He says Tony Iommi wrongfully claimed band name
Ozzy Osbourne has filed a suit against his Black Sabbath bandmate, saying he illegally claimed the band name.
In the suit, which was filed at Manhattan federal court, Osbourne says that guitarist Tony Iommi illegally clamed sole ownership of the band’s name at the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Iommi is being sued for 50 per cent interest in the ‘Black Sabbath’ trademark and a portion of his profits from use of the name, according to a story in the New York Post.
The suit also says that Osbourne’s distinct vocal style is one of the main reasons the band became successful, saying they became less popular when he left the band in 1980.
Ozzy Osbourne sues Black Sabbath bandmate
West Wicklow rumbles to African music beat
KILTEGAN HALL was thronged with over 250 people from all over West Wicklow, last Wednesday night, for a free celebration of African music and culture. The concert started with possibly the largest drumming circle ever seen in West Wicklow led by Rory Adams with both adults and children all taking part. Much needed refreshments including teas and snacks were kindly provided by Kiltegan Camogie Club.
After the Drumming Circle, five members of Oleku arrived promptly on stage and treated their hosts to West African rhythms and sounds from the keyboard, bass, drums, trumpet, percussion and saxophone. They received a rapturous response from the crowd who sang and danced along to the show.
The Hall was decorated with African inspired art from Kiltegan and Talbotstown National Schools. Drums, bowls and ceremonial pieces all the way from various parts of Africa itself were also on display donated generously for the occasion by Fr. Liam Blayney and other residents of St. Patrick's Missionary Society in Kiltegan. West Wicklow Arts Network, with funding support from Irish Aid, hosted the headline concert featuring Nigerian band Oleku and a series of drumming workshops in the Kiltegan/Rathdangan area to celebrate Africa Day. Sound Guru, Ciaran Fitzgerald, members of West Wicklow Arts Network and local FAS participants, all prepared for this special night, while outside.
David Fraser ensured that car parking ran smoothly. Gratitude was expressed to Fr. Joe Brophy for the use of the hall.
Catering for the band was expertly provided in Kiltegan by chef, Lucy Hayes, and the band were very appreciative of this example of local hospitality
he concert repeated the success of last year's concert and events in Donard.
The West Wicklow Arts Network is made up of members from the communities between Donard and Knockananna and welcomes interested individuals to attend its next meeting in the Baltinglass Inn (Timmons) on Monday, June 8 at 8.15 p.m.
Meet the man behind India's indie music scene
When you think of a college drop-out who's into heavy metal music, you're likely to conjure up some unflattering images.
But then Mumbai-native Vijay Nair has always been one to defy stereotypes.
For the last seven years, the 25-year-old former commerce student has poured his heart and soul into India's underground music industry, along the way becoming one of the indie scene's best known band managers, festival directors, video producers and record label owners.
And now his hard work is paying off. Literally.
On May 14, Vijay was felicitated in the UK as the British Council's International Young Music Entrepreneur of the year, beating out eight of the world's best and brightest young music entrepreneurs with his highly innovative, sustainable business model, which centres around Only Much Louder and its subsidiaries, all of which Vijay helped to create.
Only Much Louder was the first artist management company for indie bands in India. From OML spawned first Counter Culture Records, a viable distribution option for underground acts with no major label support, and later Babblefish Productions, the video production arm of OML, which aims to give artists a visual identity through music videos, documentaries and podcasts.
Ogunboye Paul, Classical Music Composer, In African Idiom
AT his age, he should have been flapping his hands in the air, hopping about the stage like a monkey, and barking out meaningless words for music as young people do these days in the name of Hip-Hop music. But instead, Ogunboye Paul Olabode has in his musical career, chosen a part more responsible, dignifying and projective of the rich African culture. That part is the composition of classical music in African idiom.
Listening to the piano rendition of his composition like Jesu Wa Ja Funmi (Jesus come and fight for me), Gbadura Funmi (Pray for me), Oluwa Mi (My Lord), Ose O (What a pity) and his popular Ekitisonic, performed by Geir Henning Braaten, an acclaimed Norwegian pianist during a musical concert organised by Royal Norwegean Embassy last February at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, one cannot but feel proud that Paul is a product of Nigeria.
Those are just a few of his works. He has over 20 compositions in his kitty. And apart from his gift in musical composition, this quiet, humble and amiable young man is fantastic on the piano, which of course, is his working instrument. He conducts orchestras and choirs but has lots of passion for transferring his musical knowledge to others through teaching.
At the very beginning, around 1997 when he left secondary school, intrigued by music and the piano, he started studying music all by himself. He sat down on the piano and practiced for a whopping 10 hours everyday! "With the little I learned then I started teaching others," he says.
The son of a drilling engineer, he was however brought up by Pastor and Reverend Mrs. J. A. Famodun of CAC Orisunmbare 1 around Idimu, Lagos. Between 1996 and 1997, he attended Shasha Community High School where he was the senior prefect. While he was in this school, he took part in various drama and musical activities.
In 1999, he met Emeka Nwokedi, conductor of the MUSON choir, who gave him some elementary piano lessons and encouraged him to go and study music. "But Marion Akpata, the director of MUSON School of Music, was my first committed piano teacher, while Edna Soyannwo taught me theory," Paul says.
In 2001, he gained admission to study music at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin Lagos. It was in this school that he wrote most of the pieces mentioned above. His work, Ose O was among the works that gave AOCOED victory in a competition organised by the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism to check cultism. He graduated in 2004.
In 2005, Paul went to teach music at the Federal Government College, Ijanikin and later came to MUSON for his Associate in Music on MTN scholarship. While studying at MUSON, he continued teaching. On the graduation day at MUSON (July 2008), he was awarded the Theophilius Ayo Bankole Composition Award worth N100, 000.
After his graduation, he was retained by MUSON School of music where he now teaches piano, theory of music, marks theory papers, conducts practical examinations and sits among the judges during MUSON school competitions. He is also a music consultant who has consulted for clients such as the Council Chamber of Commerce of ICAN and Soundcity 2008 Music Video Award.
Just as it had done for Bach, Handel and other great classical musicians, Paul's musical talent has endeared him to great personalities in the society including Feyijimi Awosika, CEO, Insight Communications; Mrs. Kay Ovia, CEO, Quantum Market; and Mrs. Onari Duke. "I have been greatly inspired by the support and encouragement from these outstanding personalities," says Paul.
Where is he headed to? "I would like to attain the level Akin Euba, Laz Ekwueme, and Ayo Bankole have attained in music. If Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and the rest are using literature to project African culture, I should be doing the same thing with music. I would also like to write for films and advertisements."
Talking about young people and music today, Paul says that youths have lots of talents, but regrets that what majority plays are computer music. "This will not help their musicianship. Youths also need to recognise that God plays a huge role in the success of every musician, and according to Dr. D.K. Olukoya, musicians should be among the richest people if they can follow the right path."
Metallica Filming Concerts For DVD
Metallica will record four shows on their World Magnetic Tour for a DVD.
"We thought it would be cool to document a few shows that are unique and sure to be extra memorable for us, and hopefully for you too," Metallica posted on their website on Wednesday.
Metallica's three-night stand (June 4, 6 and 7) at Mexico City's Foro Sol and a July 7 show in Nimes, France at the Arenes De Nimes, an historic Roman amphitheatre, will be shot for the DVD.
"For any Metallica friends going to these shows, bring your war faces and don’t be scared of the cameras," the web message says.
Metallica's tour in support of last year's Death Magnetic will take them here:
June 4, 6-7 Mexico City, Mexico @ Foro Sol
June 14-15 Helsinki, Finland @ Hartwell Arena
June 17 Oslo, Norway @ Spektrum
June 19 Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Nova Rock Festival
June 20 Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Goffertspark (Sonisphere)
June 22 Milan, Italy @ Datch Forum
June 24 Rome, Italy @ Palalottomatica
July 4 Hockenheim, Germany @ HockenheimRing (Sonisphere)
July 5 Werchter, Belgium @ Rock Werchter
July 7 Nimes, France @ Festival De Nimes
July 9 Lisbon, Portugal @ Optimus Alive! 09
July 11 Barcelona, Spain @ The Forum (Sonisphere)
July 13-14 Madrid, Spain @ Palacio De Deportes De Comunidad Madrid
July 16 Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion
July 18 Hultsfred, Sweden @ Folkets Park (Sonisphere)
July 20, 22-23 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Copenhagen Forum
July 25 Pori, Finland @ Kirjurinluoto (Sonisphere)
July 27-28 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Copenhagen Forum
July 30 Oslo, Norway @ Spektrum
Aug. 1 Dublin, Ireland @ Marlay Park
Aug. 2 Stevenage, England @ Knebworth House (Sonisphere)
Sept. 14 Nashville, TN @ Sommet Center
Sept. 15 Cincinnati, OH @ US Bank Arena
Sept. 17 Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse
Sept. 19-20 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Sept. 28 San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
Sept. 29 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
Oct. 1 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ BankAtlantic Center
Oct. 3 Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
Oct. 4 Atlanta, GA @ Phillips Arena
Oct. 12 Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
Oct. 13 Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
Oct. 15 Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
Oct. 17 Charlottesville, VA @ JPJ Arena
Oct. 18 Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena
Oct. 26-27 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Oct. 29 Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Quebec City, QC @ Colisee Pepsi
Nov. 9 Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
Nov. 10 Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena
Nov. 12 Albany, NY @ Times Union Center
Nov. 14-15 New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
Dec. 5 Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay
Dec. 7 Boise, ID @ Idaho Center
Dec. 8 Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
Dec. 10 Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
Dec. 12 San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion at San Jose
Five Local Music Students To Perform In Europe
Five lucky music students from Leyton and Creek Valley will get an opportunity of a lifetime as they prepare for Nebraska Ambassadors of Music “We’ve Got Rhythm” concert tour of Europe.
Kelsey Arrington, Jessica Ernest and Jake Nelson of Leyton and Seth Oliverius and Aaron Woodman of Creek Valley will head to Fremont June 6-8 for music camp to prepare for their concert overseas.
Students were nominated by a music teacher for their citizenship and musical talent.
Students auditioned for entrance into the Ambassador’s program on March 28.
The 2009 Ambassadors consist of 254 students statewide, 39 adults and 39 staff members.
Five of those students are from Leyton and Creek Valley, 14 from Scottsbluff, 6 from Mitchell, 3 from Bridgeport and one from Kimball.
Kelsey is the youngest student from the area to be nominated.
“I want to improve my trumpet playing and singing ability,” she said.
While she has traveled throughout the U.S., Kelsey said this is her first time overseas.
“I will be playing in the band and singing in the choir,” she said. “I am nervous about the flight.”
She said she has been to many other music camps prior.
Kelsey’s mother Pam Arrington said she will accompany the group.
She said 36 states participate in the Ambassador program and that half of those states take turn each year going to Europe to give concerts.
The group will be traveling to Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy and Germany.
This program is administered by Voyageurs International, Ltd. in Wheat Ridge, Colo.
This is the first year that an orchestra and string ensemble will be performing with the group.
In previous year the tour has included two bands and one choir.
A Bon Voyage concert is scheduled at the Nell McPherson Theater at Fremont Senior High School before the students fly to Europe.
Jazz Legend Jeremy Monteiro
S'pore's living jazz legend Jeremy Monteiro sets up music school
One of Singapore's living jazz legends, Jeremy Monteiro has spent more than half of his life in the music business.
But the 49-year-old pianist is not about to sit back and rest just yet as he’s about to set up a music school to groom future jazz talents in Singapore.
His latest project is a collaboration with a group of Singapore classical musicians, the Tang Quartet for the Singapore Arts Festival 2009.
He said: "Where playing is concerned, I've never stopped except once in the eighties I worked too hard when I was doing jingles and playing jazz at night that I collapsed from exhaustion and was in hospital for a few days and had to take a few weeks off because I just got too burnt out from working too hard.
“And then I've had tendonitis problems, I've got surgery twice on my elbow and wrist and also a bad tendonitis case about two years ago when I had to stop playing for two months. That's the only time I've stopped."
So what does the pianist do in his free time?
“I recently discovered the joys of cycling. I used to be an avid cyclist in my teens until my early twenties. I used to ride across Singapore sometimes from Jurong to Seletar Hills. And I left it in my early twenties and about three or four months ago, I started cycling again.”
Jeremy said before that there are only two kinds of music – good and bad music. But this perception of his has changed.
He added: "I don't believe that there's only good music and bad music anymore. I've reached a stage where there's just music I understand and music I don't understand.
“I do listen to some music by bands like Coldplay and actually a little bit of Beyonce. Not a big Kylie Minogue or Britney Spears fan though.
“Right now because I listen to so much music when I'm practising that when I get in my car, I hardly listen to music. I switch it off so I can have silence and I think silence is also a very important part for musicians because silence is the wellspring of creativity.”
Jeremy Monteiro has been conferred academic titles by the London College of Music and Singapore's LaSalle College of the Arts.
But that has not stopped him from thinking about grooming the next generation of jazz musicians in Singapore.
He said: "I've just registered the Monteiro Music School and basically to being certified by the London College of Music and to be a teaching and examinations centre.
“You can start from zero and learn jazz. You don't even have to learn classical music if you don't want to and then go all the way to grade 8 and do your diploma levels. My reason for it is because there's not enough feeder entities to feed good potential jazz musicians so I want to go to where the lack of training is. No one is addressing this. So I want to help these students who will then feed into SOTA, LaSalle and other tertiary institutions that have jazz programmes."
Jeremy said that he is only going to be 49 years old but people think he’s in his mid-50s because he’s been in the music business for a long time.
Phil Spector Gets 19 Years In Prison
Legendary music producer Phil Spector has been sentenced to 19 years to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering an actress at his Los Angeles mansion six years ago.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler on Friday sentenced 69-year-old Spector to 15 years in prison for second-degree murder, plus another four years enhancement for personal use of a gun.
Spector, who created the famed "Wall of Sound" recording technique during the 1960s, was charged for the 2003 killing of Lana Clarkson, best known for her role in the 1985 cult film "The Barbarian Queen."
He is not eligible for parole until 2028, and if he is not freed then, then under California law his sentence will become a life term.
Clarkson's mother, Donna, fought back tears while reading a brief statement to reporters that did not directly address Spector or the murder.
"All our plans for the future together are destroyed. Now we can only visit her in the cemetery," she said, praising her late daughter's sense of humor, dedication to acting and generosity.
Clarkson, 40, was found slumped in a chair with a gunshot wound to the head in Spector's castle-like home on February 3, 2003, only hours after meeting the producer for the first time at the nightclub where she worked.
As Fidler read the verdict, Spector, wearing a dark pinstripe suit with a white shirt and a red silk tie, showed no reaction. His defense attorney Doron Weinberg, who repeatedly claimed his client was innocent, said he would appeal.
"My reaction is 'Oh my God!'" said Spector's 28-year-old wife, Rachelle. "My husband was tried in the court of public opinion, not in a court of law.
"My main purpose is to prove my husband's innocence and regain his honor," said the petite, dyed blonde. "This is a sad day for everybody -- not just for Lana Clarkson's family who lost a daughter, but I've also lost my husband and my best friend."
During Spector's retrial, defense lawyers said Clarkson, whose career had stalled at the time of her death, had killed herself.
Spector is regarded as one of the most influential figures in pop music history. In the early 1960s, he scored hits including "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Be My Baby, Baby" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin.'"
But during his two murder trials, prosecutors said Spector, who was famed for his work with The Beatles, Tina Turner, The Righteous Brothers, The Ronettes and The Ramones, had a more sinister side.
Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson painted a picture of the music icon as a gun-crazed eccentric with a "history of violence" toward women who tried to leave him.
"Are you asking if I feel sorry for him? Not one whit," Jackson said after the verdict was reached last month.
"He's getting exactly what he deserves. It feels especially good that no other women are going to suffer at the hands of Phil Spector."
Five female acquaintances had testified that Spector threatened them at gunpoint in incidents dating back to the 1970s.
Spector's former chauffeur also gave damaging evidence, telling jurors that on the night of the shooting, his employer had emerged from a doorway clutching a pistol in a bloodied hand, saying: "I think I killed somebody."
Only weeks before Clarkson's killing, Spector gave a rare interview in which he described himself as "relatively insane."
Asked if Spector had ever been violent towards her, his wife Rachelle said "I don't want to comment."
Defense lawyers however argued there was no forensic evidence to convict Spector, pointing to the absence of gunshot residue on his hands and clothing.
In his sentencing recommendation however, prosecutor Jackson accused Spector of "pulling guns on women for decades" and gave a graphic description of how police believe Clarkson was killed.
"Spector had pulled a loaded gun from the bureau drawer and threatened Lana with it as she attempted to leave the residence," Jackson wrote.
"As Lana was seated in a chair by the back door with her purse slung on her right shoulder Spector produced the gun, the end result of which was Lana being shot through the mouth as she recoiled in fear."
Jonas Brothers I Wan'na Be Like You Music Video
Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like you. I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too ... Prev | Next. View Music from the 3D Concert Experience by Jonas Brothers
Jonas Brothers - Play My Music
Play My Music by Jonas Brothers, Music Video and Lyrics Play My Music is the second single from Camp Rock, a Disney Channel Original Movie.
Green Day - Viva La Gloria
amazing song i love how right at the first "Gloria, viva la Gloria" it goes from a "normal" ballad, to a rock "ballad". It almost seems like the first part
Akon - Beautiful
Akon Beautiful lyrics . These Beautiful lyrics are performed by AkonWhen I see
you I run out of words to say I wouldn't leave you 'Cause you're that
Linkin Park-Pushing Me Away-With Lyrics
Linkin Park Pushing Me Away lyrics in the Hybrid Theory Album. These Pushing Me Away lyrics are performed by Linkin ParkI?ve lied to you The same way.
Linkin Park - No More Sorrow
Watch the video for Linkin Park – No More Sorrow from the album Minutes To Midnight. This song was made available as downloadable content for Guitar Hero 3.
Los Papines Co-founder Ricardo Abreus Passes Away in Havana
Cuban musician Ricardo Abreus, cofounder in 1959 of Los Papines, passed away last Tuesday from a stroke at age 75 in Havana. Ricardo began his career at a very early age and became popular with his group Papín y sus Rumberos performing at the Tropicana Cabaret and other venues. Following, he founded Los Papines with three of his brothers. The popular vocal and percussion quartet debuted at the Salon Parisién of the Hotel National in a production directed by Amaury Pérez.
They went on to develop a repertoire of Afro-Cuban songs, especially rumba, marked by a mastery of percussion, for which they gained international recognition. Los Papines have played on important stages in more than 50 countries and have recorded numerous CDs. They were recently the subject of a documentary by EGREM.
University of Calypso Brings Together Calypso Legend and Steelpan Virtuosity
With the June 23, 2009 release of University of Calypso (HUCD3168) on Heads Up International, steelpan master Andy Narell joins forces with calypso legend Relator to explore the role of jazz in vintage calypso. Together, they perform 15 classic compositions by Lord Kitchener, Lord Melody, Mighty Terror, Roaring Lion, Spider, and Relator, supported by a group of world-class Latin-jazz cats who can swing the calypso and blow le jazz hot. It’s been over 50 years since a major calypsonian went into the studio with a bunch of jazz players. This CD is cause for serious celebration!
In many ways this project was inspired by Lord Kitchener’s forays into jazz in the 1950s. Kitchener (real name Aldwyn Roberts; now respectfully nicknamed Grandmaster) was arguably the greatest songwriter in the history of calypso. Born in Trinidad in 1922 (where he passed away in 2000) he was largely responsible for calypso’s evolution into a melodically and harmonically sophisticated music. He was a fabulous lyricist as well, and a great commentator and humorist on a wide array of subjects. He emigrated from Trinidad to London in 1948, where he discovered jazz—and wrote a very hip composition called "Bebop Calypso" praising Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. He stayed in London throughout the ‘50s, playing with jazz musicians and making numerous recordings that revolutionized calypso music.
Afrobeat in Mozambique & Portugal
On the 15th of June, Cacique´97 will release their debut album - The first Afrobeat Band from Mozambique and Portugal. The Portuguese capital, Lisbon has always been a stage for the meeting of several cultures, mostly due to the past of the city as the capital of a colonial empire in Africa and Latin America.
Nowadays it is a huge pot of creativity which attracts artists from all over the world and it is a privileged space where musicians find each other, share ideas and mix rhythms. It is from this mixture that, in 2005, afro beat collective Cacique..97 was born. With musicians with Mozambican and Portuguese origins, this collective incorporates members from groups such as Cool Hipnoise, Philharmonic Weed and The Most Wanted, well known projects in the areas of funk, reggae and the Afro sound.
Abu Dhabi's World Music Series a Success
The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage's (ADACH) World Music series concluded this year's program with a concert by an Azerbaijani musical legend yesterday. The series (Music of the world in Abu Dhabi), launched in October 2008, brought UAE citizens and residents a number of famous international musicians and singers for a period of eight months.
So far 16 thousand people have attended its 15 concerts, but ADACH is already preparing for its upcoming October 2009 music program, which will be announced soon.
"The organization of the festival is part of the belief of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage in the importance of hosting the most famous musical events, as part of its strategy to make Abu Dhabi as the capital of culture in all aspects and manifestations," said Abdullah Al Amiri, Director of the Department of Culture and Arts at ADACH.
Locos Por Juana Delivers Infectious Latin Beats at Taste of Durham
Locos Por Juana, one of the hottest Latin alternative rock bands in the United States visited Durham (North Carolina) to perform at the Taste of Durham festival on Saturday, May 23rd. There has been a lot of talk about the multinational Miami-based band and they did not disappoint the multiethnic crowd in Durham. Locos Por Juana combines infectious energy rock with infectious Latin rhythms from the Caribbean and South America, as well as reggae, hip hop and American funk. In December of 2008, the band was nominated for "Best Latín Rock Or Alternative Album" for their album titled “ La Verdad”.
Dennis Noda, Internationally Known Asian
Dennis Noda, one of the few Asian-American musicians who attained recognition from artists and audiences throughout the world, passed away on May 19.
Dennis, a funky, rockin’ bBassist and vocalist with a high visibility facto, was one of the few Asian-American musicians who has attained recognition from artists and audiences throughout the world. His impeccable sight-reading abilities, energetic stage presence, and rock solid groove, made him an in-demand studio and touring musician. He was a devout Christian who gave of his time freely. He was a kindred spirit, loved by all and will be sadly missed by his wife, children, family and his friends and
Brian Eno Artwork Illuminates Sydney Opera House
The aim is to provoke "visual ecstasy" and "heightened calm," says music producer Brian Eno of his audiovisual artwork 77 Million Paintings, which is illuminating the Sydney Opera House’s sails as part of a sound and light festival in the city.
The inaugural Luminous festival, curated by Eno and running through June 14, was launched with the first display of 77 Million Paintings, which is being shown each night. The work, which has already been seen in the U.S. and Europe, uses "self-generating software" to manipulate 300 of Eno's drawings in a constantly evolving display of color, shape, and form. Sydney Opera House Chief Executive Richard Evans said, "We're not coloring in the opera house. We're actually kind of taking the art of the opera house and raising it to a different level."
Neil Young's Archives almost worth the wait
"It's already together. All you have to do is make sure it's in chronological order, pick the art that goes with it, pick the packaging (and) put it out."
That's how Neil Young summed up his Archives box to a biographer.
In 1991.
That was two years into the project.
What happened between then and now, only Neil knows for sure. All I know is that Archives has been a Holy Grail of rock 'n' roll for so long, it makes Chinese Democracy look like a rush job.
But finally, after countless blown deadlines, a few technological upgrades and ever-expanding horizons, Archives Vol 1: 1963-1972 -- now supposedly the first of four boxes chronicling the Canadian folk-rock icon's long and winding career -- is here.
For real. I've got it. I've heard it. I've watched it. And you know what? It was almost worth the wait.
Available Tuesday in three formats -- on 10 Blu-ray DVDs (about $315 online), 10 regular DVDs (about $265) or eight CDs (about $100) -- Archives Vol. 1 is almost worth the price, too.
Simply put, it's monumental in every sense of the word. It's technologically innovative. Historically definitive. Exhaustively (and exhaustingly) detailed. Artistically revealing -- and not just for fans.
Michael Jackson shows in jeopardy
Morrissey has pulled two further shows on his current UK tour, bringing the total number of cancellations to seven. Skip related content
The former Smiths frontman has been struck down by an undisclosed throat problem in recent weeks, throwing his live jaunt into disarray.
He was due to play London's Brixton Academy tonight and tomorrow night but they are both now off.
Promoters are hoping to reschedule the gigs but he is currently "on continued doctor's orders not to sing".
The news comes just days after Morrissey celebrated his 50th birthday, making a one-off return to the stage with a homecoming show in Manchester.
Three subsequent gigs were then cancelled, with the singer rescheduling a handful as part of his autumn tour, which kicks-off in Birmingham on October 23.
Morrissey Cancels Remaining Brixton Dates
Morrissey has cancelled the remaining two nights at London's Brixton Academy due to his ongoing illness.
The Smiths legend had already cancelled last night's show, but now the dates tonight and tomorrow (May 29th and 30th) have also been axed.
A statement on Morrissey's website reads:
“Regrettably, the rest of Morrissey’s UK tour dates at the O2 Academy Brixton have been cancelled. Morrissey is on continued doctor’s orders not to sing. Ticket holders are advised to hang on to their tickets and await further information.
“Event Organizers would like to apologize to fans for the disappointment. Additional information will be issued as soon as possible.”
Morrissey has now cancelled a total of seven UK dates in due to his suspected throat problem.
Dr Dre Debuts 'Detox' On New Ad Campaign
Fans waiting for a taste of Dr Dre's new album 'Detox' are set to be pleased, by an advert for Dr Pepper.
The long delayed record will get a super short debut when a new campaign featuring the rapper starts airing from June 1.
During the 'Trust Me, I'm A Doctor' clip a beat from the record, which is expected to be released in late 2009, gets played for several seconds.
In the ad, Dre says: "Scientific tests prove when you drink Dr. Pepper slow, the 23 flavors taste even better. For me, slow always produces a hit."
Michael Jackson To Postpone More London Shows?
Michael Jackson could be about to postpone more of London residency according to reports in today's British tabloids.
The star has already delayed the start of the London gigs by five days on productions grounds.
But today's Sun newspaper, which has maintained Michael has cancer, claims the singer could postpone more shows in order to have radiotherapy.
It is thought Michael has the option to have full treatment, which could jeopardise the whole tour, or undergo a more mild form of treatment.
“Michael has a devil of a decision. The temptation is to go for the treatment which will allow him to perform,” a source said.
“The last thing he wants is to let down his fans. But it may well turn out that radiation therapy is still needed if the cancer is deep in his cells.
“That can have really nasty side effects and leave him unable to sing at all.”
Despite the newspaper's cancer claims, promoters have maintained that the 50-year-old star is in good health.
But he has regularly been spotted leaving a medical facility in recent weeks which specialises in cancer treatment.
Michael has not performed a full concert since he was cleared of child molestation charges in 2005.
Morrissey cancels the rest of his UK tour
Morrissey has cancelled the remaining tour dates of his current UK tour because of illness.
The former Smiths singer's two shows at the London O2 Academy Brixton, which had been set to take place tonight (May 29) and tomorrow (30) have been pulled, it was announced today.
The news follows other cancellations across the UK, as Morrissey follows doctor's orders to recover from a throat illness.
A statement on behalf of the singer explained: "Morrissey is on continued doctor's orders not to sing."
In the statement fans were advised to hold on to tickets, and await details of possible rescheduled gigs.
Morrissey did manage to play a show in Manchester last week (May 24) on the day of his 50th birthday.
Kasabian: 'We're not a lad rock band'
Kasabian's Tom Meighan and Sergio Pizzorno have told NME.COM that they can't understand why people label the band as 'lad rock'.
In an interview which you can read in full in this week's issue of NME, Pizzorno said that people are wrong to pigeonhole the band, despite their close association with frends and regular touring partners Oasis.
When asked if Kasabian's new album 'West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum' is an attempt to shrug off the lad rock tag, Pizzorno replied: "We never were one."
He added: "If you put our records on and press play, there's no pub rock in that, man. It's really British rock'n'roll. It is what it is. It kind of makes me laugh when people say that - you ain't got no idea."
Speaking of the new album, Meighan claimed that it shows the band moving in a more ambitious direction than their previous work.
"I think the album shows how beautiful we are as a band," he explained. "How beautiful we've become. It was an ugly duckling, but now it's grown up. It's kind of flowered, blossomed. I think we've matured in every way."
Townsend to Kick Off 2-month Music Series
The Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend kicks off the fourth season of its summer concert series, Sunset Music, in a couple of weeks with a concert by Boston string band Hokum’s Heroes on Friday, June 12.
The series provides more than two months of live music from local, regional, and national acts at the Heritage Center’s outdoor amphitheater, which this year features new sound and lighting systems, an expanded stage, and a roof so concerts can be presented rain or shine.
The series continues with blues rockers Blue Mother Tupelo on June 19; Sparky and Rhonda Rucker on July 3; the John Myers Band on July 24; Wild Blue Yonder on July 31; Y’uns on Aug. 14; and champion flatpicking guitarist Steve Kaufman on Aug. 21.
All shows start at 7 p.m. Admission is $4 (Heritage Center members get in free). Three more concerts for the fall are to be announced soon.
Music May Temper Pain in Preemies
Playing music seems to reduce pain and encourage feeding in premature infants, University of Alberta researchers report.
Music is being widely used in neonatal units across North America, but how beneficial it is to the infants remains unclear.
Lead researcher Dr. Manoj Kumar, an assistant clinical professor in the neonatal division of the pediatrics department at the university, said the study "found some evidence to suggest that music may have beneficial effects in terms of physiological parameters, behavioral states and pain reduction during painful medical procedures in the neonates."
"Music was also noted to improve oral feeding among the preterm infants who were having difficulty making transition to oral feeding," he said.
These benefits, if confirmed, have the potential to save health-care resources by using less pain medication and enabling an earlier transition to oral feeding and discharge from the hospital, he noted.
The report is published in the May 27 online edition of the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
For the study, Kumar's team analyzed data from nine trials, including six that looked at music played while infants underwent painful procedures such as circumcision or having a heel pricked to obtain blood samples. The others looked at music played for premature infants.
Measurements such as heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and pain were used to evaluate the benefit of music.
In studies that involved circumcision, music was found to have benefits for the infants' heart rate, oxygen saturation and pain. Several studies that involved a heel prick also reported evidence that music could have a benefit in reducing pain and improve behavior. The music played ranged from classical to lullabies and nursery rhymes.
"Calmer infants, a stable condition in the child's physiologic functions such as heart rate and higher oxygen saturation, and lesser pain during the painful procedures such as circumcision and blood sampling via heal prick" were all reported, Kumar said.
"One study noted that the use of a pacifier-activated lullaby system in the preterm infants helped improve their oral feeding rates," he said. "These infants were previously documented to have difficulty in making the transition to oral feeding."
However, Dr. F. Sessions Cole, director of newborn medicine and head of the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Louis Children's Hospital, thinks the jury is still out on whether music in intensive care units works in reducing infant discomfort.
"This article provides a systematic analysis of available information concerning the possible usefulness of music for pain management among sick newborn infants who are undergoing procedures," Cole said, but he noted that "the authors indicate that the methodological problems with all of the reported studies preclude any conclusions about the efficacy of music therapy in the neonatal intensive care unit."
"I know many of us would like this music-based strategy to work to reduce use of pain medications and to improve outcomes of these fragile, high-risk infants," Cole said. "However, based on this article, evaluation of the use of music for pain relief among sick newborn infants is experimental at best and will require more carefully designed, methodologically rigorous strategies before any kind of conclusion about its usefulness can be made."
Dr. Charles R. Bauer, a professor of pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology and psychology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, noted that research on the benefit of music for infants is sketchy at best.
"The use of music as a soothing intervention for infants is well known," Bauer said. "We know that a neonatal intensive care unit is an abnormal situation. The interventions that the babies undergo are always painful and always uncomfortable, so any attempt to try to soften that environment is a positive intervention."
As an effort to improve the infant's environment, music is worthwhile, Bauer said. "But from an academic standpoint, it is considered very soft science so it's not being used widely, and this article does not advance the cause," he said.
Bauer thinks that randomized trials are needed to really show whether music therapy in such situations is beneficial or not.
Bill Engvall to host Country Music Television awards
Comedian Bill Engvall will host the Country Music Television awards next month.
The show will air live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, on June 16.
Performers include Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and British rockers Def Leppard.
Engvall hosts the CMT series Country Fried Home Videos and is the star of the TBS sitcom The Bill Engvall Show.
Streams Music To Android-Based
A new music application from European music service Spotify is attracting attention at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco. The app, for devices using Google's Android open-source mobile platform, allows a user to search, browse and stream music.
Spotify released a video at the conference and on YouTube that displays the app, which enables a user to wirelessly sync playlists on an Android device with a PC and listen to cached music offline.
'New Way to Enjoy Music'
The popular Spotify service is reportedly preparing to launch the service in the U.S., as well as into a variety of devices -- including connected game machines. On its Web site, it describes the service as "a new way to enjoy music," offering "no restrictions in terms of what you can listen to or when." The service offers legal and free access to a large music library, backed by advertising. Many of the songs can also be purchased by users in the U.K., France and Spain.
Sonal Gandhi, an analyst with industry research firm Forrester, said the music service "is surprisingly very successful in the U.K." One reason, she said, is that the proposition is simple for people to understand.
Third-party music applications for phones have been steadily emerging, Gandhi pointed out, of which Pandora's is the best known. Others include Imeem, Last.fm and Clear Channel. As they proliferate, she noted, more users are listening to music from their phones.
The availability of the Spotify application for Google's Android could affect Apple's reign as the leading music provider over the Internet. Meanwhile, the pace of Android adoption is picking up. Andy Rubin, Google's director of mobile platforms, told the I/O conference that 18-20 Android phones will be on the market this year, beyond the two currently available, both made by device maker HTC.
A Developer Challenge
And as more Android devices emerge, Google is adding to developer incentives with the second Android Developer Challenge, which was announced at the I/O conference.
The installed base is the biggest incentive for Android app developers, and it may soon get a big boost as the world's largest mobile device market, China, gets into the game. Earlier this week, Peter Chou, head of HTC, told The Wall Street Journal that his company will be working with China Mobile, the largest mobile-phone operator in the world, to offer a version of the HTC Magic smartphone in that country next month.
As the only major vendor that has so far released Android-based phones, the move by Taiwan-based HTC into China could have a substantial impact on the growth of the Google-backed open-source platform. And it could provide an unprecedented opportunity for a major mobile music service to take hold on a growing platform.
Slumdog makers in Mumbai
The makers of Slumdog Millionaire have promised new homes to two of the film's young stars.
Despite their international success, Rubina Ali, nine, and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, ten, found themselves homeless after city authorities tore down parts of their Mumbai slum.
Rubina, who played the hero's love interest Latika, has been staying with relatives, while Azharuddin, who played the tearaway brother Salim, sheltered under tarpaulins and blankets.
Director Danny Boyle, who flew to India along with Christian Colson, said progress had been made in securing legal accommodation for the children through a trust fund set up by the filmmakers.
He added: "It's obviously a concern, it's a terrible concern and one of the reasons that we started the trust was to try to deal with emergencies like that.
"And we can say that the trust is making progress in making sure that they have got solid, legal accommodation to live in."
Rubina's father Rafiq Qureshi said: "It is these people's responsibility to get us houses, as the children have done so much hard work in the film."
Rihanna
Rihanna is among the witnesses whom prosecutors plan to call during a hearing in Chris Brown's assault case, an attorney said Thursday.
Donald Etra, Rihanna's lawyer, told reporters that prosecutors have told him the Barbados-born singer will receive a subpoena to testify at a preliminary hearing June 22. The hearing will focus on whether there is enough evidence to continue the case against Brown.
Etra said Rihanna will comply with the order. It would mark her first appearance in court since felony assault and criminal threats charges were filed against Brown in March.
If she is called to testify, the 21-year-old singer would be subject to cross-examination by Brown's attorney, Mark Geragos.
Other potential witnesses have not been named, but will likely include police investigators.
Brown was arrested in February on suspicion of hitting and choking Rihanna in a rented car hours before the couple were scheduled to appear at the Grammys.
Etra wouldn't address their relationship now, but said Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was following the case closely.
A judge on Thursday rejected a motion by Geragos to receive police and investigative records related to the case and the apparent leak of a photo of a beaten and bruised Rihanna.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told Geragos the motion was premature and he could file it again after the preliminary hearing.
Brown wasn't in court Thursday, but he's required to attend the preliminary hearing. The 20-year-old R&B singer faces possible sentences that range from probation to nearly five years in prison if convicted.
Geragos argued that he should have access to the records to properly cross-examine police witnesses during the preliminary hearing. He also said intense public interest in the case should require the records' release.
Schnegg said Brown's fame wasn't an issue she was going to consider. She also called Geragos' motion "a fishing expedition."
She also said the records, which Geragos wants to use to search for police bias or misconduct, don't have anything to do with Brown's arrest. She said officers responded to a 911 call and the "Run It!" singer was arrested well before the photo of Rihanna's battered face was posted by celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode say its lead singer Dave Gahan has had a malignant tumor removed from his bladder and the British electro-pop group will soon be ready to restart its interrupted tour.
A statement on the group's Web site Thursday said doctors discovered the tumor after Gahan was hospitalized with severe gastroenteritis in May.
The statement says the low-grade malignant tumor has been successfully removed, and doctors have ordered Gahan to rest until June 8. The group says it will restart its interrupted concert in Leipzig in Germany on that day.
Depeche Mode says concerts scheduled after that — including June 10 in Berlin and June 12 in Frankfurt — will take place as originally planned as possible.
Promoter: Singer innocent of Braxton scam
Promoter: Singer innocent of Braxton scam
A concert promoter has testified that he alone tried to foist off a Las Vegas-based entertainer as six-time Grammy winner Toni Braxton at a show that has since been dubbed the "Phony Toni" concert.
Angel Ventura, 45, told a judge Tuesday that Braxton impersonator Trina Johnson-Finn was an unwitting participant of his scheme that tricked people in this tiny South American country into paying up to $53 a ticket for the Feb. 28 concert in Suriname's capital.
Disappointed fans had hoped to see Braxton, who is best known for the hit "Un-break My Heart" and appearances on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."
"I never said to the prosecutor that Trina Johnson knew beforehand that she was part of a scam," he told Judge Robby Rodriguez on the first day of Johnson-Finn's trial on charges of defrauding fans.
But prosecutors contend Johnson-Finn, who has augmented her 20-year singing career by impersonating various stars as a "tribute artist," attempted to pass herself off as the real Braxton, and that Ventura's testimony does not clear her of involvement in the scam.
The concert was a debacle: Numerous people in the crowd of 3,000 began to jeer and pelt the stage with trash when the singer hit a sour note at the beginning of the second song. She was rushed off the stage to a loud chorus of boos.
Johnson-Finn, clad in a black blouse and skirt, sat calmly during Ventura's testimony.
Her Surinamese lawyer, Kathleen Brandon, told the judge the 41-year-old Nevada woman has been unjustly jailed for nearly three months awaiting her trial and called for her immediate release.
"Ventura told her to go all out as an impersonator and play a role in the whole thing. She thought that everyone knew that she was just an impersonator, but Ventura did not tell anyone in Suriname," Brandon said.
But the judge declined to release Johnson-Finn and adjourned the trial until June 2.
Supporters in Las Vegas have come to Johnson-Finn's defense, waging an Internet campaign on her behalf.
Clarkson is a Susan Boyle fan
'Idol' winner Clarkson is a Susan Boyle fan
Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the debut season of "American Idol" in 2002, says she's a fan of surprise British singing star Susan Boyle, adding to a growing number of celebrity admirers that already include Oprah Winfrey and Demi Moore.
Boyle, the 47-year-old church volunteer with a powerful voice, overcame a dowdy image to become an Internet sensation after her performance on the talent show "Britain's Got Talent" was posted on YouTube.
"I think it's awesome. I'm bawling whenever I hear her sing," Clarkson told The Associated Press in Hong Kong, saying Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Miserables" sounded beautiful.
Clarkson was in Hong Kong promoting her new album, "All I Ever Wanted."
The 27-year-old singer said she still tries to catch "American Idol" when she can and defended the show against criticism that it has welcomed candidates with previous record deals or experience in other talent contests. "Idol" rules only require that contestants not be under a record or management contract when they audition.
"I personally think if someone has been affiliated with the industry, who cares? That just means they've been working hard and trying to get in the door," Clarkson said. "Regardless, you're going to be an amateur talent. It's not like you've had a huge record deal and toured the world. It's not like they're going to be some huge threat."
But she said the show' success has put more pressure on contestants.
During the taping of the first season, "No one knew what to expect. No one knew if it was going to be successful," Clarkson said. "But now people know the stakes."
George Strait
George Strait named artist of decade in TV special
George Strait will be saluted as the Academy of Country Music's artist of the decade in an all-star concert that airs Wednesday night on CBS.
The show was taped last month in Las Vegas and features performances by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Jamie Foxx, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride and more.
Garth Brooks, named artist of the decade for the 1990s, presented Strait his award. Strait joins only four other artists who have received this distinction: Marty Robbins, Loretta Lynn, Alabama and Brooks.
Strait's career spans nearly 25 years and includes many classics, including "Amarillo By Morning," "The Chair" and "Give It Away."
___
Amanda Leigh
Moore returns with folksy `Amanda Leigh'
Sure, Mandy Moore has grown up. She's 25, married to singer-songwriter Ryan Adams and pushing past the teen-pop territory of her younger days, as she did on 2007's decidedly adult "Wild Hope."
But while her new album, "Amanda Leigh," sparkles in places, it also shows where Moore needs to grow. The record's tunes about love and soul-searching, co-written by Moore and Mike Viola, leader of the Candy Butchers, with help from Inara George of the Bird and the Bee, range from country-tinged folk to straight-up alt-country to songs so steeped in harpsichord and harmony, they verge on musical theater.
The songs are recorded with crisp, precise instrumentation, but the lyrics tend to rhyme too much. "I could handle your tortured heart/ Even piece it together whenever you ripped it apart," she sings on "Love to Love Me Back."
"I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week," the album's main single, is saccharine mixed with saltiness. The chorus of the up-tempo and cheesy blowoff to a guy is catchy, but silly.
At her best, Moore shows that her sweetly tinged voice can be both throaty and twangy. Songs such as "Bug" have a pleasant Joni Mitchell vibe, all clear-eyed '70s folk.
Annabel Alpers has put New Zealand on the tech-pop map
Annabel Alpers has put New Zealand on the tech-pop map.
Recording as Bachelorette, her first album for the Drag City label is a pop treatise on technology's perpetual intrusion on society.
Titled "My Electric Family," the record takes aim at an increasingly computer-reliant population. Her method is the catch. As a student of computer-based composition, Bachelorette makes use of traditional instruments, but deploys mostly electronic sounds. Like Kraftwerk's "Computer World," she uses the very devices she's critiquing.
The hazy doo-wop of "The National Grid" explores the urban existence; backing vocals inch the rhythm along, giving the feeling of walking on a crowded sidewalk. The brass section by the Royal New Zealand Air Force Brass Band on "Dream Sequence" plays like a sound-off for more physical activity.
Disconsolate ballad "Where to Begin" poses the question, "Will this digital obsession ever end?" Again, Alpers' lyrics articulately punctuate the situation: "You stay in your room/ On the computer/ Observing strangers/ Ignoring those around you."
"Her Rotating Head" is synth-pop on par with other outer-echelon divas like Annie (Norway) and Robyn (Sweden), but instead of a bubble gum theme, Alpers subliminally rails against objectification by likening the female side of a romance to a robotic doll.
Using pop music as a vehicle for introspection, Bachelorette details the benefit and detriment of technological evolution, making one of the year's best records in the process.
CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: "Technology Boy," the album's centerpiece, veers out of the city and onto the scenic route, as processed harmonies flicker and float above warm, competing analog/digital tones.
Meg White and Jackson Smith wed in Nashville
White Stripes drummer Meg White has married fiance Jackson Smith in Nashville.
The 34-year-old rock drummer's publicist said in a statement Tuesday that the ceremony was part of a double wedding Friday in the backyard of White's musical partner, Jack White.
Smith is the son of punk singer Patti Smith and the late guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith of the rock band MC5. The younger Smith is also a rock guitarist.
The other couple that wed Friday was Jack Lawrence and his girlfriend Jo McCaughey.
Jack Lawrence is the bass player in Jack White's other musical projects: the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather.
The wedding was attended by a small party of close friends and relatives.
The White Stripes got their start in Detroit. Though Meg and Jack White have claimed to be siblings, court records have suggested they were married for four years before divorcing in 2000.
Meg White and Jackson Smith live in Detroit.
Natalie Cole back at home after kidney transplant surgery
Natalie Cole is recovering at home after a successful kidney transplant.
Her spokeswoman, Maureen O'Connor, says Cole was released on Sunday from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
O'Connor says Cole, who had the kidney transplant surgery on May 18, is "doing quite well under the circumstances."
The 59-year-old singer underwent the operation immediately after learning that a donor organ had become available.
The daughter of Nat King Cole had been receiving dialysis three times a week since September. But she still continued to perform in support of her latest album, the Grammy-winning "Still Unforgettable."
Cole postponed her summer tour, which was scheduled to begin June 5, so she can recover.
Kanye West turns author "Proud non-reader"
Rapper Kanye West does not read books or respect them but nevertheless he has written one that he would like you to buy and read.
The Grammy Award winner, known for his No. 1 albums and outspoken statements on everything from racism in America to the banality of Twitter, is the co-author of "Thank You And You're Welcome."
His book is 52 pages -- some blank, others with just a few words -- and offers his optimistic philosophy on life. One two-page section reads, "Life is 5% what happens and 95% how you react!" Another page reads "I hate the word hate!"
"This is a collection of thoughts and theories," West, 31, said in an interview about his spiral-bound volume, which was written with J. Sakiya Sandifer.
West said he put his thoughts in a book because "I get paraphrased and misquoted all the time." He calls his wisdom "Kanye-isms."
"My favorite one is 'Get used to being used,'" he said.
"I feel like to misuse, overuse or abuse someone is negative. To use is necessary and if you can't be used, then you are useless."
So does he fancy himself a modern-day Confucius?
"I'm trying to end the confusion," he said, laughing and adding, "I'm gonna put that on the next album."
West's derision of books comes despite the fact that his late mother, Donda West, was a university English professor before she retired to manage his music career. She died in 2007 of complications following cosmetic surgery.
"Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed," West said. "I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book's autograph.
"I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life," he said.
West, a college dropout, said being a non-reader was helpful when he wrote his book because it gave him "a childlike purity."
West dedicates the book to his late mother.
"My mom taught me to believe in my flyness and conquer my shyness," he said, defining "flyness" as confidence. "She raised me to be the voice to allow people to think for themselves, to find their own way."
Conductor Abbado returns to Italy's La Scala
Claudio Abbado is returning to La Scala after more than 20 years, and the city is planting 90,000 trees in his honor.
Abbado is a native of the city, and was musical director at La Scala for 17 years.
His return is part of an effort by La Scala's general manager Stephane Lissner to bring great conductors to La Scala's podium. The effort even includes an invitation to Riccardo Muti, who stepped down as music director and principal conductor in 2005 in open conflict with musicians.
La Scala has not had a music director since, instead naming Daniel Barenboim its principal guest conductor.
Abbado will conduct Mahler's "Eighth Symphony" in two concerts in June 2010, plus a rehearsal open to youth, his first concerts with La Scala's orchestra since departing as musical director in 1985, Lissner announced Tuesday.
His last appearance at La Scala was with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1987.
Abbado, 75, requested that the trees be planted in his name for the benefit of Milan's residents as a living memorial to mark his return to his native city. He met with the mayor and other officials Monday to discuss what kind of trees would be planted and where, said La Scala spokesman Carlo Maria Cella.
"He mentioned Magnolias, trees that are hearty enough to survive in the city," Cella said.
Mayor Letizia Moratti told a news conference that the first trees would be planted in the coming months along a central shopping thoroughfare.
Lissner said Tuesday he had not yet heard back from Muti, to whom he wrote several months ago inviting to work on a project in 2013. Lissner joined La Scala in May 2005, after Muti's departure.
La Scala announced that its 2009-10 season will open with Bizet's "Carmen," by tradition on Dec. 7, conducted by Barenboim. Emma Dante will direct the production. German tenor Jonas Kaufmann will sing the role of Don Jose and Uruguayan baritone Erwin Schrott will perform Escamillo.
Also appearing at La Scala next season will be Daniele Gatti, who conducted this season's gala premiere, Zubin Mehta and tenor Placido Domingo, who will sing the lead in "Simon Boccanegra" next April. Domingo will mark the 40th anniversary of his first La Scala appearance on Dec. 9, singing the role of Siegmund in the first act of Wagner's "Die Walkuere" in a concert version conducted by Barenboim. The Spanish tenor debuted at La Scala in Verdi's "Ernani" in 1969.
SC judge OKs settlement over James Brown estate
After years of hearings in a protracted battle over how to parcel out James Brown's wealth, a South Carolina judge approved a settlement Tuesday that gives nearly half of it to his charitable trust, about a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to Brown's adult children.
The settlement was a contrast to the instructions spelled out in Brown's will and trust after his death on Christmas Day 2006. Some of Brown's adult children contested the bequest, claiming their father's estate was mismanaged by trustees.
"I find that the settlement is just and reasonable and provides a just and reasonable result for the charitable beneficiaries," Judge Jack Early wrote. "From the perspective of the charitable beneficiaries, the risks of not approving the settlement agreement are substantial."
The exact value of Brown's assets has not been made public. However, during numerous court hearings since the Godfather of Soul's death, there have been claims of unpaid debts, inadequate accounting and misappropriated money.
Some of the soul singer's possessions were auctioned for $850,000, partly to pay debt. Attorneys have said the soul singer's accounts have little money in them. The future income — from movies, royalties and the sale of Brown's likeness — is what's really at stake, attorneys have said.
The settlement establishes that Tomi Rae Hynie Brown is the surviving spouse of the Godfather of Soul and her son is James Brown's child. James Brown II will not be required to take a DNA test.
"I am so relieved and happy that the court has approved this settlement," Brown's widow said in a statement to the AP. "I want to be able to work with the trustees and other Brown family members to promote James Brown's legacy. My son James and I are grateful to the judge and hope this nightmare is finally over."
More than three years, as thousands attended public memorial services, the legal rifts surrounding his estate formed. It even took a couple of months for Brown to be buried, his body at one point resting in a sealed gold casket inside his South Carolina home.
A will filed in Aiken County on Jan. 18, 2007, called for many of Brown's personal possessions — clothes, jewelry, boats and automobiles — to be divided among six of his adult children. But the legitimacy of the will and trust was quickly called into question.
Louis Levenson, an attorney for Brown's adult children, said he had not yet reviewed the judge's order.
The judge also wrote that Brown's relatives will create a museum or other memorial burial place for the late singer. Brown was interred March 10, 2007, at the Beech Island home of one of his daughters.
Glastonbury returns to roots
Glastonbury, the world's largest green field arts and music festival has shied away from rap and chosen Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Blur as its headline acts this year, a return to its guitar-based roots.
Hip-hop superstar Jay-Z headlined the festival last year in an effort to attract a younger crowd but ticket sales dragged, and although the rapper was widely judged a success, some criticized the organizers for abandoning the festival's origins.
This year, old favorites dominate with Tom Jones, Status Quo and Madness playing the main stage and hip-hop artists Q-Tip, Roots Manuva and Black Eyed Peas relegated to the smaller areas, the official line-up showed.
"We know that there will be objections to whatever we do but if last year taught us anything, it was that we have to follow our gut instinct," festival organizer Emily Eavis told Britain's Guardian newspaper.
"Risks pay off, and featuring Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen in one weekend was a choice ... and we had to take it," the paper quoted her as saying.
One notable hip-hop exception on the main stage is British rapper Dizzee Rascal, who was topping the UK singles charts on Monday and has rocked British festivals this year.
YOUNGER CROWD
Other artists likely to appeal to a younger crowd include indie pop group The Wombats, Australia's Gabriella Cilmi, electro-pop musician Little Boots, and pop artist Lady Gaga.
Peter Doherty will play Glastonbury's second-largest stage, and there is speculation he will be joined by his former group, the Libertines, after he performed earlier this month with two of its members for the first time since the band split in 2004.
The Prodigy, best-known for their violent lyrics and hard beats, will be at Glastonbury performing "Invaders Must Die," their first album since 2004.
The festival is held on the farm of founder Michael Eavis, who started the event in 1970 when entrance cost one pound and included free milk. This year's almost 200,000 tickets went for 175 pounds each.
Not just about music, the June 24-28 festival also has performing arts, theater, dance, spiritual-healing and circus events.
Jay Bennett, ex-member of band Wilco
Jay Bennett, a former member of the band Wilco, has died at age 45, according to his record label.
"We are profoundly saddened to report that our friend died in his sleep ... Jay was a beautiful human being who will be missed," read the posting Sunday on Undertow Music Collective's Web site.
Wilco lead singer Jeff Tweedy said in a statement Monday he was "deeply saddened" by Bennett's death.
Tweedy said Bennett made significant contributions to Wilco's songs and the band's evolution. He said Bennett would be remembered "as a truly unique and gifted human being."
Bennett died at his Urbana home early Sunday, friend and fellow musician Edward Burch told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup said an autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday.
Bennett worked as a sound engineer and played instruments for Wilco from 1994 to 2001.
Earlier this month, Bennett sued Tweedy, claiming he was owed royalties for songs during his seven years and five albums with the group.
In the breach-of-contract lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court, Bennett also claimed that he deserved money from the band's 2002 documentary, "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart." The film documents the making of Wilco's album "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot."
Danny Gokey plans to thank Milwaukee for support
"American Idol" finalist Danny Gokey plans to thank his hometown of Milwaukee at an event that also will raise awareness and money for his charity.
The former church music director is not expected to sing at the free event Tuesday night for contractual reasons. But his church choir, including friend and former "American Idol" contestant Jamar Rogers, do plan to perform.
Gokey also will talk about Sophia's Heart Foundation, which he started in memory of his wife, who died last summer after surgery for a congenital heart defect. A fundraiser is being held earlier at Hilton Milwaukee City Center.
Gokey tours with the Top 10 "American Idol" finalists starting in July.
Jack White had concerns over new music project
JACK WHITE has admitted he had second thoughts about going public with his new band because he thought he'd be slammed by critics.
The White Stripes frontman said he was concerned that when he debuted his new band, the Dead Weather, he would be criticised for having too many musical projects.
White frotns The Dead Weather with Alison Mosshart of indie two-piece The Kills, Queens Of The Stone Age guitarist Dean Fertita and bassist Jack Lawrence.
But he said he was worried about starting his third collaboration because he didn't want fans to assume he was only working with Mosshart to recreate the success of their respective rock duos.
Speaking to Uncut magazine, he said: "There was a self-consciousness, I think, but it was after the fact. When we started we didn't even know we were making a record or starting a band.
"But when you're finishing a project you remember, 'Oh that's right, we have to release this to the lions now.' And people are going to say, 'Oh right, they're both in two-piece guy/girl bands.' They're going to think we did it on purpose."
And the star said he only started the band because of the great chemistry among the members.
He added: "It was a happy accident. Everybody involved really inspired each other. If we're hanging out and it's really working, it's unfair for me to say, 'OK sorry. I have this other successful band. Sorry, too busy.' That would be a shame."
Kaiser Chiefs surprised at Green Day's good behaviour
KAISER CHIEFS has revealed how Green Day taught them how to behave on tour.
The Leeds band said they hoped there would be wild rock n' roll parties when they toured with the punk band, but were quickly told that wasn't going to happen.
Drummer Nick Hodgson said: "They're very ordinary. We thought that Green Day would be real rock 'n' roll divas until we went on tour with them from Ireland to Scotland.
"The manager told us we had to get off the tour bus when we boarded the ferry and we said, 'I bet Green Day don't have to.'
"But when we got off the bus we saw that Green Day were the first off, sat in a cafe at 6am."
But Hodgson admits he does use his rock star status to his advantage on occasion.
He added: "Sometimes you get last orders after last orders and that kind of thing. And I seem to spend a lot of time on the phone to (utility company) British Gas.
"As soon as they find out I'm a Kaiser Chief, they suddenly become much more helpful."