Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1-18-13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
A candle sparked a fire that sent the Beverly Hills Fire Department to Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne‘s home early Thursday morning, but Sharon is taking the blame for the blaze. On yesterday’s episode of CBS’ “The Talk,” she explained that she had left a candle burning overnight and the heat built up in the glass vase, causing it to burst — setting the room on fire in the process. She said she and Ozzy tried to put out the fire themselves but their efforts looked like something you’d see on “The Three Stooges.” She admits they were “like two idiots” who did all the wrong things and just made the situation worse.
The numbers are in on The Rolling Stones‘ recent “50 and Counting” shows. Billboard.com says the group raked in 38-million-687-thousand-and-ten-dollars with their five sold out concerts in November and December, which averages out to more than seven-point-seven-million per show. With each performance running approximately two-and-a-half-hours, that boils down to roughly three-million-dollars an hour. And the 38-million-plus figure just accounts for ticket sales, not any revenue from the band’s pay-per-view special.
The Eagles‘ documentary will have its premiere this weekend. Band members Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit are expected to be on hand for the special screening of “History of the Eagles, Part One” at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on Saturday. The movie chronicles the first part of the group’s story, from their formation in 1971 and rise to fame to their breakup in 1980. Director Alison Ellwood says viewers will learn more in particular about Henley and Frey, and “what sparked the desire to become the band.” Producer Alex Gibney adds that the movie shows “the character of the band,” and the audience will see “how different” the group members are from one another, and “how they complement each other.” In the film, the Eagles story unfolds through a mixture of archival footage, home movies, photographs, and a host of interviews. Ellwood says group members were “very forthcoming and quite honest” in recalling their past — even about “the hard times they had together.” There is also a “History of the Eagles, Part Two,” which has been completed. The second film covers the band members’ solo careers and their 1994 reunion. The group plans to eventually release the films together as a two-disc DVD set, but a date hasn’t been announced yet.
Bob Seger and Kid Rock are pairing up for a pair of concerts in March. The two are making good on promises of more onstage collaborations with two concerts in Minneapolis and Fargo, North Dakota. The Minneapolis date is set for March 15th. The Fargo concert will take place on March 16th. Tickets for both shows go on sale January 26th.
The Obama administration has unveiled the official list of songs that will be playing in the halls of the White House in the days leading up the next week’s Inauguration. The playlist was released on the Obama Inauguration Twitter page and features a number of artists who are set to perform at upcoming Inauguration events.
Official Obama-Approved Inauguration Playlist:
1) Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder
2) I Was Here – Beyonce
3) Mi Gente – Marc Anthony
4) Carry On – fun.
5) New Day – Alicia Keys
6) Mud On The Tires – Brad Paisley
7) Turn Up The Love – Far East Movement
8) Edge Of Glory – “Glee” Cast cover of Lady Gaga
9) Your Smiling Face – James Taylor
10) Ordinary People – John Legend
11) Firework – Katy Perry
12) Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
13) My Mic – Nick Cannon featuring Biz Markie
14) Something Special – Usher
15) Higher and HIgher – Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago
16) Get Ready – Smokey Robinson
17) Future – Mindless Behavior
Rumors about the paternity of Michael Jackson‘s two oldest children, Prince and Paris Jackson, are resurfacing. The pop star’s former dermatologist, Arnie Klein, has posted a photo on his Facebook page of himself as a young man, overlaid with a current photo of Prince. The caption says “hmmmmm.” In the photos, the two appear to share a resemblance. There has been speculation that Klein is the biological father of Prince and his sister Paris for years. In the past, Klein has gone back and forth between claiming and denying paternity of the children whose mother, Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe, worked as Klein’s medical assistant. Rowe has never spoken publically about Prince and Paris’ paternity, but she reportedly confirmed to “Vanity Fair” last year that the children were conceived artificially. Neither Klein nor the children’s grandmother, Katherine Jackson, have commented.
Lady Gaga was apparently looking to cast Charlie Sheen in a music video at one time. She offered him a part in what she said was going to be “her first X-rated video.” Sheen said Gaga even had a plot worked out when she pitched him the idea. He claims she told him she wanted him to play a customer in a strip club and that she “wanted to do a full striptease as a lapdance” for him. Sheen says Gaga told him that if there is anyone who deserves an “X-rated lap dance,” it was him. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like this video ever made it past the planning stages. Sheen said he was “so flattered” but that he never heard from Gaga again.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1-17-13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Jennifer Lopez has some nice words for one of her exes, Ben Affleck. She congratulated him on his Golden Globe wins on Wednesday’s edition of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” The singer, who was also at Sunday’s Golden Globe ceremony as a presenter, said she stood up for Affleck when he had his big moment winning Best Director for “Argo,” which she called “a great movie.” She told Ellen that she’s used to seeing her exes from time to time since they “run in the same circles.” The former “American Idol” judge also admitted that though she’s happy with everything she is doing, she does miss being on the show. She said that more than anything she is going to miss how much fun she had being a part of “Idol” and the “nice little family” she had made with the people there. When Ellen asked her her thoughts on new judge Nicki Minaj, Lopez said she would rather not comment.
Lady Gaga may be taking her fascination with Michael Jackson to the next level. She’s reportedly looking into purchasing Neverland Ranch, the three-thousand acre California estate MJ bought in 1988 and gave up shortly before his death. According to “The Sun,” Gaga has befriended the King of Pop’s sister LaToya Jackson and the two are eager to restore Neverland to its former glory. Gaga has reportedly offered to help with the financial costs by purchasing a share of the estate. She was reportedly prompted to do so after hearing that Michael’s three children want to hold on to the memories of their childhood home.
Elton John is a father again. The singer and his partner David Furnish announced on their website Wednesday that they had become fathers for the second time after the birth of their son Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John. Little Elijah was born via a surrogate mother on January 11th in Los Angeles. John and Furnish, who entered into a civil partnership eight years ago, say Elijah’s addition completes their family in a “precious and perfect way.” The couple’s first child, Zachary, was also born via a surrogate mother. He is two years old.
Jack Russell, who now fronts his own version of Great White, continues to raise money for the victims from The Station fire. He’ll mark the tenth anniversary of the tragedy with a special acoustic concert next month in California. Russell’s “Benefit for the Station Fire Memorial Foundation” show will take place at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, California on February 7th. Great White guitarist Ty Longley was among the 100 people who were killed in the fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island on February 20th, 2003. More than 200 others were injured in the blaze, which was sparked by the band’s pyrotechnics.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/16/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
While David Bowie has a new album coming out, fans shouldn’t expect him to tour behind the disc. Producer Tony Visconti tells RollingStone.com that Bowie has no intentions to hit the road in support of “The Next Day.” He says Bowie has mentioned possibly playing a show or two “if he feels like it.” But he says but the singer has been “very clear” with label execs that he’s not “going to tour or do any kind of ridiculously long album promotion” for the album.
A car once used by the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury now has a new owner. The singer’s Rolls Royce was expected to fetch about $18,000 at the Coys auction in Birmingham, England over the weekend. But when it went under the hammer on Saturday bidding climbed into the six figures before a Russian businessman got the car for just under 119-thousand dollars. The 1974 Rolls Silver Shadow features a grey leather interior and wood trim, with automatic windows, a radio cassette player, and a car phone. Mercury bought the car in 1979 through his Goose Productions company, and used it until his death in 1991. Since then the car had been with Freddie’s family, who last used it to attend the 2002 premiere of the Queen musical “We Will Rock You.” In addition, Mercury reportedly didn’t put any of the 62-thousand miles on the car himself. He never actually drove the vehicle but used chauffeurs, because he didn’t have a driver’s license.
Former Ram Marshall Faulk, Cardinals great and Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, Alice Cooper, former Eagle Don Felder, and Michael Bolton are spending time this week golfing for a cause. They’re among the stars taking part in the Humana Challenge, the charity golf tournament previously known as the Bob Hope Classic. Other stars taking part in the event include actors Craig T. Nelson, Anthony Anderson, and Peter Gallagher; actor and game show host Alfonso Ribeiro. TV personality Carson Daly, NFL star Ronde Barber and comedian Ron White are also on board. Cooper is a longtime supporters of the event. This year marks his 15th tournament over the past 16 years. The Humana Challenge raises money for a variety of organizations serving California’s Coachella Valley. While activities surrounding the Humana Challenge began over the weekend, first round play begins Thursday and continues through Sunday. The Golf Channel will provide coverage of the event each day from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Fox’s hit talent search series “American Idol” returns to primetime tonight. As with past seasons, the show’s 12th season will kick off with a new crop of “Idol” hopefuls putting their vocal chops on display in front of a celebrity panel of judges. Much of the buzz leading up to the new season has been about the judges themselves after video of a heated exchange between panel newcomers Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj went viral last fall. The feud reportedly got so intense Carey told interviewer Barbara Walters she felt the need to beef up her security detail after getting wind of a threat Minaj allegedly made against her. Minaj denies it. Also new to the panel this season is country star Keith Urban. Original “Idol” judge Randy Jackson and host Ryan Seacrest are also back for another round. Carey, Minaj and Urban were brought in to fill the panel seats vacated by Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler last year.
Justin Timberlake might be looking at his best sales week yet with his latest surprise single “Suit & Tie.” Label sources tell “Billboard” Timberlake’s first new song since 2006 is expected to sell between 330 and 350 thousand downloads by the end of its first tracking week. The estimate would easily outdo the 250 thousand downloads he sold with “SexyBack,” making it the most he’s earned in one sales week in his career. Only a few songs have surpassed the 300 thousand mark in the past year, including Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend.” Timberlake has managed to merge his new music efforts with the Myspace project he was working on during his long hiatus. He is using his new single to help promote the revamped version of the site, making it the first thing a user sees when signing up. ”Suit & Tie,” which features Jay-Z, was released on midnight Sunday. Timberlake also announced that fans could expect his next album to arrive later this year. It will be called “The 20/20 Experience.”
An anti-gun violence group is calling out Lady Gaga for her choice to wear a gun bra on her “Born This Way Ball” tour. The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence is denouncing the Mother Monster’s onstage costume choice calling it insensitive in light of the recent gun-related tragedies around the country. A rep for the group says they had hoped Gaga would have “a better sense of judgement,” adding that her plastic gun bra is “no different than a guy who poses with an assault rifle to look tough.” The group is calling on Gaga to “consider the influence she wields over many people” and to “use that power responsibly.” Sharon Osbourne made similar comments against the singer on Monday’s “The Talk,” criticizing the bra as well as the supposed violent language on Gaga’s fan site.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/15/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Justin Timberlake is dressing up his musical comeback. “Suit & Tie” is his first new song in seven years. It was released just after midnight Monday and features hip-hop superstar Jay-Z.
Sharon Osbourne continued her verbal attack on pop star Lady Gaga on her CBS talk show “The Talk” on Monday. Not only did she defend her daughter Kelly, but she also attacked the singer for promoting violence herself. The feud started when Gaga posted an open letter to Kelly, criticizing her for being on the E! show “Fashion Police.” Kelly herself has been relatively quiet on the matter. She responded by saying that she wasn’t giving much thought to the comments and was still a fan of the singer. Her mother, however, slammed Gaga for not speaking out against some of her fans’ violent words against her family. On Monday’s “The Talk,” Sharon went even further by criticizing the singer for wearing a costume bra onstage last week with two large plastic guns on them. She said that her actions were “not right” and that “she should be stopped.” Her co-hosts Aisha Tyler and Sara Gilbert also chimed in, supporting Osbourne’s statements against Gaga. Osbourne emphasized that she attempted to resolve the issue privately first.
Adele is still choosing to keep the name of her newborn son private. The singer made her first appearance since giving birth last October at Sunday night’s Golden Globes. She picked up the award for Best Original Song for her James Bond theme “Skyfall,” but refused to reveal details about her baby boy. She told “BBC” and a number of other news outlets that she was “not ready” to reveal the name of her son, saying that it is “too personal and intimate.” During her acceptance speech, Adele said that the night was only supposed to be her first night out as a new mom and that she wasn’t expecting the win at all.
If she wasn’t busy enough already, Beyonce may be the new face of an upcoming campaign for Swedish fashion retailer H&M. According to “Vogue,” the singer was photographed in in the Bahamas last week wearing a tropical-printed bikini during what was rumored to be a photo shoot. To add to that, one of Beyonce’s dancers Kimberly Gipson, sent out a tweet appearing to confirm the news. Gipson had tweeted “First day of trial in the Bahamas! H&M all set…go” – and the post was quickly deleted. H&M did not comment on the rumor, but it has been known to keep information about many of its other famous faces underwraps in the past. Others to have been a part of the fashion giant’s campaigns include Gisele Bundchen, Jerry Hall, David Beckham and most recently Lana Del Rey. If the reports turn out to be true, H&M will join both Pepsi and L’Oreal as brands to land Beyonce as a celebrity endorsement.
A British court has sentenced 100 hours of community service to two men who hacked into Sony Music’s servers with the intent to steal unreleased recordings by Michael Jackson. James Marks and James McCormick pled guilty to computer misuse charges and downloading almost eight thousand files. They were arrested for the crime in 2011. Both men are in their late 20s, and admitted to using their home computers to exploit a weakness they have found in the servers. They claimed they were looking for evidence to prove the rumors that some of Jackson’s posthumous releases were actually sung by an impersonator. Apparently both Marks and McCormick were big fans of the late King of Pop.
It looks like Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is no longer engaged. A source tells “The New York Post’s” Page Six that the rocker and his longtime girlfriend Erin Brady have split up, saying “it’s over for good this time.” Trouble was reportedly brewing between the two last fall. Last November Tyler was rumored to have broken things off “quietly” after having difficulty maintaining the relationship and his sobriety while touring with Aerosmith. At that time an Aerosmith rep denied that that the relationship was in jeopardy, and attributed any perceived problems to the “trials and tribulations” that every couple goes through. However, Page Six says Erin was “noticeably absent” from Tyler’s recent family vacation in Hawaii — which is where he proposed just over a year ago.
Stevie Nicks says Fleetwood Mac‘s upcoming tour will be “very different” from the last time the band hit the road. The singer tells the UK’s “Guardian” that after making peace with Lindsey Buckingham, they’re now in a place where they can “walk up on stage and be dramatic with each other” and it “doesn’t carry on after you walk down the stairs and go back to your hotels and rooms.” Nicks admits that the last time Fleetwood Mac toured, she and Lindsey weren’t able to do that, and their interactions were “like waiting-for-a-bus undramatic.” But she insists “this is not going to be that tour.” Stevie adds that the audience will likely appreciate it. She explains that “people love to see people in love,” and since they’re now “getting along” and “happy with each other, that part comes out.” Fleetwood Mac will launch their spring North American tour in Columbus, Ohio on April 4th.
A new line of headphones has tapped AC/DC, Elvis Presley, and James Dean for design inspiration. MacObserver.com says the German company On.Earz is behind “The Legends” set, which was introduced in the U.S. at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Presley and Dean estates as well as the Australian band have given the product their stamp of approval. The AC/DC cans have a black leather look, with studs bridging the top of the headband and the band’s logo on the underside. The Elvis set has the look of brown leather over the earpieces and the top of the headband, while his signature is on the underside. The James Dean headphones have blue denim styling on the earpieces and top of the headband, with his signature on a red faux leather strip on the underside. The headphones also come with a cable with in-line microphone and other functions for smartphone use. On.Earz’s “Legends” headphones are expected to arrive in U.S. stores within the next few months, retailing for 99-dollars.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/14/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
HERE ARE THE WINNERS OF THE GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS:
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook
Best Director
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Richard Gere, Arbitage
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight
Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea
Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the YEmen
Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Emily Blunt, Salmon Fising in the Yemen
Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith, Quartet
Meryl Streep, Hope Springs
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Best Screenplay
Zero Dark Thirty
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Django Unchained
Argo
Best Original Song
“For You” – Act of Valor
“Not Running Anymore” – Stand Up Guys
“Safe and Sound” – The Hunger Games
“Skyfall” – Skyfall
“Suddenly” – Les Misérables
Best Original Score
Argo
Anna Karenina
Cloud Atlas
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Best Foreign Language Film
Amour
A Royal Affair
The Untouchables
Kon-Tiki
Rust and Bone
Best Animated Feature
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph
Best TV Series – Drama
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom
Best TV Series – Comedy
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash
Best Actor – TV Series Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Best Actress – TV Series Drama
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Best Actor – TV Miniseries or Movie
Kevin Costner, Hatfield & McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Toby Jones, The Girl
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Best Actress – TV Miniseries or Movie
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis CK, Louie
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Best Actress – TV Series Comedy
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Best Miniseries/TV Movie
Game Change
The Girl
Hatfield & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals
Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, Motion Picture Made for Television
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Houston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, Motion Picture Made for Television
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
Fun. is set to help President Obama celebrate the start of his second term. The Presidential Inaugural Committee says the pop-rockers are among the acts who will be performing at one of the inaugural events, which starts on January 19th. Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, Usher, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, and Brad Paisley are also on board for the balls and celebrations, while Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé and James Taylor will take the stage at the official inauguration in Washington, DC on January 21st.
Jon Bon Jovi says he’s bringing his acting career to an end. On the red carpet at Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards, the rocker explained that he’s not interested in appearing in any more films. He told NBC’s Matt Lauer that he has “a much better chance of writing more songs” for movies than ever stepping in front of the cameras again. Bon Jovi admitted that he “enjoyed it,” and added that acting gave him “great periods of growth” in his life. But he called the Golden Globes event “the end of a chapter” for him, explaining that his “day job is great,” and that he’s looking forward to kicking off tour rehearsals Monday in New York with the rest of Bon Jovi. Jon was a Golden Globe nominee for Best Original Song with “Not Running Anymore” from the film “Stand Up Guys,” but lost to Adele’s James Bond theme “Skyfall.” Bon Jovi will launch the “Because We Can” tour in Uncasville, Connecticut on February 9th. The tour’s name comes from the lead-off single from Bon Jovi’s next release, “What About Now.” The track “Because We Can” is available now. The album is due out March 26th.
Journey is earning praise for their documentary. “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey” has received the Audience Award at the 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. The event’s winners were announced on Sunday. The film chronicles singer Arnel Pineda’s journey from homeless teen in the Philippines to fronting a major rock band. Guitarist Neal Schon discovered Pineda through YouTube, and sought him out after seeing him perform a Journey song with a band in Manila. Arnel just marked his fifth anniversary with the group last month.
Former Styx frontman Dennis DeYoung is considering re-staging the band’s biggest tour for a DVD release. The rocker says in a website post that he’s “taking a little break this January.” But he says he’s “toyed with the idea of recreating the ‘Paradise Theater’ tour one more time, janitor, back drops, simulated marquee and all.” While the singer admits he’s recreated “the scenic elements” of the show before, he explains that his show a few years back didn’t include all the songs from Styx’s original 1981 performance. DeYoung adds that he still has the set list from 32 years ago, and believes “It could be great” with his current band. He adds that he thinks “this show will make a great DVD.”
Ozzy Osbourne‘s wife is now stepping into the feud between daughter Kelly and Lady Gaga. Sharon Osbourne came to her daughter’s defense after Gaga posted an open letter to Kelly on Thursday. It all started with Kelly making some comments against Gaga’s “little monsters,” claiming that they often verbally attack her over her weight. In Gaga’s open letter, she criticized Osbourne for her show on E! “Fashion Police,” where she is part of a panel that pokes fun at celebrity fashion. Gaga apologized to Kelly for her fans’ behavior but encouraged her to use her fame in a more positive way. Sharon came back at her by posting a copy of the original email she’d sent to Gaga’s manager, in which she accused Gaga of being “desperate” for attention. She also said Gaga was “supporting disgraceful fan comments” towards her daughter, which she called “hideous, negative and vile threats.”
Britney Spears‘ now-ex fiance Jason Trawick has taken a big step out of the star’s life. In a statement announcing their split Friday, Britney’s rep also confirmed that she would be leaving her “X Factor” gig as well. That same day, a Los Angeles court accepted the resignation of Trawick from the singer’s conservatorship. A judge also said Britney’s father Jamie Spears would remain as the sole conservator, which gives him control over his daughter’s millions in assets. Trawick, who is also Britney’s former manager, was added as a co-conservator in April last year about four months after their engagement. The pair said they would remain good friends. E! is also reporting that Britney has returned her 90-thousand-dollar diamond ring to Trawick after calling off the wedding.
Beyonce has released a second trailer for her upcoming HBO documentary “Life Is But A Dream.” The trailer comes on the heels of Beyonce’s announcement about her reunion with Destiny’s Child on a new song called “Nuclear.” In the trailer, Beyonce shares some intimate home video style moments, speaking about her struggle to keep up with her own success. She also talks about having to hide her pregnancy in the beginning months and the changes she went through while becoming a mother. “Life Is But A Dream” will air on HBO on February 16th. She will also be performing at the Super Bowl halftime show on February 3rd, where the rest of Destiny’s Child is reported to be joining her for one new song.
Adele has won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for her James Bond theme, “Skyfall.” At Sunday’s ceremony, the singer made her first public appearance since giving birth in October. She and her “Skyfall” writing partner Paul Epworth beat out Keith Urban‘s “For You,” Taylor Swift‘s “Safe and Sound,” Bon Jovi‘s “Not Running Anymore” and “Suddenly” from “Les Miserables.” The 24-year-old new mom happily accepted the award, saying she was not expecting the win at all. She said it was amazing to be a part of the Hollywood world for a night and thanked Sony, director Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig “for being such a wonderful Bond.” Adele ended by thanking her boyfriend Simon, who she said convinced her to take on “Syfall,” and her “lovely son.”
Bruno Mars‘ hit single “Locked Out of Heaven” is making history on music streaming site Spotify. The song has become the first in the site’s history to be streamed more than one million times in a week. It also became the most-streamed in Spotify’s history, as of December 16th.
GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook
Best Director
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Richard Gere, Arbitage
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight
Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea
Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the YEmen
Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Emily Blunt, Salmon Fising in the Yemen
Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith, Quartet
Meryl Streep, Hope Springs
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Misearbles
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Best Screenplay
Zero Dark Thirty
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Django Unchained
Argo
Best Original Song
“For You” – Act of Valor
“Not Running Anymore” – Stand Up Guys
“Safe and Sound” – The Hunger Games
“Skyfall” – Skyfall
“Suddenly” – Les Misérables
Best Original Score
Argo
Anna Karenina
Cloud Atlas
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Best Foreign Language Film
Amour
A Royal Affair
The Untouchables
Kon-Tiki
Rust and Bone
Best Animated Feature
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph
Best TV Series – Drama
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom
Best TV Series – Comedy
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash
Best Actor – TV Series Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Best Actress – TV Series Drama
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Best Actor – TV Miniseries or Movie
Kevin Costner, Hatfield & McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Toby Jones, The Girl
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Best Actress – TV Miniseries or Movie
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis CK, Louie
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Best Actress – TV Series Comedy
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Best Miniseries/TV Movie
Game Change
The Girl
Hatfield & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals
Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, Motion Picture Made for Television
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Houston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, Motion Picture Made for Television
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/11/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Jon Bon Jovi could win another Golden Globe award. He’s among the nominees for Best Original Song at this weekend’s event with “Not Running Anymore” from the film “Stand Up Guys.” Bon Jovi is facing off against Adele‘s James Bond theme “Skyfall,” Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars‘ “Safe & Sound” from the movie “The Hunger Games,” Keith Urban‘s “For You” from “Act Of Valor,” and “Suddenly” from the film “Les Miserables.” Jon has won a Golden Globe before, but it’s been a while. He was previously honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press for 1990′s “Blaze of Glory” from the movie “Young Guns 2.” The 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be presented in a ceremony in Beverly Hills, California Sunday night, and air on NBC at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. But Jon won’t be vying for an Oscar next month. While “Not Running Anymore” was on the Motion Picture Academy’s list of eligible tracks for the Music (Song) honor, he didn’t make the cut.
KISS is making plans for yet another Caribbean adventure. The group has announced the “KISS Kruise 3,” which will set sail this fall. A post on the event’s website says that with the inaugural “kruise” the band “united the KISS Navy to sail across the open seas,” and on the second voyage the KISS Navy rocked the boat with such intensity that the sea begged for mercy!” And now it’s time to once again “grab your face paint, your krazy costumes, your sunscreen” and get ready to come on board that ship that will “rock n roll all night and party everyday!” The 2013 excursion will depart from Miami on October 28th, and take “kruisers” on a round trip voyage to Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. Additional details on the trip are available at www.TheKissKruise.com.
Fans have been ready for Justin Timberlake to put out new music for years – and now he finally is. On Thursday, Timberlake released a video on Twitter confirming that he’s planning to make his big return to music in the days to come. The video can be seen at countdown.justintimberlake.com. After it ends, a countdown starts up that expires on Sunday at midnight – a hint that the new material is just days away. Timberlake, whose last album “Futuresex/Lovesounds” came out in 2006, also gave an official explanation about his absence from the music world. He says that he could never be “done with music” because it means more to him “than anyone else in the world.” He explains that he isn’t the type of artist to keep making album after album “year in and year out” and still expect it to fulfill him. The video ends with him putting on a pair of headphones and stepping up to a microphone saying that he’s finally ready to take the plunge.
Charlie Sheen has generously offered to pay for the funeral of Chris Guerra, the young paparazzo who died in a car crash while attempting to get a photo of Justin Bieber. The “Anger Management” star sent a 12-thousand dollar check to Guerra’s family to help pay for the services, which took place privately on Thursday. According to “TMZ,” Charlie is close friends with a former photographer who knew Guerra and offered to help when he got word that the family was having money troubles.
The ladies of Destiny’s Child – Beyonce included – have announced that they will be releasing their first new song in eight years. The track is called “Nuclear” and will be featured on their upcoming compilation album “Love Songs.”
“The X Factor” may just now be the “exit” factor for Britney Spears. She’ll leave the Simon Cowell talent search series after just one season (and a $15 million paycheck!). The source says Britney has made the decision that she won’t be returning, adding that she wants to concentrate on her music. There has been no official word from either “The X Factor” or Britney’s camp about her plans for the show.
Adele is officially up for an Oscar. “Skyfall,” the singer’s song contribution to the James Bond movie of the same name, has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. It’s the first James Bond theme in a decade to have clinched the nomination and to have been a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. “Skyfall” is a favorite among the songs in the running, which also includes “Suddenly” from “Les Miserables”; “Pi’s Lullaby” from “Life of Pi”; and “Before My Time” from the documentary “Chasing Ice.” The final, and most surprising, nominee is the song “Everybody Needs A Best Friend” from the comedy “Ted,” which was written by Oscar host Seth MacFarlane. Only three other James Bond themes have been nominated before “Skyfall” – “Live and Let Die” by Paul and Linda McCartney; “Nobody Does It Better” by Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager; and “For Your Eyes Only” by Bill Conti and Mick Leeson. None have taken home an Oscar. Adele is rumored to be attending the February 24th ceremony, with reports that she will be performing “Skyfall” during a Bond tribute segment.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/10/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, One Direction and the Wanted were among the big winners at the 2013 “People’s Choice Awards” on Wednesday night. Aguilera was given the special honor of People’s Voice Award, which was presented to her after she performed “Blank Page” off her new album “Lotus.” She took the opportunity to thank her fans for sticking with her over the years. Katy Perry accepted the award for Favorite Pop Artist, beating out Adele, Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber and Pink. She also won three other awards for Favorite Music Fan Following, Favorite Female Artist, and Favorite Music Video for “Part of Me.” At the end of her speech, she hinted that she was in the studio with new music on the way.
Adele is coming back into the spotlight on Sunday. She’ll be attending Sunday’s Golden Globes, making her first public appearance since giving birth to her son last October. Award show organizers confirm that she’ll be present, but haven’t officially said anything about a performance. She is nominated in the Best Original Song category for her James Bond theme “Skyfall” and it is also rumored she’ll be performing it during a James Bond tribute section celebrating the 50th anniversary of the franchise.
New Rush fans could be born any day now — literally. They’re the latest act to see their biggest songs adapted for the infant crowd. An instrumental version of “Fly By Night” is among the tracks on the upcoming album “Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Rush.” Lullaby versions of “Tom Sawyer,” “Working Man,” and “Limelight” are also part of the 12-track set, which is slated for a January 29th release. “Lullaby Renditions of Rush” is the latest in Rockabye Baby’s growing list of titles. Other “Lullaby” albums feature the music of Black Sabbath, AC/DC, and Aerosmith. Meanwhile, soothing remakes of U2‘s “Beautiful Day,” Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born To Run,” The Rolling Stones‘ “Start Me Up,” and Metallica‘s “Enter Sandman” are among the songs included on the limited edition, two-disc compilation “Rockabye Baby! Good Day, Goodnight.” Additional information on the lullaby albums is available at RockabyBabyMusic.com.
Beyoncé‘s 2013 is getting off to an epic start. Not only will she be headlining the halftime act at next month’s Super Bowl, she’ll sing the National Anthem at his second inauguration ceremony at the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 21st. Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor will also perform patriotic songs at the ceremony. Clarkson is slated to sing “My Country ‘Tis Of Thee,” while Taylor will deliver “America the Beautiful.”
Grammy nominees Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Mumford & Sons, will be putting in a little overtime on music’s biggest night. They are among the first round of performers announced to take the stage at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards next month. Fun. and The Black Keys are also on board to perform. It will mark their first time gracing the Grammy stage. Fun. and Mumford & Sons are also two of six acts leading this year’s nominees with six nominations each. LL Cool J will return to host the 55th Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, February 10th. CBS will televise the event live from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm Eastern time.
Will.i.am is continuing his mission to bridge the gap between music and technology. On Tuesday, the Black Eyed Peas rapper participated in a panel discussion about innovation and entrepreneurship at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister was also there to officially unveil his new line of “Motörheadphones” which will be available in three different over-ear designs and six in-ear models, ranging in price from 50-dollars to 130. They’re scheduled to start shipping in the U.S. in April.
Rihanna’s acting debut in last year’s “Battleship” is not exactly winning her high praises. The “Diamonds” singer is nominated for Worst Supporting Actress for the Golden Raspberry Foundation’s Razzie Awards. The awards show recognizes the worst in films every year, and will be announced on February 23rd – the day before the Academy Awards. “Battleship” was a box office bust upon its release last May.
Psy isn’t doing a great job keeping his promise of leaving “Gangnam Style” in 2012. The South Korean rapper will be unveiling a new version of his viral hit in a Super Bowl commercial for nut company, Wonderful Pistachios. According to “USA Today,” Psy shot the ad for Wonderful Pistachios on Tuesday. The 30-second Super Bowl ad will reportedly feature Psy, donning a pistachio green suit and cracking pistachio shells to the tune of “Gangnam Style.” The song will also be given new lyrics. Wonderful Pistachios also plans to place new displays featuring the rapper in supermarkets across the country.
Madonna is apparently looking to unload one of her homes. Forbes.com says the pop superstar has put her Beverly Hills estate up for sale. However, she reportedly isn’t doing much to support the sale, and has only offered an aerial photo of the property to accompany the listing. But that’s more than she did the last time she tried to sell the place. Last March she only had the place up as a pocket listing, working exclusively with a single broker. Madonna has also gone down in price. Last year she was hoping to get 28-million for the home. Now it’s listed for 22-point-five-million. But even at that price Madonna will still make a profit. She purchased the house ten years ago for 12-million-dollars. The massive, 17-thousand-square-foot French Country-style mansion was built in 1912. It’s located on Sunset Boulevard, at the end of a long gated driveway. The nine-bedroom home also has two living rooms, a two-story dining room, a home theater, and multiple offices, along with a gym, an outdoor pool, and tennis courts.
John Fogerty and Stevie Nicks are part of a new and large supergroup. They’re among the members of Dave Grohl‘s Sound City Players. The Foo Fighters frontman formed the group in conjunction with the premiere of his film, “Sound City,” a documentary about the legendary recording studio in Van Nuys, California. The band also features Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen and Rick Springfield, as well as the other members of Foo Fighters, former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk, Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, and others. The Sound City Players are scheduled to make their debut at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah on January 18th.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/9/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
U2’s The Edge is bringing his Music Rising initiative up north to help music programs hit by Hurricane Sandy last fall. He co-founded the campaign back in 2005 to help replace musical instruments lost or destroyed by hurricanes along the Gulf coast, but now Music Rising is expanding nationwide. On Tuesday, the Edge announced the new National Relief Fund, and Music Rising got things started with a 250-thousand-dollar donation. The money is slated to go toward rebuilding school music programs in the tri-state area that were affected by Sandy. More information about the new fund can be found at MusicRising.org.
Rush is showing some support for one of their fictional fellow countrymen. Geddy Lee is one of many Canadian stars slated to make an appearance on the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” in an episode marking the return of Robin Sparkles — the former teen pop star persona of actress Colbie Smulders’ character, Robin. CBS hasn’t revealed any details about the episode, but a promotional video simply lists a variety of celebrities who are on board for the show. Paul Shaffer, Alan Thicke, Jason Priestley, and Alex Trebek are also among those slated for cameos. The star-packed episode of “How I Met Your Mother” is scheduled to air on CBS on February 4th.
David Bowie decided to switch things up this year and give a birthday present rather than receive one. He turned 66 yesterday, and surprised fans with a brand new single and the promise of his first new album in ten years. The track, titled “Where Are We Now?,” is currently available on iTunes, where it shot straight to number one in Bowie’s native U.K. As for the album, dubbed “The Next Day,” fans can pre-order it now ahead of its scheduled March 12th release date. The record will be Bowie’s first since “Reality” hit stores in 2003. His time away from live performances hasn’t been quite as long — he last took the stage in 2006 — but representatives say he has no plans to tour or do any press as of yet.
The man behind the quintessential ’70s hit “Chevy Van” his died. “The Charlotte Observer” says songwriter Sammy Johns passed away at the age of 66 at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia, North Carolina on Friday. His only success as a performer came with “Chevy Van.” The single, which “Rolling Stone” dubbed “The Song of the Seventies,” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. Several other artists, including country stars Waylon Jennings, Sammy Kershaw, and Eric Church, have covered the song over the years.
Apparently Rihanna actually does read the comments that fans post on her Instagram. Reports are coming out of the “Diamonds” singer cursing at a fan who made a comment that may have crossed the line. The photo in question was of the star smoking what appeared to be a joint and was posted two weeks ago. The caption read “Friday night getting a lil fuzzy.” One Instagram user reportedly later posted a comment on the photo saying that Rihanna is “going to end up like Whitney Houston if she keeps doings drugs.” Rihanna supposedly didn’t take the comparison well, mocking the user with foul language for implying that it was possible to overdose on a joint. Her angry response was later deleted, but the screen shots were captured by other users.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/8/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Diana Ross may be living up to her diva reputation. The “New York Post’s” “Page Six” says the Motown legend apparently expected special treatment for her lunch date with her daughter in Beverly Hills last week. Ross was meeting her daughter at La Scala, whose staff apparently wouldn’t seat the singer until her daughter arrived. But Diana didn’t wait, and instead took a corner booth on her own. That prompted a visit from a manager, who told Ross about the restaurant’s policy. Ross was also warned that if she didn’t vacate the booth she’d be denied service. Ross reportedly stood her ground and kept the booth until her daughter appeared, at which point they both stormed out together. But La Scala owner Gigi Leon doesn’t hold the incident against the singer. She tells “Page Six” she’s “sorry that Miss Ross had a problem” with the restaurant’s policy and “feels that the rules didn’t apply to her,” but at La Scala everyone is treated the same “whether you’re famous or not.” She adds that those at La Scala “love having her as a customer,” and Diana is always welcome to return.
The Elvis Presley 2013 Birthday Celebration officially wraps up Tuesday, the day the rock legend would have turned 78. Fans are expected to gather at Presley’s Graceland mansion today for the annual ceremony proclaiming Elvis Presley Day in the city of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. The event helps cap off this year’s four-day event, which featured concerts, fan club meetings, and other activities including the opening of “Elvis’ Hawaii: Movies, Concerts and More!” The new Graceland exhibit honors the relationship Elvis had with America’s 50th state. During his career, Presley shot three films in Hawaii and played several concerts on the islands — including his historic “Aloha from Hawaii” show. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark Honolulu performance, which was the first international live via satellite TV production.
The Scorpions are scrapping their retirement. A few weeks ago the band played what was expected to be their final concert, and lead singer Klaus Meine says the change of plans was a “gradual decision” that developed over the course of the tour. They plan to resume work on an album of previously unfinished songs dating back to the 1980s, and they might also record an album of new material. He adds that they’re working on a Scorpions documentary spanning the band’s history. Guitarist Rudolf Schenker launched the group in Hanover, West Germany in 1965.
Some fans of Justin Bieber have been posting photos of themselves self-mutilating under the hashtag “cut4bieber.” The hashtag became one of the top trending topics on Twitter on Monday. It reportedly started with some concerned fans trying to pressure the singer to put an end to his rumored marijuana smoking. The photos featured bleeding arms, allegedly caused by fans cutting themselves out of disappointment over Bieber’s behavior. The extreme fan reaction comes on the heels of some photos that were published showing the young star supposedly smoking marijuana. The “cut4bieber” hashtag apparently started as a joke by a message board community called 4Chan and was later picked up by young fans.
Mariah Carey says she and Nicki Minaj have put their feud behind them. The singer tells Barbara Walters she and her fellow “American Idol” judge have moved on since their well-reported dispute last fall. But at the time, Mariah says she wasn’t taking things lightly. Reports of the duo’s feud went viral in October after TMZ.com posted video of a heated exchange between Nicki and Mariah during an “Idol” audition. Minaj denied threatening Carey, though the reports were enough to prompt the singer to beef up her security detail. In her interview with Walters for ABC News, Mariah also confirmed reports that she was paid a whopping 18-million dollars to sit on the “Idol” panel this season, saying the figure was “in the ballpark.” Carey, Minaj and country star Keith Urban were hired on to join the judges’ panel after Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler left the show last year at the end of a two-season run. The new season of “American Idol” begins next Wednesday, January 16th on Fox.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/7/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Adele may have chosen the Oscars as her moment to make her much-anticipated comeback. According to “Ace Showbiz,” the singer will be appearing at next month’s Academy Awards ceremony to give her first performance since giving birth in October. Adele is reportedly set to sing “Skyfall” during a James Bond tribute section celebrating the franchise’s 50th anniversary. The song has been shortlisted for a nomination for Best Original Song at the Oscars. It is also one of the nominees at next week’s Golden Globes. The 85th annual Academy Awards are due to be held in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theatre on February 24th.
The Rolling Stones are denying rumors that they’ll be performing at Coachella this spring. The April festival in Indio, California recently appeared as a date on the Stones’ iPhone app. It’s since been removed, and frontman Mick Jagger says he doesn’t know how it ended up getting posted on the band’s official device. He tells “Rolling Stone” that the group hasn’t even been asked to consider appearing at the multi-day event. However, Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards are now confirming that the Stones are making plans for a 2013 tour.
Whitney Houston‘s mother, Cissy Houston, is on Oprah‘s list of interviews for 2013. OWN has released some of the stars who will be appearing on shows like “Oprah’s Next Chapter” and “Oprah’s Master Class” and they include LL Cool J, actress Drew Barrymore, Alicia Keys, Berry Gordy, Lenny Kravitz and Stevie Nicks. The date of Oprah’s interview with Houston has not been revealed, but it may line up with the one-year anniversary of her daughter’s untimely passing last February.
Slash says he’s not interested in working with Scott Weiland again. The guitarist is shooting down the singer’s reported plans to get Velvet Revolver back together. Slash claims that Weiland has been kicked out of his other group, Stone Temple Pilots, so he’s now “trying to pull off that trick of trying to get something else going on.” But he tells “Classic Rock” magazine that the rest of Velvet Revolver isn’t “buying it,” adding that “the door’s shut on this side” and Scott is “on his own.”
Cher has a new TV project in the works. “The Hollywood Reporter” says the singer and actress has inked a deal with Logo to develop a new series. She’s working on the show with comedian Ron Zimmerman, and Logo’s Brent Zachy says what he’s read is “really terrific.” He doesn’t offer many details on Cher’s show, but says it takes place in Hollywood in the early 1960s.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/4/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Adam Levine has been booked to host the January 26th episode of “Saturday Night Live” — not long after Levine and the rest of the band took the “SNL” stage as musical guests back in November. Up-and-coming rapper Kendrick Lamar will fill the musical guest role when Levine makes his hosting debut. Meanwhile, the NBC sketch comedy show is scheduled to return from its winter hiatus on January 19th with “Silver Linings Playbook” star Jennifer Lawrence as host and Grammy-nominated folk rockers The Lumineers as the musical guest.
Dave Grohl has formed another supergroup, this one named Sound City Players. The band, whose other members are not yet known, will perform Jan. 18 in Park City, Utah, in accordance with the premiere of Grohl’s debut as a documentary director on the film Sound City. Grohl’s future bandmates might include musicians featured in the documentary: Trent Reznor; Stevie Nicks; Lindsey Buckingham, Neil Young, John Fogerty and Tom Petty, among others. Sound City, due out in February, tells the story of a somewhat nondescript and dilapidated recording studio in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley where many of rock’s most important records were made (including Nirvana’s Nevermind in 1991).
A former firefighter with a crush on Madonna has been sentenced to three years’ probation for resisting arrest outside the singer’s New York City apartment building. Robert Linhart was convicted in November after being twice arrested in September 2010. Police say the then-59-year-old Linhart was nabbed after he parked his SUV outside the Material Girl’s former Manhattan apartment and spray-painted love notes on poster boards. He returned a few days later and was arrested again. His attorney had argued that it was no crime to adore Madonna.
Adele‘s “21″ was the best-selling album of 2012, according to new “Billboard” and Nielsen SoundScan numbers. “Twenty One” was also the best-selling album of 2011. It’s the first time since 1991, when Nielsen Soundscan began tracking year-long sales records, that any album has ruled for two years in a row. The album sold four-point-four-million copies in 2012. Since debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 in January 2011, “21″ has never left the chart’s top 40.
Will.i.am is hoping 2013 will be a big year for his solo career. The Black Eyed Peas rapper tweeted this week that he hopes to do a world tour on his own, as a part of his new year resolutions. He continues to create buzz around his upcoming solo album “Willpower,” which was supposed to be out in 2012. The album was delayed when will.i.am’s laptop was stolen and many of his songs leaked.
Kelly Clarkson says she has her new fiancé to thank for her memorable 30-pound weight loss last year. In an interview with “Cosmopolitan,” she says meeting Brandon Blackstock inspired her to trim down and that falling in love helps with motivation. The singer reveals that she “literally dropped 18 pounds in a month.” Clarkson and Blackstock got engaged last month. The “American Idol” winner had a successful year both personally and professionally. Her song “Stronger” earned her four Grammy nods for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album.
Electric Light Orchestra frontman Jeff Lynne says an insulting comment from his father actually helped him as a songwriter. The rocker tells “Clash” magazine he got mad when his dad told him that the “trouble” with his “tunes is they have no tune.” He says the remark left him determined to prove his father wrong, so he began writing material for an album that was “a very orchestral piece, like a big thirty-piece string section and a choir and everything,” that included “all these pseudo-classical type of things in between the tracks.” That album was ELO’s 1974 release “Eldorado.” The disc, which includes the hit single “Can’t Get It Out Of My Head,” became the group’s first Gold album. Lynne says that in retrospect his dad gave him “a really good incentive,” and he came to realize that his father “was probably right.”
It seems the upcoming season of “Californication” will include plenty of Marilyn Manson. In addition to playing himself in two episodes of the Showtime series, he’s also making an appearance on the sixth season’s soundtrack, due out January 15th. Manson’s cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” is featured on the album, along with songs from Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols — who also appears on the show — Ryan Adams, Joe Walsh, Tim Minchin and others. “Californication” star David Duchovny tells “Rolling Stone” this will be a “rock and roll year” on the show, and says he even plans to play a little on-screen guitar himself.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 1/3/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Lady Gaga has announced that she will be offering counseling on her Born This Way Ball tour. She’ll provide the support on what she’s calling the BornBrave bus, which will allow fans to discuss mental health problems with qualified professionals.
Jon Stewart is hosting the MusiCares salute to Bruce Springsteen. The Recording Academy also announced yesterday that Elton John, Neil Young, Mumford & Sons, Sting, Mavis Staples and Kenny Chesney will be among more than a dozen performers who will help pay tribute to Springsteen during the Feb. 8 benefit concert, held in Los Angeles two days before the Grammy Awards.
Ted Nugent is offering to help Vice President Joe Biden with his efforts to find ways to prevent more mass shootings. In an open letter to Biden published in “The Washington Times,” Nugent admits that while he disagrees with President Obama “on many issues” he supports the effort to “end these tragedies,” and is extending himself to Biden as a gun expert. He also outlines a few steps to take. Nugent suggests creating a series of public service announcements encouraging community building and providing information on what to “watch for in people who are unstable.” He calls for the elimination of all “gun-free zones,”and advises giving school officials training and access to weapons so they can protect the students.
Singer Patti Page has died. One of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music, “The New York Times” reports Page died on New Year’s Day, Tuesday, in Encinitas, California. She was 85. Born Clara Ann Fowler in Claremore, Oklahoma, Page signed with Mercury Records in 1947 and became their first successful female artist, blending country music styles into many of her pop hits. Her signature song, “Tennessee Waltz,” was recorded in 1950 and later became one of two official state songs for Tennessee. Between 1950 and 1953, Page also had number one hits with “All My Love (Bolero),” “I Went to Your Wedding,” and “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?”
The world may not be ready to say goodbye to “Gangnam Style” after all. Digital music service Spotify has revealed a list of the top 20 songs played on New Year’s Eve – and Psy‘s viral hit has topped them all. “Gangnam Style” was the most-played song on the streaming service as 2013 was ushered in.
For Katy Perry, winning an Academy Award was never in her ‘teenage dreams.’ The singer’s track “Wide Awake,” which was written for her concert movie “Part of Me 3D,” has been shortlisted for a possible nomination in the Best Original Song category for the 2013 Academy Awards. Those nominations will be announced in one week, on January 10th.
Arch Music News for 1/2/13
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Journey will be doing something in 2013 they’ve never done before. The group is set to make their concert debut in Guam. The band will take the stage at Yigo Park in Yigo, Guam on March 23rd to wrap up their Asian tour.
The relationship rumors between Taylor Swift and Harry Styles continue to heat up. The pair spent much of New Year’s Eve apart, but still rang in 2013 together — with a kiss. Swift was in New York’s Times Square to perform on ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” while the One Direction singer was in Brooklyn at the Jay-Z-Coldplay concert. However, Styles reportedly made it to Manhattan in time for the ball drop and lip lock.
Dick Clark might be gone, but he certainly wasn’t forgotten this New Year’s Eve. Zap2It.com says ABC easily won the night with the TV legend’s signature special “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”. The show was the go-to program to ring in 2013 Monday night, drawing a total of 13-point-three-million viewers — its largest audience ever since the primetime edition began in 2000. By comparison, the primetime portion of NBC’s “New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly” drew three-point-eight-million viewers.
Rihanna and Chris Brown are looking more and more like a couple. The pair spent reportedly some time together last weekend at the Kora Music Awards in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Brown was the guest of honor at the awards show, which has been compared to Africa’s version of the Grammys.
Pink is giving away a pair of tickets to her February show at the Staples Center as part of a fan contest with PopCrush.com. The grand prize winner will also win airfare for two to Los Angeles, a two-night hotel stay, an autographed guitar and 500 dollars of spending cash. Fans can enter online until January 21st. The winner will be attending Pink’s February 16th show at the Staples Center — which will be the third stop on the singer’s “The Truth About Love” tour.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 12/20/12
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Bruno Mars‘ “Unorthodox Jukebox” had a successful first week – but still wasn’t able to knock Taylor Swift’s “Red” from the number one spot on the Billboard 200. Mars’ sophomore album brought the singer his biggest sales week ever, with 192 thousand copies sold, winding up at number two behind “Red.” ”
Adele, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga are among music’s brightest stars. “Forbes” magazine puts Adele at the top of its “30 Under 30″ in music end-of-the-year list. Swedish electronic musician Avicii ranks second. Though new mom Adele had a relatively quiet year for the most part, her album “21″ hit a remarkable milestone in 2012 when it topped the iTunes sales list for the second year in a row. She was also recently nominated for a Golden Globe for her James Bond theme “Skyfall.”
Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Music list:
1. Adele
2. Avicii
3. Justin Bieber
4. Benny Bianco
5. Drake
6. Daniel Ek
7. Lady Gaga
8. Skylar Grey
9. Calvin Harris
10. Matt Jones – Crowdsurge
11. Ke$ha
12. Wiz Khalifa
13. Adam Kluger
14. Kendrick Lamar
15. Mahbod Moghadam, Ilan Zechory, Tom Lehman – Rap Genius
16. Bruno Mars
17. Mac Miller
18. Marcus Mumford
19. Frank Ocean
20. One Direction
21. Katy Perry
22. Delta Rae
23. Rihanna
24. Elias Roman, Peter Asbill, Elliott Breece, Eric Davich – Songza
25. James “J” Sider – BandPage
26. Skrillex
27. Taylor Swift
28. Sam Tarantino and Josh Greenberg – Grooveshark
29. Alex White – Next Big Sound
30. Sara Winter – Dr. Our Marketing, Messina Group/AEG Live
Christina Aguilera will sing for the people at next month’s People’s Choice Awards. The Grammy winner joins previously announced performer Jason Aldean on the musical roster for the January 9th event. Aguilera, who just wrapped up her third season as a coach on NBC’s “The Voice,” will also be presented with the 2013 “People’s Voice” award honoring her outstanding achievements in the music industry. CBS will air the 2013 People’s Choice Awards live from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm Eastern.
Lady Gaga is under fire from PETA yet again. The animal activist group has released a statement to GossipCop.com, accusing the singer was purchasing over 200 thousand dollars in fur from a luxury store in Moscow last week. PETA blasted Gaga for splurging on the fur coats, especially in the wake of the Newtown shooting tragedy that has put a cloud over the holidays for most Americans. In the statement the group says, “while the country focuses on rejecting violence … Gaga is busy decking herself out in a coat made of at least 30 slaughtered animals’ skins.” The timing of the alleged fur purchase is questionable, as Gaga was in Moscow on December 12th – two days before the shooting – performing there as a part of her “Born This Way Ball” tour.
There won’t be any more episodes of “Ted Nugent‘s Gun Country” on the Discovery Channel. An unnamed spokesperson says that his fall special didn’t do well in the ratings. According to the Nielsen numbers, the show only drew an audience of 864-thousand when it debuted on October 10th. The rep also says that while Nugent had been claiming that “Gun Country” was going to turn into a series, Discovery never had any intention of doing so. The source adds that following the Connecticut elementary school shooting last Friday, the network does not intend to feature the gun advocate rocker in any future programming. But Nugent isn’t the only one getting the ax from Discovery. The network has also dropped the pro-firearms series “American Guns” from its lineup.
Queen’s Brian May might have a new outlet for his astrophysics work. The UK’s “Telegraph” says British astronomers are calling on the BBC to tap the guitarist to take over on the long-running series “Sky At Night” following the death of host Sir Patrick Moore. Royal Astronomical Society President David Southwood says May, like Moore, has “a terrific gift for communication.” He explains that while most astronomers specialize, Moore “cared about the moon as much as black holes as much as life on Mars” and “didn’t discriminate.” He feels May demonstrates that same type of passion for all aspects of the subject. Southwood adds that the BBC needs to find “a pretty strong personality to replace someone who had such a strong identity, like Patrick,” so a known celebrity with “a complete and utter enthusiasm for the universe” would be the ideal choice.
Fans who prefer their music in a tangible form will soon be able to get the Hurricane Sandy benefit album. A physical, two-disc version of the “12-12-12 The Concert for Sandy Relief” album is slated to hit stores on January 22nd. The set is available now digitally via iTunes. The 24-song compilation features performances from last week’s all-star “12-12-12″ charity event. Tracks include Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s performances of “Land of Hope and Dreams” and “Wrecking Ball;” The Rolling Stones’ “You Got Me Rocking” and “Jumpin Jack Flash;” The Who’s “Who Are You,” Baba O’Riley,” and “Love Reign O’er Me;” and Paul McCartney’s “Helter Skelter.” Two songs each from Eric Clapton and Bon Jovi are also included, along with three songs each from Billy Joel and Roger Waters. Alicia Keys, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and Adam Sandler and Paul Shaffer are also part of the mix. A portion of the money raised through album sales will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund.
Track Listing For The “12-12-12 The Concert for Sandy Relief” Album
1. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, “Land of Hope and Dreams”
2. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, “Wrecking Ball”
3. Roger Waters, “Another Brick In The Atlantic Wall Part I, II & III”
4. Roger Waters, “Us and Them”
5. Roger Waters (Feat. Eddie Vedder), “Comfortably Numb”
6. Adam Sandler and Paul Shaffer, “Hallelujah (Sandy Relief Version)”
7. Bon Jovi, “It’s My Life”
8. Bon Jovi, “Wanted Dead Or Alive”
9. Eric Clapton, “Got To Be Better In A Little While”
10. Eric Clapton, “Crossroads”
11. The Rolling Stones, “You Got Me Rocking”
12. The Rolling Stones, “Jumpin Jack Flash”
13. Alicia Keys, “No One”
14. The Who, “Who Are You”
15. The Who, “Baba O’Riley”
16. The Who, “Love Reign O’er Me”
17. Billy Joel, “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)”
18. Billy Joel, “Moving Out (Anthony’s Song)”
19. Billy Joel, “You May Be Right”
20. Chris Martin, “Viva La Vida”
21. Chris Martin (Feat. Michael Stipe), “Losing My Religion”
22. Chris Martin, “Us Against The World”
23. Paul McCartney, “Helter Skelter”
24. Alicia Keys, “Empire State Of Mind”
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 12/19/12
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
More than three decades after she first burst onto the music scene, Madonna is still a force. The pop superstar has earned the 2012 MVP title in Billboard.com’s “Readers Poll 2012.” She leads the way in five of the survey’s 17 categories, also topping the lists for Best Tour, Favorite Billboard 200 Number One album with “MDNA,” and Best TV Performance for her Super Bowl halftime show. In addition, 57-percent say her beef with Lady Gaga has been the year’s Most Memorable Feud. However, Madonna also ranks second behind Justin Bieber as the year’s Most Overrated music star. She received similar declarations, including the Most Overrated runnerup title, in Billboard.com’s “Mid-Year Music Awards” poll.
Rush has taken an elaborate approach to their latest reissue of their landmark album “2112.” The group is offering three versions of the release. The “deluxe edition” includes the remastered CD that includes three live bonus tracks, along with a video on DVD or Blu-ray, featuring an interactive digital comic book and photo gallery.
Def Leppard is taking a component of their live show into the studio. The group has released a studio version of the acoustic medley they performed this year on their “Rock of Ages” tour. The medley runs seven-and-a-half minutes, and features portions of the songs “Where Does Love Go When It Dies,” “Now,” “When Love and Hate Collide,” “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad,” and “Two Steps Behind.” The track, simply titled “Acoustic Medley 2012,” is available from iTunes now.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 12/18/12
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Investigators in London are revisiting the death of Amy Winehouse. A new inquest into the singer’s passing is scheduled to begin on January 8th in London. The reopening of the case comes a year after the resignation of the coroner who attributed Winehouse’s passing to accidental alcohol poisoning. The coroner, Suzanne Greenway, left her position in the midst of controversy about her legal credentials. According to the original coroner’s report, toxicology tests showed Winehouse’s blood-alcohol levels were more than five times the legal limit for driving at the time of her death, though no traces of illegal drugs were found in her system. The Grammy winning singer was found dead at her home in north London on July 23rd, 2011. She was 27 years old.
Beatles fans are getting a new opportunity to study the work of the Fab Four — and other styles of current music — through the University of Rochester’s new Institute for Popular Music. The school formally unveiled the institute on Monday. Spring courses listed on the institute’s website include “The Beatles, British Invasion, Psychedelia,” which will explore The Beatles’ music “in the context of the band’s stylistic development,” and also “against the backdrop of social, cultural, technical, and music-business events and issues of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.” Another class, “High Voltage: Heavy Metal Music and Its History,” will span “Sabbath to Stryper to Slipknot” in looking at the genre’s “impressive history of censorship, rebellion, and redemption,” with an “emphasis on musical structure and the fascinating social/cultural history of hard rock and metal.”
Taylor Swift is facing a challenge from Bruno Mars for the top spot on the new Billboard album chart. The country-pop superstar’s “Red” reclaimed the top spot last week, but the disc might get bumped this time by Mars’ “Unorthodox Jukebox.” Billboard.com says projected first-week sales for Mars’ album are in the 180-to-190-thousand range, while last week’s sales estimates for Swift fall between 185-and-200-thousand.
Charlie Daniels is recovering from surgery. The veteran Southern rocker underwent a procedure on his rotator cuff Monday morning. Team #CDB reports on Daniels’ Twitter page that everything “went very well,” and Charlie is expected to be home from the hospital soon. They also thank Charlie’s fans once again for “all the prayers.” The 76-year-old Daniels discussed the operation on Twitter over the weekend. In addition to expressing his gratitude for the prayers on his behalf, he also shared his hopes that he’ll be back on Twitter soon.
A new slate of KISS comics are on the way. Each of the band members’ personas will receive their own spotlight in the four-issue “KISS Solo” series, which is being developed by IDW Publishing. The company’s Chief Creative Officer Chris Ryall tells “Classic Rock” magazine the first issue will be devoted to Gene Simmons’ Demon character, who will be “taking on none other than the Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse.” The song “Radioactive,” from Simmons’ 1978 solo album, serves as the inspiration for the storyline. Subsequent issues will feature stories with the Starchild, the Catman, and the Spaceman. The first issue in the “KISS Solo” series is expected to arrive in stores in March.
Songwriter Earl Shuman is suing Alicia Keys for copyright infringement over her hit song “Girl On Fire.” In a lawsuit that was filed in California last week, Shuman claims “Girl On Fire” sounds a little too familiar to the song “Hey There Lonely Girl,” which he co-wrote and was recorded by Eddie Holman.
Vince Neil isn’t the only celebrity to call for tighter gun control in light of last week’s mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school in which 20 six-year-olds were killed. But the Motley Crue frontman was angered and dismayed when his tweet sparked a debate on the matter. Neil’s tweet on Friday read: “Sad day today. Prayers to all the families. Gun Control!!!” Responses cited the Constitution and the argument that killers will find a way to kill even with stricter gun laws. Neil lashed out at his critics, saying they needed to get their priorities straight and dropped the f-bomb at “EVERYONE who puts guns in front of kids!!” Neil also renounced them as fans, telling them, “Do not come to ANY shows! You are sick!!” Sebastian Bach (former singer of Skid Row)is among those who were supporting Neil in the Twitter debate. He tweeted his praise of Vince, saying his Twitter comments on the shooting made him “dig” him more than ever before. On his Twitter page Bach also retweeted remarks from a number of other stars, including Duff McKagan, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, Lenny Kravitz, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, and Disturbed’s David Draiman, who all expressed similar sentiments to Neil.
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta are making a splash with their holiday video. The duo’s clip for “I Think You Might Like It” has been named the number one new Christmas video of 2012 on both YouTube and VEVO. The song is from Olivia and John’s new holiday album, “This Christmas.” It’s the first musical offering from the pair in 30 years, and they’ve made the album a charity project. With the disc they’re supporting the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia and the Jett Travolta Foundation.
.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 12/17/12
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
The Rolling Stones paused during their 50th anniversary celebration Saturday night to acknowledge the victims of the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. From the stage, Mick Jagger sent his “love and condolences” on behalf of the band to those who lost their loved ones on Friday, and then dedicated the song “Wild Horses” to all the victims.
Ted Nugent says stricter gun control is not the answer to prevent tragedies like Friday’s elementary school shooting in Connecticut. In an interview with Newsmax.com, the gun-loving rocker said “evil criminal monsters will never be deterred by the insanity of gun free zone laws.” Nugent, who is also a contributor to Newsmax, said such laws only serve to empower potential killers like the gunman who murdered 26 people, including 20 first graders, at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He says extreme gun restrictions will only lead to people being unarmed and helpless. Nugent, a National Rifle Association board member, adds that those entrenched in what he calls an “irresponsible mindset” are inviting such multiple shooting tragedies. He suggests that an armed bystander may have been in a position to “stop the evil doer.”
Stevie Wonder is among the many calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of the tragedy. The singing legend told “Rolling Stone” magazine America should use the tragedy to confront gun control. He says there has to be “stronger and stricter gun laws” regarding the accessibility of guns. Wonder wants to make it more difficult for people who are not “mentally stable” to be eligible to buy guns. He says “it’s okay to say no” to people with severe mental illness. According to Wonder, Americans “need to think differently” about gun control. He says people who aren’t thinking differently are “not in touch with today” and are “lost in yesterday.”
The new Nirvana-McCartney mash-up continued to make the rounds this weekend. For one of his three performances on Saturday’s episode of “Saturday Night Live,” Paul McCartney invited Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear onstage to play their new collaboration, “Cut Me Some Slack.” The foursome first debuted the track last Wednesday at the 12.12.12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The studio version of “Cut Me Some Slack” is now available to download at iTunes and other digital music stores. The song will be included on the soundtrack to Grohl’s upcoming documentary “Sound City – Real to Reel,” which also features Grohl collaborating with the likes of Stevie Nicks, Rick Springfield and more. The film is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month, while the soundtrack is due out March 12th, 2013.
Sunday night’s “VH1 Divas” special brought together some of music’s biggest names to pay tribute to women in music. The special aired live from the Shrine Auditorium from Los Angeles and this year, some of the ladies performing chose to go with songs from male artists instead. Ciara performed a mash up of her latest single “Got Me Good” and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” showing off her dance skills inspired by the King of Pop. Miley Cryus sang the 1983 Billy Idol hit “Rebel Yell,” bearing a striking resemblance to the British rock legend with her new haircut. Before her performance, Miley said “This one’s for you, Lila,” referring to her puppy who recently died. The evening’s host Adam Lambert kicked things off with an opening performance of “Let’s Dance.” The newly-engaged Kelly Clarkson also performed her latest single “Catch My Breath.” Clarkson announced her engagement to boyfriend Brandon Blackstock over the weekend. Other performers included Demi Lovato, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Rowland and Natasha Bedingfield. The show also featured two special tributes to late divas Whitney Houston and Donna Summer, who both passed away in 2012.
A sitcom based on the life of pop superstar Justin Bieber is reportedly in development. ABC is behind the project, which, according to TVGuide.com, will be executive produced by Bieber and his manager Scooter Braun. The still-untitled family series is expected to center on Bieber’s teenage years and family life before he became a superstar. No word yet on when the series will launch. Bieber has dabbled in television before, having guest starred on an episode of CBS’ “CSI” and hosted MTV’s “Punk’d.” He also appeared in the TV special “Justin Bieber: All Around the World.”
Michael Buble‘s “Christmas” may have sold upwards of 160 thousand copies last week, and could be back in the familiar spot of number two on the Billboard 200 next week. “Billboard” quotes industry forecasters who say the album is expected to see a spike in sales, thanks in part to his NBC special “Home for the Holidays.” The holiday special premiered on December 10th and did so well it earned a re-airing on December 14th. Last year, Buble’s “Christmas” spent five consecutive weeks at number one on the chart and was the year’s second biggest-selling album after Adele’s “21.” As the holiday grows nearer, “Christmas” has a chance at number one next week, but is expected to be stopped by Taylor Swift‘s “Red,” which would be going on to its fifth non consecutive week on the chart. Bruno Mars‘ “Unorthodox Jukebox” is also expected to debut at number three. Another holiday album expected in the top five next week is Rod Stewart‘s “Merry Christmas, Baby.”
Apparently, making a Golden Globe-nominated song isn’t as time-consuming as it would seem – at least not for Adele. The singer’s producer Paul Epworth tells Hollywood.com that Adele recorded most of the vocals for “Skyfall” “within ten minutes.” Epworth, who is also the man behind her “21″ album says she “had the lyrics in her head” as she drove over to Abbey Road Studios in London to put it down. He says, “It was the most absurd thing. She’s fast, but it was quite phenomenal.” Epworth adds that he continues to become more and more impressed with what Adele can do with her voice. He says she never really mentioned that she could take on the James Bond theme style in the way she did, particularly on the Shirley Bassey-inspired opening parts of the song. “Skyfall” was recently nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and is one of 75 tracks in the running for a possible Oscar nomination.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 12/14/12
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Adele and birthday girl Taylor Swift are among the nominees for the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. Adele’s Bond theme “Skyfall” and Swift’s “Safe & Sound” from The Hunger Games soundtrack are up for Best Original Song, along with Jon Bon Jovi‘s “Not Running Anymore” from the as-yet-unreleased movie Stand Up Guys, Keith Urban‘s “For You” from Act Of Valor and “Suddenly,” a new song written for Les Miserables.
VEVO has announced that “Call Me Maybe” from Carly Rae Jepsen was the music service’s most viewed video of 2012, with over 360 million views through the site. One Direction‘s “What Makes You Beautiful” was the #2 video, followed by Pitbull f/Chris Brown with “International Love,” Jennifer Lopez f/Pitbull and “Dance Again” and Justin Bieber‘s “Boyfriend.”
Adele‘s album “21″ topped the list of the year’s best-selling albums for the second year in a row at the iTunes music store. “Twenty One,” which was released in early 2011, beat out some of the biggest albums of the year. Taylor Swift‘s “Red” was the runner-up, followed by Mumford & Sons‘ “Babel,” One Direction‘s “Take Me Home,” and fun.‘s “Some Nights.” The list was determined based on sales between January 1st through December 3rd, 2012.
A British man died from heart failure after performing “Gangnam Style” at a party. Eamonn Kilbride, an IT manager, was inspired to go up on stage and break out the horse riding moves made famous by Korean rap sensation Psy during an office party, in celebration of his wife’s birthday. He died shortly after his performance, the official cause of death being acute heart failure by coronary artery atheroma. Kilbride was 46. He left behind his wife Julie and three children between the ages of 18 and 22. His wife spoke to the “Telegraph” about the incident saying that “he was up on stage and entertaining everybody. He said he had a bit of pain and just collapsed.” Health officials in England have warned middle-aged men to monitor their activity and not to over-exert themselves, in response to Kilbride’s death.
It appears the new tune the surviving members of Nirvana premiered Wednesday with Paul McCartney has its roots in Dave Grohl‘s upcoming documentary, “Sound City – Real to Reel.” McCartney took the stage with Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear at the 12.12.12 Hurricane Sandy benefit concert to play the new song, titled “Cut Me Some Slack.” The former Beatle explained at the Madison Square Garden show that the track came out of a jam session. Grohl has hinted at a number of big name collaborations as part of the “Sound City” project, but McCartney’s name was never mentioned. However, after the 12.12.12 performance, a new website — CutMeSomeSlack.net — popped up with an 18-second clip of the song and a picture of a “Final Master” reel-to-reel tape with all four rockers’ names written on it. The website also includes a note that says “Cut Me Some Slack” comes “from the album ‘Sound City – Real to Reel,’ music from and inspired by the film.”
Letters Mick Jagger sent to his secret lover in 1969 have sold at auction in London for the equivalent of more than 300-thousand U.S. dollars. According to the UK’s “Guardian,” the Rolling Stones frontman penned the letters to American-born singer Marsha Hunt while he was working on the 1970 movie “Ned Kelly” in Australia. Hunt is said to have been the inspiration behind the Stones’ 1971 classic “Brown Sugar.” She is also the mother of his first child, daughter Karis Jagger Hunt, now 42 years old. A Sotheby’s rep says the letters depict Mick Jagger as a poetic and self-aware 25-year-old with “wide-ranging intellectual and artistic interests.” The rep adds that they provide a rare glimpse of the rocker “that is very different from his public persona: passionate but self-contained, lyrical but with a strong sense of irony.” Jagger’s love letters to Hunt sold for more than double what they were expected to bring in at auction.
Arch MUSIC NEWS for 12/13/12
Arch MUSIC NEWS is compiled by Jay Philpott -
Paul McCartney showed off a wide range of musical styles at the “12.12.12″ Hurricane Sandy benefit concert Wednesday night at New York’s Madison Square Garden. He slowed things down to play the Beatles classic “Blackbird,” which he said he hoped would bring “a little bit of hope” to those still struggling after the storm. But Sir Paul also cranked up the amps for “Helter Skelter” and a brand new, hard-rocking song that he came up with during a last minute jam session with former Nirvana members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear. Other highlights from the “12.12.12″ event included Bruce Springsteen‘s opening set, Roger Water‘s collaboration with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder on “Comfortably Numb,” and a Keith Moon tribute during the Who‘s performance. The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe and others also took part in the event, which raised money for the Robin Hood Relief Fund. The “12.12.12″ concert also featured performances from the Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Eric Clapton and many more. A host of celebrities stopped by as well to help the cause, including Billy Crystal, Jon Stewart, Adam Sandler, Jimmy Fallon, and others. All proceeds from the event are going to the Robin Hood Relief Fund.
A convicted murderer behind bars in New Mexico has confessed to local police that he was plotting to make Justin Bieber his next victim. According to the local KRQE News 13, Dana Martin chose to put an end to his plan by turning in the two people he recruited to carry it out. Martin says he tapped ex-inmate Mark Staake to kill Bieber and three others during Bieber’s concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden last month. He reportedly gave Staake and his accomplice — who turned out to be Staake’s nephew — strict and graphic murder instructions. Staake was arrested in Vermont on outstanding warrants before the plan was executed. His nephew was arrested in New York. Police say he had murder tools with him.
Kesha’s “Warrior” is getting off to an underwhelming start, selling 85 thousand copies in its first week. The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200. Part of the problem is Taylor Swift – her album “Red” climbed back to number one for the fourth nonconsecutive week after Alicia Keys‘ “Girl On Fire” took the top spot last week. Kesha’s 2010 debut “Animal,” featuring the smash hit “Tik Tok,” is the only one of her albums to reach number one so far.
A Canadian hacker who Carly Rae Jepsen accused of trying to pilfer and send nude images of the singer has been arrested. According to TMZ, Vancouver police arrested 25-year-old Christopher David Long last Friday, charging him with, among other things, fraudulently obtaining telecommunication services, unauthorized use of computer, identity fraud and possession of stolen property. It was Jepsen’s team who originally tipped off Vancouver police about the stolen photos back in March. Long has since been released from custody and is due back in court on January 4th.
Britney Spears may not have released any new music of her own in 2012, but she’s still the year’s top-earning woman in music, according to a new “Forbes” list. “The X Factor” judge brought in $58 million dollars in the past year, more than any other female in music. Britney’s contract with the Fox show alone made her a reported $15 million dollars. Spears ranked seventh on “Forbes’” list of “The World’s 25 Highest Paid Musicians” last month as well. Coming in just behind Spears on the new list of top earning female musicians is Taylor Swift, who had a huge year with the success of her chart-topping album “Red.” Taylor pocketed $57 million dollars in 2012. Rihanna came in at number three on the list with $53 million dollars in the bank thanks to hit singles in 2012 like “We Found Love” and “Diamonds.” Lady Gaga, who topped last year’s list with $90 million, dropped down to fourth place. The singer made $52 million this year with the help of her massive “Born This Way Ball” world tour as well as her “Fame” perfume. Katy Perry rounds out the top five with $45 million dollars in earnings.
Fans of Fergie will be happy to know that she has confirmed a second solo album. Though she hasn’t set a release date, the project is definitely in the works. The singer tells E! she is using the Black Eyes Peas‘ hiatus to make a follow-up to her hugely successful 2006 solo debut “The Dutchess.”
Justin Timberlake‘s wedding to Jessica Biel was the year’s most searched wedding of the year, according to new figures from Google Zeitgeist. The October wedding was a top secret and star-studded affair in southern Italy, followed by a honeymoon in Tanzania. Justin and Jessica’s nuptials started to raise eyebrows in the days after, when a video showing homeless people sending their well-wishes to the couple was released. The eight-minute video was made by one of the couple’s friends. Timberlake apologized shortly after, calling it “tacky” and “wrong,” but the video did bring the couple a huge amount of attention in the weeks following their wedding.
Taylor Swift has learned the hard way that fame isn’t always glamorous. The country star opens up to “Comsopolitan UK” about how threats from stalkers have been getting worse as her career grows. She tells the magazine that past “stalker incidents” have made her nervous and that she tries not to talk too much about it because it scares her. She acknowledges that attempts of threats to her safety have become more and more frequent over the past couple years. She says she’s thankful to her security team for keeping her out of harm’s way and that she’s thankful that no one’s ever been successful in getting into her house.
Paul McCartney reportedly had to get a crash course in Nirvana before pairing with the band’s surviving members at Wednesday night’s 12-12-12 benefit concert. According to the “Guardian,” the Beatles legend had no idea who he was being asked to jam with when the suggestion came up. McCartney was quoted as saying that he didn’t really know who they were, then somebody whispered to him that “they” were Nirvana and that he would be playing the role of the band’s late frontman Kurt Cobain at the Madison Square Garden event. McCartney teamed up with surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Nirvana latecomer Pat Smear to perform at the benefit concert for Hurricane Sandy victims. One person NOT impressed with the grouping: Courtney Love.
She’s quoted as being “not amused” when she heard Paul McCartney would be teaming up with her late husband Kurt Cobain’s bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic at the Madison Square Garden gig. But it seems it might just be this particular rock icon Love has a problem with. She admits it “would be cool” to have a Beatle filling in for Cobain if John Lennon were still alive. However, Love isn’t limiting her anger to McCartney. She says she’s also upset that Grohl and Novoselic are calling the performance a Nirvana reunion because in her mind, Cobain was the heart and soul of the band.
Rush singer and bassist Geddy Lee says he and the band will be at next year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony with smiles on. After years of having been passed over for nomination, the veteran Canadian rockers are finally getting access to the hall – inducted on their first outing on the nomination ballot, 15 years after eligibility.
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart also chimed in on their induction after their second appearance on the nomination ballot. The duo says while they’re always out there traveling and doing it, it can sometimes feel like “you’re a tree falling in the forest, but nobody notices.” So this kind of acknowledgement they say “is really sweet.”
Randy Newman says he’s really glad to be inducted but didn’t think he would see it in his lifetime. The singer-songwriter known for his satirical pop songs and film scores tells “Rolling Stone,” he’s glad judges were able open up the doctrinaire about what’s rock and roll and what isn’t rock and roll and let him in. Other honorees include hip-hop collective Public Enemy, which will become only the fourth rap act to inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Singer Donna Summer who rose to fame during the disco era is also slated for induction. Summer died this past May. Blues guitarist and singer Albert King, who passed away in 1992, will also be honored posthumously.
Lou Adler and Quincy Jones will both receive the Ahmet Ertegun [[ er-teh-gun ]] Award for non performers. The Rock Hall’s Class of 2013 will be celebrated with the 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will take place in Los Angeles on April 18th.
Led Zeppelin might not be getting back together to tour, but fans just might get the chance to see Jimmy Page in concert. The rocker tells “Guitar World” he’s planning to hit the road on a solo tour next year.
Depeche Mode have confirmed their return to action. The band announced Tuesday that they’ve signed a new worldwide deal with Columbia Records and are set to release their 13th album in March. The disc will serve as the follow-up to 2009′s “Sounds of the Universe.”
Indian music legend Ravi Shankar has died. “The Hindu” reports that the sitar maestro who influenced The Beatles died Tuesday following a short stay at a Southern California hospital. He was reportedly suffering from breathing problems when he was admitted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla last Thursday. Shankar was 92. Shankar is one of the best known Indian musicians in the world, in part due to his association with The Beatles.
He had an especially close friendship with George Harrison. They recorded and performed together, including Harrison’s 1971 Concert for Bangladesh benefit. The live album from the event gave Shankar his second Grammy Award. Shankar’s many other credits include the score to the 1982 film “Gandhi,” which earned him an Oscar nomination. Shankar is also the father of Grammy-winning singer Norah Jones.
Alicia Keys and Bruno Mars are some of the artists being honored as nominees for the 44th NAACP Image Awards. Keys has three nominations for Best Album, Best Music Video, Best Female Artist. Mars, who released his sophomore album earlier this week, was nominated for Best Male Artist. The album’s single “Locked Out of Heaven” is also up for “Best Song.”
The late Ravi Shankar will be among the recipients of the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Award at next year’s Grammys. Shankar, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 92, will be posthumously honored with Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Other Lifetime Achievement honorees will include the Temptations, Carole King, Patti Page, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Glenn Gould and Charlie Haden. The awards will be presented at a special invite-only ceremony that will be held on February 9th. The 55th Grammy Awards will be presented the next night on February 10th. CBS will broadcast the awards live.