ARCH MUSIC NEWS for 2/19/13

ARCH MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -

Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie is confirming that she’s now sporting a “lovely baby bump.” Fergie and husband, actor Josh Duhamel, shared the exciting news via his and her Twitter messages on Monday. Duhamel, star of the new movie “Safe Haven,” was the first to tweet, “Fergie and Me and BABY makes three.” Fergie followed up with a similar tweet that read: “Josh and me and BABY makes three!!!” adding the hashtag “mylovelybabybump.” The couple also included a photo of themselves as children.  Pregnancy rumors have chased Fergie and Josh for some time now. Just a few weeks ago, Duhamel answered questions on the subject while promoting his new movie. He told “USA Today,” “It’s happening. But every three months she’s pregnant in the press.” He added that he and Fergie were on their own schedule with starting a family. The couple tied the knot in 2009.

Michael Jackson’s oldest son is taking a different route into the world of show business. “Entertainment Tonight” is introducing Prince Michael Jackson as its newest correspondent. He made his debut Monday night with his first-ever interview with actors James Franco, Zach Braff and director Sam Raimi for the upcoming fantasy adventure “Oz the Great and Powerful.” The 16-year-old was taken under the wing by “ET’s” Brooke Anderson with whom he shared that he’s looking forward to becoming a well-rounded producer, screenwriter and actor someday. Prince also got a little advice about pursuing his dreams from some of his interview subjects.

Robert Plant says he’s not playing spoiler to another Led Zeppelin reunion. The rocker tells Australia’s “60 Minutes” that surviving bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones are “both Capricorns” and they “don’t say a word,” but they are “quite contained in their own worlds” while he’s left looking like the hold-out. But Plant insists he’s “not the bad guy,” and implies that he’d be up for reviving Led Zeppelin — next year. Regarding a reunion, Plant says “you need to speak to the Capricorns,” because he’s “got nothing to do in 2014.”  The reunion question has continued to crop up since 2007, when the band got back together for an Ahmet Ertegun tribute concert in London. Over the years Page and Jones have said they intended to keep the reunion going following the one-off event, but Plant wasn’t interested. Last fall, as they were promoting the new concert DVD “Celebration Day,” Plant, Page, and Jones were asked numerous times about getting back together, and at every turn said it wasn’t going to happen.

Madonna‘s son is learning that even posts on private social networking accounts can eventually go public. ColombiaReports.com says the pop superstar’s 12-year-old boy Rocco Ritchie posted a photo of Medellin, Colombia on his Instagram account after his mom’s concert in the city last November, and called the city the “cocaine center of Columbia.” His message has now surfaced and is upsetting Medellin residents — for the way he links their community to drugs and for misspelling the name of their country. Some also feel an apology is in order. City promoter Luis Guillermo Sossa calls it “outrageous that this is happening.” He adds that if Rocco truly believes what he posted Madonna needs to talk with him, because “it is an insult to the city that has been so hospitable to her.” Offended residents say there is much more to Colombia than drugs, and that Rocco’s remark shows how little he knows about the South American country.

KC and the Sunshine Band‘s Harry Wayne Casey is proud to be marking the group’s 40th anniversary this year. The singer tells Billboard.com that the band’s longevity is validating, because “for so many years” people tried to put the group down. But he says now he gets “a little bit of the last laugh,” because KC and the Sunshine Band’s hits “are sung at every major sports event, and used in movies and television.” Casey feels that such mainstream use “adds legitimacy to the songs, and gives them some true merit to what they were and what they are.” He adds that he worked very hard on his music. Harry says whenever the band wasn’t on the road he was in the studio. He explains that in the ’70s he lived on a “work all night, sleep all day” schedule, bouncing from one project to another, and didn’t give himself much time for anything else.  Casey also admits he had a hard time adjusting to success. He says even though he was famous he went through “a very lonely period” and “felt very isolated” because he didn’t know where he “fit in,” and it’s taken him “40 years to get comfortable with all that.” KC and the Sunshine Band will be marking their 40th anniversary with a tour, and Harry says new music is on the way as well.

Adele has reportedly taken to Eastern medicine to help her case of performance anxiety before the Academy Awards this Sunday. According to the “Daily Star,” the “Skyfall” singer took the advice of her friend Ayda Field, the wife of Robbie Williams – and started taking what’s called belly breathing classes from a leading Indian practitioner. A source tells the paper the daily sessions, in which the singer is being trained to breathe with her diaphragm, is doing wonders for her nerves. The source says Adele is feeling the pressure for her performance of “Skyfall” at the Oscars because she knows all eyes are on her after being out of the spotlight for more than a year. It’s also the first time she’s performed the James Bond theme live. The Academy Awards air this Sunday on ABC.