called marijuana much less harmful than alcohol and said he had developed a "very-self destructive" streak since the death of his mother a decade ago.

"I have started thinking for the first time in my life that actually I shouldn't be living here," Michael told ITV talk show host Michael Parkinson in a show being broadcast on Saturday.

Reflecting on the intense media coverage he has received, he said "I have got to think seriously about whether or not my love for my country is keeping me somewhere which is not good for me you know."

Michael's agent said he has houses in London and Dallas, Texas.

Earlier this month, Michael said he felt "very ashamed" as he pleaded guilty to driving while unfit due to drugs after police found him slumped at the wheel of his car in London.

The singer, who has yet to be sentenced, blamed his behaviour on a mixture of tiredness and prescription medicine.

"Yes, it involves prescribed drugs and it involves a dependency on them," Michael told Parkinson.

Michael blamed his behaviour on the death of his mother Lesley in 1997, saying: "I know I have a very self-destructive tendency since my mother died, I have got to be honest."

He angered mental health charities last year by smoking a cannabis joint during a television interview and saying "This stuff keeps me sane and happy."

Unrepentant, he told Parkinson "We could sit here with any number of policemen and doctors and they would all tell you if everybody who had a dependence on alcohol changed their mind and had a dependence on weed, the world would be a much easier place to live in."

"Nobody ever came home stoned and beat up their wife," he said.

-Scotsman

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:07 AM

FIONA APPLE TEAMS WITH NICKEL CREEK

Fiona Apple and members of Nickel Creek have been known to collaborate onstage at Los Angeles venue Largo, and now, the two acts will hit the road together for the first time, beginning Aug. 2 in Baltimore. The pairing wraps up Aug. 19 in Westbury, N.Y.

The performances will include songs from both acts' repertoire, plus cover songs spanning a variety of genres. The 13-date trek will be Nickel Creek's last hurrah before embarking on an indefinite hiatus.

Meanwhile, according to a spokesperson, Apple has no other performance lined up for the summer, though she is planning to return to the studio by the fall to prepare a new release.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:11 AM

THIS IS IDIOTIC: THERE ARE 'GUITAR HERO' GUITARISTS NOW!

A band called The Guitar Zeros deciphered the Guitar Hero controller's data commands and connected them to the limitless Max/MSP software to create music more complex than what would seem to be possible with a five-button fretboard.

The video is not embeddable, and you have to sit through a Verizon ad before you can see and hear the band in action, but it's worth the effort:

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9720382-1.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave

-wired.com

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:17 AM

INXS STILL AROUND

Veteran Aussie rockers INXS is hoping to hit the studio later in the year, with J.D. Fortune slotting back into frontman duties, Billboard.com has learned. The new album will follow the group's 2005 set, "Switch," which has sold 388,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"As soon as our current tour is over, then we'll basically be writing, to go into the studio at the end of the year, or the beginning of next year," guitarist Tim Farriss tells Billboard.com.

The band will be on the road hitting venues across Europe and North America through June and July, and may do another couple of weeks in September. INXS will also perform at the exclusive "Concert on the Course" next Wednesday, to launch the start of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club, in England.

New frontman Fortune has proven to be a perfect fit for INXS, explains Farriss. The singer has been with the band since he won his role through the 2005 CBS reality television series "Rock Star: INXS." The band had been unable to find a permanent replacement for singer Michael Hutchence, who died in a Sydney hotel room in 1997.

"Michael was like a brother. We grew up together," Farriss says. "And we always said when we tried to find a new singer, that we didn't want anyone who sounded or looked or acted or was anything like him at all. And then it turns out the fellow we ended up picking is just about as similar as you can possibly imagine."

-Billboard

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:20 AM

MUSIC MANAGEMENT COMPANY'S SHARES SOAR ON TAKEOVER NEWS

LONDON – Struggling international entertainment company Sanctuary Group PLC said Friday it had received a number of takeover approaches, sending its shares soaring by more than 40 percent.

Sanctuary, which represents artists including Elton John, The Manic Street Preachers, James Blunt and Iron Maiden, declined to say how many approaches it had received or name its suitors.

The company, which has slashed staff across its offices in London, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and Berlin in the face of falling profits, last year rejected an all-share bid from MAMA Group, which manages the Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand.

“The company confirms that it has received approaches from third parties that may or may not lead to an offer for the company,” Sanctuary said in a brief statement to the London Stock Exchange.

The company's shares closed 44 percent higher at 16.25 pence (32.10 cents).

-AP

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:21 AM

AUSTIN MUSIC HALL DEMOLISHED FOR NEW ONE

A big change is underway for a well-known part of Austin's music scene. The Austin Music Hall is a building many of you have come to know and love, and it is no more.

Dozens of people gathered downtown Friday morning to watch workers start to tear it down.

The demolition is the start of a plan to re-build the music hall.

Owners will build a new facility on the site. It will hold more than 4,000 people. The old place could handle just over 3,000.

The owner says that means bigger and better shows for Austin.

"Without the great music fans of Austin, we certainly wouldn't be able to do what we're doing behind us. We've created a lot of memories with them, and I do believe that as we move forward, we're going to create even better memories," said Austin Music Hall owner Tim O'Connor.

"While we're tearing down this building today, what's going to be replaced is a building that's going to be here for a long, long time, and it's going to be supporting Austin Music," said project architect Eric Herron.

-KXAN

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:23 AM

WHITE STRIPES GO STRAIGHT

Brian Garrity, N.Y.

As the June 19 release of the White Stripes' new album, "Icky Thump," approaches, Jack White is less concerned about "indie cred" than at any other time in the band's 10-year history.

Not only is the band now signed to a major label (Warner Bros.), but White, in a first, also used a modern recording facility (Nashville's Blackbird) to make a record. (Though with "Icky Thump" he still recorded to reel-to-reel and mixed to tape, as is his typical analog approach.) Last year, White quietly recorded music for a Coke commercial that ran briefly in the United Kingdom and Australia. And in touring in support of "Icky Thump," the band will play venues it attempted to avoid on prior outings.

"At the tail end of [2003's] 'Elephant,' we were touring these hockey arena kind of things, and we were just like, 'Eh, I don't know, man. It's a little cold and sterile,'" White tells Billboard. "But you just take it for what you can do. Right now, we're just trying to find the right spot for each town."

For his part, White seems unfazed about life on a major label. "We were leery for a long time ... we'd never had the trust in us to do it," he says. "It would have been a bad idea to do that on 'White Blood Cells.' We had them all offering it then. But I think it would have been over very quickly for us. We would have been a new flavor of the week and probably would have been a one-hit wonder with 'Fell in Love With a Girl.'"

At this point in the band's career, White says those types of concerns are no longer an issue. "Everything's happening at the right time," he says. "In some ways, we look back and we're kind of like, 'Man, maybe we were stupid with this naive thing about if artistic freedom and business collide, something bad happens.'"

White's joie de vivre is apparent on "Icky Thump," which after 2005's moody, piano-dominated "Get Behind Me Satan," marks a return to the raw electric blues that fueled the White Stripes' breakthrough 2003 album, "Elephant."

-Billboard

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:29 AM

HILARY CLINTON USING MUSIC SKILFULLY IN CAMPAIGN

Washington, May 18 (ANI): Two of rock band U2's songs City of Blinding Lights and Beautiful Day have made it to a list of tracks that are in fray to become the track for Democrat Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Hillary has launched the list on her website, and she is urging people to help her select the most suitable song for her campaign through their invaluable votes.

Other songs on the list of nine songs are 'I'll Take You There' by The Staple Singers, 'Get Ready' by The Temptations, and 'Ready To Run' by Dixie Chicks, reports Contactmusic.

The list also includes 'Rock This Country!' by Shania Twain, 'Suddenly I See' by K.T. Tunstall, Smash Mouth's 'I'm A Believer', and 'Right Here, Right Now' by Jesus Jones.

Hillary's husband and former US President, Bill Clinton, had used Fleetwood MAC classic Don't Stop for his successful campaign in 1992. (ANI)

Tingly

May 19th, 2007, 09:30 AM

MICHALE JACKSON DROPS EFFORT TO BLOCK AUCTION

Lawyers for Michael Jackson on Friday dropped an effort to block an auction of the pop star's personal belongings and other Jackson family items.

Jackson didn't appear in a Las Vegas court where his lawyer told a judge a confidential agreement had been reached with representatives of an auctioneer, the current owner of the materials, and a New Jersey man who claimed a warehouse full of Jackson memorabilia after a failed business venture wound up in bankruptcy court.

"The matter's been resolved," Gregory Cross, a lawyer for Jackson, told Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez.

Lawyers declined to describe terms of the agreement, which settled an April 27 lawsuit.

Jackson sought to prevent the auction and force the return of items he claimed were personal property, court documents show. The entertainer also had sought unspecified punitive damages.

Universal Express Inc., the Boca Raton, Fla., luggage transportation company that owns the items, claimed the materials were worth about $50 million, according to court records.

Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey's auction house of New York, said outside the courtroom that the auction will go on as scheduled May 30-31 at the Hard Rock hotel in Las Vegas.

Jackson, 48, has been living in Las Vegas while he evaluates proposals for a comeback after his 2005 acquittal in California on child molestation charges.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 12:29 PM

FAMOUS NUMBER UP FOR GRABS

LINCOLN, R.I. (AP) -- One-hit wonder Tommy Tutone made the phone number 867-5309 famous in the band's 1982 hit single, which uses the digits over and over in its catchy refrain.

Now, a Rhode Island company and a national firm are battling over the right to use the number, which doesn't reach the "Jenny" that Tutone sings about, but could find callers a decent plumber.

Two years ago, Gem Plumbing & Heating of Lincoln, R.I., trademarked the phone number in the early 1980s hit, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Gem acquired the number in Rhode Island when its original owner, Brown University, gave up 867-5309 after growing weary of the constant prank calls.

Gem's number works in the 401 area code in Rhode Island and the 617 area code in southern Massachusetts.

But Florida-based Clockwork Home Services, also a plumbing company, uses a toll-free version of 867-5309 in New England. They argue a company can only trademark a vanity number, like 1-800-FLOWERS.

Gem won round one in its legal fight over the number when a federal judge in Boston recently barred Clockwork from using the number in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, effective this week. But Clockwork's lawyers said they would fight on.

Tommy "Tutone" Heath told The Boston Globe that he'd prefer if neither company used the number.

"It's ridiculous," said Heath. "If I wanted to get into it, I could probably take the number away from both of them."

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:35 PM

KELLY CLARKSON ADMITS WRITING SONG ON 'REALLY BAD NIGHT'

Singer Kelly Clarkson was so depressed after a show during her last US tour that she cancelled a meeting with fans and locked herself in a bathroom.

Clarkson wrote about her feelings then and later confessed that she was struggling to deal with a break-up and wasn't even able to force a smile, reported contactmusic.com.

So backstage at a concert in California she wrote the song, which appears on her upcoming album 'My December'. 'It was literally the lowest point I've had in my life. I was just so burned-out. I was really struggling at getting somebody out of my life and finding people that really cared. The whole song is a prayer. I wrote it in a bathroom of the venue after the show. It was just a really, really bad night,' said Clarkson.

-IANS

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:38 PM

BRITNEY WOWS THEM - EVEN WHEN HER BACKING CD 'SKIPS'

Washington, May 21 : Britney Spears had an action-packed weekend in Florida with a comeback concert.

The 'Toxic' singer performed a 14-minute set before a jam-packed audience at the House of Blues Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Fla on May 19.

Like the series of gigs she presented at other House of Blues clubs in Southern California and Las Vegas, Spears proceeded to lip-synch a medley of older hits, but this time she experienced a malfunction.

The CD skipped in the middle of her lip-synching performance, throwing her and her dancers off balance.

But, regardless of the music misfortune, Spears was cheerful all through her act, making eye contact with a number of audience members and smiling as she responded to people yelling out her name.

After concluding the show with a short version of "Toxic," the pop star thanked the Orlando audiences for their warm response.

"I love you, Orlando. Thank you so much for being here. You're awesome. I love you!" People quoted Spears, as saying.

After the show, the troubled pop princess received solid reviews from the concertgoers.

"If Britney's going to make a comeback, it's going to be the best one yet. She looked amazing," Judy Jensen, an audience member, said.

-ANI

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:40 PM

YARD SALE! MICHAEL JACKSON'S CRAP TO BE AUCTIONED OFF

Washington, May 21 : Over 20,000 personal belongings of former pop singer Michael Jackson will be auctioned off at the end of this month.

The collection of items, purchased by Richard Altomare from an ex-business partner of Jackson, also included bizarre sex toys and paintings of nude young boys which the former had initially planned not to auction.

However, when Jackson got a temporary restraining order from the court in order to prevent his stuff from being sold, Altomare threatened to put the naughty stuff for sale too.

This apparently made Jackson change his mind about blocking the auction, and according to reports, he has now worked out an agreement with Altomare over the auctioning of his belongings.

The singer will not fight his legal battle over the issue anymore, and in return, he will be allowed to take 20 items from the auction first, probably the nasty ones.

"Mr. Jackson is satisfied with the negotiated settlement," TMZ quoted his spokesperson as saying.

-ANI

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:42 PM

THE DOORS RELEASING NEW STUFF?! ISN'T ONE OF THEM DEAD?

Washington, May 21 : Rock band 'The Doors' is all set to release a new three-CD box set that will feature the highlights of the group's last tour.

The collection that will feature rare audio from the band's early and late shows, will appear on 'The Doors Live In Boston '70' album.

The CD highlights the American band's show at Boston Arena that took place on April 10, 1970.

The band had earlier released their 'Absolutely Live' album which has performances of The Doors' 1970 American tour and of the 1969 Aquarius Theatre gig.

The Doors was formed in 1965 in Los Angeles by keyboardist Ray Manzarek, vocalist Jim Morrison, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger.

The CDs also feature notes from surviving members of the group.

Drummer John Densmore has recalled that during the Boston performance the band's frontman Jim Morrison was very boozy.

"A Surgeon General's warning should be stickered on this recording, because Jimbo is ripped... but he is so damn passionate and still hits all the cues with the band, so all I can say is 'In Vino Veritas' (in wine is the truth)," Contactmusic quoted Densmore, as writing.

-ANI

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:44 PM

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS GIVES INTERVIEW ABOUT SIZE OF HIS GENITALS

London, May 21 : That he is not so well endowed is one bit of information that singer Enrique Iglesias' female fans could have done without.

The 32-year old Spanish heart-throb has confessed that the one part of his body he would just love to change, is his penis, because it is just too small.

"I'd change my penis if I could. It's way, way, way too small," The Sun quoted him, as telling a mag.

The singer had earlier sent tremors of shock through his female fan base by saying that he wants to endorse extra-small condoms because he has experienced how embarassing not being well endowed can be.

The singer, who has belted out hits such as "Bailamos", "Escape" and "Rythm Divine", hoped that his announcement will enable other men to stop being embarrassed about having a small penis.

"The next product I'm gonna put my name on is extra-small condoms.I can never find extra-small condoms, and I know it's really embarrassing for people - you know, from experience. Hopefully people won't be ashamed when I step forward," Femalefirst quoted the singer as saying in the Housten Press newspaper.

-ANI

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:47 PM

CREED FRONTMAN ARRESTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH ORANGINA BOTTLE

Los Angeles- Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp, 33, has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence for throwing a soft drink bottle at his beauty queen wife, Jacyln Nesheiwat, 26.

Reports on Monday said Stapp was arrested after police were called to his home in the upscale Long Lake Estates community near Boca Raton, Florida on Sunday.

The couple married in New York, but the happy occasion appears to have done little to halt Stapp's problems with substance abuse.

According to a police report cited by celebrity news website tmz.com, the latest incident erupted after Stapp stumbled home Sunday morning and became "very angry" when his wife asked if he was "using drugs."

Nesheiwat told police that Stapp began yelling at her to "leave him alone," before he grabbed an Orangina bottle and launched it at her face, nearly hitting her.

-earthtimes

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:49 PM

JAMIE FOXX BUYS $10 MILLION HOUSE

Los Angeles- Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx has a new mantelpiece for his prizes. The star of Miami Vice, Ray and Collateral has bought a 10.5-million-dollar, 1,600-square-metre Mediterranean-style villa in the Thousand Oaks suburb of Los Angeles.

According to the Los Angeles Times the house, built in 1995, sits on 16 hectares has 10 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, a library, family and game rooms, a full gym and a master-bedroom suite with a sitting room, an atrium, a sauna and a balcony.

The estate also has an Olympic-size pool, a spa, a cabana studio, a north-south tennis court, playing fields and two guesthouses.

Foxx, 39 and single, moved to California from Texas in 1990.

-earthtimes

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:50 PM

FATS DOMINO BACK ONSTAGE IN NEW ORLEANS

Los Angeles- Blues legend Fats Domino has returned to the stage for the first time since he was rescued after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.

The 79-year-old appeared at a New Orleans nightclub in front of an emotional sell-out crowd.

Domino last performed in public in 2005, three months before Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home, his pianos and all his other possessions.

His comeback concert was a fundraiser for a charity that raised money for music education in New Orleans schools and to help artists recover from the hurricane. Domino played a roster of hits, including Blueberry Hill, I'm Ready, Ain't That a Shame, Shake, Rattle and Roll and Valley of Tears.

-earthtimes

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:52 PM

'ADDAMS FAMILY' HEADING TO BROADWAY AS A MUSICAL

NEW YORK, May 21 The creepy, kooky Addams family is heading to New York's Broadway for the 2009-10 season.

The grand-scale musical, based on the cartoons of Charles Addams, will be capitalized for more than $10 million by producer Elephant Eye Theatrical in Chicago, Variety reported Monday.

Addams' cartoons about the ghoulish-but-likeable Gomez and Morticia Addams and their family appeared for more than 50 years in the New Yorker. The cartoons also were the basis of a television series and two movies.

It hasn't been determined whether the stage production will receive permission to include the familiar TV theme song.

Composer-lyricist Andrew Lippa will write the songs, while Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice will provide the book. Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch will direct and design.

"This property has great potential," Elephant Eye producer Stuart Oken said. "It's an iconic title. We have both the advantage and the responsibility of having these characters that people all think they know." Addams died in 1988.

-earthtimes

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:54 PM

BO DIDLEY OUT OF INTENSIVE CARE IN NEBRASKA

OMAHA, May 21 Rock 'n' roll icon Bo Diddley, who suffered a stroke a week ago, has been transferred from the intensive care unit to a regular room at an Omaha hospital.

It is not known when Diddley will be well enough to leave Nebraska and return to his Gainsville, Fla., home, where he is expected to continue treatment at Shands Medical Center at the University of Florida, Billboard reported Monday.

Diddley was still having problems speaking, but seems to have suffered no long-term, physical damage from the stroke, his publicist said. Diddley had the stroke May 13 after a performance in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and has been a patient at the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha since.

"I was able to speak with him by phone this morning," Faith Fusillo, his business manager, said in a statement. "He wanted to know where his stuff was: his guitar and the money from the gig. I was so happy because this is the Bo that I know and love, and a real indication that Bo is on his way back."

-UPI

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:55 PM

BAND: 'LIBERTY X' IS DONE

LONDON, May 21 The British band Liberty X, a manufactured pop group formed from five contestants of the 2001 British show "Popstars," announced it is breaking up. "We want to let the fans know that Liberty X won't be doing any more recording together," the band wrote on its Web site. "All of us have separate projects we are working on and are excited about." The message on the Web site said the bandmates were still friends and would play current club tour dates, as well as perform as Liberty X in the future for special, one-show events.

"Thanks for all the truly magnificent support you fans have given us," Liberty X told its fans, "and hope to see you at the shows!" In 2002, the group scored a No. 1 hit on the British singles chart with "Just A Little."

-UPI

Tingly

May 21st, 2007, 08:57 PM

RIHANNA TOPS U.K. SINGLES CHART

There were new entries at No. 1 on both the U.K. singles and album charts published yesterday (May 20). "Umbrella" (Def Jam) by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z went straight to the top of the singles survey, while Britain's new best-selling album is "Minutes to Midnight" (Warner Bros.) by Linkin Park.

The Rihanna single hit the top on download sales alone, and recovered from its position behind Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" (A&M/Polydor) in midweek sales data. That track had appeared set for No. 1 but had to be content with a 19-2 climb.

Last week's No. 1, McFly's "Baby's Coming Back"/"Transylvania" (Universal Island), saw its sales collapse, producing a dramatic fall to No. 20. That equals the sharpest-ever descent from No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart, endured by Elvis Presley's reissue of "One Night"/"I Got Stung" in February 2005, but that track at least had the "excuse" of having been deleted.

Snow Patrol's "Signal Fire" (Fiction/Polydor), from the "Spider Man 3" soundtrack, climbed 17-4 and Hellogoodbye's "Here (In Your Arms)" (Epic), which dipped 10-11 last week, rebounded to No. 5. There was also a 25-10 jump for Booty Luv's cover of Luther Vandross' "Shine," on Hed Kandi, and a No. 11 start for former Sugababes member Mutya Buena's "Real Girl" (Fourth & Broadway/Universal Island).

Rock was represented among the top 20 by the Cribs' "Men's Needs" (A&M), a new entry at No. 17, and Biffy Clyro's "Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies" (Warner Bros.), which jumped 72-19.

Linkin Park's album repeats the No. 1 debut of its 2003 predecessor "Meteora" and leads a trio of new entries at the top of the U.K. chart. Rufus Wainwright debuted at No. 2 with "Release the Stars" (Geffen) and Funeral For A Friend opened at No. 3 with "Tales Don't Tell Themselves" (Atlantic).

Arctic Monkeys' three-week run at the top with "Favorite Worst Nightmare" (Domino) ended with a fall to No. 4, while Joe Cocker made his best U.K. chart showing in 13 years as "Hymn for My Soul" (EMI) debuted at No. 9. That equals the veteran vocalist's best-ever ranking for a new studio set in his home country, when "Have a Little Faith" reached No. 9 in 1994.

On Billboard's pan-European charts, Michael Buble is in his second week at the helm of European Top 100 Albums chart with "Call Me Irresponsible" (Reprise). On the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles survey, "Beautiful Liar" (World Music/Columbia) by Beyonce & Shakira is in a third week at No. 1.

Tingly

May 22nd, 2007, 03:19 PM

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, TINGLY'S NEWS THREAD!

It was one year ago today, and 3,430 replies and 22,201 views ago , that the Tingly News Thread was created.

Thank you all, for your support!

-Tingly

Tingly

May 24th, 2007, 05:38 AM

SONGS ANNNOUNCED FOR GUITAR HERO III

By Emma Boyes, GameSpot UK
Posted May 23, 2007 7:25 am PT

Hot on the heels of this week's announcement of seven more songs for the 1980s-themed Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, Activision has announced the first batch of songs for Guitar Hero III. The full list for the latest rhythm game, first revealed during an earnings call earlier in the year, is below--and contains many tracks by the original artists:

ORIGINAL RECORDINGS:
"Cult of Personality" by Living Colour
"Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones
"Cherub Rock" by Smashing Pumpkins
"Sabotage" by Beastie Boys
"The Metal" by Tenacious D
"My Name Is Jonas" by Weezer
"Knights of Cydonia" by Muse

COVER SONGS:
"Rock And Roll All Nite" as made famous by Kiss
"School's Out" as made famous by Alice Cooper
"Slow Ride" as made famous by Foghat
"Barracuda" as made famous by Heart

The company also confirmed that the game would be getting two new controllers--a Gibson Les Paul guitar model for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii consoles, and a Gibson Kramer guitar for the PlayStation 2. Both controllers will be wireless.

The new game will also get a host of new features, including a "multiplayer action-inspired battle mode," and authentic rock venues. An expanded online multiplayer mode will allow gamers to compete with other guitar heroes worldwide.

RedOctane's head of publishing, Dusty Welch, said that the team had listened to fans' requests for this edition of the game. He commented, "Many of the top bands and songs we've tried to get in the past are now on board, and we've definitely got some giant aces in the hole to say the least."

Guitar Hero III is due for release on the PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii this "fall." It will be the first full-fledged entry in the series to be developed by Activision's in-house studio Neversoft--the first two Guitar Hero games were made by Harmonix.

-gamespot

Tingly

May 25th, 2007, 08:07 AM

DOORS EXHIBIT OPENS AT ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME

CLEVELAND (AP) -- At the top of a winding staircase, a larger-than-life photograph of Jim Morrison, shirtless, seductive and forever young, looms as the song "Back Door Man" pulses through the room.

Forty years after making their recording debut, the Doors - one of America's greatest rock and roll bands, whose lasting sound has inspired generations of musicians and fans - are being honored with a comprehensive exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

"Break on Through: The Lasting Legacy of the Doors" opens Friday and will be on display until Oct. 7. The exposition includes rare photographs, guitars, tour programs, posters, letters and stage clothing, as well as handwritten lyrics by Morrison.

"If he were here, Jim would just love it," Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger said Thursday of the band's frontman, who died in 1971 at the age of 27. "He'd go crazy."

Die-hard fans and casual admirers will enjoy culling through the exhibit, which chronicles the Doors' brief recording history - 1967-71 - as well as the band's enduring popularity.

The retrospective includes artifacts already on display at the hall, as well as memorabilia loaned by Krieger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, private collectors and Morrison's estate.

"It's OK to part with a Vox Continental," Manzarek said. "My organ is an obsolete instrument. It sounds great, but it's obsolete."

The Doors, on the other hand, have stood the test of time. The band's annual music sales top more than $2 million and merchandise sales bring in another $8 million.

"Whether you talk to someone who is 20 years old or 60 years old, there is this huge group of people who are familiar with them, know them and love them," said Jim Henke, the hall's chief curator. "It seems like each generation rediscovers them. But unlike the Beatles, who maybe your parents introduced you to, with the Doors, as a teenager you discover Jim Morrison and the Doors and latch onto it."

The exhibit includes a photograph of a smiling Morrison standing at the microphone and cradling a sheep during a show in Miami for which he was arrested for indecent exposure and profanity.

Manzarek said he was moved by a letter from Morrison's father to the Florida Probation and Parole Commission following the singer's conviction in 1970.

Among other notable items in the exhibit loaned by Manzarek are some of Morrison's poetry books and the keyboardist's original wedding certificate marking his Dec. 21, 1967, marriage to Dorothy Fujikawa, and listing Morrison as a witness to the ceremony.

Tingly

May 25th, 2007, 08:08 AM

THE OSMONDS ARE STILL ALIVE!

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The Osmonds will reunite this summer for a TV special celebrating a
half-century in the entertainment business. Seven Osmond siblings - Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Marie and Jimmy - are scheduled to be onstage Aug. 13-14 at The Orleans Hotel Showroom, publicist Kevin Sasaki said Thursday from Los Angeles.

Tickets for the live shows range from $75 to $125.

The shows will be taped for "The Osmonds 50th Anniversary," which will air next March on PBS stations.

"At first it was just a tribute to my brothers, but it came together as a celebration of everybody. It's out of control," Jimmy Osmond, producer of the special, said Thursday.

"We started so young, you would think 50 years means we're a bunch of old guys. We aren't a bunch of old guys," he said, noting that family members perform frequently before audiences young and old.

Tingly

May 25th, 2007, 08:10 AM

NYC'S 'K-ROCK' RETURNS!

By LARRY McSHANE
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- With a blast of Nirvana's "All Apologies," the 17-month effort to establish a talk station at New York's 92.3 FM ended abruptly Thursday afternoon with the return of K-Rock - the station's identity before Howard Stern departed for satellite radio in January 2006.

The new format is billed as "The Rock of New York," and returns the station to the familiar musical ground of bands such as Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica and Linkin Park. The station will remain anchored by the oft-disciplined morning drive-time pairing of Gregg "Opie" Hughes and Anthony Cumia, said station general manager Tom Chiusano.

The Free FM format was billed as "Talk that Rocks" when it debuted with much fanfare, but it failed to generate good ratings. In the most recent Arbitron numbers, the station was not in the Top 20 overall in the nation's largest radio market.

"Free had not hit the stride we had hoped for," said Chiusano. "And K-Rock was still waiting there for us to grab it back. We know what we left behind, and the audience for the radio station (and its music) was significantly larger than the audience we had currently."

Besides changing formats, the station swapped its call letters from WFNY-FM to its former WXRK-FM.

The format change ends a failed experiment that briefly converted David Lee Roth from rocker to radio host with a show that lasted barely three months after Stern left the CBS Radio station. Opie and Anthony quickly stepped in, doing three hours on Free FM before moving over to XM Satellite Radio for the rest of their show.

Two weeks ago, the station dumped "The Dog House with JV and Elvis" program after its co-hosts made a prank phone call rife with offensive Asian stereotypes. For its Memorial Day weekend launch, K-Rock will air without DJs, although a search for on-air talent would occur in the next few weeks, CBS Radio said.

Before its 2006 move to Free FM, K-Rock was a rock station for 20 years.

Tingly

May 28th, 2007, 05:36 AM

INDIA'S TOP TEN DIFFERENT FROM UK AND U.S.

Pritam's music is the flavour of the season and his 'In dino' from 'Metro' remains the top song of the week.

The top 10 songs for the week are:

1. 'In dino' - Film: 'Metro'; Music Director: Pritam; Singer: Soham. A soft, romantic rock number, it showcases Pritam's creativity. The beautiful song that has been aptly picturised is doing well and its popularity is keeping it on number one.

2. 'Cheeni kum' - Film: 'Cheeni Kum'; Music Director: Ilaiyaraaja; Singer: Shreya Ghoshal. Shreya goes solo in this track and amazes everyone with her sweet, innocent and melodious voice.

3. 'Mayyaa' - Film: 'Guru'; Music Director: A.R. Rahman; Singers: Mayya Toller, Chinmayee and Keerthi. Featuring Mallika Sherawat, the song has a Middle East flavour and it continues to rock even months after the film's release.

4. 'Ganpat' - Film: 'Shootout At Lokhandwala'; Music Director: Anand Raj Anand; Singer: Mika. The film's release has helped the track, which has moved quite a few notches up, landing on number four from ninth position. However, sung by Mika, the situational song might not last long.

5. 'Woh Ajnabee' - Film: 'The Train'; Music Director: Mithoon; Singer: Shilpa Rao. It's a complete dance number. Mithoon's racy music and Shilpa's sensuous voice makes it a track worth listening.

6. 'Assalam walekum' - Film: 'Aap kaa Surroor'; Music Director: Himesh Reshammiya; Singer: Himesh Reshammiya. A pop number, the love song is dedicated to the protagonist's ladylove in the film.

7. 'Jhoom' - Film: 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom'; Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy; Singer: Shankar. Crooned by Shankar, the song surely makes its mark, featuring Amitabh Bachchan in a new get-up. Gulzar's lyrics are predominantly Punjabi, while Shankar adds a classical touch in between.

8. 'Ta ra rum pum' - Film: 'Ta Ra Rum Pum'; Music Director: Vishal-Shekhar; Singers: Shaan, Mahalaxmi Iyer, Sneha Suresh and Shravan Suresh. It is a lively and peppy number, and consistent whistling makes this track vivacious. The lyrics, however, lack creativity.

9. 'Sajanaji vaari' - Film: 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd'; Music: Vishal-Shekhar; Singers: Sunidhi Chauhan and Shekhar Ravjiani. The track with the folk touch is back on the list again. Sunidhi is at her best in the song, which has amazing dance vibes.

10. 'It's rocking' - Film: 'Kya Love Story Hai'; Music Director: Pritam; Singer: Alisha Chinai. The film flopped but this item number that boasts of Indo-Western fusion is popular among the youth.

-The Music Shop, Khan Market, New Delhi/IANS

Tingly

May 28th, 2007, 05:38 AM

QUINCY JONES TELLS MICHAEL JACKSON, 'NO'

Washington, May 28 : Legendary music producer Quincy Jones has rejected the proposal to record Michael Jackson's comeback album owing to a heavy burden of work.

Jones, who is credited for producing Jackson's albums 'Off the Wall', 'Thriller', and 'Bad', says that he is too busy at this time to work on the singer's album.

The former 'King of pop' is putting in his best efforts to bring out his comeback album after being absolved of child molestation charges in 2005.

However, Jones insists that he already burdened with so much of work that making a contribution to Jackson's album is impossible for him.

"Man please, I've got enough to do. We already did that. I have talked to him about working with him again but I've got too much to do. I've got 900 products. I'm 74 years old. Give me a break," Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

-ANI

Tingly

May 28th, 2007, 05:42 AM

STREISAND'S ROME CONCERT CANCELLED AFTER CRITICISM OF $270 TICKET PRICE

Rome- Organizers have cancelled Barbra Streisand's Rome concert, a week after being criticised by Italian consumer groups over the cost of its tickets. In a statement appearing Monday on the Internet, promoter Michael Cohl said the planned June 15 concert at Rome's Flaminio stadium had been cancelled owing to "unexpected production delays". Sold tickets would be refunded.

The Rome concert should have marked the opening date of Streisand's much anticipated European tour. The artist's official website now lists a June 18 date in Zurich, Switzerland, as the first date of her tour.

Last week, Italian consumer groups Adusbef and Codacons criticised Streisand over what they called "immorally high" ticket prices, which in Rome ranged from a minimum 200 euros (270 dollars) to over 900 euros.

-earthtimes.org

Tingly

May 28th, 2007, 05:48 AM

PAUL V. FARRIS KILLED IN CAR CRASH

BOSTON -- A sport utility vehicle being chased by state police crashed into the taxi cab carrying the lead singer of a Boston rock band and his girlfriend Sunday, killing the musician, according to a report published Monday.

Paul V. Farris, a Medford resident and founding member of theMark, was heading home after a night out with friends when the accident occurred. The 23-year-old was pronounced dead at the Somerville Hospital, the Boston Globe reported.

His girlfriend and the cab driver suffered serious injuries and were being treated at Massachusetts General Hospital last night, the newspaper reported.

Police arrested the driver of the vehicle that killed him at the scene and charged Javier Morales, 29, of Somerville, with motor vehicle homicide Sunday.

Farris is a 2006 graduate of Tufts University who had recently taken his law school entrance exams.

Fans left messages on the band's site on MySpace with prayers and condolences for Farris' family and his girlfriend, whom they named as Katelyn Hoyt.

"Paul, you are truly a beautiful person. Words are useless in describing how much we will all miss you," read one message.

A separate web site describes Farris' vocal abilities as "a mix of crooning sullen notes and strong forceful lead melodies that would fit in among the likes of Thursday's Geoff Rickly and Thrices Dustin Kensrue."

"This is the most senseless thing that has ever happened," said Cella, of Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, where Farris grew up. Cella described Farris as charismatic and handsome with a great sense of humor.

-AP

Tingly

May 28th, 2007, 05:51 AM

SINGER GUILTY ON DRUG CHARGE IN AUSTRALIA

SINGER Allison Durbin pleaded guilty to drug charges in Melbourne's County Court today.

The singer, now known as Allison Giles, was expected to face trial today, but instead pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in a drug of dependence, one count of cultivation of narcotic plants and one count of theft of electricity.

Judge Ian Robertson adjourned the plea hearing to Wednesday this week.

Now in her mid-50s, Giles won the Queen of Pop title in 1969, 1970 and 1971.

She had a string of hits, including Put Your Hand In The Hand, but publicly admitted to a heroin addiction in 1985.

-keralaNext

Tingly

May 28th, 2007, 05:51 AM

LOHAN ARRESTED AGAIN

Lindsay Lohan was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Saturday morning after her Mercedes convertible struck a curb on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Police reported that they also found a substance they believe to be cocaine

-VH1

Tingly

May 28th, 2007, 05:53 AM

TOBY KEITH HONORED IN OKLAHOMA

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Singer-songwriter Toby Keith is going in to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2007. The Clinton-native, now resident of Norman, has had 22 number one country hits, including his debut single, "Should've Been A Cowboy." His new CD "Big Dog Daddy" comes out June 12th. The first single off the album is "High Maintenance Woman."

Keith will be inducted November eighth in Oklahoma City. He was in the Persian Gulf last weekend to entertain US troops during his fifth tour sponsored by the USO. The tour began in Afghanistan with a performance at a remote base near the border of Pakistan. He then headed to Iraq for a performance in front of more than 5,000 troops at Camp Victory in Baghdad.

-AP

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 04:29 AM

RUMOR: TYLER DONE WITH AEROSMITH?

New York, May 29 : It looks like 'Aerosmith' is about to lose its frontman Steven Tyler because he's fed of the way the other members of the rock band have been treating him.

According to a source, The Demon of Screamin's daughter, actress Liv Tyler has recently been telling people about this decision.

"Her dad is going to announce he's leaving Aerosmith soon because he can't take how the rest of the band is treating him," New York Post quoted the source, as saying.

"She said they don't appreciate him," she said.

However, the 'Armageddon' actress was not available for comment, as she has gone to Toronto for the shooting of 'The Hulk', her Rep has denied that any such claims were made by her.

"Liv never said anything about her father leaving Aerosmith," the rep said.

-ANI

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 04:31 AM

210,000 ATTEND SHAKIRA CONCERT IN MEXICO

As many as 210,000 people gathered on Mexico City's central Zocalo square for a free concert by Colombian pop star Shakira.

The square, which according to official estimates fits about 100,000 people, was full for the duration of the concert late Sunday. The adjoining streets too were crowded with fans.

Hundreds of followers of Shakira had camped in the areas near the Zocalo the previous night, while the square itself was closed off, in an effort to get a good place.

The concert was one of the last in Shakira's current world tour 'Oral Fixation'. The tour is set to end Wednesday in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey.

'This has been a month of absolute joy. I have fed off you, and I leave with my heart full,' Shakira told the crowd.

The Colombian singer of 'Hips Don't Lie' fame claims she has a long-standing 'love story' with Mexico.

-IANS

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 04:34 AM

'JPOP' STAR, IZUMI SAKAI, DEAD AT 40 IN TOKYO AFTER FALL

TOKYO - Izumi Sakai, the singer of Japanese pop group ZARD, died of a brain contusion at a hospital in Tokyo on Sunday afternoon after falling from stairs, her office said Monday. The police are investigating whether her death was caused by an accident or suicide. She was 40. She was repeatedly hospitalized from June last year due to uterine cervix cancer, her office said. She returned to hospital in April after the cancer was found to have spread to her lung, it said.

Sakai, whose real name was Sachiko Kamachi, made her debut in 1991 as the singer of ZARD. Sakai wrote lyrics and gained popularity among young people with songs like "Yureru Omoi" (Swinging Feeling) and "My Friend." According to police and her office, Sakai fell about 3 meters down an emergency staircase in a hospital, slamming the back of her head.

-KeralNext

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 04:37 AM

THE POLICE OPEN TO SOLD OUT CROWD IN VANCOUVER

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Police kicked off its reunion tour before a sold-out crowd of 20,000 - not bad for a group playing its first stadium in more than 20 years.

Fans took to their feet and sang along as Monday's night's show opened with "Message in a Bottle," the group's 1979 smash hit.

The trio of singer-bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland followed that up with a six-minute rendition of 1982's "Synchronicity."

From hit to hit, the fans at General Motors Place swayed to the music, offering up thunderous applause.

The Police broke up in 1984 at the height of its success. Sting, 55, Summers, 54, and Copeland, 64, have since pursued individual careers.

Sting's son started off the evening. Joe Sumner, the lead vocalist and bassist for Fiction Plane, raced onto the stage sounding a lot like his father, otherwise known as Gordon Sumner.

Some fans were in for a nostalgic night while others weren't even born during the group's heyday.

"I think it's good that all these bands are getting back together so that our kids can see them," said Mark Beason, who attended the show with his daughter Alanna Beason, 18, of Whidbey Island, Wash.

The Police are hoping to rival recent outings by the Rolling Stones and U2 and will join a crowded reunion lineup this summer that includes Genesis, Van Halen and the Eagles.

The Police have scheduled 21 gigs in the United States and Canada, including stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, New Orleans and New York.

The trio will play their second sold-out show in Vancouver on Wednesday before heading to Edmonton and later hitting Montreal and Toronto. There also was a fan-club-only show Sunday.

The tour will cover cities in North and South America, Europe and Australia by the time it wraps in early 2008.

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 04:39 AM

PROSECUTION TO SHIFT FOCUS IN SPECTOR TRIAL

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Phil Spector murder trial is going "CSI." After five weeks of dramatic personal stories about the music producer and the B-movie actress shot to death in his home, prosecutors are shifting their focus on Tuesday to science and the critical forensic evidence.

There will be discussions of blood spatter, fibers, gunshot residue, DNA and the path a bullet took when it killed actress Lana Clarkson.

A coroner and crime lab technicians are due on the witness stand beginning Tuesday to explain how such evidence can offer insight into what happened at Spector's castle-like mansion on Feb. 3, 2003.

A gunshot that lasted a second will be dissected for days.

"The prosecution has to show that the forensic evidence is consistent with their theory that Spector pulled the trigger or forced her to pull the trigger," said Loyola University law professor Laurie Levenson.

"This is a critical stage because this is where the defense has their focus," she said.

In opening statements, defense attorney Linda Kenney-Baden said science would be the silent witness.

"We have one unimpeachable witness who has no motive to lie, no memory problems, no language problems, and that witness is science," said Kenney-Baden, an attorney whose specialty is forensic evidence. Her husband, Michael Baden, a renowned forensic pathologist, is expected to testify for the defense.

But first, the prosecution will present its own experts, most from the police crime lab and coroner's office. Prosecutors will call no outside experts, although they could have some waiting to testify in the rebuttal if necessary.

"Lana Clarkson will have to tell her story through the evidence and from the grave," prosecutor Alan Jackson said in his opening statement.

Clarkson's body, with a gunshot wound through the mouth, was found seated in the foyer of Spector's suburban Alhambra mansion. She had met Spector at the House of Blues, where she was a hostess, early that morning and agreed to accompany him to his home.

Jurors have seen gory photos of her bloody face. Her mother and sister averted their eyes at the sight, but they and two lawyers representing them have been present for every day of testimony.

Spector, whose once flamboyant image has been toned down with a series of frock coats in muted colors with coordinating silk shirts and pocket handkerchiefs, is a pale shadow of his former self. His hands tremble, said to be the result of medication, and his expression is flat. His appearance could be a plus for the defense.

"He looks old and passive and not particularly threatening," said Levenson. "He doesn't look like a big bad murderer."

The prosecution built its case against Spector in three phases. The first focused on Spector's past, presenting four women who claimed the legendary record producer threatened them at gunpoint in the 1980s and '90s. The witnesses - Joan Rivers' former manager, a music talent coordinator, a waitress and a free lance photographer - told of being terrorized by Spector after he had been drinking. Each said he pulled a gun when they said they were leaving.

"He walked up, held the gun to my face between my eyes and said, 'If you try to leave, I'm going to kill you,'" witness Melissa Grosvenor testified.

Prosecutors drew a parallel with Clarkson, whose purse was on her shoulder and appeared ready to leave when she was shot.

Defense attorneys say Clarkson shot herself.

The trial's second phase focused on the hours before Clarkson's death, with witnesses telling of Spector's night on the town, visiting four different restaurants and clubs with different women, traveling in a chauffeured Mercedes and drinking liquor at each stop.

Prosecutors called witnesses to tell how he met Clarkson, and they tracked their movements through Spector's chauffeur, Adriano De Souza.

The Brazilian-born chauffeur offered some of the most damning testimony against Spector and underwent the most rigorous cross-examination.

He told of waiting for two hours outside Spector's home for Clarkson's expected departure, then hearing a "pow" around 5 a.m.

Seconds later, Spector emerged holding a gun and said, "I think I killed somebody," De Souza testified.

A defense attorney, stressing that English was De Souza's second language, tried to show the driver did not understand Spector. But the witness remained adamant and a videotape of his interview with police showed jurors that he easily handled questions in English.

Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has also overseen a series of hearings that culminated Wednesday in a ruling that cast doubt on the credibility of a key defense witness, renowned forensic expert Henry C. Lee.

Fidler determined Lee withheld a piece of evidence from the prosecution. The prosecution contended it was a piece of fingernail; Lee denied taking any such item from the scene. Defense lawyers say they still plan to call him to testify.

Spector, 67, rose to fame in the 1960s and '70s, changing rock music with what became known as the "Wall of Sound" recording technique. Clarkson was best known for a 1980s role in Roger Corman's "Barbarian Queen."

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 04:45 AM

ROCK THEME PARK TO OPEN NEXT YEAR

Anaheim, California- The world's first rock 'n' roll theme park is being built on the US Atlantic coast and its developers say it will open in August next year. Hard Rock Park is being built in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and will feature amusements based on famous rock bands and musicians. The park's operators say it will the world's first theme park based on rock 'n' roll music and will pick up where famous Hard Rock Café restaurant chain leaves off.

The park also will be the first large theme park to open in the US in almost 10 years, the Hard Rock Group announced recently at a travel trade fair in Anaheim, California. The park represents the largest tourism-related investment in South Carolina, the state's tourism bureau said.

Hard Rock Park's roller coasters will feature rock 'n' roll music, giving riders a chance to shake, rattle and roll their way through the various amusements. The Reggae River Falls attraction shines the spotlight on Jamaican music among others, while other venues within the park will host regular shows.

Individual locales such as the Carnaby Street Café are designed to bring the musical spirit of 1960s London to the US with features like over-sized lava lamps. The park also plans an amphitheatre seating 12,000 people.

International visitors also might like to venture beyond the park to South Carolina's other attractions, said Dolly Chewning of the state's tourism bureau. Myrtle Beach lies on the Atlantic Coast in the northern park of South Carolina and is widely known as a favourite destination for golfers.

Internet: www.hardrockpark.com.

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 04:49 AM

LATIN SONGWRITER SHOT IN MIAMI

Police said a handyman delivering drugs shot and critically wounded a prominent Latin music songwriter and producer inside a waterfront Miami mansion.

Fabio Alonso Salgado, better known as Estefano, was shot around 11:30 p.m. Friday in the chest and in the back of the head. A police report described the injuries as "near fatal" but also said Salgado was able to talk with authorities and identify his attacker in a photo.

Salgado has worked with Latin music stars including Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias and Julio Iglesias.

The handyman, Francisco Oliveira, 29, who had worked for Salgado for five years and was delivering marijuana to him, according to police, is being charged with attempted murder. He was being held at the Miami-Dade County Jail without bond, according to jail records. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

An administrator at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where the police report showed Salgado was taken, said she was not allowed to release any information about Salgado's condition or whether he was still at the hospital.

-Billboard

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 07:52 PM

ELTON JOHN THANKS SCISSOR SISTERS

London, May 29 : Singer Elton John has credited 'Scissor Sisters' for his recent Ivor Novello award, which he received for a collaborative work with the American alternative band.

The multiple Grammy and academy Award winning singer/composer/pianist co-wrote the bands' hit single 'I Don't Feel Like Dancing' which was awarded the 'Most Performed Work' title.

John revealed that he worked on the song with band members Jason Sellards and 'Babydaddy' Scott Hoffman in a hotel room.

"We wrote the song in a Las Vegas hotel room," the Daily Express quoted John, as saying.

The 60-year-old insisted that it was the first time he had collaborated on a song, and that the experience had been a 'fabulous' one.

"As you may know, I always write alone. I want to thank Scott and Jason from the Scissor Sisters, because this was the first time I've written a song in the same room as other people and it was a fabulous experience," he said.

'I Don't Feel Like Dancing' was the band's hit from the album 'Ta-Dah'.

It featured John on piano and became the fourth best selling single in the UK in 2006 and it stayed in the UK top 40 for 27 weeks.

John also co-wrote 'Intermission' for the same album.

-ANI

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 07:54 PM

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE LAUNCHES OWN RECORD LABEL

Washington, May 29 : Singer Justin Timberlake has launched his own record label, Tennman Records.

The 26-year-old will be the chairman as well as the CEO of his Los Angeles-based label.

The venture is a joint deal with Interscope Records, an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and which operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A and M label group.

Although the 'SexyBack' singer has not shed much light on his new venture, he insisted that he is all set to introduce it worldwide.

"We are all excited about the talent we have to offer already on our roster and I cannot wait to introduce the world to my new discoveries," Contactmusic quoted Timberlake, as saying.

Chairman of Interscope Records, Jimmy Iovine insisted that the company is very excited to start something like this with the talented singer.

"Whenever you have the opportunity to get into business with someone as gifted as Justin Timberlake, you take it. We are thrilled to have his label as part of Interscope," Iovine said.

The new record label is due to announce its first contract officially in the next few weeks.

-ANI

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 07:57 PM

20,000 AWAIT AEROSMITH'S MIDDLE EAST DEBUT IN BAHRAIN

More than 20,000 fans from the Gulf region are expected to attend Aerosmith's debut Middle East concert tomorrow.

Aerosmith, whose members are Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer, is regarded by many as America's greatest rock and roll band and will perform at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Ground, the same venue that hosts the annual Rugby 7s Tournament.

Although known as "the bad boys from Boston", none of the band's members are actually from that city.

Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Tom Hamilton, had originally met in Sunapee, New Hampshire in the late '60s, but had not yet formed a band together.

Tyler was from New York, Perry from Massachusetts and Hamilton from New Hampshire.

In 1970, the three decided to form a band and decided that Boston, Massachusetts would be the ideal base.

Guitarist Brad Whitford and drummer Joey Kramer rounded out the line-up, and the band released their eponymous debut album in 1973.

Aerosmith, which has been performing as the original lineup for the past 23 years, have sold 140 million albums worldwide, 65.5m albums in the US alone, making them the best-selling American hard rock band of all time.

They also hold the record for the most gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums by an American group.

The band has scored 27 Top 40 hits on multiple charts around the world, nine #1 Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy awards, and ten Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

The band are expected to put on an energetic live show and will perform their most popular hits that span their career, including Amazing, Dude Looks Like a Lady, I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, Hole in My Soul, Crazy and Livin' on the Edge.

Tickets for the show are still available at the Hava Java, Seef Mall and can even also be booked online on www.boxofficeme.com or www.timeouttickets.com.

Ticket prices are as follows: The Cage Standing AED995 (about BD99.500), front pit standing AED295 (about BD29.500), regular standing AED195 (about BD19.500) and grand stand seating AED395 (about BD39.500).

Doors open at 6pm and the show begins at 10pm.

-Gulf Daily News

Tingly

May 29th, 2007, 08:12 PM

FRENCH SINGER RECEIVES AWARD FROM WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Geneva - Celebrated French singer-songwriter Renaud on Tuesday received a special award from the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva for his personal battle and public crusade against cigarettes and the tobacco industry, declaring "It's a criminal industry."The WHO chose to honour the campaigning and outspoken star, who in the past has highlighted the plight of the downtrodden in French society, ahead of World No Tobacco Day which takes place this Friday.

"I gave up a thousand times, the first time 15 years ago at the age of 40," he said. "It is easy to stop but very hard not to start again."

After years of struggling with the evil weed, which he had begun smoking at 18 years old, Renaud said he was now an "Ayatollah of anti-smoking."

"I have been completely manipulated by the tobacco industry, manipulated chemically, physically, psychologically. It's a criminal industry. There is an incoherence between the free man I try to be and the slave I have become."

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world, according to the WHO. It is the cause of one in 10 adult deaths worldwide.

This year the WHO has passive smoking in its sights and was launching a series of policy recommendations urging all governments to follow the example set by Ireland and other countries, to introduce and enforce smoking bans in indoor public places.

"There is indisputable evidence that secondhand smoking kills," said Dr Armando Peruga, coordinator of the WHO Tobacco-Free Initiative. "Ventilation in smoking areas does not reduce the risks."

He said the WHO was calling on all of its member states to act.

Renaud in accepting his award said he hoped to persuade his young fans never to take up smoking in the first place, and announced he was giving up again up this very day.

"I am proud to have given up fags, bar a few lapses. I bet you that in two years' time I will be standing before you to say that I haven't had a drag of a cigarette since May 29th 2007. Anyone want to bet on it?" he added emphatically.

earthtimes.org

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:20 AM

HERE'S A NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT YOU PLAY WITH YOUR SCHNAZOLA!

Washington, May 30 : People suffering from physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, may now experience the positive effects of music with the help of a computerised instrument that enables one to play music with the tip of their nose.

The interface may also be adapted for speech, giving physically challenged patients the ability to form full sentences, rather than just providing yes or no responses.

"This instrument will give a voice to those who are all too often ignored, due to their physical disability," said Zane Van Dusen, a recent graduate of computer science and electronic media arts and communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

Van Dusen developed the interface with Pauline Oliveros, a musician and distinguished professor of the arts at Rensselaer.

The new "adaptive-use musical instrument" can be operated merely with the help of an inexpensive Web camera and specialised computer software developed by Van Dusen.

"The cost of the hardware and software is not going to be expensive and that makes it accessible," Discovery quoted Leaf Miller, a professional musician and an occupational therapist at Rehab Programs in Poughkeepsie, NY, as saying.

Physically challenged patients are placed in front of the computer, where they see live video of their face through a Web camera. The motion-tracking software places a red box on the tip of the person's nose, and tracks the user's movement across an onscreen keyboard.

The lowest notes are located to the left and the highest notes are located to the right. The outline of a rectangle around the person's face can be widened or narrowed in order to accommodate the patient's range of motion.

In "keyboard mode", the person stays within the rectangle, touching on keys to illicit notes. While in "percussive mode", he can move outside the rectangle to set off a snare drum or cymbal sound.

During the pilot, children who used the instrument paid more attention to their movements because they were motivated by the sounds they were creating. One nine-year-old child spent an hour creating a song, even though it required a lot of effort.

"The added benefit of all of this is that the children are working on their head control," said Leaf Miller, a professional musician and an occupational therapist at Rehab Programs in Poughkeepsie, NY.

"It can also be adapted for speech language pathologists to use for communication," she added.

The researchers will begin further study this summer to perfect the prototype, and create additional interfaces for an organisation that fosters a unique approach to music, literature, art and meditation. They hope that their system may offer a way for the physically challenged patients to express the song they have on the tip of their nose.

-ANI

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:21 AM

STUNNER RIHANNA SNAGS CoverGirll ENDORSEMENT

Washington, May 30 : Singer Rihanna is the new face of make-up line 'CoverGirl'.

The 'Break It Off' singer will be seen in the beauty brand's new advertising campaign next month.

The 19-year-old is very excited about the new project, and finds it is 'fit' for her, as it has to do with make-up.

"I always wanted to be a CoverGirl. Every little girl wants to become one," Contactmusic quoted Rihanna, as saying.

"CoverGirl has worked with other music artists and the brand itself is about make-up. What's not to like? It's a natural fit for me," she said.

The most recent 'face' of Cover Girl before Rihanna was actress Queen Latifah.

Other celebs who have modelled for the company are singer/actress Brandy, model/actress Molly Sims, Faith Hill, supermodel Tyra Banks, actress Queen Latifah and Drew Barrymore.

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:22 AM

COMING SOON: THE FIRST RAP MUSICAL!

Washington, May 30 : English musical impresario Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has a strong urge to have rap singer Eminem in his team for a new stage show.

Although Lloyd Webber does not know Eminem well, he is a huge fan of the singer's song-writing skills.

He strongly believes that the 'Slim Shady' singer's lyrics can help him create a must-see musical.

"I've got a lot of time for Eminem," Contactmusic quoted him as telling British magazine Heat.

"He writes great lyrics which are way ahead. I don't know him well but I have met him and I think he's very intelligent," he added.

-ANI

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:24 AM

YOU'RE NOT PARANOID: EVERYBODY IS LISTENING, EVEN LITTLE BIRDS...

Washington, May 30 : A new study by University of Washington researchers has shown that young sparrows choose many of their songs by eavesdropping on the tuneful interactions between other sparrows.

In laboratory experiments, the researchers exposed the young sparrows to two adult "tutors," one of which they directly interacted with vocally, and a second one that they only overheard singing with another young bird.

Even though the young birds learned from both tutors, they acquired more than twice as many songs from the tutor on which they eavesdropped, the researchers found.

According to Michael Beecher, lead author of the study and a UW professor of psychology and biology, young birds learn more by eavesdropping because it is less threatening than interacting face-to-face with an adult.

He further said as song learning in birds has many parallels with human language learning, its possible that eavesdropping also plays a role in how infants learn language.

-ANI

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:26 AM

BLIND WOMAN MAKES HER MARK WITH CLASSICAL INDIAN INSTRUMENTS

By Juhan Samuel

Vaikom (Kerala), May 30 : M.Vijayalakshmi, a visually-impaired woman in Kerala, is adding delight to the world of music by playing Veena, an Indian classical stringed instrument, at national and international concerts.

Twenty-six-year-old Vijayalakshmi is blind by birth but she has made herself an artiste of distinction.

Practicing on the Indian musical instruments, since she was five Vijayalakshmi has emerged as an icon of sorts in Kerala's Vaikom town for her Veena recitals.

She chanced upon a makeshift instrument made from a plastic bottle for the first time during her childhood, which opened the world of music for her.

But for someone whose own life is engulfed in darkness, to compose beautiful and soul-stirring music is nothing short of an achievement.

"Blindness has never been an impediment to me or my music, as I have dedicated my entire life for music and want to do a lot more. My main ambition is to pursue a Doctorate in Music for which I have already started preparing," said Vijayalakshmi.

Vijayalakshmi plays the 'Gayatri Veena', which is a modified version of a regular Veena, done by her father, Murleedharan, an electronics expert.

The father has improvised the instrument by removing strings from a regular model and preparing a one-string Veena for Vijayalakshmi and attaching it with an amplifier so that Vijaylakshmi can play it comfortably.

She claims to know over 500 ragas or melodies apart from having an uncanny ability to copy a tune by just listening to it once.

"We were very disappointed to have a blind child when she (Vijayalakshmi) was born. But now we are proud of her talent and accomplishment. We are grateful to the God for gifting us such a child. She knows over 500 ragas and various devotional songs. She can play a tune even if she may have heard it once. This is really a great thing," said V.urleedharan, Vijayalakshmi's father.

Vijayalakshmi's performance at various national and international concerts has won her many awards and laurels.

She has set her aim further high and is a guiding light for many such people who are bogged down by handicap.

Famous nineteenth century German composer Robert Schumann once said: "To send light into the darkness of men's hearts-such is the duty of the artist."

-ANI

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:28 AM

CUTTY SARK-AID CONCERT PLANNED

London, May 30 : Cutty Sark Enterprises has announced plans to organises a music gig to collect funds for restoring the fire-ravaged Cutty Sark.

Stephen Archer of Cutty Sark Enterprises, was quoted by The Sun as saying that the event would be held in Greenwich, London, in the next eight weeks.

It will be a mix of pop and classical music "to have a wide appeal," he added.

Money raised will boost the fund launched to repair the tea clipper, which was gutted in a blaze nine days ago.

Around 500,000 pounds of the estimated 10 million pound cost has already been donated.

The Cutty Sark was closed last year for restoration work and is now expected to be reopened in 2010 instead of 2009 because of the blaze.

Experts assessing the 138-year-old damaged frame of the Cutty Sark, have said that the possibility of it getting it restored exists.

"We believe a lot of the decking can be retrieved and restored. Much of it looks worse than it is," a spokesperson was quoted by The Sun, as saying.

The full extent of the damage won't be known until cops have finished investigating the possibility of arson.

Historians and restoration experts have already expressed shock over the burning of the 'Cutty Sark.

The May 21 explosion and two-hour blaze that followed has raised serious doubts over the future of one of Britain's prized national treasures.

Police have mounted an arson investigation amid reports that CCTV film showed people near the scene just before the fire erupted. Engineers were surveying the ruins to try to get and idea of the extent of the damage, which some say is an estimated 30 million pounds.

-ANI

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:30 AM

INDIAN ROCK BAND SET TO OPEN AT DOWNLOAD IN ENGLAND

Gurgaon, May 30 : Indian rock band Parikrama is all set to perform at the famed Download Music festival in Donnington Park in England.

For the Gurgaon-based Parikrama, this will be their first major international tour of Europe. Besides the prestigious Donnington event, it will also perform at other venues like Campden and Leicestershire Square.

Interestingly, Parikrama is the only Indian rock band that will perform for the first time at this 27-year-old festival.

The other popular bands that will be performing are Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Linking Park and Dream Theatre.

"We have played with them in India before and now we are going to England. We are going to do two more shows with them. We have a total of about nine shows," said Subir Malik, artiste on the keyboards.

The band has expressed optimistic thoughts that besides making a mark for themselves on the international front, their performance in London will open the market for other Indian rock bands.

"The foreign media is very surprised that rock bands exist in India. There is curiosity among people because they want to see what a rock band from India sounds like. And if they accept us, then it will open up gates for everybody," said Malik.

The festival is scheduled to be held between June 8 and 10.

Parikrama's maiden concert held in New Delhi was in the cause of spreading awareness on AIDS. Their first hit number 'Till I'm No One Again' was a smash hit in 1995.

Although thousands of admirers have encouraged Parikrama to render fantastic music for about 16 years now, the group is yet to come out with a single album.

Formed on 17 June, 1991, the band has performed over 230 concerts and 1000 odd performances in several cities of the country.

-ANI

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:31 AM

ROLLING STONE MAG: GREAT TRACKS ON BAD ALBUMS - POLL RESULTS

Washington, May 30 : 'Under Pressure', a 1981 song by Queen and David Bowie, has topped a poll of great tracks on bad albums, conducted by Rolling Stone magazine.

During the online poll, the magazine's readers cast their votes, based on which the editors created a list of top 25 songs.

Second on the list was 'This Is England' from the Clash's 'Cut The Crap', while 'Eminence Front' by The Who came in third.

Wrapping up the top five were 'Brownsville Girl' from Bob Dylan's 'Knocked Out Loaded', and 'Hallo Spaceboy' from David Bowie's 'Outside', reports Contactmusic.

Top 10 great tracks on bad albums are:

1. Under Pressure from Queen's Hot Space

2. This Is England from the Clash's Cut The Crap

3. Eminence Front from The Who's It's Hard

4. Brownsville Girl from Bob Dylan's Knocked Out Loaded

5. Hallo Spaceboy from David Bowie's Outside

6. Kill Your Sons from Lou Reed's Sally Can't Dance

7. 2000 Light Years from Home from the Rolling Stones' Their Satanic ajesties Request

8. Goin' Home from Neil Young's Are You Passionate

9. Song For Guy from Elton John's A Single Man

10. Don't Look Back from Boston's Don't Look Back

-ANI

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:33 AM

VIACOM SELLING MUSIC PUBLISHING BIZ TO SONY

NEW YORK - Viacom Inc. (VIAB, News) said Wednesday it is selling Famous Music, a music publishing business whose catalog has more than 125,000 songs including "Moon River" and "Footloose," to a unit of Sony Corp. (SNE, News) for about $370 million.

Famous Music was founded in 1928 to publish music from movies and owns the themes to many films including "The Godfather" and "Beverly Hills Cop." The deal includes the assumption of about $30 million in debt.

Famous Music is being acquired by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, a joint venture formed in 1995 between Sony and trusts set up by Michael Jackson. It is not part of Sony BMG Music Entertainment, a business that combines the music operations of Sony and BMG, a unit of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG.

Sony/ATV Music Publishing owns or administers more than 500,000 copyrights by artists including The Beatles, Beck, Joni Mitchell and Roy Orbison.

-examiner.com

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:34 AM

MUSIC INDUSTRY BIGWIGS: 'CHINA NEEDS TO PAY MORE'

HONG KONG – The music industry needs to obtain more revenue from karaoke royalties and radio stations in China to offset losses to piracy, the head of an industry association said Wednesday.

“The new business model is built on the diversification of revenue streams,” IFPI chief executive John Kennedy said at a music industry conference in Hong Kong.

Revenue from CD sales still represents a big chunk of the industry's overall earnings, but its share is decreasing, and record companies need to branch out into digital music, radio and karaoke royalties, especially in China, Kennedy said.

London-based IFPI, which represents the recording industry worldwide, estimates that sales of pirated music products worldwide were worth $4.5 billion in 2005 and that nearly 20 billion songs were illegally downloaded that year.

China is a serious offender, with pirated CDs or tapes accounting for more than 85 percent of the market, according to IFPI.

-SignOnSanDiego

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:35 AM

CBS BUYS ONLINE MUSIC SERVICE

By Kate Holton and Kenneth Li

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - CBS Corp. said on Wednesday it bought Last.fm, the online music service that allows fans with similar tastes to connect, for $280 million in a bid to attract young audiences.

The London-based service has more than 15 million active users in over 200 countries, CBS said, and has earned praise for a system that recommends songs by tracking users' music-playing habits and linking them to other fans with similar tastes.

Within a year, CBS aims to explore applying Last.fm's technology to building new communities for online videos that will include its own archive of hit shows and videos not owned by the company, CBS digital chief Quincy Smith said in a phone interview.

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:38 AM

ASIANS TUNED INTO THEIR LOCAL POP MUSIC SCENES THRU TECHNOLOGY

HONG KONG -- Asian pop fans are taking Western music off their MP3 and CD players and are listening to local artists instead, a survey revealed Wednesday, underlining changes in worldwide music tastes.

Korean, Mandarin-language, and Thai pop are among the genres that are beating once dominant Western pop, rock, and rap in Asia, said the survey by market research company Synovate.

In the first study of its kind, almost 4,000 people across major cities in Taiwan, China, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia were probed on their music tastes and how they sourced their music.

It found that only two Western bands were named among Asian listeners' favorite acts - American rap act Black Eyed Peas and rap-rock band Linkin Park, both of whom had recently toured the region.

Way ahead across the region were Taiwan's rapper Jay Chou, Singapore pop star J.J. Lin, and Hong Kong veteran Andy Lau.

"The survey shows that Asians have more pride in their local artists," said Ian Stewart, vice-president of marketing and research at MTV Networks Asia at Music Matters, a two-day gathering of Asian music industry heads in Hong Kong.

"This is partly being driven, especially in China, by the upcoming 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing," Stewart added of the findings.

The survey found that enthusiasm for music was greatest in India, with 71 percent of respondents claiming to be passionate about it, and lowest in Hong Kong, where just 27 percent shared the same enthusiasm.

Young Asians still mostly bought their music on CD, with 34 percent saying that they purchased albums from record shops, while 14 percent said that they downloaded it legally.

Of those who admitted obtaining music illegally, 25 percent downloaded it from the Internet, 19 percent bought pirated disks from the street, and 18 percent used file-sharing networks.

The survey also found that 61 percent of respondents said that they were listening to more music now.

-Middle East Times

Tingly

May 30th, 2007, 10:42 AM

VENUE WILL ALLOW WATER INTO CONCERT IN FLORIDA

TAMPA - Fans who flocked to a concert outside Raymond James Stadium on April 29 went there hoping to rock out. Instead, many were knocked out by the sun and left panting when they had to wait hours to get water.

In the wake of a near-disaster, officials with the Tampa Sports Authority, which owns the property, met with promoters and laid down new rules for next year's event.

Among the requirements:

- Patrons will be allowed to bring in sealed water containers.

- There will be more locations for buying water.

- Vendors will accept cash for nonalcoholic beverages instead requiring patrons to buy tickets to redeem.

- First-aid tents will have an adequate supply of water, and a large tent will be added for shelter from the sun.

"This is specifically for the 98 Rockfest," said Mickey Farrell, director of stadium operations. "We're making these adjustments because they plan on coming back again next year."

This was the first year for the festival, hosted by radio station WXRB-FM. The one-day concert replaced Livestock, a three-day festival in a Pasco County pasture.

As the temperature rose to nearly 90 and the sun beat down, promoters Clear Channel Broadcasting and the Bralco Group of Miami couldn't get water quickly enough to the crowd.

More than 250 people were treated for heat exhaustion, dehydration and alcohol intoxication. Five were taken to hospitals.

"It was a very bad situation," said Ray Steinman, president of the Bralco Group.

He blamed the problem on a convergence of circumstances. Concertgoers arrived early and more than 20 employees failed to show up for work that day.

"We were short-staffed, so our distribution lines got clogged," Steinman said. "We had enough water, we just didn't have a way to get it out to everybody."

Eventually, promoters brought in a truck loaded with 12,000 bottles of water and gave it out free.

-TampaBay.com

Tingly

May 31st, 2007, 08:30 AM

ORGANIST FIRED FOR SELLING SEX TOYS

NEW FRANKEN, Wis. (AP) -- A Catholic priest has removed his church's organist and choir director from her duties saying her sale of sex toys was not "consistent with Church teachings."

Linette Servais, 50, played the organ and sung with the choir for 35 years. Much of her work as choir director and organist was done without pay. When her parish priest asked to meet with her, she thought it was to say thank you.

Instead, she was told to quit her sales job with company known as Pure Romance or she would lose her position in the church.

Pure Romance in Loveland, Ohio, is a $60 million per year business that sells spa products and sex toys at homes parties attended by women. It has 15,000 consultants like Servais.

She said her decision was not hard: She began working with Pure Romance after a brain tumor and treatment left her sexually dysfunctional. The job allows her to help other women who have similar problems.

"After I got over the initial shock, I prayed over this a long time," she said. "I feel that Pure Romance is my ministry."

The Rev. Dean Dombroski felt differently, removing her from the choir loft just before Thanksgiving and gradually taking away other church duties. Servais can no longer take pictures during First Communion services or lead the committee planning St. Joseph's annual late-summer picnic.

Dombroski said he couldn't discuss the situation because it involves personnel. But in a letter to his rural congregation, he wrote: "Linette is a consultant for a firm which sells products of a sexual nature that are not consistent with Church teachings. Because parish leaders are expected to model the teaching of our faith ... she could stay on as the choir director/organist or she could continue to be a consultant but she could not do both."

Servais responded with her own three-page letter to church members, saying she felt compelled to help other women, especially those suffering from problems caused by cancer.

Many choir members quit in support, she said, and some have gathered at her home on occasional Thursdays to sing hymns.

"Father Dean made it sound so sinful," she said. "There is so much more to this business than toys."

-1010WINS

Tingly

May 31st, 2007, 08:32 AM

LINDSAY'S DAD: 'SHE'S MESSED UP'

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Lindsay Lohan's estranged father says she suffers from multiple addictions, including alcohol and the painkiller OxyContin, the Web site E! Online reported Wednesday.

The 20-year-old actress checked into rehab Monday following a weekend that included crashing her Mercedes, being arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and being photographed slumped in the passenger seat of a friend's car. This is her second rehab stint this year.

"I spoke to the people treating Lindsay, because I wanted to make sure she was getting the right care," Michael Lohan told E! Online. "And I'm satisfied they are doing the right thing for her, helping her detox from the painkillers and things. That's a very important step."

Lindsay Lohan's publicist, Leslie Sloane Zelnik, did not immediately return an after-hours call and e-mail from The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Michael Lohan was released from a New York state prison in March after serving almost two years for driving while intoxicated and other charges. He said he is studying to become a drug-rehab counselor with the faith-based organization Teen Challenge.

Before entering rehab, the actress was scheduled to start work this week on "Poor Things," a comedy featuring Shirley MacLaine, who is also a producer on the movie. MacLaine and co-producer Rob Hickman said in a statement Wednesday that Lohan still wants to work on the project.

-1010WINS

Tingly

May 31st, 2007, 08:35 AM

RUMOR: KELLY CLARKSON NOT SO HAPPY WITH CLIVE DAVIS

Pop star Kelly Clarkson's artistic independence is under threat from music industry legend Clive Davis.

An insider at the Sony BMG studio, the parent of Clarkson's label RCA, said: 'Davis is furious because Clarkson has assumed total artistic control over her new album and refuses his suggestions.'

Davis even went as far as to slam Clarkson at a company retreat saying she can't produce hits, reports pagesix.com. And music industry insiders were shocked when Davis took the stage at the 'American Idol' finale to support former Idol winners' Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee's new songs but did not mention Clarkson's upcoming third album 'My December' releasing in June.

Davis instead promoted the songwriters of the Clarkson hit song 'Since you been gone'.

An insider said: 'She wrote all of the second album herself - including the hits 'Because of you', 'Behind these hazel eyes' and 'Walk away'. Davis hated the song 'Because of you' so much that he would routinely mock it in meetings. It was one of her most successful singles.'

-IANS

Tingly

May 31st, 2007, 08:37 AM

WAITRESS CATAPULTED TO STARDOM AT CANNES

Washington, May 31 : Record labels Universal and EMI are vying for signing a multi-million deal with a waitress and part-time jazz singer, who had left the audiences at the Cannes Film Festival spellbound by her performance.

Eighteen-year-old Victoria Hart, who also works as a waitress at the little-known Naked Turtle restaurant in London, was flown to Cannes after a friend of hers recommended her name for singing at the star-studded charity event.

Hollywood big shots Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and George Clooney were so amazed by her performance that they described her as "simply lovely".

"We're getting very close -- a deal is not far away at all," Hollywood Reporter quoted Hart's agent Lynne Pearson as saying from her home in Switzerland.

"It's always very difficult to talk about specific figures, but it will be a very big deal when it is announced," the agent added.

According to the British newspapers, the deal to be signed may touch the three-million-dollar mark.

Hart, whose singing style is a mixture of jazz and swing, has been performing since an early age.

The Cannes event, where she performed in front of the cast of 'Ocean's 13' to raise money for Darfur, brought her a major opportunity to show off her singing talent.

Hart's success has also given a sudden boost to the Naked Turtle's trade. The restaurant has decided to keep a job open for Hart in case she ever wishes to return.

It is also holding a party for her on Wednesday night to celebrate her's success.

"We're going to miss her. Although Victoria's a great singer she's also a fantastic waitress," the manager said.

-ANI

Tingly

May 31st, 2007, 08:38 AM

JAPANESE ROBOT 'DANCES' TO MUSIC

By HIROKO TABUCHI
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

TOKYO -- A new Japanese robot twists and rolls to iPod tunes in an intricate dance based on complex mathematics, a technology developers said will one day enable robots to move about spontaneously instead of following preprogrammed motions.

Equipped with Kenwood Corp. speaker systems, Tokyo-based venture ZMP Inc.'s 14-inch long Miuro robot - which looks like a white ball wedged between two halves of an egg - wheels about in time with music from an iPod portable player, which locks into the machine.

At a demonstration in Tokyo on Thursday, the 11-pound Miuro pivoted about on a stage in time to beats of a pop music track. Its dance wasn't preprogrammed, but generated by the robot itself.

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 05:52 AM

QUOTATIONS

"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 05:57 AM

INSPIRATION BEHIND BEATLES SONGS IS REVEALED

London, June 1 : As the hit Beatles' album 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' celebrates the 40th anniversary of its release on June 2, Sir Paul McCartney is revealing what inspired the songs of the album.

Macca reveals that he was the one who came up with the name that introduced the world to the concept album and the gatefold sleeve.

"At the time there were groups called Laughing Joe and his Medicine Band or Col Tucker's Medicinal Brew and Compound. I took the idea back to the guys and said, 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - I've got a little bit of a song cooking with this title,'" the Mirror quoted him, as saying.

The album, he revealed, was in tribute to a police officer called Sergeant Pepper when the group toured Canada in 1965.

The songs of the album also hold their own special meanings.

'With A Little Help From My Friends': The line "I get high with a little help from my friends" was for may years thought to be a reference to marijuana, but in 1970 John Lennon revealed that it really was about the help friends give each other.

"It's really about a little help from my friends, it's a sincere message," he said.

'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds': Everyone though that it was a reference to LSD. It was in fact inspired by Lennon's son Julian, who came returned from school one day with a painting he had done.

When Lennon asked him about the painting, Julian replied "It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds". Lucy O'Connell was one of his classmates.

'Getting Better': A simple change in weather is what inspired this song. Inspiration struck Macca when he was walking on London's Primrose Hill with close friend and journalist Hunter Davies. Remarking on the weather, Paul said to Hunter that it was "getting better".

'Fixing A Hole': Critics initially believed that the word "fixing" was a reference to heroin, Macca said that it was about his favourite drug marijuana.

'She's Leaving Home': A story about who girl called Melanie Coe who ran away from home published in the Daily Mirror on February 27, 1967, is what inspired this track.

'Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite!': Lennon was browsing in an antiques shop during a break in filming when an old circus poster that had the whole lyric on it caught his eye.

"Ryan's Circus presents The Benefit of Pablo Fanque. The Hendersons would be there. Hoops and horses and someone going through a hogs head of real fire."

This was used word-for-word in the song.

'Within You Without You': Composed after George Harrison returned from a trip to India during the summer of 1967. This track was probably the worst received on the album.

Lennon however, felt that it was one of Harrison's best songs.

"This was one of George's best songs. His mind and his music are clear," he said.

'When I'm 64': Originally penned by a teenage Macca about his dad Jim. The Fab Four would sing this when electrical equipment and amplifiers at The Cavern. However, George Martin turned it into one of the best-loved track with a 1930s sound and new lyrics.

'Lovely Rita': Was created when Macca read a newspaper story about a retired traffic warden.

'Good Morning Good Morning': Lennon was inspired by a Kellogg's Cornflakes TV advert which said "Good morning, good morning".

"Going to work, don't want to go" and "I've got nothing to say but it's OK" were written while John was lounging around at home.

'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)': Neil Aspinal was the one who decided to do a reprise of the opening song, thanking the audience for coming along.

'A Day In The Life': Inspired when Lennon's socialite friend, a user of hallucinogenic drugs, Tara Browne died when his Lotus Elan jumped a red light in South Kensington, and crashed into a van on December 18, 1966.

John sings: "The lucky man who made the grade... He blew his mind out in a car."

-ANI

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 06:03 AM

JAGGER'S WIFE WANTED TOWNSHEND AND JAGGER TO TEAM UP

Washington, June 1 : Rock stars Pete Townshend has revealed that Sir Mick Jagger's ex-wife, Jerry Hall, wanted them to write lyrics together.

Townshend, who has already worked with Sir Jagger on many projects except for writing lyrics, disclosed this fact on his blog.

He, however, admitted that Jagger personally never offered to collaborate with him for any such venture.

"You know, he (Jagger) has asked me to work on several records with him and I've very much enjoyed doing it. But he's never suggested that we write together," Contactmusic quoted him as writing in his blog.

"His ex-wife Jerry (Hall) used to say all the time, 'You and Pete should write together.' And we would kind of go, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah. It may happen, it may not,'" the blog added.

Townshend also revealed that the 'Rolling Stones' were the inspiration for his band's classic 1966 song 'Substitute'.

-ANI

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 06:04 AM

ROBIN GIBB WANTS CHANGE IN UK COPYRIGHT LAW

London, June 1 : 'Bee Gee' Robin Gibb strongly believes that musicians should be given royalties for their records throughout their lives, which is why he is planning to launch a campaign for an amendment to the copyright laws in the United Kingdom.

The songwriter, who has just been elected the President of International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), pointed out that the existing laws provide for a payment of royalties to musicians only for 50 years, after which their work goes out of copyright.

The 57-year-old star said that he wanted to champion the rights of artists who are not being given a fair share of their creative work.

"Artists should be getting royalties for the records that they make for life," the BBC quoted Gibb as saying.

"I've been a songwriter since I was 8 years old. I want to champion the rights of all those people who aren't getting a fair share from their creative work," he added.

Gibb also shared his personal experience as a member of music group 'Bee Gees', who at a point of time did not control their own music, including hits like Massachusetts and Jive Talkin'.

He expressed his desire to ensure that other artists did not suffer a similar fate.

"We were lucky because we had some good people working on our behalf, but the reality is that many do not," he said.

"There are still many major writers who still don't own their catalogue. It's a moral issue that people should get a bigger piece of the pie," he added.

Gibb further said that he was planning to launch a record label for UK artists so as to provide them with easier access to digital download stores like iTunes.

-ANI

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 06:07 AM

STEWART COPELAND JOKES ABOUT POLICE PERFORMANCE MISTAKES AT VANCOUVER CONCERT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The singer in the Police jumps like a "petulant pansy," the drummer is making a "complete hash," and who knows what the guitarist is doing?

Notes from a bitter critic? Actually, it's a disarmingly frank concert review from the aforementioned drummer of the newly reunited rock trio.

A philosophical Stewart Copeland unleashed his vitriol in a posting on his Web site on Thursday, a day after the band played its second show in Vancouver, the Canadian city where it began its first world tour in more than 20 years on Monday.

"This is unbelievably lame," Copeland wrote of Wednesday's show at the GM Place arena. "We are the mighty Police and we are totally at sea."

Most of the 20,000 fans at the venue might not have noticed a series of small flubs, but Copeland, singer/bassist Sting, and guitarist were painfully aware of them.

Copeland started the show off on the wrong foot, literally. He tripped as he took to the stage, and then banged his gong at the wrong time so that "the big pompous opening to the show is a damp squib."

He did not hear Summers' opening riff to "Message In a Bottle," and Sting in turn misheard Copeland's drum intro -- "so we are half a bar out of sync with each other. Andy is in Idaho."

They quickly recovered, but then Sting got his footwork wrong as he leapt into the air to signal the end to a shambolic version of their rat-race rant "Synchronicity II."

"The mighty Sting momentarily looks like a petulant pansy instead of the god of rock," Copeland reported.

"And so it goes, for song after song," he wrote, with tunes such as "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" and "Don't Stand So Close To Me" reduced to ruin.

"It usually takes about four or five shows in a tour before you get to the disaster gig. But we're The Police so we are a little ahead of schedule," he said.

Fortunately, no fists flew backstage as they did back in the Police's heyday. The threesome fell into each other's arms laughing hysterically, Copeland said.

"Screw it, it's only music. What are you gonna do? But maybe it's time to get out of Vancouver."

The band's next show is set for Saturday in Edmonton.

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 06:16 AM

WARNER MUSIC COMES UP WITH NEW DEAL FOR FREE INTERNET VIDEOS

London - Warner Music Group is putting its archive of music videos on line and making it available for no charge to fans.

Warner, home to Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, will work with digital services provider Premium TV to create online television sites that will be organised by artist, genre or label and funded by advertising. The move is part of the music industry's drive to generate revenue from new sources to offset the fall in CD sales and follows the explosion in the popularity of online video.

However, fans will be able to download videos for an additional fee and Warner will examine syndicating the content to a third party.

The deal includes plans to develop subscription-based services and a version to be used on cellular platforms.

"This major new proposition … represents a key step in our continued transformation," said Patrick Vien, the chairman and chief executive of Warner Music International.

Warner said it expected to shift resources to boost its digital distribution of music and video after it posted a wider quarterly loss.

Warner had made deals with Google, Brightcove and Joost to distribute music videos on line as it tried to tap into new revenue streams.

It posted a wider second-quarter loss this month and said it would eliminate jobs as demand for CDs shrank.

-Business Report

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 06:17 AM

JACKSON'S STUFF BRINGS IN $500,000

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jackson family memorabilia brought in about half a million dollars on the first of a two-day auction at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, auctioneer Guernsey's said Thursday. The auction, which wraps up late Thursday, displayed more than 1,100 lots, mostly costumes, documents, awards and other memorabilia.

One of the priciest items to sell was a black, military-style coat with an "M" crest that belonged to Michael Jackson. It fetched $24,000, said Guernsey's president Arlan Ettinger.

Several awards sold for similar amounts, including gold and platinum albums presented to the Jacksons for sales of We Are the World, recorded by a group of artists known as USA for Africa. The set sold for $20,000.

Universal Express Inc., a luggage company based in Boca Raton, Fla., acquired the items in March last year from New Jersey businessman Henry Vaccaro, who took possession of them in 2002 after a failed business venture wound up in bankruptcy court.

-USA Today

Tingly

June 1st, 2007, 06:18 AM

REJECTS MOVIE DUE OUT JULY 10

The All-American Rejects have chronicled the two-year tour in support of their 2005 album "Move Along" with the DVD "Tournado," due July 10 via Interscope. The bulk of the film is a concert shot in Minneapolis, but it also includes a behind-the-scenes documentary of life on the road with the Rejects.

To coincide with the release, the Rejects have teamed with Pepsi for an extensive promotional initiative. The band designed 500 million Pepsi cans that will hit U.S. stores July 1, while Pharrell Williams has remixed the Rejects track "Dance Inside" as part of the ad campaign.

-Billboard

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 05:36 AM

AEROSMITH ROCKS INDIA

Bangalore, June 3 : American band Aerosmith rocked fans at a concert in Bangalore.

Around 30,000 metal heads filled the expansive Palatial Grounds.

Front man Steven Tyler, lead guitarist Joe Perry, bassist Tom Hamilton, guitarist Brat Whitford and percussionist Joey Kramer belted out their all-time hit numbers as the crowd cheered.

Tyler also regaled the crowd with his on-stage antics with the band mates strumming and drumming alongside.

Much to the relief of organisers and a thousand-strong crowd from across the country and abroad, monsoon rains did not set in as the weatherman had predicted.

Melvin, a rock fan at the concert, said: "I like 'Always' and 'Crazy.' Steven Tyler is amazing. He really rocks. Their music is fabulous".

"I am here for Aerosmith. It rocks. One of my favourites is 'Crazy' and the other is 'I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing.' All I can say is their music rocks. I just love it," said Ishan Chopra, who travelled to Bangalore from Chandigarh to attend the concert.

The group's only stop over in Banglaore is also their first performance in the country.

Bangalore has emerged as India's rock capital of sorts, having hosted The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, The Scorpions, Bryan Adams, Deep Purple and Roger Waters in recent months.

Aerosmith kicked off their world tour on April 12 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which marks the band's first performance outside North America and Japan in eight years.

Before their Bangalore concert on Saturday, the band performed in Dubai on May 31.

Formed in 1970 and known for its hard rock music and scintillating gigs, Aerosmith has had a tumultuous past with break-ups and drug abuse cases.

However, the band has been going great guns ever since they regrouped in 1984.

Aerosmith holds the record maximum gold, platinum, multi-platinum and diamond album and singles. It has achieved worldwide album sales of over 140 million.

-ANI

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 05:39 AM

SOUTH KOREAN POP SINGER QUESTIONED ON DRAFT DODGING

SEOUL - Prosecutors were Monday questioning South Korean pop star Psy on suspicion of dodging mandatory military service.

The questioning will focus on whether Psy -- Park Jae-Sang -- was qualified for a job in a software firm which he took as an alternative to military service, a prosecution official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

South Korean men must serve in the military for at least two years unless they can claim special skills. If so, they can sometimes work in firms deemed to serve vital national interests as an alternative to the army.

The singer, dressed in a suit and tie, said he would "sincerely cooperate with the probe" while denying any wrongdoing, TV footage showed. On stage he is noted for his offbeat dress and behaviour.

If found guilty of dodging military service, Psy may be drafted into the army.

Draft-dodging is deep-rooted in South Korea, where many parents are willing to pay bribes to help their sons avoid tough military duty.

Prosecutors said last month they are expanding an investigation into companies suspected of taking bribes in return for helping young men dodge the army.

South Korea's 680,000-strong military, backed up by 29,500 US troops, faces off against North Korea's 1.1 million-strong armed forces.

-Kerala next

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 05:42 AM

MUSIC AND TECH SEARCH TERMS BRING YOU THE MOST MALICIOUS COMPUTER CODE

NEW YORK (AP) -- Search terms related to music and technology are most likely to return sites with spyware and other malicious code, a new study finds.

Some 42 percent of the results using the term "screensavers," for example, led to sites flagged with a "red" warning or a cautionary "yellow" by McAfee Inc.'s SiteAdvisor service. Other keywords McAfee deemed risky include names of file-sharing software - "BearShare," "LimeWire" and "Kazaa."

In many cases, the programs come bundled with adware and toolbars McAfee considers unwanted, according to McAfee's "The State of Search Engine Safety" report, scheduled for release Monday.

Nonetheless, McAfee found it slightly safer to use search engines overall. Although about 4 percent of search results lead to sites deemed risky, that's down from 5 percent a year ago.

"We've seen some incremental steps in the right direction," said Mark Maxwell, senior product manager for SiteAdvisor. "But the average Joe user should be aware there's still plenty to be concerned about."

Risks are greater when clicking on keyword ads that make up much of search companies' revenues: According to McAfee, 7 percent of such links produce risky sites, down from 8.5 percent a year ago.

SiteAdvisor rates sites based on whether they result in spyware, viruses, excessive pop-up ads, junk e-mail or other threats. The study was conducted by running about 2,300 popular keywords through the top five search engines - Google Inc., Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp.'s MSN, Time Warner Inc.'s AOL and IAC/InterActive Corp.'s Ask.

Search companies have taken steps to mitigate the risks. Google, for instance, sometimes flags links to sites it deems risky, and McAfee found a notable drop in risk when using Google, AOL and Ask. Ask and AOL get search ads from Google, and AOL uses Google to power regular search results as well.

-delawareonline

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 05:44 AM

The MTV Movie Awards were last night, but I don't give a **** about them, so I won't report anything. -Tingly

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 05:49 AM

PARIS IS DOING HER TIME

Mere hours after Paris Hilton stole much of the attention at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday night, the heiress' attorney announced shortly after 11 p.m. PT that Hilton had turned herself in to authorities to begin serving her 23-day jail sentence.

"I am ready to face the consequences of violating probation," Hilton said in the statement. "During the past few weeks I have had a lot of time to think and have come to realize I made some mistakes. This is an important point in my life and I need to take responsibility for my actions. In the future, I plan on taking more of an active role in the decisions I make. I want to thank my family, friends and fans for their continued support. Although I am scared, I am ready to begin my jail sentence."

Hilton — who was due to report to the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood, California, on Tuesday — expressed similar sentiments to MTV News' SuChin Pak when she talked with the correspondent prior to the Movie Awards (see "Paris Hilton Talks About Jail: 'I'm Obviously A Little Scared' "). Speaking in a poised, calm manner, Hilton explained that she hopes her prison time will inspire other young people to think about their actions and make good decisions. "These last couple of weeks have been a lot of time for self-reflection on my life and realizing what's important."

-VH1

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 05:56 AM

SGT PEPPER STILL AMONG THE GREAT ALBUMS

By Steven Van Zandt
The Hollywood Reporter

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) -- This weekend is the 40th anniversary of the release of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

After being obviously the "greatest album ever made" for years, it ran into a bit of revisionist history these past, oh, 30 years or so.

It probably began with one of the Beatles putting it down or shrugging it off or making the mistake of suggesting that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

All the great ones sooner or later put down their own work: Mick Jagger does it, Ray Davies, Pete Townshend (every hour or so) -- and it's always a mistake. They might be trying to be honest, but all it does is give license to the mindless vultures looking for permission to attack the otherwise invulnerable.

Anyway, somebody somewhere down the line pointed out that Paul McCartney's idea of making a "concept" record -- the Beatles writing and performing as a fictitious group and having the album tour instead of them -- lasted only through the second song, and when the album was pulled apart and studied, it wasn't their greatest collection of songs and blah, blah, blah.

So, with the only disclaimer that the appallingly awful stereo mastering is, tragically, the only available version right now, let me revise revisionist history and suggest that "Sgt. Pepper" was, and is, an incredible piece of work and absolutely the best representation of the Summer of Love and the very psychedelic 1967. (Blog: What are your "Pepper" memories?)

It was universally mind-blowing at the time. The Beatles, producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick did everything possible and more with the technology available at the time, and then the band pushed Emerick to invent things that weren't available!

And though it wasn't as linear a concept as the Who's "Tommy" would be two years later, it felt like we were being taken on a trip, a transcendent experience, not just listening to a group of songs.

Interestingly, in direct contrast to the album's ultramodern sound, its lyrics and sensibility were wistful, nostalgic -- very much looking back when the world was looking forward (and made more obvious if you include "Strawberry Fields" and "Penny Lane," both meant to be on the album). It's full of depressed, dysfunctional, cynical, confused and, yes, lonely characters going through the motions of life, implicitly asking, "Is this all there is?" when the band's audience was never more full of hope, discovering love and becoming philosophically enlightened.

The world was unified in its praise of and inspiration from the album as it has never been for anything before or since.

Find the mono version, and don't download one song at a time, listen to it all the way through.

I promise you will be transported to a place you've never been. A place that gives you unexpected energy, encourages you to dream and, somehow, makes you feel a little bit better about life.

-Reuters

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 05:57 AM

SHUTTING OFF LIGHTS AT CONCERTS NIXED IN UK

AL GORE'S plan for a symbolic switch-off of lights during concerts to raise awareness of climate change has been scuppered by the National Grid. The Wembley stunt was to have taken place during the global Live Earth concerts on 7 July.

-Scotsman

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 06:01 AM

GEORGETOWN MUSIC FEST A HIT WITH LOCAL BANDS IN SEATTLE

Last Saturday, the Georgetown Music Festival was pure local fire as sun rays and sound waves bounced off the concrete of a closed-off city block for nine straight hours.

Under a cloudless sky (and on two more stages inside Jules Maes Saloon), GMF succeeded in showcasing some of Seattle's brightest independent rock bands. The event's first half was a varied, intriguing assortment of NW indie-rock, while the second half was focused and heavier.

The Fest got a major adrenaline shot when Seattle band Ice Age Cobra took the stage in sweltering heat, kicking out white-hot blues-rock jams. The group's '70s American rock vibe is a spot-on and completely sincere throwback, and in the sweaty heat, its dirty, riffy set of classically rebellious rock hit hard.

The synchronicity between intense rock and intense heat continued as Seattle's The Hands won over their audience by force. After repeatedly wailing "rock 'n roll is dead," lead singer John Healy and his band screamed through tightly arranged and frantically solo-ed garage rock. They gave a visible 110 percent, powerfully resuscitating a heat-stroked, rock-loving crowd.

At the same time, Stanwood's underage Skullbot played GMF's loudest set, a scorching display of deafening groove metal that shook everything not bolted down at Jules Maes. They looked like kids and played like beasts straight through to the day's only encore, a deafening rendition of Seattle grunge legend Mudhoney's "Touch Me I'm Sick."

Set in an area rich in industrial cool, GMF's audience of young and aging hipsters (some brought their kids) watched as local foursome Tennis Pro ooh-ed, sha na na-ed and shouted their way through a half-hour of wonderfully scrappy rock. They looked at once upscale and trashy in half-attempted Value Village tennis outfits.

Inside Jules Maes, local songwriter Bre Laughlin was spirited and composed, singing clear, acoustic anthems over spare guitar and bass arrangements. Urgent and cool local power pop followed from high-energy three-piece Sea Navy and Ballard's radio-ready Lillydale. The latter wowed the crowd with a tight blend of palm-muted verses, melodic guitar hooks, and soaring choruses.

Of the nearly 30 bands that played Saturday (another 18 played Sunday), other notable performances came from local heavy-rock band With Friends Like These, and Portland psych-rockers The Pink Snowflakes, a GMF oddity whose echoed vocals, delay/reverb-heavy guitar walls, and bubble machines briefly turned an outdoor stage into loud, psychedelic carbonation.

Not every band sizzled. The substance waned with all-girl Seattle band The Trucks' hypersexual dance pop. And Earlimart, the evening's LA-based headliners, played restrained, graceful, slightly underwhelming pop to a 9 p.m. sunset.

But it was all embers by then. GMF's fire came from Ice Age Cobra, The Hands and Skullbot. They outshone the sun.

-seattletimes

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 06:04 AM

HOW BORED PILOT INVENTED FOLDING ELECTRIC GUITAR

An airline pilot's life can be a lonely one. Countless nights are spent in austere hotels, far from friends and family, with nothing but room service and cable television to ease the monotony.

A decade ago, Fredrik Johansson decided that he'd had enough of this dreary routine. A pilot for Scandinavian Airlines System, Johansson pined for his electric guitar while traveling. (His favorite pastime is playing the raucous tunes of Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, albeit through headphones, so as not to disturb the neighbors.) But conventional guitars were far too large to fit into his small overnight bag.

So Johansson began developing the Centerfold, a collapsible electric guitar that fits into a standard-size backpack. A hinge connects the Centerfold's neck to its body, so that the guitar can be folded in half; its design is reminiscent of a flip-top cell phone.

Johansson spent years building prototypes at his home in Stockholm, using little more than a table saw and off-the-shelf guitar parts. He had long been frustrated by what he terms "the string problem" -- that is, how to ensure that the strings neither tangle nor break during folding.

"Finally, I realized when I buy new strings, they're rolled up in a small paper bag," Johansson said. "I thought, If I make a small roller, I can collect the strings without damaging them."

He created an aluminum tube around which the strings are wound by turning a knob at the guitar's base. He initially placed the tube on the guitar's head, alongside the tuners, but soon moved it to the body, just below the bridge. This system allows a guitarist to pack up the instrument in less than 20 seconds, he said.

By 2002, Johansson had perfected the Centerfold's design and received a Swedish patent on it. He approached several guitar companies, asking whether they would be interested in licensing his creation. The responses were negative across the board.

"All of them said, 'Come back to us when you have your American patent,' " Johansson said. (He is applying for patents in Japan and the United States.)

But Leif Rehnstrom, a longtime professional musician in the Swedish city of Skelleftea, was intrigued. He had heard about the Centerfold through the music grapevine, and traveled 500 miles south to Stockholm to meet with Johansson.

"It only took 30 seconds to be convinced that this was a great idea," said Rehnstrom, a guitarist for the Drowners, a pop group. "The guitar played beautifully, like any other guitar."

Rehnstrom also thought that it would be ideal for musicians who hate to lug bulky guitar cases aboard buses and trains.

Convinced of the product's potential, Rehnstrom teamed up with Johansson to create the DeVillain Guitar Co., to make and market the Centerfold. The company received start-up capital and work space from a business incubator in Skelleftea, a city known for its vibrant rock scene. And Rehnstrom found an experienced luthier in Umea, a nearby city, who agreed to build 300 Centerfolds a year.

The first Centerfolds went on sale in early April, a little over 10 years after Johansson first had the idea of a foldable electric guitar. They are currently available at a few retail shops in Sweden and Germany, as well as online at DeVillain.com.

The guitars, with bodies made of Honduran mahogany, are not cheap: the price for American customers is $3,370, not including taxes and duties.

DeVillain also plans to develop a bass guitar version of the Centerfold. The company is far less enthusiastic about making a version for left-handers, with the body's curves reversed. But if enough bored, musically inclined, southpaw airline pilots demand them, DeVillain may change its mind.

-sfgate.com

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 06:06 AM

R&B SINGER TONY THOMPSON, DEAD, IN TEXAS, AT 31

WACO, Texas (AP) - Tony Thompson, who sang on the 1990s R & B hits "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) and "She's Playing Hard to Get" as part of the group Hi-Five, has died. He was 31.

Friends tell the Waco Tribune-Herald that Thompson was found dead Friday night of an apparent drug overdose.

Thompson signed with Jive Records in 1990 as part of Hi-Five. The quintet's self-titled debut album went multi-platinum and spawned hits like "I Can't Wait Another Minute" and "Just Another Girlfriend."

Thompson released his solo debut, "Sexsational," in 1995 after Hi-Five split.

The Waco native had recently moved back to his hometown from the Dallas area and was working on new material.

-KCTV5

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 06:08 AM

PARIS HILTON DROPPED BY WARNER BROTHERS RECORD LABEL

London, June 2 (ANI): Paris Hilton has received another shock in the midst of preparing for her prison term.

The jail-bound socialite, who is due to begin her slammer stint on June 5, has been dropped by her record label.

Warner Bros. has shown the door to the heiress, who is said to be devastated after learning of the verdict.

"We are not expecting any new Paris Hilton material in the foreseeable future,� the Mirror quoted a spokesman for the record label, as saying.

This pronouncement marks an embarrassing full stop to a pop career that Paris once boldly declared would "leave a mark on music".

The declaration to drop Hilton comes after Warner Bros used up a small fortune promoting her.

Her only video for first single Stars Are Blind, cost 250,000 dollars after being re-shot twice to make it more raunchy and spicy.

She was also financed for a world tour to promote her album and was put up in some of the world's most expensive hotels.

Apart from suffering huge losses, Warner Bros were also put off by Paris� unprofessional behaviour.

"Paris was sweet but she became more and more unreliable, which was a shame as the first song showed real promise," a label source said.

"She started missing interviews and everyone lost patience. She claimed she'd been working on the album for years and was proud of it. But the sales just didn't add up and in the end it was an easy decision to make,� the source added.

-ANI

Tingly

June 4th, 2007, 06:10 AM

JACK WHITE UPSET OVER PRE-RELEASE PLAYING OF HIS RECORD IN CHICAGO

If you play the White Stripes album early without permission, Jack White will find you and tell you what he thinks. And it probably won't be good. Chicago DJ Electra learned this the hard way on Wednesday, when White called her from Spain to say he didn't appreciate the early spin — which led to terrible-quality MP3 radio rips floating all over the Internet. Electra turned to her blog to tell her side of the story. "I don't think I did anything wrong, and I don't think I am helping to ruin the music industry," she said in the post. "I think I made people excited for the new White Stripes record. I know that was our intention." In other Stripes news, the band announced Thursday that they have had to push back the September 4-13 dates for their U.S. tour due to "unforseen scheduling issues."

-VH1

Tingly

June 5th, 2007, 06:38 PM

MUSIC PRODUCER LOU PERLMAN WAITING TO HEAR IF HE'S BEEN INDICTED

Music producer Lou Pearlman celebrates his 53rd birthday this month, but he may not throw much of a party. The one-time king of boy bands waits in self-imposed foreign exile for word on whether he'll be indicted for running one of the largest investment frauds in Florida history. Friends and relatives he betrayed still shake their heads in disgust and astonishment. They no longer hear from the man who once greeted them with hugs, remembered their birthdays and faithfully returned their calls no matter where he was on the globe. Instead, they file their claims in bankruptcy court with little hope of any significant recovery.

"He was the best salesman I've ever known," said David Mathis, a former Chicago freight company owner Pearlman took for $2.8 million. "He told us he had 412 airplanes, the company had a value of $1.8 billion and the IPO was coming out at $17.50 a share. It was totally convincing."

Mathis said Pearlman treated him to lunch with Britney Spears, introduced him to Sylvester Stallone and Hulk Hogan and took him for a ride on the Budweiser blimp.

"He could have sold anything," he said.

In fact, Pearlman sold lots of things. He sold lemonade as an 8-year-old and newspapers as a 10-year-old in the Flushing, N.Y. neighborhood where he grew up. The son of a dry cleaner, Pearlman imagined his future as an entrepreneur and the older he got, the bigger he dreamed. While still at Queens College, he put together a business plan for a helicopter commuter service. Next came a charter airline and aircraft leasing business, then a blimp advertising business.

The blimps and planes brought Pearlman to Orlando, where he encountered the New Kids on the Block on one of his charter flights and decided he could get rich by replicating their success. He had played in bands growing up and admired the career of first cousin Art Garfunkel - as in Simon and Garfunkel - but Pearlman had something much bigger in mind.

As his aviation businesses failed, he reinvented himself as an entertainment mastermind. He didn't discover bands; he made them up from scratch, auditioning prospects to put together the right sound and a carefully calculated mix of clean-cut teen heartthrobs.

And for a time, he was wildly successful. The Backstreet Boys and NSync sold 58 million records in the United States and millions more in Europe. Billboard says NSync's album No Strings Attached still holds the record for sales in one week at 2.4 million copies, a feat accomplished in 2000.

However, none of Pearlman's other groups rose to similar stardom. As the boy band sound began fading in popularity, Pearlman created one new group after another and branched out into movies and TV shows, sometimes playing himself.

"Anybody that came in with an idea, he'd throw money at it," said Jerry McHale, the receiver the state placed in charge of Pearlman's crumbling empire last February. "I have the distinct impression there was not a businessman in that whole building."

As his empire grew, Pearlman created corporations by the dozen, but didn't bother with niceties like standard accounting. McHale said Pearlman freely transferred money from one company to another and paid bills without regard to which company owed the money.

A former accounting student at Queens College, Pearlman used phony financial statements from a nonexistent accounting firm to convince bankers and potential investors that he and his main company, Trans Continental Airlines, were prospering. He owes more than $150 million to lenders, some of whom hold worthless Trans Continental stock as collateral.

The Backstreet Boys and NSync sued Pearlman, claiming they had been cheated. Both settled, paying Pearlman to get out of their contracts.

"Between the Backstreet Boys and NSync, we recovered close to $60 million for him," said Cheney Mason, one of the Orlando lawyers who represented him on contingency. Pearlman never paid the bill and the court judgment the lawyers got against him has grown to about $19 million, Cheney said.

"Every lawyer he's had since then, he has stiffed by large numbers," he said.

Now Pearlman can't find a lawyer in Orlando to represent him, according to a recent bankruptcy court filing purporting to be from him.

The portly Pearlman loved the limelight, even recording a short video about his lifestyle, "Lou Pearlman Living Large," which he often popped into the VCR in his opulent office when investors visited. It features a Lou-guided tour of his Mediterranean mansion outside Orlando in suburban Windemere, with boats and jet skis docked out back on Lake Butler. He shows off his fleet of luxury cars and diamond-studded Rolex watch with matching ring and cuff links that he claims are worth $425,000.

Pearlman, who never married and didn't drink, loved entertaining lavishly at his home, restaurants and even a skybox at Raymond James Stadium. He contributed heavily to Republican politicians and bought a small interest in the Orlando Predators arena football team. He dispensed business advice in a 2003 book, "Bands, Brands & Bills: My Top 10 Rules for Making Any Business Go Platinum." Many investors have autographed copies.

Although Pearlman bragged of having a doctorate in business, he didn't often mention that it came from online Century University, which lacks recognized accreditation.

Pearlman's purchase of the Church Street Station complex in downtown Orlando in 2003 brought him praise and $1.5 million in an economic development loan from the city.

But what propped up Pearlman's businesses and ultimately brought his downfall was the sale of worthless stock and bogus savings accounts to the tune of more than $300 million.

He owes money to about 1,800 investors, primarily from Florida and New York, including cousins and childhood friends. Nearly 800 are from the Tampa Bay area, out a collective $78 million. Some knew Pearlman personally, while others invested through his of agents.

The investments date to the 1980s. Some people bought stock, expecting to get in on a forthcoming stock offering and earn hefty dividends in the meantime.

However, most of Pearlman's investors thought they were getting an FDIC-insured high-yield savings account that would be a safe place for their retirement savings. A fake insurance certificate and a glowing Dun & Bradstreet report based on false financials helped convince them of its safety.

-The Ledger

Tingly

June 5th, 2007, 06:42 PM

DON BLACK AND OTHERS INDUCTED INTO SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME

By Nekesa Mumbi Moody, The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Writing a song that touches the hearts of millions is hard enough.

Writing a warm and fuzzy ballad about one of nature's most despised animals — the rat — seemed to be an impossible task, even for Oscar-winning composer Don Black.

Black, whose credits include many of the themes for the James Bond movies and his Academy Award-winning Born Free, about a lion, was asked to write the title song for the 1972 horror movie Ben, about a lonely boy whose only friend is a rodent named Ben.

"When it came to writing about a rat, I said, 'You can't write about a rat.' I mean, I'm not going to use words like 'cheese,"' laughed Black. "I thought the best thing to do is write about friendship."

Black's approach worked — and the song Ben, sung by a teenaged Michael Jackson, became one of pop music's most enduring and oddest classics. The song is one of the reasons why Black is being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Other inductees include singer-songwriter Jackson Browne; Caribbean songwriter Irving Burgie, best known for Harry Belafonte's Day-O ; Michael Masser, whose hits include Touch Me in the Morning and The Greatest Love of All ; and the songwriting team of Bobby Weinstein and the late Teddy Randazzo, which wrote songs such as Gonna Take a Miracle. Previous inductee Dolly Parton will receive the Johnny Mercer award for her career achievements, while relative newcomer and Grammy-winner John Legend will receive the Hal David Starlight Award.

Black's most famous songs also include Diamonds are Forever by Shirley Bassey, which Kanye West remade into the rap hit Diamonds. The reinvention of his song was "great fun," Black said.

"That's the way you keep a song going. I thought he did a fantastic job. Obviously it isn't my world but it made me very trendy with my son. I started wearing bling," he joked.

Black, who is also a Tony Award-winner, told The Associated Press that receiving the Songwriters Hall honor "means more to me than you can imagine.

"When I was growing up in the east of London as a little boy, all my heroes were the people who are on this invitation," he said.

Parton, who was inducted into the hall in 2001, said songwriting is the most important part of her career as an entertainer.

"I would always give up everything before I give up the writing, because it's really my way of expressing myself, and it's just a natural thing and the song just took me everywhere I've been so far," she told the AP. "So it's very important. ... To be honored for it and recognized for it is a great great compliment."

Parton's credits include "9 to 5," "I Will Always Love You," and the autobiographical "Coat of Many Colors." Parton estimates she has written over 3,000 songs and says she writes something every day.

Still, she acknowledges that her songwriting talent is sometimes overshadowed by her colorful persona.

"I've had people tell me ... 'People would take you so much more serious as a singer and writer if you didn't look like a whore,'" she says, laughing. "I say, it's looking like the whore that's the fun part, and I can't give that up, because it's all part of a package!"

Tingly

June 5th, 2007, 06:47 PM

SPECTOR JURY SHOWN PICTURE OF VICTIM WITH PURSE ON RIGHT SHOULDER, AS IF TO LEAVE

Jurors in the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector today (June 5) saw the bloody revolver that was found at the feet of the actress he is accused of killing in his home.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Det. Mark Lillienfeld donned gloves before removing the gun from an envelope because of the blood still on it. He used photographs to point out a holster in an open drawer of a bureau near the spot where Lana Clarkson's body found was slumped in Spector's foyer. The holster was later shown to fit the gun, Lillienfeld said.

Clarkson, 40, died from a shot fired with the gun in her mouth early on Feb. 3, 2003. She had accompanied Spector to his Alhambra, Calif., mansion after meeting him at her job as a hostess at the House of Blues just hours earlier.

Spector's lawyers say Clarkson killed herself.

Prosecutor Pat Dixon had Lillienfeld point out in the photographs a leopard-print purse that hung over Clarkson's right shoulder. Her right hand rested atop the purse, which sat on the floor.

The coroner who conducted Clarkson's autopsy and ruled her death a homicide testified previously that the presence of the purse on her shoulder was one of the non-medical observations that led him to rule out suicide.

-Billboard

Tingly

June 5th, 2007, 06:50 PM

IS 'LEAKING TRACKS' THE NEW MARKETING STRATEGY?

Sydney, June 5 (ANI): 10 demos from Kylie Minogue�s latest album have been circulating on cyberspace fuelling rumours that it is a marketing strategy for advanced publicity.

In the past fortnight alone, five new songs have been uploaded on to file-sharing sites, and fan sites have published the track list of a reported three-CD set of 49 demos.

"She and her record company leaked the tracks deliberately," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted music industry analyst Phil Tripp, who runs Australian music consultancy Immedia!, as saying.

"It's the newest gimmick in the industry, the leaking of tracks. It's the new marketing black. It's at a time when she needs as much positive press as she can get. Not just her, but everyone in the industry. You need as much exposure as you can get, and you need as much advance publicity as possible,� he added.

Although YouTube has already pulled many of the fan-made videos for the demo songs, at the persistence of the record label, and some of the file-sharing sites have blocked-up the illegal downloads, the songs have already been widely circulated by Minogue's online fan base, through forums and blogs.

But the �I Should Be So Lucky� singer�s spokesman has hit back at allegations that the leak was a publicity stunt.

"There would be no point songs being released onto the net this far ahead of the release,� the spokesman said.

-ANI

Tingly

June 5th, 2007, 06:54 PM

FLORIDA MUSIC TEACHER SUSPENDED FOR HITTING KIDS

By Jean-Paul Renaud
Sun-Sentinel.com

FORT LAUDERDALE -- The Broward School Board suspended Coconut Creek High School music teacher Scott Adelman without pay on Tuesday amid allegations the four-year employee was physically aggressive with his students.

In an administrative complaint presented to board members, Adelman admits to slamming the cover to the piano keys on a student's fingers, as well as teaching his pupils to breath into their instrument by punching them in the stomach.

The complaint also alleges Adelman used inappropriate language around his students, including profanity.

In one incident, a student used a cell phone to record Adelman saying: "I am ready to put my fingers around someone's neck and choke someone right now."

When reached at his home by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Adelman said "there is evidence to present to the contrary."

"Before this school year I have received nothing less than satisfactory ratings on my yearly Instrucational Personnel Assessments," added Adelman in an email to the newspaper, regarding his yearly evaluations.

Adelman said he will file an appeal, which will send the case to an administrative judge.

"Letters of support from band parents and students on my behalf will be presented," Adelman wrote.

Tingly

June 7th, 2007, 06:46 PM

DROPPED DRUM RETURNED TO OWNER

ST. ALBANS, Vt. (AP) -- Call it drum luck. Kevin Lawyer had just finished a gig last month at Nectar's, a Burlington night spot, strapped his drum set into the back of his pickup truck and set off on his 25-mile trip home up Interstate 89 to St. Albans.

When he got there, his 16-inch floor tom was gone from its case.

He surmised that an unsecured case lid and a bump in the road were to blame.

He got back in his truck, drove back to Burlington, made a U-turn and repeated the trip to St. Albans, driving very slowly with his flashers on, scanning the roadsides for the escaped drum.

"I looked for three or four hours," he said. "I got pulled over for going too slow, but the cop let me go when I told him what I was doing."

Another northbound traveler on I-89 that night was Steve Harrington of Richmond, a driver for Carpenter's Motor Transport who spends his nights driving bulk mail around northern Vermont.

His headlights caught the glint of the drum's chrome by the white line at the roadside. He did what seemed natural. "If you saw a drum on the side of the road in the middle of the night, wouldn't you stop and pick it up?" he asked.

Harrington called state police, who said they'd received no reports of a missing drum. He asked at music stores and among musician friends. He drove his truck with the drum in the front passenger seat, figuring he might happen upon its rightful owner.

Vermont's a small place, and finally Harrington found someone who knew someone who knew someone else who had lost a drum.

Harrington and Lawyer spoke and set a time to meet. "It's a great day," Lawyer said. "I can't believe it."

-1010 WINS

Tingly

June 8th, 2007, 05:28 AM

Paris Hilton got out of jail early.

Yeah, what a shock.

Tingly

June 8th, 2007, 05:29 AM

MORON LILY ALLEN BLAMES TOURING FOR ALCOHOL PROBLEMS

Controversial and outspoken singer Lily Allen has blamed boozing opportunities on tour for her alcohol problems.

Ananova.com quoted her as saying: 'When you walk into your dressing room every night and there are 40 beers there, it's difficult not to drink them all, you know? I have a very addictive personality, and alcohol leads to other things. I don't want to end up hanging over a toilet seat snorting coke when I'm 50.'

-IANS

Tingly

June 8th, 2007, 05:30 AM

JESSICA ALBA STUDIED VIOLIN FOR ROLE IN MOVIE

Actress Jessica Alba spent close to half-a-year learning to play the violin for her role in the horror movie 'The Eye'.

Alba wanted to be convincing in the role, reports imdb.com. She had no knowledge in classical music before she signed up for the movie and struggled to master the instrument.

She said: 'I don't know much, or anything really, about classical music - unfortunately - and I had to learn in six months to play Beethoven and Mozart. It was so hard, I practiced for hours.'

-IANS

Tingly

June 8th, 2007, 05:32 AM

WEIRDO SINEAD O'CONNOR CLAIMS SHE HAD A FIST FIGHT WITH PRINCE

Washington, June 8 : Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O'Connor had a tussle with American musician Prince after he disapproved of her covering his hit song 'Nothing Compares To You'.

The song was originally written by Prince in 1984 and was recorded and released for his side project 'The Family'.

However, the song became a massive hit after Connor covered it in 1990.

The 40-year-old revealed that Prince invited her to his Los Angeles home and misbehaved because he was upset about her covering the song.

"At the time he had a lot of female proteges and I had covered his song without having anything to do with him. He invited me to his house in Los Angeles and started to give out to me for swearing in interviews," Contactmusic quoted Connor, as saying.

Connor insisted that the argument became 'physical' that she had to 'escape' from his house after exchanging few blows.

"When I told him to go ****** himself he got very upset and became quite threatening, physically. I ended up having to escape," she said.

"He can pack a punch. A few blows were exchanged. All I could do was spit. I spat on him quite a bit," she added.

-ANI

Tingly

June 8th, 2007, 05:33 AM

CLIFF RICHARDS MUSIC USED TO SCATTER KIDS?

Washington, June 8 : Funfair organisers have shown that Sir Cliff Richard's songs may be instrumental in shooing away troublesome youths.

Executives at Carter's Steam Fair were perplexed by the presence of some youths who were affecting families trying to go on some of the rides.

As soon as Cliff Richard's tracks were played by Seth Carter, who runs the fair, the youngsters began to scatter.

"It was amazing, just like a scene from [the film] 'Mars Attacks' when the aliens were driven away by the sounds of Slim Whitman," Contactmusic quoted Carter as saying.

"From now on if we do have any trouble we have found the perfect deterrent and it comes in the shape of the Peter Pan of Pop. Who needs Asbos when we've got our Cliff Richard records?" he added.

The travelling funfair was organised in Essex. Carter said at that time that he might continue using Richard's songs for driving away troublesome youths.

According to Richard's official website, he is set for a busy 2007 and expects to spend most of this year outside the UK.

-ANI

Tingly

June 8th, 2007, 05:35 AM

GEORGE MICHAEL TO BE SENTENCED IN LONDON

Press Association
Friday June 8, 2007 10:43 AM

Singer George Michael has arrived at court to be sentenced for driving while unfit.

The star has admitted the offence, claiming he was guilty due to "tiredness and prescribed drugs".

He arrived at Brent Magistrates' Court in north London wearing a dark suit and sunglasses to hear what his sentence will be.

At an earlier hearing, the court heard that Michael, 43, had a cocktail of drugs in his system including GHB and cannabis.

He was found slumped at the wheel of his Mercedes in Cricklewood, north London, on October 1 last year.

Prosecutors told the court that tests showed a therapeutic quantity of an anti-depressant in the singer's system as well as illegal dance club drug GHB - a class C substance - but Michael's defence counsel said GHB could be present in the blood without any illegal substances having been taken.

Tingly

June 8th, 2007, 05:40 AM

McCARTNEY STAGES INCREDIBLE CONCERT IN LONDON AND AMAZES THE CROWD

Sir Paul McCartney has staged an intimate concert in London to celebrate the release of his 21st solo album.

Some 1,000 fans were treated to Beatles classics like Drive My Car and Hey Jude as well as tracks from Memory Almost Full, which was released on Monday.

The gig, at Camden's Electric Ballroom, was only announced on Thursday morning, but the free tickets were all snapped up in just 13 minutes.

Among the audience were Pierce Brosnan, Kate Moss and Stella McCartney.

Actress Emma Thompson, guitar legend Jeff Beck and Pink Floyd star David Gilmour also made the journey to north London for the concert.

"He seemed really and honestly happy to be there and on great from," said fan Nick Sargeant, from London.

"The stuff from the new album was excellent. All in all it was pretty amazing."

Sir Paul, 64, kicked off the show with Drive My Car and ended with Hey Jude before returning for an encore of Let It Be, Lady Madonna and I Saw Her Standing There.

He also sang Here Today, from the 1982 album Tug Of War, for his former bandmates in the Beatles and first wife Linda McCartney.

"This one was written for John," Sir Paul told the audience. "I would like to dedicate this song to all our fallen heroes - John, George, Linda and all the lovely people."

The star, whose last pop concert in the UK was 2005's Live 8, is more used to playing arenas and stadiums than small clubs.

"It's a little while since I played a gig like this," he told the audience to huge cheers.

Before the concert, he said the show would be "even more exciting because you see the whites of their eyes".

Fans, too, were impressed at how close they could get to the music legend.

"After all these years he still connects with audiences like no one else," said Michael Kinraid from London.

"My favourite moment was Blackbird - so simple and beautiful," said Susanne Essen. "It will take a long time to beat that."

Sir Paul's latest album, Memory Almost Full, has been released on a label run by coffee house chain Starbucks.

Fans have spotted that title is an anagram of For My Soulmate LLM - the initials of his late wife, Linda Louise McCartney.

The singer, who is in the process of divorcing his second wife, Heather Mills McCartney, has not commented on the title.

-BBC

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 03:52 PM

GEORGE MICHAEL SENTENCED TO 100 HOURS COMMUNITY SERVICE IN UK

London, June 10 : A British judge on June 8 sentenced pop singer George Michael to 100 hours of community service and banned him from driving for two years for driving under the influence of drugs.

Michael had pleaded guilty on May 8 to a charge of driving while unfit in the course of drugs, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison.

Police said Michael was found slumped at the wheel of his car in north London after witnesses observed the vehicle weaving onto the wrong side of the road.peaking outside the courtroom, Michael accepted responsibility for his crime but branded the "media coverage of this trial farcical".ichael added he was glad to put the trial behind him, and was now off "to play the biggest show of my life at Wembley".

In court the singer's lawyers were firm that his guilty plea was tendered only on the basis that his unfitness to drive was due to the sleeping tablet and his natural exhaustion.

But Michael Grieve, representing the singer, said that the court experts agreed that the presence of GHB could have been caused naturally.

Grieve said Michael would be hit hard by a driving ban because "he is not somebody, for obvious security reasons, who can use public transport".

-ANI

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 03:53 PM

AMY WINEHOUSE PIX CAUSING CONCERN

London, June 10 : British singer Amy Winehouse has friends and fans worried after pictures of her with slashes on her arms started making the rounds, leading them to believe that she is continuing her self harming session.

And, Winehouse was not the only one sporting cuts, for so was new hubby Blake Fielder-Civil.

Pictures show slashes on their arms and a worried pal claims that the singing star hurts herself to 'feel alive'.

The pal said that Winehouse is never going to admit to the control Blake has over her, and that she harms herself to 'imitate' him.

"She'd never admit to the hold Blake has over her. She does it to emulate him, to copy him, and that's dangerous," News of the World quoted the pal, as saying.

The pal dismissed rumours that the Back to Black singer hurt herself when she was 9, when her parents separated, and said that the singer actually cut herself to cope with fame and work pressure

"Privately she's said she cut herself because of work pressure. She's struggled with depression and says a blade piercing her skin makes her feel alive," the pal said.

The pal also said that Winehouse fears that her behaviour will make her record company and her fans think that she is 'a nutter', and turn their backs on her.

However, it seems that even those fears are not enough to stop her from harming herself.

"She's worried fans and record company bosses will think she's a nutter - but it doesn't stop her," the pal added.

-ANI

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 03:56 PM

UK MUSIC COMPANIES LOVE THE U.S., BUT IT'S A DANGEROUS MARKET

LONDON: Maybe the Beatles made it look too easy. Since they landed in New York in 1964, British musicians and record company executives have headed to the United States in the hope of making it big. Now, record labels are talking up a new generation of promising British acts.

In between, however, two of the biggest names in the British music industry, EMI and Sanctuary, have learned some hard lessons. Today, both are on the brink of being sold, tripped up by a music industry in decline and by missteps in the all-important U.S. market, analysts say.

EMI and Sanctuary operate in different areas of the music business, and Sanctuary is a far smaller - and far more troubled - company. Still, analysts say there are some parallels in their experiences in America, a market where local acts account for the overwhelming majority of music sales.

"If a record company wants to be a worldwide operation, then it has to be successful in America," said Paul Williams, managing editor of Music Week, a trade publication based in London. It has been more challenging for British companies to compete, he said, because "over the last 15 or 20 years, the American market has changed radically."

EMI recently agreed to be acquired for £2.4 billion, or about $4.8 billion, by Terra Firma Capital Partners, a British private equity firm. The agreement follows several years of unsuccessful efforts by EMI to lift itself out of last place among the four record industry "majors" in the United States - Universal Music Group, Sony BMG and Warner Music Group.

Sanctuary has only a small recording arm, instead specializing in managing the careers of musicians like Elton John and selling tour memorabilia. Following the disclosure last year of accounting irregularities and substantial losses, linked in part to investments in the United States, the company found itself a takeover target, too. It said last month that it had received several bid approaches.

Why have British music companies had such a hard time in the United States? Analysts say that executives have sometimes failed to understand the importance of mastering intricate social networks in a business where connections are everything. They also underestimated the scale of the U.S. market because of their experience in Britain, where most of the influential players are based in a single city, London.

"Exporting out of the U.K. is a very different thing from running a rock 'n' roll business in America," said Osman Eralp, an music industry consultant. "The problem isn't British rock 'n' roll, it's the rock 'n' roll executives."

Analysts said some of the biggest miscalculations have involved spotting musical trends. EMI underestimated the growing popularity of urban music like rhythm 'n' blues and rap in the 1990s and then made some expensive mistakes when it tried to catch up, they added.

In 2001, for instance, EMI signed Mariah Carey, one of the best-selling artists of the 1990s, to a five-album deal worth a reported $80 million. But the first of those albums, "Glitter," flopped, and EMI paid Carey $28 million to buy out the rest of her deal. Carey later signed with Universal's Island Records label, where she has had a remarkable comeback.

Sanctuary blundered in similarly spectacular fashion. In 2003, it tried to diversify into urban music by acquiring MW Entertainment, Production and Management, a company run by Mathew Knowles, father of the R&B star Beyoncé, for $10 million.

Although MW manages the career of Beyoncé, one of the most successful urban musicians, what Sanctuary failed to realize is that "working an urban act is very different from launching a rock band," Williams said.

"You can't just follow a formula and say, 'Right, that worked for my guitar band, let's do that for my hip-hop act,' " he added.

Sanctuary lost millions of dollars trying to develop an urban record label, analysts say. Eventually, with losses piling up, Sanctuary sold MW back to Knowles for half of the purchase price last year. And while the company was focusing on its ill-fated U.S. expansion, the rest of the business was deteriorating, analysts said.

Last year, as the company announced that it had discovered accounting problems, and it dismissed its chief executive and co-founder, Andy Taylor. The other founder, Rod Smallwood, left later, taking a long-running contract to manage the heavy metal band Iron Maiden with him.

Sanctuary, which is named after an Iron Maiden song, hired Robert Ayling, a former chief executive of British Airways, as chairman in an effort to clean up the mess. According to British news reports, the company, which has a market capitalization of about £36 million, has drawn interest from Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and private equity investors. Sanctuary declined to make an executive available for an interview.

-IHT

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 03:59 PM

MAN DIES AT MUSIC FESTIVAL IN SCOTLAND

A man has died after being found unconscious at a music festival in the Highlands.

Northern Constabulary said the 39-year-old was discovered in his car by a member of the public at the Rock Ness event just after midnight.

More than 35,000 fans enjoyed baking summer temperatures on the shores of Loch Ness at the start of the event.

Police said the man's death did not appear to be suspicious. His identity has not yet been released.

Police investigation

Ambulance staff tried to resuscitate the man at the scene and he was subsequently transferred to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

"Unfortunately the man died shortly after his arrival at Raigmore Hospital," the force said in a statement.

-BBC

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 04:00 PM

JAGGER SINGS WITH BROTHER IN SMALL PUB

LONDON, England (AP) -- Little known musician Chris Jagger had been saying for years that his famous brother Mick would one day join him on stage. When it finally happened, the audience numbered about 40.

Grainy footage of the gig late last month at the Bull's Head, a riverside pub in southwest London, was available on YouTube, posted by someone who captured the event on a cell phone.

The Rolling Stones kicked off a European tour in Belgium this week and will be headlining at the Isle of Wight music festival on Sunday.

Mick Jagger, 63, had been visiting his former wife Jerry and their children in nearby Richmond when he slipped into the pub wearing a purple jumper and joined Chris's Atcha! blues band.

In the impromptu performance, Chris, 59, plays guitar, and the brothers use a single microphone to sing "Dead Flowers," a track from the Stones' "Sticky Fingers" album.

Chris told the Daily Mail newspaper that he persuaded his brother during a break in the Atcha! show to take to the stage.

"At first he didn't really want to do it, but I said to him: 'You've got a tour coming up. I think you need the practice'," Chris said.

-AP

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 04:07 PM

MORE LITIGATION: COUNTRY MUSIC PUBLISHER SUES YOUTUBE

A Tennesee-based music publishing company that owns the copyrights to 14 No. 1 hit singles, including songs by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and other country artists, filed a class action lawsuit against YouTube on June 7, eWEEK has learned.

The company, Cal IV Entertainment, alleged that YouTube hosts more than 60 of the company's copyrighted songs and accused YouTube of direct, induced, vicarious and contributory copyright infringement.

As with a similar lawsuit recently filed against YouTube by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Cal IV argues that even though YouTube complies with the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) by removing videos quickly after being notified, the site does nothing to dissuade repeat infringement.

"YouTube has failed to adopt and reasonably implement a policy that provides for the termination of repeat-infringing YouTube subscribers and account holders," the complaint reads. "YouTube also fails to monitor works it [had] previously been notified are being infringed."

The complaint comes on the heels of similar lawsuits against the video sharing site from the English Premier Soccer League and bluegrass musician David Grisman.

Cal IV's complaint describes in detail the difficulty of both finding infringing works on YouTube and keeping them off the site once they've been removed. Because users are able to tag and describe videos in random fashion, the complaint says, Cal IV is unable to find and request removal of all its works.

The complaint also alleges that, even though Cal IV enrolled in YouTube's Content Verification Program, which was ostensibly supposed to curtail future uploads of Cal IV's copyrighted material, the company continues to find its copyrighted material on the site on a daily basis.

eWeek.com

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 04:09 PM

FREE MUSIC CD'S BEING SENT TO U.S. TROOPS

Lyon Station, PA June 8, 2007 -- Music For Troops (MFT) recently announced the creation of a boxed set of CDs titled "All States All Stars" that will be sent free to men and women serving in the armed forces in the US and overseas.

To create the CD sets, bands from all across America donated songs representing each of the 50 states. Every boxed set includes 4 CDs and a poster featuring John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting who wrote the introduction for the project.

On the Fourth of July Music For Troops will send up to 20,000 copies - totaling a million songs -- of the "All States All Stars" boxed set to men and women serving in the armed forces. To help support the project people throughout USA have been donating $1 and signing the CD box online at www.amillionsongs.org "Every $1 donated sends 33 songs to our troops," says Tom Hughes, executive director, Music for Troops, headquartered in Lyons Station, PA.

Music For Troops (MFT), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to sending the gift of music to American troops. "Thanks to the generous support and music donations by artists including John Ondrasik, Tommy Cash and Deborah Allen and many others from around the country, MFT has sent over 250,000 songs to our troops. In times of uncertainty, music can be an outlet for the men and women who protect and serve our nation and Music For Troops is dedicated to providing that outlet," says Hughes, who founded the organization in 200X.

In addition to making a one-dollar donation, there are several ways to support Music for Troops. Artists may donate the use of some of their songs as downloads available to service people by logging on to the website www.musicfortroops.com. All music donated to MFT qualifies for a Federal tax deduction. The donated songs are uploaded on the site by MFT and only those in the US military who register with MFT are able to download the music at MFT's safe and legal website environment. MFT tracks of the number of downloads for each artist and sends a detailed account and receipt to each artist at the end of the year for tax purposes. All ownership rights, copyrights, etc. remain with the artist or rightful owner.

Those in the military may simply register with MFT at www.musicfortroops.com to begin downloading their favorite songs. Song requests may be emailed at http://www.musicfortroops.com/contact/ and MFT will seek donations from the artists.

To become a supporter, contact Music For Troops or make a charitable contribution online at http://www.musicfortroops.com/donation/. Donations are tax deductible.

Contact: Tom Hughes tel: (617) 850-5967 Music For Troops www.musicfortroops.com P.O. Box 295 Lyon Station, PA 19536

-KeralaNext

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 04:11 PM

BLACK EYED PEAS INSIST THEY ARE STILL TOGETHER

With all four members ensconced in solo projects, the Black Eyed Peas have been unusually dormant in 2007. And singer Fergie says it may be that way for a little while longer.

"We don't have an album yet, a Black Eyed Peas album," she tells Billboard.com. "We haven't had time; everybody's been constantly working, as we always do. But we will have an album. We're not going away."

The group won't be completely invisible this year. The quartet will perform at the London Live Earth concert on July 7 and at Japan's Summer Sonic Festival on Aug. 11 in Tokyo and Aug. 12 in Osaka.

The group is also planning a special tour for later this year. "It's 15 different countries featuring 15 shows in some pretty unique places," she says. "So that's going to be exciting. This will have been the longest time we have not performed together, so it'll be a nice reunion."

Fergie, who joined the Peas in 2002, reports that bandmates will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo are all working on solo albums, all of which are on target to be released before the end of the year. But Fergie isn't concerned about the group breaking up -- even in the wake of the success of her solo debut, "The Dutchess," which has sold nearly two million copies in the U.S. according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"The thing with us is it's such a great family, and we've always been honest with each other," she says. "I love the beauty of having both, because being a solo artist is my dream, and it's really important to me to have my own voice. But I also love working with the Peas. I think everybody feels the same way."

Fergie plans to spend the bulk of 2007 on the road, either on her own or with BEP. She's currently "knee-deep" in a tour sponsored by Verizon Wireless and supporting "Big Girls Don't Cry," the fourth single from "The Duchess." She expects more singles to pop off the album but says at this point it's anybody's guess which will be released.

"I love 'Mary Jane's Shoes,' that kind of chill girl thing," says Fergie. "Or maybe 'Clumsy,' a throwback to oldies. I'd just like to get as much music out there as possible so that I can show as many sides of myself as possible and so people can discover that there's something on the album for them."

-Billboard

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 04:12 PM

LAST CONCERT CD BY WAYLON JENNINGS TO BE RELEASED

The last major concert by one of country music's most unique figures will be released in uncut form next month. The late Waylon Jennings' "Never Say Die: The Final Concert Film" hits stores July 24 via Columbia/Legacy in a double-disc CD and DVD documenting one of his final performances, staged at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium in February 2000.

Highlights include guest contributions from John Anderson on "Waymore's Blues, Travis Tritt on "I've Always Been Crazy" and Montgomery Gentry aiding on "I'm a Ramblin' Man." Jennings is also joined by his wife, singer/songwriter Jessi Colter, on four songs.

Bonus DVD features include previously unreleased rehearsal footage and 2000-era interviews with Jennings, Willie Nelson, Chet Atkins and Kris Kristofferson, among others.

One of the founders of the "outlaw" country movement, Jennings released over 50 albums in his lifetime. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 64.

-Billboard

Tingly

June 10th, 2007, 04:23 PM

ONE YEAR AGO IN THE TINGLY NEWS THREAD

News from June 10, 2006:
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JERSEY BOYS TO WHITE HOUSE
Cast members from Broadway’s Jersey Boys will perform at the White House in Washington D.C. for the Senate Spouses Luncheon given by First Lady Laura Bush on Monday, June 12, 2006.

Winner of the Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical, Jersey Boys has been nominated for eight Tony Awards. The show is playing at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue).

Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
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SOUNDMAN INDUCTED TO HALL OF FAME
The keen ear and technical know-how that put Bob Heil’s name in the Rolodexes of rockers Pete Townshend, Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton have landed him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

A display of mixing boards, special-effects machinery and speakers made by Heil and used by the biggest rock acts of the 1970s will be put on permanent display today in the Cleveland museum.
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SOME KIDS STILL INTO CLASSIC ROCK
Talk about messing with Mom and Dad's head: When it comes to kids these days and their crazy rock 'n' roll, everything new sounds old again.

Time was, generational battles were born of whose music was better: ours or theirs. But today, growing numbers of teens and tweens are embracing rockdom's mightiest dinosaurs. Such retail hangouts as Hot Topic and Target can't keep Hendrix shirts and Beatles towels and Stones caps in stock. More young people can be seen at a Paul McCartney show than a Foo Fighters gig.

And if you cross-sample rookie rock bands here and abroad, the classic rock influences aren't hidden underneath modern-day soundscapes. Instead, thunderous Black Sabbath sludge, Byrdsian jangle and vintage psychedelia are nothing less than ferociously front and center. That's not merely homage, folks; that's a cover band.

Tom Petty was wrong, it seems: It's really such a blast when you're living in the past. Just ask the dudes in Wolfmother, an Australian trio of head-banging hairballs, and the guys in the Raconteurs, a throwback quartet featuring White Stripes lug Jack White. Each group is garnering great attention and big buzz, not for pushing the envelope but for crawling inside that envelope and mailing it back to 1969. The kids love 'em, and so do I.

-St. Pete Times
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This Day in Music History (June 10):

2005 - Number 1 on the U.S. pop charts: We Belong Together - Mariah Carey

2004 - Ray Charles dies at his Beverly Hills, Calif., home from complications relating to liver disease.

2001 - Number 1 on the U.S. pop charts: Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera

2001 - Number 1 on the UK album chart - Radiohead with 'Amnesiac'.

2001 - Flooding in the Houston area forces the cancellation of a concert by Journey with Peter Frampton and John Waite.

1998 - Former Oak Ridge Boys member Steve Sanders is found dead early in the morning in Coral Gables, Fla., where he had been living. He is 45. Sanders dies from an apparently self-inflicted gun shot wound.

1997 - INXS kicked off a seven date UK tour at Aberdeen Exhibition Centre. Tickets cost £17.50 ($30).

1992 - A Los Angeles judge throws out a $25 million palimony suit brought against British rock singer Rod Stewart by Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kelly Emberg, his longtime girlfriend.

1991 - Temptations member Eddie Kendricks was arrested while attending the funeral of soul singer David Ruffin in Detroit on charges of owing $26,000 ($15,294) in child support.

1989 - Number 1 on the U.S. pop charts: "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler

1982 - Addie "Micky" Harris of the Shirelles dies of a heart attack at the age of 42.

1978 - John Travolta and Olivia Newton John went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'You're The One That I Want' also No.1 in the UK.

1975 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Sister Golden Hair," America.

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:26 AM

PAKISTAN MUSIC SHOP BOMBED BECAUSE MUSIC IS A 'SINFUL DISTRACTION'

Two people were injured when a bomb explosion ripped through a music shop in Pakistan's restive North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), officials said Saturday.

The overnight bombing in a small village called Badaber near the provincial capital city of Peshawar severely damaged the shop.

'Two passers-by were injured in the attack, which was carried out by two unknown motorbike riders,' police investigator Sikandar Khan said.

Local Islamic militants, ideologically affiliated with the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan, have targeted dozens of music shops in recent weeks.

Female teachers and staff of the non-governmental organizations are also increasingly subjected to harassment.

-IANS

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:27 AM

ROD STEWART TO WED ON YACHT

London, June 16 : Singer Rod Stewart is set to marry his ladylove Penny Lancaster on his yacht, Lady Anne McGee.

The yacht has reportedly been anchored near Italian resort Portfino for the wedding, the Sun reports.

The 62-year-old's wedding reception will take place at converted monastry La Cervara on a cliff facing the sea.

The guest list for the wedding includes Sir Elton John and partner David Furnish, comidien Billy Connolly and ex-Liverpool ace Kenny Dalglish.

The guests will be putting up at Hotel Splendido, where Hollywood icons actor Humphrey Bogart and British-American actress Elizabeth Taylor have stayed earlier.

Stewart and 36-year-old Lancaster have been together since 1998 and the couple has a 1-year-old son Alastair Wallace Stewart.

The singer has earlier married Alana Hamilton, ex-wife of actor George Hamilton and model Rachel Hunter.

-ANI

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:34 AM

DOUNDER OF WEB SITE FOR MUSICIANS ALWAYS WAS A MUSIC LOVER

by Heidi A. DeVries

She's smart, sassy and sure of herself - the perfect voice for an independent hip-hop and R&B Internet radio station.

Brittney Walker, now 20, started her career in music as a little girl entering talent shows.

"I loved to entertain people, and I love music," the Lakeland resident said. After years of adorable dancing and cute songs, she discovered rap and hasn't looked back.

"Rapping was one way I could be involved."

She started rapping seriously about four years ago, making several tracks and assisting friends in live shows, writing and producing.

"I had a pretty good fan base back in the day, and a lot of the people I was talking to were also trying to start up on their music and get themselves out there."

As she says in her song, "Do My Dance," "I'm an independent woman," so rather than sit back and wait for fame to come to her, Walker was constantly reading and learning about how to promote herself and others.

She discovered that changing technology was a major resource that musicians should be taking advantage of.

"So many people are just so concentrated on getting a record deal, but I really think it's just better to be an (independent) artist," she said. "But then you have to work harder to get people to hear your music. The Internet is a good avenue to get your music out there."

Walker took matters into her own hands. She started blwshiphopshop.com two years ago as an informational Web site where artists could find out about industry and local music news. The site began to evolve, and she had to decide exactly what to prioritize, especially after graduating from school.

"I kind of put rapping to the side for now, because I knew that I didn't want to do this for a living," she said. "I find more enjoyment in helping other people."

But spurred on by a love for music, she started to attend different music conferences and kept up the site. She started an e-mail newsletter - "letting people know how to promote their own music because I'm reading all the time, learning new things, and I like sharing that information" - and handed out business cards, encouraging independent artists to drop by.

"The site became a communication site - at first something like MySpace, but then I realized that that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted a site where artists can just post music and see what each other is doing," she said.

Instead, the site browses like a record label's site for those who are unsigned. About 500 musicians, most of them rappers and hip-hop artists, are signed up for the free service.

An upgrade for the Web site is planned, and it will probably be done mostly by the young music mogul-in-training - she wants to go back to school for graphic design - but Walker has adjusted her focus yet again.

A month ago, Walker started her own Internet podcast.

"It's something I always wanted to try," she said about bhhs.podomatic.com, an online, downloadable radio show that features primarily unsigned rap, R&B and hip-hop from around the country. Some of the tracks are labeled "explicit lyrics" but all of it is good quality, Walker said.

"It's free for artists to be on there, because a lot of these types of shows charge for you to be on them," she said. "A lot of DJs are all about the money and that type of thing; they've lost sight of the music. But I work with DJs who just enjoy really good music and are willing to play something as long as it's good."

How does someone get on the show?

"Send me songs," she says. "If it sounds good, I'll probably play it."

The show, hosted by Walker herself, is a 1 1/2-hour program every Friday. The broadcast time varies.

"It's really neat the way technology is working and evolving so quickly and how it can be used in the music industry. It's just crazy; I love it. Years ago, it would have never been possible to do this sort of thing, and now I'm doing what I wanted to do."

Because the podcast is available through iTunes as well as through her Web site, Walker is hoping it promotes the artists, but also benefits them directly.

"If they're already there on iTunes, then hopefully they're paying for the music instead of downloading it illegally or whatever," Walker said. "I know a lot of people think it's not a big deal, but when you're one of those artists trying to make money off your music, then you realize why it's a big deal."

Right now, Walker isn't making a living off her enterprises. She does sell advertising on her site, the e-mail newsletter and the podcast, but she pays her bills with her job as a pharmacy technician. She's always been business minded, she says, so she expects to turn her full-time hobby into a business.

"Right now, I'm trying to reach out to more artists and make the radio show more known," she said.

"I've found something that I love, and this is what I will be doing in the future."

Heidi De Vries can be reached at heidi.devries@theledger.com or 802-7596. Catch her podcasts at scene.theledger.com.

-The Ledger Online

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:37 AM

ROCKING SENIORS STILL TRUCKIN'

By JAKE COYLE
AP Entertainment Writer

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) -- Fred Knittle wears his belt up high. His nose is tethered to an oxygen tank, and on stage he's confined to a folding chair. From this unlikely perch, he's turning rock 'n' roll on its head.

Singing Coldplay's "Fix You," Knittle transforms the song into a powerful ballad about a grandfather's healing wisdom. It means something different coming from an 80-year-old retiree suffering from congestive heart failure.

Knittle is a singer for the Young@Heart Chorus, whose members range from 73 to 92 years old. Singing songs they shouldn't even know, at an age when they're expected to be sitting quietly somewhere, they subvert all accepted notions of old and young.

Songs by bands like the Radiohead, OutKast and Nirvana take on a new dimension when performed by these 23 foot-stomping senior citizens. "Fix You" or the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" become about life and death.

Though little known in America, the Northampton-based Young@Heart has performed from Australia to London, serenaded the king and queen of Norway, been discussed on "The Daily Show," and been documented in an acclaimed film for British television. They're now recording an album tentatively titled "Rockin' At Heaven's Door."

It may sound like a gimmick, but Young@Heart is no karaoke act. They're a cover band for the ages.

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:40 AM

HEINEKEN FESTIVAL IN VENICE CANCELED AFTER ACCIDENTS DUE TO HIGH WINDS

by Jessica Letkemann, N.Y.

Several fans were reportedly injured at the Heineken Jammin' Music Festival today (June 15) in Venice, Italy, when high winds toppled six speaker and lighting towers as My Chemical Romance prepared to play. The remainder of the weekend-long festival, which would have included sets by the Killers, Linkin Park and headliners Pearl Jam, has been canceled.

Initial reports by Italian newspaper Repubblica stated that approximately 10 concertgoers were hit by the falling amplification towers, sustaining head and limb injuries. Reuters later listed the number of storm-related injuries at 25, noting that 19 had been taken to the hospital and that reportedly only one person had sustained serious injuries.

A Billboard source on the scene says that in addition to the towers, speakers near the stage and the stage's backdrop were also blown down amid the strong hail, rain and wind. The festival lost electricity and the 30,000 attendees were notified that the rest of the day's sets had been called off via unamplified announcements.

Festival headliners Pearl Jam have unfortunately been witness to European music festival injuries in the past. Nine fans were killed in a muddy crowd crush during the band's set at the Roskilde festival in Denmark in June 2000.

-Bilboard

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:41 AM

BONNAROO IS UNDERWAY IN TENN.!

The sun shined brightly and the first wave of artists brought the jams to match as the 2007 Bonnaroo Music Festival got moving today (June 15) on a sprawling farm in Manchester, Tenn. A handful of acts performed last night as crowds were still rolling in, but today's early slate was packed with sets from James Blood Ulmer, Hot Chip, Tortoise and the Roots.

Ulmer and his trio worked 12-bar blues riffs to maximum effect in the This tent, including a take on the classic "Little Red Rooster." Tortoise also stretched out for long, loose jams on material from its 1998 album "TNT," such as "Swing From the Gutter" and "In Sarah, Mencken, Christ and Beethoven There Were Women and Men." The veteran Chicago instrumentalists reached even farther back for the guitar-driven "Glass Museum," which had been until recently absent from the band's set for years.

Hot Chip got the mid-afternoon audience up and moving with infectious synth-rock that tipped its hat to Devo, Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode on cuts like "(Just Like We) Breakdown" and "Boy From School." Several new songs due as part of a fall album impressed as well.

Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello transformed his newly reunited band's "Guerrilla Radio" into a solo acoustic protest song during his performance as the Nightwatchman, prefacing it with his hopes that members of the Bush administration will be brought in front of a war crimes tribunal.

Shortly thereafter, the Roots got political in the midst of a wide-ranging set of covers and originals, offering up Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" to the melody of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The group sprinkled in snippets of Ol' Dirty *******'s "Shimmy Shimmy Ya," Biz Markie's "Just a Friend" and Mims' "This Is Why I'm Hot" into its own material, including "Game Theory" and "Mellow My Man."

Bonnaroo's Friday night highlights include a headlining set from Tool and a SuperJam between Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, guitarist Ben Harper and Roots drummer ?uestlove. All 80,000 of the festival's allotted tickets sold out in advance.

-Billboard

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:43 AM

'LOST' JOHNNY CASH TUNES FROM NJ SHOW TO BE RELEASED

Universal Music on July 24 will release "The Great Lost Performance," a Johnny Cash performance from 1990 found in the vaults. The set features Cash duets with wife June Carter and singer Lucy Clark.

The 18-song banter-filled live album was recorded July 27, 1990 at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, N.J. While Cash classics like "I Walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison Blues" are present and accounted for, the disc also features Johnny and Carter dueting on "Jackson" and "The Wreck of Old '97" and tracks "What is Man" and "Forty Shades of Green" with New Jersey's own Clark.

"The Great Lost Performance" is the sixteenth Johnny Cash set since his May
2003 death. It's his latest since "American V: Hundred Highways," the Rick Rubin-produced collection of Cash's final studio sessions, which made it all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in July 2006.

-Billboard

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:46 AM

ANNUAL FRENCH MUSIC FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATED AROUND THE WORLD

MUSICIANS of all ages and nationalities are being invited to take part in a major music festival being organised by the Alliance Franaise de Bahren, Isa Town.

The event, which will take place from 6pm next Thursday is being held to mark Fete de la Musique - the annual music festival in France.

The fete is held on every June 21, the day of the summer solstice, in France and features several free concerts, explained Alliance cultural events manager Nassima Chebel.

"This very popular festival has been organised in France over the last 26 years on the first day of summer and is celebrated by French communities in over 110 countries in the world, including Bahrain," she said.

The Alliance has been celebrating Fete de la Musique for the past five years.

Last year's festival, attended by hundreds of people, featured local musicians.

This year, the event is sponsored by Novotel Al Dana Resort, CA Lyon, Bahrain Specialist Hospital, BMMI (Al Osra).

Entrance is free and all are welcome. The programme is as follows:

An Oud and guitar concert by musicians from the Bahrain Music Institute at 6pm; followed by a performance by singer Mohammed Rahma, who will also be performing on the guitar, at 6.40pm.

A classical Arabic music performance by The 13th Note band will begin at 7.05pm; a flamenco music performance by Amigos band will be held at 7.55pm; jazz flamenco by Cordoba band at 8.20pm; traditional Bahraini music by the Ismael Dawas group at 8.40pm; world music performance by Na Der group at 9.05pm; Gypsy flamenco by Hermanos band at 9.45pm; rock music by Suspended Motion band at 10.30pm; and Arabic Latin music by the Nassers band at 11pm.

-Gulf Daily News

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:47 AM

UNIVERSAL PURCHASING UK RIVAL, SANCTUARY

LONDON: Universal Music Group has agreed to buy a struggling British rival, Sanctuary, for £44.5 million to develop its merchandising, live agency and artist management businesses.

Centenary Music Holdings, a Universal unit, said Friday it had offered 20 pence per share, or the equivalent of $88 million, for Sanctuary, which manages artists like James Blunt and Elton John and markets merchandise for over 30 big-name acts including Oasis and The Who.

It also handles live events for more than 350 artists including Avril Lavigne, Amy Winehouse and James Morrison.

Artist management, live booking and merchandising is a growth area within the industry and the acquisition will help to diversify revenue at Universal, the world's largest music group by sales.

"The Sanctuary business will be a good strategic fit for us," said Doug Morris, chairman and chief executive of Universal. "The union with Universal's global strength and leadership will further develop Sanctuary and its talent on the international music stage."

-Int'l Herald Tribune

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:50 AM

CLARKSON CANCELS SUMMER TOUR DUE TO SLOW TICKET SALES

NEW YORK (AP) -- Just two days after parting ways with her manager, Kelly Clarkson has canceled her upcoming summer tour over disappointing ticket sales, yet another sign of turmoil as she prepares to release her third album, "My December."

In a statement on her Web site, Clarkson said: "In the craziness of the music business, performing is what I look forward to doing the most, so it really is disappointing for me to have to tell you that I won't be coming out to tour this summer. The fact is that touring is just too much too soon.

"But I promise you that we're going to get back out there as soon as is humanly possible to give you a show that will be even better," she added.

In a statement released by her new representative, Paul Freundlich, it acknowledged the sales for the arena tour have been slow. The tour will be on hold and the size of it will be re-evaluated, the statement said.

"The day when she will play in sold-out arenas is, no doubt, coming, but for now her fans should look forward to seeing her in a more intimate concert environment," Gregg Perloff, CEO of concert promoter Another Planet Entertainment, said in the statement. "Kelly deserves a tremendous amount of praise for her courage in not only being a part of, but in supporting, this difficult decision."

This is the latest problem to beset the Grammy-winning singer amid the release of her third album, due out on June 26, the follow-up to her multiplatinum disc "Breakaway." The 2004 album was a critical success that showed her success went beyond being a former "American Idol." Clarkson helped write some of the songs on that disc, including the hit ballad "Because of You."

But this spring, reports surfaced that record mogul Clive Davis, who oversees the RCA label for which Clarkson records, was dissatisfied with the direction of the new record and had clashed with Clarkson over it.

In an interview with Associated Press Television in May, Clarkson said media reports of a feud between the two were exaggerated but admitted there was tension.

"There's always this battle, and it's not a bad battle to have," she explained. "I mean, you obviously don't want 'yes' people around you. And, obviously, (Davis) and others at the label have been in the business far longer than I have. So you obviously take their opinions in."

In the end, though, "I always go with my gut," she said. "My gut has obviously done pretty well for me thus far, so I don't see why I shouldn't keep listening to it."

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 07:51 AM

JARS OF CLAY = STARTING THEIR OWN LABEL

After 12 years on Essential Records, Jars of Clay is exiting to launch a new imprint, Gray Matters, under the Nettwerk Music Group umbrella, Billboard has learned.

"Having our own imprint will give us the opportunity to be more spontaneous and more prolific in how much music we kick out," Jars of Clay's Stephen Mason says.
The first Gray Matters release will be a Christmas collection, due Oct. 17, which Jars will support via a Christmas tour with Third Day. Mason says the band also plans to record a soundtrack for a documentary a friend is making about the African village of Lwala.

Mason and bandmates Dan Haseltine, Matt Odmark and Charlie Lowell rose to prominence in the mid-'90s in the Christian market and gained mainstream success with the multiformat hit "Flood." They have continued to appeal to both markets. Last fall, they released "Good Monsters," which has scanned 134,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The band, which has been managed by Nettwerk Management since 2003, didn't entertain offers from other labels. "It was really between re-signing with Provident in a traditional sense or doing their own thing," Nettwerk Management's Michael Corcoran says. "It came down to [Jars'] ownership element of what they were doing and the ability to have more creative freedom."

-Billboard

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 08:01 AM

BOOK SERIES TELLS THE STORY OF AN ALBUM IN EACH VOLUME

By Tamara Ikenberg
tikenberg@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

A vinyl album spins on a record player at the rate of 33 1/3 revolutions per minute. When editorial director David Barker named a series of album-based books "33 1/3," he knew that Generation i-Pod might not recognize the fraction.

"Anyone under the age of 35 tends to not get it," Barker says from the New York office of Continuum books.

Most of the books in the series, which started in 1993, are essays delving into the making of an individual album, from the meanings behind the songs to the relationships among the band members and the album's place in music history.

The flip side to the fact-based 33 1/3 books is album-inspired fiction. The first effort was Joe Pernice's memoir-ish take on The Smiths' "Meat Is Murder."

One of the adaptations is headed to the big screen in 2009 -- Barker says the film rights were just sold to John Niven's novella of The Band's "Music From Big Pink."

Barker doesn't dictate which albums or bands are chosen, but when he conceived the series, he did come up with a list of artists that should be included, like The Smiths and Pink Floyd.

He puts out a call for proposals about every 18 months on the 331/3 Web site. Writers are free to attack the album from whatever angle they please. One of the only rules is that there only be one book per musical artist. The only Beatles album represented is "Let It Be," and the only Rolling Stones offering is on "Exile on Main Street."

It helps if the writer is passionate about and intimately familiar with the album they're covering.

Craig Rich, owner of Underground Sounds in The Highlands, which stocks the series, is a connoisseur of The Grateful Dead's "Anthem of the Sun." He wants to write a 331/3 book devoted to it and has sent a proposal to Continuum.

"I've been wanting to write a book on that album for many years," Rich says. "The Grateful Dead weren't engineers so much as alchemists on that album. There are a bunch of things they came up with; studio techniques that are still used today that were invented on the spot out of necessity back then."

Rich says the books are "really cool when a lot of people are becoming dispassionate toward music in the age of CD burning and downloading.

"People don't put the same emotional value into music. They look at it as audio wallpaper. To a lot of the kids today, it's just a song they downloaded because they saw it on a Nike commercial."

The best-selling 331/3 book at his store is Kim Cooper's tribute to "In the Aeroplane over the Sea," the 1998 masterpiece by the enigmatic Neutral Milk Hotel. The band was the brainchild of the hermit-like Jeff Mangum. Barker says "Aeroplane" is also the best-selling book in the entire series.

Jonathan Hawpe, a bookseller at Carmichael's, which also sells the series, is a fan of both NMH and the "Aeroplane" book.

"A lot of twentysomethings and thirtysomethings really love that record, and it had this mystery behind it … they were this really big cult band, they made two records, then they just kind of vanished," he says.

"The book is a really nice little window into the making of it, what Mangum did afterward and why he faded away."

The series has gotten some criticism for its lack of hip-hop albums. The next batch will feature more on that genre, including a book on OutKast's 1998 album "Aquemini."

Most of the albums covered are undeniably hip, but Barker is willing to take a chance on an album charged for being the epitome of mainstream cheese.

A 331/3 book based on Celine Dion's "Let's Talk About Love," by Toronto Globe and Mail music writer Carl Wilson, is coming out soon.

"We've had a lot of aggro about that," Barker says, adding that fans of the series have expressed their aggravation on the 331/3 site.

"Wilson doesn't like Celine Dion's music, and he's basically spent 18 months immersing himself in her music and talking to her fans and … people who hate her, Barker says. "It's a book about what is good taste and what is bad taste, and why do people get so angry about things like Celine Dion."

Few mega-mainstream hit albums have been covered in the series, and there is a dearth of early rock 'n' roll. The oldest album covered is "James Brown Live at the Apollo 1962."

"I have had people interested in doing stuff about Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard and people like that," Barker says. But to do that, he says, "I'm kind of tempted to do a slightly different series."

There's a theory about why the 331/3 format may not work with pre-'60s releases, according to Ben Sisario, a New York Times writer who penned a 331/3 book centered on the Pixies' surreal, melodic 1989 album "Doolittle."

"A lot of music we loved in the '50s wasn't conceived in an album context," he says. "The earliest albums were like binders with a bunch of singles. They weren't considered cohesive works of art."

Sisario was a fan of the series before he took a crack at his own 331/3 book.

"There's a sort of style, there's a voice, there's a kind of persona of the music journalist. As time goes on, its gotten a little bit more rigid," he says. "The idea behind these was to write about music in creative ways; to have the space to do it and not have the pressures of journalists in general. There's no time peg. It's the way a lot of people write about art. It's the way a lot of people write about literature. There doesn't have to be a product to promote."

Once Sisario got his 331/3 proposal approved, he set to recruiting Pixies frontman Charles Thompson, better known as Black Francis in his Pixies days and Frank Black in his current solo career, to grant him an extended interview.

Serendipitously, Thompson happened to be in New York doing the Pixies reunion tour at the time, and the selection of 331/3 books Sisario brought along to familiarize Thompson with the series helped seduce the rock star into participating.

"One (of the books I brought) was about the Kinks' 'The Village Green Preservation Society,' and that's like my favorite one. When I gave it to him, he … just grabbed it and leafed through it," Sisario recalls.

He ended up interviewing Thompson over a three-day road trip.

"On the one hand, it was like, holy ---- , here I am driving with this guy I think is awesome and I've thought that since I was 14, but I also just thought I had to get the story, and I was just overprepared," Sisario says.

He says there were a couple of uncomfortable moments when Thompson ignored questions, but overall, "we got along well. He brought me to his house and I met his family. In some ways, he was probably the friendliest rock star kind of guy I've ever met."

Kate Schatz took the literary approach to her 331/3 book on English rocker PJ Harvey's hard-driving 1993 album "Rid of Me," scheduled to be published in August.

"It's always stuck in my head as an album that's really evocative and has a really intense mood and tone," says Schatz, a music writer and teacher. "When it came out she got a lot of attention for being this angry, crazy, man-hating, vengeful feminist."

Schatz has mutated "Rid of Me" into the story of two wild, love-starved women named Kathleen and Mary. In the album, there are references to the Virgin Mary, and a Kathleen appears in the tracks "Heela" and "Hook," but Schatz fleshed them out and made the desperate characters her own.

There are lyrics and references sprinkled throughout the book. For instance, there are 14 chapters in the book, and 14 tracks on the album. Each chapter is named for its corresponding song.

"The entire process was pretty stream of consciousness," Schatz says. "At the beginning, I'd go to my favorite coffee shop and put my headphones on with one song on repeat over and over, and see what it was generating, and really try to pay attention to the lyrics, the feel of the song and the mood of the song.

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 12:15 PM

OZZY SETS RECORD FOR GIVING AWAY TIX

Ozzfest 2007 has set a new record for giveaways. The concert tour distributed more than 428,000 free tickets to its 24 shows over a four-day period, marking the largest number of free tickets distributed in the United States in the history of the concert business.

Ticket distributor LiveNation.com began the giveaway on Friday, June 8. The tickets were free, without surcharges of any kind.

This year’s event is the tour’s 12th annual show and the first free Ozzfest in the tour’s history. Dubbed “Freefest,” the tour features tour headliner, founder and namesake Ozzy Osbourne, Lamb of God, Static-X, Lordi, Hatebreed, Behemoth, Mondo Generator, Nile, Ankla, Circus Diablo, the Showdown, 3 Inches of Blood, Daath, Chthonic and In This Moment.

The 12th annual Ozzfest launches July 12 in Seattle, Washington, at the White River Amphitheatre. It will visit 24 cities in total. For more information, visit ozzfest.com.

-Guitar World

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 12:16 PM

VAN HALEN BOOK COMING IN AUGUST

Better finish the books on your summer reading list by the end of August. That’s when Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga (Wiley Publishing) hits bookstore shelves. Written by noted metal journalist and radio host Ian Christe, the book recounts the life and times of the L.A. group that rose to hard rock dominance in the late Seventies.

The book begins with an account of Van Halen’s explosive arrival on the California hard rock scene in 1978, revealing the powers of lead singer David Lee Roth, wunderkind guitarist Eddie Van Halen, good-natured bassist Michael Anthony and complex drummer Alex Van Halen. The story follows the band’s development and success, through Sammy Hagar’s replacement of Roth in 1985, and his own replacement by former-Extreme singer Gary Cherone in the late Nineties.

Along the way, appearances are made by prominent supporting players, including Eddie Van Halen’s wife Valerie Bertinelli, musical collaborator Michael Jackson and business partner Gene Simmons of Kiss.

In addition to the band’s history, the book recounts the discord between Eddie and his frontmen, his drinking, his relationship with Bertinelli, and the secrets behind his guitars.

Christe is the author of Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging Story of Heavy Metal and host of the popular Bloody Roots program on Sirius satellite radio’s Hard Attack station.

Everybody Wants Some will be released August 31. The 320-page hardcover book includes a 16-page color photo insert and will sell in the U.S. for $25.95.

-Guitar World

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 12:17 PM

NEW TRACKS ADDED TO 'GUITAR HERO'

Eight songs from Iron Maiden, Scorpions and others have been added to the latest installment the music video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, available in July for the PlayStation 2. This brings to 30 the number of classic-era songs included with the game.

The new tracks are “Hold on Loosely” (.38 Special), “No One Like You” (Scorpions), “Only a Lad” (Oingo Boingo), “Radar Love” (White Lion), “Ballroom Blitz” (Krokus), “The Warrior” (Scandal), “What I Like About You” (the Romantics) and “Wrathchild” (Iron Maiden).

Previously announced tracks include “I Wanna Rock” (Twisted Sister), “I Ran” (Flock of Seagulls), “Round and Round” (Ratt), “Metal Health” (Quiet Riot), “Holy Diver” (Dio), “Heat of the Moment” (Asia), “18 and Life” (Skid Row), “Bathroom Wall” (Faster Pussycat), “Lonely is the Night” (Billy Squier), “Nothing But a Good Time” (Poison), “Play With Me” (Extreme), “Shaken” (Eddie Money) and “Synchronicity II” (the Police).

-Guitar World

Tingly

June 16th, 2007, 12:19 PM

BAND 'BEATALLICA' IS WEIRD COMBO

Although the Beatles certainly had some “heavy” moments (“Helter Skelter,” “Revolution” or “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” anyone?), they are certainly not considered a metal band. And on the other side of the coin, Metallica is not considered a pop band. But then along comes Beatallica, and the lines between both acts have been erased—as heard throughout their first official, fully authorized album, Sgt. Hetfield’s Motorbreath Pub Band. Comprised of members Jaymz Lennfield (vocals, guitar), Grg Hammettson (guitar), Kliff McBurtney (bass) and Ringo Larz (drums), Beatallica has been converting naysayers into believers for years by this point—having made fans throughout the world, and also with such renowned headbangers as Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy and Anthrax’s Scott Ian.

Originally coming to the attention of headbangers everywhere with their initial internet phenomenon story, Beatallica has signed on with the Universal/Fontana distributed label Oglio Records, to release the fully authorized Sgt. Hetfield's Motorbreath Pub Band on July 10. As evidenced by such song titles as "And Justice for All My Loving," "Leper Madonna" and "Ktulu (He's So Heavy)," the quartet's knack for combining both these music giants together remains as sharp as ever. Not just a studio creation, Beatallica has amassed a huge following—known as the Beatallibangers—throughout the world due to their fun, hard rocking live show, as they've played shows with such metal heavy weights as Motorhead, and have even headlined open-air festivals themselves. Further U.S. and Euro live dates beckon, as well as video clips for the single "Revol-ooh-tion" and "A Garage Dayz Nite."

-Guitar World

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 05:53 AM

PAUL McCARTNEY IS AS BUSY AS EVER, AT 65!

Paul McCartney, who turns 65 Monday, is getting back to where he once belonged. A year after his split from Heather Mills, the ex-Beatle is enjoying life - still rocking and spending a lot of time with his children.

While divorce proceedings and childcare commitments for his three-year-old daughter Beatrice prevent him from undertaking a full tour, the Beatle has recently thrilled fans with private gigs in London and New York.

The star's daughters, Mary and Stella, are unfailingly spotted among his celebrity-studded audiences, and frequently seen in his company in the bars and clubs of London.

Heather, meanwhile, appears to have relented in her scathing public attacks on her estranged husband, and the couple is reported to be on friendly terms.

'Music is my saviour, and the guitar is my healer,' Paul told London's Big Issue magazine on the launch of his latest album 'Memory Almost Full'.

The title, he joked, is derived from his mobile flashing the message that its memory had reached capacity.

'I thought this is symbolic of life. You take in so much information that you have to erase some in order to cope.'

The album, critics have said, is a 'survey over a life lived long and well'.

'It is an album that aches with a meditative, personal humanity,' wrote the Guardian. 'After close on 50 years of playing gigs, he knows how to leave them wanting more.'

The repertoire of 'Hey Jude', 'Lady Madonna', 'Let It Be', 'Get Back', and the 'Long and Winding Road', among others, movingly performed, was peppered with off-the cuff remarks, participants said.

Paul dedicated the track 'Here Today' to John Lennon, George Harrison and his late wife Linda McCartney, whom he called 'our fallen heroes'.

'I still remember how it was before, and I am holding back the tears no more,' he said.

'It's a difficult song to sing, that one. We love 'em,' said Paul.

'Memory Almost Full', fans have noted, is an anagram of 'For My Soulmate LLM' - the initials of Linda, who died of breast cancer in 1998 - a coincidence Paul has left uncommented on.

But Paul, a multi-millionaire now at pension age, is by no means a sad and lonely man.

'McCartney has never been busier, and his personal profile higher, since The Beatles split,' said the Guardian.

'At 65, it's the old Paul again,' enthused a fan.

-IANS

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 05:54 AM

TWO ROLLING STONES 'PATCH THINGS UP'

Washington, June 17 : Rock band Rolling Stone's members Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood have got back together, after reconciling for a fall out they had over alcohol during a tour.

The guitarist had branded Wood 'boring' after the latter refused to have a drink with him.

Wood's son Jamie said that the two have patched up, and that they have always been 'falling out with each other'.

"Dad is dad and Keith's Keith. They are always falling out with each other," Contactmusic quoted Jamie, as telling the Sun.

Wood added that Richards and his father are like a pair of teenagers in that it only took a dinner to sort things out between the two.

"They are like a pair of teenagers sometimes. They went for dinner the other night and everything is fine," he added.

-ANI

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 05:57 AM

LILY ALLEN RANTS ON MySpace PAGE

London, June 17 : Lily Allen's face can regularly be seen in magazines, and promotional television appearances, but now the singer insists that she's sick of being a celeb.

In a post on her MySpace profile, Allen writes that she no longer wants to be a celeb, just a singer.

"I don't want to be a celebrity, I am a singer, I write songs, that's it," the Daily Mail quotes her, as writing.

In the message, titled "F*** Off, F*** Off", the star let rip into reports that had stated that she arrived late for a performance she was giving New York City's Roseland Ballroom earlier this week.

"I would never turn up two hours late for a gig... EVER. I'd been in my dressing room since four o'clock that afternoon anyway it's not as if I'd leave 3000 people out there for no reason," she wrote.

"I don't sleep and take drugs with famous people (I have a boyfriend I've been with for nearly 3 years), I don't go to film premieres. I don't go shopping in the paparazzi hotspots, so please leave me alone," she writes.

The 'Smile' singer also added that the constant attention she has been getting in the past few weeks has her thinking about cutting down on her online posts.

"The thing is, I'm not going to write here so often now. this used to be one of my favourite things to do. I could come on here and vent how I feel honestly and get feedback from you guys. But the tabloid f***s have ruined it," she adds.

-ANI

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 05:58 AM

WINEHOUSE WHINING AGAIN

London, June 17 : British singer Amy Winehouse has confessed that she is has a 'terrible problem' with booze, which has replaced drugs.

Speaking at her homecoming show in Dublin Castle pub in Camden, north London, the singer added that she doesn't know if the media has exaggerated her problem.

She added that when she is sloshed she is terribly so, and that maybe it is due to 'boredom'.

"My drinking has replaced weed; I still have a problem. Well, I have had problems with booze...Do the papers exaggerate the problem? Perhaps, I don't know... the thing is, when I get drunk I'm a terrible drunk. I don't know where that comes from. Boredom?" the Daily Mail quoted her, as saying.

Winehouse said that writing songs is a type of therapy for her to deal with her problem.

"It is a kind of therapy. Sometimes I can't feel good about a situation until I've got a song out of it," she said.

The soul star added that she is not a self-piteous person, and that she will not talk about a problem if she cannot sort it out by herself.

"I'm not a "poor me" kind of person at all. A problem is a problem and if I couldn't sort it out myself I wouldn't talk about it," she said.

-ANI

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 06:00 AM

PRINCE WILLIAM AND JOSS STONE ARE PALS

London, June 16 : It seems that Prince William has struck a special chord with singer Joss Stone, in the course of organizing his late mother, Princess Diana's memorial concert.

The British royal has been secretly calling Stone prior to the concert, to be held at Wembley Stadium on July 1.

William apparently wants the 20-year-old soul sensation to enthral the audience by covering songs by Princess Diana's favourite artists.

According to sources, the pair has spoken a number of times about the memorial gig, and have since been close pals.

"She thinks he's gorgeous and is incredibly flattered," the Mirror quoted a friend of Stone, as saying.

William, who broke up with long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton in April this year, and Joss are both single.

"Joss is delighted by the fact that Wills is phoning her and they hit it off instantly. They've spent ages talking about which songs she should perform and have painstakingly gone through a list of Diana's most loved artists. They've settled on Queen

and Tina Turner and Joss is incredibly honoured to be asked to perform them," an insider said.

The prince has asked Joss to sing Queen classic Under Pressure because his mum was an ardent fan of Freddie Mercury. She will also perform a Tina Turner number, as well as her own hit song You Had Me.

Joss, who is No2 in the album charts, has confessed to close pals that the show will be one of the highlights of her career.

"I loved Diana and all that she stood for - it really is a pleasure to be involved and help out Will," Stone said.

Prince William and Harry have also lined up stars including Elton John, Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry, Rod Stewart, P Diddy and Lily Allen for the five-hour concert to mark the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death.

-ANI

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 06:05 AM

THE REFUGEE ALL STARS ARE UNIQUE

By Paul de Barros
Seattle Times jazz critic

The Refugee All Stars formed in a refugee camp in Guinea in the late '90s. They play two shows Tuesday at the Triple Door.

You may have heard them on the soundtrack of the harrowing Oscar-nominated film "Blood Diamonds" or on their own album, "Living Like a Refugee."

Or maybe you saw the moving, self-named 2006 documentary at last year's Seattle International Film Festival. Or on "Oprah."

If you've somehow missed them, you have another chance to hear one of the most compelling and unusual world-music acts to ever go on tour.

Tuesday at the Triple Door, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars play two shows honoring International World Refugee Day. The show is presented by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, a legal services organization.

It's a timely show, given the immigration bill being considered in the Senate, and the fact that the number of refugees in the world has skyrocketed to 10.6 million souls.

The Refugee All Stars formed in a refugee camp in the Republic of Guinea in the late '90s, during the 11-year civil war in Sierra Leone that saw the grisly rise of child warriors and gratuitous amputations.

The group started life as a duo of leader/singer/composer Reuben N. Koroma and guitarist Francis John Langba (aka Franco), but grew into a full band to entertain at various camps. Both of the band's founders had been musicians in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone.

As Koroma explains in the documentary, he registered as a refugee in 1997, thinking he might be in a camp for "six months or a year."

He did not repatriate until 2004.

What makes the band so fascinating is not just its situation, but the topical, inspirational content of its songs.

"I take all the problems and suffering of the people and make a song out of it," Koroma says, with simple eloquence.

With such an amazing back story, most of the press about SLRAS has been about the war, the camps and the group's unusual genesis.

But the music these guys play deserves some consideration, particularly the way it reflects the criss-crossing voyages music has taken across the Atlantic.

"The whole history of Sierra Leone is about slaves returning to Liberia and Freetown," explains Peter Davenport, a music producer for Microsoft who did field work in rural Sierra Leone in the 1980s.

That interchange between the New World — the Caribbean, especially — and Africa is especially evident in the band's use of the bouncy, regular upbeats of reggae and the lightly skipping beat of goombay.

It's interesting to watch the development of one of their best songs, "Weapon Conflict," from the film to the record. Describing the pointless war, the song begins, "When two elephants are fighting, the grass will suffer" and, in the camp, has a light, acoustic touch. Later, in 2002, when the band traveled to Freetown courtesy of the U.N. to bring back the news that the city was now safe, the song (and the band as it was then constituted) acquired a drummer and electric bass, and had a much harder beat and a grinding, novelty vocal sound.

Interestingly, on the eventual album track, the tempo and attack come back down, the feeling is light again and there's organ in the background: transformed, but classic reggae.

Even as early as 1984, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, reggae had caught on, with bands such as Alpha Blondy dominating the charts.

Though inspired by an East African ruler (Haile Selassie), reggae is Jamaican music. But Bob Marley's black-liberation politics gave reggae particular appeal in West Africa.

A less well-known Caribbean-African connection is goombay, which has a beat similar to calypso or even beguine (more common in French-speaking African countries). Though this element of SLRAS has been called "palm wine" in the press, it's actually a guitar and vocal music with African roots, most popular in Bermuda.

The goombay itself is a goat-skin drum you sit on while playing, but the term came to stand for the style.

Says Davenport: "Goombay music is what you'd hear in Freetown, various styles of it. These guys would travel out from the city, so you might hear some if it in the villages. Goombay is a more urban form. Back then, you wouldn't hear as much electric guitar. And the reggae thing is more recent."

"Soda Soap," a sweet song with call-and-answer vocals, has the goombay feel. The lyric says people used to take their humble, homemade soap in Freetown for granted, but now that they're finally back home, they appreciate it.

Like most of the Refugee All Stars' songs — and much of West African and Caribbean music — "Soda Soap" has a moral lesson.

Amazingly, it's told with a light heart and cheerful melody.

When you consider all that these band members have been through, this is a musical miracle in itself.

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 06:09 AM

NICKY LEE AND JOLIN TSAI WIN CHINESE LANGUAGE GRAMMY AWARDS

Korean American singer Nicky Lee and Taiwanese pop diva Jolin Tsai took home top honors Saturday at Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards, dubbed the Chinese-language Grammys.

Lee, who has released records in his native South Korea, collected the Best Male Singer award with his R and B album "I'm Your Baby."

"I want to thank my parents, my company and my producer ... I will work even harder from now on," said an emotional Lee.

The category saw the most diverse entries with Lee vying with Taiwan's David Tao and Kenji Wu, Singapore's Wayne Lam, and Malaysia's Gary Chaw. Taiwanese pop singer Jolin Tsai collected the Best Female Singer prize for her album "Dancing Diva," a fusion of hip hop, reggae, rock and roll, ballads and Middle Eastern music.

She beat big-name rivals such as fellow Taiwanese pop diva A-Mei and veteran Hong Kong songstress Sandy Lam.

"I want to thank those who think it's impossible for me to make it because they keep me going forward ... I also want to thank my fans who have supported me all the way," said Tsai, who kicked off the ceremony with a fiery dance number from her album.

Alternative singer MC Hot Dog was the dark horse of the evening, winning Best Album of the Year.

The Best Song of the Year went to producer singer-songwriter David Tao's ballad "You Are Marrying Me Today," a duet he performed with Jolin Tsai.

Taiwan's R and B prince Jay Chou, although he missed out in the Best Male Singer nominations, won the first-ever Best Single Producer for his hit Rap song "Huo Yuan Chia."

Wu Ching-feng, lead singer of Sodagreen, beat high-profile rivals David Tao and Kenji Wu, to collect the Best Composer prize.

Sodagreen also beat six bands to take home the Best Band award for their second album "Microcosmos."

Therapist-turned-singer Europa Huang defeated ALin, Evan Yo and China's Xian Zi to win the Newcomer award for his debut album "Over the Way."

The night's biggest surprise, however, came when ethnic Hakka singer Lin Sheng xiang refused the Best Hakka Singer and Best Hakka Album prizes.

"I think the Golden Melody awards should be categorized by music types rather than language types ... therefore my production team doesn't attend the ceremony and I decline to take the awards," he told the shocked crowd.

Musicians from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia competed in over 20 categories at the 18th Golden Melody Awards.

-China Post

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 06:15 AM

ELTON JOHN'S CONCERRT IN UKRAINE A SUCCESS

Elton John has given a free concert in the main square of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, to promote HIV-Aids awareness.

President Viktor Yushchenko and other leading politicians were among the 200,000 people attending the show.

Ukraine has one of the highest HIV infection rates in Europe with a new case every 10 minutes, according to Ukraine's Anti-Aids Foundation.

The organisers said they hope the UK star's performance will help reduce ignorance surrounding the disease.

The free, open-air concert, which was broadcast live on Ukrainian TV, was the biggest ever seen in Ukraine.

The event's slogan was "Stop Aids before it stops us" and Elton John told the crowd that he would do all he could to help Ukraine in its battle against the disease.

His Aids foundation already funds 23 HIV-Aids projects in Ukraine and he said that the concert would allow them to do even more.

Before the show free condoms were handed out along with leaflets on HIV testing and counselling centres.

Boycott call

A religious group had urged Ukrainians to boycott the event, describing it as blasphemous and accusing Elton John of trying to promote a gay lifestyle.

Despite the Western outlook of Ukraine's leader, it is a conservative and predominantly Orthodox Christian country, the BBC's Helen Fawkes in Kiev says.

Even in the capital, very few men are openly gay, while lesbians are virtually invisible, our correspondent says.

An estimated 400,000 people are HIV-positive in Ukraine and it is believed that gay men make up only a small percentage of that figure.

Experts say that the disease, which was initially spread by drug-users, is now becoming widespread and that within the next decade one in 50 people in Ukraine could be HIV-positive.

-BBC

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 06:17 AM

NEW METHODS EMERGING TO CREATE MUSIC

Stephen Thaler is such a wretched musician his wife won't even let him sing in the shower. And yet the computer scientist is releasing a CD of new music.

Don't worry. Thaler didn't compose it. His computers did.

Thaler's computers at his Maryland Heights company, Imagination Engines Inc., are intelligent and creative enough to teach robots to walk, help a car decide whether the object it is about to back over is a child or a toy, create substances harder than diamonds and design toothbrushes. They work in a variety of different industries. In their spare time, the Creativity Machines, as he calls his computer programs, make the ultimate in personalized music.

Computers have composed music before, but those efforts were little more than high-tech mixed tapes. Most computer composers have been taught rules of music through extensive programming or by breaking down works of human musicians and creating new pieces from the parts, Thaler said.

Thaler's Creativity Machines know as much about music as he does — pretty much nothing. He didn't program them. He didn't give them examples of music to study. He simply listened to sounds the programs spontaneously generated and offered a simple critique.

Thaler holed up in his basement for eight hours one day with his musical Creativity Machine and a webcam. He turned on the Creativity Machine — an untrained artificial intelligence computer known as a neural network. The neurons in the computer brain are mathematical entities instead of brain cells. Thaler started the creative process by tweaking the mathematical connections between the neurons. That set off a cascade of calculations that were translated as sounds.

Thaler sat in front of the webcam and listened. He indicated his likes with a smile and displeasure with a frown. A critic program connected to the music-generating program learned by watching the emotions play on his face what Thaler liked and gave him more of that. It learned what he didn't like and gave him less of that.

"Anything that sounded like country music or garbage I discarded or a gave a low score," Thaler said.

He turned over the melodies generated by the program to Shawne Benson, a professional musician from Michigan. Benson acted as a conductor, pairing the melodies with harmonies composed by a separate Creativity Machine. She also snipped out sour notes and added a few finishing touches to make the music a product fit for publication, Thaler said. "Some of it was a flop, so we excised it," he said. But the compositions are still 95 percent to 98 percent computer-generated.

The collaboration between man and machine resulted in a compilation of 14 songs in various styles, from a sitar-soaked tune that could have originated in India, to shades of a child's music box, a Top-40 ballad, techno, a haunted house and even a burst of bird song. Thaler's two cats particularly like the bird sounds, he said. They stalk through the house looking for prey when he plays it.

-STLtoday

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 06:21 AM

80,000 AT BONNAROO WOWED BY CLASS ACTS

A headlining performance from quirky hard rock act Tool and a once-in-a-lifetime jam session between Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, guitarist Ben Harper and drummer ?uestlove highlighted the first full day (June 15) of the Bonnaroo festival, which has drawn 80,000 people to rural Manchester, Tenn.

Tool drew a massive crowd to the main stage for a set heavy on material from the band's latest album, "10,000 Days," including the single "The Pot," as well as older hits such as "Stinkfist" and "Schism." Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello joined the group near the end of its set for "Lateralus" and conjured a tornado of sound from his instrument. Earlier, frontman Maynard James Keenan teased the dusty, dirty audience by gloating about the hot shower he had taken. "Thank you for putting up with our cynical attitudes," he said near the end of the performance.

As midnight passed, Jones, Harper and ?uestlove treated an amped-up, overflow crowd at the Other Tent to frequently jaw-dropping jams on Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks," "Good Times, Bad Times" and "Dazed and Confused," the latter a 25-minute epic that drove the audience into hysterics. The impromptu trio also covered Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" and Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," the later with the help of Roots guitarist Kirk Douglas.

DJ Shadow held down the fort in the This Tent during a set that began after 2 a.m. The artist mixed and matched elements from throughout his song catalog, such as laying the vocal melody from "Six Days" atop the hip-hop beats of "Walkie Talkie." Other highlights included "Changeling," from Shadow's acclaimed 1996 debut "Endtroducing," and "3 Freaks," the first single from his 2006 release "The Outsider."

Friday also featured performances from the Roots, the Black Keys, Lily Allen, Hot Chip, the String Cheese Incident, Manu Chao and Kings Of Leon. This evening's headliner is the Police, in the first major festival appearance since reuniting.

On a sad note, the festival's first fatality was confirmed to be a 25-year-old man from Kentucky. It was the sixth death in the festival's six-year history.

Billboard

Tingly

June 17th, 2007, 04:58 PM

DNA TESTIMONY GIVEN IN SPECTOR CASE

by Stuart Heritage

This week we learnt that none of Phil Spector's DNA was found on the gun that killed Lana Clarkson, but now we've now discovered that pretty much everyone's DNA was splattered all over everyone else's naughty bits like goodness knows what.

Already in the Phil Spector murder trial a detective has opined that Lana Clarkson's death may have had a sexual leaning thanks to the candlelit crime scene and the brandy snifters left on the mantelpiece, but now events have been given a slight nudge in that direction thanks to the revelation that Phil Spector's DNA was found on Lana Clarkson's left breast, what appears to be Lana Clarkson's DNA was found on Phil Spector's genitals and someone else's DNA was found on a different part of Phil Spector's genitals. We've said it before and we'll say it again - with results like that we've got to get our hands on one of those lesbian wigs.

Los Angeles County criminalist Steve Renteria is proving to be worth his weight in gold as far as the Phil Spector murder trial goes. For weeks and weeks all we've had to go on has been circumstantial gun-waving evidence from a handful of women, the opinions of a coroner who made all kinds of mistakes and a book that says Lana Clarkson might have maybe seen the ghost of a dead actress once. But screw that - we want science.

And Steve Renteria is Mr Science as far as we're concerned. Already this week Renteria has announced that Phil Spector's DNA wasn't on the gun that killed Lana Clarkson, and now he's just getting downright filthy. After an investigator into the Phil Spector murder case claimed that there was a sexual motive behind the murder, Renteria has announced that some of Phil Spector's DNA was found on Lana Clarkson's breast, with some of Lana Clarkson's DNA being found on Phil Spector's todger. The Los Angeles Times reports:

A small amount of genetic material matching Phil Spector's DNA profile was found on Lana Clarkson's left breast, a courtroom expert testified Tuesday. Sheriff's criminalist Steve Renteria also said DNA matching Lana Clarkson's genetic markers was found in Spector's groin area. The DNA matching both Clarkson's and Spector's profiles most likely was from saliva, although Renteria said experts could not be sure. Renteria also said he detected the presence of DNA, again most likely saliva, from someone other than Spector or Clarkson in a different part of Spector's genitalia.

Oh, phew, the DNA was just saliva. Otherwise, you know, greeegh. However, the DNA sample found on Phil Spector's genitals isn't an unique match to Lana Clarkson and could be matched to one person in just 94,000, leaving plenty of room for doubt.

But let's assume that the saliva DNA found on Phil Spector was Lana Clarkson's - what then? Chances are the prosecution would try to claim that any sexual activity between Phil Spector and Lana Clarkson was forced at gunpoint, keeping with the pattern of testimonies from earlier in the trial. But it'd be much more useful evidence for the defence, which can dismiss the prosecution's notion that Phil Spector shot Lana Clarkson after she sexually rejected him. Not only that, but the defence could use this evidence to further push the theory that Lana Clarkson killed herself because, well, you'd probably commit suicide if you'd just ****** *** Phil Spector too, right?

-www.hecklerspray.com

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 04:50 AM

KYLIE MINOGUE PLANNING BIG PARTY IN LONDON

Washington, June 18 : Australian pop diva Kylie Minogue will celebrate her 20 years in the music industry with a star-studded party in London this summer.

The 39-year-old singer, who launched her pop career with a cover of Little Eva's 1962 hit 'The Loco-motion' in her native Australia on 3 August 1987, has even requested her two grandmothers to fly in London from Melbourne to attend the party.

It is learnt that Minogue will spend some one million dollars on the bash.

"She is even flying in old mates from Australia and begging her two grandmothers to make the long trip from Melbourne. Guests have been told to assemble at a Soho (central London) hotel before being bussed to the secret party location," Contactmusic quoted a source as saying.

"In some ways it's a celebration of the fact she has resumed her place in the music world after her illness," the source added.

Minogue, who was given a clean bill of health after her successful battle with breast cancer last year, is currently recording her comeback album.

-ANI

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 04:51 AM

CHARLOTTE CHURCH TO TRY MUSIC AS AN ANESTHETIC

London, June 18 : Welsh singer and TV presenter Charlotte Church has been preparing her playlist of songs that will help her cope with the pain of childbirth, if reports have to be believed.

It seems that the 'Crazy Chick' singer, who is expecting her first child with beau Gavin Henson, hopes that the iTunes will help her overcome the pain she will undergo during labour.

An insider said that the Rugby star had consulted his friends, who have had kids, on advice for making childbirth easier.

The source added that his friends suggested music, and that those without kids could not come up with any 'serious suggestion'.

"Gavin has been telling his rugby mates about the playlist. He was asking for advice from the lads who have babies about what would make labour easier.

"They suggested music. The team-mates without kids couldn't come up with a serious suggestion between them," the source added.

-ANI

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 04:53 AM

'THE POLICE' ROCK THE HOUSE AT BONNAROO

By JOHN GEROME
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

MANCHESTER, Tenn. -- Arya Mirsajedin, a 20-year-old student at the University of Georgia, wasn't even born when The Police released their last studio album in 1983.

But he knew every tune they played Saturday night, and he knew he was witnessing a piece of pop culture history when the rock trio appeared at the Bonnaroo Music Festival.

"My mom is jealous," he said.

Fronted by the seemingly ageless Sting, The Police were the headliner for this year's festival, which began Thursday and ended Sunday night. Other big acts included The White Stripes, Tool, Widespread Panic, Wilco, Ben Harper and The Flaming Lips.

Add in the myriad of nonmusical attractions, from movies to comedians to fire eaters, and Bonnaroo took on the air of a carnival midway. The sheer volume and variety of entertainment was overwhelming.

As Ziggy Marley channeled his late father, reggae legend Bob Marley, on one of the big stages, three burlesque dancers performed a PG-13-style striptease in the "Bonna Rouge" tent and footage of Jimi Hendrix smashing his guitar to pieces played during the "Monterey Pop" film playing in the cinema.

There was an air-conditioned jazz club where patrons sat at candlelit tables, a real luxury given the Port-a-Potties and makeshift showers outside. A few dozen revelers wearing headphones danced at the "Silent Disco" - a strange sight even for this place, where the strange is common. The whole festival smelled of cooking grease, cigarette smoke and sweat.

"There's a little of everything here. It's like a small country," Juan Rosales remarked as he stood shirtless and took it all in.

Rosales, 21, of Gainesville, Ga., had read about Bonnaroo and seen pictures of it, but experiencing it for himself was something else entirely. He had wanted to make the trip since the festival started six years ago but couldn't afford it.

"Now that I've come, I know to start saving this year for next year," he said.

No one could escape the heat, though everyone tried. People slept in whatever shade they could find and guzzled bottled water and cold beer. Clouds of dust billowed from the parched ground, causing many to tie scarves around their mouths and noses like Old West train robbers.

"We could really use some rain," said Bonnie Bronson, a 34-year-old waitress from Suffolk, Va., as she stood with wet hair outside a large trailer where people washed up and filled bottles and jugs with water.

"The heat with the dust makes it hard to breath. But everyone is having a good time," added her friend, Jason Smith, a 30-year-old brick mason.

All 80,000 tickets were sold.

As of Sunday morning, there had been one death, 25-year-old Cody L. Conover of Lancaster, Ky. Authorities say it will probably be several weeks before they know the cause, but they are looking into drugs and heat as possibilities.

Neither the heat nor the dust mattered much to Mirsajedin as he waited for The Police. He has all the group's music on vinyl.

"I probably would have come anyway," he said, "but when I heard The Police were going to be here, it sealed the deal."

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 04:55 AM

SHEN YANG IS BBC 'CARDIFF SINGER OF THE WORLD'

A 23-year-old student from China has won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World title.

Bass-baritone Shen Yang, from Shanghai Conservatory of Music, won the title at St David's Hall in Cardiff on Sunday.

Shen was the youngest competitor in the week-long contest, and beat off four other finalists.

Shen received £15,000 prize money in the competition which helped launch the career of a fellow bass baritone, Wales' Bryn Terfel.

I think the competition is not only a competition - it's a big singing party in the world
Shen Yang

Clearly overcome by his success, the singer was presented with the trophy by the competition's patron Dame Joan Sutherland.

His prize also includes engagements with the BBC and Welsh National Opera.

Afterwards he said: "I think the competition is not only a competition - it's a big singing party in the world."

-BBC

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 04:59 AM

GUITAR SHOW WILL OPEN IN BOSTON SEPT. 15 & 16

Mount Vernon, Iowa (PRWEB) June 18, 2007 -- Premier Guitar Shows kicks off its series of regional guitar festivals with New England Guitar Festival, September 15 and 16. Held at Boston's Bayside Expo Center, the New England Guitar Festival is expected to host as many as 150 guitar, amp, and accessory manufacturers and dealers. More than 10,000 guitar players, collectors, guitar retailers and enthusiasts are expected for this weekend-long event.

The festival will also feature top-name entertainment and a series of attendee workshops and seminars conducted by professional musicians, but also by noted music educators and teachers associated with TrueFire, the leading guitar education software publisher and comprehensive online resource for musician-centric content. (www.truefire.com)

Premier Guitar Shows president Kevin Kopec explains that these weekend festivals fill a void between flea markets and large, national guitar shows. "The entire concept is built on providing a meaningful show experience for guitar players of all capabilities and interests. The New England Guitar Festival will be a multifaceted experience, complete with dealer and manufacturer exhibits, instruction, and entertainment. It is truly a celebration of the guitar."

Attendees will get a chance to celebrate guitar music with a planned All Star Guitar Night, which will feature an evening of exciting performances from well-known, well-respected guitarists.

Vintage and collectible guitars are a key ingredient of the New England Guitar Festival. Guitar enthusiasts of all levels - from players who simply realize the value of a great guitar, to experienced collectors actively searching for specific items to complete their collections - will have the opportunity to indulge their wishes.

"The guitar is an iconic invention that keeps growing in value," Kopec explains. "Some guitars that cost $200 in the 1950s and 1960s can now be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. That is why we encourage the general public to attend the festival with an older guitar to sell or trade. You never know what that dusty, rusty heirloom could be worth until a dealer evaluates it for collector potential."

When older guitars are detailed and restored with vintage parts, the value can literally explode in value. "It doesn't happen often, but when it does, you have to be there to witness this experience."

Premier Guitar Shows has scheduled two other venues for 2007, and two for 2008.

Premier Guitar Shows LLC is the events division of Gearhead Communications, publisher of Premier Guitar magazine. The show division capitalizes on a unique and powerful connection between the company's publication, its online portal (www.premierguitar.com) and its association with TrueFire.

One additional way that Premier Guitar Shows distinguishes itself from one-day flea markets is with its unique, online show registration. Dealers of new, used, and vintage guitars can register online at www.premierguitarshows.com and choose their booth location, size, and any enhancements they desire. This can be done for any of Premier Guitar Shows Guitar Festivals.

Premier Guitar is a monthly publication that is dedicated to the "relentless pursuit of tone" and is edited for serious and accomplished players.

-PR Web

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 05:07 AM

WHICH LADY HAS THE BEST LEGS IN POP?

Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle has been voted as having the best legs in pop.

The poll held by Smash Hits saw the music star beat her bandmate Cheryl Tweedy to the top spot. Tweedy was voted sixth.

Kylie Minogue took the runners' up position, while Jamelia came in third.

Tina Turner, by far the oldest celebrity in the top ten at 67 years of age, came in ninth.

The top ten is as follows:

1. Nadine Coyle 2. Kylie Minogue 3. Jamelia 4. Gwen Stefani 5. Christina Aguilera 6. Cheryl Tweedy 7. Beyonce 8. Britney Spears 9. Tina Turner 10. Danni Minogue

-KeralaNext

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 05:12 AM

MICHAEL JACKSON TESTIFIES HE WAS 'TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF' BY HIS OWN ADVISERS

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Jackson says in a court deposition that the Rev. Jesse Jackson and billionaire Ron Burkle gave him advice to help save him from financial disaster when he was fighting child molestation charges.

The Daily News said in Sunday editions it reviewed seven hours of transcripts, finding that the singer believed disloyal advisers took advantage of him financially before a Santa Maria, Calif., jury acquitted him of child molestation in June 2005.

Michael Jackson said in a deposition taken last summer in Paris that the entertainment industry was "full of sharks, charlatans and impostors."

"Because there's a lot of money involved, there's a bunch of schmucks in there," Jackson said. "It's the entertainment world, full of thieves and crooks. That's not new. Everybody knows that."

Jackson testified that during his trial he received wise advice during bathroom break cellphone calls with Burkle, the billionaire friend of former President Clinton.

Burkle brought in Jesse Jackson, who has known Michael Jackson since he was a child, to help with the consultations, the newspaper said.

The deposition was made in preparation for a civil trial expected to begin this week in U.S. District Court. The case against Jackson was brought by a Hackensack, N.J. finance company that claims he cheated the company of $48 million.

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 05:13 AM

RINGO WILL 'GO DIGITAL'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ringo Starr is going digital.

The ex-Beatle has signed a deal to release his Capitol/EMI catalog as downloads on the internet, including his hit 1970 album Beacoups of Blues and Ringo from 1973, his publicist said in a statement Sunday.

The downloads will be available August 28, along with a compilation album, Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr. The best-of collection, with tracks like It Don't Come Easy and Sentimental Journey, will also be released on CD and as a collector's edition CD/DVD package featuring a film and video clips.

Six Ringo Starr ringtones will also be offered.

A solo album, called Liverpool 8, is planned for a January 2008 release.

Starr's first solo recording contract after the Beatles broke up was with Capitol/EMI, from 1970 to 1975.

His former Fab Four bandmate Paul McCartney released his 21st solo album, Memory Almost Full, on June 5.

The Beatles catalog remains unavailable for downloading, though EMI has said it is working on a deal to put the songs online.

Tingly

June 18th, 2007, 05:15 AM

SINEAD O'CONNOR ROCKING THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC BOAT WITH DOUBLE ALBUM

By Kimberly Winston, Religion News Service
Sinéad O'Connor is not your typical Christian music diva.

The Irish singer/songwriter has torn up a picture of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live, refused to have The Star-Spangled Banner played before a concert, been excommunicated after her "ordination" as a Catholic priest and announced that she was a lesbian — before shortly recanting.

Yet with her soon-to-be-released double album Theology, the Grammy Award-winning O'Connor will make a foray into the mainstream Christian music market by distributing the album in major Christian retail outlets, including Family Christian Stores and Lifeway Christian Stores.

The album will be released June 26 by Koch Records.

The move, O'Connor says, is not as out of character as it may seem.

"By blood and by birth I am a Catholic, and I am extremely inspired by that," she says in a telephone interview from Dublin. "I wanted to acknowledge music as a way of talking to God."

But will the Christian market buy it?

Besides her public antics, her private life may be a hard sell to Christians, too.

She spent time in a reformatory school for shoplifting and truancy, has been divorced and is raising four children by as many different men.

"I would think that the people shopping at these stores would find Sinéad too controversial," says Andreas Hager, a senior lecturer at Finland's Abo Akademi University who has written about Christian themes in O'Connor's music. "That usually matters to American conservative Christians."

But she may find an audience with younger Christians, especially those involved in the emerging church movement, which is generally built upon rebuilding broken lives and is, therefore, more forgiving of people's pasts.

"Yes, her past is checkered, but I think for many people it's not inconsistent," says S. Brent Plate, a professor at Texas Christian University and author of Blasphemy: Art That Offends. "There are plenty of Christians with checkered lives. She's working it all out, I think, and perhaps in some raw and honest ways. Her music is obviously an expression for her struggles."

O'Connor is not the first mainstream rocker to seek out the Christian market. Barry McGuire, of Eve of Destruction album fame, converted to Christianity in the 1970s and made a string of Christian albums. In 1979, Bob Dylan made the Grammy-winning Slow Train Coming, redolent with his newfound Christianity. Bono and U2 have a huge following among Christians and have even seen their music blended into Christian liturgy as the U2charist.

"Sinéad's is different," Plate says. "Hers is not really a dramatic conversion. Many people have known of her religious interests for years, and the fact that she studied theology for some time."

Indeed, religion has long been an inspiration to O'Connor, 41. Her first record, 1987's The Lion and the Cobra, had a verse from Psalm 91; her second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, opened with the serenity prayer. Traditional Christian music, including Ave Maria, Kyrie Eleison and Regina Caeli, has been scattered throughout her 20-year recording career.

Tingly

June 20th, 2007, 09:53 PM

LORD OF THE RINGS MUSICAL SUCKS ***?!

The 'Lord of the Rings' musical, widely considered the most expensive production in the history of West End theater with part of the music scored by Indian maestro A.R. Rahman, opened here Tuesday evening to mixed reviews that ranged from confusion to dazzling excitement.

Some reviewers panned it while The Times called it a 'wonder' and 'a brave, stirring, epic piece of popular theater'. Rahman's music for the adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy saga also came in for some criticism.

The Financial Times said, 'As for Finnish folk group Varttina's score, even with two makeovers by (Bollywood composer) A.R. Rahman and now (musical supervisor) Christopher Nightingale, it cannot muster a single memorable tune.'

Columnist Kelly Nestruck wrote in The Guardian: 'There was a standing ovation at the end, but it was a weary one - it almost felt as if the audience was applauding itself for getting through the three-hour slog without air-conditioning.'

The stage adaptation is said to have cost 12.5 million pounds. When it was premiered in its earlier extended version in Toronto, the newspaper Toronto Star had renamed it Bored Of The Rings.

But actress Dame Judi Dench said: 'For anyone who is a Tolkien fan, it is just a terrific treat. I have never seen the films, but I am a great fan of Tolkien's writing. It has wonderful choreography and the cast worked so hard.'

The Independent termed it an 'inadequate Tolkien adaptation.' Under the headline 'Flawed of the Rings,' The Sun said the show's melodies were 'tune-free' and the lyrics were 'swamped' by the massive band. 'Overblown, over-orchestrated and now over here,' its critic said.

-IANS

Tingly

June 20th, 2007, 09:54 PM

AVRIL OFF TO HOLLYWOOD???

New York, June 20 : Canadian rock singer Avril Lavigne is desperate to try her luck in films just like her rivals Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson, if reports are to be believed.

Sources have revealed that the singer, who has already shot a scene in the Harrison Ford starrer 'The Flock', wants to earn recognition "outside of music" also.

They even say that Lavigne is in talks to play the lead in a thriller, which is being produced by Sony BMG.

"(She will be) playing kind of a white-trash girl," the New York Post quoted a source as saying.

Representatives for Lavigne were unavailable for comment.

Lavigne, who has sold over twenty-six million albums worldwide, ranked seventh on Canadian Business Magazine's list of most powerful Canadians in Hollywood.

-ANI

Tingly

June 20th, 2007, 09:56 PM

ANY WINEHOUSE CONTRACT RIDER TERMS LEAKED

London, June 20 : It seems that singer Amy Winehouse is determined to get tipsy and boozed-up at this weekend's Glastonbury festival.

The 23-year-old British soul sensation has asked festival organisers to get in a plentiful supply of booze.

The Back To Black singer wants two bottles of Spanish red wine, a large bottle of vodka, a bottle of champagne and a bottle of brandy, and that's just on arrival.

The rest of the list includes one case of lager ("NOT Stella or Carling!"), 40 Marlboro Lights, plenty of chocolate and three 'good quality' hot pizzas.

"This is the most boozy list organisers have received so far... They are talking to Pizza Hut about biking in the pizzas," the Mirror quoted an insider, as saying.

To ensure that things don't get out of control, Amy has also asked for 'two competent, sober local crew'.

And to get snuggle with hubby Blake Fielder-Civil, she has demanded that her backstage area is 'warm and well lit,' and fitted with an ensuite shower.

-ANI

Tingly

June 20th, 2007, 09:58 PM

THREE FRENCH SINGERS TOUR INDIA

Music aficionados across nine Indian cities will get to savour French music as three top women singers of France go on an India tour titled 'French Kiss' as part of World Music Day celebrations.

Mademoiselle K. Anais and Emily Loizeau, who know India as a country of culture, heritage and Bollywood, aim to present their perspectives of French music to bring out the diversity and dynamism of young French songwriters and composers in their tour. The weeklong tour kicked off in Chandigarh Wednesday.

''French Kiss' is a sexy way of labelling the tour that will showcase different styles and attitudes of three women singers,' said Philippe Martinet of the French embassy.

'The idea was to showcase the younger generation of French singers to India and the people will see the modern vision of French women through their songs.'

World Music Day or the Fete de la Musique was initiated in France in 1982 and since then is celebrated on June 21 every year.

The singers, who have never performed in India before, are not worried about audience acceptance and the language barrier.

'I have heard that Indians shake their body a lot during the shows and I want to see that,' Mademoiselle K, the 25-year-old rocker, told IANS.

'When you're a musician, you have to go and see the world. Even though everyone might not know French, I'm still very excited, restless and impatient to meet the Indian audience because if anyone loves music, the language will not matter ... it is music that they want to hear.'

The seven-day tour will see the singers perform in Chandigarh, Pune, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Bangalore.

The singers, who have seen a couple of Hindi movies and have heard some of Bollywood's foot tapping numbers like 'Ticket To Hollywood' from 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom', think that India is country where obscenity is criticised heavily.

'I have heard that India cares a lot about decency. We wear shorts at home in France, I have come to know that it is seen as vulgar in India,' said Anais, who was the lead singer of popular French band 'Opossum' which split in 2002.

'But the best think I have felt coming here is that people are not as aggressive as they are in Europe. They are very warm,' she added.

-IANS

Tingly

June 20th, 2007, 10:00 PM

JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ ARRESTED IN OKLAHOMA ON DRUG CHARGES

PURCELL, Okla. (AP) -- Singer Johnny Rodriguez, who topped the country-music charts in the 1970s, has been charged with three felony drug counts. Blanchard police stopped Rodriguez on Friday on a complaint of speeding, according to a court affidavit filed with the charges.

Officers then found what they believed to be bags of marijuana, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and an open container of beer in his pickup truck, court papers said.

Rodriguez was charged with felony counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of marijuana and driving under the influence of drugs.

The 55-year-old Laredo, Texas, resident also was charged with possession of paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. He was released from the McClain County jail Saturday on $6,500 bail.

Rodriguez had six No. 1 hits on the country charts in the 1970s, including "I Just Can't Get Her Out of My Mind," "Love Put a Song in My Heart" and "That's the Way Love Goes."

According to his tour schedule, Rodriguez was supposed to sing at the Old West Fest in Sperry on Friday night, but event organizers said he didn't make it.

He is due back in McClain County court July 18 for a preliminary hearing conference.

Tingly

June 20th, 2007, 10:11 PM

SPECTOR JURY HEARS BLOOD EVIDENCE

Jurors in Phil Spector's murder trial were bombarded yesterday (June 19) with photos of actress Lana Clarkson's face, some showing blood oozing from her mouth and nose, as a forensic analyst described her wounds.

Seated in the courtroom's front row, Clarkson's mother and sister averted their eyes from the more gory photos, which were displayed on a big screen.

Jurors had seen the photos previously, but sheriff's criminologist Lynn Herold's testimony was more graphic than that of other forensic experts who testified. She spoke of clotting and stringy blood, blood spatter and bodily fluids, using the pictures to illustrate her points.

Clarkson, 40, died from a single bullet fired into her mouth in the foyer of the music producer's California home on February 3, 2003. The defense claims that Clarkson, whose body was slumped in a chair, killed herself.

Herold said that blood on the gun that killed Clarkson and on her face and hand was smeared at some point, but that it was hard to tell how. She said three sources of "moving blood" would be the gun, a bloody cloth found nearby and "Mr. Spector."

"But the gun doesn't move itself, so he moved it?" asked prosecutor Alan Jackson. "That is the inference," said Herold. "I'm assuming no law enforcement personnel moved it."

The expert said she was not at the death scene in Spector's mansion and made her analysis primarily from photographs and examination of evidence in her laboratory.

Herold testified that it was clear someone had moved Clarkson's head before police arrived, saying Clarkson would not have been able to move after the gunshot.

-Billboard