Juanes, Andrea Bocelli, Philadelphia Orchestra To Perform For Pope Francis At 'World Meeting Of Families'

Andrea Bocelli and Juanes will be performing at the "World Meeting of Families 2015" in Philadelphia. Reuters/Getty

Juanes will perform for Pope Francis, as well as thousands in person, and millions watching live around the world during the World Meeting of Families, which will be held in the United States (Philadelphia) for the first time ever on September 26. In a press conference held this morning in Rome, the Colombian superstar was named as one of the firstperformers, alongside Italian classical tenor Andrea Bocelli and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Juanes’ performance for the Holy Father in Philadelphia will follow soon after his summer tour dates across Europe and The United States for his critically acclaimed “Loco de Amor” Tour. “The most important mission we have in this journey of life is to learn to love, what better way than through the family. I am deeply honored by the invitation to sing for Pope Francis,” he stated in the press communicate.

Co-sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the World Meeting of Families is a triennial global event that seeks to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe and highlight its intrinsic value to the good of society. This international gathering will welcome Pope Francis to the U.S. for the first time in his Papacy.

For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, visit www.WorldMeeting2015.org

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Eva Mendes Stands Up To Cancer As SU2C Ambassador

By Natalie Roterman | Jun 23 2015, 06:36PM EDT

Stand Up To Cancer has unveiled a new public service announcement featuring actress and SU2C ambassador Eva Mendes, as well as Tom Hardy, Eddie Redmayne, Michelle Dockery, Benedict Cumberbatch and Idris Elba, among others. The PSA, entitled “Act Now, Save Lives, Stand Up To Cancer,” is designed to raise awareness about the critical, unmet need for cancer research funding. Cancer being the leading cause of death among Hispanics, accounting for 21% of deaths overall and 15% of deaths in children, means we need to act now to accelerate new cancer treatments to patients and save more lives. Join the conversation and help save lives.

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Fergie Talks Proudly Of Mexican Roots And Beauty Idol, Selena Quintanilla

By Natalie Roterman | Jun 21 2015, 05:08PM EDT

Recording artist Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas performs onstage with David Guetta during day 3 of the 2015 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Weekend 1) at the Empire Polo Club on April 12, 2015 in Indio, California. Mark Davis/Getty Images

Things really seem to be going Fergie’s way at 40 years old. The singer has an adorable son with husband Josh Duhamel, she launched a new fragrance Avon Outspoken Fresh by Fergie which allegedly pays tribute to the singer’s exhilarating, bold and confident vibe, and now, she’s ready to release a new solo album really soon. Fergie told Glamour Belleza Latinathe album is going to be all about “good vibes and good times” as she sees through her son Axl’s eyes now.

The singer says it’s important to bring positivity into this world since there’s so little of it anymore. Speaking of which, the “Fergalicious” star revealed how she’d lost her baby weight after having her son in 2013; “It’s the best gift I’ve given myself,” said the songstress when talking about the dance studio she built in her house so she could take private dance lessons for a month, to regain the movement in her body and not have to be “awkward and embarrassed in front of people.”

Fergie’s described herself as an utter ethnic mishmash and says she loves having a multicultural background, especially the heritage that comes from her great-grandmother being from Guanajuato, Mexico. “I’m very proud to be part Mexican. I’m one of a growing number of Hispanics in America, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it,” she explained. This is becoming the norm, and it’s the beauty of our melting pot.” When asked how this has influenced her esthetic and beauty trends, she says it’s had a lot to do. “One of my beauty idols was Selena, who had the most beautiful lips. I overline my lips a bit—I completely admit it. I really like the look!”

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Hollywood Walk Of Fame List 2016: Angélica María, Bruno Mars To Receive Stars This Year

Mexican actress Angélica María and singer Bruno Mars of Puerto Rican descent are among the many celebs to receive star in Hollywood's Walk Of Fame in 2016! Getty Images

New Song From Lolo(Lauren Prichard)

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Nile Rodgers on Joe Jackson's anger: 'It was sort of funny'

23rd Jun 15 | Entertainment News

The veteran songwriter and guitarist regularly toured with The Jackson 5, who were managed by their father Joe, during their early years, but claims he never witnessed the abuse the band members claim they were subjected to and instead just said the music manager was ''very tough''.

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When questioned on whether he was aware of the mistreatment, he told BANG Showbiz: ''Not really, because it wasn't ... it was never in my life. We were just on the road. Joe Jackson was almost like our tour manager too so I took it all with a grain of salt. To me it was sort of funny.''

The Jackson 5 - featuring brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael Jackson - claimed to have suffered severe emotional and physical abuse from a young age while performing, with Joe since admitting to beating them with belts if they failed to meet his high standards.

Instead, the 'Good Times' hitmaker said Joe's verbal abuse is something he has grown to expect from individuals in the music industry because he has been shouted at by ''tough band leaders and managers'' for his whole life.

Speaking at Kylie Minogue's Barclaycard British Summertime concert in London's Hyde Park, where he also performed, he said: ''I mean, when you're working, especially when I was starting out, the R&B music business was very, very tough, and you're accustomed to tough band leaders and managers and stuff like that, so to me I was just learning. Record executives screaming at me is like, normal. It's like, 'That record sucks, get out of my office!' and then it becomes number one and they go, 'Oh wow I love that record. The first time you played it I loved it!' and I'm like, 'Yeah, sure'.''

Thanks Mickey cool article.

Fifth Harmony Candie's Campaign Revealed: See Photos Of Girls In Stylish Ensembles!

Fifth Harmony is taking over the world with their original music and unique style. The quintet that was formed during the second season of "The X Factor USA" just announced they are the new faces of Candie's.

The brand that caters to young and fashionable woman sells at Kohl's and recently featured Bella Thorne. Previously, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Ashlee Simpson, Hilary Duff and many more have represented the brand.

Now it's up to Camila Cabello, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane Hansen, Ally Brooke and Lauren Jauregui to continue this legacy and make the most of it. See photos of the girls down below and tell us what you think!

The "Worth It" hitmakers were excited to announced their partnership with the clothing brand earlier today. "YAYYYYY so excited to announce our partnership with [Candie's]," Camila tweeted along with her solo ad.

Lauren wrote: "We're officially Candie's girls!!!" Ally asked the question: "Wanna know what kind of girl I am? I'm a Candie's girl."

The ad campaign comes on the heels of their latest single "Worth It" being certified Platinum. This is a big honor for the girls as it has been their highest ranking tune in their career.

Fifth Harmony continues to modify their sound and little by little they have been climbing up the charts and solidifying their footprint in the music industry.

It was revealed this week that the girls would be performing during Premios Juventud 2015.

This will be the first time they perform during a Latin award show.

Earlier this year they made an appearance at Premios Billboard 2015 where they presented an award to Enrique Iglesias.

Will fans finally get a peek into the life of reclusive music icon Prince? With his legal powers (he sues everyone), probably not, but we will keep our hopes up.

Prince's Ex-wife Mayte Garcia is penning a tell-all book about her life with him. The dancer was married to the "Purple Rain" hitmaker from 1996 to 1999, but it's currently unclear how much tea she will share with the world.

"It was a pretty odd relationship," a source tells Britain's The Sun newspaper. "He would pick every outfit she wore and she wasn't even allowed to use his real name."

Garcia will also reveal stories about her friendship with reality TV star Kim Kardashian as well as details about parties she attended with Sir Elton John and Madonna.

According to a spokesperson for Garcia, the book is slated to arrive around Christmas.

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'Humans': TV Review

6:39 PM PDT 6/23/2015 by Tim Goodman

Des Willie/Kudos

Gemma Chan as Anita, a synth, on "Humans" for AMC

The Bottom Line

"Synths" (short for synthetics) are the new human-like artificial intelligence robots that everybody wants. But when one British family gets one, it opens the doors to all kinds of trouble — for the family, for the synths and for other unseen hands.

Air date:
June 28, 9 p.m., AMC

Created by:
Sam Vincent and Jonathan Brackley, from the Swedish series "Real Humans" created by Lars Lundstrom

Starring:
Gemma Chan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Katherine Parkinson, William Hurt, LucyCarless, Pixie Davis, Theo Stevenson

New AMC series takes a familiar sci-fi idea and gives it new life.

There's nothing particularly new about the premise of Humans, the AMC series about “synthetic” humans or robots with artificial intelligence. But for all its imagination, sci-fi is certainly a genre that recycles concepts. The intrigue lies in the execution and the re-imagining of them. We've certainly seen plenty of robots wreaking havoc on humanity. But Humans finds a way to bring intrigue to a very familiar conflict.

Humans is based on a Swedish series called Real Humans, created by Lars Lundstrom. British writers Sam Vincent andJonathan Brackley deliver the AMC/Channel 4/Kudos co-production, and what they immediately get right is the real-life worries and emotional connections that surface when “synths” are part of everyday life.

When Humans begins, we see harried Joe Hawkins (Tom Goodman-Hill) struggling to deal with the day-to-day rigors of running the family while his lawyer wife, Laura (Katherine Parkinson), is away on a work trip. Joe’s got three kids: teenage daughter Mattie (Lucy Carless), adolescent son Toby (Theo Stevenson) and young Sophie (Pixie Davis). And like any busy parent, Joe struggles to balance their hectic lives with his own job — particularly when Laura, who was supposed to be gone for only two days, ends up away for five.

Joe decides to get the family a synth, even though Laura has previously forbidden it, and picks out Anita (Gemma Chan), who happens to be gorgeous. AMC only previewed two episodes for review, so it’s not clear if writers Vincent and Brackley tackle the idea of choosing a synth based on looks; the first episode implies buyers don’t know what they get until they buy it. In either case, young Sophie is delighted because getting a synth seems like a great idea, and Toby is happy because Anita is a knockout (he’ll later try to fondle her breast while she’s recharging). But teen Mattie is immediately dismissive of the whole concept of a synth and — not unexpectedly — when Laura returns from her business trip, she’s less than thrilled that Anita has made the house a lot tidier, cooks effortlessly great meals and waits on the kids when they should be doing chores themselves. She's also not wild about the fact that Joe is so happy with Anita.

In those initial scenes, Humans makes clear what’s at stake in this new world. Laura feels like she’s a lousy mother and might be easily replaced. Sophie thinks Anita is perfect; she takes her time reading Sophie stories and is always there when she needs her.

Mattie represents England’s future generation; synth labor has made the once-scholarly teen feel like it’s pointless to get an education because synths are able work better, faster and cheaper. As she sees it, they have written her out of her own future.

All of these are familiar reactions to artificial intelligence in the modern world, but Humans raises the stakes even more by implying there are larger issues at stake. For example, Professor Edwin Hobb (Danny Webb), is a synth scientist and co-creator who has worked alongside the man most responsible for the brilliance of the synths. Hobb now believes that a core group of the robots are evolving beyond the limits of the science — becoming capable of emotions and intelligence beyond the operating codes, demonstrating a kind of free will. He’s been tracking them down — but we don’t know for what purpose.

Humans doesn’t get into the bigger mystery or mysteries that begin to arise in the first two episodes. But in addition to the Hawkins family and Professor Hobb, we also meet Leo (Colin Morgan), who is trying to free the synths, believing they are more than just scrap metal with motherboards. We learn that he once helped free Anita only to have her rounded up again. As Leo continues his quest to find her again, that creepy feeling Laura’s been getting from Anita starts to make more sense.

What makes Humans work beyond its familiar concepts and genre constraints is the connection viewers will make with those in the synth world. Anita is immediately intriguing for her broader, non-programmed interest in what’s out there in the world (she stares at the moon in a way that makes Laura believe even more that something’s not right) — and Chan is exceptionally good at conveying both the smoothly-robotic nature of a synth with “human” qualities and the wild card we know she can be. The entire cast is strong, particularly Goodman-Hill and Parkinson, but Chan is both compelling and alluring at the same time, giving viewers an 'in' into the synth world.

Also standing out is William Hurt, as Dr. George Millican, an engineer on the original synth project and owner of Odi (Will Tudor), an out of date model that the government is looking to recycle. But George can’t bear to part with Odi because he's come to feel like family, and in spite of his faltering and sputtering, still recalls memories that George himself no longer can.

Hurt imbues George with a sense of loneliness and regret — he doesn’t like the idea of upgrades destroying the connections that families have to their synths — and brings humor to the role as he suffers through his new, no-nonsense model Vera (Rebecca Front) who strictly monitors his diet, etc., while trying to hide Odi in the house.

By bringing those kinds of touches into the episodes, Vincent and Brackley succeed in makingHumans, well, very human — concerning itself not only with the humanity of the real people we meet, but with the humanity of the synthetic ones, too.

The promise of the early episodes makes it look like AMC was smart to get involved in this co-production because, despite the familiar premise, Humans is a keeper.

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Supersonico Concert: Best Of Latin Alternative Music Will Invade Hollywood Palladium

Avengers star Patrick Macnee dies

Media captionPatrick Macnee was best known for playing John Steed in The Avengers

Actor Patrick Macnee, star of The Avengers TV series, has died in California at the age of 93.

The Briton, best known for playing John Steed in the 1960s television spy series, died at home with his family at his bedside, his son Rupert said.

Macnee also played roles in theatre, appearing on Broadway, and served in the Royal Navy during World War Two.

A statement on the actor's website read: "Wherever he went, he left behind a trove of memories."

He died peacefully at his home in California's Rancho Mirage on Thursday, Rupert said.

Patrick Macnee reprised his John Steed role for The New Avengers TV series, starring alongside Joanna Lumley and Gareth Hunt

James Bond ally

Born in London, Macnee grew up in Berkshire and was educated at Summerfields Preparatory School and Eton.

At the age of 11, he acted in Henry V opposite a young Sir Christopher Lee. He first appeared in the West End while still in his teens.

He played a number of minor roles - including one in Laurence Olivier's 1948 film version of Hamlet - before rising to fame in the original Avengers series between 1961 and 1969.

The series developed a cult following around the world, the BBC's Los Angeles reporter Peter Bowes said.

Steed was known for his dress sense, always donning a bowler hat and carrying an umbrella, which was used as a secret weapon.

Macnee, centre, pictured with Lumley and Hunt in 1995

Macnee returned when that series was reprised as The New Avengers in the 1970s, appearing alongside Joanna Lumley's Purdey and Gareth Hunt's Mike Gambit.

Later, he starred on Broadway in Anthony Shaffer's Sleuth, touring internationally with that play and several other productions

He also appeared in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill, playing an ally of Roger Moore's Bond character, and made a cameo appearance as the head of a record company in This is Spinal Tap.

Sir Roger tweeted: "So very sad to hear Pat Macnee has left us.

"We were mates from 1950s and I have so many happy memories of working with him. A true gent."

Macnee featured too as a guest star in dozens of British, American and Australian TV productions.

'Ahead of their time'

In a 2014 interview with The Lady magazine, Macnee said he believed The Avengers was a success because it "did something different and did it better."

He told the magazine: "It was beautifully written, the ideas were very good, way ahead of their time and they incorporated fantasies for people who dreamed of doing exciting things."

Macnee and wife Katherine Woodville, who also appeared in The AvengersMacnee with fellow actor Richard Burton in 1973

Macnee had two children, son Rupert and daughter Kate Woodville, and one grandson.

He was married three times, including to actress Katherine Woodville, with whom he acted in The Avengers.

He had been a US citizen since 1959, according to the AP news agency.

R&B event-goers will feel right at home at the upcoming Made in America Festival in Philadelphia, PA. Launching Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5-6 at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the fourth annual celebration will be headlined by international superstar Beyonce and rising star The Weeknd.

This year's festival will only go down in Philly; the Los Angeles segment was scrapped.

Other performers include Nick Jonas, Santigold, and hip-hop stars J. Cole, Meek Mill, Big Sean, Future, De La Soul, Fabolous, and many more.

Tickets go on sale Monday, June 30, at noon EST.

See the full roster of performers below:

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Vulture TV Awards 2015: Jaime Camil Wins Best Male Comedy Performer For 'Jane The Virgin'

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Adam Lambert Talks Coming Out, Freddie Mercury & His New Style in 'Out' Cover Story

By Colin Stutz | June 23, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Adam Lambert photographed at Bar Marmont in West Hollywood, Calif. on May 8, 2015.

Zoey GrossmanWith Adam Lambert's third album, The Original High, released earlier this month, the 33-year-old singer is edging a bit towards an elder statement status in the pop scene. And it seems that this suits him just fine.

But as he pushes ahead with a new set of songs executive produced by hit makers Max Martin and Shellback, it is interesting to look back at his career over the past six years.

Since breaking out on American Idol in 2009 and finishing second, Lambert's profile rose quickly. And though he had already come out as gay years before, he was now faced with doing it to public scrutiny — which he did with a Rolling Stonecover story. In a new cover story for Out, the pop star said there hadn't been many openly gay performers who came before him, from whom he could have found guidance.

"At that time, how many mainstream music artists did we have that were out?" he said in the article. "Elton John and George Michael -- and his whole coming out was tabloid fun. There hadn't been a blueprint to follow. That was the one thing I wished I'd had: a little more guidance. There were definitely moments of frustration and pressure, but there's been a lot of goodwill as well, a lot of support from fans and media people, and it's balanced out. I don't have any sort of bitterness about it."

Even the late Freddie Mercury, whose role in Queen he's filled on recent tours, is now remembered as being gay -- but while he was alive, the public mostly just turned a blind eye, said Lambert.

"I've heard nothing but incredible stories about him," he said of the Queen frontman. "From what I gathered, he seemed like a really sweet guy, actually — and a bit shy socially. I would have loved to meet him.... Technically, he wasn't really closeted. I mean, he did interviews early on where they were like, 'Are you gay?' and he was like, 'Oh, yeah, gay as a daffodil, darling.' But nobody really believed it because they didn't want to. It was so taboo at that time that people didn't actually think he would have been."

As for Lambert's new, toned down look. He said, "I just generally grew out of that old look and enjoyed new ones — it's as simple as that. There's also a point where I was working really hard to achieve a look that I was really into, and it was really fun and I wanted to stand out and be crazy and be weird and make a statement with the stuff I was wearing. I look back on some of those red carpet looks, and I'm like, What were you thinking?"

"Six years is a while," he added, "and now I'm in a new space and time in my life, and I'm hoping that my music and my image all match where I'm at."

Read the full interview here.

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Demi Lovato announces new single 'Cool For The Summer'

June 25, 20154:13 PM MST

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Pastor Shirley Caesar to be honored with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

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CBS' 'Scorpion' Season 2 adds 'Forever' alum Alana De La Garza

'I Dream Too Much': Film Review

10:48 AM PDT 6/25/2015 by Frank Scheck

Courtesy of SXSW

The Bottom Line

Diane Ladd delivers an entertaining and nuanced turn in this quietly affecting — if flawed — drama.

Venue

Manhattan Film Festival

Cast

Eden Brolin, Diane Ladd, Danielle Brooks, Chelsea Lopez, ChristinaRouner, JamesMcCaffrey

Director

Katie Cokinos

A young woman finds her life changed when she volunteers to care for her great-aunt in Katie Cokinos' film executive produced by Richard Linklater.

Romantic literary fantasies play a large role in Katie Cokinos' coming-of-age drama about a young woman who finds her life changed by time spent with her great-aunt. Executive produced by Richard Linklater, I Dream Too Much doesn't quite live up to even its modest aspirations, but it does offer a sensitively drawn portrait of multigenerational female friendship that should resonate particularly with young women. The film recently was showcased at the Manhattan Film Festival.

Having recently graduated college, Dora (newcomer Eden Brolin, delivering an affecting turn) finds herself consigned to her suburban New Jersey home when she'd much rather be traveling with a friend to Brazil. Pressured by her single mother (Christina Rouner) to study for her LSAT, she escapes by volunteering to help her Great-Aunt Vera (Diane Ladd) after the elderly woman breaks her foot.

Traveling to Vera's home in upstate New York — cinematographer Alex Rappoport captures the wintry settings in all their bleak beauty — the young woman is not warmly welcomed but instead is met with condescension and derision.

"Here's to your wonderfully useless degrees," Vera offers as a toast.

Although the relationship proves as icy as the landscape, Dora obligingly attends to Vera's basic needs, including fetching suppositories at a local pharmacy.

"Phil, can you grab some of those anal laxatives?" shouts the clerk as Dora shrinks in mortification.

But things begin to change after Dora discovers her great-aunt's journals, many of them revolving around her troubled relationship with her late husband, a famous author-journalist. Dora also strikes up a friendship with Abbey (Danielle Brooks), an aspiring singer-songwriter desperate for the attention of a local resident (James McCaffrey) who happens to be a famous music producer.

Along the way, Dora also takes comfort in her rich imagination, depicted in a series of fantasy sequences in which she imagines herself as a Jane Austen-style heroine.

Director-screenwriter Cokinos doesn't quite display the necessary finesse to fully realize her vision, with the dialogue often feeling forced, the characterizations tending toward the schematic and the disparate plot strands choppily woven together. But the film has a quiet emotional impact nonetheless, much of it due to Ladd's nuanced performance that invests her potentially stereotypical character with a surprising complexity.

Production: 77 Films, Attic Light Films
Cast: Eden Brolin, Diane Ladd, Danielle Brooks, Chelsea Lopez, Christina Rouner, James McCaffrey
Director-screenwriter: Katie Cokinos
Producers: Ed McWilliams, Jay Thames
Executive producer: Richard Linklater
Director of photography: Alex Rappoport
Production designer: Lisa Myers
Costume designer: George Veale
Composer: Heidi Rodewald
Casting: Judy Henderson
Not rated, 91 minutes

Julia Stiles to Reteam With Matt Damon in Next ‘Bourne Identity’ Film

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Taye Diggs Glammed Up in Lipstick for 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' Poster

Taye Diggs in 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch'

Sebastian Mader

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'Catastrophe': TV Review

11:56 AM PDT 6/17/2015 by Amy Amatangelo

Courtesy of Amazon Studios

The Bottom Line

A charming and hilariously subversive British comedy.

Airdate

June 19 (Amazon Prime)

Cast

Rob Delaney, SharonHorgan, Ashley Jensen, Carrie Fisher

Creators/Executive Producers

Rob Delaney, SharonHorgan

A one-week fling leads to an unplanned pregnancy and then a relationship in this new Brit com streaming on Amazon Prime.

"Catastrophe" is one of those words we use hyperbolically all the time. And the new show Catastropheis no exception. It sounds like a disaster series involving a group of intrepid survivors who band together after a giant boulder crashes to earth, but it’s actually a charming and decidedly salty series about Rob (comedian Rob Delaney), an American ad man, who meets Irish school teacher Sharon (Sharon Horgan) while in London for work. The two spend a wonderful sex-filled week together without any intention of it ever becoming more than a fling. But then Sharon becomes pregnant, which is what happens when you “have sex about 25 times in a week” and only use a condom “maybe twice.” The title sets the tone for the series; this is a catastrophe of a different sort.

Rob decides to relocate to London, and the two embark on an awkward yet sweet romance. The show’s distinctly British sense of humor is wonderful. “A terrible thing has happened. Let’s make the best of it,” Rob tells Sharon.

Part of the show’s appeal is that Rob is a good guy. He wants to do the right thing, not because of any societal pressure to be responsible, but because he didn’t have a father growing up and he doesn’t want that for his son. When Rob’s lecherous friend Dave (Daniel Lapaine) talks about how wonderful it is not being committed to any one woman, Rob says, “That is great for you. For me, a different thing is great.” Rob’s a nice guy, but not a pushover or the stereotypical exasperated “yes, dear” kind of man so popular in mainstream comedies.

Delaney has amassed a huge Twitter following by being simultaneously honest and hilarious, and he brings those same attributes to his fictional alter ego here. He also has an innate acting ability that eludes many of his comic peers. Like the real Rob Delaney, Rob on Catastrophe is a recovering alcoholic. He tells Sharon he decided to stop drinking after he defecated on himself at his sister’s wedding. There’s something great about how Rob’s sobriety is folded organically into his character; it’s not something the show dwells on or discusses, and none of the other characters make a big deal about it.

Horgan is equally delightful. Sharon is one of TV’s few realistic pregnant women. She’s not throwing up every five minutes or demanding Rob run out for a midnight snack of pickles and ice cream. She does jones for a cigarette, however (even taking a puff at one point) and dismays over her swelling feet. She also still drinks, which in the United States would make onlookers apoplectic. “The new thing is it’s okay to drink,” she says, clearly knowing that’s not exactly true.

It's lovely watching the interactions between two actors who share a rapport that rings true. “I don’t know what to do when you get pregnant by a stranger,” Sharon tells him. The script is peppered with all sorts of profanity, but it never feels like the characters are swearing just because they can.

Sharon struggles to fit Rob into her tiny apartment, while meanwhile Rob tries to create a life for himself in London outside of Sharon. And they both must navigate each other’s friends and family. Anyone who has ever been pregnant has definitely run into someone like Sharon’s frenemy, Fran (Ashley Jensen). Fran badgers Sharon with talk of the virtues of a natural childbirth and the horrors of using any kind of painkillers during delivery. Sharon’s brother Fergal (Jonathan Forbes) is giddy over the mess his sister has gotten herself into. Back home, Rob’s mom (Carrie Fisher) is working every angle to convince her son that he doesn’t have to be a father to his baby.

More than anything, the show, written entirely by Delaney and Horgan, is laugh-out-loud funny. Rob has Sharon listed as “Sharon (London sex)” on his phone. When Rob insults homeopaths only to learn that Fran is one, he deadpans to Sharon, “You could have told me that in my pre-dinner briefing.” Somehow the show even makes Sharon's diagnosis of a pre-cancerous condition hilarious.

The six-episode first season of Catastrophe aired earlier this year in Britain and has already been picked up for a second season there. One hopes Amazon will decide to pick up the second season as well. If they don’t, it'll be a catastrophe.

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'Poldark': TV Review

11:31 AM PDT 6/21/2015 by Keith Uhlich

PBS

The Bottom Line

PBS and BBC’s new series brings the smolder.

Airdate

Sundays beginning June21st at 9 p.m. (PBS)

Directors

Ed Bazalgette and William McGregor

Cast

Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson, Heida Reed

'The Hobbit's' Aidan Turner stars as Cornwallian captain Ross Poldark in a fiery new 'Masterpiece' series.

Ross Poldark is the protagonist of a beloved series of historical novels (twelve in total) published between 1945 and 2002 by English author Winston Graham. The character is a kind of anti-establishment brooder who returns home to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War to a meager inheritance and to the distressing news that the woman he loves is marrying another.

Graham’s books were first adapted for television in an extremely successful, two-season series that aired between 1975 and 1977 on the BBC. This new production—shown in eight episodes overseas, but airing as seven here with the final two installments screening as one—is being promoted as a Downton Abbeysubstitute. Yet it’s hard to imagine that series (even at its soapiest) ever approaching quite the same level of unabashed smolder.

It’s left to devotees of the novels to determine if this Poldark, adapted and overseen by Debbie Horsfield, is true to the spirit of Graham’s creation. To this critic’s neophyte eyes, and based solely on the rollercoaster first installment, the series is akin to hungrily flipping through one of those florid airport novels with Fabio on the cover. And that’s meant as a compliment.

Start with Poldark himself: Aidan Turner, who played the handsomest dwarf, Kíli, in Peter Jackson’s recent Hobbit trilogy, simply exudes charisma from his first scene, in which he cheekily talks back to his redcoat commanding officer right before a very bloody skirmish. This is the only glimpse we get of Poldark on the American battlefield, at least for now. As in Graham’s first novel, the bulk of the action takes place after the British have lost the war, with Poldark returning to Cornwall and discovering the life he thought he had upended.

His betrothed, Elizabeth (Heida Reed), fearing him killed, is now engaged to his cousin, Francis (Kyle Soller), and Poldark’s father is also dead, his only legacy an ill-maintained estate house and a neglected tin mine. This is hardly anything to base a living on, but the stubborn Poldark perseveres through all manner of challenges, and the first episode packs in plenty of them.

When Poldark isn’t disciplining his estate’s two derelict servants or fending off his manipulative uncle (Warren Clarke)—who would like nothing better than to see his brooding nephew completely out of his daughter Elizabeth’s life—he’s single-handedly digging out his tin mine (with his shirt none-too-discreetly unbuttoned) from under piles of rubble. He also nearly lets Francis drown, fully copping to the fact after rescuing him; gets into a fight that leaves him with an artfully blood-stained face that only increases his fainting-couch allure; and broods libidinously during Elizabeth’s wedding. (If seething stares were aphrodisiacs, his would be bottled and sold for a king’s ransom.)

But Poldark’s most fateful action in the premiere is his rescue of the destitute waif Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) from her abusive father. As book readers know, Demelza plays a major role in Poldark’s life, and the images of the duo galloping on a horse through the lush Cornwallian landscape hint at some rolls in the hay to come in future episodes. The sheer blissful goofiness of their burgeoning romance (with swelling music, furtive glances, and Harlequin romance novel compositions) encapsulates the pleasures of the series as a whole. This is trash done ecstatically well.

New Kids On The Block, Biz Markie, Marky Mark, 50 Cent - June 2015

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/O5hpxlk.jpg?2[/img:$uid]


Faith Evans Hints at Bad Boy Reunion

06/2015



Faith Evans has seemingly spilled the beans that there could be a Bad Boy reunion during this Sunday’s BET Awards.

The singer recently posted an Instagram photo of herself and Diddy in rehearsals with the caption: "In rehearsal clowning with @iamdiddy #BadBoy #Family #teamfizzy #teamprolific #IncomparableAlbum #Faith20 coming soon!"

She also shared a 15-second video clip of herself performing her 1998 hit, "Love Like This," alongside her dancers and choreographer Laurieann Gibson, who seemingly confirmed that the performance is happening: "Focused #BETAwards 2 days away #Zone"

In addition, there's whispers that the reunion will also feature Ma$e, The Lox, 112, Mario Winans and Lil’ Kim, who alerted fans that she is in Los Angeles. "Big week ahead," she tweeted.


http://tinyurl.com/nuz2fcq

Thanks Mickey(were those pics in NY?) and ID(hope BET streams online like a couple of years ago).

Netflix Sets ‘Narcos’ Pablo Escobar Drug-Cartel Thriller Premiere Date

JUNE 25, 2015 | 08:16AM PT

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Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie are 'Sleeping with Other People'.

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'The Overnight' review: Schwingers

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In Conversation with Mary Wilson from The Supremes at the Grammy Museum

June 26, 201511:10 AM MST

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This weekend: Find the blues in and around Atlanta June 29-July 5, 2015

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ICONIC ‘DUKES OF HAZZARD’ CAR TO LOSE ITS CONFEDERATE FLAG

AP

by KIPP JONES24 Jun 2015Los Angeles, CA562

'Dukes' actor, now a store owner, defends Confederate flag

WYMT - Lexington, KY

As lawmakers squabble and major retailers pull the Confederate flag from store shelves and websites, Warner Bros. has essentially announced the death of a cultural icon.

“General Lee,” the 1969 Dodge Charger driven in the CBS TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, has taken its last ride with the old south, as Warner Bros. consumer marketing team has announced a decision to stop the licensing of General Lee toys and other items featuring the flag.

According to Vulture, the car will still be seen on T-shirts, minus any signs of its trademark banner.

“Warner Bros. Consumer Products has one licensee producing die-cast replicas and vehicle model kits featuring the General Lee with the confederate flag on its roof — as it was seen in the TV series,” a spokesman for WB told Vulture. “We have elected to cease the licensing of these product categories.”

As the site reports, in 2012, some Hazzard fans were upset at mere rumors WB might remove the flag from the General Lee.

Ben Jones, a former Democratic congressman who played the character of Cooter on the show, then described any such move as “narrow-minded” and “elitist” in a letter.

His 2012 letter read:

“More than 33 years since the show premiered on CBS-TV on Friday nights, Warner Bros. has issued a new and terribly insulting attack on the South, a region and a culture which Hollywood has trashed for decades…

Some unnamed genius at the company feels that the flag is ‘offensive to some’ and therefore it has no business on a classic TV comedy about a bunch of good ol’ boys and girls in the Southern mountains. This is a new level of “P.C.” idiocy. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of being insulted by morons.”

Walmart, Amazon, eBay, and Sears all announced bans on the sale of Confederate flag merchandise this week in the wake of Dylann Roof’s Charleston, SC shooting rampage at the historically black AME church.

Tuesday, sales rankings in the in Patio, Lawn, & Garden merchandise section of Amazon showed 3×5 Confederate flags selling for $3.95 were up 2,305 percent.

Wednesday, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley ordered the removal of four Confederate flags from a memorial at the State Capitol.

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CELEBRITIES CHEER SCOTUS DECISION ON GAY MARRIAGE

Twitter

by DANIEL NUSSBAUM26 Jun 2015

Classic 1975 Elvis Presley Album Set For 40th Anniversary Legacy Release

Sony has announced that they will be re-releasing Elvis Presley’s 1975 album, Elvis Today, as part of a special 40th anniversary, Legacy Edition package.

The special release of the album is not the first time that Elvis Today has been re-issued in recent years. The Elvis Presley collector’s label FTD (Follow That Dream Records) re-released the album with bonus tracks back in 2005.

Elvis Today was the last time that Presley officially recorded in a professional recording studio. Though Elvis did release two more albums prior to his tragic 1977 death (1976’s From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee and 1977’s Moody Blue), those albums were mostly recorded in the singer’s den (nicknamed “the jungle room”) at Graceland, his Memphis home. Presley’s final album, Moody Blue, also included songs that were recorded live in concert.

Elvis Today was recorded between March 10 and March 12, 1975, at RCA’s Studio C in Hollywood, California. This was the same studio that Presley had recorded his smash-hit “Burning Love” three years prior. The Today sessions were also the first time that Presley had recorded new material in a studio in two years, and the result was one of the most diverse albums of his career.

By 1975, Presley was mostly recording adult contemporary and country, but he did record a new rock song for inclusion on Elvis Today. That song, “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” made the Top 40 pop charts in the United States.

The second biggest single on Elvis Today was undoubtedly “Green, Green Grass Of Home,” a song made famous eight years earlier by Presley’s good friend, Tom Jones. For Elvis, the song made the Top 30 in the United Kingdom and received occasional airplay in the U.S.

Elvis Today was released in May, 1975. It peaked at No. 57 on the U.S. charts. Doing better across the Atlantic, Elvis Today charted at No. 11 in Norway and No. 48 in the United Kingdom.

To go along with the album’s release, Elvis embarked on a live tour in late May and early June of 1975. The new Sony Legacy release will feature tracks from that live tour. If you are a long-time Presley fan or serious collector, you may have heard these particular songs before. They were first released on the 1980 silver box-set, Elvis Aron Presley.

This mid-1975 tour came at a time in his career when Elvis was either up or down when it came to his stage performances, but this particular tour is typically held in high esteem by Presley collectors and fans. Elvis seemed rejuvenated at the time, with one newspaper review from Huntsville, Alabama, noting he had shed 30 pounds for the tour and looked as though he was “in his finest hour.”

The official track listing for the 2015 Sony Legacy special edition release of Elvis Today is below. The set will be released on August 7, 2015.

Disc 1 (Original Album)
“T-R-O-U-B-L-E”
“And I Love You So”
“Susan When She Tried”
“Woman Without Love”
“Shake a Hand”
“Pieces of My Life”
“Fairytale”
“I Can Help”
“Bringing It Back”
“Green, Green Grass of Home”

Disc 1 (Undubbed Masters – Original Session Mixes)
“Fairytale”
“Green, Green Grass of Home”
“I Can Help”
“And I Love You So”
“Susan When She Tried”
“T-R-O-U-B-L-E”
“Woman Without Love”
“Shake a Hand”
“Bringing It Back”
“Pieces of My Life”

Disc 2 (Live On Tour: May-June 1975)
“Also Sprach Zarathustra (Live in Murfreesboro, May 6)”
“See See Rider (Live in Murfreesboro, May 6)”
“I Got a Woman / Amen (Live in Murfreesboro, May 6)”
“Love Me (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“If You Love Me (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Love Me Tender (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“All Shook Up (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Hound Dog (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“The Wonder of You (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Burning Love (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Introductions / Johnny B. Goode (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Introductions / School Days (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“T-R-O-U-B-L-E (Live in Houston, June 5)”
“Why Me Lord? (Live in Jackson, June 9)”
“How Great Thou Art (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Let Me Be There (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“An American Trilogy (Live in Dallas, June 6)”
“Funny How Time Slips Away (Live in Shreveport, June 7)”
“Little Darlin’ (Live in Shreveport, June 7)”
“Mystery Train / Tiger Man (Live in Shreveport, June 7)”
“Can’t Help Falling In Love (Live in Shreveport, June 7)”

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Timbaland teases new Missy Elliott tune

added: 27 Jun 2015 // by: Music-News.com Newsdesk

Timbaland noted Missy Elliott might be unveiling the track she cut with Pharrell Williams soon.

The 43-year-old songstress hasn't released a single with her as the lead artist since 2008.

But according to Timbaland, fans might be hearing some fresh music from her sooner than they think.

'I love my sister to death. I know the tabloids love to talk, and I'm going to say it now,' he said during the ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Music Awards, according to Entertainment Weekly. 'Her first single is from my cousin-and yes, we are family-Pharrell.'

Missy took to Twitter Friday to clarify Timbaland's statement.

She claims there is no release date set yet for her new song.

'Sorry no dates on a new single from me but I'll keep yall posted if I do,' she tweeted, closing the message out with a blowing kiss emoji.

Her track with Pharrell was first teased in February, as she shared a picture of herself posing with Pharrell on her Twitter account, with a caption that read: 'VA! 2 up 2 down! Me & my fam @Pharrell hard at work (sic)'.

Pharrell, Missy and Timbaland all hail from the state of Virginia.

And during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in April, Pharrell discussed what it is like working on music with Missy and Timbaland.

'The way her mind works. We're in the studio and the things that she says and thinks about, and her video concepts. I didn't know that all of those video concepts were hers. I'm so proud of her. That's Virginia,' Pharrell gushed on the late-night programme. 'Those are two geniuses.'

Missy released her last record The Cookbook in 2005, which featured hit single Lose Control. At this time it is unknown whether Missy is planning to cut another LP, which would be her seventh full-length studio album.

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Lisa Stansfield to release of live album

added: 27 Jun 2015 // by: Music-News.com Newsdesk

2014 was clearly the year of Lisa Stansfield. After a long absence from the world of recorded music, the Grammy nominated, multi BRIT, Ivor Novello and Silver Clef Award winner returned in grand style; her latest studio album 'Seven' charted all over Europe, in the Top 15 in both UK and Germany, and was followed by an sold-out tour all over Europe as well as the remix album 'Seven+'.

Recorded in Lisa's hometown Manchester at Bridgewater Hall on September 7, 2014 during her European Tour, 'Live In Manchester' presents the great pop and soul singer in front of an enthusiastic audience, at ease with herself and her music.

Lisa Stansfield and her talented band, including songwriting partner and husband Ian Devaney (whose credits include 'The Bodyguard' and 'Indecent Proposal' soundtracks), as well as a horn section, performed her hit songs including 'All Around The World' and 'Change' along with new tracks from her latest album such as 'Can't Dance' and 'So Be It'.

Filmed by Tim Sidwell ('Celebrating Jon Lord') and mastered at Abbey Road Studios, this impressive performance clearly marked Lisa's return to the international stage and confirmed her status as one of the UK's premier recording artists.

'Live In Manchester' will be released on 2CD, DVD and Blu-ray on August 28th, 2015 on earMUSIC. The bonus material, an interview of more than 25 minutes, gives great, in-depth insight into the artist's mind and completes the high quality production.

Lisa's career has spanned over 3 decades, boasting sales of nearly 20 million records and a string of international top 10 hits including: 'All Around The World', 'Change', 'All Woman' and 'Someday'.

1. Can't Dance
2. Set Your Loving Free
3. The Real Thing
4. Stupid Heart
5. Never Never Gonna Give You Up
6. 8-3-1
7. Make Love To Ya
8. Change
9. The Rain
10. Time To Make You Mine
11. Picket Fence
12. What Did I Do To You?
13. People Hold On
14. Someday (I'm Coming Back)
15. Conversation
16. It's Got To Be Real
17. Live Together
18. So Be It
19. There Goes My Heart
20. Carry On
21. Love Can
22. All Around The World

'Lisa Stansfield Talks Seven' ' Interview (approx. 25 min)
www.lisa-stansfield.com

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George Michael 'overwhelmed' by birthday love

added: 26 Jun 2015 // by: Music-News.com Newsdesk

George Michael is 'truly overwhelmed' by his birthday love.

The Careless Whisper singer, who turned 52 years old on June 25, broke his month-long Twitter silence on Thursday.

After posting a message to Adele wishing her a happy birthday on May 6,George disappeared from the micro-blogging platform.

But he returned to Twitter on Thursday expressing his gratitude.

'To my lovelies and fans around the world, thank you for all the birthday wishes, I am truly overwhelmed. I am looking forward to spending it with friends and family, thanks again, love The Singing Greek!' he tweeted.

Earlier this month, German magazine Bild claimed George admitted himself into Switzerland-based treatment facility The Kusnacht Practice to seek help once again for smoking excessive amounts of marijuana. Apparently he was smoking 25 joints per day before checking into the rehab centre.

Five years ago after pleading guilty to cannabis possession and driving under the influence of drugs, George served four weeks in prison.

And soon after being released from jail, he spoke of how the experience changed his mentality forever.

'I want to beat my drug addiction and lead a normal life,' George is quoted by British newspaper The Sun as saying at the time. 'I don't want to end up back in prison. It's a very horrible place to be. You're not considered a person when you're inside, you're just a number and that freaked me out.'

Following his stint in jail, the pop star experienced a number of harrowing near-death events, including being unconscious for three weeks in December 2011 after falling ill with pneumonia.

In May 2013 George fell out of his moving vehicle while driving on a motorway in the UK, which resulted in a head injury.

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Ice Cube: N.W.A. changed society

added: 26 Jun 2015 // by: Music-News.com Newsdesk

Ice Cube is convinced his rap group N.W.A. 'definitely changed the trajectory' of society.

The 46-year-old rapper-and-actor made it big after N.W.A. released their legendary album Straight Outta Compton in 1988.

Songs from Straight Outta Compton were banned from mainstream radio stations initially, but despite the bar, the record still sold 10 million units.

And upon reflection, Ice Cube believes their work altered culture tremendously.

'You know, I think we definitely changed the trajectory of music and a lot of things. We, to me, go beyond music,' he explained to Noisey. 'We gave a lot of artists the free themselves and to not feel like they had to be a certain way. That they have to be clean. We made it OK for you to say what you wanna say, be who you wanna be, and still be famous.

'We opened it up. To me, we gave freedom to a whole new side of entertainment. Without NWA, there's no Eminem. Without NWA, there's no shows like South Park. Without NWA, do we have any reality shows? Would you be bleepin' out the cuss words when you say 'B***h I kick your a*s.' Those come off the NWA records. All that set that in motion to not be so scared of human nature, human interaction, human communication. Made it OK for all that to be accepted.'

N.W.A. was comprised of Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, the late Eazy-E, MC Ren and Ice Cube. The group will be performing at the BET Awards this weekend and Ice Cube thinks they're going to put on a rocking show, even though the musicians haven't performed a concert together in 15 years.

'Getting on stage with those guys is going to be just like riding a bike,' Ice Cube noted. 'We're N.W.A. We're going to make it as ferocious as we can.'

"The Other Woman" Inside Nina Simone: Why the High Priestess of Soul Is Making a Comeback

Op-Eds

By Austin Bryant

Jun 25 2015

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Dwight Yoakam Receives Country Radio Hall of Fame Honor

photo courtesy Aristo PR

Dwight Yoakam picked up a prestigious industry honor at the 41st annual Country Radio Hall of Fame Dinner and Awards ceremony, Wednesday night (June 24), at the Omni Hotel in Nashville. Dwight received the Career Achievement Award for his contributions to the country radio format.

Following a brief video presentation showcasing several of Dwight’s performances and highlighting his career numbers, Dwight took the podium to offer his thanks to the industry. “I haven’t gotten a lot of awards,” Dwight, sporting his trademark cowboy hat, began. “But one thing I did have was great support from country radio.” Dwight went on to thank the executives from his first record label, many of whom were on hand to acknowledge Dwight’s honor. He also made sure to note the “beacons of my generation like George Strait and Ricky Skaggs,” who inspired him throughout his career.

Dwight debuted on the charts in 1986 with “Honky Tonk Man,” a prime example of his unique style that mixed country with rockabilly. He scored 12 Top 10 singles along with two No. 1s, “Streets of Bakersfield” with Buck Owens and “I Sang Dixie,” plus five chart-topping albums. His latest album, Second Hand Heart, marks a return to the rockabill...his career.

Dwight also recalled his fascination with country radio from a young age. “Radio was and is magic to my ears,” he told the crowd of industry professionals and other invited guests. “Thank you for being that voice in my ear. And thank you for honoring me tonight.”

We recently featured Dwi...r” now.

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Adele is working with Pharrell on her new album

Two massive hitmakers join forces for highly-anticipated LP

by Dusty Henry

on June 26, 2015, 9:55am

Over the past few years, Pharrell Williams and Adele have individually dominated the radio, topped Billboard charts, and swiped an obscene amount of Grammys. Now, it looks like they’re gunning to do all that together.

In an interview with Ryan Seacrest at Cannes Lions, The Neptunes producer let slip that he’s been working with Adele on the follow-up to her 2011 crossover hit album, 21. Williams celled her a “masterful writer,” but admitted the sessions have been fairly sporadic as she focuses on spending time with her 2-year-old son.

“She’s kinda like, ‘OK guys, I’m gonna open my diary for 20 minutes’,” Williams said. “So it’s like, OK, you have 20 minutes, or 32 minutes really. Then she gives it to you and closes it up and disappears, and she’s off with her beautiful boy – and that’s what it’s all about.”

Adele’s third album, 25, was originally scheduled for earlier this year, but is still speculated to hit shelves before 2016. Maybe that’s enough time for her to give Phil Collins a callback?

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Watkins Family Hour Debut Album Announced

Source: http://www.twentyfourbit.com

They have been known for epic collaborative live sets at their Largo home base for years, but now the Los Angeles collective starring siblings Sara and Sean Watkins are finally putting out a record. Along with an incredible lineup (Fiona Apple, Benmont Tench, Don Heffington, Greg Leisz, and Sebastian Steinberg), the Watkins Family Hour will release their debut LP on July 24th, the same day they’ll head out on a dozen summer tour dates. Featured on the set are 11 covers by the likes of Roger Miller, Bob Dylan, Lindsey Buckingham, and others, reworked Watkins-style with a rotating cast on lead vocals. Check out the trailer above and tracklist below:

Watkins Family Hour Tracklist

01. “Feelin’ Good Again” by Robert Earl Keen, lead vox by Sara Watkins
02. “Where I Ought To Be” by Harlan Howard, lead vox by Fiona Apple and Sara Watkins
03. “Not In Nottingham” by Roger Miller, lead vox by Sean Watkins
04. “Steal Your Heart Away” by Lindsey Buckingham, lead vox by Sara Watkins
05. “Prescription for the Blues” by Saunders Montgomery, lead vox by Benmont Tench
06. “Going Going Gone” by Bob Dylan, lead vox by Sean Watkins
07. “Hop High” traditional, lead vox by Sara Watkins
08. “She Thinks I Still Care” by Dickey Lee Lipscomb, lead vox by Sebastian Steinberg
09. “The King of the 12 Oz. Bottles” by Lee Ving, lead vox by Don Heffington
10. “Early Morning Rain” by Gordon Lightfoot, lead vox by Sara Watkins
11. “Brokedown Palace” by Robert C. Hunter and Jerry Garcia, lead vox by Sara Watkins

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On The NYC Scene: Micky Dolenz With Scott Shannon At CBS FM

Posted on June 24, 2015 by admin

Micky Dolenz, in NYC for rehearsals for his upcoming show (A Little Bit Broadway; A Little Bit Rock ‘n Roll) at 54 Below (July 7, 10, 11), visited with CBS FM’s SCOTT SHANNON to talk about the shows and the live-album that will be recorded and released this September on Broadway Records.

The two conducted an in-depth interview that included details about the 54 Below shows as well as some observations about his upcoming solo shows and the revelation that it was around this month, 50 years ago, that he first answered the ad for what would become The Monkees.

Next year, is the 50th Anniversary for the legendary band.

They also spoke about his fine-furniture design and manufacturing company, Dolenz And Daughters, which he runs with daughter Georgia.

For more info on Micky’s upcoming performance, visit 54 Below.

Photo: L-R; Scott Shannon, Micky and DJ Patty Steele.

July 7, 10 & 11, 2015

Cover charge: $35 – $50
Premiums: $80 – $85

Cover Charge Additional $5 At Door

Food & Beverage Minimum: $25

A Little Bit Broadway, A Little Bit Rock ‘n’ Roll

Micky Dolenz is best known as the lead singer of the hugely successful rock ‘n’ roll band, The Monkees, which originated from the classic sixties TV show of the same name. The Monkees sold over 65 million records and has toured the U.S. (and much of the world) many times over. Micky has also starred in musicals on Broadway, the West End, and in national tours including Disney’s AIDA (Broadway), Pippin, Hairspray (West End), Grease, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Tom Sawyer, and more. Micky has recorded two solo albums (Remember and King For A Day) and recently appeared in the world premiere of the new play Comedy Is Hard (Ivoryton Playhouse) by four time Emmy winner Mike Reiss (The Simpsons).

A Little Bit Broadway, A Little Bit Rock ‘n’ Roll is a brand new show Micky has created to combine his love of Broadway with his love for rock ‘n’ roll in one thrilling new intimate concert. The show will include some of the Monkees greatest hits, a few rarities and songs from musical roles he has performed and from shows he loves.

Produced by Van Dean
Directed by Van Dean and Micky Dolenz
Music Direction by Michael J. Moritz, Jr.

Nina Simone Documentary 'What Happened, Miss Simone?' Brings Vital Cohesion to a Complex Life: Film Review

By Carl Wilson | June 26, 2015 6:03 PM EDT

What Happened, Miss Simone?

"I want to shake people up so bad that when they leave a nightclub where I perform, I want them to be to pieces." That is the late jazz/soul/gospel visionary Nina Simone in one of the many lost recordings that director Liz Garbus and crew recovered for What Happened, Miss Simone? -- the first original ­documentary to be commissioned by Netflix (where it will debut June 26). The clip shows Simone laying out her artistic program in the mid-1960s, halfway through her arc from child piano prodigy in the segregated South to East Coast cabaret-pop star to self-exiled black power artist-provocateur.

The problem was that her manifesto for disruption also turned inward: The raging did not stop after she finished putting a spell on a crowd in a club or concert hall. The film makes those agonies plain, in her own words and those of close friends and family, including her abusive ex-husband/manager Andrew Stroud and her only child, Broadway actress Lisa Simone Kelly. It is also generously layered with rare, hypnotizing concert footage, photos and scans of startlingly frank pages from letters and diaries.

The experience is musically ravishing, emotionally harrowing and politically rousing. Reviewing the civil rights movement through Simone's singular ­perspective makes events like the Birmingham, Ala., church bombing that spurred her to write "Mississippi Goddam" freshly raw and urgent. What Happened adds vital cohesion to a life story and work that most listeners know only in fragments, including her late-life diagnosis with bipolar disorder, her long and lonely expatriation to Africa and Europe in the '70s and her career revival in the '80s.

What it asks, but can never answer, is how her burdens might have shifted if "the United Snakes," as Simone called it, had been prepared for such an uncompromising "young, gifted and black" woman of genius -- and when, if ever, it will be.

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Don Henley Talks Solo Album: 'I Do Not Want to Spend the Rest of My Life Being a Jukebox'

By Melinda Newman | June 19, 2015 1:57 PM EDT

Don Henley photographed in 2015.

Danny Clinch

The singer discussed 'Cass County' at a June 18 event held at Capitol Studios.

‘Legends Of Tomorrow’ Delayed Until Spring 2016?

• By Sarah Moran

There are far too many great talents who have left us all too soon. Fame can be hard to tame, and its satisfaction can sometimes only last so long until you’re looking for other outlets, like drugs or alcohol, to keep that emotional and mental high going. Such was the success and ultimate tragedy of Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Farley.

Now the life and legacy of the late comedy star is examined in a new documentary called I Am Chris Farley, featuring interviews with those who knew him best. Fellow SNL stars like Mike Myers and Adam Sandler chime in, comedians likeBob Odenkirk and Bob Saget reminisce, and his best friend and frequent co-star David Spade has plenty to say too. If you’re a fan of Farley, this one is going to be tough to watch without shedding a tear or two.

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Best and Worst Moments of the 2015 BET Awards

MARK DAVIS/GETTY IMAGES

JUNE 29, 2015 | 12:25AM PT

Mannie Holmes

Sunday’s 15th annual BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater in downtown L.A. celebrated black — well, mostly black or “Black-ish” — stars from music, television, radio, film and sports. Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson did a fine job hosting and broke up the usual monotonous line of comedians who poke fun at hip-hop artists who sit in the first few rows.

SEE MORE: BET Awards Winners: Updated List

The show continued its great tradition of nostalgic performances with musical numbers from Patti LaBelle, Smokey Robinson and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment. Tinashe, Jason Derulo and Ciara also performed a dance tribute to Ultimate Icon honoree Janet Jackson. This year’s show also allotted exactly one song and one song only for the Gospel genre — and what would the BET Awards be without a couple of white jokes?

“Sam Smith isn’t here tonight because he’s white and he didn’t think he would win,” joked Anderson as he accepted the New Artist Award in full Sam Smith attire — brown, straight-haired wig and all.

Here are the 5 best and worst moments from the 2015 BET Awards.

BEST: Bad Boy Records formerly, Bad Boy Entertainment, celebrated its 20th year.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, formerly known as “Puffy,” performed with stars, old and new, including Mase, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, 112, The Lox’s Jadakiss and Styles P. They broke out ’90s hits including, “Peaches and Cream,” “All About the Benjamins” and “Love Like This” with a posthumous video performance from Notorious B.I.G. There were still questions in the audience of why the label’s first breakout star, Craig Mack, didn’t show up. It didn’t stop the crowd form chanting “Bad Boy” after the act was over.

WORST: Diddy showed everyone that he still has moves 20 years later, but he took a misstep into the crowd pit causing him to fall during the reunion performance.
He must have been too nervous. At least that was the excuse after the Bad Boy founder also stumbled while presenting Smokey Robinson with the Lifetime Achievement Award. “We just celebrated 20 years, and it’s like a big deal for me,” explained Combs.

BEST: Smokey Robinson accepted his award with a prayer and some advice.
During his speech, he brought some wisdom to the younger generation of musicians. “This fantastic world of show business is like a bittersweet wine, it’s intoxicating and there are so many people in the world that are sitting in line to get a taste,” he started. “For those of you who are fortunate enough to get a taste and to get drunk on yourselves and to become self-absorbed is ridiculous… You should be thankful.”

WORST: Rapper Nicki Minaj wins so much that she forgot the name of the award that she was accepting mid-speech.
“What was this award for?” Minaj asked. When told it was the Viewers’ Choice Award, she recovered nicely and delivered encouragement to young people to follow their dreams. (She also monopolizes the hip-hop artist category.)

BEST: “Empire’s” Jussie Smollett thanked the Supreme Court for the recent decision on marriage equality.
“No one is free until we are all free,” Smollett said. As he shared the stage with “Empire” co-stars Bryshere “Yazz” Gray and Serayah during a performance of “You’re So Beautiful,” Smollett also remixed the lyrics: “This the kind of song where a man loves a man, you’re so beautiful and I don’t care who knows.” With the crowd on their feet in applause, Smollett ordered them to “stand for love.”

WORST: For whatever reason, BET continues to have a miniature conveyor belt for presenters to use before announcing awards.
The airport staple seems like no place for the stage considering the number of female presenters who had a hard time finding their footing.

BEST: “Black-ish” co-hosts, Ross and Anderson, took a go at being another TV couple.
The two brought the drama to the stage as they assumed the roles of Cookie and Lucious Lyon before Terrence Howard stepped in and introduced his “Empire” TV family who performed a selection of songs from the series.

WORST: Rihanna’s sneak peak of “B—h Better Have My Money” video was ruined for awards show guests.
Throughout the night, celebrities were kidnapped by Rihanna, including Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker — because they didn’t have her money. Unfortunately, the big build-up was spoiled for the audience with the sound of Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” playing too early. (It was scheduled as the final performance of the evening.)

BEST: Nicki Minaj introduced the world to her mother.
While accepting her first award of the night for female hip-hop Artist, she gave special thanks to her mom, who stood beside her onstage.

WORST: Busta Rhymes should no longer be invited for skits at awards shows.
In what was supposed to be the introduction to Meek Mill’s “The Get Back,” Rhymes was unprepared to take a simple Instagram photo for Ross and Anderson with singer Tori Kelly. Anderson outed the “Touch It” rapper when he told the audience, “This bit was rehearsed, you should’ve been ready.”

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All Photo by PR Photos

Comedian Jack Carter Dies at 93

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Carly Rae Jepsen Wrote 250 Songs For Her New Album

(Courtesy of Interscope)

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Shaun Robinson takes the ‘Hollywood’ exit

June 26, 2015 | 12:24am

Shaun RobinsonPhoto: Chris Haston/NBC

Shaun Robinson attributes her departure from “Access Hollywood” after a 16-year run — she’ll develop programming for NBC — to the death of her father and a conversation with “Scandal” star Kerry Washington.

“This year has been one of the most life-changing years in my entire life,” says Robinson. “My dad, who I was extremely close to, passed away after a not-very-long battle with cancer. I’d been flying back and forth to Detroit to be his patient advocate … and when the doctor called me in April and told me my dad wouldn’t make it through the night I jumped on a plane and went back to Detroit. Dad stabilized and I slept in his [hospital] room for two weeks and was just there for him every day. It was time I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

Robinson says the message on her father’s answering machine — which ended with, “Have a great day and remember to be happy” — spurred her to leave “AH,” something she originally planned on doing three years ago (until a good friend talked her out of it).

“I realized that life is short and if I want to do it, I have to do it now. It’s time,” she says. “And last year I was having a conversation with Kerry Washington about her clothing line and she was telling me how she tried TV and what a great career move it turned out to be. That conversation really resonated with me, like what else is there? I have a lot to offer.”

Robinson says she will be featured on-camera in one show she’s developing through her company, Robinhood Productions. “My dream show is kind of a younger, funkier, hipper version of ‘Inside the Actors Studio,’ ” she says. “I definitely plan on being back in front of the camera.

“I’m also in the process, fingers crossed, of acquiring the rights to a book targeted toward teen girls,” says Robinson, an advocate of female empowerment who penned a self-esteem book, “Exactly As I Am.” “And there are two projects in my hometown of Detroit that I’ve already started pitching — and hopefully one of those will be on TV screens soon.”

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Katy Perry's $135 million year scores buzzworthy spot on Forbes list

June 29, 201511:35 AM MST

Katy Perry's $135 million in earnings for the last year makes her a superstar on the Forbes highest-paid celebrity list of 2015. The new Forbes list came out on Monday and the singer came in just behind Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Mayweather reportedly earned $300 million for the past year, giving him the top spot, and Pacquiao earned $160 million to come in second. However, it's Katy Perry's $135 million that has people buzzing. One Direction is close behind her with $130 million in earnings, though, and Howard Stern wraps up the Top 5 with his $95 million.

Of course, Mayweather and Pacquiao earned big paydays with their much-buzzed-about but ultimately rather lackluster fight that played out not long ago. Perry's earnings are said to be thanks to her big tour. She says that she sees herself as an entrepreneur and embraces it and her efforts are clearly paying off.

The Forbes rankings are calculated based on June-to-June earnings and Perry's tour simply knocked it out of the park by the looks of things. While some musicians are struggling to combat the changes to the industry, Perry seemingly adapts and rakes in the bucks.

There are other musicians in the Top 10 as well, with Garth Brooks coming in sixth with $90 million, author James Patterson in seventh place and $80 million in earnings puts actor Robert Downey Jr. in eighth place in a tie with singing superstar Taylor Swift. Athlete Cristiano Ronaldo rounds out the Top 10 with earnings of $79.5 million this past year.

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Julio Iglesias Hospitalized In NYC For Back Surgery

Honorary degree recipient recording artist Julio Iglesias smiles from the audience during Berklee College of Music's Commencement Concert in Boston, Massachusetts, United States May 8, 2015. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Luis Miguel 'Día De La Independencia' Concert: MGM Resorts Steal 'El Sol De México' From Caesars Palace

Luis Miguel performs during the first of four sold-out shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace September 15, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty

Despite the constant criticism that Luis Miguel has been receiving from the media and some of his colleagues, “El Sol de México” is ready to bring back his act to Las Vegas this September.

Every year, the Mexican singer comes to the U.S. “a dar el grito” (phrase used in México to refer to the exact moment their Independence was proclaimed on September 15/16, 1810), and gives out a series of concerts in the Sin City that usually means very good business for the Colosseumat the Caesars Palace.

This year, however, Luis Miguel’s act was offered to some of the best resorts in Las Vegas and the Caesars Palace can say goodbye to their money because MGM Resorts may have a better offer for LuisMi.

Latest Single:

Mexican newspaper Reforma confirmed that the star ended his 8-year-contract with the Colosseum and MGM Resorts could end up adding the singer to their Mexican Independence weekend lineup, “He is currently negotiating his performance at the Mandalay Bay where Juan Gabriel, Marc Anthony and Alejandro Fernández will also be performing.”

A source close to the singer revealed that he is currently analyzing all possible offers, “They offered him more money because he is one of the most successful acts in September, and that’s why he wants to take the best offer. It’s all about picking the place where he’ll generate the most revenue; they offered him 3 venues including the MGM Garden Arena, although that might not be doable because it’s very big. But it’s a fact that he will soon announce his new home in Vegas.”

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Romeo Santos Posing With Barack And Michelle Obama Give Us Major Life Goals!

By Jessica Lucia Roiz | Jul 01 2015, 12:15PM EDT

Romeo Santos just gave us major life goals with this picture!Facebook/@RomeoSantosOfficial

It seems as if Romeo Santos woke up in a good mood this fine Wednesday. The King of Bachata often uses his Facebook profile to promote his latest singles and upcoming shows, but July 1st was different. Santos welcomed the month of July sharing a picture of him with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. He kept his caption simple: "Un Honor." POTUS and FLOTUS even signed the snapshot for the "Eres Mia" singer. All we can say on the behalf of #Romeistas around the world is: 1)Que bello! and 2) Major life goals!

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'Suits' En Español: USA Network Original Series To Air In Spanish On NBC Universo

By Natalie Roterman | Jun 30 2015, 04:15PM EDT

Hit USA Network series "Suits" will air on NBC Universo in Spanish for the first time in US television. USA Network

NBC Universo, the modern sports and entertainment cable channel for Latinos, today announced the premiere of “Suits,” the original USA Network and has already spawned a cult following and appeals of fans who call themselves ‘Suitors.’ “Suits” is now set to appeal to a Spanish-language audience when it airs for the first time on U.S. television in Spanish beginning next Tuesday July 7, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Already a hit show in English, the series delves into the fast-paced, high-stakes world of a top Manhattan corporate law firm, where Mike Ross (Screen Actors Guild Award Nominee Patrick J. Adams), a brilliant young hustler and college dropout, impresses macho cutthroat attorney and Harvard Law graduate Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) with his extensive, encyclopedic knowledge of the law, and gains a coveted spot among the law-degree staff.

The two soon become an unstoppable duo, inciting jealousy and tension among senior partners and associates alike, as they try to hide the fact that Mike did not attend law school. Working to manage the combustible staff and keep the firm on top of its game is Jessica Pearson (ALMA Award Winning Actress Gina Torres), the cool and calculating leader who knows how to play the corporate game, and is not afraid to pick a fight with anyone who threatens the practice she has built. 
Torres was also nominated for an ALMA Award for Favorite TV Actress – Supporting Role for her part in the premiere season of Suits, which NBC UNIVERSO viewers can watch every week on Tuesdays from 10-11 p.m. ET/PT, followed by Season Two (28 total episodes).

The series also stars Rick Hoffman as the ruthless Louis Litt, Meghan Markle as the ambitious paralegal Rachel Zane, and Sarah Rafferty as the top law secretary in the business, Donna Paulsen. “As we continue to build our primetime offerings with edgy programming for Hispanics, NBC UNIVERSO is thrilled to be the first channel to introduce Suits to Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S.,” said Bilai Joa Silar, Senior Vice President, Programming & Production, NBC UNIVERSO. “Now an entirely new audience will be able to follow the series from its inception, and be captivated by the show’s great storytelling, emotional characters and tantalizing themes.”

Carlos Santana Wine: Iconic Mexican Guitarist Releases Limited Edition 'Santana Savor' For Good Cause

Musician Carlos Santana performs prior to Game Two of the 2015 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers at ORACLE Arena on June 7, 2015 in Oakland, California.Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Enjoying a glass of wine while listening to sultry classic tunes "Samba Pa Ti" or "Europa" is one thing, but enjoying a glass of wine named afterCarlos Santana himself just takes the experience to a whole 'nother level. The iconic Mexican guitarist revealed Tuesday that there's a new, limited edition wine called "Santana Savor" --inspired by his music and with unique fruit flavors found only in the vineyards of Napa, Calif.

The official statement was published on Santana's Facebook, which read: "From Team Santana: Introducing Santana Savor from Mumm Napa, a limited release. Inspired by the music of Santana, this luscious wine holds the fresh fruit and decadent flavors that can only be found in the renowned vineyards of Napa. The Mumm Napa winemaking team has crafted this spectacular wine along with Carlos Santana by capturing beautiful notes of ripe peaches, creamy vanilla, red and white berry notes to create the perfect sparkling wine to delight the palate and celebrate any occasion, large or small."

This only makes me want to stop writing this piece and get myself a glass (or two, or three...) of "Santana Savor." A 750ml bottle costs $25 and all proceeds will go to support The Milagro Foundation, established by Mr. Santana and his family in 1998.

According to the wine's website, "'Santana Savor' is the perfect sparkling wine for bubbly cocktails or as an apéritif to pair with hors d’oeuvres. It is also a perfect match with spicy Mexican foods." It might also taste delish' with some "Evil Ways" sounding in the background.

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Wildheart

BY WILL HERMES June 30, 2015

Daniel Sannwald

The R&B innovator's steamy new journey wrestles with modern love

With "Adorn," 2012's sexiest slow jam, Miguel emerged as a mohawk-pompadoured futurist, as rooted in past innovators like Marvin Gaye as in 21st-century production — a soul man with no "neo-" required. Wildheart is an even bolder move: an intoxicating master class in electro-porn R&B — the coin of the modern genre — that's also a soul-searching critique of same. It's a necessary record that should generate plenty of thought, and more than a few babies, too.

What does it mean when Miguel croons about wanting to "fuck you like I hate you" in "The Valley," a psychedelic groove trip whose title is both sexual metaphor and explicit nod to the adult-film-biz capital of Southern California? Repellent yet inescapably hot, the song questions the ways the porn industry has warped modern sexuality. "Coffee" is a playful breakfast-in-bed tune; the f-bombing single version is cleaned up here and notably sexier for it, a musical "show, don't tell" demonstration. The most emotionally explicit moment comes in "What's Normal Anyway," a misfit prom anthem for anyone interrogating his or her own identity ("Too black for the Mexicans/Too square to be a hood nigga"). Not every song goes so deep, and Miguel might be accused of wanting to have his cake here and eat it too. Well, who doesn't?

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Danzig Talks Elvis' Influence, Writing for Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison

"When you bring home a picture signed by Johnny Cash," singer says, "it's cool"

BY KORY GROW July 1, 2015

Glenn Danzig has always worn his affinity for Elvis Presley like a badge. He covered the King's "Trouble" on his eponymous band's Thrall-Demonsweatlive EP in 1993. Most recently, he filmed a Danzig Legacy concert video that stylistically recalled Presley's '68 comeback special, playing in the round with guitarists from throughout his career and singing in front of his name lit up in red just like Elvis. Although he credits director Mark Brooks with the theme for the film, which was a Vimeo exclusive and will be reissued soon, he said he loved the idea. Danzig is even in the midst of recording an LP of Elvis covers.

Glenn Danzig Talks Cover...nk Days »

"Elvis is actually kind of how I got into music," Danzig tells Rolling Stone. "When I was a kid, I was cutting school pretending I was sick and I would lie at home watching old movies, and Jailhouse Rock came on with Elvis. I was like, 'I want to do this. This is great.' And that's how I veered to music."

During a visit to Rolling Stone, Danzig recalled how Elvis Presley influenced him and how, coincidentally, he went on to write songs for the King's onetime Sun Records label-mates Johnny Cash ("Thirteen") and Roy Orbison ("Life Fades Away"). Both of those opportunities proved to be special to Danzig.

"I think somebody from Rick Rubin's office or Rick called me and asked me if I knew who Johnny Cash was, and I said, 'Fuck yeah, I know who Johnny Cash is,' and they said, 'Would you write a song for him?'" Danzig says. "I wrote ['Thirteen'] in, like, a half-hour, as soon as I got off the phone. It was that quick. The song was just my impression of who Johnny Cash was and what he meant."

The singer says he brought an autographed Cash picture to his dad, who was a fan, and got some validation for his career in music. "When you're a kid, they don't want you to be a musician," Danzig says. "So when you get older and you are successful, they're like, 'Wow.' And then you bring home a picture signed by Johnny Cash. It's cool."

Danzig later recorded "Thirteen" himself and, by his own account, made it "more creepy" and "kind of eerie." "There's a verse that I wrote that Cash didn't do in his version, so I put that back in," he says. "I keep it a little more Danziggy." His version went on to serve as part of the soundtrack for The Hangover.

Years before he met Cash, though, Rubin connected him with Orbison for an opportunity to write the song "Life Fades Away," which appeared on theLess Than Zero soundtrack. "He was a true southern gentleman," Danzig says. "The thing about Roy Orbison and Cash is when you teach them the song, you're singing it together and as soon as they start singing, there's no mics or anything, and these guys' voices filled the room up. They were big, I mean really big." (Incidentally, when Rolling Stone asks if Danzig would ever recording in Memphis like his idols, he says no. "I remember hearing the Cramps record that came out of Sun records, and I was like, 'Nahh,'" he says. "I think the magic's gone.")

Danzig is working on a number of projects, including a new album and an LP of covers titled Skeletons. That forthcoming release will feature his take on the theme song from the 1967 biker movie Devil's Angels, featuring an arrangement Danzig came up with in 1979 during his days fronting the Misfits. The track is streaming below.

But the thing that has connected all of his sessions is his desire to record new versions of Elvis songs for the upcoming Danzig Sings Elvis LP. "I'm stripping some of the stuff down to the bare bones, very old-school Fifties echoey slap-back vocals," he says. Every time I go back into the studio to work on a new Danzig record, if we have time, I'm like, 'Let's do another Elvis song.' So I keep adding and we'll see what ends up on the record." Some of the songs he has recorded, he says, include "Home Is Where the Heart Is" and the Faron Young–composed "Is It So Strange?"

It's a connection that has been a part of him for years. "We have been stopping by Graceland and Elvis' grave since my days in [goth-punk group] Samhain," Danzig says. "Just, you know, hanging out."

Producer Destroyed Demos for Amy Winehouse 'Back To Black' Follow-Up

Amy Winehouse (Photo : Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

The new documentary shining light on the life of Amy Winehouse has generated both raves ...ontroversy, but there's at least one bit of news that nearly everyone can agree is good: The final demos that the ... destroyed, ensuring that Drake won't come along and try to release them.

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David Joseph, who oversaw Winehouse's work at Universal Music UK, stated during Amy that he destroyed the recordings to make sure that no one attempted to profit from fascination with her legacy.

"It was a moral thing," he said. "Taking a stem or a vocal is not ­something that would ever happen on my watch. It now can't happen on anyone else's."

The last album released during Winehouse's life was 2006's Back To Black, which gathered acclaim and four Grammys. She didn't release another album during the last five years of her life however, although a collection of rarities and demos—Lioness: Hidden Treasures—was assembled to benefit her foundation shortly after her death during 2011. The demos referenced by Joseph were intended for the third album that failed to materialize, and apparently needed a healthy amount of work in order to make ready for release. The kind of work that requires the original performer present. Joseph may have made some record executive somewhere upset but ultimately the world should thank him for taking the option off the table.

Many posthumous albums have begun to emerge, with many protests in tow. Michael Jackson's estate has released two albums of original material since his 2009 death, with the most recent—2014's Xscape—receiving scathing reviews from critics. Rapper Drake made headlines in the last few years with his attempts to release a posthumous Aaliyah album by using unheard recordings (and adding his own contributions to the mix). Although his motives weren't financially-based, most questioned the tastefulness of the project, resulting in its cancellation.

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• COS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES • INTERVIEWS

GIORGIO MORODER: 74 IS THE NEW 24

The synth legend sounds understandably and disarmingly delighted to be back

BY LIOR PHILLIPS

ON JUNE 16, 2015, 10:00AM

Hold tight, head shakers and naysayers: while a lot of people think EDM today is sort of rubbish, some know exactly how to do it properly. Exhibit A: Giorgio Moroder. He scooped up a Moog-full of cheese to make 1971 release “Son of My Father” a hit. Then there was Donna Summer’s 1977 smoldering disco pop single, “I Feel Love”, bursting onto dance floors like confetti cannons of ecstasy. There he was, a mustachioed Italian unaware that he had just become one of the biggest songwriters and genre-godfathers of all time. Moroder was our suburban Magnum PI, often photographed lounging by a bevvy of beauties who seemed unqualified to stop dancing, unless they drank more champagne, but if they drank more champagne, they wouldn’t be able to stop … you get it. It was disco. They were free. There’s this video about the making of 1979’s E=MC2, where the announcer says, “The sound is strictly Moogs, memory banks, and Moroder.” He had an identity. He was carefree. If you never cared for Moroder before, you love him now.

Listening to the septuagenarian’s first album in three decades, Déjà Vu, the difference between Giorgio Moroder then and GM 2.0 is blatantly obvious. Just like the album’s title, sonic remnants of his past remain, and you’ll feel you’ve experienced this Moroder-mood before, unable to glue it down to a specific concrete memory. The echoes of his past collaborators reprise through a new clan of A-list artists (Britney Spears, Sia, Kylie Minogue, Charli XCX), and you’ll hear the undertones of soundtracks like Scarface, Midnight Express, and Top Gun. While Déjà Vu is covered in that familiar intensity borne of the producer’s vibrancy, don’t call it a retread. The record breathes with all the spirit disco-pop once summoned. Moroder’s spent the past few years winning Grammys and Oscars, getting hefty reboots from the robots themselves, Daft Punk, duringRandom Access Memories freewheeler “Giorgio by Moroder”. But that is then, and this is now, and the synth legend sounds understandably and disarmingly delighted to be back.

After all these years, do you still get a buzz before releasing a new record?

No, not at all. If I was 18 and starting something, then maybe. If this album works out – great. If it doesn’t – I’m okay, but I’m confident it’s going to go well, so I’m not really concerned.

Well, I’ve been listening to it, and it certainly sounds like 2015 and 1974 Giorgio Moroder.

And you probably know it better than me? I haven’t listened to it at all. I never listen back to my albums. I heard them so often in production that I’m already thinking now of the next album.

Once those creative cogs are in motion, it’s really hard to stop them. But looking back at the original disco-dance ’70s generation, the genre has never shown much signs of aging – as in fading out

If there is one thing in life that most artists I meet want to do, it’s make dance music. It will always be great.

In your mind, then, because dance music is still so popular, how does it age? How do you adapt to the now?

Well, you know, first of all, I was never out of the music business. I was always listening to what’s going on, and it’s something I really like, which is so important if you like the music which you’re making, then you’re doing okay. This is how you adapt yourself over time.

Which makes me curious about your life as a music listener. Is there any specific genre you would happily skip over?

I will say that I never listen to anything I don’t like, which sounds obvious, but I select my music. If there’s a country-western song, I’ll skip over that straight away.

So why did you stop putting out records after 1985? Why was Innovisions andPhilip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder your last?

I was interested in a lot of different things, so I checked out and forgot about the music, and then I played a lot of golf and enjoyed my life. I did some recording, which I enjoyed, and different art projects, so I was quite happy actually.

You weren’t even 30 yet when you wrote and recorded That’s Bubblegum – That’s Giorgio in 1969. Did you still feel young at that point?

I was 29. You’re right, and I definitely felt young only because I didn’t have too much experience, but the song “Looky Looky” came out quite nice. I still like it now.

What made club life attractive at that stage?

I didn’t go to the discotheque to dance. I only went to play in them. Everything was so much smaller than what they have now, and at that time I wasn’t really DJ-ing, which is something a lot of people get wrong. I was mostly singing.

You don’t really sing much on your latest album, just a few songs?

I still enjoy it, but now I sing with a Vocoder, so it’s very easy and fast. I don’t intend to sing. It’s just a thing that I do occasionally.

So I understand RCA gave you the deal, and that was the spark for the album, but wasn’t there something burning underneath to make music again?

Well, if you get an offer and a budget to do a big album, you can’t say no. Especially at a certain age, I’m not going to get many offers in the next few years.

Did you use anything that you wrote 10 or 20 years ago?

You’re the first person to ask that. No, all the songs are actually brand new.

One part of the new album acknowledges the cheesier end of your pop dance past, but then some are straight-up EDM. Is it hard to escape pop? Is there one side that’s more of a payoff for you?

I made it for the audience of 2015. It has some EDM tones, but I wanted to combine EDM with the punches of retro disco, like the song with Sia has strings, so I think it’s a good combination of everything I’ve done in the past.

What would a typical day in the studio have been like when making these songs?

Well, it’s totally totally different than before. A lot of stuff was done without the actual artist being there or my direction in the studio. With Kelis, we went into the studio with my sound engineer and started to compose the songs together, the verses and chorus, and then she sang it. It was almost like the old days where we would get into the studio, and you worked for hours with the artist, and then the song was done.

Do you ever send music with little notes attached to it for direction?

There was some stuff that I didn’t like, but mostly I worked on the tracks quite religiously. It was a lot of emailing and phone calls. Coordination was really important with this one.

I bet that back-and-forth get a little tiresome?

What’s worse is that it wasn’t every day. Sometimes it took weeks or months to work around people’s schedules. It became quite difficult to reach a few artists because of this, but it wasn’t ever stressful.

I suppose giving each song those days or months to breathe was probably great for the sound.

You’re so right. That was the best part. You don’t listen for a week, and then you hear it again, and then say, “Okay, what did I do?” you start questioning things and then move forward to see if you have to make changes.

And considering how powerful Kelis’ voice sounds … when you were producing that track, were you thinking what niche that song might fill?

Definitely. That song is a little bit what I did with Donna Summers, and I wanted it to be a more progressive dance track. Live drums, live instruments, guitars. I needed it to fit into a dance-y feel.

You’ve worked with Donna, Pat Benatar, Blondie, and now Kylie, Britney. You’ve surrounded yourself with female collaborators from the very beginning. What do you think about this current furor of women in music?

I’m happy for all the ladies in the world! I love female vocals for dance music, as they appeal to the audience more than men do sometimes. I also have two great male singers, Mikky Ekko and Matthew Koma.

How do you feel Mikky and Matthew’s voices melded with the female singers you already chose on the album?

Their vocals come through, but on the other hand, I wouldn’t ever think the male singers needed to change anything to accommodate the strong female vocalists. I let them do it the way they wanted to, and they both sang very nice actually.

One of the biggest standouts for me is the Swedish singer, Marleen, during “I Do This for You”. How did you two meet?

I worked in Stockholm with her, and she’s very beautiful too and so nice. The chorus she sung came out really strong. If I ever did another album, I would pretty much ask her first.

With the vocal in mind, do you continue to stay loyal toward the same synthesizers you’ve used all this time to remain true to your sound?

On this album, it’s all new. We have a state-of-the-art small studio. In general, everybody is using the latest gear. I don’t really know what they’re using.

I know you used to use the Moog Modular, and the Roland SH-2000 on one of your movie scores. I mean, the list goes on – but during your Sia Déjà Vu music video, there’s a pack shot of a custom version of Novation’s compact MiniNova synthesizer with your name on it?

[Laughs] Yes, the Moog Modular doesn’t exist anymore. Well, it does but nobody uses it anymore. All the disco sounds were created on the Moog, but they’re all product of the computer now.

But is that “MoroderNova” just a MiniNova synth with Moroder-style sounds and vocoder presets?

Yes, that’s a new synthesizer that Novation did on my behalf. It has some of my old sounds sampled from, well I guess Cat People? Maybe Midnight Express.

Has that been sold to the public yet?

To be honest, I don’t even know if it’s out. They did a limited edition, so I’m still even waiting to get mine!

I suppose guitar companies have released artist-themed guitars and effects for years, so it’s naturally exciting to see a synthesizer being custom made.

The only really big difference is that it has my sounds in it, which I’m curious to hear.

So when you head out on tour, what will you be using?

I used the Novation when I started DJ-ing. To play Vocoder live is quite difficult. The amount of problems you have is not worth doing it for 20 seconds for a song, so it’s really difficult to set up in a live setting.

For someone who wouldn’t know what the issues with setting up a Vocoder would be, can you explain?

First of all, I love to do everything by myself onstage. I don’t like to have people around me. Between doing the songs and the effects, now suddenly I have to do the Vocoder with a synthesizer and a microphone? Then the feedback is too loud! So I tried it several times, but I didn’t enjoy it. It’s not worth it. The audience couldn’t care less, and if you do some instrumentals and if the people don’t see you play, which is already difficult as a DJ because you’re behind the deck, it’s a waste of time.

How do you feel about touring with this particular set of songs?

I’m so happy. I’m just finishing up putting all my songs into the set, and I’m going next week to Italy.

Back home? What about that buzz before hometown gigs?

I’m in Italy all the time. It’s almost like I never left.

Do you notice the difference in audience personality when you go back?

The Italians are obviously a little more open. The fans are much more active. Mexicans are lovely and lively too.

Are you going to bring any of the artists you’ve collaborated with on the album with you on tour?

I hope so. I don’t know yet. Kylie is interested, but Sia is doing her tour, and Britney is busy too so only if the occasion comes up. I’m still waiting for somebody to organise it all!

As for Spears, I read somewhere that she chose that specific ’87 Suzanne Vega song, “Tom’s Diner”, herself?

She didn’t ask me directly, but she asked the record company if I wanted to do that song, which she always loved. Since I loved it too, it worked out well. It’s a great song. I believe Suzanne is playing where you are in Tel Aviv?

She is! It’s pretty exciting. The fan base here is going nuts.

France Joli Live:

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TV Review: ‘Proof’

COURTESY OF TNT

JUNE 15, 2015 | 07:30AM PT

Brian Lowry

TV Columnist@blowryontv

“Proof” explores the mother of all mysteries — what happens after we die? — in the most uninspired and banal of ways. Filled with cliches, the TNT series benefits from the casting ofJennifer Beals in the central role, but handcuffs her with a drab character and dead-end (pardon the pun) concept, which, as executed, demonstrates what would happen if a medical procedural and “The X-Files” had a baby. In theory, there’s an interesting and provocative show here; it’s just not the one that’s been made.

Beals’ Dr. Carolyn Tyler is introduced in the operating room, storming around and intimidating underlings as she demands that they “get it right the first time, no questions asked.” Soon enough, though, she is being pursued by Ivan Turing, an eccentric tech billionaire with a fatal diagnosis (played by Matthew Modine, and clearly intended to evoke the late Steve Jobs). While the disease can’t be stopped, his intellectual curiosity wants to know what he’ll face on the other side — even if that’s nothingness — and, as he notes with a mix of enthusiasm and resignation, “I have the resources to find out.”

Carolyn has been chosen by Ivan precisely because she’s a skeptic, but also based on her tragic past: She not only lost a teenage son, but suffered a near-death experience herself. Her reluctance to help Ivan soon fades, though, as she uses those aforementioned resources to assemble a team to assist in her investigations, without giving up her day job at the hospital. For good measure, the show throws in a psychic (Callum Blue), whose spectral observations only fuel the good doctor’s doubts.

Created by Rob Bragin and counting “The Closer” star Kyra Sedgwick among its producers, “Proof” can’t do much more than spin its wheels after that, delving into different cases (three episodes were previewed) where some sort of afterlife connection is either sought or suspected. Along the way, more details dribble out about Carolyn, but her separation from her husband (David Sutcliffe) and relationship with her daughter (Annie Thurman) have a decidedly familiar quality, and the show mostly squanders a supporting cast that includes Joe Morton as Carolyn’s boss and Edi Gathegi as her ambitious if slightly abused intern.

The Turner networks have discussed a bit of an image makeover under new management, but “Proof” seems squarely lifted out of the old comfort-food model. Except that in this case, the truth figures to remain out there, well, forever, or at least until Ivan succumbs. As for the prospect of the series evolving into anything more interesting, that, even more than the subject matter, requires a sizable leap of faith.

TV Review: 'Proof'

(Series; TNT, Tues. June 16, 10 p.m.)

Production

Filmed in Vancouver by the Jacobson Co., Kikkos View and Ipso Facto Prods.

Crew

Executive producers, Rob Bragin, Kyra Sedgwick, Tom Jacobson, Jill Littman, Alex Graves; director, Graves; writer, Bragin; camera, Thomas V. Kloss, Bernard Couture; production designer, Brent Thomas; editor, Russell Denove; music, David Buckley. 60 MIN.

Cast

Jennifer Beals, Matthew Modine, David Sutcliffe, Joe Morton, Callum Blue, Edi Gathegi, Annie Thurman, Caroline Rose Kaplan

Jeans Comeback News: Mexican Girl Group To Reunite 20 Years After Band Was Formed

Jeans, the '90s musical sensation, announced a comeback tour and album two decades after they originally formed. Find out everything you need to know of their reunion! EMI

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Debbie Harry by Decade: Celebrating the Blondie Frontwoman's 70th Birthday

Debbie Harry (Photo : Getty Images)

The year 1945 was an astounding one for music history, giving us Eric Clapton, Bob Seger, John Fogerty and Carly Simon. Add another big 70th birthday to the year, as July 1 marks the near-diamond anniversary of Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry. Music Times is celebrating the big day by looking back over her four decades in music and choosing our favorite track from each of the ten-year spans she's spent in business.

The '70s: "One Way Or Another" (1979)

The '70s was obviously going to be one of the most difficult decades from which to represent Harry and Blondie, considering the release of their landmark album Parallel Lines during 1978. One thing is for sure: Blondie is great at writing singles. Another thing is for sure: They're not so hot at choosing what songs to release as singles. Lines is the case-and-point. Although every one of the six singles released from the album was deserving, two stood above the rest. One was "Heart Of Glass," which would become the band's first no. 1. Although some criticized the track for somewhat mirroring the sound of the disco scene, it's an incredible track, and disco would be blessed to consider it among its own. That track was released fourth among the album's singles...but the best song in the band's entire discography was held until the sixth single. Harry proves herself as more than a pretty face for those who hadn't figured it out yet: She combines the sweet melodies of "Heart Of Glass," bluesy chest vocals and a kitschy persona for the song's stalker protagonist, all bundled up into the ironi-punk of the New Wave scene. Everything that makes Harry great can be found here.

The '80s: "Call Me" (1980)

If you take Rolling Stone's word for it, "Call Me" narrowly edges "One Way Or Another" as Blondie's best song ever (the former is ranked no. 283 on its all-time list, and the latter is at no. 298). We respectfully disagree, but can understand entirely how "Call Me" would end up becoming the band's most successful single of all time. While "One Way" packed kitsch and peaked at no. 29 on the Hot 100, "Call Me" takes Harry at her most powerhouse and packs that voice into a simple, catchy chorus. Fueled in part by the success of American Gigolo, the film for which it appeared on the soundtrack, "Call Me" became Blondie's second no. 1 song in the U.S. and would end up being the most successful single in the band's history. It stayed atop the Hot 100 for six weeks and was ultimately named the biggest song of the year by Billboard.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Turns out Rolling Stone actually ranked "Heart of Glass" at no. 255 all-time. Needless to say, your correspondent disagrees.

The '90s: "Maria" (1998)

The Hot 100, alas, is not a chart designed for veteran performers. Despite having crafted the top song of 1980, the band would only land on the Hot 100 once more following 1982. Of course, part of that is because the band also took a 17-year break from releasing LPs from 1982 to 1999. Although several compilations and remix albums were dropped during the '80s, none of the singles released in correlation managed to grab any attention. That makes the emergence of "Maria," the first single from the band's 1999 comeback album No Exit, all the more impressive. Granted, the song only peaked at no. 82 in the U.S. but Blondie's fans in the UK were all-in (they had always be ahead of the curve when it came to the band), bringing the single to no. 1. That act made Blondie the first American act to land a no. 1 single during the '70s, '80s AND '90s in the UK.

The '00s: "Rapture Riders" (2005)

One of the more historic moments in Blondie's history actually deals with hip-hop. We've already referenced Harry's willingness to bounce around between vocal styles, and that includes rapping. In fact, the single "Rapture" (we see what they did there) went to no. 1 during 1981, marking the first time that a song featuring a rap reached the top of the charts (and, we suppose, the first time people got mad that a white woman was dabbling in hip-hop). Although historic, that moment didn't come close to beating out Blondie's best '80s tracks. However, we can cheat the system and nominate "Rapture Riders," a 2005 release from the band's Greatest Hits: Sight + Sound compilation, which took the original single and mashed it up with The Doors' "Riders On The Storm." This way you get to appreciate Harry's willingness to experiment in a more relaxed electronic setting.

The '10s: "I Want To Drag You Around" (2014)

As much as hardcore fans might not want to admit it, age tends to take its toll on vocalists more so than any other position in a band. Some suggested that the weakening of Harry's voice was the major reason why 2014's Ghosts of Download featured so many guest slots and more pop-centric tracks was to accommodate Harry, who was 68 when the album was recorded. Still, we found ourselves most pleased by "I Want To Drag You Around," the last single and the only one which didn't pack guest vocals. What did we appreciate most about it? It was less about dancing and more about the savagery that's always been lurking in Harry's work. Consider classic tracks such as "One Way Or Another" or "Rip Her To Shreds," or the bizarre impaling themes on the cover of her solo record KooKoo. "Drag You Around" may not be "Greatest Hits" material but we got a hoot out of it.

Happy Birthday Debbie Harry: Seven stars you WON'T believe are 70

SHE was the rock 'n' roll queen of the 1970s, with a career spanning more than five decades.

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