Cher, Bette, Tina, Madonna Still Strutting Their Stuff
But First Chick Rocker Grace Slick Says, 'Retire Before 50, It's Embarrassing'
By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES
May 30, 2008
Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick, who shocked audiences in the 1960s by jumping offstage drunk to pick a fan's nose and once exposed herself sans undies, has little faith in aging rockers.
The iconic beauty left the music scene at age 48 after her 1985 hit "We Built This City on Rock and Roll," topping off her career as a lead singer for the Airplane and its later incarnations.
Slick, whose brash style in the masculine world of rock was a role model for today's greatest female performers, confessed in a 1998 VH1 documentary that "all rock 'n' rollers over the age of 50 look stupid and should retire."
Now 68, Slick told ABCNEWS.com, "It's sad somehow when you watch people who are doing things that my daughter calls 'age inappropriate.'
"They can sing almost anything but rock and roll and rap," said Slick, who lives in California as a painter. "When [a rapper] gets old he'll look sappy holding his crotch and making finger signs and wearing 'bling' and talking about my 'b***h.'"
But today's sold-out concerts by some of her contemporaries suggest that Slick has miscalculated the staying power of aging female rockers.
The grande dames of rock and pop -- Tina Turner, Cher, Bette Midler and Madonna -- are still recording, touring and commanding astronomical ticket prices at the biggest venues with fan bases that cross all age barriers.
So, too, are Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, Gladys Knight, Dolly Parton and many more. Only one publicist, Liz Rosenberg, who represents Nicks, Cher and Madonna, commented on Slick's classic off-color invective.
"What an ageist statement to make," Rosenberg told ABCNEWS.com. "I find all these women totally inspiring as their fans obviously do as well. Tell Grace to get out on the road this summer and see if any of these 'grand dames' perform. I think she will change her mind. And tell her to bring her daughter with her."
For more than a decade, Slick and Turner dominated Billboard's Hot 100 list as the oldest female vocalists. The R&B singer, who was 44 with her 1984 hit "What's Love Got to Do With It" gave way to Slick, at 47, with "Nothing's Going to Stop Us Now." Pop vocalist Cher beat both records in 1999 at the age of 53 with her hit "Believe."
Cher, at 62, kicks off her debut at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas this weekend in new Bob Mackie costumes and a show that includes 18 dancers and aerialists. The over-the-top singer is one of Billboard's Top 40 "greatest artists of all time," selling 200 million albums since she emerged as part of the Sonny and Cher duo in 1965.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Boy band creator sentenced to 25 years in prison
Boy band creator sentenced to 25 years in prison
By TRAVIS REED, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 7 minutes ago
ORLANDO, Fla. - Lou Pearlman, the man who created the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in federal prison for engineering a decades-long scam that bilked thousands of investors out of their life savings.
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It was the maximum sentence the boy band mogul could receive for allegedly swindling some $300 million from investors and banks since the early 1980s.
He pleaded guilty in March to two counts of conspiracy and single counts of money laundering and presenting a false claim in bankruptcy court.
U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp noted that many victims were Pearlman's relatives, friends and retirees in their 70s or 80s who lost everything.
"The sympathy factor just doesn't run very high with the court," Sharp said.
However, the judge said he would reduce Pearlman's sentence by one month for every $1 million returned to investors. It wasn't clear how, or if, investors would ever be compensated.
"I want to say clearly that there's no pot of gold out there," defense attorney Fletcher Peacock said.
Prosecutors allege Pearlman scammed individuals out of an estimated $200 million, and banks out of another $100 million.
The courtroom was packed with victims, some of whom gave emotional testimony. Another two dozen or so waited outside.
"Over the past nine months since my arrest, I've come to realize the harm that's been done," Pearlman said in a short courtroom statement. "I'm truly sorry and I apologize for what's happened."
Peacock said Pearlman meant to pay back all the investors, and noted he had returned about $103 million.
He said Pearlman got caught up in lawsuits — also alleged fraudulent business practices — over his otherwise successful entertainment ventures in the 1990s that prevented him from returning the money.
By TRAVIS REED, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 7 minutes ago
ORLANDO, Fla. - Lou Pearlman, the man who created the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in federal prison for engineering a decades-long scam that bilked thousands of investors out of their life savings.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was the maximum sentence the boy band mogul could receive for allegedly swindling some $300 million from investors and banks since the early 1980s.
He pleaded guilty in March to two counts of conspiracy and single counts of money laundering and presenting a false claim in bankruptcy court.
U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp noted that many victims were Pearlman's relatives, friends and retirees in their 70s or 80s who lost everything.
"The sympathy factor just doesn't run very high with the court," Sharp said.
However, the judge said he would reduce Pearlman's sentence by one month for every $1 million returned to investors. It wasn't clear how, or if, investors would ever be compensated.
"I want to say clearly that there's no pot of gold out there," defense attorney Fletcher Peacock said.
Prosecutors allege Pearlman scammed individuals out of an estimated $200 million, and banks out of another $100 million.
The courtroom was packed with victims, some of whom gave emotional testimony. Another two dozen or so waited outside.
"Over the past nine months since my arrest, I've come to realize the harm that's been done," Pearlman said in a short courtroom statement. "I'm truly sorry and I apologize for what's happened."
Peacock said Pearlman meant to pay back all the investors, and noted he had returned about $103 million.
He said Pearlman got caught up in lawsuits — also alleged fraudulent business practices — over his otherwise successful entertainment ventures in the 1990s that prevented him from returning the money.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Gretchen Wilson Graduates High School at 34
Gretchen Wilson Graduates High School
By Steve Helling,
Posted: 2008-05-17 14:59:05
(May 17) - She's got a Grammy, two Country Music Awards, and an album that went five times platinum, but Gretchen Wilson is finally achieving something that she has wanted for years: her high school diploma.
Wilson, 34, best known for her 2004 hit "Redneck Woman," dropped out of high school in ninth grade amid family problems. She worked as a cook and bartender in Illinois before heading to Nashville to pursue her country music career.
Biography (from Wikipedia)
Gretchen Frances Wilson, June 26, 1973 in Pocahontas, Illinois) is a Grammy award-winning American country music singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Here for the Party, topped the US country charts in 2004 and reached #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Her two subsequent albums, All Jacked Up (2005) and One of the Boys (2007), have also reached the top of the US country charts.[1]
Gretchen was born in Pocahontas, Illinois to a 16-year-old mother. Her father left before she was two years old, and she and her mother lived in trailer parks and relative poverty. Gretchen's mother worked as a waitress, and Gretchen herself dropped out of the 9th grade at age 15 to work as a cook and bartender in rural Illinois. In 2008, she completed the GED program.
After a failed marriage to former Baywolfe bandmate Larry Rolens, Gretchen moved to Nashville and began dating Mike Penner. They have a daughter, Grace Frances Penner, who was born November 9, 2000.
Gretchen, who had sung for Kmart as a child, sang in two bar bands by the age of 20. In 1996 she moved to Nashville to sing back-up and record sample songs. In 2000, she met John Rich, a member of Big & Rich, who invited her to become his song-writing partner. Wilson signed with Epic Records in 2003 and recorded Here for the Party within the year.
career
Her first single, "Redneck Woman", was released in early 2004 and reached the top of the Hot Country Songs charts and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The success of "Redneck Woman" prompted an earlier-than-planned release for Here for the Party -- May 11, 2004 -- and it debuted at #1 on the Billboard country chart. It also reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Internet album sales charts. She performed as a support artist for Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry.
She released the title track Here For The Party as the second single. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard country chart. Two other songs were released as singles, and both reached the top 10. Released in markets outside the U.S., the album hit #2 on the Australian country charts (behind Kasey Chambers) and the top 50 of the Australian charts. As of July 5, 2004, "Redneck Woman" was #1 on a world composite country chart (based on the U.S., UK, and Australia charts). The album went on sell more than 4 million copies in the U.S. and 5 million worldwide and was certified four times platinum.
On September 27, 2005, Gretchen released her second album, All Jacked Up, which peaked at #1 on both the Top 200 and Country album charts, but, after initial decent sales, the album quickly fell off the charts. It was certified Platinum and sold 1 million copies. The title track, All Jacked Up, peaked at a disappointing #8 on the Country singles chart and was the only song from the album to reach the top 10. The second single, I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today, peaked at #22. The third and the fourth singles were Politically Uncorrect and California Girls, which peaked respectively at #23 and #25 on the Country chart. Kid Rock appeared on "The Other Side of Me," an exclusive track that Target released with the album.
On February 28, 2006, Gretchen appeared on Kid Rock and The Twisted Brown Trucker Band's "Live" Trucker, as she performed "Picture" recorded at Detroit's Cobo Hall, 3/26/04. On November 2006, she released a new single called Come To Bed, a song produced by her friend John Rich, who also sings the background vocals. The song's suggestive video received a TV-14 S rating when aired on CMT.
Gretchen's "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and Best Country Song. In 2006, Wilson contributed a well-received cover of Kris Kristofferson's Sunday Mornin' Coming Down on the tribute CD The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson. In 2007, Wilson displayed her rock and roll vocals on the cable TV special VH1 Rock Honors, singing Heart's hit Barracuda, along with Alice in Chains and Heart member Nancy Wilson on guitars.,
On May 15, 2007, Gretchen released her third album, One of the Boys. The album debuted at #5 on the Top 200 and at #1 on the Country album chart. After 11 weeks, it exited the Billboard Top 200, having sold just 178,220 copies at that point. "Come To Bed" and "One Of The Boys", the first two singles released, both failed to enter the top 30 and missed the Hot 100 completely. The third single, "You Don't Have to Go Home", was even less successful, peaking at #53.
By Steve Helling,
Posted: 2008-05-17 14:59:05
(May 17) - She's got a Grammy, two Country Music Awards, and an album that went five times platinum, but Gretchen Wilson is finally achieving something that she has wanted for years: her high school diploma.
Wilson, 34, best known for her 2004 hit "Redneck Woman," dropped out of high school in ninth grade amid family problems. She worked as a cook and bartender in Illinois before heading to Nashville to pursue her country music career.
Biography (from Wikipedia)
Gretchen Frances Wilson, June 26, 1973 in Pocahontas, Illinois) is a Grammy award-winning American country music singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Here for the Party, topped the US country charts in 2004 and reached #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Her two subsequent albums, All Jacked Up (2005) and One of the Boys (2007), have also reached the top of the US country charts.[1]
Gretchen was born in Pocahontas, Illinois to a 16-year-old mother. Her father left before she was two years old, and she and her mother lived in trailer parks and relative poverty. Gretchen's mother worked as a waitress, and Gretchen herself dropped out of the 9th grade at age 15 to work as a cook and bartender in rural Illinois. In 2008, she completed the GED program.
After a failed marriage to former Baywolfe bandmate Larry Rolens, Gretchen moved to Nashville and began dating Mike Penner. They have a daughter, Grace Frances Penner, who was born November 9, 2000.
Gretchen, who had sung for Kmart as a child, sang in two bar bands by the age of 20. In 1996 she moved to Nashville to sing back-up and record sample songs. In 2000, she met John Rich, a member of Big & Rich, who invited her to become his song-writing partner. Wilson signed with Epic Records in 2003 and recorded Here for the Party within the year.
career
Her first single, "Redneck Woman", was released in early 2004 and reached the top of the Hot Country Songs charts and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The success of "Redneck Woman" prompted an earlier-than-planned release for Here for the Party -- May 11, 2004 -- and it debuted at #1 on the Billboard country chart. It also reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Internet album sales charts. She performed as a support artist for Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry.
She released the title track Here For The Party as the second single. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard country chart. Two other songs were released as singles, and both reached the top 10. Released in markets outside the U.S., the album hit #2 on the Australian country charts (behind Kasey Chambers) and the top 50 of the Australian charts. As of July 5, 2004, "Redneck Woman" was #1 on a world composite country chart (based on the U.S., UK, and Australia charts). The album went on sell more than 4 million copies in the U.S. and 5 million worldwide and was certified four times platinum.
On September 27, 2005, Gretchen released her second album, All Jacked Up, which peaked at #1 on both the Top 200 and Country album charts, but, after initial decent sales, the album quickly fell off the charts. It was certified Platinum and sold 1 million copies. The title track, All Jacked Up, peaked at a disappointing #8 on the Country singles chart and was the only song from the album to reach the top 10. The second single, I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today, peaked at #22. The third and the fourth singles were Politically Uncorrect and California Girls, which peaked respectively at #23 and #25 on the Country chart. Kid Rock appeared on "The Other Side of Me," an exclusive track that Target released with the album.
On February 28, 2006, Gretchen appeared on Kid Rock and The Twisted Brown Trucker Band's "Live" Trucker, as she performed "Picture" recorded at Detroit's Cobo Hall, 3/26/04. On November 2006, she released a new single called Come To Bed, a song produced by her friend John Rich, who also sings the background vocals. The song's suggestive video received a TV-14 S rating when aired on CMT.
Gretchen's "I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today" was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and Best Country Song. In 2006, Wilson contributed a well-received cover of Kris Kristofferson's Sunday Mornin' Coming Down on the tribute CD The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson. In 2007, Wilson displayed her rock and roll vocals on the cable TV special VH1 Rock Honors, singing Heart's hit Barracuda, along with Alice in Chains and Heart member Nancy Wilson on guitars.,
On May 15, 2007, Gretchen released her third album, One of the Boys. The album debuted at #5 on the Top 200 and at #1 on the Country album chart. After 11 weeks, it exited the Billboard Top 200, having sold just 178,220 copies at that point. "Come To Bed" and "One Of The Boys", the first two singles released, both failed to enter the top 30 and missed the Hot 100 completely. The third single, "You Don't Have to Go Home", was even less successful, peaking at #53.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Rumer Willis at 19 set to fly high
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's daughter records album
added: 16 May 2008 // by: newsdesk
Rumer Willis is set to release a record.
The 19-year-old aspiring star - the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore - has reportedly caught the interest of music executives with her 'deep, husky voice'.
A source said: "She can definitely hold a good tune - keep in mind her mother, Demi, has a sultry, raspy voice, and Bruce likens himself as being a blues artist.
"With the right production and material, she could put out something solid and already people are talking."
Rumer recently insisted she landed a role in upcoming film 'Wild Cherry’ without any help from her A-list parents.
She said: 'I think when people meet me they’re shocked, because the idea of celebrity children is that they’re trust-fund babies that don’t have any desire to work and they’re just going to ride their parents’ train.'
Bruce has had a little known music career with rhythm and blues albums 'Return of Bruno’ and 'If It Don’t Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger’.
added: 16 May 2008 // by: newsdesk
Rumer Willis is set to release a record.
The 19-year-old aspiring star - the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore - has reportedly caught the interest of music executives with her 'deep, husky voice'.
A source said: "She can definitely hold a good tune - keep in mind her mother, Demi, has a sultry, raspy voice, and Bruce likens himself as being a blues artist.
"With the right production and material, she could put out something solid and already people are talking."
Rumer recently insisted she landed a role in upcoming film 'Wild Cherry’ without any help from her A-list parents.
She said: 'I think when people meet me they’re shocked, because the idea of celebrity children is that they’re trust-fund babies that don’t have any desire to work and they’re just going to ride their parents’ train.'
Bruce has had a little known music career with rhythm and blues albums 'Return of Bruno’ and 'If It Don’t Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger’.
Mediafire
orkut - Messages: "http://rapidshare.com/files/88600297/spstspuphttpil.rar"http://rapidshare.com/files/88600297/spstspuphttpil.rar
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Early Navajo songs and pop, blues, country, jazz preserved for future
"Thriller," historic speech added to U.S. archive
By Brooks Boliek Wed May 14, 8:26 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - We don't think much about the Internet winging messages across the globe at blinding speeds, but in 1925 the first broadcast that spanned the Atlantic was a technological marvel.
A recording of that broadcast joins the world's best-selling album, political speeches, a collection of Navajo songs and pop, blues, country, jazz and musical theater classics among recordings newly deemed worthy of preservation for future generations.
Librarian of Congress James Billington on Wednesday announced the 25 additions to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress as part of its efforts to preserve the nation's aural history by archiving recordings deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
The inductees range from Michael Jackson's 1982 all-time best-seller "Thriller" and T-Bone Walker's "Call It Stormy Monday but Tuesday Is Just as Bad" to the 1977 record of Earth sounds that flew aboard the spacecraft Voyager in the event alien life forms encountered the craft. Other recordings added to the registry include works by Roy Orbison, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Kitty Wells and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and the original cast recording of "My Fair Lady."
Appropriately in an election year, this year's list also includes President Truman's 1948 speech at the Democratic National Convention and future President Reagan's radio broadcasts from 1976-79. New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia reading comics to children during a 1945 newspaper delivery strike also made the cut.
A technological breakthrough in broadcasting was included: a 37-minute broadcast that originated in London, traveled by land line to station 5XX in Chelmsford, then crossed the Atlantic and was picked up by an RCA transmitter in Maine and relayed to WJZ New York and WRC Washington.
"Audio preservation constitutes a critical challenge," Billington said. "Much has already been lost, particularly in the field of radio."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
By Brooks Boliek Wed May 14, 8:26 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - We don't think much about the Internet winging messages across the globe at blinding speeds, but in 1925 the first broadcast that spanned the Atlantic was a technological marvel.
A recording of that broadcast joins the world's best-selling album, political speeches, a collection of Navajo songs and pop, blues, country, jazz and musical theater classics among recordings newly deemed worthy of preservation for future generations.
Librarian of Congress James Billington on Wednesday announced the 25 additions to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress as part of its efforts to preserve the nation's aural history by archiving recordings deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
The inductees range from Michael Jackson's 1982 all-time best-seller "Thriller" and T-Bone Walker's "Call It Stormy Monday but Tuesday Is Just as Bad" to the 1977 record of Earth sounds that flew aboard the spacecraft Voyager in the event alien life forms encountered the craft. Other recordings added to the registry include works by Roy Orbison, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Kitty Wells and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and the original cast recording of "My Fair Lady."
Appropriately in an election year, this year's list also includes President Truman's 1948 speech at the Democratic National Convention and future President Reagan's radio broadcasts from 1976-79. New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia reading comics to children during a 1945 newspaper delivery strike also made the cut.
A technological breakthrough in broadcasting was included: a 37-minute broadcast that originated in London, traveled by land line to station 5XX in Chelmsford, then crossed the Atlantic and was picked up by an RCA transmitter in Maine and relayed to WJZ New York and WRC Washington.
"Audio preservation constitutes a critical challenge," Billington said. "Much has already been lost, particularly in the field of radio."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Fatboy Slim takes new Avtar
Fatboy Slim new identity
14 May 2008 // by: newsdesk
Norman Cook says he has laid out plans to retire the now legendary moniker Fatboy Slim and will soon DJ under a new name.
Charlatans 'You Cross My Path'
After 12 years and four studio albums, Norman says it's time for Fatboy to be put to rest.
He tells The Sun: "Yes, I am ditching the Fatboy Slim name, but I can't tell you the new one.
"I'm going to take the Fifth Amendment on that question and not say because I'll get myself into trouble."
Although he has not officially discussed the new name recent reports suggest he's the man behind Brighton Port Authority, who had a tune released on the soundtrack for fantasy TV show, Heroes.
The track, entitled He's Frank, featured Iggy Pop on vocals and it is rumoured that the BPA album will also feature collaborations with Martha Wainwright and Talking Heads legend David Byrne.
14 May 2008 // by: newsdesk
Norman Cook says he has laid out plans to retire the now legendary moniker Fatboy Slim and will soon DJ under a new name.
Charlatans 'You Cross My Path'
After 12 years and four studio albums, Norman says it's time for Fatboy to be put to rest.
He tells The Sun: "Yes, I am ditching the Fatboy Slim name, but I can't tell you the new one.
"I'm going to take the Fifth Amendment on that question and not say because I'll get myself into trouble."
Although he has not officially discussed the new name recent reports suggest he's the man behind Brighton Port Authority, who had a tune released on the soundtrack for fantasy TV show, Heroes.
The track, entitled He's Frank, featured Iggy Pop on vocals and it is rumoured that the BPA album will also feature collaborations with Martha Wainwright and Talking Heads legend David Byrne.
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