Thursday, 19 June 2008
Richie promises Commodores reunion
Speaking at the Antigua Romantic Rhythms Festival, Richie said: "We better do it now, or in the next ten years nobody would care."
He emphasised the importance of doing the reunion soon before they lose any more band members. Guitarist Milan Williams died two years ago.
The Commodores scored hits with 'Three Times A Lady', 'Easy' and 'Brick House' in the 1970s.
Richie left the group at the end of the decade to pursue a solo career.
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Saturday, 14 June 2008
Cate Blanchett - The Things They Say 8372
"What makes you nervous is not only the elements or the craziness of the fight but the fact that CATE was pregnant while we were filming, and fighting a pregnant woman is a really scary thing." SHIA LaBEOUF admits he was nervous in fight scenes opposite CATE BLANCHETT in new film INDIANA JONES + THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL.
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Sunday, 8 June 2008
Winehouse refused visa for Grammys
The Outside Organization, which counts the troubled retro-soul singer among its clients, said in a statement: "Amy has been progressing well since entering a rehabilitation clinic two weeks ago and although disappointed with the decision has accepted the ruling and will be concentrating on her recovery."
The 24-year-old singer and her acclaimed 'Back to Black' album are nominated in six categories for the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Organisers of the music awards are now arranging for the singer to perform via satellite.
Since the album's US release last year, she has cancelled a slew of appearances amid reports of drug use.
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Disco diva is back
Speaking ahead of the release of her first new album in 17 years, Summer confesses laziness was the reason she has never performed in Australia.
"I was too stinking lazy to fly that far," she says.
"Now it is probably a lot better with all of the new aircraft, but, back in the day, it was like a two-day flight.
"But I am coming -- hold on. I am hoping for this year."
Audio: Listen to Donna's new song, Stamp Your Feet
If her plans to visit Australia this year go ahead, Summer hopes to reunite with an old friend, Marcia Hines.
The pair grew up in the same Boston neighbourhood and Hines was in the same school year as Summer's younger sister.
The star says she was considering approaching Hines to sing a duet, but, as her latest album proves, she is still a strong solo performer.
After taking a break to raise her three daughters, Summer released her 19th album -- Crayons -- yesterday.
The singer wrote 12 of the 13 tracks, including a song titled The Queen is Back.
"It is me poking fun at being the queen and the whole concept of all of that," says Summer, who celebrates her 60th birthday on New Year's Eve. "But at the same time it's taking it seriously in terms of what that means to other people."
Summer has sold 130 million albums and enjoyed a string of hits globally.
Many of her songs remain firm favourites in clubs worldwide.
They include Love to Love You Baby, Could It Be Magic, I Feel Love, Last Dance, Hot Stuff, No More Tears, On the Radio and Bad Girls.
In a career spanning almost four decades, the Bostonian has earned five Grammy awards and a host of other accolades.
"I will always love disco. That is my baby," she says.
"I am ready, really ready. It has been a long while, longer than I would have wanted, but I was raising my kids and having a good time doing that. And then I just got bored and I figured I might as well do something I know how to do -- let's make a record."
Summer manages to hold her own in an industry obsessed with youth and unveiling the next big artist, all the while remaining true to her disco roots.
"I just wanted to be as free as I possibly could to make music and not worry about what the market would or wouldn't be, to go wherever I could go," she says.
Asked how she thinks the industry has changed, Summer is quick to say: "For the artists, it is great.
"In many ways, it has improved tremendously for the indie people. There is a broad spectrum of possibilities that I think allows young people today to actually not even need a record company, to establish themselves quite easily if they are determined.
"It is a great playing field for the artists.
"It is not so great for the establishment."
The only fear facing the celebrated singer is that she hopes fans feel the same connection to her new music as they did to her hits of the past.
"It has been a labour of love for sure."
Crayons is out now.
Ronan says he didn't cause Boyzone split
Speaking to Hello! magazine, the singer said: "A lot of people felt I was the reason Boyzone broke up. But it was the five of us that decided Boyzone was taking a break."
"Yes, I led the break-up, but I fully intended to come back; we all did," he said.
"And then my career took off. I wasn't expecting it to be like that. It went crazy for me and it was an amazing time - I was riding the crest of a wave and I couldn't drop it."
The group recently reunited and announced a number of concert dates in Ireland and the UK.
My wealth, my business: Mary-Kate
Actress Mary-Kate Olsen has hit out at people who question her about the Olsen twins� fortune � insisting her personal wealth is of no concern to the outside world, imdb.com reports.
The 21-year-old began acting as a baby, appearing in the 1980s show Full House alongside twin sister Ashley.
And the pair, who have gone on to launch a hugely lucrative merchandising empire, are estimated to be worth more than $100 million US.
But when questioned on her position as a wealthy young woman, Mary-Kate insists it shouldn�t be of interest to anyone.
�It�s nobody�s business if I am or I�m not (rich),� she told Us magazine.
Olsen doubts she would have considered a career in show business had she not started out as a youngster, insisting she is only acting now because it is all she has ever known.
�I grew up in it,� she said. �It wasn�t something that I aspired to. It�s just something I knew. For me, I just worked. I had a job. I�ve had a job for 21 years.�
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Fire breaks out at Berlin Philharmonic building
A fire broke out today at the Berlin Philharmonic's home, sending thick smoke
pouring from the crest of the iconic downtown building as firefighters and
musicians rushed to save instruments.
The blaze broke out beneath the roof of the building directly over the main
concert hall, which seats 2,500 and is famed for its extraordinary
acoustics. The cause was not immediately clear, said Marco Trenn, a
spokesman for Berlin firefighters. No flames were visible from the outside.
"We don't believe anyone is in danger, as the fire appears to be contained to
the roof," Trenn said. No instruments were believed to be in danger either,
he added.
Still, he said firefighters faced the job of cutting holes in the tent-shaped
roof, which is 160 feet (50 meters) above the ground, to get at the fire.
"To fight this is not simple," he said.
Firefighters rushed to the scene after several calls alerting them to the
blaze at 2:05 p.m. (1205GMT), Trenn said. Fire officials said some 170
firefighters were sent.
Bassoonist Stefan Schweigert said he had arrived at 2:20 p.m. (1220 GMT) to
find the fire already under way.
Nevertheless, musicians were allowed into the building to remove instruments
they had left in their lockers overnight following Monday's rehearsal,
assisted by firefighters.
"We just tried to save the instruments that were locked in the musicians'
lockers," Schweigert said, noting that many of the instruments, such as the
pianos and timpani, are too large to be removed.
While in the main concert hall and the musicians' locker rooms behind it,
Schweigert said he could not see any visible damage but could smell smoke.
Firefighters could be seen on the rooftop of the bright yellow concert hall,
designed by Hans Scharoun and completed in 1963. Together with the city's
main library, it makes up part of the Berlin Kulturforum, or Cultural Forum,
near Potsdamer Platz.
The Philharmonic, the German capital's leading orchestra, is directed by Sir
Simon Rattle.
Other concerts also take place in the building's foyer. A lunchtime
performance was just letting out as the alarm sounded.
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Koto - Ciber People - Proxyon
Artist: Koto - Ciber People - Proxyon
Genre(s):
Dance
Discography:
Spacerock Megamix CD3
Year: 1988
Tracks: 1
'50's Star Mel Ferrer Dies At 90
Fascinating Fact 5353
A sequel to 2008 hit THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL has been announced at the Cannes Film Festival in France. THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE, based on another of author Philippa Gregory's novels, will be written by screenwriter Andrew Davies.
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Andrew Lloyd Webber - Lloyd Webber Votes To Eliminate Rachel From Id Do Anything
Rachel Tucker has become the latest contestant to be eliminated from the BBC One show I'd Do Anything.
The 26-year-old received the fewest number of public votes along with 17-year-old Samantha Barks after their performances on Saturday.
Rachel becomes the ninth Nancy hopeful to leave the competition and leaves Samantha, Jessie Buckley, Jodie Prenger as the final three for next week's final.
After receiving the fewest number of votes, Rachel and Samantha had to sing a rendition of Memory from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats.
And the competition judge eventually decided to come down on the side of Samantha describing her as "fantastic".
"It's an impossible choice", Lloyd Webber declared. "On the one hand Samantha you're fabulous you've got everything ahead of you, Rachel you did a wonderful performance last night of Cabaret and I really don't know what to say.
"But I've got to make a decision and I've got to think of where the show ultimately for Cameron [Mackintosh] is going to go and I think I have to go with you Samantha.
"And it was a fantastic performance tonight, I just know you've got this huge career ahead of you and also I have a sneaking suspicion you'll play Nancy. One day. You were fantastic."
On receiving her marching orders, Rachel claimed that she was "devastated" not to have made the final but described her time on the BBC show as the "most unbelievable experience of a lifetime".
25/05/2008 20:04:24
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