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Reply #120 posted 03/05/16 8:08am

JoeBala

Country star Joey Feek dead at 40 after battling cervical cancer

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, March 4, 2016, 7:12 PM
Country Star Joey Feek Dead at 40 After Battling Cervical Cancer
NY Daily News

Country singer Joey Feek, whose husband Rory Feek revealed on Monday that she had only days to live, died of cervical cancer on Friday afternoon.

She was 40.

Singer Joey Martin Feek (left) was surrounded by her husband Rory Lee Feek (right) and other loved ones when she passed away on Friday afternoon.KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES

Singer Joey Martin Feek (left) was surrounded by her husband Rory Lee Feek (right) and other loved ones when she passed away on Friday afternoon.

In an emotional post on his blog This Life I Live, Rory said that friends and family gathered around his wife at around 2:30 p.m. to say their final goodbyes in the couple's Indiana home.

“My wife’s greatest dream came true today,” he wrote of Feek. “She is in Heaven. The cancer is gone, the pain has ceased and all her tears are dry.”

He added that he is relieved Joey's "pain and struggle" is over.

"Though this is, and has been, a time of many tears of sorrow, it has also been a time of countless tears of joy. There have been too many beautiful moments to count or even begin to share in this blog," he wrote.

"But I try. When a person has been through as much pain and struggle as Joey’s been through, you just want it to be over. You want them to not have to hurt anymore, more that you want them to stay with you. And so, it makes the hard job of saying goodbye just a little easier."

The couple has a 2-year-old daughter, named Indiana.

Joey and Rory, who performed under the name Joey+Rory, burst onto the country music scene in 2008 on the Country Music Television show "Can you Duet?"JASON MERRITT/GETTY IMAGES

Joey and Rory, who performed under the name Joey+Rory, burst onto the country music scene in 2008 on the Country Music Television show "Can you Duet?"

Joey and Rory, who performed under the name Joey+Rory, burst onto the country music scene in 2008 on the Country Music Television show "Can you Duet?" The duo opened for the Zac Brown Band that year on the back of their surprise hit album "The Life of a Song."

Despite her diagnosis, Joey + Rory continued to record and release music.

At the 2016 Grammy Awards last month, their song “If I Needed You” was nominated for best country duo/group performance. They are also up for vocal duo of the year at the upcoming 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards.

On Monday, Rory wrote that his wife's body was "shutting down quickly."

"My wife has been asleep for days now and her body is shutting down quickly. The hospice nurse came again this morning and said Joey will most-likely only be with us for a few more days… at the most.

A few more days…," he posted on his blog. "In the 40 short years that Joey has lived, my bride has accomplished many great things… she’s lived a very full life. But even more than that, she has loved those around her greatly and been loved greatly in return. I can honestly say that Joey’s isn’t just a life well-lived, it’s a life well-loved."

Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014. Over the past two years, she underwent multiple surgeries, as well as chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but the cancer continued to spread. In fall of 2015, Rory announced on his blog that Joey was no longer receiving treatment.

With News Wire Services

Novelist Pat Conroy of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini Dies at 70

By
Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy. Photo: Spremo; Boris

Pat Conroy, who wrote bestselling novels about life in the South like The Great Santiniand The Prince of Tides, died Friday evening. Conroy had announced earlier last month that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. According to his publisher, Conroy was surrounded by his loved ones in Beaufort, South Carolina when he died. He was 70.

Much of Conroy's work drew on his personal experience, specifically his troubled childhood and abusive relationship with his father, Donald Conroy, a marine aviator and military hero. Pat Conroy's 1976 novel The Great Santini centered on a fictionalized version of Donald. It was made into a 1979 film starring Robert Duvall and Blythe Danner. Conroy had even greater popular success with 1986's The Prince of Tides, the story of a South Carolina man who travels to New York to help his suicidal sister and falls in love with her psychiatrist. The book, already a hit, became a pop culture fixture when it was made into a 1991 film starring Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte, which was directed by Streisand. Conroy worked on the screenplay and earned one of the film's seven Oscar nominations.

While Conroy's novels were often criticized for their purple prose, his grasp on a certain painful kind of family relationship, and on a specific vision of live in South Carolina, won him a devoted readership. "If a reader has experienced a Conroy novel before, he knows the book will be flawed, he knows the book is 500-plus pages, and he knows the characters are, in many ways, the same ones he knew in the last Conroy novel," reads an entry on Conroy in Contemporary Novelists.

"But in many ways, it’s like returning to old friends and familiar places, and the lyricism of the prose is more than most readers can resist."

'Million Dollar Quartet' TV series casts Elvis, other roles

Drake Milligan, a young but longtime Elvis "tribute artist," will play the Man Who Will Be (the) King, in the upcoming TV series "Million Dollar Quartet."
Drake Milligan, a young but longtime Elvis "tribute artist," will play the Man Who Will Be (the) King, in the upcoming TV series "Million Dollar Quartet."

Posted: Yesterday 2:43 p.m.

By John Beifuss of The Commercial Appeal

Drake Milligan, a young Texan and frequent Graceland visitor who has been an Elvis "tribute artist" since age 8, has been cast as Elvis Presley in "Million Dollar Quartet," the upcoming CMT series about the Memphis-based birth of rock and roll.

Country Music Television announced the casting Thursday during an event promoting the network's 2015-2016 season in New York.

"Milllion Dollar Quartet" is set to begin filming April 4 in Memphis. The eight-episode season — the first in what CMT hopes will be a yearslong hit — is scheduled to debut in November.

Milligan, from Mansfield, Texas, previously portrayed Elvis as a 1953 Humes High student in a 16-minute short titled "Nobody," shot in Memphis in 2014. "Million Dollar Quartet" will bring him back to town to again play a pre-fame student Elvis.

The first season of "Million Dollar Quartet" is set to end in 1954, the year Presley made his epochal recordings at Sun and two years before Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins met for the impromptu studio session that earned the singers the "Million Dollar Quartet" label.

Other announced cast members include Kevin Fonteyne (ABC Family's "Melissa & Joey," Showtime's "Masters of Sex") as Cash, and twins Christian and Jonah Lees as cousins Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmy Swaggart. Like Fonteyne, the Lees brothers have extensive television credits.

Produced by Leslie Greif's Los Angeles-based Thinkfactory Media in conjunction with CMT, "Million Dollar Quartet" is expected to spend at least $17 million in Memphis and Shelby County over the next few months so the production can qualify for $4.3 million in state funds set aside for local filmmaking. This would dwarf the amounts spent in West Tennessee by such past movie/television projects as "Walk the Line," "The Firm" and "The People vs. Larry Flynt." The series director will be London-born Roland Joffe, a two-time Oscar nominee (for "The Killing Fields" and "The Mission") who previously worked with Greif on the recent History Channel miniseries "Texas Rising."

New Music: Silk – Only Takes One

YKIGS FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Silk Quiet Storm Album Cover

R&B group Silk are preparing to release their return album “Quiet Storm” this March as part of a month packed full of grea...b releases, and they give us another taste of the album with the song “Only Takes One”. On the slow jam ballad, the group shows another part of their artistry in comparison to the albums first single, the uptempo “Love 4 U 2 Like Me”.

This will be Silk’s first album in over a decade, and it’s set to release on March 18th, 2016 on Shanachie Entertainment / Silk Entertainment. All five original members have reunited to release the album and tour together in support of it.

We recently caught up with the group ... interview, and they gave us the scoop on what to expect on “Quiet Storm”.

Silk (Gary “Big G” Glenn): I think they’ll get Silk 2016. We made music that feels good to us and that’s kinda the way we’ve done our music throughout our careers. We’ve been fortunate that the music that’s felt good to us has also felt good to our fans. Without oversimplifying it, sticking to that formula should feel to the fans like it feels good to us.

David Hasselhoff Dives Into BaywatchMovie; All Is Now Right in the World

By
Britain's Got Talent - Press Launch
Hoff. Photo: Ian Gavan/2011 Getty Images

In a move that everybody should've seen coming, David Hasselhoff finally joined Dwayne Johnson's Baywatch. The announcement came late Wednesday via social media, where Johnson called Hoff the original Baywatch gangsta and described the R-rated reboot, due in 2017, as Avengers-meets-Anchorman.

Details on Hoff's role are unclear (Johnson is already playing Buchannon), but he joins Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, and Hannibal Buress in what is already shaping up to be a pop-culture crown jewel. "[Hoff]'s been training his ass off and gotten in the best shape he's been in in years!" Johnson wrote in his posts.

"Cue slo-mo running and glistening chest hair .. wait, why the f*ck am I even thinking about Hoff's chest hair!?" Not sure, but keep the sunglasses to guard against the glint:

Dwayne The Rock Johnson

"I WAS BORN READY!" Pleasure to officially welcome the original‪#‎BAYWATCH‬ gangsta himself David Hasselhoff to our movie! #BAYWATCH is the most successful TV show of all time and from the day we announced we were turning it into a movie, "The Hoff" has been our greatest supporter. Especially once he knew our RATED R movie was going to be a combination of AVENGERS meets ANCHORMAN....

Hoff's a cool dude who's down to have fun and here's the best part.. He's been training his ass off and gotten in the best shape he's been in in years! (cue slo-mo running and glistening chest hair.. wait, why the f*ck am I even thinking about Hoff's chest hair!?) World get ready.. ‪#‎RockAndHoff‬‪#‎ThereAintNoBay‬ ‪#‎WithoutTheHoff‬

Ray LaMontagne on His New Record, Streaming Music, and Wincing When He Hears Trouble

March 4, 2016 4:12 p.m.

By

Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Ray LaMontagne sees music in colors. The melodies float down to him, no matter whether he’s in or out of consciousness. His latest album,Ouroboros, a 40-minute sonic kaleidoscope incorporating blues, jazz, folk, and psychedelia, arrived in such fashion. “I could see them coming down in colors landing on my desk and they all fit together like a puzzle,” the soft-spoken, oft-reticent singer says of the dreamy songs’ birth. “It all just made sense.”

Working with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James as producer, LaMontagne envisioned Ouroboros as a distinct piece of music, albeit one constructed in two parts, in the vein of a vinyl record. The singer-songwriter, who took something of a left turn with 2014’s sonically adventurous Supernova, admits he’s gotten past the point of appeasing his fans; many contemporary listeners, he concedes, no longer have the patience anyway to digest a full album in one sitting. “It’s really sad,” LaMontagne says in a conversation touching on the culture of distraction, musical inspiration, and why he can’t stomach his early albums. “I feel like they’re just missing out on so much.”

Ouroboros feels of a piece with classic concept albums like Dark Side of the Moon and Pet Sounds, ones best consumed in one sitting.
That’s really my hope. It’s a lot to ask these days, but a lot of the guys of my generation, that’s how we listened to music; that’s what pulled us in. Albums like this that had a long arc and a lot of space, they just pulled you in and let your imagination just go. Really just go into this other place.

You’ve described the creative process for this album as almost being this fever dream of inspiration.
I had just gotten off the road touring real hard for Supernova. It was a difficult tour. It was hard. Fans of my music were taken aback a little bit by this side of me for some reason. The intensity of the reaction was something I didn’t expect. It was strange.

When people connect with an artist at a particular point in their life they want them to stay frozen in time.
Oh, yes. You get pressure and pushback from everybody. From your own team to the record label. I hate to sound combative about it, but you have to just draw a line in the sand and be willing to take whatever happens — be willing to accept that RCA might drop me. You have to believe in yourself and how you see your career. I’ve always done that. I’m not afraid to say no to things, to not be part of the scene really. There’s a lot of the music business that doesn’t really feed me spiritually. I don’t like to go to parties. I don’t like to be seen at music places where there are photographers. It doesn’t make me feel good. It’s the work that is fulfilling to me. When I’m 80 years old I want to be able to look back and say, “I dedicated myself to this art form and I pushed myself and I did good work.”

How did this album come together?
After I had gotten off the road, I went home and just decompressed for a couple weeks. I just felt that hole, that creative current pulling at me. So I started writing again immediately. When I write I spend every day in my space: I start at about seven in the morning and I don’t finish until about 10:30 at night. I just make myself available. I don’t have anything intentional in mind. Most of the time, I’m just sitting there in quiet, listening to any bits and pieces that come filtering down, these melodies that come to me. I had probably been in that state of making myself available for about a month or so and these little bits of pieces of melodies were coming down, lyrics were coming down, and then I had a really intense difficult night’s sleep. I had very, very vivid dreams. You know how if you’re driving cross-country by yourself from the East Coast, by the time you hit the Rockies, driving is all you’re thinking about — you dream about it. That’s what happened. I was still working on songs when I laid down to sleep. My mind won’t stop. I’m thinking of all these bits and pieces and how they can fit together and what’s a lead and what’s a false lead. The muse, for lack of a better word, that creative energy is very playful. It’s very tricky. It likes to give you false leads. It’s like Peter Pan.

Peter Pan?
Yah. That’s probably the best way to describe it. If Peter Pan comes to your window and starts tapping and he says, “I want to play hide and seek,” and you say, “Nah. I don’t want to play hide and seek. I want to play checkers,” he’s going to split. Because he’s kind of selfish and he just wants to do what he wants to do. He won’t come back for ten years, so when he comes to the window and starts tapping, you just go with him. You let him lead the way. You let that playful creativity take you where it wants it go. That’s what I did with the Supernova and with this album as well. That night when I had that really vivid and difficult night’s sleep, I was working on things and I could see all the melodies. I feel them coming down when I’m writing; they’re coming from somewhere in space down to me. I could see them coming down in colors landing on my desk and they all fit together like a puzzle. I woke up with a really splitting headache, but also this sort of rush of “I get it! This flows into this and this fits into here.” From there, it was just a matter of following the emotion of the melodies and putting them where they wanted to be.

You’re a vinyl junkie. How does that impact your creative process?
This album was written as one piece, with vinyl as the canvas. That’s just how I think. When I think of music and I think of an album I always think of vinyl: 20–23 minutes per side, unless you’re really pushing it. And it’s just perfect. I also love when you’re listening to vinyl the experience of having a Side One and then a very distinct moment where everything stops. You have to turn the record. That means there has to be some drama there within that 20–23 minutes. You’re going into another experience.

It’s no secret that contemporary listeners typically stream music. Listening to albums in their entirety is becoming a thing of the past. Does that trouble you?
I didn’t think about it during the process of writing. I didn’t really think about it in the recording of the album. It was when it was finished and we had listened to it a couple times together — myself and Jim [James], the band and some friends — that’s when the questions started to come up. We thought, Oh man! This is going to be challenging for people, maybe.But at the same time, we were hopeful. Guys of mine and Jim’s generation, we know this format. We dig it. But it’s the younger listeners who I think might need a little bit of encouragement. It would be great if it gets kids to maybe chill a little bit.

I was psyched to see you worked with Jim James on Ouroboros. If Supernova was indeed a creative leap, than Jim, being sonically adventurous himself, is perhaps the best person to assist you in continuing that journey.
That’s exactly true. We’ve talked about doing this for years. When we were finally in the studio making the record, when we were really keyed into it, we knew the sounds that we wanted, there were several moments when we looked at each other and said, “It’s so good that we didn’t do this before. It’s so good that this is happening right now with this piece of music because it’s perfect for us.”

You seem to be a very self-aware man. How do you feel when you look back at your early, fame-making albums?
I can’t even listen to Trouble because all I hear is a much younger me manhandling the process. I hear that on the first record, the second record, the third record. There are little moments that start to come through as the records progress, but mostly I just hear myself manhandling it. I’m trying too hard. I’m trying to shape the songs too much. I’m singing too hard. I’m pushing too hard. But when you’re just learning, that’s something you have to go through before you figure it out. I felt like with Supernova, when I listen to that album, all I hear is magic. I hear myself completely out of the way, just letting the songs dictate. They tell me what they want. I follow them. It’s their game.

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Reply #121 posted 03/05/16 10:37am

JoeBala

Star Wars: R2-D2 original builder Tony Dyson dies

Professor Tony DysonImage copyrightTony DysonImage captionR2-D2 was one of the very first droids to be honoured in the Carnegie Mellon University Robot Hall of Fame and topped a poll to find the world's favourite robot

Professor Tony Dyson, who built the original Star Wars R2-D2 droid, has died on the Maltese island of Gozo.

The 68-year-old Briton was found by police after a neighbour called them, concerned his door was open.

He is thought to have died of natural causes. A post-mortem is being carried out to determine cause of death.

Dyson was commissioned to make eight R2-D2 robots for the film series. He said working on it was "one of the most exciting periods of my life".

The look of R2-D2 was created by the conceptual designer Ralph McQuarrie who also created Darth Vader, Chewbacca and C-3PO.

Prof Dyson, who owned The White Horse Toy Company, was commissioned to make eight models plus the master moulds and an additional head.

He made four remote control units - two units for the actor Kenny Baker to sit in with a seat fitted inside and two throw away units to be used in a bog scene in Empire Strikes Back where a monster spits out the droid onto dry land, from the middle of the swamp.

Professor Tony DysonImage copyrightTony DysonImage captionProfessor Tony Dyson spent five months building the original eight R2-D2 robots

Prof Dyson also worked on Superman ll, Moonraker and Dragon Slayer, and was nominated for an Emmy for his film special effects supervision.

For the Bond film Moonraker he created 36 model spacemen complete with backpacks, laser guns and space suits for the space scene.

He also directed the special effects filming of Hector the evil robot in Saturn 3 - a science fiction film starring Kirk Douglas, Farrah Fawcett and Harvey Keitel.

Among his other film work included designing and producing 35 feet of latex human intestines, used in the dream scene for the 1980 Ken Russell film Altered States starring William Hurt; and working on the giant robot dragon in 1981's Dragon Slayer.

He also designed and built robots for some of the largest electronic companies in the world including Sony, Philips and Toshiba as well as for a number of TV commercials and leisure parks around the world.

The first pictures from Tim Burton's "Miss Peregrine's" movie are here and they're perfectly creepy

Tim Burton’s upcoming Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children has everything a movie should have—fantasy, adventure, unusual family dynamics, romance and… creepy-looking characters. Of course, we should expect nothing less from the acclaimed director, who’s given us some of our fave movies ever, like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.


Now, the first pictures from his latest film are here, and their creep factor—an “11” on a scale from 1-10—shouldn’t surprise any of us. Let’s just say that the twins from The Shining were nothing compared to the ones in Burton’s new flick, which includes actors such as Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris O’Dowd, and Dame Judi Dench.

Miss Peregrine

Butterfield plays 16-year-old Jake, who has nightmares after a family tragedy. His therapist suggests he goes overseas to find the abandoned orphanage where his late grandfather supposedly lived. (Just that idea alone gave us chills.) But it’s not a normal orphanage… it’s a magical, albeit spooky, place, aka Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, where the kids possess unusual powers.

Eva Green plays their guardian, a shape-shifter otherwise known as an ymbryne, and she protects them from hungry monsters. “She’s like a scary Mary Poppins, and she can turn into a bird,” Burton said.

Dame Judi Dench is in the film, too, and plays Miss Avocet. “In the peculiar world, women are the protectors,” Burton said. “Miss Avocet is the head of another peculiar school. But, much like the bird in her name, she’s a bit more of a nervous, flighty energy than Miss Peregrine.”

Oh, and did we mention that time moves in an unreal way? No surprise, right?

And what would a fantasy-adventure be without romance?! Jake finds himself drawn to Emma (Ella Purnell). But the catch? In an earlier life, she had known Jake’s grandfather.

Eva Green

The movie is based on the 2011 novel by Ransom Riggs, and Jane Goldman wrote the screenplay. Riggs even had vintage photos in the book, some from flea markets. “They’re quite compelling,” Burton said. “They remind me of old horror movies, or dreams.”

Peregrine

The film is set to be in U.S. theaters on Sept. 30 and you can watch the trailer here. But don’t say we didn’t warn you… once you watch, just like Jake in the movie, it’ll be hard to get the characters out of your head.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

SC: KRS-One Will Headline 2016 Hip-­Hop Family Day In Columbia

Posted by UPTOWN on Mar 3, 2016

UPTOWN_krs_one

Love, Peace & Hip-Hop is proud to announce KRS-One, Hip-Hop’s master teacher and international ambassador, as the headliner for the FREE Hip-Hop Family Day in downtown Columbia, SC on April 9, 2016. KRS-One will play a full set of Hip-Hop classics that spans 20 years, live on Main Street.

UPTOWN_LPHH_krs_one_hip_hop_family_day

Presented by The City of Columbia and WellCare Healthy Connections, the fourth annual Hip-Hop Family Day will bring the amazingly creative art form of Hip-Hop to Main Street through hands-on art exhibits, educational activities, live music, dance performances, and more. In addition to food, fun, and music, Love Peace & Hip-Hop annually donates all soft drink and water proceeds to two non-profit organizations that offer direct services to the community.

UPTOWN_LPHH_mobb_deep_scarface

Two more concerts to benefit Love, Peace & Hip-Hop will occur in March:

  • March 9th — Love Peace & Hip-Hop Benefit with Mobb Deep
  • March 26th — Love Peace & Hip-Hop Benefit with Scarface

Visit Love, Peace & Hip-Hop for more information on KRS-One’s FREE Hip-Hop Family Day concert and Mobb Deep’s and Scarface’s fast-approaching performances.

ALBUM: Dion, ‘New York is My Home’

I like to think that I’m above quoting press releases, but my personal idol Bruce Spingsteen indicated that Dion is the connection between Frank Sinatra and rock ‘n’ roll. This is pretty accurate. Dion and the Belmonts were able to take the crooning and doo wop associated with the likes of Eddie Fisher and Sinatra and add a bit of Buddy Holly flair in terms of musicianship.

To this day, Dion’s best remembered as the man who sang “Runaround Sue” and “Teenager in Love,” but it’s important not to forget his retooling in the late ’60s as a more mature artist that reinforced his talent. (There was also that born-again Christian phase he went through, but we’re not here to talk about that.) In between was the folk phase required of pretty much any artist in the ’60s; in summation, Dion is a versatile guy who’s conquered a lot of musical ground.

Dion’s most recent reinvention has seen him try to become a blues singer, and to put it generously, it’s an awkward fit. To put it less generously, it’s something he needs to stop doing before he embarrasses himself further. His new album, New York is My Home, suffers from three fundamental problems: the songs are too long, precious little of the album has anything to do with New York, and I don’t buy anything he’s saying.

In “Can’t Go Back to Memphis,” Dion spends four-and-a-half minutes singing a blues song where he tries to convince us that he was an outlaw in Memphis where “all the po-lice know my name.” It doesn’t work, and the absurdity of him trying to claim this is driven home by “New York is My Home” as the next song on the album. “New York is My Home” is an album highlight, a solid duet with Paul Simon about their home city, that worked as a single but feels like a square peg in this album. In “Gangster of Love,” he tries to perform a bad-boy love song where he anoints himself the titular gangster who drives a Caddy and “puts away his rivals — rat tat tat,” at which point he stops sounding like a pop icon and more like a vice principal who shoehorned himself into a high-school talent show.

Most songs on this album range between three and a half to four minutes, and it can be difficult — almost awkward — to sit through each song.

Reinvention is important in any artistic medium. Taking risks is necessary. It’s why Tom Waits was able to become something other than a wannabe lounge singer, and what made David Bowie, well, David Bowie. It’s been genuinely happening with Lady Gaga over the past year or so as well. Doing the same thing over and over again gets tiresome, and precious few people can get away with it. But if the audience can’t buy it, it’s all for naught. White Blues Singer is a tricky part to fill, and it’s done most successfully by people who staked it out early, such as Eric Clapton. Maybe it’s because we know too much about Dion, but him — an established singer in his mid 70s — as a blues singer just doesn’t connect the way his work in other musical arenas has in the past. There’s an argument to be made that’s he’s always sung the blues on some level, but lyrical content doesn’t translate to brand new genres.

On a technical level, everything is excellent. The musicianship is top notch, the production is consistent, and Dion’s vocals are still pretty solid for a man in his mid 70s. There’s no lack of emotion nor effort, and I don’t want to give the impression for one second that anyone is phoning it in on this album. The album is produced in part by Jimmy Vivino, best known as Conan O’Brien’s band leader, and he does a phenomenal job. Everything sounds great and sounds right, but that still doesn’t fix the main problem of believability, or in this case, the quintessential suspension of belief. Dion’s still a talented guy. It’s great that he’s still making music. He just needs to find a persona that better suits him.

Get Dion’s New York is My Home on Amazon.

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Reply #122 posted 03/06/16 8:39am

JoeBala

What to watch on Sunday, March 6...

7:30pm, Fox
Bob’s Burgers
The Belchers vote on whether to upgrade the family furniture in “Sacred Couch.” Unhappy with the outcome, Louise decides the democratic approach is for chumps and takes matters into her own hands.


8pm, ABC
Once Upon a Time
The gang arrives in the Underworld in “Souls of the Departed,” the series' 100th episode, but their quest to rescue Hook proves fraught with more peril than they expected of a plan where step one is “descend into the Underworld.” In an Enchanted Forest flashback, Regina receives a birthday present from an old acquaintance.


8pm, Fox
The Simpsons
Saving the life of a raccoon inspires Lisa to devote her life to animal medicine in “Lisa the Veterinarian.” But she sees the more painful side of the job when when the neglected class hamster goes to that big running-wheel in the sky. In other vocations, Marge picks up a little cash and a lot of emotional scars when she moonlights as a crime scene cleaner.


8pm, CBS
Madam Secretary
“Hijriyyah” gives Elizabeth a chance to question a Libyan refugee who claims to know the whereabouts of the world’s most wanted terrorist. Gosh, next to that, Stevie introducing her boyfriend to her parents seems downright low-pressure by comparison.


8pm Eastern, BYUtv
Relative Race
Four married couples criss-cross the country and complete a variety of challenges, all in pursuit of previously unknown family members (and the $25,000 grand prize can’t hurt either) in this new reality competition series.


SERIES FINALE, 9pm, PBS
Downton Abbey
The period drama takes its final bow with Edith receiving an offer of marriage, Thomas receiving an offer of employment, Carson receiving a health scare, and the Dowager Countess receiving dirt on Spratt. Elsewhere, Tom and Henry go into business while Anna goes into labor.


TIMESLOT PREMIERE, 9pm, ABC
The Family
Adam and Hank each readjust to life among the free in “All You See is Dark,” but an encounter between the two dredges up decade-old demons for Hank. Meanwhile, Danny unintentionally tips off a reporter about his suspicions, and Nina leads a squad into the woods to investigate the site of Adam’s captivity.


9pm, AMC
The Walking Dead
“Not Tomorrow Yet” finds Rick and the gang trying to keep the peace in Alexandria, because that’s something these people are absolutely qualified to do. Oh, wait, it involves battling a new enemy? That actually is in their wheelhouse. Sarcasm withdrawn.


9pm, CBS
The Good Wife
Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Fox assembles the grand jury against Peter in “Hearing,” although every time he tries to do that by saying “Grand Jurors: Assemble!” everybody just glares at him. As Mike Tascioni tries to suss out what the charges in question are, Alicia and Jason find their quiet weekend plans foiled by a flock of Florricks.


9pm, Showtime
Shameless
Now that she’s living with Sean, Fiona is determined to get his son Will to like her in “Be a Good Boy. Come for Grandma.” But just as she begins to make some headway, the lad gets ahold of one of Carl’s guns, infuriating Sean and potentially costing him parental custody.


9pm, HBO
Vinyl
Richie schmoozes funk superstar Hannibal in “The Racket,” but he’s far less amiable towards Devon in their counseling session. Meanwhile, Zack and Scott reconsider their futures now that the Polygram deal has fallen through, the Nasty Bits seek a new manager, and Skip struggles to move some bootlegs.


9pm, Fox
Family Guy
In “A Lot Going On Upstairs,” Stewie’s sleep troubles spur Peter to convert the attic into a play space for himself and the fellas, must to Lois’s consternation. As for the youngest Griffin, he builds a device to help him enter and conquer his nightmares directly. Glenn Close guest stars.


SPRING PREMIERE, 9:30pm, Fox
The Last Man on Earth
After plopping back down on Earth, Mike is convinced that he’s the Last Man on Earth (hey, that’s the name of the show!) in “Pitch Black.”


10pm, ABC
Quantico
“Alex” finds our protagonist testifying on the Hill about the terrorist bombings, and this problem is certain to be solved quickly and efficiently now that Congress has gotten involved. At Quantico, Alex and her classmates greet a new batch of NATS.


10pm, Showtime
Billions
Axe feels taxed in “The Punch,” while Chuck takes a tack to make good use of the past.


10pm, CBS
CSI: Cyber
A vigilante is offing the most obnoxiously offensive social media users in “5 Deadly Sins,” and the Cyber team is contractually required to put a stop to that. Jamie-Lynn Sigler guest stars as a content moderator… or could she actually be the vigilante, going by the not-so-intimidating moniker of the Content Moderator?


10pm, HBO
Girls
Everything’s coming up Shoshanna in “Japan,” what with her successful job and flirty boss. Back in the States, Hannah is taken aback by something she finds on Fran’s phone, and Jessa shares feedback on Adam’s TV crime drama performance.


10:30pm, HBO
Togetherness
While Brett and Alex head out of town to revisit their roots in “Advanced Pretend,” Tina helps Michelle look after the kids and keep Christy at bay.


12am, Cartoon Network
The Venture Bros.
The latest supervillains to take an arching crack at Dr. Venture are an avant-garde artsy bunch in “It Happening One Night.” Elsewhere, Hank hopes to get lucky in love, if only those darn ninjas would stop interfering.

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Reply #123 posted 03/06/16 9:22am

JoeBala

GLAAD Media Awards 2016: Demi Lovato To Be Honored At 27th Event Ceremony

Demi Sings
Singer Demi Lovato performs at a campaign event for U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Iowa City, Iowa, United States, January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young

Since Demi Lovato opened up about her personal struggles with mental disorders a couple of years ago, she has become an example for every single one of the young minds out there that like to listen to her music. With her latest album, “Confident,” the 23-year-old singer embraces her new self and invites her fans and followers to the same.

GLAAD, the world’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, announced today it will honor the multi-platinum selling recording artist at the 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton on April 2, 2016. For the first time in nearly a decade, the ceremony will be televised exclusively on Logo in a one-hour special premiering Monday, April 4 at 10PM ET/PT.

Lovato will receive GLAAD's Vanguard Award, which is presented to media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance. Previous Vanguard Award honorees include Kerry Washington, Jennifer Lopez, Kristin Chenoweth, Charlize Theron, Elizabeth Taylor, Antonio Banderas, Drew Barrymore, Janet Jackson, and Sharon Stone.

Throughout her career, the former Disney star has tirelessly spoken out in support of full acceptance for LGBT people. She also has publicly celebrated her late gay grandfather, who came out in the 1960s, and whose courage she cites as a driving force compelling her to “speak out and stand up for what I believe in.”

“Demi Lovato has consistently used her platform as a successful artist to send messages of acceptance and support to LGBT people everywhere,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “She is an extraordinary ally who is committed to helping young people embrace who they are and live the lives they love.”

Demi has previously participated in LGBT pride celebrations in Los Angeles and New York. Her music video for "Really Don't Care” was filmed at L.A. Pride, and included strong messages of acceptance for LGBT people. In 2013, she brought to life a lesbian character on FOX's hit show “Glee” and noted she hoped to “inspire people with my character to love who they are and accept who they are.”

Britney Spears Poses for Mario Testino’s Personal Photo Project, ‘Towel Series’

Renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino’s recent collaboration with The Legendary Miss Britney Spears spawned one of her greatest photoshoots in over a decade for V Magazine, but their creative partnership didn’t end there.

As part of Testino’s ongoing personal project called Towel Series, Brit Brit sat for one of her Most Personal Portraits to Date wearing only a few towels.

That’s right: It’s Towelney, bitch.

“I think girls and guys feel this freedom at being able to express themselves because there is no predetermined way of how they should put the towel on. You can do anything you want…wear it however you want,” Testino explains on the project’s official page.

In contrast to the fierce, high fashion looks Brit delivered in the V spread, her Towel Series shot offers a stunning, stripped-back look at the sensual seductress, seen serving an over-the-shoulder “Do you dare?” look. (Curious, now available now at Kohl’s.)

Britney now joins a whole host of models, moguls and entertainers who have also posed for Testino’s project, including Kristen Stewart, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Anna Wintour and more. Check ’em out below.

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Mario Testino's Towel Series.  <a href=http://sketch42blog.com/2...el-series/ … @mariotestino #models #fashion #style:" />

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FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY Towel Series by Mario Testino. Fall 2014.:

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Miranda Kerr No. 11 in Mario Testino's "Towel Series":

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Selena Gomez No. 73 in Mario Testino's "Towel Series":

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Jourdan Dunn Gets Her Closeup for Mario Testino’s “Towel Series”:

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Joan Smalls is the Latest Model to Star in Mario Testinos Towel Series:

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If the Spearit moves you, grab your towels and join B-Girl in the “Womanizer” steam room.

Britney Womanizer

New York’s first supermodel died alone in an insane asylum

Model Audrey Munson with sculptor Daniel Chester French.

Reed Tucker New York Post

SHE was known as “the most perfect model,” and in her heyday one headline proclaimed, ‘All New York Bows to the Real Miss Manhattan.’

She earned the name not just because she was the toast of the town in the 1910s, but because her perfectly proportioned face and body inspired numerous works of sculpture that still stand in Manhattan, Brooklyn and The Bronx today.

One contemporary account concluded that Audrey Munson “posed for more public works than anyone” — at least a dozen of which are still on public display. New Yorkers may not know it, but they see Munson everywhere.

Her face and body were the basis for “Civic Fame,” the statue that stands atop the Municipal Building at 1 Centre St, as well as the figure of Columbia adorning the USS Maine National Monument in Columbus Circle and the “Spirit of Commerce” angel at the northern base of the Manhattan Bridge.

That’s her likeness lounging above the front door of the Frick and coyly tucked in a niche outside the New York Public Library’s main branch. She is the face of Pomona, the Roman goddess of abundance, on the Pulitzer Fountain at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue, across from the Plaza Hotel.

“She was the first supermodel — and the first model to have a standing in society,” says Diane Rozas, co-author of American Venus: The Extraordinary Life of Audrey Munson, Model and Muse.

The Maine Memorial Monument at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park.

The Maine Memorial Monument at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park.Source:Supplied

Munson was born in Rochester in 1891. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she moved with her mother to Manhattan. While walking down Broadway, the 15-year-old was approached by a photographer who asked to take her picture. Another version of the story has Munson being hit by a car carrying a sculptor who took a liking to her.

Either way, Munson was introduced to artist Isidore Konti, and she quickly became an in-demand figure model. Although the jobs required nudity, neither Munson nor her mother, hard up for money, objected.

Her new fame led to an acting contract. The 1915 silent movie Inspiration found Munson stripping down on camera — the first time nudity was shown in a non-pornographic film. She appeared in more pictures and was making “lots of money,” which her estranged father complained she was spending “like water.”

In 1919, it all collapsed when Munson became entangled in a sensational criminal case. Her former landlord, Dr. Walter Keene Wilkins, was arrested for the murder of his wife. Wilkins claimed she had been killed by burglars, but police discovered holes in his story.

The motive, police claimed, was that Wilkins was desperate to marry Munson, with whom he’d become obsessed after she lived at his property on West 65th Street.

Wilkins was found guilty and sentenced to death. The resulting publicity ruined Munson’s career, and she later moved to small-town Mexico, NY, where her mother sold silverware door to door to support them.

She began acting more erratically, reportedly calling herself “Baroness Audrey Meri Munson-Monson,” and in 1922 she attempted suicide by OD’ing on mercury bichloride pills.

She recovered, but in 1931 was committed to an asylum in Ogdensburg, New York. The model lived there until her death in 1996 at age 104. All but forgotten, she was buried in an unmarked grave.

“What becomes of the artists’ models?” Munson wrote in a 1921 newspaper column. “I am wondering if many of my readers have not stood before a masterpiece of lovely sculpture ... and asked themselves the question, ‘Where is she now, this model who was so beautiful?’”

Audrey Munson in 1915. Picture: Library of Congress

Audrey Munson in 1915. Picture: Library of CongressSource:Supplied

This article first appeared in the New York Post.

Kaley Cuoco: ‘Of course I’m a fu**ing feminist’

Kaley Cuoco is fired up.

Jaclyn Hendricks New York Post

NEWLY single Kaley Cuoco has a thing or two to say about being a feminist.

“Of course I’m a fu**ing feminist. Look at me. I bleed feminism,” the Big Bang Theory star shared in the April issue of Cosmopolitan.

Cuoco, 30, came under fire last January following remarks she made to Red Bookmagazine, citing she was “never a feminist girl demanding equality.”

Though the actress did apologise,~~ she views the term differently now.

“I get equal pay to my male co-stars on a big show, I have my own home, I’m as independent as you could possibly be,” she said.

Kaley Cuoco for Cosmopolitan Magazine. Picture: Eric Ray Davidson/Cosmopolitan

Kaley Cuoco for Cosmopolitan Magazine. Picture: Eric Ray Davidson/CosmopolitanSource:Supplied

The blonde beauty, who filed for divorce from Ryan Sweeting just 18 months after tying the knot, also disclosed the experience forever shifted her view of marriage.

“[What happened] changes the way I look at marriage, and that makes me sad,” Cuoco revealed.

“It does not change the way I look at love.”

Cuoco once again denied that she’s in a relationship with Johnny Galecki.

Cuoco once again denied that she’s in a relationship with Johnny Galecki.Source:Supplied

As for the restless rumours that she and her Big Bang co-star Johnny Galecki are back together, Cuoco admitted that she isn’t ready to jump into another relationship.

“Johnny and I are very close now, but the worst part about that is I don’t want stories like that, especially during the divorce, to hurt my ex.

We have nods with each other. Johnny and I do this thing like a nod that says, ‘I got you. I get it,’” she added.

“I cannot wait to be in love again. I don’t feel like I am ready yet … which is so different for me. I dive into everything.”

Cover girl. Picture: Eric Ray Davidson/Cosmopolitan

Cover girl. Picture: Eric Ray Davidson/CosmopolitanSource:Supplied

Reduce the screen’s brightness, and five other ways to make your phone battery last longer

Make your battery last longer.

Maryse Farag The Sun

IT’S amazing how mobile battery technology is still underwhelming despite a number of us carrying the latest top-notch gadgets.

Your phone’s battery will last depending on which model you’ve got and other factors.

But here are six tips to keep any phone running for longer especially when you’re out and about.

1. Turn down the brightness of your screen

It seems obvious, but the lower the brightness, the less battery usage and it really does make a difference.

All you’ve got to do is go to your settings and turn the brightness to Auto-Brightness which adjusts to indoor and outdoor lighting.

Or you can even manually dim it to a level you’re happy with.

2. Shorter screen time-out

Set the screen “time-out” to take effect after the shortest amount possible

On iPhones, it can be found in Settings > General > Auto-Lock.

3. Use Airplane Mode

If you know you’re in an area with no signal, you might as well put your phone on Airplane Mode.

Turn your Airplane Mode on in areas where you have no signal.

Turn your Airplane Mode on in areas where you have no signal.

4. Turn off Bluetooth

Bluetooth drains your battery fast, so only use it when you need to.

Only use your Bluetooth when you need to.

Only use your Bluetooth when you need to.

5. Close unused apps running in the background

They’re the biggest culprits of using up your battery life even when you’re not using them.

So turn them off when you’re finished.

For those with iPhones, just double tap the home button and swipe up on the apps to turn them off.

6. Turn off vibrate

Believe it or not, the vibrate function uses more battery than a ringtone.

This story originally appeared on The Sun.

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Reply #124 posted 03/07/16 9:05am

JoeBala


What to watch on Monday, March 7...


U.S. SERIES PREMIERE, 12:01am Pacific, Netflix
Cuckoo
Andy Samberg stars in the first season of this British comedy, in which a Staffordshire couple learns their daughter has married a ne’er-do-well Yank while on her gap year before med school.


12:01am Pacific, Hulu
11/22/63
Jake and Bill’s partnership splinters even as they find more pieces of the Oswald puzzle in “The Eyes of Texas.” Things with Sadie are going much more smoothly, though Jake can’t help but fear that the romance has put her in harm’s way.


SERIES PREMIERE, 8pm, Smithsonian
Major League Legends
This four-part series profiles some of the most towering figures in baseball history, beginning with George Herman “Babe” Ruth. Journalists, academics, sports figures and others weigh in on the life and career of the record-setting slugger. Martin Sheen narrates.


8pm, The CW
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
“Josh Is Going to Hawaii!” finds Rebecca learning about Josh’s conflicted feelings for her and Greg struggling to work with Heather post-breakup. More romantically confident is Darryl, who spreads word of his newly realized bisexuality far and wide.


8pm, Freeform
The Fosters
“Sixteen” finds Mariana and Jesus at odds over how heartily to party for their birthdays, while Callie and Brandon reach an agreement not to bring their significant others home. In altogether brighter spirits is Jude, who looks forward to a weekend stay with Connor.


8pm, Fox
Gotham
Gordon, Bullock, and Barnes hope that Nora Fries can help them locate her supervillain spouse in “A Dead Man Feels No Cold.” I’m no detective, but they might want to check the ominous abandoned cold-storage facility with the ice gargoyles out front. In other mythology-advancing business, the Penguin meets Hugo Strange, and Alfred reveals to Bruce more details about his parents’ murder.


8:30pm, TBS
American Dad!
Stan is tasked with organizing the CIA calendar, which gives Hayley the opportunity to destroy it instead. Take that, CIA bake sale plans! Elsewhere in “The Devil Wears a Lapel Pin,” Roger goes to great lengths to evade his credit card debt.


SEASON 4 PREMIERE, 9pm, A&E
Bates Motel
“A Danger to Himself and Others” finds Norman in an unfamiliar environment, and Norma on the lookout for him. Meanwhile, Dylan awaits word about Emma and Romero receives an unexpected proposition.


SEASON 8 PREMIERE, 9pm, Logo
RuPaul’s Drag Race
The series prepares to celebrate its 100th episode and its 100th queen as the new season gets underway.


DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE, 9pm, HBO
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
The winner of this year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject tells the story of a young Pakistani woman who survived her family’s attempted “honor killing.” The film also examines the myriad issues and conditions faced by women in Pakistan


9pm, The CW
Jane the Virgin
Petra frets that Rafael has resumed his womanizing ways, unaware that he’s also helping Michael locate a key figure in the Mutter matter. Meanwhile in “Chapter Thirty-Six,” Rogelio must elude his assistant/stalker, and Jane springs into action when Petra goes into labor.


9pm, Syfy
The Magicians
Brakebills is in turmoil after Penny is attacked by someone she trusted in “The Strangled Heart.” Elsewhere, Quentin looks for a connection to the Beast while Julia looks to kick magic for good at a rehab facility.


9pm, TBS
Angie Tribeca
With Tribeca on a lieutenant-mandated holiday, Tanner and Geils investigate a murder on a golf course in “Tribeca’s Day Off.” Veteran golf course authority Bill Murray guest stars.


9pm, TNT
Major Crimes
The squad discovers more connections between the past and present victims in “Hindsight Part 4,” but it probably won’t be enough to solve the case yet since there’s one more episode to go in this arc. Meanwhile, Cooper and Amy Sykes are drawn into a firefight, and Sharon gains the upper hand against Rev. Price, his lawyer, and Mark Hickman.


9pm, Fox
Lucifer
To track down the contents of his stolen container, Lucifer teams up with an unlikely ally. (But I’m guessing not, like, God unlikely.) Elsewhere in “Wingman,” Chloe’s probe of the Palmetto case turns up pivotal new information.


9pm, Freeform
Recovery Road
In “Sick As Our Secrets,” Maddie’s world is rocked after Ellie learns she’s in rehab, while Wes comes to wonder why Charlotte is demanding more updates on Maddie’s progress. Meanwhile, Wes, Vern, and Craig spend a productive afternoon together.


SERIES PREMIERE, 10pm, A&E
Damien
You ever have one of those days when you’re just doing your job and suddenly it dawns on you that you’re the Antichrist incarnate? That’s what happens to war photographer Damien Thorn as “The Beast Rises” kicks off this six-episode prequel to the 1976 horror classic The Omen.Bradley James, Barbara Hershey, and Robin Weigert star in the series, with The Walking Dead veteran Glen Mazzara at the helm.


10pm, NBC
Blindspot
A veteran goes on a shooting spree at a military base in “Scientists Hollow Fortune,” and the investigation leads the team to a diabolical scheme. What, you were expecting it to lead to a relatively simple outcome and an early jump on Taco Tuesday? Come to think of it, tacos don’t sound half bad right about now.


10pm, AMC
Better Call Saul
In “Gloves Off,” Jimmy inadvertently causes drama for Kim, while Mike carefully considers a highly profitable—yet highly risky—proposal. Might I humbly suggest Mike instead play it safe and get some tacos? Low risk, high reward.


10pm, ABC
Castle
“G.D.S.” sends Castle back to L.A. in search of answers about the time he missed for abduction-related reasons, and also in search of this killer taco joint in Boyle Heights that—y’know what? I’m not gonna be able to shake this taco fixation until I get some. Bear with me. … … Okay, much better. As I was saying, Castle’s SoCal sojourn takes a turn when the Greatest Detective Society enlists him to help solve a murder.


10pm, Syfy
Lost Girl
The gang must save a comrade despite being under lockdown in “Follow the Yellow Trick Road.” If you were to bet, based on that title, that the episode includes a Wizard of Oz-themed dream sequence, you would likely end up with some taco money tonight.


10pm, VH1
Hit the Floor
As Ahsha and Sloane compete with the clock and one another, Jude and Zero revisit Zero’s traumatic past. Elsewhere in “Killer Crossover,” Jelena makes a risky play, Kyle makes a confession, and Terrence makes amends. Hey, nothing says I’m sorry like apology tacos. Yes, I know I said I’d get off the taco thing, but it turns out eating some only makes you want more?


10:30pm, TBS
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Samantha examines the ramifications of the 2010 midterm elections, particularly in those states where Republicans gained control of the legislatures.


11pm, Syfy
Bitten
Elena plays prison guard to Konstantin, who’s attempting to discern her reasons for protecting Sasha in “A Quiet Dog.” Meanwhile, Jeremy looks to put an end to Sasha and Roman’s decades-old feud, and you know what really brings people together? Little powdered donuts. What, you thought I was gonna say tacos? Geez, talk about a one-track mind.


LATE-NITE:
– Snoop Dogg and Steve Wozniak on Conan, 11pm, TBS
– Ilana Glazer & Abbi Jacobson on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, 11pm, Comedy Central
– Dave Attell on The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, 11:30pm, Comedy Central
– Will Arnett, Charles Barkley, and Max Greenfield on Late Show with Stephen Colbert, 11:35pm, CBS
– Naomi Watts, John Legend, and Eliot Sumner on Jimmy Kimmel Live, 11:35pm, ABC
– Queen Latifah, author David Walliams, and Elle King on The Late Late Show with James Corden, 12:37am, CBS

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Reply #125 posted 03/07/16 3:24pm

JoeBala

Neko Case, k.d. lang and ...Trio Album


The new group had its roots a number of years ago when lang sent an email to Case and Veirs proposing a joint project. Case said "She lit the flare. She shot it into the air and we said, ‘Let's do this.’ Laura and I both responded immediately. There was no question."

The new album contains fourteen new songs that the three women have written over the last 2-1/2 years. It was recorded in Portland under the guidance of Tucker Martine, who is Veris' husband at their backyard recording studio.

Lang started the writing process with Veirs as both lived in Portland. "I just wanted to do something different, something fun. We grappled with how to proceed in the beginning, because we thought scheduling with Neko, who lives in Vermont and is always on the road, would make it hard to get enough good songs written. We thought, should we do a cover record? But we all felt the strongest thing to do would be to try to write, so we persevered. Laura is such a prolific writer, so she really drove the songwriting, and it came together."


Veirs said "At first we thought what can we possibly write about, we don't even know each other. There were no themes. So k.d. and I were having trouble writing and went on a walk. We saw this firework stand and we started looking at the names of the different fireworks, and one of them was called ‘Delirium.’ We were like, ‘that's a good song title,’ and we started building."

Case then joined at a later date. Lang said "She came in and, of course, Neko has a way of making everything great" with Veirs adding "We were writing things like ‘the walls are falling in,’ you know, trying to find a way of saying this person is in a delirious state. She said ‘kaleidoscoping in,’ and I was like, that's it. One word and the chorus went from cliché to magical. As for k.d., she’s a living legend and an amazing editor. It was working with someone who is thinking in ways that I have never thought or been able to see. It was just so fun just to see that happen and to feel like, yeah, it's better with other people. That was a revelation for me, because I've been such a solo artist for so many years. I’m so grateful."

Neko is also thrilled with the collaboration. "I have such admiration for both of them. k.d. is on the superstar spectrum, and Laura is fully independent. It's a cool thing to bring those things together and see what people do. For me it was about just letting myself shut off and follow the melodies. They're both really talented at coming up with melodies, which are the hardest for me. It was like, ‘Oh. This is like giving me my own bumper car. Thank you."

lang added "The combination of spirits, the combination of artistry, is very unique, because we have definite similarities, but we are very, very different, and it creates a really interesting thing. It's a truly collaborative record where our individual essences are firmly in place."

k.d. lang began her career singing country music in her native Canada, coming to international attention with her album Angel With a Lariat and appearance at the closing ceremony of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. After a number of albums melding country and pop, lang moved in a different direction with her Grammy Award winning album Ingenue and its hit single Constant Craving. She has released twelve studio albums.

Neko Case had her big brake when she recorded vocals for the album Mass Romantic by the New Pornographers. While she continued to occassionally record with that group, she began her solo career in 1997 with The Virginian and has released eight critically acclaimed studio albums including Middle Cyclone (2009) and The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You (2013).

Laura Veirs didn't really get interested in music until her 20's when she joined the punk rock band Rair Kx! in Portland, OR. After graduating from college, she began to gravitate towards softer sounds, embracing both country and folk, resulting in her self-titled 1999 debut album. She has since recorded eight more albums including 2013'sWarp and Weft.

The track list:
  • Atomic Number
  • Honey and Smoke
  • Song for Judee
  • Blue Fires
  • Delirium
  • Greens of June
  • Behind the Armory
  • Best Kept Secret
  • 1,000 Miles Away
  • Supermoon
  • I Want to Be Here
  • Down I-5
  • Why Do We Fight
  • Georgia Stars
Tour dates:
  • 6/22 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey's
  • 6/23 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
  • 6/25 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
  • 6/26 - Laytonville, CA - Kate Wolf Music Festival
  • 6/28 - Victoria, B.C. - TD Victoria International Jazz Fest
  • 6/30 - Seattle, WA - Woodland Park Amphitheatre
  • 7/02 - Portland, OR - Oregon Zoo Amphitheatre
  • 7/05 - Bend, OR - Athletic Club of Bend
  • 7/07 - Reno, NV - Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater
  • 7/10 - Denver, CO - Denver Botanic Gardens
  • 7/22 - Newport, RI - Newport Folk Festival
  • 7/24 - Camden, NJ - XPoNential Music Festival
  • 7/26 - Brooklyn, NY - Prospect Park
  • 7/27 - Washington, D.C. - Lincoln Theatre
  • 7/29 - Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Botanical Garden
  • 8/02 - San Antonio, TX - Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
  • 8/03 - Austin, TX - Bass Performance Hall
  • 8/09 - Bayfield, WI - Big Top Chataqua
  • 8/14 - Winnipeg, MB - Interstellar Rodeo

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Reply #126 posted 03/07/16 5:24pm

JoeBala

Nancy Reagan’s passing reminds us she was once an actress

March 6, 20169:51 AM MST
The former first lady Nancy Reagan has died, at the age of 94. Reagan was married to President Ronald Reagan, who served in the White House from 1980 to 1988. A statement said: “Nancy Davis Reagan, former first lady of the United States, died this m...
Play
The former first lady Nancy Reagan has died, at the age of 94. Reagan was married to President Ronald Reagan, who served in the White House from 1980 to 1988.

Zilch! Nesmith says no to Monkees tour, but Tork says he's 'welcome anytime'

March 7, 201612:19 PM MST
Monkees Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz performing for fans on tours in 2012 and 2013.
Monkees Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz performing for fans on tours in 2012 and 2013.

Unseen John Lennon photos among rarities added to Beatles auction

March 6, 20167:19 PM MST
These items, plus the Beatles Decca audition disc, are among those in the upcoming Beatles Collection sale by Omega Auctions on March 22.
These items, plus the Beatles Decca audition disc, are among those in the upcoming Beatles Collection sale by Omega Auctions on March 22.
Omega Auctions

Review: Ace Frehley rips it up at Saban Theater

March 7, 20164:20 PM MST
Ace Frehley at the Saban Theater
Ace Frehley at the Saban Theater
Credit: Elliot Levin LA Hard Rock Examiner

Ace Frehley at Saban Theater
Rating: 5 Stars

Guitar legend Ace Frehley crushed the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills on Saturday night, packing in fans for an ear-blasting rock n’ roll assault of KISS classics and Ace solo favorites, played louder than hell and shouted out loud by all in attendance.

Opening the night was Lita Ford, no rock newbie herself. The Queen of Heavy Metal unleashed a tight and vicious set that paid ode to all eras of her music, throwing back to her ‘80s roots with Gotta Let Go and Blueberry, as well as an Elton John cover of The Bitch Is Back.

Lita was absolutely on top of her game, singing powerfully and rocking her bright yellow Mockingbird guitar on both rhythm and lead. Her riffs crunched and her solos sizzled, overpowering the Saban Theater in waves of ear-blasting distortion. Her band crunched along behind her, hitting a peak on new song Living Like A Runaway, also the title of her new autobiography - read my fascinating interview with Lita from last month right here.

Lita’s set finished with a one-two-three punch of The Runaways’ first single, Cherry Bomb, then Close My Eyes Forever, with Ozzy’s vocals provided by guitarist Patrick Kennison for the night’s most moving moments, and finished with a high-powered Kiss Me Deadly to close the hourlong set. The audience rose to their feet and rushed the stage like it was still the Whiskey a Go Go in 1984 as Lita wailed away on her guitar, rock n’ roll to the very core.

But it was Ace’s name atop the marquee outside, and the Spaceman absolutely delivered all that fans could want. Bouncing between KISS favorites and solo hits, he crunched through Rip It Out, Toys and Parasite before one of the night’s greatest moments, the always-awesome Love Gun. Drummer Scot Coogan handled Paul Stanley’s high octave vocals, leaving aviator-rocking Ace free to burn his way up and down the fretboard for the song’s lead guitar blitzkrieg.

Other highlights of Ace’s set included the speedy Snowblind, anthemic Rock Soldiers, and another KISS classic with Shock Me. Ace’s usual smoke bombs and strobing guitars offered fans a hint of the over-the-top KISS production without dipping into Gene and Paul’s usual cheese, making the guitar playing and riffs the focal point of the evening but still fully delivering on entertainment value.

In many ways, the show was reminiscent of the Megadeth concert that just hit LA last weekend at the Palladium (read Examiner Natalia Britt’s review here). Both shows featured guitar gods with colorfully troubled pasts, now clean and sober and touring from city to city to play guitar for lifelong fans as well as those first discovering their music. While the Megadeth crowd was perhaps a bit more rowdy, Ace’s fans held their own as he encored with Detroit Rock City and Deuce, once again bringing the crowd to their feet for the pure KISS music and none of the makeup.

Ace’s new album of covers, Origins Vol 1, hits shelves on April 15 and might be the best possible way to spend your tax refund. Featuring collaborations with Paul Stanley, Slash, and his tourmate Lita Ford, the guitarist delivers his own take on classic tracks from Cream, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and so many more, and is the best option to scratch your Ace-itch until the Spaceman returns to town again.

Rob Zombie and Korn reveal co-headlining tour details

March 7, 201612:14 PM MST
Rob Zombie + Korn team up for a new tour
Rob Zombie + Korn team up for a new tour
Photo from Live Nation
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Reply #127 posted 03/07/16 5:45pm

JoeBala

J.J. Abrams confirms Disney working on "cool" Star Wars projects

March 7, 20169:20 AM MST
Mark Hamill, who has reprised his role as Luke Skywalker for the new Star Wars trilogy, told the Sun that Skywalker might be gay. Recently, JJ Abrams had said in an interview with The Daily Beast that he would "love it" if a gay character was...
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Mark Hamill, who has reprised his role as Luke Skywalker for the new Star Wars trilogy, told the Sun that Skywalker might be gay. Recently, JJ Abrams had said in an interview with The Daily Beast that he would "love it" if a gay character was...
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Dolly Parton announces tour, album

March 7, 20169:36 AM MST
Dolly Parton sings ‘Jolene’
Dolly Parton sings ‘Jolene’
YouTube

Scary 'Emelie' is a creepy psychological thriller about a deranged babysitter

March 7, 201610:13 AM MST
'Emelie' trailer
'Emelie' trailer
Dark Sky Films

'Emelie'
Rating: 3 Stars

Examiner Dorri Olds had an exclusive interview with “Emelie” director Michael Thelin on Sat., March 5.

'Emelie'
'Emelie'
Photo by Rommel Demano/Getty Images for the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival
Sarah Bolger as Emelie
Dark Sky Films

Do not watch this film if you are leaving your kids with a new babysitter. Sarah Bolger is terrifying as a sweet-faced young woman whose sanity has gone round the bend. This is a twist on horror flicks where a babysitter must desperately protect the children in her charge while a madman has invaded a home.

Director Michael Thelin worked with writer Rich Herbeck to create a suspenseful, psychological chiller that is a lot of fun to watch.

You may recognize beautiful blue-eyed Bolger from “The Lazarus Effect” or from TV Series: “Into the Badlands” and “Once Upon a Time.” This performance will most likely be a career changer for her. She gave it her all to create a complex antagonist that is also oddly sympathetic. You’ll hate the evil things she does but one can’t help but feel empathy for her brokenness.

The cast includes three impressive child actors: Joshua Rush (Jacob), Carly Adams (Sally) and Thomas Blair (Christopher). Their parents are played by Susan Pourfar (Joyce) and Chris Beetum (Dan).

Dorri Olds: Which movies inspired you?

Michael Thelin: I don’t have a list of films, but I can list filmmakers—Polanski, Haneke, Fincher, John Hues, Kubrick.

DO: “Emelie” brought to mind some other great chillers: “Single White Female,” “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,” “Funny Games,” “Gone Girl.”

MT: I saw all of those. “Funny Games” for sure. Haneke is such a disciplined guy. He’s amazing. I lean toward the darker, methodic, disciplined side of storytelling.

DO: Emelie reminded me of Janet Jason Leigh’s character in “Single White Female” because she is a deranged person who is so wounded that you feel for her.

MT: You’re right. There’s that vulnerability where you know they’re going to do something bad but you’re also like, “She’s not a bad person.” That was what I needed the actor to get. Sarah embodied this character—after talking to her for thirty seconds I knew she got it.

DO: Did you have a back story about how Emelie became so disturbed?

MT: I look at it like a folktale, like something you would tell around a campfire where stories get bigger and bigger each time. It all originates in this loss of innocence for everyone, the parents, Jacob, even Emelie because she never had a normal childhood. She’s still young and was abandoned in Northern Canada. I know we don’t get into all that in the movie, but, yes, there’s a lot of back story.

DO: Here’s hoping for a prequel.

MT: People ask me about that, or a sequel.

“Emelie” is now playing in theaters and available On Demand. Unrated 80 min.

Tori Kelly “Unbreakable Smile” (Deluxe Version) | Available on iTunes!

Tori Kelly - Unbreakable Smile (Deluxe Version) [2016] - 2480x2480

American singer-songwriter, Youtube sensation and rising star Tori Kelly is back. Last year was a great year for her, where her music and her talent were enjoyed around the world.

She duly promoted her second EP “Foreword“, and also collaborated on Professor Green’s smash single “Lullaby“, and the best part she also signed a big record deal with Capitol Records and has joined the group of pop stars promoted by Scooter Braun.

Kelly is currently promoting on her highly-anticipated major debut studio album called “Unbreakable Smile“, which was released on June 23rd preceded by the first single “Nobody Love“.

Along the pre-order of the album, Kelly unveiled the title’s track “Unbreakable Smile“. To support the release the singer also premiered a promotional music video directed by Andrew Rose.

The track “Should’ve Been Us“ was released as instant download along the pre-order of the album on iTunes on May 12th and confirmed as second official single from the album. “Expensive” was released as countdown single on June 16th.

The singer re-released the album in a brand new edition including new single “Hollow“ and another extra track “Something Beautiful” on January 29th.

Tracklist:

  1. Where I Belong | Tori Kelly & Claude Kelly
  2. Unbreakable Smile | Tori Kelly
  3. Nobody Love | Tori Kelly, Max Martin, Savan Kotecha & Rickard Goransson
  4. Expensive (feat. Daye Jack) | Tori Kelly, Lukas Loules, Daye Jack, Savan Kotecha, Alexander Kronlund, Tash Phillips & Joleen Belle
  5. Should’ve Been Us | Tori Kelly, Ludvig Söderberg, Jakob Jerlström, Oscar Holter, Laleh Pourkarim, Alexander Kronlund & James Alan
  6. First Heartbreak | Tori Kelly & Toby Gad
  7. I Was Made For Loving You (feat. Ed Sheeran) | Tori Kelly & Ed Sheeran
  8. City Dove | Tori Kelly, Laleh Pourkarim & Ilya Salmanzadeh
  9. Talk | Tori Kelly & James Ryan Ho
  10. Funny (Live) | Tori Kelly, Claude Kelly & Chuck Harmony
  11. Art of Letting You Go | Tori Kelly & Oren Yoel Kleinman
  12. California Lovers (feat. LL Cool J) | Tori Kelly, Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Rickard Goransson, Ali Payami & James Todd Smith
  13. Falling Slow | Tori Kelly, Johan Carlsson & Max Martin
  14. Anyway | Tori Kelly, Claude Kelly & Chuck Harmony
  15. Dear No One | Tori Kelly
  16. Beautiful Things | Tori Kelly & Chuck Harmony

Target Edition

'Zootopia' review: A victory toot toot for animation

March 7, 20163:10 PM MST
Zootopia Official US Trailer 2
Zootopia Official US Trailer 2
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, used with permission.

Zootopia
Rating: 4 Stars

"Zootopia" opened theatrically across the country this past weekend in conventional, 3D, and Real3D movie theaters.

Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps, and Flash voiced by Jason Bateman, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Raymond S. Persi.
Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps, and Flash voiced by Jason Bateman, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Raymond S. Persi.
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, used with permission.
One of several official theatrical posters for "Zootopia."
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, used with permission.

Growing up in the rural city of Bunnyburrow, rabbit Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) was raised to be a farmer like her parents but Judy had something more challenging in mind. Judy wanted to be the first rabbit to become a police officer and does just that when she graduates at the top of her class and joins the Zootopia Police Department.

In addition to adjusting to the big city lifestyle, Judy has to grow accustomed to mammals on the street not being as goodhearted as she is. She stumbles onto a fox named Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) who makes a living as a con artist and becomes frustrated with Nick’s ability to be so comfortable in slippery skin. Chief police officer Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba) doesn’t think much of Judy and assigns her parking duty. After making an arrest outside of her jurisdiction, Judy’s job is suddenly at risk. She agrees to take on a missing mammal case, which may lead to clues for the other many missing mammals in Zootopia. Judy forces Nick into helping her and the unlikely duo begins to work a mystery that involves the entire city and goes all the way to Mayor Leodore Lionheart’s (voiced by J.K. Simmons) office.

This is more than a tale about doing anything you can set your mind to or another underdog story. This is a true triumph for both animated films and Disney in particular. “Zootopia” had Moby Dick-sized issues during production and quietly settled them resulting in an animated film touching on subjects other Disney films have yet to explore. The film originally had the parts of Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps switched; Nick was the main character while Judy was the strong supporting character. A year and a half before release they realized this wasn’t going to work and switched them. The film released in theaters is the final product, so everything fell into place with one simple move and a ton of work.

Another interesting aspect of the film is how they pushed the technology associated with animation. There are so many different types of mammals in the film with different types of hair. The people working on “Zootopia” had to figure out a way to render each individual hair for each specific mammal. A giraffe in “Zootopia” has around 9 million hairs. Single shots also contained up to 7.7 million trees, which is insanity.

You won’t notice any of this though. The story is solid and the visuals are stunning. “Zootopia” introduces adult topics to a children’s film and manages to cover stereotyping, sexism, and conspiracies in the span of about an hour and forty minutes. Once Judy teams up with Nick it’s as if the film takes a turn into more adult territory with the most obvious example being the visit to the nudist colony, which is hilariously G-rated. There’s this buddy cop chemistry between the two characters, the visuals get darker, and the investigation is surprisingly riveting. There’s even a “Breaking Bad” reference near the end of the film that is slightly mind blowing.

The humor in the film is also quite exceptional. The DMV sequence alone is hysterical. There are so many elements of the film that are incredibly innovative even for animation; the night howlers sequence is fantastic as is Duke Weaselton’s bootleg collection. There’s a crime boss named Mr. Big who is basically The Godfather in arctic shrew form. It’s exhilarating to see an animated film with ideas and story points that are just as detail oriented as its complex visuals.

There is so much to admire and enjoy in “Zootopia.” Its humor is top notch and its captivating story will appeal to both children and adults. The film is visually spectacular with gorgeous backgrounds and intricate textures on mammals so realistic that you’ll want to reach out and try to pet them while watching the film. “Zootopia” is vividly creative and fantastically amusing for all ages.

Madeline Juno’s ‘Salvation’: A Breath of Fresh Berlin Air


“Someone’s always loving more, and that someone’s me. I guess I never learn…”

It’s been a while since I accidentally stumbled on music that I really love, as opposed to shoveling through heaps of press releases in search of a sign of life that makes me feel something more than “that’ll do.” (There’s a whole lot of “that’ll do” pop out there, unfortunately.)

But as a certain pop princess-turned-Queen of Pop once declared: Don’t you know I still believe?

While halfheartedly scrolling through my Twitter feed on the train ride into Manhattan after visiting my family for the weekend (which doubled as a very necessary 24-hour detox from the city), I saw a tweet of endorsement a singer named Madeline Juno and her song “Cliché” by the lovely Mel of Melismatic. (C’mon, OG ’00s pop bloggers!)

I hadn’t heard of Madeline before, but the cover art intrigued me — most likely because she looked like Sky Ferreira from afar. (A surefire way to win my attention, always.)

After skimming through social media, I determined this much: She’s 20. She’s German. She she sings “about life pretending I panic less and figure it out that way.” She released a follow-up record this past Friday called Salvation. She’s pretty. And her hair color is great. Sold.

That, and she’s also relatively new: She signed a major label deal after uploading covers on YouTube. She debuted a song called “Error” back in 2013, released her debut album in 2014 called The Unknown to middling success in Germany, and then competed to represent her homeland in Eurovision that year. (She didn’t make the cut.)

So, she hasn’t quite had a major moment yet. After listening to Salvation in full from Milford to Manhattan, what I’m trying to figure out now is why.

Salvation doesn’t emulate any one artist’s sound in particular, but enthusiasts of e•mo•tional electronic pop princesses like Ellie Goulding, Tove Lo, Lights, Diana Vickers,Carly Rae Jepsen, Phoebe Ryan and Foxes will almost surely draw some comparisons and fall in love on first listen, too.

Atmospheric opener “Into The Night” has a kind of London Grammar appeal. There’s the finger-snapping “No Words,” which smacks with all the right kind of quivering anger and frustrated feelings that a break-up banger should. And “Stupid Girl,” unlike P!nk‘s snarky hit, rightfully stands out as a single worthy moment of overly self-aware, self-loathing synth-pop. (“Whattya call it when you love someone who doesn’t love you back? I’m such a stupid girl…“)

But it’s the understated and entirely vulnerable “You Know What?” that made me stop sexting altogether (or whatever I was doing) and look up from my phone. That sweetly sad chorus? My heart.

We got caught in a dream but it’s not what it seems / Guess you’re Enoch and I’m Annabel / If I got to decide if this love’s gonna die, I know I never want to wish you well…

I’ll admit: Enoch and Annabel? I don’t know her. But upon further research, they appear to be the lead characters of the 2011 movie Restless, which I haven’t seen (YET), but now feel compelled to see. (Madeline Juno — her impact.) But more than that: A lyrical reference to something beyond just a lovey-dovey cliché? Into. Now that’s a song.

Speaking of, “Cliché,” the song that unintentionally first caught my first attention, is like Tove Lo at her wondrously messy best — you cannot not appreciate this as a proper pop tune. “It’s so cliché, I’m spilling my guts like it’s Valentine’s Day / When you get your shit together, it’ll be too late.

“On My Toes”? Fantastic, especially for anyone who enjoyed Ellie’s latest album. (It’s like a hybrid of “Lost & Found” and the stuttering bits of “Don’t Need Nobody.”) “If you’re a cliffhanger ending, I’m patiently waiting…” And for the foot fetishists, all this toe talk ought to really get you goin’. “Please Don’t Have Somebody Else” is crushing, and doesnothing to help me work through my jealousy issues. “Hindsight” is like a sad distant cousin to Taylor Swift‘s “Style.”

The album is just as glossy as any other blockbuster pop record today, and perfectly punchy and hook-heavy enough to appeal to Top 40 radio. But polished production aside, the way Madeline tells her tales is charming, clever and conversational enough to keep all the tracks compelling, even if the themes are familiar, as with the ‘love in a hopeless place’-ness of “Salvation”: “Do you know how they say in the movies / ‘Once you stop searching, love will come your way’? / ‘Never again will I let someone in,’ I said / I might have just jumped the gun.

And don’t forget those specific details: “You went crazy when you heard that old Coldplay song / And I must have been crazy when I let you go,” she sings on the propulsive “Yellow Car,” a lump-in-throat bout of nostalgia dedicated to a former flame now miles away.

Oh, right. And the chorus of “Less Than Heartbreak”? “I’ve kissed more bottles than boys/ I’ve learned a hangover hurts less than heartbreak.” Tattoo that right across my chest.

Strong memories, stronger melodies and messy feelings from a fresh face…get caught up in the dream.

Salvation was released on February 26. (iTunes)

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Reply #128 posted 03/08/16 6:24am

JoeBala

Showtime To Premiere ‘Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans’, The Icon In Turmoil

Showtime is getting ready to air the 2015 documentary Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans on Friday March 18th.

The British film, directed by John McKenna and Gabriel Clarke premiered at that year’s Cannes Film Festival and was meant to provide a slice-of-life look at one of the biggest stars of the ’60s and ’70s who as we learn had feet of clay, like many others.

A racing fan of the first magnitude, McQueen was according to history, at the peak of his career when he chose to make the 1971 film Le Mans,which faced tremendous challenges during its production.

The documentary isn’t a tribute or an ode to McQueen, in fact it is quite the opposite.

In a review of Steve McQueen: The Man and Le Mans by Brian Tallerico on RogerEbert.com, the meat of the film was described this way.

“…using 1971’s “Le Mans” as a way to read McQueen’s entire persona. With rare audio of McQueen recorded shortly before his death, interviews with all of the key players in the production of the film (including Steve’s ex-wife and son) and never-before-seen footage, Gabriel Clarke and John McKenna’s documentary captures a key moment in the life of an icon. “Le Mans” may not be the film for which McQueen is best-remembered, but the doc makes a convincing case that it was formative in his life and career, impacting the way he saw family, cinema and the thin line between life and death.”

It was said that McQueen was on the way to losing everything to pursue this dream project of his. His behavior during filming put it in jeopardy as well as his own physical well being.

While the finished product was not a huge success at the box office, it does provide some of what racing fans say are the most realistic scenes on film about the sport.

Showtime will air Steve McQueen: The Man and Le Mans Friday night March 18th. Image/video courtesy of Showtime.

ANTHONY MACKIE TALKS CIVIL WAR AND LEARNING HE WAS AN AVENGER WHEN HE SAW AGE OF ULTRON

On the set of Civil War, the actor talks about his audience surrogate role in the superhero-packed film.

After being introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie has stayed busy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with appearances in both Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man last year, as his character actually joined the Avengers.

Marvel is known for their secrecy, and amusingly, as Mackie told a group of press on a set visit to Captain America: Civil War, just a few weeks after Age of Ultron opened, he didn’t even know he was a full-fledged member of the team until he was sitting in a theater seeing Age of Ultron himself.

Below you’ll find excerpts from our conversation, including what it’s like for Falcon to be on the team now and interacting with many other heroes in Civil War, the role he fills as audience surrogate and more.

Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Civil War.

Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Civil War.

Question: Do we find out in this movie what it means to him to now be a part of this team?

Anthony Mackie: Definitely. I think the Russos and everybody are very specific about The Falcon's storyline and how he feels about Steve and the rest of The Avengers. The idea of him becoming an Avenger is pretty cool. He's pretty excited about it. We definitely get an element of that in the film.

Q: Is Anthony also very excited about that?

Mackie: Uh, yeah! It's weird. You never know. They never send you the whole script. Like when they asked me to do [Age of Ultron], they sent me two scenes. There are two hours and seven minutes around those two scenes, but I never got to read it.

When we were at the premiere I was like “Cool.” I'm with my son and he gets to see his daddy in two scenes in The Avengers. By the end of the movie I turn around and they're like “Avengers Assemble!” I'm like, “Holy s**t! I’m an Avenger!!” So I turn around to everybody with me and they were like, “Dude! You're a f**kin' Avenger!” “This is f**kin' amazing.” So, that's the story of my Marvel life.

Q: So when you filmed that last scene in Age of Ultron you had no idea of the context at all?

Mackie: I had no idea. I flew in, Chris and Scarlett are up top and the rest of us are standing there. It was like “Cut. Anthony fly in. Action. Hm-hm-hm. Cut. Alright, thanks!” That was pretty much it. Six months later you go to a premiere and you s**t yourself.

Everybody was like “Why are you so excited?” I'm like, “Arrhhhahhh... I just found out I'm an Avenger!” That's pretty much how it happened over and over. That's how Cap 2 happened, over and over and over again. So, I'm used to it. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with this movie.

Q: What's the dynamic like between Falcon and his teammates?

Mackie: It's really cool. With being an Avenger there's not really a hierarchy. Everybody gets to make decisions, everybody's put in a position to save the day as opposed to standing there while one person flies in and saves the day and you're like, “Good job!” Avengers is really a team effort.

I feel like if you watch the first one, it wasn't about Tony saving the day by flying up into the hole with the nuke, but it was more so about everybody doing their own thing to make that happen. I feel like that theme carries on into a lot of Marvel movies, where it's a team effort as opposed to one guy's effort.

Q: Will we get to see Red Wing at all?

Mackie: I hope so. I hope so. I'm looking forward to it. I told you, I can't wait to see this movie! I just found out I was an Avenger, like, 3 weeks ago, dude! I have no f**kin' idea!

Q: What's something you get to do in this movie that you haven't done previous that you're excited about?

Mackie: In this movie I get to interact with everybody as opposed to just interacting with Cap. I get to continue my un-dying love affair with Black Widow, which is good. [Laughs] I think more so in this one that I didn't get to do before is become my own person. Now everyone knows who I am, so it's not “Who's the flying guy?” It's more, “Hey, Falcon's here.” You get to see my relationship with everyone else has grown as opposed to being the new guy on the team.

Q: Jeremy [Renner] said everybody's getting costume upgrades. Is Falcon upgraded as well?

Mackie: Yeah, we've all been Tony Stark-erized. We've all had major upgrades to our costumes and stuff like that. Jeremy still has those indispensable arrows that come out of nowhere and just rejuvenate out of his back. And Elizabeth still has her angry rave thing going on. We've all had upgrades.

Q: So Stark did those upgrades?

Mackie: I would guess. He's kinda like the guy that upgrades everything. It's either him or Hydra, so I'm pretty sure since we're with him that he did them all.

Q: How much of your suit, like the wings, is actually physical on your person while you're shooting?

Mackie: They 100% add all the wings. I realized yesterday how stupid we look. They're saying, “We need you to run, but before you break into a full run, pop your arms out so your wings can extend and you'll fly.” I was like, “Okay, alright. I'm 36. Let's do it.” We were running and it's so hot. It's balls hot. So, I'm running and my goggles are filling up with water, right? I don't know how women do this, but it's torture. The makeup starts getting into the corners of my eyes, so I start crying. It's so hot... I can't really see anything and they're like “So, hold your arms out and just... fly away.” I was like, “Let's just do it, dude. F**k it, let's do it.” [Laughs]

So, the wings are real in my mind, not on set. They have these little wings, like these little three-foot wings. I do this s**t, then I have to do it with the little wings, so I look like a quail or a pheasant. It's whatever. I'm happy about it. I'm happy to be an Avenger!

Q: Is it fun for you to see what Falcon makes out of folks like The Vision or some of these other characters?

Mackie: Definitely. Vision is by far the easiest person to make fun of. He's always a good target. Vision is definitely my one guy because he's easy to make fun of. And Tony Stark. I don't know why everybody thinks Tony's cool, and Tony thinks he's really cool, but Falcon just thinks he's a nerd. And not like a cool millennium nerd. Nowadays you see a nerd and they're, like, hot chicks and they're like “I'm a nerd!” and you're like “What's up?” I'm talking about a 1985 nerd.

Q: What's Falcon's reaction to Ant-Man and Scarlet Witch?

Mackie: It's funny. I think he likes Ant-Man. Ant-Man is another character that when I see him in the movie, I just don't get, you know? “You're an ant... “ I'm being used strategically to ask the audience's questions. Like in Aage of Ultron, when Jeremy and Scarlet Witch are talking and he's like, “Look, we're adults. I'm wearing a suit. I have arrows. I'm not cool, but we have to go out here and fight.” I feel like that's been the audience's perspective of his character since you first read the comic book.

In this movie there's some more of that as well. I'm more the audience's perspective, so when Scarlet Witch is all [waves hands], I'm like, “You saw that? Right. Just making sure you f**kin' saw that.” Scarlet Witch and her crazy rave baby technique and Ant-Man and him riding an ant. Alright, cool! That's what he does, he shrinks and rides ants.

Q: Are we going to get a glimpse at your character's personal life in any way?

Mackie: No, people don't come to Marvel movies for personal life subplots, no. If you literally are watching this movie and we go, “On a side note, Falcon is over here trying to get a date at a coffee shop,” you would shoot yourself in the face. You literally would. “Where's Falcon?” “Ah, he's at the coffee shop on Tinder again.” [Laughs] That would be the worst. My non-ending quest to figure out Tinder! “How do I upload my picture? My wings don't fit!” That would be awful. IGN Logo


DAMIEN: "THE BEAST RISES" REVIEW

The Beast has grown up.

Note: this is a spoiler-free review of the first episode of Damien, which premieres on A&E tonight at 10pm EST.

The Omen has now become the latest in a long line of venerable horror franchises (Psycho, Scream, The Evil Dead) to find new life on the small screen. Damien also taps into the recent craze of releasing sequels to classic films decades down the line. This new series picks up roughly 25 years after the events of the original 1976 film (wisely pretending the various sequels never happened) and explores what happens when the Antichrist comes of age in the modern world. It's not a bad premise, though the show never really seems sure of its own identity in this pilot episode.

Damien is the brainchild of Glenn Mazzara, who was a writer on The Shield and served as showrunner for The Walking Dead in that tumultuous post-Frank Darabont period. If Mazzara wasn't necessarily the driving force behind those projects, at least he still brings an impressive resume to the table. There's a definite competence and even a certain sense of cinematic style to this episode. It helps that Elizabeth director Shekhar Kapur was tapped to direct the pilot. Kapur has a love for high camera angles and unusual framing choices that help create a sense of sweeping drama.

The series has just as many generic and melodramatic qualities working against it, though. For one thing, the pilot starts off in media res with the now 30-year-old Damien Thorn (played by Merlin's Bradley James) stumbling into a church in search of answers before the plot shifts back a few days. That flash-forward approach is ridiculously overplayed by now and doesn't do much to start the show off on the right foot. The heavy-handed score (full of obligatory Gregorian chanting) only heightens the sense of melodrama. The show is also burdened with the seeds of a by-the-numbers supernatural conspiracy. This episode introduces Barbara Hershey (A Killing in a Small Town) as Ann Rutledge, a sage mentor who has been secretly guiding Damien along his path and who conveniently shows up whenever the show's mysteries need stoking with a little cryptic exposition. Opposing her are a group of shadowy Catholic priests/assassins who have their own designs for the Antichrist.

Bradley James as Damien Thorn

Bradley James as Damien Thorn

The one thing this pilot episode needed to accomplish was to address the question of what sort of story it's telling. Is this the tale of a man coming to terms with his destiny and preparing to bring about the end times? Or is it an examination of fate vs. free will, with Damien resisting the unholy mission that's been laid out before him? Either option has its merits, but the answer is never clear. Damien himself does little more than stumble from place to place as he uncovers key pieces of his past and watches as those around him are swept up into a larger-than-life struggle. He's a disappointingly passive character, neither the creepy hellion of the original film nor a genuine, tortured hero. Conveniently, Damien has forgotten all but the barest details of his early childhood and the events of the original film, which places too much emphasis on the question of if he's the Antichrist rather than what he's supposed to do with that knowledge. But this approach certainly allows Kapur to sprinkle in liberal doses of footage from the original film (which only draws attention to the fact that Damien should be a lot older than 30 by now).

Generally, the cast do the best they can with the material they're given. James mostly spends this episode looking flustered and concerned. Only the climactic scene in the church allows James to flex his dramatic muscles a bit and show genuine emotion. This episode also features Tiffany Hines (Bones) as Damien's colleague/ex-girlfriend Kelly Baptiste and Megalyn E.K (Arrow) as her sister Simone. Frankly, Simone is the most compelling character of this trio given her struggle to reconcile her faith with the cruel, violent world around her. E.K.'s performance is, accordingly, more memorable than the others. Luckily, she looks to be taking a more active role in the series going forward. Though Hershey is the real star of the show in that regard. Her character may be pulled straight from the Lost playbook, but Hershey gives Rutledge a real charisma and unsettling charm.

Ultimately, Damien is trapped in a precarious state. It doesn't stand apart from the source material particularly well, and if you're not already an Omen fan there may not be enough of a hook. On the other hand, the pilot dwells too long on questions to which Omen fans already know the answers. Again, this series needs to decide what story it's trying to tell and prove that the ongoing saga of Damien Thorn deserves an ongoing TV show in the first place.

The Verdict

Omen fans might as well give this spinoff series a look, as the experience can't possibly be worse than some of those sequels. There's potential in this show thanks to its cinematic style and decent lineup of actors. The show really needs to just figure out where it's trying to take the long-running franchise and be quicker about moving forward.

Better Call Saul airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on AMC.


What to watch on Tuesday, March 8...


SEASON 3 FINALE, 8pm, PBS
Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates
In “Map of Stars,” Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow explore their family histories, which include tragic deaths that had a profound impact on later generations.


8pm, Freeform
Pretty Little Liars
“Did You Miss Me?” sees the Liars going on the offensive after the latest threat targets Alison. Meanwhile, Hanna and Caleb devise a cunning plan to confront the tormentor, Emily and Spencer explore Monica’s possible role in the murder, and Aria and Ezra continue to work on the book. Do you think Aria and Ezra feel like they’re getting shortchanged since everybody else’s plots include words like “tormentor” and “murder,” and theirs centers on the word “book”?


8pm, Fox
New Girl
“Goosebumps Walkaway” welcomes back Jess, who’s on a mission to learn the identity of a juror she was sequestered with, and bids adieu to Reagan, who must figure out where to leave things with Nick. Meanwhile in the series’ 100th episode, Winston and Cece help Schmidt overcome his phobia of dancing in public.


8pm, ABC
Fresh Off the Boat
After prodding Louis to make some pals of his own, Jessica becomes jealous of the attractive women he befriends in “Keep ‘em Separated.” In other troubling new friendships, Eddie gets flummoxed when Alison and Nicole get chummy.


TIMESLOT PREMIERE, 8:30pm, ABC
The Real O’Neals
In “The Real Lent,” the family goes along with Eileen’s admonition to observe Lent but struggles with the whole “self-sacrifice” part. Meanwhile, Kenny bumps into his first same-sex crush object, and Pat comes to terms with the fact that Shannon is growing up.


8:30pm, Fox
Grandfathered
Relationship responsibilities bedevil Jimmy in “Some Guy I’m Seeing,” and the Archie comics from which he seeks wisdom aren’t proving to be much help. Gerald and Vanessa are having personal problems of their own as they try to strike the right work/life balance.


SEASON 5 FINALE, 9pm, MTV
Teen Wolf
What’s this? That baleful Big Bad the Beast bearing down on Beacon Hills? Scott and his friends are the hamlet’s last hope—but can the Hirsute Hero and his Lupine Legion match their bête noire’s devouring power? Tune in to “Apotheosis” and find out—same Wolf-time, same Wolf-channel!


SPRING PREMIERE, 9pm, ABC
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
“Bouncing Back” sees Daisy and Mack assembling powered individuals into an elite team of secret warriors. Their official team name? The Clandestine Combatants! (Okay, they’re still workshopping the name.) While they set out in search of Inhumans amid a tense public climate, Coulson redoubles his campaign against Hydra and the new, even skeevier incarnation of Ward.


9pm, TNT
Rizzoli & Isles
The team races the clock to solve a potentially combustible murder case in “Bomb Voyage.” On the personal front, Angela has misgivings about Ron’s offer of a romantic getaway.


9pm, WGN America
Outsiders
A treacherous road trip leaves Asa and Houghton too close for comfort in “Decomp of a Stuck Pig.” Though I’m not sure which of them is Ted Knight and which is Jim J. Bullock in this scenario.


SERIES PREMIERE, 10pm, ABC
Of Kings and Prophets
Centering on the reign of King Saul and the rise of young shepherd David, this biblical epic opens with the king arranging a strategic marriage for his daughter Merav, while his humble successor-to-be travels to Gibeah looking to square family debts. Elsewhere in “Offerings of Blood,” the Prophet Samuel arrives with a command from God to destroy the Amalekites.


SERIES PREMIERE, 10pm, NBC
Little Big Shots
Steve Harvey hosts and co-produces (with Ellen DeGeneres) this kid-centric variety show. Among the talented tykes in the opener are a 4-year-old hoops phenom, a 5-year-old martial arts prodigy, an eager spelling bee champ, a gifted singing duo, and a dancer who took the internet by storm. The series moves to its regular timeslot this Sunday, March 13, at 8pm.


10pm, FX
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson
Marcia Clark balances family and career responsibilities even as she becomes the target of malicious and misogynistic press coverage in “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.”


10pm, CBS
Limitless
After Brian and Rebecca are exposed to a mystery substance during their investigation of a citywide blackout, they’re forced into quarantine together in “Close Encounters.” The strain of their close confines only intensifies after Rebecca catches Brian dipping into his private NZT stash.


SERIES PREMIERE, 10pm, TBS
Separation Anxiety
Iliza Shlesinger hosts this relationship-based game show with a twist that’s hidden from contestants until the very end. I know what that twist is, but I dare not reveal it here in case any of you are current/future contestants.


LATE-NITE:
– Animal expert Dave Mizejewski upermodel Behati Prinsloo and Shane Torres on Conan, 11pm, TBS
– Ellen Page on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, 11pm, Comedy Central
– Cedric the Entertainer on The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, 11:30pm, Comedy Central
– Helen Mirren, J.J. Abrams, and DMA’S on Late Show with Stephen Colbert, 11:35pm, CBS
– Ray Romano and Mitt Romney on Jimmy Kimmel Live, 11:35pm, ABC
– Neve Campbell, Jay & Mark Duplass, and Gwen Stefani on The Late Late Show with James Corden, 12:37am, CBS

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[Edited 3/8/16 7:32am]

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Bankroll Fresh, Atlanta Rapper, Dead at 28

2 Chainz associate killed after being shot inside Atlanta recording studio

BY DANIEL KREPS March 5, 2016
bankroll
Prince Williams/WireImage

Trentavious White, the Atlanta rapper known as Bankroll Fresh and an associate of 2 Chainz, was shot and killed Friday night inside an Atlanta recording studio. White was 28. The Fulton County medical examiner confirmed that the "Hot Boy" rapper was shot inside the studio and later died at an Atlanta area hospital.

According to WSB-TV 2 in Atlanta, more than 50 shell casings were recovered from inside and outside Street Execs Studios, the home base for rappers like 2 Chainz, Travis Porter and others. No arrests were made in the shooting and police are still searching for a motive, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. No one else was injured in the shooting.


Following news of White's death, 2 Chainz took to social media to remember Bankroll Fresh, who was signed to Chainz's Street Execs label. "Man I'm a fan of Bru and always will be. I'm in shock at the moment!! Senseless deaths we just got to stop it, I'm speaking up now," Chainz wrote. Lil Wayne tweeted, "We lost a good one. Rest peacefully lil homie Bankroll u gon always be family."

In a series of Instagram photos, T.I. also paid tribute to Bankroll Fresh. "Daaaamn lil homie. U was a cold one. A solid stand-UP young'n.... Prayers to U & ya Fam lil Bro," T.I. wrote. Sometimes shit just get to moving so fast it's impossible to make sense of it all… I know death is apart of life but it seems so unfair to snatch somebody before they got to begin to reach their potential & change they life. And now it's OVER??? Can't be. We got nothing but Love,Respect,&Admiration over here fa u lil bro!"

White released his breakout 2014 mixtape Life of a Hot Boy. Life of a Hot Boy 2: Real Trapper and his self-titled mixtape Bankroll Fresh arrived in 2015, with the latter's "Take Over Your Trap" featuring an appearance by 2 Chainz. White also appeared on 2 Chainz's T.R.U. Jack City mixtape.

BETTER CALL SAUL: MICHAEL MANDO ON EASTER EGGS, NACHO'S MORALITY AND THAT FINAL SCENE

Better Call Saul airs Mondays on AMC.

Light spoilers for Better Call Saul continue below.

Better Call Saul left a big question hanging in the air between Mike (Jonathan Banks) and Nacho (Michael Mando) at the end of its latest episode, "Gloves Off," and the answer to that "why?" isn't going to be coming any time soon.

The partnership between Nacho and Mike, though, is probably going to last a bit longer than just this episode. Mando got on the phone to talk about the open-ended final scene, whether Nacho is a good man and what he makes of the many parallels between Nacho and Jimmy. The Orphan Black alum also discussed the non-traditional way he got hooked on Breaking Bad, and whether he's aware of the many, many Easter eggs connecting that series with Better Call Saul. Continue to read the full interview.

Bob Odenkirk and Michael Mando on Better Call Saul

Bob Odenkirk and Michael Mando on Better Call Saul

IGN: What was your interpretation of the final scene of the episode, and what do you think is the answer to the "why?" that Nacho asks Mike?

Mando: That's a great question. Of all the interviews I've done, you're the first person to bring that up. It's funny, it actually leads me up to that thing about Mike when he says "no half measures" on Breaking Bad, and here's a guy who is taking half measures. There's a saying that "real recognizes real," and Nacho immediately recognizes that Mike could be that guy to help take him from prince of thieves to king of thieves.

He trusts Mike because of timing and it's a pressing situation. He does a judgment call, and he thinks maybe Mike is seeing something that I'm not seeing and agrees to go with Mike's plan, but when he sees the way that it turned out and he sees Mike's face, theres a little bit of regret. I think Nacho regrets agreeing to that, because there's this man that he respects that seemed like a good man, that's doing this to save his granddaughter, and here he is completely pummeled.

The other thing I think Nacho is asking is, "Is this really the best way to have done it? It this a half measure that could come back and bite us in the a--?" So that's a good question, and I think hopefully we'll have to wait and try to figure it out.

IGN: Because we know the events of Breaking Bad, we're already a bit predisposed to view Tuco as a villain. But how do you feel about Nacho? Do you think he's a good man?

Mando: Wow, I've never heard it phrased just like that. That's a good question, because you're asking me to do a moral judgment on him. If you were to ask me, "Is he abiding by the law?" the answer to that is "no." But if you ask me if he was a good man, that's a very complicated question to answer. In the business that he's in -- in this criminal, very, very violent world that he lives in -- he definitely has an honor among thieves. He keeps his word. He pays people on time, every time, the exact amount that is supposed to be paid.

He is respectful to those who are deserving of respect and who are respectful to him, and he definitely has love for his father and he definitely is capable of empathy, as we notice with Mike and even with Tuco and Krazy-8. That's a very tough question to answer, but I can tell you that of course he is doing very bad things because he is selling drugs and hurting people and all that stuff. Is he a good man? I think that's an existential question that I can't answer. [laughs] Because also, is Jimmy a good man?

IGN: Exactly. How you described Nacho is almost exactly how you can describe Jimmy. Why do you feel these are the two parallel stories that the writers are telling so far this season?

Mando: I think the major themes are definitely running deep within those characters, and I think they're running within all those characters in the show. That's what makes the writing so great is you've got all these rivers leading to the same ocean. I always looked at Jimmy and Nacho as the two kids in the sandbox no one is playing with. No one is playing with Jimmy because their parents told them Jimmy is not good enough, and no one is playing with Nacho because their parents simply told them not to. [laughs]

You get these two kids who are sort of looking at this society from a completely different perspective from the people in it, and that's because they've been marginalized and they've had the good fortune of looking at it from a completely different and unique perspective, and the bad fortune of trying to rewrite the rules.

IGN: Going back in time a little bit, why was this role a "yes" for you after Orphan Black? Were you a fan of Breaking Bad before you took the part?

Mando: It's funny, I hadn't seen Breaking Bad. I had seen only the last two episodes two weeks before I got the audition. It was a crazy thing. I was at my brother's house and they were all gathered together and were catching up, binge-watching the last two episodes. I just happened to be there and catch the last episode and half of the one before, and thinking to myself, "Man, this is really great. This is as good as anything I've ever seen." And I remembered the name "Vince Gilligan," because it was there in the credits.

Then, two weeks later, I signed with my agent, Amanda Rosenthal, and the first audition I get with her when I was in Toronto is Better Call Saul, and I recognize the name "Vince Gilligan." So I put myself on tape, we sent it to LA thinking that they're not going to see it, and during that time something in me says, "You need to catch up on this Breaking Bad thing, because this serendipity must mean something. There's something there that's sort of destiny." So I'm catching up on Breaking Bad and my agent calls two weeks later and says, "You're not going to believe this, but they want to fly you to LA and they actually want you to screen test with Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould in the room."

It was like one of those things where you're kind of like, "Oh wow." They've seen this Canadian guy's audition out of Toronto for what's like the hottest ticket, and I couldn't believe they were actually, without anything else, flying me over to screen test. I came in, and they had seen Orphan Black and were fans of my work on there, and I immediately fell in love with those guys. I went back and I finished watching the whole [Breaking Bad] series, and when they called back and made an offer, my immediate answer was, "Yes," because I knew I was working among the most amazing minds in the business.

IGN: I'm so fascinated that you started at the end of Breaking Bad and then went back and watched from the beginning. How did that affect your experience watching it, knowing everything that happens at the end?

Mando: You know, it didn't bother me at all. I think when you're watching something that you could possibly be a part of, you watch it with extra attention because you're paying attention to the way they tell the story, the acting, the way they rev up the story -- so you're watching all these technical things, and I was so impressed by how much attention to detail Vince Gilligan put, and how much respect he had for every single character. That was such a heart-warming thing.

I remember there was a scene with this janitor in a high school who was accused of smoking weed, and they shot him with such dignity. He wasn't just a background performer; he was a three-dimensional character. Even if he had a minute of screentime, it was still a human being that was being respected as a human being. It was such a breath of fresh air to see that on television, that it wasn't just stereotypical black-and-white characters.

IGN: That attention to detail is part of what makes the Easter eggs that Vince and the writers lay in from Breaking Bad to Better Call Saul so interesting. Are you and the cast aware of those Easter eggs and connections when you're shooting the episodes?

Mando: Oh yeah, absolutely. We know they're like treasure hunts, and we're totally aware of that as actors. We get so excited to discover them, to research them, to understand what they are. For example, Dog Paulson, the guy whose skull Nacho has in his skin, that murder is mentioned in Breaking Bad when they mention Tuco.

Of course, Domingo is Krazy-8, and he works at a furniture store, which is also what Nacho's father does. He's got a little tag and he works at a furniture store, or some kind of a store like that, and that's what Nacho's father does. They know each other by first-name basis, and maybe they know each other from that kind of work -- I don't know, I'm just speculating. But that's other interesting points.

IGN: I've always sort of viewed it as Breaking Bad's mythology. Yes, it is set in our own world and not some other fantasy reality, but there's the sense that the world is much bigger than what we're seeing on the screen.

Mando: I've always felt like Vince Gilligan bought this piece of land, and he built this great, beautiful building called Breaking Bad. Then he got the right to build another building right next to it, and that building is called Better Call Saul. Better Call Saul is on the second floor, whereas Breaking Bad, they've already built six floors. And there's secret tunnels, underground pathways, shared rooms, shared elevators of these two buildings.

They're completely standalone, they have their own foundations, but they have all these interconnected pathways that are being built. Hopefully, when Better Call Saul comes to its final season, those two buildings will stand beautifully next to each other and you can get lost inside of them and go from one to another and back and forth without ever feeling that you're losing a thread of what's going on.

IGN: That's an amazing visual. OK, last question before I let you go: what can you tease of how the Nacho and Mike storyline is going to intersect with the Jimmy and Davis & Main storyline, if it does at all this season?

Mando: Mike and Nacho definitely have an interesting relationship. There's a huge generation gap between the two. There's about 35 years difference, and completely different socio-economic backgrounds. But what brings these two together, I think, is their sense of honor among thieves, their sense of practicality and their courage.

For Nacho, this season is very much a coming-of-age story. Here's someone who's been an observer all of his life, who's been marginalized because he doesn't have the cartel bloodline, and who's realizing that the people in authority aren't always making the right decisions. It's leading to the point where he feels he has to go his own way and his own life is in jeopardy, and maybe he needs to be in total control of his own life.

Now, in how does that deal with Davis & Main, I can't say if it does or if it doesn't because that would be a spoiler, and I really want the fans to enjoy it as much as we have making it. What I can tell you is that things get so exciting, and we had such a blast shooting it. I can't wait for people to see the Easter eggs coming up and the tension being built and all these new questions that are being asked. It's really an uphill, downhill roller coaster ride with so many surprises. IGN Logo

'Dr. Q' Movie: Brad Pitt, Disney To Produce Film About Mexican Immigrant Turned Harvard Alumni

Cast member Brad Pitt poses on the red carpet at the premiere of "The Big Short" in New York November 23, 2015. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Stories about immigrants coming to the United States and achieving the American Dream became more prominent since GOP candidate Donald Trump decided to open the dialogue about immigration, and the alleged threat foreigners represent to the American society. During his candidacy speech, Trump declared: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best.”

Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Walt Disney pictures have teamed up to tell the story of Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, who came to the United States when he was 19 to work on farms in California, but he had bigger plans for himself. Through his hard work, Quiñones-Hinojosa saved enough money to put himself through school and with perseverance; he was able to enroll in Harvard Medical School. He is currently the director of brain tumor surgery at the John Hopkins Hospital.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Plan B’s relationship with the doctor began in 2007 after executives first heard his story on a radio show. Titled “Dr. Q,” the project is intended to be humble and inspirational, in the spirit of Disney’s recent project “Queen of Katwe,” starring Lupita Nyong’o. The storytelling will be in the hands of Matt Lopez, the playwright behind acclaimed Civil War drama “The Whipping Man.” No further details about the production have been revealed.


Carla Morrison Concert Dates: Mexican Singer, Songwriter To Perform At US, Mexico Biggest Festivals [SCHEDULE]

Carla Morrison
Mexican singer, songwriter Carla Morrison continues to promote her most recent album "Amor Supremo." Courtesy Photo

Carla Morrison is back...This time stronger than ever. The Mexican star has a full agenda. In April she will perform at three of the biggest festivals in America. At the same time, and after working in collaboration with some of the top performers in the industry, she continues to promote her most recent album "Amor Supremo." Morrison is ready to make history when she performs at the Coachella Valley Music an...s Festival. This important cultural happening, which each year brings thousands of people together, will take place over two consecutive weekends in Indio, California.

Not only will this be a milestone performance in Carla's career, but she also has the distinction of being one of the only Latin talents taking part in this year's edition. Festivalgoers will enjoy her music on Friday 15th and 22nd of April. Between these two performances, the 29-year old artist will make a stop in Monterrey, Mexico to be part of the fifth edition of the Pa'l Norte Festival, where Carla will perform her catalog as well as new songs during the first day of the event, Saturday, April 16th.

"In Pa'l Norte people know me, so I'm sure they will ask for many of my previous songs. In Coachella I will be debuting, so I'm trying to put together something special to surprise the public," said the artist during a recent interview with Notimex.

Later, the Tecate, Baja California, native will return to Mexico to join the Vive Latino Ibero-America...e Festival. The 17th edition of this important cultural festival, whose goal is to unify different alternative musical genres, will take part at the Foro Sol in Mexico City on April 23rd and 24th. Carla will perform the second day of the event.

Recently, the singer of "Eres Tú," announced her collaboration with renowned American stars Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. Morrison is part of the duo's latest album entitled This Unruly Mess I've Made. Lewis confessed to Billboard that Carla's interpretation on the song "The Train" was simply "brilliant." On the English language track, Morrison's parts are in Spanish. Regarding this unique arrangement Lewis said: "She sounded phenomenal... We thought Spanish sounded more beautiful than the English versions. Also, we didn't make a super complicated chorus, most people can pick up nuggets of the lyrics even if they aren't bilingual."

For Carla, Amor Supremo represents a new moment in her music; she has mentioned during various interviews, that this production reinvented her career. She has also pointed out to El País newspaper, that "this record is different from the previous ones, because it is a little more inclined towards synthesizers, it is something more digital. It is a record that, although still speaks of heartbreak, also talks about empathy and accept that sometimes things can not happen and you must let go."

Morrison started her career in 2008. Since then she has collaborated with superstars like Julieta Venegas and Natalia Lafourcade. In addition, Carla has won two Latin Grammy Awards in recognition to her first full length album, Déjenme Llorar.


Kelly Clarkson Catapults Back Into Billboard Top 10 After ‘Idol’-Fueled Bump

Kelly ClarksonRCA

Anyone who says American Idol can’t still produce real chart results needs to look no further than the current Billboard 200.

After a piano-backed performance ...y Piece” in February that Idol judge Keith Urban deemed the most striking in the show’s history, Kelly Clarkson‘s seventh LP has rocketed up the charts by more than 100 spots. After landing at No. 120 last week, the album is currently No. 6, Billboard has reported, and moved 44,000 units last week — a 682 percent spike in sales. The album debuted at No. 1 in March 2015.

The report comes after the “Piece By Piece” single’s ascent to No. 1 on iTunes, and a re-release of Piece By Piece that features remixes of some of the album’s tracks and a live version of ballad “Tightrope” that was recorded during Clarkson’s 2015 tour.

Last week, Clarkson told Idol host Ryan Seacrest on his radio show that she was thrilled by the viral response to her teary rendition of the song, but a bit sad about how many people can relate to its recounting of an absent father.

“No one was more shocked [than I] that people liked it, because I was crying so bad…it’s awesome, but it’s kind of sad that people relate to this song,” she said. “I was afraid to watch it, because I was like ‘Oh, jeez, I don’t know if I got anything out, if I was on key.'”

Shocked Kelly’s performance has led to such success? Tell us what you think of Piece By Piece.


AC/DC May Replace Lead Singer on Tour Amid Deafness Scare

“Back in Black” band cancels shows after Brian Johnson warned of possible total hearing loss

Sorry, AC/DC fans, you might not be seeing Brian Johnson on the group’s latest road jaunt.

The group has postponed a string of concerts after lead singer Johnson was warned by doctors that he could suffer “total hearing loss,” the band said on its website Monday.

“AC/DC are forced to reschedule the 10 upcoming dates on the U.S. leg of their Rock or Bust World Tour,” the statement reads. “AC/DC’s lead singer, Brian Johnson, has been advised by doctors to stop touring immediately or risk total hearing loss.”

The 10 affected dates span from Tuesday’s scheduled stop in Atlanta through their April 4 appearance at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The shows will be rescheduled for later this year, though the make-up gigs will likely be performed “with a guest vocalist,” the group said.

Ticket holders can either receive a refund at point of purchase or hold onto their tickets for the rescheduled shows.

In 2014, AC/DC’s founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young was forced to depart the group due to his dementia.


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Janelle Monae Joins Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer in Fox 2000’s ‘Hidden Figures’ (Exclusive)

Ted Melfi (“St. Vincent”) is directing the space drama, which will co-star Kevin Costner

Pop star Janelle Monae has landed the third lead alongside Taraji P. Henson andOctavia Spencer in the Fox 2000 drama “Hidden Figures,” an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap.

Ted Melfi is directing the movie and producing with Chernin Entertainment and Donna Gigliotti of Levantine Films. The film is based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s upcoming book “Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race,” which will be published in September by HarperCollins.

The story follows three African-American women who served as the brains behind NASA’s Friendship 7 mission, which saw astronaut John Glenn become the first American to orbit the Earth in February 1962.

Henson will play Katherine Johnson, Spencer will play Dorothy Vaughan and Monae will play the youngest member of the trio, Mary Jackson. Kevin Costner will co-star as the head of the space program.

“Hidden Figures” marks Monae’s first role in a studio movie, though she recently wrapped Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” which Brad Pitt‘s company Plan B produced for A24.

Monae is represented by WME.

‘The Office’ Alum Jenna Fischer Joins Matt LeBlanc’s CBS Comedy Pilot

Actress will play “Friends” star’s wife

Jenna Fischer has joined Matt LeBlanc‘s CBS comedy pilot, TheWrap has learned.

In the series, LeBlanc plays Adam, a contractor who learns that raising his kids is more challenging than expected when his wife goes back to work. Fischer will play Andi, Adam’s wife, who decides she wants to return to her job as a medical lab technician.

For eight seasons, Fischer starred as Pam Beesley on “The Office,” alongside Steve Carell, John Krasinski and Rainn Wilson. In 2007, the role earned Fischer her first Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a comedy series.

Currently, Fischer stars on the NBC comedic drama “You, Me and the Apocalypse” opposite Megan Mullally, Rob Lowe and Mathew Baynton.

Fischer is repped by WME, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment and attorney Harris Hartman at Sloane Offer Weber Dern.

The new show is from writers and “That ’70s Show” alums Jeff and Jackie Filgo, who will executive produce along with LeBlanc and Michael Rotenberg.

Andie MacDowell Cast in ABC Drama Pilot ‘Model Woman’

Show is based on real life Ford Models as it came to prominence in the 1970s

Andie MacDowell has been cast in the ABC pilot “Model Woman,” TheWrap has learned.

The drama is based on Robert Lacey’s 2015 biography of Ford Models co-founder Eileen Ford, “Model Woman: Eileen Ford and the Business of Beauty,”

The pilot is set in the 1970s and is a family soap centering around the Ford-esque figure, Bertie (MacDowell).

Helen Childress wrote the pilot and will serve as executive producer, along with Rosalie Swedlin and the author’s daughter, writer Scarlett Lacey.

MacDowell recently appeared in “Magic Mike XXL.” She is represented by Gersh and RMS Productions.

Geena Davis Joins Fox’s ‘Exorcist’ TV Pilot

“League of Their Own” star will play potential series regular Angela Rance

Geena Davis has been cast as a theoretical series regular on Fox’s “Exorcist” pilot.

She’ll play Angela Rance, a naturally beautiful, regal and proud woman who is weighed down by stress. Rance does everything she can to stay positive and keep her faith even though her family is currently struggling, Fox says. She can’t help but wonder, however, if perhaps her nightmares about a demon are a sign of what’s wrong.

“The Exorcist” hails from 20th Century Fox Television in association with Morgan Creek Productions. The pilot was written by Jeremy Slater and will be directed by Rupert Wyatt.

Slater, Wyatt, Rolin Jones, James Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall are executive producers.

The modern reimagining is inspired by William Blatty’s original 1971 book. “The Exorcist” is a propulsive, serialized psychological thriller following two very different men tackling one family’s case of horrifying demonic possession, and confronting the face of true evil.

“The Exorcist” was initially adapted in 1973 as a feature film. It won Oscars for writing and sound at the time.

Davis is repped CAA and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller.

NORAH HEADS FOR NEWPORT, TWICE

MARCH 5, 2016
in Category: NEWS
Norah Heads For Newport, Twice

Norah Jones has announced that she will be completing an unusual double by performing at both the Newport Folk Festival and then the Newport Jazz Festival on consecutive weekends in July.

The multi-million-selling, nine-time Grammy winner will be making her solo debut at both famous events. The versatile Jones will play the Folk Festival on Saturday, 23 July, two years after performing there with her band Puss n Boots and as the special guest of the great Mavis Staples. Seven days later, on 30 July, Norah will appear at the Jazz Festival for the very first time.

George FestJones' most recent solo album was 2012's Little Broken Hearts. But since then she has released 2013's Everly Brothers tribute set Foreverly, with Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day and 2014's Puss n Boots album No Fools, No Fun.

Norah also appears on the album and DVD of the George Harrison tribute concert, George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison. She performs the lateBeatle's 'Something' and 'Behind The Locked Door' in her own right, and appears on 'All Things Must Pass' with Ann Wilson of Heart, Karen Elson and George's son Dhani.

Pilot Season 2016: TheWrap’s Complete Guide

Our complete list of network pilots… with an assist from “Pulp Fiction”

It’s pilot season — when networks decide which of dozens of prospective shows should become full-fledged series.

You know who explains it pretty well? Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) from “Pulp Fiction.” Go ahead and watch the video below, if you like.

What Jules doesn’t explain is how one person can possibly keep track of all the pilots out there. The answer: You’re looking at it.

TheWrap’s complete network pilot guide will keep you up to speed on the status of every project by ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX and NBC are planning. In cases where they’ve already ordered a show to series, we’ll say so.

Check back often for regular updates. Here’s hoping your favorite pilot is more a Jules than a Vincent.

ABC: Comedy / Drama

CBS: Comedy / Drama

The CW: Drama

FOX: Comedy / Drama

NBC: Comedy / Drama

ABC Logo

Comedy

CHUNK & BEAN (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Brian Donovan, Ed Herro
Producer(s): Dave Hemingson
Director: Chris Koch
Logline: A dual-family comedy centered on the unlikely friendship of two misfits, Chunk and Bean, who benefit from having two very different sets of parents living next door to each other. (Single-camera)
Cast: Cyrus Arnold, Adam Rodriguez, Andy Daly, Anna Gunn, Hassie Harrison

DOWNWARD DOG (Legendary TV, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Samm Hodges, Michael Killen
Producer(s): Jimmy Miller, Sam Hansen, Kathy Dziubek
Logline: Based on the web series of the same name, it follows a down-on-her-luck woman named Nan whose devoted dog speaks its mind in confessional-style interviews. (Single-camera)
Cast: Allison Tolman, Lucas Neff, Kirby Howell-Baptise, Barry Rothbart, Mo Collins

DREAM TEAM (Warner Bros. TV, Kari’s Logo Here, Here Comes Scrappy)
Writer(s): Kari Lizer, Bill Wrubel
Director: Marc Buckland
Logline: Marty Schumacher coached his last club soccer team for 10 years, ultimately taking them to the national championships. He now has to start from scratch with a diverse group of 8-year-olds, and their disparate parents. (Single-camera)
Cast: Justin Long, Michael Mosley, Lindsey Kraft, Michelle Buteau, Wynn Everett

THE FLUFFY SHOP (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Tim Doyle, Jay Lavender
Producer(s): Gabriel Iglesias, Joe Meloche, Becky Clements, Marty Adelstein
Logline: Gabriel Iglesias plays a stepfather and boss to his family and friends who navigates his home life during the few days each week he isn’t on the road. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Gabriel Iglesias, Richard Gant, Gloria Garayua

HAIL MARY (Sony Pictures TV, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Brian Gallivan
Producer(s): Seth Gordon, Tariq Jalil
Director: Julie Anne Robinson
Logline: A young small-town mayor named Mary Wolf has dysfunctional siblings, a dying father, disgruntled citizens, a nearly bankrupt town, and the mafia breathing down her neck. Only a miracle can help her. So … she fakes one. Based on the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation series “Braunschlag,” created by David Schalko. (Single-camera)
Cast: Casey Wilson

PEARL (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Andrew Reich
Logline: When a larger-than-life family matriarch finds out she has cancer, she becomes intent on controlling and orchestrating every aspect of her family’s life before she dies. (Single-camera)
Cast: Candice Bergen, Zachary Knighton, Richard Masur

THE SECOND-FATTEST HOUSEWIFE IN WESTPORT (Kapital Entertainment, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Sarah Dunn
Producer(s): Aaron Kaplan
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Logline: A family comedy narrated by Katie, a strong-willed mother raising her flawed family in a wealthy town filled with “perfect” wives and their “perfect” offspring. (Single-camera)
Cast: Katy Mixon, Carly Hughes

SPEECHLESS (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Scott Silveri
Producer(s): Jake Kasdan, Melvin Mar
Logline: A family with a special-needs child is good at dealing with the challenges it faces — and excellent at creating new ones. (Single-camera)
Cast: Cedric Yarborough

SQUARE ROOTS (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Vijal Patel
Director: Mike Fresco
Logline: A man from a family of logic-driven engineers is determined to use his “gift” to help the people he loves with their everyday issues — whether they like it or not. (Single-camera)
Cast: Bernard White, Noureen DeWulf, Adhir Kalyan, Nina Wadia

TOAST (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Scott Foley, Greg Grunberg
Producer(s): Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers
Director: Gail Mancuso
Logline: Over the course of Max and Page’s wedding rehearsal dinner, their eclectic family and friends give toasts recalling anecdotes about the couple — but flashbacks reveal the toasts don’t always get it right, as the comedy explores the real story of their complicated, funny and relatable road to marriage. (Hybrid)
Cast: Tessa Ferrer

UNTITLED GOLDBERG/GUARACIO (Sony Pictures TV, Happy Madison)
Writer(s): Adam F. Goldberg, David Guaracio
Producer(s): Patrick Osbourne, Doug Robinson
Director: Shawn Levy
Logline: A thirtysomething bachelorette’s life is turned upside-down when she finally meets the love of her life — a divorced father with three kids. This triggers even more upheaval when the slightly unhinged imaginary friend she created as an only child suddenly reappears in her life to help her navigate the transition from single girl to a woman ready for a family. (Single-camera)
Cast: Jenna Elfman, Nicholas Coombe, Matreya Scarrwener, Erica Tremblay, Stephen Schneider

UNTITLED WEEKS/MACKAY (Kindle Entertainment, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Ed Weeks, Hannah Mackay
Producer(s): Andrew Reich, Siobhan Bachman
Director: Leslye Headland
Logline: A lesbian woman and her best friend, a neurotic straight male, navigate their dysfunctional, co-dependent friendship and the world of dating. (Single-camera)
Cast: Julie Goldman, Andy Ridings

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ABC Logo

Drama

CONVICTION (The Mark Gordon Company, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Liz Friedman
Producer(s): Mark Gordon, Nick Pepper
Director: Liz Friedlander
Logline: A young attorney, the brilliant but ne’er-do-well daughter of a former president, is blackmailed into taking a job as the head of Los Angeles’ newly created Conviction Integrity Unit. She, along with her team of lawyers, investigators and forensic experts, work together to examine cases where there’s credible suspicion that the wrong person may have been convicted of a crime.
Cast: Hayley Atwell, Shawn Ashmore, Emily Kinney, Manny Montana, Merrin Dungey

THE DEATH OF EVA SOFIA VALDEZ (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Charise Castro Smith
Producer(s): Michele Fazekas, Tara Butters
Logline: An immigrant who rose from rags to riches, Eva Sofia Valdez, is a celebrated Miami entrepreneur and a champion for immigrant rights. But her success is fueled by an insatiable ambition that could destroy her family, a vendetta against the lover who betrayed her, and ghosts from the past who threaten to reveal the dark sacrifices Eva Sofia made to attain the American Dream. It’s “MacBeth” with a Cuban twist.
Cast: Raul Castillo, Marta Milans, Zabryna Guevara, Alison Fernandez, Christian Ochoa

DESIGNATED SURVIVOR — Ordered straight to series (The Mark GordonCompany, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): David Guggenheim, Amy B. Harris
Producer(s): Simon Kinberg, Kiefer Sutherland, Suzan Bymel
Director: Paul McGuigan
Logline: Centers on a lower-level United States Cabinet member who is suddenly handed the presidency after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union address kills everyone above him in the presidential line of succession.
Cast: Kiefer Sutherland, Natasha McElhone, Maggie Q, Kal Penn, Italia Ricci, Adan Canto, LaMonica Garrett

THE JURY (Sony Pictures TV)
Writer(s): VJ Boyd, Mark Bianculli
Producer(s): Carol Mendelsohn, Julie Weitz
Director: Neil Burger
Logline: “12 Angry Men” meets the podcast “Serial,” “The Jury” follows a single murder trial as seen through the eyes of the individual jurors, exploring the biases and experiences that influence the jurors’ judgment, and how their preconceptions change along the way.
Cast: Archie Panjabi, Jeremy Sisto, Adina Porter, Eve Harlow, Hina Abdullah, JD Pardo, Brandon Jay McLaren, Ben Esler, Brian Howe

MARVEL’S MOST WANTED (Marvel TV)
Writer(s): Paul Zbyszewski
Producer(s): Jeffrey Bell, Jeph Loeb
Logline: “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” spinoff following the characters of Bobbi Morse (aka Mockingbird) and Lance Hunter.
Cast: Adrianne Palicki, Nick Blood, Delroy Lindo

MODEL WOMAN (TriStar TV, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Helen Childress
Producer(s): Rosalie Swedlin, Scarlett Lacey
Director: Richard Shepard
Logline: A fictionalized family soap inspired by Robert Lacey’s book, “Model Woman: Eileen Ford and the Business of Beauty.” Set in the late 1970s during the notorious Model Wars, the show is centered on Bertie Geiss — a tempestuous matriarch and uncompromising businesswoman at the helm of an internationally renowned modeling agency.
Cast: Dan Byrd, Chris Mason, Madeline Blake

NOTORIOUS (Sony Pictures TV, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Josh Berman, Allie Hagan
Producer(s): Mark Geragos, Wendy Walker, Kenny Meiselas, Brian Gersh, Jeff Kwatinetz, Josh Barry
Director: Michael Engler
Logline: Inspired by the true-life stories of famed criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and cable news producer Wendy Walker, the drama is a provocative look at the unique, sexy and dangerous interplay of criminal law and the media.
Cast: Daniel Sunjata, Piper Pirabo, Aimee Teegarden, J. August Richards, Kate Jennings Grant

PRESENCE (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): John Ridley
Producer(s): Michael McDonald
Logline: Follows former Army veteran Presence Foster, who finds herself interacting with a widely divergent and highly colorful cross-section of Los Angeles as she unintentionally begins a career as an unlicensed private investigator.
Cast: Stephanie Sigman, Rick Gonzalez, Marcus Anderson, Colin Woodell

SPARK (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Michael Cooney
Producer(s): Ian Sander, Kim Moses
Logline: Set in an alternate history where gas and coal fuel the world, this genre soap centers on the battle for power between two rival families and a rebellious young woman with a spark of invention that could level both their empires.
Cast: Tracy Ifeachor

STILL STAR-CROSSED (ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Heather Mitchell
Producer(s): Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Michael Goldstein
Director: Michael Offer
Logline: A period drama that picks up where “Romeo & Juliet” left off, charting the treachery, palace intrigue and ill-fated romances of the Montagues and Capulets in the wake of the young lovers’ tragic fate. Based on the book by Melinda Taub.

TIME AFTER TIME (Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Kevin Williamson
Director: Marcos Siega
Logline: Using the 1979 movie and novel by Karl Alexander as a starting point, the series chronicles the epic adventures of young H.G. Wells and his time machine.
Cast: Freddie Stroma, Josh Bowman

UNTITLED MEAGHAN OPPENHEIMER (Pacific Standard, ABC Studios)
Writer(s): Meaghan Oppenheimer
Producer(s): Reese Witherspoon, Bruna Papandrea
Logline: A ruthless Dallas divorce attorney’s life begins to unravel when her emotionally damaged, love-addicted sister resurfaces triggering self-destructive tendencies and exposing long-hidden family secrets.
Cast: Penelope Ann Miller, T.R. Knight, Charity Wakefield

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Comedy CBS tiny

THE GREAT INDOORS (CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Mike Gibbons
Logline: An adventure reporter must adapt to the times when he becomes the boss to a group of millennials in the digital department of the magazine. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Joel McHale, Shaun Brown

I’M NOT YOUR FRIEND (CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Jeff Filgo, Jackie Filgo
Producer(s): Matt LeBlanc, Michael Rotenberg, Troy Zien
Director: James Burrows
Logline: A contractor learns that raising his kids is more challenging than expected when his wife goes back to work. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Matt LeBlanc

THE KICKER (Universal TV)
Writer(s): Jack Burditt
Producer(s): Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, David Miner
Logline: An oddball athlete drives his family, friends and strangers insane after he unexpectedly finds himself cut from his pro football team. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Geoff Stults, David Spade, Joanna Garcia Swisher

MY TIME/YOUR TIME (Sony Pictures TV, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Hilary Winston
Producer(s): Carter Bays, Craig Thomas
Director: Pam Fryman
Logline: Chronicles the relationship of a young couple as they begin dating long distance. Based on the web series 7P/10E” by Avital Ash. (Hybrid)
Cast: Jane Levy, Nicholas Braun, Utkarsh Ambudkar

SUPERIOR DONUTS (CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Neil Goldman, Garrett Donovan, Bob Daily
Producer(s): Mark Teitelbaum, John Montgomery, Michael Rotenberg, Josh Lieberman, Jermaine Fowler
Director: James Burrows
Logline: Based on the play by Tracy Letts, the series follows the relationship between the owner of a donut shop, his new young employee and their patrons in a gentrifying neighborhood of Chicago. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Jermaine Fowler, Brian d’Arcy, Maz Jobrani

UNTITLED BUTLER/HOPE/O’SHANNON (ABC Studios, Dark Toy Entertainment, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Dan O’Shannon, Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope
Director: Todd Holland
Logline: An extended family show inspired by the Australian format “Upper Middle Bogan” about a wife and mother who learns she was adopted and that her birth parents are a flamboyant but loving family of drag-racers. (Single-camera)
Cast: Katey Sagal, Swoosie Kurtz, John Carroll Lynch, Brooke Elliott

UNTITLED KEVIN JAMES — Ordered straight to series (Sony Pictures TV, Hey Eddie Productions, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Kevin James, Bruce Helford, Rock Reuben
Producer(s): Jeff Sussman
Director: Andy Fickman
Logline: A newly retired police officer looking forward to spending more quality time with his wife and three kids discovers he faces much tougher challenges at home than he ever did on the streets. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Kevin James, Erinn Hayes, Taylor Spreitler, Ryan Cartwright, Mary-Charles Jones, James DiGiacomo

UNTITLED STEPHNIE WEIR (Amigos de Garcia Productions, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Stephnie Weir
Producer(s): Greg Garcia, Alix Jaffe
Logline: A conservative, small-town Texas family is forced to reconcile their family values when they discover that their children’s lives are less than perfect. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Nick Zano

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND (Warner Bros. TV, Kapital Entertainment)
Writer(s): Dan Kopelman
Producer(s): Aaron Kaplan
Director: Tim Story
Logline: Two 40-something parents who were wild and reckless teenagers now face their worst nightmare–raising three teenagers of their own. (Single-camera)
Cast: Jason Lee

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Drama

BULL (CBS TV Studios, Stage 29 Productions, Amblin TV)
Writer(s): Paul Attanasio, Dr. Phillip C. McGraw
Producer(s): Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Jay McGraw
Logline: Based on the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw during his days as head of one of the most prolific trial-consulting services of all time.

BUNKER HILL (Universal TV, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Jason Katims
Producer(s): Michelle Lee
Director: David Semel
Logline: Follows a young Silicon Valley tech titan who enlists a veteran surgeon with a controversial past in starting a hospital with a cutting edge, “new school” approach to medicine.
Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Augustus Prew, Brenda Song, Reshma Shetty, Ward Horton

DOUBT (Timberman/Beverly Productons, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Tony Phelan, Joan Rater
Producer(s): Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman
Director: Adam Bernstein
Logline: Centers on a smart, chic, successful defense lawyer at a boutique firm who shockingly gets involved romantically with one of her clients who may or may not be guilty of a brutal crime.
Cast: Katherine Heigl, Steven Pasquale, Dule Hill, Laverne Cox, Kobi Libii, Elliott Gould, Dreama Walker

DREW (CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Joan Rater, Tony Phelan
Producer(s): Dan Jinks
Logline: A contemporary take on the character from the iconic Nancy Drew book series. Now in her 30s, Nancy is a detective for the NYPD who solves crimes using her uncanny observational skills, all while navigating the complexities of life in a modern world.
Cast: Sarah Shahi, Anthony Edwards, Felix Solis, Vanessa Ferlito, Steve Kazee

FOUR STARS (Timberman/Beverly Productons, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Becky Mode
Producer(s): Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman
Director: RJ Cutler
Logline: Two powerful rival families in the military community of Tampa, Florida make decisions at the highest levels in the interest of national security.
Cast: Wilmer Valderrama, Ashley Zukerman, Anna Cruz Kayne

MACGYVER (Atomic Monster, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Paul Downs Colaizzo
Producer(s): Michael Clear, Henry Winkler
Director: James Wan
Logline: A reimagining of the television series of the same name, following a 20-something MacGyver as he gets recruited into a clandestine organization where he uses his knack for solving problems in unconventional ways to help prevent disasters from happening.

SENSORY (TriStar TV, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): David Zabel
Producer(s): Ridley Scott, David Zucker, Roger Freet
Logline: Two-hander centered around a veteran neurologist and her protégé who has mirror-touch synesthesia, a neurological trait that causes him to experience other people’s sensations. Inspired by the true story of neurologist Joel Salinas.

TRAINING DAY (Warner Bros. TV, Jerry Bruckheimer TV)
Writer(s): Will Beall
Producer(s): Antoine Fuqua, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, KristieAnne Reed
Director: Danny Cannon
Logline: In this reimagining that begins 15 years after the film left off, an idealistic young African-American police officer is appointed to an elite squad of the LAPD where he is partnered with a seasoned, morally ambiguous Caucasian detective.
Cast: Bill Paxton

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Drama

FREQUENCY (Lin Pictures, Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Jeremy Carver
Producer(s): Toby Emmerich; John Rickard, Dan Lin, Jennifer Gwartz
Logline: In this reimagining of the New Line Cinema film, a female police detective discovers she is able to speak via a ham radio with her estranged father, also a detective, who died in 1996. They forge a new relationship while working together on an unresolved murder, but unintended consequences of the “butterfly effect” wreak havoc in the present day.
Cast: Peyton List, Riley Smith, Mekhi Phifer, Lenny Jacobs, Anthony Ruivivar

NO TOMORROW (Electus Entertainment, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Corinne Brinkerhoff, Scott McCabe, Tory Stanton
Producer(s): Ben Silverman
Director: Brad Silberling
Logline: A risk-averse, straight-arrow, female procurement manager at an Amazon-like distribution center falls in love with a freewheeling man who lives life to the fullest because he believes the apocalypse is imminent. Comedy and poignant moments result as they embark on a quest together to fulfill their bucket lists.

RIVERDALE (Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Producer(s): Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Jon Goldwater
Logline: Set in the present day and based on the iconic Archie Comics characters, “Riverdale” is a surprising and subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends, exploring the surrealism of small-town life — the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.
Cast: KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse, Ashleigh Murray, Luke Perry, Madelaine Petsch, Camila Mendes

TRANSYLVANIA (Midnight Radio, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Hugh Sterbakov
Producer(s): Jeff Pinkner, Andre Nemec, Josh Applebaum, Scott Rosenberg
Director: Jason Ensler
Logline: In 1880, a headstrong young woman in search of her missing father ventures from NYC to Transylvania, where she teams up with a wrongfully disgraced Scotland Yard detective. Together, they witness the births of the most famous monsters and villains in history.
Cast: Laura Brent

UNTITLED MARS PROJECT (The Kennedy-Marshall Company, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Doris Egan
Producer(s): Frank Marshall, Robert Zotnowski
Logline: A team of explorers arrives on Mars to join its first human colony, only to discover that their predecessors have vanished. Led by a woman whose husband is among the missing, the colonists are forced to change their mission from exploration/settlement to investigation/survival, while navigating the hostile planet and their own personal demons.
Cast: Neal Bledsoe, Mouzam Makkar, Carl Beukes, Tongayi Chirisa, Peter Mark Kendall

UNTITLED PARANORMAL PROJECT (Outerbanks Entertainment, Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Kevin Williamson
Producer(s): Lauren Wagner
Director: David Nutter
Logline: A young woman seeks help from a parapsychologist when she begins to experience paranormal phenomena.
Cast: Bailey Chase, Jessica Szohr

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Comedy

CHAD: AN AMERICAN BOY (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Nasim Pedrad, Rob Rosell
Producer(s): Michael Rotenberg, Dave Becky
Director: Jason Winer
Logline: A 14-year-old boy in the throes of adolescence is tasked with being the man of the house, which leaves him with all the responsibilities of being an adult without any of the perks. (Single-camera)
Cast: Nasim Pedrad

CHARITY CASE (ABC Studios, 20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Robert Padnick
Producer(s): Courteney Cox
Director: James Griffiths
Logline: When Hailey inherits her late billionaire husband’s charity, she quickly finds that changing the world is far less glamorous than she had imagined. (Single-camera)
Cast: Courteney Cox, Kyle Bornheimer, Isiah Whitlock, Dan Gill

THE ENFORCERS (Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Sherry Bilsing-Graham, Ellen Kreamer
Director: Gail Mancuso
Logline: A female buddy comedy about two wildly different single mothers with dreams of being police officers who find themselves partnered as inspectors in the Code Enforcement Department. Instead of fighting crime, they have been relegated to handling petty code breaking, like noise complaints, tree trimming and water misuse. (Single-camera)
Cast: Christine Woods, Niecy Nash, Ian Gomez, Matt Oberg

MAKING HISTORY (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Julius Sharpe
Producer(s): Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Seth Cohen
Logline: Three friends find a way to travel through time for truth, justice and riches, which complicates their lives in 2016. They visit some of the greatest moments of the past as they try to resolve their personal problems, while history and pop culture comically collide. (Single-camera)
Cast: Adam Pally

THE MICK (3 Arts, 20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): John Chernin, Dave Chernin
Producer(s): Nick Frenkel, Oly Obst
Director: Randall Einhorn
Logline: A hard-living, foul-mouthed woman moves to affluent Greenwich, Connecticut, to raise the spoiled kids of her wealthy sister who has fled the country to avoid a federal indictment. She quickly learns what the rest of us already know — other people’s children are awful. (Single-camera)
Cast: Kaitlin Olson, Sofia Black D’Elia

SON OF ZORN — Ordered straight to series (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Producer(s): Reed Agnew, Eli Jorne, Seth Cohen
Director: Eric Appel
Logline: Centers on an animated Barbarian father who comes home for the first time in 10 years to his live-action son and ex-wife. He finds that reconnecting with his family, struggling through his mundane office job and dealing with the banality of suburban life is much harder than waging actual war in his distant, animated world. (Hybrid)
Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Cheryl Hines, Tim Meadows, Artemis Pebdani, Johnny Pemberton

UNTITLED CHRIS CASE (Entertainment 360, 20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Chris Case
Producer(s): Chris Spencer, Evan Silverberg, Daniel Rappaport
Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Logline: This interracial family comedy follows Jay “Havoc” Hammond, an African-American, ex-NFL lineman who recently moved in with his white wife and her two oddball sons, as he struggles to win the most challenging game of life: fatherhood. (Single-camera)
Cast: Becki Newton

UNTITLED LAURA STEINEL (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Laura Steinel
Producer(s): Sue Naegle
Director: Jeff Schaffer
Logline: A half-hour workplace comedy that centers around Jane, who is caught between trying to manage her charmingly incompetent human resources department and a new eccentric CEO who dreams of bringing the New Jersey plastics plant into the future. (Single-camera)
Cast: Judy Greer

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Drama

24: LEGACY (20th Century Fox TV)
Producer(s): Manny Coto, Evan Katz, Howard Gordon, Brian Grazer, Kiefer Sutherland
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Logline: Drama revolves around a military hero’s return to the U.S. and the trouble that follows him back — compelling him to ask CTU for help in saving his life, and stopping what potentially could be one of the largest-scale terror attacks on American soil.
Cast: Corey Hawkins, Miranda Otto, Jimmy Smits, Anna Diop, Teddy Sears

A.P.B. (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): David Slack
Director: Len Wiseman
Logline: A tech billionaire purchases a troubled police precinct in the wake of a loved one’s murder. But can this eccentric and enigmatic figure’s cutting-edge approach fix the broken ways of these blue-blooded veterans?
Cast: Natalie Martinez, Caitlin Stasey, Taylor Handley

THE EXORCIST (Morgan Creek Productions, 20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Jeremy Slater
Producer(s): James Robinson, David Robinson, Barbara Wall
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Logline: A modern reinvention inspired by William Blatty’s 1971 book, the drama is a propulsive, serialized psychological thriller following two very different men tackling one family’s case of horrifying demonic possession, and confronting the face of true evil.
Cast: Alfonso Herrera, Ben Daniels, Brianne Howey, Hannah Kasulka

LETHAL WEAPON (Lin Pictures, Good Session Productions, Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Matt Miller
Producer(s): Dan Lin, Jennifer Gwartz
Director: McG
Logline: When Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Martin Riggs suffers the loss of his wife and baby, he moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he gets partnered with LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh, who, having recently suffered a “minor” heart attack, must avoid any stress in his life.
Cast: Damon Wayans Sr., Golden Brooks

PITCH (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Dan Fogelman, Rick Singer
Producer(s): Tony Bill, Helen Bartlett
Director: Paris Barclay
Logline: Follows a young female pitcher who defies the odds when she becomes the first woman to play in the major leagues.
Cast: Kylie Bunbury, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Elisabeth Shue, Mark Consuelos, Dan Lauria, Mo McRae, Meagan Holder, Tim Jo

PRISON BREAK — Ordered straight to series (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Paul T. Scheuring
Producer(s): Neal Moritz, Marty Adelstein, Dawn Olmstead
Director: Nelson McCormick
Logline: A 10-episode follow-up to the 2005 series of the same name.
Cast: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Mark Feuerstein

RECON (Outerbanks Entertainment, Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Caroline Dries
Producer(s): Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec
Director: Adam Davidson
Logline: A rookie FBI agent embeds herself in a suspected terrorist family.
Cast: Tracy Spiridakos, Sarita Choudhury, Karan Oberoi, Alexander Siddig

SHOTS FIRED — Ordered straight to series (Imagine TV, 20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Gina Prince-Blythewood, Reggie Rock Blythewood
Producer(s): Francie Calfo, Brian Grazer
Director: Gina Prince-Blythewood
Logline: Event series explores the aftermath of racially charged shootings in a small town in Tennessee.
Cast: Sanaa Lathan, DeWanda Wise, Conor Leslie, Stephan James

UNTITLED LEE DANIELS (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Lee Daniels, Tom Donaghy
Producer(s): Pamela Oas Williams, Effie Brown
Director: Lee Daniels
Logline: Set in Atlanta, this drama revolves around three girls who come together to form a band. The series details their rise to the top in a challenging business.
Cast: Queen Latifah, Benjamin Bratt, Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady, Nicholas Gonzalez

ZOOBIQUITY (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Stephen Nathan, Jon Collier
Producer(s): Spencer Medof, Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, Kathryn Bowers
Director: Kevin Bray
Logline: The light, unconventional medical procedural follows the unlikely pairing of a successful, driven cardiologist as she risks career suicide by teaming with a socially-challenged veterinarian who relates better to animals than people. They try to put aside their competitive natures to cure the incurable using a unique blend of cross-species medicine that’s never been tried before.
Cast: Marsha Thomason, Peter Facinelli, Kim Raver, Antonia Bernath

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NBC tiny
Comedy

CRUNCH TIME (Universal TV)
Writer(s): Betsy Thomas
Producer(s): Phil Gurin, David Janollari
Logline: A hybrid game show/comedy that intercuts between a real game show and the scripted workplace that centers on an up-and-coming producer trying to wrangle the volatile host. (Multi-camera)

GOOD FORTUNE (Le Train Train, 20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Craig Gerard, Matt Zinman
Producer(s): Rashida Jones, Will McCormack
Director: Pam Fryman
Logline: An ensemble comedy that focuses on a hyper-structured young woman whose life is upended when she starts taking advice from a mysterious fortune teller. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Jessy Hodges, Tone Bell, Beau Mirchoff, Diane Guerrero, Blake Lee

GOOD PLACE — Ordered straight to series (Fremulon, 3 Arts, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Mike Schur
Producer(s): David Miner
Director: Drew Goddard
Logline: Centers on a woman wrestling with what it means to be good. (Single-camera)
Cast: Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil

IMAGINARY FRIEND (Hazy Mills, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Kassia Miller
Producer(s): Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner
Director: Paul Briganti
Logline: An intelligent yet unmotivated woman discovers a special and unexpected way of dealing with her mediocre life. (Single-camera)
Cast: Kalia Prescott, Megan Neuringer, Brandon Scott, Allan McLeod, Morgan Grace Jarrett, Alex Newell

MARLON (Universal TV)
Writer(s): Chris Moynihan
Producer(s): Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez, Michael Rotenberg
Logline: Loosely inspired by Marlon Wayans‘ life, this multi-camera comedy centers on an inappropriate but loving father committed to successfully co-parenting with his polar opposite ex-wife. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Marlon Wayans, Essence Atkins, Bresha Webb

ME AND MEAN MARGARET (Chernin Entertainment, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Adam Barr
Producer(s): Peter Chernin
Logline: An unlikely buddy comedy that follows a fiercely candid and often offensive legendary actress and the ambitious 27-year-old lawyer forced to babysit her. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Stockard Channing

POWERLESS (Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Ben Queen
Director: Michael Patrick Jann
Logline: Set in the DC Comics universe full of superheroes, villains and people just like us, this office comedy focuses on exceedingly average employees at an insurance company and their quest to find their own power. (Single-camera)
Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Alan Tudyk, Danny Pudi, Christina Kirk

SEBASTIAN (Amigos de Garcia, CBS TV Studios)
Writer(s): Austen Earl, Sebastian Maniscalco
Producer(s): Greg Garcia, Judi Marmel, Norman Aladjem, Alix Jaffe
Director: Scott Ellis
Logline: Sebastian’s old-school values, instilled by his opinionated Italian father, are constantly put to the test by his new wife, her family, and the absurdities of the modern world. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Sebastian Maniscalco, Tony Danza, Steve Talley

SUNSET PPL (Universal TV)
Writer(s): Adriano Valentini, Aaron Colom
Logline: A group of millennial friends struggle with their own made-up rules for personal and professional success. (Single-camera)
Cast: Julianna Guill, Cass Buggle, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Alesha Renee, Carmine DiBenedetto, Paul Palmeri

THE TRAIL (Barge Productions, Good Session Productions, Warner Bros. TV)
Writer(s): Jeff Astrof, Matt Miller
Director: Jeff Blitz
Logline: A serialized comedy following a young big-city lawyer and his oddball defense team during a high-profile murder trial in a small Southern town. (Single-camera)
Cast: Nick D’Agosto, John Lithgow, Sherri Shepherd, Steven Boyer, Jayma Mays,Krysta Rodriguez

UNTITLED AMY POEHLER/CHARLIE GRANDY (Paper Kite, 3 Arts, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Charlie Grandy
Producer(s): Amy Poehler, Brooke Posch, Dave Becky
Director: Amy Poehler
Logline: After years of partying that earned him the “black sheep” label, Karl returns home to compete with his brother for the family throne. (Single-camera)
Cast: Nico Evers-Swindell, Elizabeth Perkins, Kevin Nealon, Tim Baltz, Jessie Ennis, Tiya Sircar, Patrick Gallagher

UNTITLED MATT HUBBARD (3 Arts, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Matt Hubbard
Producer(s): Mike Schur, David Miner
Director: Claire Scanlon
Logline: Loosely based on Matt’s life, this is a show about a guy learning to manage the expectations and strong cultural traditions of his in-laws after he moves his family to his wife’s hometown. (Single-camera)
Cast: Jack McBrayer, Chris Smith, Elizabeth Ho, Francois Chau, Susan Chuang, Concetta Tomei

UNTITLED TRACY WIGFIELD (Little Stranger, 3 Arts, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Tracey Wigfield
Producer(s): Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, David Miner
Logline: An already inseparable mother/daughter relationship becomes more complicated when mom accepts an internship at her daughter’s workplace. (Single-camera)
Cast: Briga Heelan, Andrea Martin, Kimrie Lewis-Davis, Adam Campbell

UNTITLED VLADIMIR CAAMANO (Doozer, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Vladimir Caamano, Adam Sztykiel
Producer(s): Bill Lawrence, Jeff Ingold
Logline: Vlad, the son of Dominican immigrants, wants to carve his own path in life which proves difficult as his father has no desire to change their extremely co-dependent relationship. (Multi-camera)
Cast: Vladimir Caamano, Maria Canals-Barrera

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NBC tiny
Drama

CHICAGO LAW (Wolf Films, Universal TV)
Producer(s): Dick Wolf
Director: Jean de Segonzac
Logline: “Chicago P.D.” spin-off. (Single-camera)
Cast: Philip Winchester

CRUEL INTENTIONS (Sony Pictures TV, Original Film)
Writer(s): Roger Kumble, Jordan Ross, Lindsey Rosin
Producer(s): Neil Moritz, Pavun Shetty
Director: Roger Kumble
Logline: Picking up over 15 years after the end of the movie, it follows the beautiful and cunning Kathryn Merteuil as she vies for control of Valmont International as well as the soul of Bash Casey, the son of her brother, who was the late Sebastian Valmont, and Annette Hargrove. Upon discovering his late father’s legacy in a hidden journal, Bash is introduced to a world of sex, money, power and corruption he never could have imagined.
Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kate Levering, Taylor John Smith (American Crime), Samantha Logan, Sophina Brown, Nathalie Kelley

MIDNIGHT, TEXAS (David Janollari Entertainment, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Monica Owusu-Breen
Producer(s): David Janollari
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Logline: Based on the NY Times best-selling trilogy from the author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, it’s “Twin Peaks” meets “True Blood” in Midnight, Texas, a remote town where your neighbor could be a vampire, a witch, a werewolf, and even an angel. Mystery, horror and romance combine to both enthrall and frighten any outsiders who decide to venture into this unusual place.
Cast: Sarah Ramos, Dylan Bruce, Arielle Kebbel

MIRANDA’S RIGHTS (John Glenn Entertainment, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Katie Lovejoy
Producer(s): John Glenn
Director: Jennifer Getzinger
Logline: A one-hour legal soap about an idealistic group of lawyers who not only work together but live together at their start-up firm.
Cast: Rebecca Breeds

TAKEN — Ordered straight to series (Europa Corp TV, Universal TV)
Writer(s): Alexander Cary
Producer(s): Luc Besson, Matthew Gross, Edouard De Vesinne, Thomas Anargyros
Director: Alex Graves
Logline: The prequel series will follow a younger version of Bryan Mills, before he was married or had children, as he develops his “very particular set of skills.”
Cast: Clive Standen, Gaius Charles, Monique Gabriela Curnen, James Landry Hebert, Michael Irby

TIME (Davis Entertainment, Sony Pictures TV)
Writer(s): Shawn Ryan, Eric Kripke
Producer(s): John Davis, John Fox, Marney Hochman
Director: Neil Marshall
Logline: This high-octane drama follows an unlikely trio who travel through time to battle a master criminal intent on altering the fabric of human history with potentially catastrophic results.
Cast: Matt Lanter, Abigail Spencer, Claudia Doumit, Paterson Joseph, Malcolm Barrett

UNTITLED DAN FOGELMAN (20th Century Fox TV)
Writer(s): Dan Fogelman
Producer(s): Jess Rosenthal, Charlie Gogolak
Director: John Requa, Glenn Ficarra
Logline: The drama follows a young female pitcher who defies the odds when she becomes the first woman to play in the major leagues.
Cast: Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Justin Hartley, Sterling Brown, Ron Cephas Jones, Chrissy Metz, Susan Kelechi Watson

REAL ALES: GORDY’S MOTOWN “RIGHT HAND” SPEAKS!

MARCH 7, 2016
in Category: uBYTES
Real Ales: Gordy’s Motown “Right Hand” Speaks!

Barney Ales, co-author with Adam White of the book Motown: The Sound Of Young America, was a key figure behind the scenes at Motown. Initially joining the label to “take charge of sales and promotion”, he would eventually become president of the company in the 70s.

In 1963, he and Berry Gordy travelled to Paris, laying the groundwork for what, two years later, would become the Motortown Revue’s first ever European tour. He tells uDiscover what took them to the French capital, and why 1965 what such a pivotal year for Motown.

You’ve been described as Berry Gordy’s “business right-hand” and the man who got “the records played and the company paid”. When did you join Motown and how would you describe your role at the label?
I first got involved in 1960 through a distributors in Detroit, because we handled some of Motown’s earliest hits. As Berry and I got to know each other better, he invited me to join the company to take charge of sales and promotion. As the business grew, I took on more responsibility.

Why was 1965 such a pivotal year for Motown?
Well, obviously, we had a fantastic year in ’64 when we broke The Supremes, and that push continued into 1965 with The Temptations’ ‘My Girl’, Junior Walker And The All Stars’ ‘Shotgun’, Marvin Gaye’s ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’, Four Tops’ ‘I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)’ and others. And, of course, more hits by The Supremes.

Motown Supremes British Invasion

You and Berry first went to Paris in March 1963 to gauge European interest in Motown. What did you discover on this trip?
That there was curiosity about Motown because people in Europe could see we were hot on the charts in the US. So we talked to folks at EMI and Decca in the UK, at Vogue in France, Polydor in Germany, and so on. It was really about developing relationships for the time when we knew our music was going to break.

Motown Live In Paris, 1965 ArtworkAnd what led you to go the whole hog in ’65 and send the Revue over to Europe?
The Revue was going like gangbusters at home, so we figured it was worth making the effort abroad, especially to help EMI launch the Tamla Motown label. In retrospect, we probably should have waited until we had more hits than The Supremes, but Dusty Springfield hosting The Sound Of Motown TV show in England was a big step forward – and, again, it was about developing business relationships. That takes more than a minute.

What allure did Paris have at the time?
Well, the food for a start! And whenever The Supremes went abroad, Berry always liked to go with them. Plus, Pathé-Marconi made a real effort to promote Tamla Motown in France. They spent a lot of money.

What led you to pick Earl Van Dyke, Stevie Wonder, Martha And The Vandellas, The Supremes and The Miracles to go to Paris, over some of the other Motown stars?
It would have been a matter of juggling everyone’s schedules. There was a lot of demand in America for The Supremes, so it was difficult to let them go for almost a month. But Stevie wasn’t having too many hits at home and, besides, he’d played in Paris before. And Marvin didn’t like to travel.

Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Earl Van Dyke, Miracles, Vandellas

It must have been an exciting time for the stars who were picked. How did they react when you told them they were going to be part of the first overseas Motown Revue?
Everyone liked the chance to go abroad, so there was a lot of excitement at that. Plus, there were good reports back from people who’d been over there before, like Kim Weston and Martha Reeves. But they knew they had to work – it wasn’t a vacation! And not everyone liked the food over there. You couldn’t get a decent burger in Europe back then.

And was there anyone that you wanted to send but couldn’t?
I don’t remember anyone specifically. Marvin’s travel phobia was one thing. And we did consider Four Tops, but we needed to make sure they were hitting home runs in the US first.

Motown Marvin Gaye British InvasionMotown famously trained its stars for live performances. Was there any extra training in preparation for Europe?
Not that I recall, but then again, we were kinda busy on the home front. We had about 10 Top 20 hits on theBillboard charts, I think, in the first six months of 1965. Not exactly chopped liver.

The Velvelettes recorded some French-language releases at the time, which weren’t released until 2004. Did Motown ever record other French-language versions of songs that weren’t released?
We recorded so much music over so many years, it’s hard to remember. I know we had producers from Italy come into Detroit for Italian sessions, but I couldn’t tell you what came out and what didn’t.

Why do you think Motown’s music endures so well today?
Because the songs were so great. And, because our writers and producers were so young, they weren’t afraid to be bold. Have you ever heard a better record than ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’? People today still want to know what made those songs so great. The story of Motown is like a college course in music.

If you were to put together a Motortown Revue today, who would you pick?
I’d pick everyone!

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JoeBala

STARS COME OUT FOR 2016 BET HONORS, WITH PERFORMANCES BY USHER, TONI BRAXTON, JASMINE SULLIVAN & MORE!

Usher,-Toni,-Jazmine-BET-Honors

Black excellence rang over DC this past weekend at the 2016 BET Honors. This year’s star-studded event honored some of the biggest names in the business including the soulful legend Patti Labelle (Musica Arts Award), Epic Records CEO and chairman L.A Reid (Business of Entertainment Award), Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels (Television and Film Award), President of Ariel Investments Mellody Hobson (Corporate Citizen Award), and former U.S Attorney General Eric Holder (Public Service Award).

That night on the Warner Theater stage, Lee Daniels gave a compelling speech about his relationship with his late grandmother and his fellow honorees.

He paid credit to Patti Labelle especially for playing a key role in his sobriety.

“La, that I’m even here with you tonight, when you were responsible for me getting off drugs, I love you,” he extended to Labelle.

“I called her up one night at three o’clock in the morning,” the Empire co-creator went on to explain. “(I was) babbling, babbling, babbling. I was high as a kite (and) she said, ‘Lee, you know Jesus?’

A night full of emotion, empowerment, and incredible performances by: Usher, Toni Braxton, Jussie Smollett, Jazmine Sullivan, Fantasia, Ledisi, Raheem Davaughn, and The Deele comes together for a performance after 28 years.

The BET Honors will air March 14 at 8 p.m. ET on BET. You don’t want to miss it!

VIDEO: MIGUEL FEAT. KACEY MUSGRAVES – WAVES (REMIX)

Miguel-Kacey-Musgraves

Miguel is still riding the “waves.” After releasing the videos for his Travis Scott-assisted remix, and the Tame Impala version, the R&B star is back with another. This time, he releases visuals for the version with singer Kacey Musgraves.

Of course, the steamy clip, which clocks in at under a minute, also has a beach theme. The twosome share some fun in the sun while scenes of Miguel in a convertible flash in and out of a dream-like sequence.

“I feel like it’s gonna be a good, summer, slow, chill jam,” Musgraves told Elle. “It was a challenge. It was different figuring out, ‘How am I going to make this song me?’ I didn’t want it to sound like I’m just covering a Miguel song. I wanted it to sound like me.”

But she also enjoyed something that may be surprising to her fans. “I like that the bridge is sort of aggressively sexual,” she explained. “You don’t normally hear a female singing something like that.”

All five remixes to “waves” can be found on Miguel’s Rogue Waves EP. Check out the visual below.

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NEW GREGORY PORTER ALBUM

MARCH 4, 2016
in Category: NEWS
New Gregory Porter Album

If you loved Gregory Porter’s Liquid Spirit, you are going to go crazy for his new album,Take Me to The Alley. What made that breakthrough record so uplifting, and indeed spiritual, was the timeless quality of the music. The Grammy Award-winning Liquid Spirit is one of those albums that seemed to touch people in a way that records used to do, and on the strength of ‘Holding On’ and ‘Don’t Lose Your Steam,' the two singles released today ahead of Take Me to The Alley, you can expect more of the very same. The album will be released 6 May on Blue Note Records.

The good news is that when pre-ordering a download of the album you will instantly receive the two tracks. In addition the album is also available for pre-order on CD, and the singles are also available on streaming services.

‘Holding On’ was premiered yesterday (3) on Apple Music’s Beats 1 and finds Porter presenting his decidedly different version of the Disclosure single on which he was the featured vocalist, and which he co-wrote for their album Caracal. “I decided to do the song the way that I would have recorded it on my record,” Porter says. “It’s a way of saying that a song is a song is a song. The lyrics and the intention of the song come through no matter what kind of bells and whistles are going on.” PorterThe rousing, bluesy stomp 'Don’t Lose Your Steam' is dedicated to Porter’s three-year-old son, with encouraging lyrics about staying committed one’s goals regardless of hardship.

Porter has also announced extensive tour dates throughout North America and Europe this spring and summer, including appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Newport Jazz Festival. For a list of Porter’s worldwide tour dates, clickhere.

It was only in the fall of 2015 that Gregory Porter finally found the time to return to the studio in New York City to record Take Me To The Alley. As he’s done on his previous three albums, he teamed with producer Kamau Kenyatta to craft a collection of stirring originals that juxtapose the personal and political. His partnership with Kenyatta started in the mid-1990s, when Porter was a student at San Diego State University (Porter began his college years playing football on a full athletic scholarship, before a shoulder injury diverted him into a music career). It was through Kenyatta’s mentorship that Porter’s professional musical career began.

The track listing for Take Me To The Alley:
1. Holding On (Gregory Porter/James John Napier/Guy William Lawrence/Howard John Lawrence)
2. Don't Lose Your Steam (Porter)
3. Take Me To The Alley (Porter)
4. Day Dream (Gregory Porter/Craig Dawson)
5. Consequence of Love (Porter)
6. In Fashion (Porter)
7. More Than A Woman (Porter)
8. In Heaven (Darlene Andrews)
9. Insanity (Porter)
10. Don't Be A Fool (Porter)
11. Fan The Flames (Porter)
12. French African Queen (Porter)


First Listen snippet: Maxwell to return with "Lake By The Ocean"

Snippet: http://www.soultracks.com/first-listen-maxwell-lake-by-the-ocean

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Reply #133 posted 03/08/16 8:27am

JoeBala

The Complete Trio Collection (Deluxe) (3CD)

This title will be released on September 9, 2016.

Tracklist:

[CD1] 1. The Pain Of Loving You 2. Making Plans 3. To Know Him Is To Love Him 4. Hobo's Meditation 5. Wildflowers 6. Telling Me Lies 7. My Dear Companion 8. Those Memories Of You 9. I've Had Enough 10. Rosewood Casket 11. Farther Along *****

[CD2] 1. Lover's Return 2. High Sierra 3. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind 4. After The Gold Rush 5. The Blue Train 6. I Feel The Blues Movin' In 7. You'll Never Be The Sun 8. He Rode All The Way To Texas 9. Feels Like Home 10. When We're Gone, Long Gone *****

[CD3] 1. Wildflowers (Alternate Take 1986) 2. Waltz Across Texas Tonight (Unreleased 1994) 3. Lover's Return (Linda solo Unreleased 1994) 4. Softly And Tenderly (Unreleased 1994) 5. Pleasant As May (Unreleased 1986) 6. My Dear Companion (Alternate Take 1986) 7. My Blue Tears (Unreleased 1998) 8. Making Plans (Alternate Take 1986) 9. I've Had Enough (Alternate Mix 1986) 10. Grey Funnel Line (Unreleased 1986) 11. You Don't Knock (Unreleased 1986) 12. Where Will The Words Come From (Unreleased 1985) 13. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind (Dolly Lead Alternate Take 1994) 14. Are You Tired Of Me (Unreleased 1986) 15. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues 16. Mr. Sandman 17. Handful Of Dust (Unreleased 1993) 18. Calling My Children Home (Unreleased Acapella Version 1986) 19. White Snow (Unreleased 1986) 20. Farther Along (Alternate Mix 1986)

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Reply #134 posted 03/08/16 8:50am

Identity

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/4KnWNeX.jpg?1[/img:$uid]

Special David Bowie Record Store Days Releases Unveiled
March 2016


In advance of the today's announcement of the full list of special vinyl releases that will be available as part of this year's Record Store Day campaign on April 16, Rhino has unveiled the late David Bowie's contributions to the initiative.

Two limited-edition picture discs will be released, a seven-inch single featuring Bowie's 1976 tune "TVC15" and a version of his 1970 album The Man Who Sold the World with an alternate cover.


The "TVC15" single will feature a single edit of the track on the A side and a 2010 single edit of Bowie's cover of "Wild Is the Wind" on the reverse side. The photo appearing on the "TVC15" side of the single is an image of David taken by Geoff MacCormack on the set of the film The Man Who Fell To Earth. The "Wild Is the Wind" side of the disc boasts an image snapped by Steve Schapiro in 1975.

The Man Who Sold the World picture disc features the artwork that appeared on the album's German release, a winged creature flying through space that has Bowie's head and a hand for a body that's is about to flick the world with its index finger.


In other news, a special 40th anniversary reissue of Bowie's classic 1976 compilationChangesOneBowie will be released May 20 on CD, vinyl and as a digital download. The LP version of the disc will be pressed on 180-gram vinyl that will be either black or clear.

Fans purchasing the vinyl edition of the album won't know what color the disc is until they open the packaging.ChangesOneBowie featured 11 classic Bowie songs, including "Space Oddity," "Changes," "Ziggy Stardust,""Suffragette City," "Rebel Rebel," "Young Americans," and "Fame."



Link

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Reply #135 posted 03/08/16 5:31pm

JoeBala

Thanks ID!

Punisher Gets a Full Costume (And a Minigun!) in New ‘Daredevil’ Season 2 Billboards

Kevin Fitzpatrick | 19 hours ago

Next Friday will see Daredevil Season 2 unleashing Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and Elodie Yung’s Elektra into the MCU, but the Man Without Fear just couldn’t wait to show off his new friends. The full costumed looks for both new additions have arisen in a new billboard, skull logo, sais and all!

You’re warned of some spoilery photos from here on out, but Reddit logged the debut of several Toronto billboards, going far beyond the leaked Tumblr images to reveal full costumes for Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle and Elodie Yung’s Elektra Natchios. It’s hard to get a clear sense of the latter, though Punisher in particular gets a more leathery coat than we’ve seen, what appears to be chest armor with the classic Punisher logo, and a freakin’ mini-gun!

Then there’s this new tweet from the official Daredevil account with a better look at that Punisher logo.

So reads the official Daredevil Season 2 synopsis:

Just when Matt thinks he is bringing order back to the city, new forces are rising in Hell’s Kitchen. Now the Man Without Fear must take on a new adversary in Frank Castle and face an old flame – Elektra Natchios.

Bigger problems emerge when Frank Castle, a man looking for vengeance, is reborn as The Punisher, a man who takes justice into his own hands in Matt’s neighborhood. Meanwhile, Matt must balance his duty to his community as a lawyer and his dangerous life as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, facing a life-altering choice that forces him to truly understand what it means to be a hero.

So far of Daredevil Season 2, we know for sure that Rosario Dawson has been confirmed to reprise her ...ire Temple, along with Scott Glenn’s Stick. In addition to Elodie Yung’s Elektra and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, Drew Goddard remains aboard as a consultant, though the series has changed showrunners from ...oug Petrie.

In the meantime, check out photos and trailers of Netflix’s Daredevil Season 2 below (don’t forget our advanc... 2 review!), and stay tuned for the latest on the March 18 premiere!



‘Dancing With the Stars’ 2016: Season 22 Celebrity Cast Revealed Live on ‘GMA’

Craig Sjodin/ABC

WATCH 'DWTS' Season 22: The Celebrity Cast Speaks Out

The celebrity cast of season 22 of ABC's “Dancing With the Stars” was officially announced on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday and the lineup features an eclectic group of stars, including football legend Doug Flutie, outspoken journalist Geraldo Rivera, actress Mischa Barton and TV personality Marla Maples, who is the ex-wife of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The 12 celebrities appeared live in “GMA”’s Times Square studio alongside the dance professionals who'll teach them how to tango this season.

The celebrities are stars of music, media, television and sports.

Barton made her screen debut as a child but shot to fame playing Marisa Cooper on the teen drama, “The O.C.” Maples has appeared in the films “Executive Decision” and “Maximum Overdrive,” and has had several guest-starring roles on television. Rivera is a talk show host and an award-winning journalist with more than 40 years experience in the news business.

Also joining the celebrity cast are Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller and his gridiron rival, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, R&B singer Wanya Morris of the group Boyz II Men, and Nyle DiMarco, winner of the final season of “America's Next Top Model.”

UFC fighter Paige VanZant, who is known for her mixed martial arts moves in the ring, will trade in her gloves for dancing shoes as another celebrity dancer on the show. Rounding out the celebrity cast is “Facts of Life” actress Kim Fields, who currently appears on the reality TV show “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

“Full House” actress Jodie Sweetin and “GMA” meteorologist Ginger Zee were previously announced as cast members. Sweetin made a name for herself playing Stephanie Tanner in the hit sitcom “Full House” and reprised the role in the spin-off, “Fuller House,” which premiered on Netflix last month.

Zee gave birth to her first child, a son named Adrian, in December. She plans to return to “GMA” from maternity leave on March 14.

The celebrities weren’t the only ones in the spotlight. Edyta Sliwinska, a fan favorite who appeared on the first 10 seasons of the show, will return to partner up with Rivera.

Other fan favorite dance pros Karina Smirnoff, Tony Dovolani, Mark Ballas, Val Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd are also returning to the ballroom.

The new season of “Dancing With the Stars” premieres at 8 p.m. Eastern time on March 21.

THE SEASON 22 COUPLES

Ginger Zee and Val Chmerkovskiy

PHOTO: Ginger Zee and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Ginger Zee and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Antonio Brown and Sharna Burgess

PHOTO: Antonio Brown and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Antonio Brown and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Doug Flutie and Karina Smirnoff

PHOTO: Doug Flutie and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Doug Flutie and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Wanya Morris and Lindsay Arnold

PHOTO: Wanya Morris and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Wanya Morris and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Von Miller and Witney Carson

PHOTO: Von Miller and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Von Miller and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Nyle Dimarco and Peta Murgatroyd

PHOTO: Nyle DiMarco and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Nyle DiMarco and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Jodie Sweetin and Keo Motsepe

PHOTO: Jodie Sweetin and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time with their professional partners during the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016, at 8 p.m. on the ABC Television Network.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Jodie Sweetin and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time with their professional partners during the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016, at 8 p.m. on the ABC Television Network.more +

Mischa Barton and Artem Chigvintsev

PHOTO: Mischa Barton and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Mischa Barton and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Marla Maples and Tony Dovolani

PHOTO: Marla Maples and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Marla Maples and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Paige VanZant and Mark Ballas

PHOTO: Paige VanZant and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Paige VanZant and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Kim Fields and Sasha Farber

PHOTO: Kim Fields and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Kim Fields and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," on Monday, March, 21, 2016.more +

Geraldo Rivera and Edyta Sliwinska

PHOTO: Geraldo Rivera and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, on Monday, March, 21, 2016.
Craig Sjodin/ABC

Geraldo Rivera and the rest of the stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professio

Exclusive Interview with The Shannara Chronicles’ Ivana Baquero

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Eretria is a badass.

When I started playing Dungeons and Dragons all those years ago – when I learned to let my nerd out and learned that it was okay to be different – Eretria was a huge inspiration to me. The character and Terry Brooks’ world overall changed my life for the better and I probably wouldn’t be here writing without strong characters such as Eretria.

Last week, I had the chance to talk with the actress portraying my inspiration made real, Ivana Baquero, and it was a dream come true. Here’s what our conversation was like:

​It’s very exciting to get the chance to speak with you and to speak with Eretria here. To start off, you have done absolutely everything. You’ve been around for quite a while. Most people right now on MTV know you as Eretria, but some know you, of course, as Ofelia from “Pan’s Labyrinth”. You’ve been on several other international films as well and you’ve absolutely blown us away in everything we’ve seen you in.

Wow, thank you.


Absolutely. To start, how did you land the role of Eretria for “The Shannara Chronicles”?

It was actually quite funny because I do have my agents and my manager in the States, and when I go to the States I tape and audition over there, but I was in Spain when I got a call from my manager saying that they wanted me to tape for this show that was coming up called, obviously, Shannara. I had to film myself for Eretria. I thought it was a bit odd because obviously I knew that some people tape themselves for auditions, but I didn’t know if it can even get to the producers where I just filmed myself. We sent it over and nothing happened for a couple of months.

After a long while, I got another call saying that they actually loved me. They’d seen every girl already and they really liked me for the role, and they wanted me to fly to LA for a chemistry test with Austin. I flew for a single afternoon. I auditioned, and right before getting on the plane … I know it sounds idealic, but literally right before flying back to Spain they called me saying that they cast me for the role. It was like almost a dream come true. It was very strange and unlikely but it happened.


That is fantastic and it is a dream getting to watch all of you on-screen. We’re a few episodes in now and my question for you is this: How does it feel to be playing Eretria, a strong woman who’s just such a badass?

​It’s very empowering, and it’s really special because in general … And now more so, in these last couple of years, but it’s really rare to get to play such a powerful, resourceful female. In my case, obviously I just sort of … I’m leaving my teenage years. I’m twenty-one at the moment, so most of what I’d done before were, obviously, kid roles. This was the most adult thing I’d done ever since. It was very empowering and very, very exciting to play this role that is so energetic, so dynamic, so cool. Because she’s not only a badass, which she kind of is, but she’s also this vulnerable girl trying to run away from this really dark atmosphere. That was very, very special.


Now, you talk about the atmosphere and Eretria’s character here, so let me ask then what it takes for you to get into a character who is involved in an atmosphere like that? What’s your creative process in this situation?

In this case, it had a lot to do with location. As you know, we were shooting in New Zealand, so everything that surrounded us was very, very special and amazing and big in the nature. It all helped you get into it. That, added to the wardrobe, all the makeup, the hair, you felt like you really were there. Also I think it has a lot to do with the fact that we were trained previously. We went there a month in advance to do dagger fighting, sword fighting, all of that stuff, and knowing how to use weapons and how to fight, and to train myself in horseback ride, helped me feel Eretria and know where she was coming from. I think all of those elements and being placed in that spot in New Zealand helped me know where she was coming from and get into character.


I understand you even performed some of your own stunts, so what was that training, and the rest of your training, like?

The training was certainly thorough. They had us … Obviously we had a personal trainer every single day, but we also had stunt training, weapon training, which included sword fighting, dagger fighting. We boxed. In my case, I learned how to use a whip. It was quite intense. We did a lot of our stunts. I did a lot of them and I actually ripped my groin doing one of them, but we obviously had stunt doubles. I do have to say that the team, the stunt team from the show were the same stunt team as Game of Thrones, so they were elite. They were awesome, but we did perform a lot of our stunts. We usually were the ones horseback riding. For me that was very special, too, because I’ve never had the chance to do anything like that, and coming from Spain, over here we don’t really do those kind of productions, so being able to participate in something like that and learn all those things was so, so unique and far from anything I knew.


The cast, crew, and stunt team – all of you … I have to show respect to each and every one of you because it really is an absolutely wonderful production.

Thank you!

Now me, I’ll admit. I read the books a long time ago. They changed my life in ways unimaginable. I’m not going to go into detail obviously, but I have to show that kind of respect to all of you for bringing these characters to life.

Thank you very much. It means a lot, really. We were always thinking about who the people are that read the books and the people who would watch it. We tried to keep very, very faithful to the heart of the books, so it really means a lot to hear we did that.


On set, I understand you grew very close. What was it like on set? I know Terry was on set a lot, so was it all serious or did everybody get some time to unwind?

It was a very calm and very positive atmosphere. Most of us weren’t from New Zealand. We were from Spain, England, Australia, the States, so we all lived in the same hotel, which made us bond inevitably. We became really close – all of us, the crew, the actors. It was almost like a family. We were there for six months, so we ended up just becoming friends really. On set it was amazing. I do have to say it was really challenging and intense. We shot from Monday through Saturday almost thirteen, fourteen hours every day. It was physically demanding, but we were always in our best spirits, and Terry, as you say, was there to add a lot of process, so that helped. I would say it was a very positive atmosphere. People from New Zealand, they’re all very, very lovely, and most of the crew was from there. They just made everything so easy.

So what would you say your favorite moment was on set whether during filming or not?

There were a lot of things. As I said, we were there for six months. In general, I would say I was always looking forward to the horseback riding scenes. Whenever I was on a horse, I’d be super excited and super stoked the day before to do that. I would also say, because we were on a diet and we had to do our exercise and eat proper foods and everything, but we had this one cheat day every week. That day we could eat whatever we wanted to, so I would be very, very happy that day. I was always looking forward to that. Yeah, I would say the horseback riding and probably cheat day.

​I think we all love our cheat days on occasion.

(laughs) Yeah.

So talking about the dynamics and that energy … I want to say that – not just yours but everybody’s on scene at any given time, the energy really comes out. I’m sitting on the edge of my seat and my wife is too. Yes, I read the books. Yes, I know certain things that happen, but watching it unfold on-screen is absolutely … Like we said before, it’s magical and it’s surreal.

Exactly. Shooting the scenes myself, you never know how they’re going to turn out. Seeing it all, all the post-production finished, the music, the special effects, seeing it, as you say, everything unfold is even special for me. I’m really happy to hear that energy came out on-screen. Thank you.


​No, thank you. Thank all of you. What do you feel for you, stepping back to your character for a moment, what do you feel is the biggest similarity between Eretria and yourself?

I think it’s that we’re both very constant and persuasive because … In different ways. Obviously she wants to get away from the Rover clan. She wants to get away from her father. She wants a better life for herself and she’s not going to let that go. That’s what she’s pursuing. That’s what she wants, and she finds that in Wil and Amberle. She finds a way out. That’s why she initially joins them. In my case … As we spoke, I’ve been working since I was very young, since I was eight, but I’ve always done my studies. I finished high school. I’m studying a law degree at the moment, so I think I’m also quite constant on and try to reach my goals.

​Also, I think we’re both quite vulnerable, and that’s something I loved adding onto her, because I really wanted to make sure people understood where she was coming from. Sometimes it’s hard because she does certain things which people judge her for and maybe don’t understand. I wanted to show her vulnerable side so people would empathize with Eretria. In my case, too, I’m very vulnerable, too, and I think I helped … If there’s anything in my personality that I gave her it would be that probably.


​You’ve brought such emotion to it, such realism to the character that it’s unfortunate I only have one question left for you. What is something that you hope the fans learn from your portrayal of Eretria?

​I think for one, you can always run away from something you don’t want. It’s okay to get away from that. In Eretria’s case she’s trying to run away from a world of basically men. So is Amberle if you think about it. She’s trying to run away from that, too, and be a strong female, which is what Eretria does, so I think it’s important to appreciate the female values in this show. I hope they see that, especially younger girls, the younger audience. Yeah. The thing with the character, I don’t want to spoil … And I won’t, but she does change a lot throughout the season. In these first four episodes, you’re just almost catching a glimpse of her, so it’s hard to go in-depth with her personality and the things she’s going through and the things she’s going to learn, but she does evolve a lot throughout the season. Hopefully people can see that and learn from that, and hopefully somehow be touched by that. She goes from being selfish to selfless, but I won’t say how.


The Shannara Chronicles airs Tuesdays at 10pm/9c on MTV.

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Reply #136 posted 03/09/16 7:16am

JoeBala

‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ Review: A Delightfully Nutty Thriller

Erin Whitney | 2 hours ago
Paramount Pictures

What is 10 Cloverfield Lane? Besides being the address of John Goodman‘s farm in the movie, the secretive project has been described as a “blood relative” of 2008's Cloverfield, not a sequel. Its plot has been kept tightly under wraps with a mere five word synopsis – “Monsters come in many forms.” And its sneaky viral marketing campaign, from websites to a game to burying a military ammo c...ew Orleans, have stoked the fires of Bad Robot fans and conspiracy theorists. So what exactly is it then?

10 Cloverfield Lane, an unrelenting thrill ride from start to finish, is best experienced by entering it knowing as little as possible. Throughout the feature debut from director Dan Trachtenberg, we know as little as Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Michelle, who wakes up from a car crash inside the cell of a bunker. She meets Goodman’s Howard, a doomsday-prepper who built the shelter and claims to have rescued Michelle not only from the accident, but from the supposed fall out happening above ground. Whatever is actually happening up top remains as mysterious to us as it does to Michelle and John Gallagher Jr.’s Emmet, who fought to get in the bunker, but what’s happening inside becomes the alarming pulse of the film. Who is Howard? What’s his agenda? And the biggest question on everyone’s mind, what does Howard’s address have to do with Cloverfield, if anything?

The latter mystery remains largely unanswered, which may disappoint fans of the 2008 found footage movie expecting any semblance of a sequel or connection to 10 Cloverfield Lane. For one, Trachtenberg’s movie looks and feels nothing like Cloverfield, and feels wholly unrelated to the Matt Reeves film. The shaky handheld aesthetics the original is known for hardly appear here, replaced by tight close-ups and static shots that emphasize Michelle’s claustrophobia and imprisonment. Instead of the frantic chaos of monster mayhem, here the tension builds and erupts in small spurts as the presence of unknown evil becomes the film’s core. Every sound effect and subtle movement are amplified into jump scares that will jerk you out of your seat, building to a finale that is nothing short of totally and ridiculously nuts.

Though the events of 10 Cloverfield Lane and Cloverfield movies (likely) don’t take place in the same timeline, the main connection is how the film acknowledges it’s operating within the same atmosphere as its predecessor. It establishes this in the movie’s opening shot as the camera looks out of Michelle’s bedroom window onto a body of water. It’s a clear allusion to the last scene of Cloverfield that finds Rob’s (Michael Stahl-David) camcorder catching a satellite fall into the Atlantic Ocean. This may simply be Trachtenberg trolling fans (or sneaking in clues I missed on first viewing), but it feels like an acknowledgment that even if the two films are largely different creatures, they both occur in a seemingly normal reality where sci-fi can creep it at any unsuspecting moment.

Despite its thrills, it’s apparent 10 Cloverfield Lane is the product of stitching together two separate ideas. (The film began as a standalone microbudget thriller titled The Cellar and it wasn’t until deep into post-production that the film was retooled into a companion piece to Cloverfield.) The final result is something that feels caught between two genres, at once attempting to be a dramatic thriller then switching gears as a crock pot of sci-fi nightmares. Yet its sheer over-the-top excess and lack of taking itself too seriously allow it to become a delightful, exhilarating concoction of its many pieces, and much more accessible and entertaining than the dizzying cinéma vérité of its parent movie.

The further 10 Cloverfield Lane gets from reality, the more exciting it gets. Its many preposterous, unexplained plot twists give it the makeup of a sci-fi B-movie, though one made with the precision of a suspenseful thriller. Here is a space that appears to have the terrors of the real world – a woman captured by a creepy man who seems a little too obsessed with his absent daughter – thrown into a vortex of boundless possibilities, many laughably silly. One reveal about Howard comes in a sudden DUN-DUN-DUNN moment typical of the J.J. Abrams mystery box, and later on, the introduction of a dangerous substance in the bunker is both shocking and playfully outrageous. 10 Cloverfield Lane feels like the result of brainstorming doomsday conspiracies after watching a double-feature of Room and Cloverfield. OK, you’re locked in a bunker by a stranger and the world might be ending, how batsh*t crazy can we make it?

The mere existence of something as wacky as 10 Cloverfield Lane is an accomplishment in itself. The Beyoncé album drop of movies, it’s incredible a film could be unveiled to the public as suddenly and secretively as this when its first trailer dropped less than two months ago. Whether that proves detrimental to audience reception, or whether hardcore Cloverfield fans will feel misled by the title remains to be seen. But the more you sit back and enjoy the nutty ride that 10 Cloverfield Lane is, the more fun you’ll have.

By Andy Daglas


What to watch on Wednesday, March 9...

8pm, Fox
Rosewood
Villa clashes with her new partner, even as she keeps her head down after learning that she cost Hornstock the chief’s chair. Meanwhile in “Negative Autopsies & New Partners,” Pippy lends her services on a case that hits home, and Rosewood seeks a new cardiologist.


8pm, Freeform
Young & Hungry
In “Young & Rachael Ray,” Gabi and Sofia devise a gourmet approach to helping women rebound from heartbreak, and it Elliot helps put it on the eponymous TV chef’s radar. But will a dash of bad news lead Gabi to sink the whole soufflé?


8:30pm, Freeform
Baby Daddy
When Danny claims Ben and Riley’s relationship didn’t count, Ben means to prove that what they had was real in “Never Ben Jealous.” In faker flirtations, Bonnie turns on the charm to gain some advantages from a powerful person.


9pm, CBS
The Victoria’s Secret Swim Special
Supermodels showcase the latest in sexy swim attire on the island of St. Barts. Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas perform, most likely on dry land.


9pm, Fox
Hell’s Kitchen
Two contestants switch teams ahead of a challenge that involves archery and bison. The winners will get to meet some of Hollywood’s furriest and feathered-est stars, while the losers are stuck baking bread and churning butter. Dinner guests Stacey Dash and Olympic gold medalist Phil Dalhausser eat hand-churned butter exclusively, thank you very much.


SERIES PREMIERE, 10pm, WGN America
Underground
A group of slaves in 1857 Georgia determine to escape via the Underground Railroad in this drama starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge, Christopher Meloni, Mykelti Williamson, and Marc Blucas. Their perilous 600-mile journey north commences with “The Macon 7,” which premieres commercial-free. Producer John Legend also provides music for the series.


SEASON 2 PREMIERE, 10pm, NBC
The Carmichael Show
“Everybody Cheats” kicks off the sophomore season with Cynthia catching her friend’s husband with a woman who is not her friend. That sparks a discussion about infidelity and the fallout therefrom, including a revelation about Maxine. It’s followed 10:30pm by last season’s “Protest.” The series moves to its regular timeslot this Sunday, March 13, at 9pm.


SEASON 2 FINALE, 10pm, ABC
American Crime
Sebastian is taken aback to learn that he’s not the only one spreading damaging information about Leyland families. Elsewhere, Becca’s parents deal with the aftermath of her arrest for providing Taylor drugs on the day of the murder, while Chris contemplates his future at Marshall High School and Michael goes to great lengths to protect Kevin.


10pm, Comedy Central
Broad City
Saddled with a pricey exterminator’s bill, Jaimé and Ilana throw a shindig to raise cash in “Rat Pack.” Also feeling sociable this week is Abbi, who’s on a quest to meet new people.


10pm, Sundance
Hap and Leonard
In “The Bottoms,” Trudy persuades Hap and Leonard to join in the search for the lost loot. (Of course, they’ll have a tough time outracing the nattily dressed Scottish duck and his spirited niece and nephews who are also pursuing the prize.) In less lucrative affairs, Leonard receives troubling news about his Uncle Chester.


10pm, TV Land
Younger
Joining an assistants’ networking group leads Liza to learn more than she’d wanted to know about Thad in “Bad Romance.” And if that weren’t bad enough, a flurry of new LinkedIn connection requests is sure to follow.


SPECIAL NIGHT, 10pm, CBS
CSI: Cyber
A team of masked women use a traffic app to lure and rob victims in “Flash Squad,” which sounds exactly like a movie the latter-day Ed Wood would be making in 2016. Meanwhile, the team’s business in L.A. brings Greer Latimore back into Russell’s orbit.


SEASON 11 FINALE, 10pm, FXX
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Things get real in “The Gang Goes to Hell: Part Two.” Like, really real. Like, season finale-level real. Consider yourselves warned.


SEASON 2 FINALE, 10:30pm, FXX
Man Seeking Woman
Josh finally gets his shot with Rosa in “Balloon.” In retrospect, it seems pretty clear that all he had to do was wait for the season finale to come along.


LATE-NITE:
– Jason Sudeikis, Walton Goggins, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real on Conan, 11pm, TBS
Sacha Baron Cohen on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, 11pm, Comedy Central
– TBD on The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, 11:30pm, Comedy Central
Sally Field, Jerrod Carmichael, and Esperanza Spalding on Late Show with Stephen Colbert, 11:35pm, CBS
Louis C.K., Connie Britton, and St. Lucia on Jimmy Kimmel Live, 11:35pm, ABC
Martin Short and Will Arnett on The Late Late Show with James Corden, 12:37am, CBS

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Reply #137 posted 03/09/16 7:18am

JoeBala

'A true gentleman and a second father to me': Sir Paul McCartney makes a heartfelt tribute to the band's legendary producer and 'fifth Beatle' George Martin who has died aged 90

  • Sir George, known as the 'Fifth Beatle', has died aged 90 on Tuesday. He is said to have died peacefully at home
  • He helped The Beatles achieve global success while head of Parlophone after hearing their demo tape in 1962
  • Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, 75, announced the news on Twitter, writing: 'God bless George Martin'
  • In a heartfelt statement on his website, Sir Paul McCartney said: 'He was a true gentleman - like a second father'

Sir Paul McCartney has led tributes to The Beatles' legendary producer George Martin, describing him as 'like a second father to him' in a heartfelt statement.

Sir George, known as the 'Fifth Beatle', died aged 90 on Tuesday. He is said to have died peacefully at home in Coleshill, near Swindon and is survived by his second wife Judy and his four children.

He helped The Beatles achieve global success while head of the Parlophone record label after hearing their demo tape in 1962, taking a chance on the young band when they had been refused by every other record label.

In a statement, Sir Paul said: 'He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me. He guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family. If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George.

'From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I've ever had the pleasure to know.'

Sir George Martin, the record producer known as the 'Fifth Beatle', has died aged 90. In a statement, Sir Paul McCartney said: 'He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me'

Sir George Martin, the record producer known as the 'Fifth Beatle', has died aged 90. In a statement, Sir Paul McCartney said: 'He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me'

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, 75, announced the news on Twitter, writing: 'God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara George will be missed'

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, 75, announced the news on Twitter, writing: 'God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara George will be missed'

Starr posted this picture of the band with Martin alongside his tweet. Sir George helped the Beatles achieve global success as the head of the Parlophone record label after hearing their demo tape in 1962

Starr posted this picture of the band with Martin alongside his tweet. Sir George helped the Beatles achieve global success as the head of the Parlophone record label after hearing their demo tape in 1962

Sir George (left) poses with George Harrison's wife Olivia Harrison (center left), former Beatle Ringo Starr (center right) and Barbara Bach (right) for a photograph in the 'From Life to Life, A Garden For George' in London in 2008

Sir George (left) poses with George Harrison's wife Olivia Harrison (center left), former Beatle Ringo Starr (center right) and Barbara Bach (right) for a photograph in the 'From Life to Life, A Garden For George' in London in 2008

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, 75, announced the news on Twitter, writing: 'God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara George will be missed.'

He captioned a picture of the Fab Four and Sir George with the phrase: 'Thank you for all your love and kindness George peace and love.'

Sir George Martin's family have since released a statement thanking 'everyone for their thoughts, prayers and messages of support'.

His manager Adam Sharp paid tribute to him as 'a true gentleman to the end'.

In a statement Mr Sharp said: 'In a career that spanned seven decades he was an inspiration to many and is recognised globally as one of music's most creative talents. He was a true gentleman to the end.'

The world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music
Sir Paul McCartney

Sean Ono Lennon, the son of John Lennon, tweeted: 'R.I.P. George Martin. I'm so gutted I don't have many words.'

In a career spanning seven decades, Sir George, who celebrated his 90th birthday in January, signed the Beatles and produced more than 700 records - remaining one of the most influential producers in popular music history.

Often called 'the Fifth Beatle', he gave the Beatles their first recording contract and produced virtually all of their music.

At that point the band consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best. The Liverpool quartet had been turned down by every record company as they tried to make it in the music business.

But when Martin - then head of the Parlophone label - heard their demo tape in 1962, and attended an audition session, a partnership was born which, with the addition of Starr later that year, would turn the Fab Four into the world's greatest band and change the face of popular music forever.

Sir George helped the Beatles achieve global success as the head of the Parlophone record label after hearing their demo tape in 1962. He is pictured with Ringo Starr in 2005

Sir George helped the Beatles achieve global success as the head of the Parlophone record label after hearing their demo tape in 1962. He is pictured with Ringo Starr in 2005

Pictured at an exhibition at the Hamiltons gallery in London in 1982 with McCartney in a picture taken by the late Linda McCartney

Pictured at an exhibition at the Hamiltons gallery in London in 1982 with McCartney in a picture taken by the late Linda McCartney

A well-wisher scribbles a message of thanks to the late Beatles producer Martin on the wall outside the famous Abbey Road Studios in London

A well-wisher scribbles a message of thanks to the late Beatles producer Martin on the wall outside the famous Abbey Road Studios in London

Tributes from the staff at Abbey Road studios describe Sir George as 'family'. He is believed to have suffered a short illness

Tributes from the staff at Abbey Road studios describe Sir George as 'family'. He is believed to have suffered a short illness

A piano at Abbey Road studios, with a picture of Martin atop it. Martin both witnessed and enabled the extraordinary metamorphosis of the Beatles and of the 1960s

A piano at Abbey Road studios, with a picture of Martin atop it. Martin both witnessed and enabled the extraordinary metamorphosis of the Beatles and of the 1960s

Visitors sign a book of condolence at the Abbey Road Studios in London. Sir George's son Giles is also a producer and has worked at Abbey Road studios

Visitors sign a book of condolence at the Abbey Road Studios in London. Sir George's son Giles is also a producer and has worked at Abbey Road studios

Tributes to the record producer known as the Fifth Beatle are placed at The Cavern, Liverpool following his death aged 90

Tributes to the record producer known as the Fifth Beatle are placed at The Cavern, Liverpool following his death aged 90

His genteel manners and refined accent saw Martin regarded as a 'toff' who guided the working-class Beatles to fame.

In reality he was a carpenter's son from Holloway, north London.

Born into a poor family, he taught himself to play the piano by ear, and went on to win a place at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music.

Born in London on January 3,1926, and after leaving the Navy in 1947, he studied piano and oboe.

In the 1950s, he recorded jazz, lounge, and comedy records for Parlophone, where he eventually became head of A&R.

Sir George won several Grammy Awards over the years.

For The Beatles' first U.S. single, 'Please Please Me,' in November 1962, he convinced the boys to speed up the tempo, making it a hit.

According to legend he told them 'Gentlemen, you have just made your first No. 1 record,' from the control room.

Sir George also served as The Beatles' arranger and suggested strings be added to 'Yesterday,' which would become one of the most covered songs of all time.

He also produced albums for Gerry and The Pacemakers, Kenny Rogers, Cheap Trick and Celine Dion.

Sir George is pictured at Sotheby's in London, England, during the announcement of the sale of the instrumental score and BPI sales award for Candle in the Wind '97, the tribute song re-written for the funeral of Diana Princess of Wales

Sir George is pictured at Sotheby's in London, England, during the announcement of the sale of the instrumental score and BPI sales award for Candle in the Wind '97, the tribute song re-written for the funeral of Diana Princess of Wales

Sir George Martin conducts the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra with a program of music by the Beatles. Up until his death, he continued to write music, work with charities and advise broadcasters, according to the website for the independent music publisher he set up in 1969

Sir George Martin conducts the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra with a program of music by the Beatles. Up until his death, he continued to write music, work with charities and advise broadcasters, according to the website for the independent music publisher he set up in 1969

After studying at the Guildhall School of Music and played the oboe professionally in London before joining the recording industry.

In 1998, he produced In My Life, an album of Beatles songs performed by actors and musicians including Sean Connery, Goldie Hawn, Robin Williams, Celine Dion and Phil Collins.

Martin produced it as a musical swansong, he said at the time.

'George Martin made us what we were in the studio. He helped us develop a language to talk to other musicians.'
John Lennon, in 1971

'I've had a bloody good innings,' said Martin. 'Knowing that I would have to finish, I decided I would make my own last record. It's a kind of tribute, too, to all the people that I've been lucky to work with over the years.'

Over his career, he was awarded two Ivor Novello awards, six Grammys and in 2008 was the recipient of the Grammy Foundation's Leadership Award.

In 1965 he was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the music in A Hard Day's Night and in 1984 he received the Brit award for outstanding contribution to music, having been named best British producer at the first Brit awards in 1977.

In 2012, the BBC filmed a documentary about his life, Produced By George Martin.

Up until his death, he continued to write music, work with charities and advise broadcasters, according to the website for the independent music publisher he set up in 1969.

His son Giles is also a producer who has worked at Abbey Road studios, where Sir George helped the Beatles perform the world's first live global broadcast.

'A FINE GENTLEMAN WITH A KEEN SENSE OF HUMOUR': PAUL MCCARTNEY'S TRIBUTE TO THE MAN WHO SHAPED THE HISTORY OF BRITISH MUSIC

I'm so sad to hear the news of the passing of dear George Martin. I have so many wonderful memories of this great man that will be with me forever.

He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me. He guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family. If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George. From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I've ever had the pleasure to know.

It's hard to choose favourite memories of my time with George, there are so many but one that comes to mind was the time I brought the song 'Yesterday' to a recording session and the guys in the band suggested that I sang it solo and accompany myself on guitar.

After I had done this George Martin said to me, 'Paul I have an idea of putting a string quartet on the record'. I said, 'Oh no George, we are a rock and roll band and I don't think it's a good idea'. With the gentle bedside manner of a great producer he said to me, 'Let us try it and if it doesn't work we won't use it and we'll go with your solo version'. I agreed to this and went round to his house the next day to work on the arrangement.

He took my chords that I showed him and spread the notes out across the piano, putting the cello in the low octave and the first violin in a high octave and gave me my first lesson in how strings were voiced for a quartet. When we recorded the string quartet at Abbey Road, it was so thrilling to know his idea was so correct that I went round telling people about it for weeks. His idea obviously worked because the song subsequently became one of the most recorded songs ever with versions by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye and thousands more.

This is just one of the many memories I have of George who went on to help me with arrangements on 'Eleanor Rigby', 'Live and Let Die' and many other songs of mine.

I am proud to have known such a fine gentleman with such a keen sense of humour, who had the ability to poke fun at himself. Even when he was Knighted by the Queen there was never the slightest trace of snobbery about him.

My family and I, to whom he was a dear friend, will miss him greatly and send our love to his wife Judy and their kids Giles and Lucy, and the grandkids.

The world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music.

God bless you George and all who sail in you!

Tributes have poured in for the producer. Liam Gallagher (pictured with him in 1996) wrote simply: 'Sir George Martin RIP LG x'

Tributes have poured in for the producer. Liam Gallagher (pictured with him in 1996) wrote simply: 'Sir George Martin RIP LG x'

Martin pictured with Cilla Black in 1965. Martin produced hits by Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas and for 37 straight weeks in 1963 a Martin recording topped the British charts

Martin pictured with Cilla Black in 1965. Martin produced hits by Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas and for 37 straight weeks in 1963 a Martin recording topped the British charts

Sean Ono Lennon, the son of John Lennon, tweeted: 'R.I.P. George Martin. I'm so gutted I don't have many words'

Sean Ono Lennon, the son of John Lennon, tweeted: 'R.I.P. George Martin. I'm so gutted I don't have many words'

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JoeBala

He is said to have died peacefully at home in Coleshill, near Swindon. He is survived by his second wife Judy and his four children
Martin pictured in 2008 with  wife Judy Lockhart-Smith. Sir George Martin's family have since released a statement thanking 'everyone for their thoughts, prayers and messages of support'

He is said to have died peacefully at home in Coleshill, near Swindon. He is survived by his second wife Judy and his four children

Tributes for Sir George flooded in from within and outside the music industry.

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: 'Sir George Martin was a giant of music - working with the Fab Four to create the world's most enduring pop music.'

Singer Lenny Kravitz wrote on Twitter: 'The legends are really going home! Visionary producer of TheBeatles, George Martin (1926-2016).'

Liam Gallagher wrote simply: 'Sir George Martin RIP LG x'

Television presenter and journalist Piers Morgan said: 'RIP Sir George Martin. The 5th Beatle, producer extraordinaire & a musical genius.'

Queen guitarist Brian May wrote on his personal blog: 'So sad to hear of the passing of the great George Martin. Very Sad, and sincere condolences to his family.

'But also ... What a glorious innings ! Always always positive, and deeply thoughtful and creative, the man was a gentle giant of popular music.'

He said his 'first knowledge' of Sir George had come when he was producing The Temperance Seven, a seven-piece jazz band with hits including You're Driving Me Crazy and Pasadena.

May said: 'I adored that work and still do - a great influence. And related one-off projects like Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren.

'George obviously had a real magic, even then. When he later became the 'in house' producer for the Beatles, history was made - and a fabulous catalogue of work.

'I didn't know him well, but our few conversations were full of light. Massive respects and love. Bless you George!'

Bill Heckle, one of the directors of Liverpool's Cavern Club, said: 'There were two Georges in The Beatles - that is our feeling.

'Without Sir George Martin there would never have been The Beatles.

'He was an integral part of it.'

John Lennon said in 1971: 'George Martin made us what we were in the studio. 'He helped us develop a language to talk to other musicians.'

Sir George was knighted in 1996 and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

Sir George also wrote three books, including his 1979 autobiography, All You Need is Love, co-written with Jeremy Hornsby.

Also in 2011, he produced a documentary called Produced by George Martin, which gained worldwide acclaim.

The 'toff' carpenter's son who gave four boys from Liverpool a chance - and changed the face of music forever

With his suave manners and cut-glass accent, he was widely seen as the London 'toff' who guided the working-class Liverpudlian Beatles to fame.

In reality he was a carpenter's son from Holloway, north London.

George Martin, born in January 1926 to a poor family, was not given expensive music lessons. He taught himself to play piano by ear, going on to win a place at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music.

It was perhaps this raw passion for music which led him to give a jobbing band from Liverpool a chance.

The band pictured in 1963 picking up a silver disc with George Martin. Sir George, often called 'the Fifth Beatle', gave the Beatles their first recording contract and produced virtually all of their music

The band pictured in 1963 picking up a silver disc with George Martin. Sir George, often called 'the Fifth Beatle', gave the Beatles their first recording contract and produced virtually all of their music

By 1962, The Beatles had been turned down by every record company as they tried to make it in the music business.

But when Martin - then head of the Parlophone label - heard their demo tape in 1962,and attended an audition session, he spotted something special.

There began the partnership which would turn the Fab Four into the world's greatest band and change the face of popular music.

Not only did he give the band their record deal, but he brought their visions to life and pieced together their recordings from fragments of tape amassed during long hours in the Abbey Road studios.

'I've been cast in the role of schoolmaster, the toff, the better-educated, and they've been the urchins that I've shaped,' he said of the Beatles.

'It's a load of poppycock, really, because our backgrounds were very similar. Paul and John went to quite good schools. We didn't pay to go to school, my parents were very poor.

'Again, I wasn't taught music and they weren't, we taught ourselves.

'As for the posh bit, you can't really go through the Royal Navy and get commissioned as an officer and fly in the Fleet Air Arm without getting a little bit posh. You can't be like a rock 'n' roll idiot throwing soup around in the wardroom.'

Before attending the Guildhall, he spent the years from 1943 to 1948 as an observer with the British Fleet Air Arm, rising to the rank of lieutenant - a period which saw him shed his Cockney accent.

George Martin with the Beatles recording 'From Me To You' Studio 2,  Abbey Road 1962 for BBC Two.By 1962, The Beatles had been turned down by every record company as they tried to make it in the music business

George Martin with the Beatles recording 'From Me To You' Studio 2, Abbey Road 1962 for BBC Two.By 1962, The Beatles had been turned down by every record company as they tried to make it in the music business

Pictured in 19634 with Paul McCartney and John Lennon. His genteel manners and refined accent saw Martin regarded as a 'toff' who guided the working-class Beatles to fame. In reality he was a carpenter's son from Holloway, north London

Pictured in 19634 with Paul McCartney and John Lennon. His genteel manners and refined accent saw Martin regarded as a 'toff' who guided the working-class Beatles to fame. In reality he was a carpenter's son from Holloway, north London

On his return from service, Martin enrolled at the Guildhall and made a living playing the oboe in bars and clubs around London.

He married first wife Sheena at 22 and they had two children.

His first job after graduation was in the BBC's music library.

From there he moved on to an assistant position at record label Parlophone, a division of EMI, and rose to become its head by 1955, aged 29.

It was there he met second wife Judy, his boss's secretary, with whom he also had two children.

Martin produced jazz artists including Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and Stan Getz.

He was also responsible for comic recordings from the likes of Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan, along with the Beyond The Fringe team of Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett.

Paul McCartney,  Ringo Starr and Martin - in a studio picture taken by Linda McCartney. After the band split, Martin started his own music publishing company and set about working with other artists

Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Martin - in a studio picture taken by Linda McCartney. After the band split, Martin started his own music publishing company and set about working with other artists

But it was a phone call from music publisher Syd Coleman in February 1962 which changed the course of his life.

Coleman said he had met a man called Brian Epstein, who managed a new band called the Beatles, and would Martin be interested in hearing their demo?

When Martin heard the tape - which featured versions of Besame Mucho and Three Cool Cats, as well as originals such as Hello Little Girl and Like Dreamers Do - and went on to meet them, he realised their potential.

'I liked them as people apart from anything else, and I was convinced that we had the makings of a hit group,' he said.

But he was not convinced they had songwriting ability.

'As composers, they didn't rate. They hadn't shown me that they could write anything at all,' he told Melody Maker. 'Love Me Do I thought was pretty poor, but it was the best we could do.'

Nevertheless, Love Me Do was the band's first single and reached number four in October 1962.

Follow-up release Please Please Me made number two.

Their third single From Me To You went to number one in April 1963 - the first of 17 chart-topping hits.

During their time together Martin also composed scores for the Beatles films A Hard Day's Night - which earned him an Oscar nomination - and Yellow Submarine, which was nominated for a Grammy.

After the band split, Martin started his own music publishing company and set about working with other artists.

In the mid-1970s, he began building his famous Air Studios on the Caribbean island of Montserrat.

Before attending the Guildhall, Martin spent the years from 1943 to 1948 as an observer with the British Fleet Air Arm, rising to the rank of lieutenant - a period which saw him shed his Cockney accent

Before attending the Guildhall, Martin spent the years from 1943 to 1948 as an observer with the British Fleet Air Arm, rising to the rank of lieutenant - a period which saw him shed his Cockney accent

Pictured with Cilla Black in 1968. He worked with the likes of Jeff Beck, Bob Dylan, Sting and Sir Elton John and recorded two of Paul McCartney's solo albums, Tug Of War and Pipes Of Peace. His awards include two Ivor Novellos

Pictured with Cilla Black in 1968. He worked with the likes of Jeff Beck, Bob Dylan, Sting and Sir Elton John and recorded two of Paul McCartney's solo albums, Tug Of War and Pipes Of Peace. His awards include two Ivor Novellos

John Lennon once said of him: 'George Martin made us what we were in the studio. He helped us develop a language to talk to other musicians'

John Lennon once said of him: 'George Martin made us what we were in the studio. He helped us develop a language to talk to other musicians'

He worked with the likes of Jeff Beck, Bob Dylan, Sting and Sir Elton John and recorded two of Paul McCartney's solo albums, Tug Of War and Pipes Of Peace.

His awards include two Ivor Novellos and in 1999 he was inducted into the American Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Martin co-produced Sir Elton John's Candle In The Wind, which was released to mark the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 and sold 37 million copies.

Around the same time he revealed that decades in the music business had taken their toll - he began to go deaf.

He was knighted by the Queen in 1996 and six years later arranged the musical celebrations for her Golden Jubilee.

Martin continued to produce Beatles music to the end of his career.

In 1995 he started work on the Beatles Anthology and in 2006 produced the Love album, a re-working of the band's songs born out of a Las Vegas stage show with circus troupe Cirque Du Soleil and made with his producer son, Giles.

'This is the very last time I shall work on any Beatles' record. I'm 80 years old, for Christ's sake,' he said on its release.

Asked for his favourite Beatles memory, Martin said: 'If I had to pick just one it would be in 1966, the first ever time I heard Strawberry Fields Forever.

'John played it to me on his acoustic guitar. That moment I shall never forget. It was a wonderful thing to happen and it stays with me even now.'

Martin was always adamant that pop and rock could have as much worth as classical music.

'What is the function of rock'n'roll? It's the same as the function of classical music - to make sounds that are appealing to a mass of people and are of some worth,' he once said.

'I'm a person who deals in music, and rock'n'roll happened to be part of it.'

New Netflix Instant Releases: March 2016

Britt Hayes | February 22, 2016 @ 5:25 PM
Marvel / Netflix

It’s that time again! A bunch of new titles are coming to Netflix Instant next month, including the latest seasons of House of Cards and Daredevil, as well as new premieres like Pee-wee’s Big Holiday and Will Arnett‘s Flaked — and that’s just the Netflix Original content. There’s even more in our guide to what’s hitting Netflix Instant in March.

March 1

Adult Beginners: Starring Nick Kroll, Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale. A young, narcissistic entrepreneur crashes and burns on the eve of his company’s big launch. With his entire life in total disarray, he leaves Manhattan to move in with his estranged pregnant sister, brother-in-law and 3-year-old nephew in the suburbs — only to become their nanny.

Good Burger: Starring Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell and Sinbad. Two dim-witted teenage boys, are forced to save the fast-food restaurant they work at from going out of business, despite a new-and-improved burger joint opening across the street that want to be the “Top Dog” in the fast food industry.

Scarface: Starring Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer and Steven Bauer. In 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel while succumbing to greed.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley. When an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral Kirk resumes command of the Starship Enterprise in order to intercept, examine and hopefully stop the intruder.

March 2

For Grace: This documentary follows a renowned chef as he attempts to build the restaurant of his dreams, despite his personal struggles.

March 4

House of Cards Season 4: Starring Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and Michel Gill. A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him.

Louie Season 5: Starring Louis C.K., Pamela Adlon and Ursula Parker. The life of Louis CK, a divorced comedian with two kids living in New York.

March 11

The Characters Season 1: Starring Lauren Lapkus, Kate Berlant and Paul W. Downs. A new original sketch series.

Flaked Season 1: Starring Will Arnett, Lina Esco and David Sullivan. A self-help guru discovers that he’s in need of a little help himself.

March 15

Finders Keepers: Shannon Whisnant purchased a grill at an auction. Inside the grill was an amputated leg. What follows is a story centered on the enterprising Whisnant and John Wood, the man whose leg wound up in the grill due to an odd chain of events.

March 16

Happy Valley Season 2: Starring Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran and Charlie Murphy. Catherine Cawood is the sergeant on duty when flustered and nervous accountant Kevin Weatherill comes into her West Yorkshire station to report a crime.

March 18

Daredevil Season 2: Starring Charlie Cox, Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll. A blind lawyer, with his other senses superhumanly enhanced, fights crime as a costumed superhero.

My Beautiful Broken Brain: Following a life-changing stroke, a woman sets out on a personal journey, coping with new ailments and pursuing experimental treatments.

Pee-wee’s Big Holiday: Starring Paul Reubens, Joe Manganiello and Alia Shawkat. A fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-wee Herman to take his first-ever holiday in this epic story of friendship and destiny.

March 28

Trailer Park Boys Season 10: Starring John Paul Tremblay, Robb Wells and Mike Smith. Three petty felons have a documentary made about their life in a trailer park.

Angela Bassett Teases First ‘American Horror Story’ Season 6 Details

Kevin Fitzpatrick | a day ago
FX

It was around this time last year we first learned Lady Gaga would lead American Horror Story into its Season 5 Hotel setting, while thus far Season 6 has only Gaga and Angela Bassett to its name. Now, Bassett offers a small tidbit to her Season 6 character that may point toward the overall direction of Ryan Murphy’s next Horror Story.

Take this with a grain of salt for now, as where Murphy had previously alluded to a shocking role in mind for franchise veteran Bassett, the actress herself acknowledged some preliminary details of her Season 6 character in conversation with Collider:

I will be back… I think I might be psychic. I think. But it can all change, we don’t start filming until June this year, so anything is possible and everything can change between now and then.

A psychic could point in any number of directions, and it isn’t explicitly clear if Bassett meant that her character provides psychic readings as an occupation, or actually possesses supernatural powers. Thus far, little else of the sixth season has been revealed, other than to expect the premiere in fall, and that the season would take place in two different time periods.

Gaga’s initial announcement arrived in late February last year, so might FX provide Season 6 details before long, even if filming starts in June? Is there any reason American Horror Story couldn’t have psychics in space? The moon needs psychics too, Ryan.

Report: ‘Iron Fist’ Auditioning Asian Actors For Marvel Hero Shang-Chi

Kevin Fitzpatrick | 5 days ago
Marvel Comics

Long before Game of Thrones star Finn Jones won the role of Marvel’s Netflix Iron Fist, controversy over the character’s race produced a number of suggestions to feature Asian Marvel hero Shang-Chi instead. Now, it appears Shang-Chi will indeed appear in the upcoming Defenders series, for which Marvel will exclusively audition Asian actors.

That Hashtag Show (who were initially responsible for first word of Finn Jones) claims that Marvel’s Netflix Iron First has begun auditioning male actors of Asian descent for the role of Shang-Chi, son to noted villain Fu Manchu, and “Master of Kung-Fu” in his own right. The comic character has worked with both Iron Fist and Luke Cage as one of the “Heroes for Hire,” as well as The Avengers, also featuring into Daredevil’s comic “Shadowland” arc.

Notably, the report also claims Iron Fist production will begin in April, as well that Shang-Chi’s reception could spur spinoff talk in time. It would seem a bit early, considering neither Marvel nor Netflix have publicly released a schedule for Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, or a second season of Jessica Jones, let alone any spinoffs.

Scott Buck will showrun Iron Fist, while recent reports suggested Jessica Jones writer Scott Reynolds will also ...ative side.

We’ll stay tuned for more on Iron Fist in the coming weeks and months, but is casting Shang-Chi a step in the right direction?

‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ Poster: The Four Horsemen Unite

Mike Sampson | 21 hours ago
20th Century Fox

With Batman vs. Superman and Captain America: Civil War each less than two months away, it might feel like the Marvel and DC universes are dominating the landscape. But, let’s not forget that the X-Men Movies Universe is still a thing and X-Men: Apocalypse is on its way. Not to be outdone by the many Captain America posters, X-Men: Apocalypse has released a brand new poster highlighting the film’s villains.

If you need a quick primer on X-Men: Apocalypse, it follows Mr. Pocalypse (Oscar Isaac) who awakes and realizes he’s a big shot and needs to f–- sh– up to remind everyone. One of his first orders is to build a little posse, The Four Horseman as they are so cleverly known, made up of Storm, Magneto, Psylocke and Angel. (Considering this poster focuses solely on the bad guys, expect another to be released with Mystique, Nightcrawler, Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey and all your favorite heroes.)

It all looks very…blue? Leathery? While some movie franchises have trailers that always seem to look and feel better than the movies themselves, the X-Men films, specifically the Bryan Singer ones, have reversed that trend. They almost always have lackluster trailers and posters, but the films themselves wind up being pretty enjoyable. They seem to be continuing that trend with X-Men: Apocalypse, at least in terms of the disappointing marketing. If Fox really wants to get this movie out from under the shadow of Batman vs. Superman and Civil War, they’re going to have to do more than just have their villains sit around and pose.

X-Men: Apocalypse stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Olivia Munn, Lucas Till, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alexandra Shipp, Josh Helman, Lana Condor, Ben Hardy.

Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

X-Men: Apocalypse opens in theaters on May 27

Meet Team Iron Man in More ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Posters

ScreenCrush Staff | a day ago
Marvel

If yesterday’s flood of Captain America: Civil War posters weren’t enough for you, I have some good news: here’s another flood of Captain America: Civil War posters! Whereas yesterday’s posters focused on Team Cap (Captain America, Falcon, Winter Soldier, Ant-Man, Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch if you weren’t paying attention), today’s posters focuses on Team Iron Man (Iron Man, War Machine, Black Widow, Vision and Black Panther).

Does it seem weird to you that Team Cap has six members and Team Iron Man only has five? That’s because we’re still missing one very important member: Spider-Man. We still don’t know when Marvel’s new Spider-Man will be revealed, but they’re certainly not giving him away in these new posters. Remember: at this point Avengers: Age of Ultron had still not revealed Vision, only offering up a very brief glimpse of his eyes at the end of the second trailer. We’d expect a similar type of reveal for Spider-Man when the Civil War trailer drops later this week.

Marvel’s ‘Captain America: Civil War’ finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.

Captain America: Civil War opens in theaters on May 6.





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JoeBala

Gayle McCormick, Singer Behind Smith's 'Baby It's You,' Dies at 67

Smith photographed in May, 1969.
MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES

The versatile singer scored a No. 5 hit with the song on the Billboard Hot 100.

Gayle McCormick, a big-voiced singer who scored a top five hit in the late 1960s with the soul/psych rock band Smithbefore going solo, died this week following a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 67.

McCormick passed away on Tuesday (March 1) in suburban St. Louis, where she grew up and got her start before venturing West, her friend and radio veteran Jonnie King has announced. Reached by Billboard on Friday, King said McCormick had lung cancer that spread to other parts of her body.

McCormick began her career in the mid-1960s in St. Louis as the featured singer in a well-known local band called Steve Cummings and The Klassmen.

By 1969 she had moved to Los Angeles and joined a group that had recently changed their name from The Smiths to simply Smith.

Before long, the band and its striking frontwoman caught the eye of "Runaway" singer Del Shannon, who helped them get signed to Dunhill Records.

In July 1969, the band released A Group Called Smith, a tight-knit set of mostly rock covers that peaked at No. 17 on the Top LPs chart (later renamed the Billboard 200). Their biggest hit was Burt Bacharach’s "Baby, It’s You," previously recorded by The Shirelles and The Beatles, which rose to No. 5 on the Hot 100. While riding the wave of that hit, McCormick and the band made appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, American Bandstand and elsewhere.

Hollywood also took notice. In the summer of 1969, the group's cover of The Band's "The Weight" was included in the soundtrack album for Easy Rider -- the original was heard in the actual film -- and in 2007, "Baby, It’s You" got renewed attention when Quentin Tarantino featured it in his film, Death Proof.

Despite the group's early burst of success, Smith disbanded following the release of their sophomore album, 1970's Minus-Plus. Not wanting to lose the dynamic singer to another label, Dunhill signed McCormick to a solo deal which led to her self-titled debut in 1971.

Though unable to match the early success of Smith, the set’s standout single, the dance-ready "It’s a Cryin’ Shame," did reach No. 44 on the Hot 100.

Two more solo albums followed: Flesh & Blood on Decca/MCA in 1972 and One More Hour on Fantasy in 1974.

After that, as her friend King writes, "Gayle had lost some interest in the music business, married a carpenter and moved to Hawaii" before ending up back in St. Louis a few years later.

"The 'Hometown Girl' had made good, had national & international success, had been heard on radio, seen on TV, had given 150% to every concert audience she played, and sold millions of records," he writes. "She had already done it all and, eventually, just wanted to come home, and she did just that."

King told Billboard that McCormick wasn't married and had no children. Funeral services will be held Tuesday (March 8) at the White Mullen Funeral Home in St. Ann, Missouri.

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Jon English dies aged 66

Australian rocker Jon English has died following complications days after undergoing surgery.

The 66-year-old Hampstead-born musician was said to have been surrounded by his family, including his four children Jessamin, Josephine, Jonnie and Julian, and wife Carmen, at the time of his passing.

Last month the much-loved Logie winner pulled out of his Trilogy of Rock show in Dubbo due to 'unexpected ill health' and was hospitalised with his management team revealing he will undergo 'a small operation.'

 Words Are Not Enough: Australian rocker Jon English has died following complications from surgery

Words Are Not Enough: Australian rocker Jon English has died following complications from surgery

Legend: Jon, pictured in 2004, was acclaimed for his starring role in the 1978 Australian TV series Against the Wind

Legend: Jon, pictured in 2004, was acclaimed for his starring role in the 1978 Australian TV series Against the Wind

A statement released by his record label, Ambition Music Group, posted to his Facebook page on Thursday, read: 'It is with great sadness that we commemorate the passing of Jon English.

'Jon died peacefully last night, aged 66. The cause of death was post-operative complications.

'At the time of his passing he was surrounded by his four children, Jessamin, Josephine, Jonnie and Julian, his wife Carmen, his sister Janet, his brother Jeremy, his nephews Jay and Jasper Collie, his grandson Jzawo and other close family members.'

Australian music legend Jon English performs live

Born in Hampstead, London, on 26 March 1949, Jon came to Australia with his parents, Syd and Sheila, and three siblings, Janet, Jeremy and Jill, at the age of 12.

He was one of the few Australian performers to combine a stellar career in music, television and stage and was known for his unquenchable drive for success.

In the early 70’s, he auditioned for Harry M Miller’s first production of Jesus Christ Superstar and landed the demanding lead role of Judas Iscariot, aged 22.

The Englishman, picture in 1986, was known for his unquenchable drive for success

The Englishman, picture in 1986, was known for his unquenchable drive for success

Talented: The London-born star is known for his stunning performance as Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar after landed the demanding lead role when he was  22

Talented: The London-born star is known for his stunning performance as Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar after landed the demanding lead role when he was 22

Showstopper: Jon toured Australia and New Zealand with Jesus Christ Superstar for  five years  during which time he also recorded four albums, including Handbags and Gladrags, Turn the Page  and Hollywood Seven

Showstopper: Jon toured Australia and New Zealand with Jesus Christ Superstar for five years during which time he also recorded four albums, including Handbags and Gladrags, Turn the Page and Hollywood Seven

Open: Jon shared this picture of him with his Facebook fans in February after he pulled out of his Trilogy of Rock show in Dubbo due to 'unexpected ill health'

Open: Jon shared this picture of him with his Facebook fans in February after he pulled out of his Trilogy of Rock show in Dubbo due to 'unexpected ill health'

He was one of the few Australian performers to combine a career in music, television and stage. Pictured as Judas at the Encore Theatre in Sydney's Newtown, in 2012

He was one of the few Australian performers to combine a career in music, television and stage. Pictured as Judas at the Encore Theatre in Sydney's Newtown, in 2012

The show's phenomenal success saw him tour Australia and New Zealand for the following five years and during that time he also recorded four albums, penning hits including Handbags and Gladrags, Turn the Page (his first number one) and Hollywood Seven.

At the same time he landed guest roles on popular television drama shows including No 96, Matlock Police, and the Homicide telemovie, Stopover.

The year 1977 was a memorable one for him; he wrapped up his fifth album, celebrated his third number one hit single Words Are Not Enough and toured with Irish rock band, Thin Lizzy.

Jon English performs Six Ribbons at Sweden Rock Festival in 2013
Treading the boards: He performed in Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas The Pirates of Penzance.  Picture shows Simon Gallaher as Frederic, Toni Lamond as Ruth and Jon (R) as The Pirate King in 1984

Treading the boards: He performed in Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas The Pirates of Penzance. Picture shows Simon Gallaher as Frederic, Toni Lamond as Ruth and Jon (R) as The Pirate King in 1984

Bowing out of the music scene a year later, Jon tapped into his acting talent once again to take up the lead role in hit TV mini-series, Against the Wind.

His passion and impressive acting is what eventually saw him net a Best New Talent Logie for his performance as convict, Jonathan Garrett.

That same year he won an acting Logie and a TV Week/Countdown award (for best male vocalist).

Jon English performs in The Pirates of Penzance in 2001
Happiest performing: He took his trusted guitar with him wherever he went. Seen here in 2006 wooing fans at the Countdown Spectacular Launch in Luna Park, Sydney, in 2006

Happiest performing: He took his trusted guitar with him wherever he went. Seen here in 2006 wooing fans at the Countdown Spectacular Launch in Luna Park, Sydney, in 2006

Showman: Jon was set to tour Australia from May starting in Perth

Showman: Jon was set to tour Australia from May starting in Perth

Jon was passionate about acting and to his impressive list of television credits over the years can also be added Graham Kennedy’s long-running comic game show, Blankety Blanks, as well as regular appearances as a panelist on Hey Hey It's Saturday.

He also landed cameo role son hugely popular Australian series drama Flying Doctors, Pizza and Rafferty's Rules, trivia show Spicks and Specks and SBS rock quizz show RocKwiz.

The affable star trod the boards as Pirate King in the 1984 production of The Pirates of Penzance, wooing audiences with his stage antic more than 1,000 times.

All Together Now: He played the main role of Bobby Rivers in the TV sitcom from 1990-1993

All Together Now: He played the main role of Bobby Rivers in the TV sitcom from 1990-1993

He later starred in stage musicals, including Rasputin (1987) and Big River (1988).

During 1983–85, the father of four won four Mo Awards three for Entertainer of the Year and one for Male Vocal Performer.

Perhaps most surprisingly, to those who did not know him well, Jon boasted a prodigious general knowledge and won the celebrity version of Sale Of The Century quizz show, taking home a brand new BMW!

At the time of his death he was still performing and was set to tour Australia from May starting in Perth.

'Incredibly sad': The Packed To The Rafters star Rebecca Gibney took to Twitter to express her condolences

'Incredibly sad': The Packed To The Rafters star Rebecca Gibney took to Twitter to express her condolences

Social media has flooded with loving tributes to the Australian music legend as news of his passing broke on Thursday morning.

Packed To The Rafters star Rebecca Gibney was among the thousands that poured their tributes onto Twitter, writing: 'Just heard the news about Jon English. So incredibly sad.'

'All Together Now was one of the joys of my career. My love to his family.'

Co-stars: Rebecca and Jon starred in the 90s sitcom All Together Now

Co-stars: Rebecca and Jon starred in the 90s sitcom All Together Now

Jon and Rebecca starred in early '90s sitcom All Together Now, which told the story of a aging rocker - played by Jon - trying to maintain his music career.

Country music star Troy Cassar-Daley sent his tribute via Instagram, sharing a photo of Jon and writing in the caption: 'Another great one gone, Jon English passes at 66 years old.'

He added: 'Watched him on stage as a teenager always rocked out with a great show, very sad news.'

The Today Show's David Campbell also expressed his sadness, tweeting: 'Just hearing about Jon English. What a shame. Beautiful bloke.'

Other members of the music industry, including veteran broadcaster Marieke Hardy and Glenn A. Baker lamented the loss of Australia's 'Pirate King'.

'Oh no, no no no, not Jon English too,' Marieke wrote to Twitter, while Glenn, who appeared on ABC 891Adelaide radio said: 'It is a real shock.'

LOOKING BACK: JON ENGLISH'S RISE TO FAME

1972: He won the lead role in Harry M Miller’s first production of Jesus Christ Superstar, aged 22

1973: While performing Jesus Christ Superstar, he performed as a rock vocalist with Tapestry, Pulsar and Duck and launched debut solo album, Wine Dark Sea

1975: Released second solo album It's All a Game

1978: He landed the role of Jonathan Garrett in hit TV miniseries Against The Wind

1979: He won a Logie for Best New Talent in Australia for his role in the television series and a gong for Most Popular Male Performer at the TV Week/Countdown Music Awards

1980: Released Calm Before the Storm

1984: Trod the boards as Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan's operettas The Pirates of Penzance

1983–85: Netted four Mo Awards - three Entertainer of the Year gongs and a Male Vocal Performer award

1990-1993: He played the main role of Bobby Rivers in TV sitcom All Together Now

2009: He teamed up with a troupe of multi talented rockers to produce a spectacular 10 piece tribute to the 60’s and 70’s rock generation called The Rock Show

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Reply #140 posted 03/09/16 8:10pm

MickyDolenz

avatar

Nina trailer


You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton
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Reply #141 posted 03/10/16 9:58am

JoeBala

Thanks Mickey! I'm sure Zoe will do a great job.

Jeff Buckley Album,”You And I”, Releases Newly Discovered Songs

When I heard the news that 10 vaulted demos made by Jeff Buckley in 1993 were set to be released, I almost cried. Jeff Buckley has one of the most insanely talented voices in music history and the fact that the recently unearthed demos were made before he released his prolific album, Grace, makes it even more exciting. These are some of Jeff Buckley’s oldest known recordings and his voice is so pure, raw, powerful, and simply beautiful.

Eight of the songs on the album, You and I, are Jeff Buckley covering other artists such as Bob Dylan, The Smiths, Led Zeppelin, and Sly & The Family Stone. But the one thing we know about Jeff Buckley, he doesn’t just cover songs, he transforms them. He takes songs that we know and love and gives them a whole new life. His cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is sublime and evokes such incredible emotion no matter how many times one hears it.

The two original songs on this album include the first ever solo studio recording of his song “Grace”, as well as “Dream Of You And I”. “Grace” would become one of Buckley’s signature songs while “Dream Of You And I” would eventually become what we now know as, “You And I”.

Now, almost 20 years after Jeff Buckley’s tragic passing, we get to experience hearing Jeff Buckley for the first time all over again.

You And I will be released on March 11th, but you can preview the album here.

Here is the You And I Track list:

  1. Just Like A Woman (Bob Dylan cover)
  2. Everyday People (Sly & The Family Stone cover)
  3. Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’ (First recorded by Louis Jordan)
  4. Grace (original)
  5. Calling You (Jevetta Steele cover)
  6. Dream Of You And I (previously unissued original)
  7. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (The Smiths cover)
  8. Poor Boy Long Way From Home (traditional blues song)
  9. Night Flight (Led Zeppelin cover)
  10. I Know It’s Over (The Smiths cover)

Exclusive Interview with Singer-Songwriter Heather Braverman

1Photo Credit: Marc CartwrightHeather Braverman is an extremely talented singer-songwriter who is releasing her brand new single, “Take It Off” this Tuesday. Heather will follow-up the release of her new single with a brand new album. TNWU was excited to speak with Heather about her upcoming single and what to expect on her new album!

Can you tell me a little about your new single which is coming out Tuesday?

My single is called “Take It Off”. I love so many different types of music. It is a really feel good song but it is a mix between so many of my different inspirations like Tov Lo, Tinashe, Selena Gomez, and Kelani. It’s just kind of a vibey tropical experience, and I rap a little bit. It’s just for anyone who has good rhythm and who wants to feel the music.

After your single is released, how soon after will your album come out?

It should be pretty soon after. We don’t have a date yet, but I am in this zone where I keep writing all these songs. Everyone keeps saying, “you have to calm down, we have enough songs!”. (Laughs). But I don’t know, sometimes you get in this groove. So that will be the hard part, deciding which songs are the best. Which songs paint the best picture.

How would you describe the sound of the upcoming album?

I think it is a good collage. All of the songs I have written in the past eight months or so, they are little vignettes of life in L.A and things that I have felt and gone through. I just think, the one thing they have in common are they all talk about very specific moments that are really relatable; moments that people don’t always catch on all the time in music. I feel like, in music, we tend to get on the same trend of talking about the same things and you can kind of get into a funk, and art is a way to look at the little pieces and details that people don’t normally think about. So that is the overall trend of my music. They are definitely hitting every corner of my style and every different avenue. They are not all the same, it is definitely a journey.

Well, that is a great way to look at it. If you look at life as an inspiration you will never run out of material.

Ya, and I am always finding new weird things. My life is kind of funny so I am always finding weird crazy moments. (Laughs). I think that is definitely an artist thing where they are in a museum or at a party and they look around and say, ‘Oh my God, I can totally use this for something’.


Your previous single, “Shy”, really debuted your acoustic side. Are you going to have any acoustic songs on this album?

Well “Shy” was a really cool song and I did a whole music video for it and it was featured in the film “Summer Forever”, but I feel like my style has really evolved since then. I used to be more in the singer-songwriter direction, but I have used that to explore this whole new world of making it more rhythmic and using different new sounds and working with some really cool producers. So it is mostly just the collaboration with all these DJ’s and crazy producers I have worked with on this album; and I have kind of explored delving into producing. So it’s more showcasing this new genre that is coming up of vibey out of this world music that is so hard to describe. So it is kind of moving in that direction.

How did you get your start making music in L.A. Aren’t you coming from the East Coast?

Ya, I am a Jersey girl! (Laughs). So, growing up I was like, for sure I am going to live in New York, learn the city, I’m so cool I take the subway. But I started coming out here when I was 15 years old to work with different producers and feel it out, as time went on I was like, I can never go back.

I was coming out here on and off throughout high school. I was going to school, doing my work on my own and emailing my teachers. I graduated a year early from high school so I could move out here on my own at 17. Ever since then I have been perfecting my music and exploring.


Have you been involved in any groups or charities in L.A. with whom you lend your time or find inspiration?

I actually am a big part of a group called, F.A.R.E., which stands for Food Allergy Research and Education. It is based in New York but I have life-threatening food allergies, I have had them my whole life. Recently I had an almost fatal reaction. So I am a really big spokesperson for F.A.R.E. and promoting awareness about food allergies, so that has been something that has been a really big part of my life. This Sunday I am filming a video that will be shown at the annual luncheon this year to talk about my experience and try to educate people about what it means to have a food allergy and what it means to live with a food allergy.

Are there any particular artists of producers you are hoping to work with in the future?

Let me think. Someone asked me if I could do a remix of my single, who would it be with. So I said, there is this really cool artist whose name is Jon Bellion. I think he breaks a lot of rules in songwriting, but in a completely brilliant way, so that is awesome. My other choice is if Nick Jonas could sing a verse. I mean, that would trump everything honestly. (Laughs).

Where can we purchase your single on Tuesday?

PopMania.com will release the new song on Tuesday March 8th! It will be available for purchase on iTunes and also Spotify <img src=" />


“Sleepy Hollow” Actress Jessica Camacho Cast in Discovery’s “Harley and the Davidsons”

Jessica Camacho, who currently co-stars in Fox’s hit series “Sleepy Hollow,” has been cast in the Discovery miniseries “Harley and the Davidsons” to air later this year.

jessica_camacho
Camacho will portray Reya, a strong and fearless member of an early Harley-Davidson motorcycle club. She joins a cast that currently includes Michiel Huisman (“Game of Thrones”), Robert Aramayo (“Game of Thrones”), Bug Hall (“The Little Rascals”) and Stephen Rider (“Daredevil”).

Camacho has appeared in ABC’s “Last Resort” and “Castle,” HBO’s “Hello Ladies,” FOX’s “Bones” and “Minority Report,” CBS’s “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Stalker,” CW’s “Nikita,” NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU” and played opposite Patrick Swayze in A&E’s “The Beast.”

She also has been in such feature films as “The Babymoon,” “Crave” and “Ana Maria in Novela Land.”

From Raw Television, production of “Harley and the Davidsons” will begin this month and consist of three two-hour installments to air later this year on Discovery. Camacho is represented by Tash Moseley Management, Gabrielle Allabashi at Ellis Talent Group and Matt Rosen at SGSBC.

By Andy Daglas


What to watch on Thursday, March 10...


8pm, CBS
The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard hit some snags when they file a patent for their infinite persistence gyroscope, and that slightly wheezy sound you hear is fans of intellectual property comedy rejoicing. In less technical quandaries, Raj receives romantic advice from the gals after Emily reaches out in the wake of their breakup.


8pm, The CW
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
In “Night of the Hawk,” the team investigates a string of slayings in a small Oregon town in the 1950s, suspecting Savage is responsible. While Sara and Professor Stein go undercover at the hospital where the villain is playing doctor, Ray and Kendra decide that posing as an interracial married couple is a good way to blend in with a small town in 1950s America.


8pm, ABC
Grey’s Anatomy
Meredith, Bailey, Jackson, Callie, and Jo visit a military hospital to perform a high-risk surgery on a veteran in “All Eyez on Me,” made all the more challenging by Meredith’s insistence that everyone call her Trapper John. Back at Grey Sloan, Ben makes a rash surgical decision, Andrew bristles at the secretive nature of his relationship with Maggie, and cheerleaders run amok in the ER.


8pm, NBC
You, Me and the Apocalypse
“T Minus…” finds Jamie and Dave tracking down Layla and Frankie at long last. But that assemblage doesn’t last long, as soon Ariel abducts Frankie. Elsewhere, Scotty must decide between giving up his sister or putting Project Saviour at risk.


8:30pm, CBS
Life in Pieces
Jealous of Jen’s cute new assistant (Gregg Sulkin), Greg tries to burnish his beau bona fides in “Prank Assistant Gum Puppy.” Meanwhile, Joan lets Sophia chew gum against Heather’s wishes, John and Colleen take their pups on a doggie date, and Heather and Tim pull a prank on Tyler’s school.


DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE, 9pm, Reelz
El Chapo & Sean Penn: Bungle in the Jungle
This account of the infamous meeting between the actor and the Mexican drug kingpin will consider such complex and nuanced questions as “WTF?” and “...no, seriously, WTF?”


SERIES PREMIERE, 9pm, A&E
60 Days In
Seven civilians volunteer to go undercover as inmates in an infamous Indiana prison, hoping to cast a light on institutional corruption and on the reality of life behind bars. “Unusual Suspects” and “First Timers” introduce the sheriff masterminding the operation and the participants, including a Marine, a cop, a teacher, and a stay-at-home mom.


9pm, ABC
Scandal
Olivia and the Olivettes help some Secret Service agents get out of hot water in “The Fish Rots From the Head.” Around the Beltway, Abby has troubles of her own holding the reins on Fitz, and Jake spills a few of his secrets.


9pm, The CW
The 100
Kane’s goal of keeping things peaceful may not totally pan out, despite his pledge of a free pizza day if everyone can go one whole week without gruesome violence. Meanwhile in “Terms and Conditions,” Pike suspects there’s an info leak in Arkadia, and Raven seeks Jasper’s support with a plan.


9pm, CBS
Mom
In “Nazi Zombies and a Two Hundred Pound Baby,” Bonnie suspects that Christy still carries a flame for her ex-husband Baxter.


9pm, Bravo
Top Chef
The chefs bid adieu to the Golden State in “Magic Hour” and head to Las Vegas for the finals, where the first challenge mixes cooking with cards. (I’m no poker player, but if I recall correctly, a straight beats a snapper crudo, but a flush does not.) The winner secures a spot in the finale, while the other three must charm the palette of prestidigitator David Copperfield.


9:30pm, CBS
2 Broke Girls
While Caroline screens potential actresses to play her on the big screen, Max agrees to dog-sit for Randy in “And the Great Escape.” But when the pooch flies the coop, they must search for him in a neighborhood currently being prowled by a cannibalistic serial killer.


10pm, ABC
How to Get Away With Murder
An assistant D.A. questions the Keating 5 about the night Emily Sinclair bought the farm, while the search for Philip becomes counter-productive when they end up losing Caleb instead. Flashbacks in “There’s My Baby” center on Annalise’s fateful approach to the Mahoney case.


10pm, History
Vikings
It’s a Very Viking Christmas in “Yol,” and the Great Hall in Kattegat welcomes Bjorn, his new partner, and a Norwegian king (it’s safe to assume they come a-wassailing). In other arrivals, King Aelle is dismayed by the family situation at Wessex, while in Paris, Rollo makes a last-ditch effort to get Gisla on his side before a papal delegation arranges a divorce.


10pm, CBS
Elementary
“Hounded” finds Holmes and Watson working a case for Henry Baskerville, a wealthy colleague of Morland’s whose brother was apparently slain by a gigantic glowing beast. Being something of a master detective myself, I can deduce that this episode adapts Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic work The Hound of the Baskervilles.


10pm, IFC
Portlandia
In “First Feminist City,” Toni and Candace deal with the spotlight after Portland is named the nation’s most feminist burg. Named the nation’s most meninist burg for the eighth year running: Douchetopolis, Florida.


10pm, NBC
Shades of Blue
Harlee and Wozniak find out more about the big score, along with the identity of Donnie’s silent partner. Elsewhere in “What Devil Do,” Wozniak’s attention is caught by a fellow veteran facing suspicions of murder.


10pm, USA
Colony
In “Zero Day,” Will looks for a way to extricate his family from the occupation, Kate and Broussard organize a critical operation, Snyder defends his situation, and Maddie undertakes political machinations.


10pm, Comedy Central
Workaholics
The guys open a casino in their house in “Always Bet on Blake.” You’d be surprised how cheaply you can pick up a used Keno table on eBay, actually.


10:30pm, Comedy Central
Idiotsitter
Billie hosts her jerky ex for dinner in “Ex-Boyfriend,” and Gene poses as her butler as part of a scheme to show how Billie has been flourishing post-breakup. Am I mistaken, or has the culture seen a sharp dropoff in elaborate charades involving fake butlers in recent years? Good on them for reviving a proud American art form.


SPECIAL TIME, 11pm, BBC America
Prey
Reinhardt closes in on Farrow, who finally learns the truth behind his family’s murder in what was the Series 1 finale in the show’s U.K. airing. Meanwhile, Devlin becomes consumed by guilt and the strain of the investigation.


11pm, History
Join or Die with Craig Ferguson
Julie Bowen, comedian Dan Levy, and professor Laila Lalami size up history’s worst tyrant (Non-Recording-Industry Division).


LATE-NITE:
– Jason Bateman, Wendy Williams, and Kaleo on Conan, 11pm, TBS
– Padma Lakshmi on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, 11pm, Comedy Central
– Peaches on The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, 11:30pm, Comedy Central
– Anna Kendrick, Loretta Lynch, and Brian Fallon on Late Show with Stephen Colbert, 11:35pm, CBS
– Viola Davis, Isla Fisher, and The Suffers on Jimmy Kimmel Live, 11:35pm, ABC
– Connie Britton, Mark Cuban, and Cameron Esposito on The Late Late Show with James Corden, 12:37am, CBS

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Reply #142 posted 03/10/16 10:35am

JoeBala

Exclusive Interview with Teen Wolf’s Meagan Tandy

by Shamya Williams March 7, 2016, 7:22 pm 0

2In the supernatural town of Beacon Hills, the line between good and evil is constantly being compromised. When we were first introduced to Braeden in season 3, she was a mercenary that played an important role on both sides and established herself as the all-around queen of badass entrances. Braeden is played by Meagan Tandy, a pageant queen turned actress that is taking Hollywood by storm. I had the incredible opportunity to talk with Meagan about Tuesday’s Teen Wolf finale, her upcoming roles on Survivor’s Remorse and UnREAL, and most importantly, her fans.

Congratulations on getting cast on UnREAL!

“I’m seriously so excited! I leave today actually! I had to finish shooting on a show called Survivor’s Remorse. We just wrapped this weekend. And now I’m flying directly to Vancouver. I’ll be there for the next four to five months shooting UnREAL. I can’t wait.”

It sounds like you have a very busy schedule.

“(Laughs). We wrapped Teen Wolf in December for the season that is airing now, and then like I said we just finished Survivor’s Remorse and now I have UnREAL! I don’t know how it all worked out, but it’s nothing short of a blessing. It’s a very stressful business, but everything has been coming together for me these last couple of years, so it’s been good.”


You have a great relationship with your fans and always interact with them! How important is it that you stay connected with them?

“Honestly it is so important for me to stay connected with them because I see so much of myself in them. They all just seem so genuine and so honest in their love for the show and their love for the character. I’ve seen how Braeden has effected people and so with that, you have to stay in touch with them. I don’t want them to feel like they are not important. A lot of the fans will say things to me like, ‘people from other shows never interact with us, we feel invisible.’ I don’t want them to feel invisible. I want them to know that they matter, that I love them, and I really genuinely enjoy interacting with them. It’s honestly so much fun!”


Are there any fan experiences that stand out to you?

“Definitely! BiteCon comes to mind. I got to do my very first Meet and Greet. I was sitting there with these girls and honestly started crying. (Laughs). I was crying at the Meet and Greet because I don’t take any of this stuff for granted. I’m so thankful to be in this position as an actress. It was incredible to sit with those girls and to hear their stories, one was sharing a very personal and very intimate story with me of how Braeden helped save her life, and I’m like, ‘WHAT! I’m just an actress!’ Just hearing stories like that, it really impacted me and the other girls were saying the same thing, so BiteCon was definitely my most memorable experience with the fans because it just really touched me. We were all crying!”


Were you involved in creating Braeden’s backstory?

“I didn’t personally have anything to do with what Braeden ended up being, that was all Jeff Davis. My initial character was the girl in 3A, and I was supposed to be done after that episode. Braeden the mercenary, being Derek’s love interest, all of that evolved when I was not even there. She evolved when they were writing during 3A. Then they asked me to come back for 3B and I did. I worked on TW for the rest of the season, while they were writing and trying to figure her out. I came back in Season 4, and they let me know what Braeden would become. So I didn’t have any say. (Laughs). I didn’t say, ‘I would be great doing this or Braeden should be that’, it all just fell into my lap, literally.”


Did you think that your character was gone forever or did you always know deep down that you would come back?

“After filming the 3A episode I had a great feeling. I was connecting with everybody, and Jeff Davis literally told them to not shoot my death scene. (Laughs). I was like, ‘alright I must be coming back or something because they didn’t film it even though it was in the script.’ Braeden wasn’t even Braeden at the time, she was supposed to be slashed and killed, a terrible death, and they completely took it out. They just showed him whacking my face and that was it. So from that, I had a great feeling. I just kept hoping they’d ask me back.”

I’m glad that they kept her! The pack has really needed her this season.

“I know! They really needed Braeden to start kicking the Desert Wolf’s butt (laughs).”


Are there any characteristics that Braeden has that you wish you had yourself? (@huntermellas)

“Oh definitely! I’m young, we can all get a little insecure here and there and constantly put ourselves down. Braeden and I are both strong women, but Braeden is strong and there’s nothing that phases her. There’s nothing that gets her down, she’s not going to get insecure about anything. She’s strong in what she does and she goes out and does it completely unaffected. I can be strong and go out there, but sometimes I get affected because I care so much. I wish I had that quality that Braeden does. I wish I didn’t care as much. I think if I didn’t give things so much weight they wouldn’t affect me so much.”


I can definitely relate, sometimes I feel like I care too much about the wrong things.

“It’s just life. Honestly, I was trying to figure out why I’m affected by some things, not everything since I’m a very strong person, but it’s just that sometimes I care way too much about things that I just shouldn’t care about. I need to just let things go, and that’s what Braeden does, she goes in, she does the job, and then moves on to the next one. She’s confident and knows that she can do it. I do the same thing, but I hold on to the past and I overthink things and get weird about it.”

Especially on social media, it’s so easy to get sucked into all of the negativity.

“That affected me for a while. Social media was definitely harsh, especially towards me in the beginning. It bothered me. But I can honestly tell you now with confidence that it doesn’t bother me anymore. Even after this past episode, people were coming after me and saying things, and it doesn’t bother me anymore. It is what it is and I’m just doing my job.”


Yeah, I know that Cody Christian encounters the same problem when fans tweet him hate about Theo.

“I know it’s crazy! That is why I actually tried to shout out a tweet in support of Cody so that people can understand that the reason they are hating Theo so much is because Cody is portraying him so well.”

Was it challenging to learn how to handle a gun? (@Bellinakaka1)

“In Season 4 they gave me a little bit of training on how to hold the gun, how to reload it and all that stuff. But honestly, it is not challenging at all. I love being Braeden so much. I love being that confident, badass woman every single time I step out on set. It’s an adventure.”

You’ve had a lot of scenes with Tyler Hoechlin in the past, and now you mostly work with Shelley and Marisol, how is that?

“Working with Hoechlin was difficult because he’s just such a charming individual and I had to remember to just be Braeden in scenes and not Meagan. That was by far the most challenging thing I had to deal with (Laughs). I loved working with Shelley. I’d love to work with her again. We have so many mutual friends and I’ve known her for years. Marisol is a unique actress, she knows what she’s doing. She’s been in the game for awhile so it’s been great to work with her.”


Is there an actor on Teen Wolf that you’d like to work with more in the future?

“I love working with Tyler Posey! Posey is my favorite, I think because we are so similar. I would love to definitely work with him again.”

What is more challenging: competing in pageants or auditioning for shows and movies? (@amehmancini)

“Well I say this with a humbled spirit, but acting is more challenging because you just never know when it’s going to go your way and it’s a lot harder as a job. I’m not saying that pageants aren’t hard, it’s just with acting you never know which way it’s going to go and you have to work 10 times harder to get the role. You never know what you’re going to have to do on set, whether it’s a stunt or just come and do some dialogue.”

Would you ever consider participating in pageants again in the future?

“I loved it. Pageants served me for the time that it was, but that part of me is done. I wouldn’t go back to it.”


Would you ever consider participating in pageants again in the future?

“I loved it. Pageants served me for the time that it was, but that part of me is done. I wouldn’t go back to it.”

Larkin Poe Releases New Single “Trouble In Mind”

by Nathan Badley March 1, 2016, 1:54 pm 0

BANNER_3With their sophomore album, Reskinned, set to be released April 15th, Larkin Poe has been hard at work. While the band is busy touring as the opening act and backing band for Elvis Costello, they have released the album’s first single “Trouble In Mind” to Paste Magazine.

“Trouble In Mind” serves as an homage to the band’s roots.

“We’re Georgia peaches, born and raised in the South,” Rebecca and Megan Lovell said of the song. “We may seem sweet and delicious, but take a bite and get ready for a kick in the teeth… We’ve come up steeped in the musical heritage of the South: the blues, country, southern rock – it’s all in the bloodstream of our music and we’re ready to let some of it out for y’all.”

Along with the release of “Trouble In Mind,” Larkin Poe has announced a handful of headlining tour dates along the east coast before jetting off to Europe for another leg of Elvis Costello’s Detour Tour.

After years of touring, Reskinned is set to be Larkin Poe’s coming of age project. Fans can get their first taste of the album over at Paste Magazine or at any of the upcoming US tour dates.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

March 29 – Wells Fargo Center for the Arts – Santa Rosa, CA*

March 30 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA*

April 1 – Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara, CA*

April 2 – Theatre at Ace Hotel – Los Angeles, CA*

April 3 – Theatre at Ace Hotel – Los Angeles, CA*

April 5 – Fox Performing Arts Center – Riverside, CA*

April 7 – Balboa Theatre – San Diego, CA*

April 8 – Ikeda Theatre – Mesa, AZ*

April 9 – Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ*

April 11 – Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO*

April 12 – Kingsbury Hall University of Utah – Salt Lake City, UT*

April 13 – Center for the Arts – Jackson Hole, WY*

April 15 – Egyptian Theatre – Boise, ID*

April 16 – McDonald Theatre – Eugene, OR*

April 17 – Mount Baker Theatre – Bellingham, WA*

April 18 – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC

April 19 – Mercury Lounge – New York, NY

April 20 – MilkBoy – Philadelphia, PA

*Supporting Elvis Costello

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Brazilian Percussionist Nana Vasconcelos Dies at 71

Nana Vasconcelos performs in Guerneville, Calif., in 1987
Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Acclaimed Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos has died at age 71. He worked over the decades with well-known musicians such as Milton Nascimento.

Vasconcelos died of lung cancer on Wednesday in the northeastern city of Recife where he was born.

He was a master of the single-string percussion instrument known in Portuguese as the berimbao.

The American jazz magazine DownBeat named Vasconcelos percussionist of the year every year from 1983 to 1991.

He started learning music with his musician father and by the time he was 12 he was playing a drum kit, performing at bars with local groups.

Nana rose to national prominence after he moved to Rio de Janeiro in the 1960s and started playing with Nascimento.

Harvey Danger Bassist Aaron Huffman Dead at 43

Aaron Huffman of Harvey Danger photographed on Aug. 29, 2000.
Scott Gries/ImageDirect

Aaron Huffman, the art director at Seattle alt weekly The Stranger and member of indie rock band Harvey Danger, died of respiratory failure this past Sunday, March 6, at the age of 43, per The Stranger.

Huffman’s friend and bandmate Sean Nelson wrote a touching eulogy on Huffman’s life passions. “He was exacting but generous, hilarious but sincere, elegant but unpretentious,” Nelson writes. “He loved Capitol Hill, loved Seattle, loved rock’n’roll. He had the most striking pair o ice blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”

Huffman was the bassist and co-songwriter for Harvey Danger, who mainly released work from the late ‘90s to mid aughts.

Huffman is survived by his mother, wife, and son. Information on a public memorial will be announced on The Stranger. Read Nelson’s full dedication to his friend here.

Jeimy Osorio Talks Skin Darkening to Play Celia Cruz, Congratulates Zoe Saldana on Her Transformation for Biopic

Jeimy Osorio
Courtesy Photo

Puerto Rican actress Jeimy Osorio plays Cuban singer Celia Cruz in the series Celia! She spoke to Billboard about playing a Cuban icon, acting and race and Zoe Saldana’s role as Nina Simone in the controversial biopic Nina.

As told to Billboard's Leila Cobo.

I always describe myself as Puerto Rican first, but as far as skin color, I am predominantly black. I’m a mix. My mother is white, my father is black. But as Latins, we are one big mix. We’re the same, in many different colors.

And those colors depend on our gene pool and our country of origin, and who our grandparents were and where they came from. The fact that I’m black doesn’t take anything away from that; on the contrary, it’s added, because the diversity of our culture is what makes it so rich.

As far as being a black, Latin artist, this is the moment in history when the door has been the most open for us than it’s ever been. I don’t think it’s the time for us to continue classifying things. Work is measured not by the color of one’s skin, but by the talent and commitment of the artist.

I can understand why some people aren’t happy with Zoe Saldana playing Nina Simone, but Zoe has done the best she can. I congratulate her on her transformation. As actresses, we are blank canvasses. We give up completely our nationality and the color of our skin for every role.

Look at Jennifer Lopez. She played a Mexican-American when she played Selena. The actor who plays Cantinflas -- a Mexican icon -- is a Spaniard. I’m a Puerto Rican who played a famous Cuban -- Celia Cruz. Neither nationality nor color defines those roles. Her honest acting should, regardless of whether her skin is lighter or darker. Zoe is a great actress, and by playing Nina Simone, she’s expanding her camp of action.

When I was first tapped to play Celia Cruz, in the beginning there was much said about the fact that I wasn’t Cuban. Since then, I’ve had many Cubans approach me and congratulate me for the role. The fact that I was more or less dark than she was, was never issue. The key was I tried to get as close to the essence of Celia, even though we weren’t the same.

When I played the role, they darkened my skin, even though our coloring is similar. I had to pluck my brows, I gained weight. They created a gap between my teeth with orthodontics. For eight months, I was a completely different person. They broadened my nose, the shape of my eyebrows -- they even changed the shape of my lips.

But we’re a canvas. And I had committed 100 percent to become this character. And I feel fortunate to have received so much love through this character. All my characters have been growing through time. Each of my roles has prepared me for the next, and I don’t feel any of them have been denigrating toward my race.

On the contrary, they’re all characters that represent us with dignity and where I can carry my essence, wear Afro with pride. I’ve never felt doors have closed because of my race.

Yuna is On the Run in Her 'Places to Go' Video

Yuna in the video for "Places to Go."
Courtesy Photo

Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna sets her sights on the world in her new music video for the DJ Premier-produced single “Places To Go.”

The black-and-white visual begins with a brief preface from Yuna. “When I was younger I would go to the airport with my friends and drive out 2 a.m., 3 a.m. in the morning and just hang out until sunrise watching planes fly in and fly out,” she says. “Just sit there and dream about how one day that’s going to be us in those flights. We’re gonna be one of those people with places to go.”

“Places To Go” will be included on Yuna’s forthcoming third album, Chapters, which also carries the Usher duet "Crush." Before her set drops May 20, she’ll be embarking on a 15-date tour starting April 29 in Washington, D.C. hitting all major cities this spring. For ticket info, click here.

Watch the video -- the first in a series of little films for Chapters -- below.

Johnny Gill Talks 'Game Changer' Success, Bobby Brown, Jamie Foxx & New Edition Biopic

Johnny Gill performs at Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi on July 2, 2014.
AJ Alexander Parhm

Johnny Gill couldn’t have chosen a more prescient title for his latest album, Game Changer. The set -- the first under his own label J Skillz Entertainment -- just spun off its third top 10 Adult R&B airplay single, “This One’s For Me and You,” featuring Gill’s brothers in song New Edition. Jumping 6-4 this week, the tracks follows predecessors “Behind Closed Doors” and the title track.

The multiple Grammy-nominated artist behind such solo, New Edition and LSG hits as “My My, My,” “Can You Stand the Rain” and “My Body” says adding label CEO to his skill set is “beyond challenging but fun on top of it all.” Released in 2014, Game Changer owes its staying power to Gill’s still deliciously sensual vocals and a suite of strong songs delivered by such songwriters as Babyface, Chuck Harmony (Jazmine Sullivan), Gregg Pagani and Wirlie Morris (Charlie Wilson) and Claude Kelly (Tamar Braxton).

Come next month, Gill and New Edition will join Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle, Wilson, Sullivan and more on Tom Joyner’s annual Fantastic Voyage cruise (April 23-May 1). Reportedly in rehab, Bobby Brown won’t be joining New Edition on the cruise. “It will be just the five of us,” says Gill. “I spoke to him about a week or so ago. In this business, you realize that getting your life together is more important than anything.”

You’ve been described as having a “Midas touch” when it comes to sensuous R&B. Do you agree?

It’s a great compliment. But I don’t know if I look at it like that. For me, it’s the Midas level of hard work, passion and belief that I put into this. It refuels me to know that after 32 years, I can still be in the game, in the mix and doing what I’ve enjoyed doing all of my life.

How did you derive your label’s name, J Skillz?

That’s me. Because I play a bunch of different instruments [including guitar, bass and drums], I’ve always been called Skillz. I thought, “Hey, it’s got a ring to it.” So that’s what I named my company.

What’s been your hardest-won lesson?

Learning how to not be dependent. I sat out for 15 years not recording because I was looking for a record deal. Then you start questioning your confidence. I woke up one day and decided why am I sitting here waiting for somebody to do something for me? My talent hasn’t eroded. Then [Notifi founder] Ira DeWitt said I needed to put out new music [starting with 2011’s Still Winning]. And Jamie Foxx told me there’s a void and you can fill it. “You’re the last dying breed of crooners,” he said. “My studio is open any time you want to come.” I’m like OK … maybe I was missed.

Your indie success and that of Tyrese, Lalah Hathaway, Charlie Wilson and newcomers like KING and Kehlani? What impact is that having on the genre?

There’s a resurgence of great established and new R&B artists and songs happening. It’s just a matter of us coming together to keep pushing the boundaries; to be respected and get back to a place where people will listen and understand that R&B should not be at the bottom of the totem pole.

When can fans expect the New Edition biopic the group is co-producing for BET?

We were supposed to start shooting between February and March. But we still have more to do in refining the script, and we’re casting right now. Then we’re ready to load up, aiming to release it at the top of 2017. It’s weird but so exciting. We’ve been trying to get this done for I can’t tell you how many years. And finally it’s here.

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Cee Lo Green Goes Acoustic On David Bowie's 'Space Oddity': Exclusive Clip

Cee Lo Green: Live From L.A presented by AT&T DirecTV/U-verse.
Lucas Goldsmith

It’s been a newsworthy couple of weeks for Cee Lo Green. He kicked off his The Love Train tour (March 1-13). Next, his Ceelo’s Joyride mobile game debuted on March 3. Then Green was revealed as one of the contributors on "untitled 6 | 06.30.2014," a track from Kendrick Lamar’s surprise March 4 album untitled unmastered.


Coming Friday (March 11): Cee Lo Green: Live in L.A., airing on AT&T U-Verse and DirecTV’s cross-platform Audience Network (9 p.m. ET/PT). An exclusive outtake clip from the show, Green’s acoustic version of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” is featured below:

Taped Jan. 14 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, fans and industry tastemakers were treated to an all-acoustic performance. Backed by a five-piece band and three singers -- and holding court himself in a throne-styled chair -- an exuberant Green delivered a rousing set. “I feel dutified and morally obligated,” he prefaced, “to wake us up from numb." His wide-ranging playlist encompassed hits (“Crazy,” “F**k You!”), selections from his latest album Heart Blanche (“Robin Williams,” “Sign of the Times”) and additional intriguing covers (Supertramp’s “The Logical Song,” Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan").


Before launching into “Bright Lights Bigger City” as the concert came to a close, Green noted, “People know me from The Voice and the outfits—the bird, the wedding dress. But people forget I can sing too.”

Hayley Williams Addresses Paramore's Next Album, Salutes Ex-Members on Parahoy!'s Third Day

Hayley Williams opens Paramore's second set onboard 'Parahoy!' on March 7, 2016.
Trish Halpin

Also, Paramore performed “O Star” -- one of its oldest songs -- live for the first time.

Prior to Paramore’s March 7 Parahoy! performance, their set list somehow leaked online. “Hallelujah” was revealed as the opening song, but nobody knew this wouldn’t be just the band’s own song from its sophomore album. Before breaking into “Hallelujah” -- the Paramore song -- Hayley Williams belted a cover of Leonard Cohen’s immortal standard. It was a worthy lead-in to a set that proved to be a much-needed group therapy session, even moreso than the show two days prior, Paramore’s first in almost a year.

“This past year has been a year that for me, I never want to relive again,” Williams admitted midway through the evening show. “At the same time, I would do it again if it meant understanding what having a real friend in this life feels like. Taylor, thank you so much for being awesome.”

The crowd erupted into “PARAMORE!” chants as Williams shouted out guitarist Taylor York, now the only other rostered band member, following the Dec. 2015 departure of bassist Jeremy Davis. Williams didn’t speak of the incident in detail, though she did salute the band’s former members:

“It is an honor to play music with all the people that are here. It’s been an honor to play music with Josh [Farro], with Zac [Farro], with Jeremy, everyone that’s ever played with Paramore. It’s such an honor, to have friendship and music rolled into one thing… only god can do that. I’m just glad it’s not over because I want to keep doing it.”

Williams introduced the whole band, member-by-member earlier in the show than usual. This included a call-out for new bassist Joey Howard and a big “WE ARE PARAMORE” group salute.

Later on, Williams pledged to being the kindest version of herself in her 27th year: “People in life will sometimes take your kindness for weakness. But the bigger lesson is to not let that stop you from being kind.”

As for that follow-up to 2013’s self-titled album, Williams indicated the band’s fifth studio album will be here… eventually:

“We’ve been -- to be honest -- a lot slower than I thought we would be. Sometimes life happens…. I took a Twitter break. It was great; you should try it some time. We’re gonna go on and make a record for ya… We’ll keep you posted.”

The set included another rare treat, aside from the “Hallelujah” cover. Almost an hour into the show, Paramore performed one of its oldest songs, a sparse ballad called “O Star,” that fans normally can only hear on YouTube (unless they snagged the rare Summer Tic EP on the 2006 Warped Tour). “We’ve never really played this ever, I don’t think,” Williams said (concert database Setlist.fm agrees with her).

After describing how the Farro brothers first invited her into the band (this involved firing a former vocalist over AOL Instant Messenger) Williams described how “O Star” came together:

"At this point, I’m in the band, we’d written "Conspiracy," we definitely thought we were going to get a record deal with Tooth & Nail Records, or something. Because [drummer] Aaron [Gillespie] was on Tooth & Nail, that’s what we wanted. And then [guitarist] Taylor [York] and I got together for the first time after school and wrote for the first time ever. He was 12 years old, I think I’d just turned 13… We wrote this song pretty quickly."

All in all, the set was a resounding -- albeit emotionally dire -- success, featuring more of Paramore’s set staples than the previous show, which showcased much of its debut album.

Elsewhere, the cruise’s third day was a leisurely one, as cruisers spent the morning and afternoon docked in Cozumel, Mexico, free to explore the city. Upon departure, a storm that had hit the mainland earlier followed the ship out to sea, bringing heavy winds, though thankfully, only a few scattered rain drops. Paramore’s show was the main attraction, though Lights delivered a strong pool deck performance afterwards, and Chvrches held down a DJ set in the indoor atrium.

Billboard sat down for an interview with New Found Glory, in which guitarist Chad Gilbert discussed his and Hayley Williams’ recent wedding, along with the prospect of new music, and much more. Keep an eye out for that interview soon on Billboard.com, along with interviews with fellow cruisers Lights and X Ambassadors. We’ll be back tomorrow with the wrap-up of the cruise’s final day.

Alessia Cara & Her Friends Are 'Wild Things' in New Video: Watch

Alessia Cara photographed by Meredith Jenks on July 31, 2015 in New York.
Meredith Jenks

Alessia Cara and her friends hit the streets and let loose in the singer's new "Wild Things" music video.

The 19-year-old opens the video with visuals and typography that nod to Spike Jonze's 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are, introducing her cast of friends with a voice over, saying, "To me, 'where the wild things are' is a place that exists in our minds. It's a place of liberty and shamelessness. It can take a split second of our lifetime to find it, but once you do you’ll be free."

The video follows the group as they hang out, play music, take pictures, light off fireworks and stay up all night. The song is an ode to friendship outside of conformity and Cara and Co. make it look appealing, as they define their own sense of what's cool.

Watch it here:

Soul Sisters Podcast: Victoria Reed on How Music Keeps Her 'Kind of Normal'

Soul Sisters Podcast featuring: Victoria Reed
Shervin Lainez

The daughter of a Bob Seger saxophonist and a Playboy bunny was bound to have an interesting life, one way or another. But singer-songwriter Victoria Reed carved out a path uniquely her own, a journey that she describes in revealing detail on this episode of Soul Sisters, recorded at The Chord Club in New York City.

With her stunning debut album Chariot just out and an international tour under her belt, Reed looks back on a childhood that included a famous father, a family psychic, a near-miss becoming a Disney star, and a philosophy study that drove her into an existential breakdown that gave her all the material she would need as an artist.

"It was really scary but I got a whole album's worth of songs out of it," she laughs.

"I know this might sound a little trite but the only thing that brought me any relief was when I was writing songs or playing open mics," she adds about those dark days before she abandoned her studies in Chicago to forge her music career in New York. "Just for those three minutes I would feel kind of okay and kind of normal."

By the time she reconnected with a manager she had met years before while "finagling my way backstage" at a Citizen Cope concert, she was ready to turn that relief into her greatest strength, and now has the album to prove it.

Check out the full episode, including a live performance, below, hosted by Billboard writer/content creator Jessie Katz and Parlour Tricks singer Darah Golub, and be sure to subscribe to our iTunes channel for all future episodes:

Interview: https://soundcloud.com/bi...toria-reed

Billboard Cover: How Halsey Became the Voice of Her Generation Through Tweets, Tumblr and Truth-Telling

Billboard Back Issue Volume 128, Issue 8

“You pick up ‘famous’ body language,” says Halsey, photographed Feb. 11 at The Love Shack in Brooklyn. “It comes from knowing you’re the most successful woman in the room.” Styling by Karen Levitt. Halsey wears a Versus dress, Chanel earrings, Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh jacket and Giuseppe Zanotti sneakers.
​Miller Mobley

Halsey has her face buried in her iPhone, staring at it so intently that the outside world might as well not exist. She’s in the back seat of a black SUV slowly threading its way through Manhattan traffic. Just 15 minutes earlier, the 21-year-old singer -- her real name is Ashley Frangipane -- abruptly decided she had had enough of Kanye West’s Madison Square Garden fashion show-slash-listening party, where the MC debuted The Life of Pablo. Wearing blingy sunglasses, a torso-baring bandeau and baggy Yeezy-designed pants, her cropped hair pasted against her scalp in cool little swirls, Halsey emerged from the arena’s backstage entrance with her small entourage and headed for the car. She seemed simultaneously relieved and disappointed to discover that no photographers were waiting for her.

Now, in the SUV, Halsey is furiously multitasking -- fact-checking the lyrics she had just heard (“Did he say, ‘Every bad bitch in the Equinox, I want to know if you’re a freak or not?’ ”) and dipping into the roiling online conversation her fans maintain about her at all hours. She tweets the Kanye lyric to her 1.2 million Twitter -followers and points to her phone, where countless direct messages have accrued. Unlike most stars, she consistently and directly engages with fans -- the majority of the 3,000 people she follows on Twitter love her music, although they sometimes drive her crazy. “I talk to them like real f---ing human beings, because they are,” she says. “But then there’s also a sense of entitlement, where they feel like they have the right to chastise me like they would a friend. And sometimes you want to be like, ‘Who the f--- are you to say that?’ ”

Mostly Halsey is psyched to have a direct line to her young, predominantly female fan base. It wasn’t too long ago that she was one of them, obsessed with emo crews like Brand New and Panic at the Disco and boy bands like One Direction. Now, with her debut album Badlands (which bowed at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in August 2015) and its breakout single “New Americana” (which celebrates legal weed, gay marriage and a girl who’s a “viral mess,” and has sold nearly 300,000 downloads, according to Nielsen Music), she has become gossip-worthy herself. More than that, she has become a leading encapsulation of millennial femininity -- self-possessed (if neurotic), a champion of progressive causes, a chronic social-media oversharer -- to the point that she’s worried some fans don’t believe she’s real. “There are conspiracy theorists who think I was crafted in a boardroom,” she says, her large brown eyes widening incredulously. “Because I’m so very relatable and so very topical and so very Tumblr.”

Which is partly why Halsey is relieved to be moving on from the voice-of-a-generation statement of “New Americana” to her new single, the love song “Colors.” (The video, which costars Teen Wolf heartthrob Tyler Posey, racked up 4 million YouTube spins in its first week.) She’s in New York to perform the track on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which will be her biggest TV performance since November 2015, when she appeared with Justin Bieber on Today for an awkward, sexually charged duet of his song “The Feeling.” (“It was a f---ing train wreck,” she says with a laugh. “You don’t know fear until it’s 7 a.m. and freezing cold on live television and you’re not sure if Justin Bieber is going to kiss you or not.”) Just a few days after The Tonight Show, she would kick off a European tour leading into a run of her biggest U.S. shows yet, including stops at the Coachella and Bonnaroo festivals. It all wraps with a sold-out date in August, headlining the storied arena she just departed. “A lot of people were saying, ‘Why the f--- would you put up Madison Square Garden?” says the singer, who’s a serious student of the music business and takes pride in running “a tight ship.” “But I said, ‘Let’s test this -- let’s see what we’re really worth in tickets.’”

Halsey with Bieber on Today in November.

Halsey with Bieber on Today in November.James Devaney/GC Images


“She’s a true artist -- you can tell the moment you meet her,” says Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds, who got to know Halsey when she was opening for his band in 2015. “And she’s passionate about putting on a great show. There were nights when she would get offstage and be upset because she felt like she just didn’t give enough -- and those were nights when the crowd loved her.”

Halsey is a staunch feminist, an advocate for people with mental illness and a Bernie sis. (Her Twitter handle currently reads “Bernie Sanders Fan.”) She also is an out bisexual woman who rails against “heteronormativity.” She’s self-aware enough to know that young women with strong opinions often get slapped with labels like “attention-seeking.” Or, as Halsey puts it, “Everyone’s mortal enemy is the girl on the Internet who’s misunderstood.”

Speaking about those things, words tumble out of her mouth in fully formed paragraphs. Ask why she’s voting for Sanders, say, and this is the flood of information you’ll get:

"I’m 21 years old and it’s kind of uncomfortable for me to talk about, but I’m in the 1 percent as far as my income and tax bracket. But now that I’m here, there’s no amount of money you can wave in front of my face that will make me understand depriving people of human rights. While I know people in the industry who want to vote for someone who will protect them financially, I’m looking for a person who will make sure my 17-year-old brother doesn’t get killed someday because he’s half-black. If that means I lose 50 percent of my income every year, so be it."

It’s not just her brother who’s biracial, of course. (She actually has two brothers: the 17-year-old Sevian and Dante, 10.) Halsey is too, although as she notes, she passes as white. Part of the chorus of “New Americana” -- “Raised on Biggie and Nirvana/We are the new Americana” -- alludes to that. Her parents were just teenagers when they had her; her African-American dad, Chris, who manages a car dealership, was a major hip-hop head, while her Italian-American mom, Nicole, who does security for a hospital, dug alt-rock acts. Her family scraped to get by for most of her childhood, moving around New Jersey before settling in Union County, about 45 minutes outside New York. “My parents were really good at keeping up appearances,” she says. “They didn’t own their first home until last year.”

Halsey on "The Tonight Show" in February.

Halsey on The Tonight Show in February.Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images


The night before her Tonight Show gig, Halsey settles into a seat at a hushed cocktail spot hidden behind an unmarked door in a downtown Japanese restaurant. Lately she has been drinking a lot of pinot noir, but she happily accepts a dark and stormy. “I’m 21,” she says, “so I’m still in that stage when if you hand me something alcoholic, I’ll drink it.” With a baseball cap pulled low over her eyes, she has a slight tomboy vibe that calls to mind Ellen Page. She is also small -- just 5-foot-4 -- making her seem like a pocket-sized version of the imposing, larger-than-life presence she embodies onstage and in photos. She places an order for some sashimi and a few raw-bar oysters. The latter trigger Proustian sense-memories of a formational year she spent in New York after high school. “I was following a boy,” she says with a self-deprecating laugh. “I was 17. He was 23, and he had a really serious heroin addiction.”

It had been a rough couple of years. She loathed her football-obsessed public high school, where her tattoos and half-shaved head left her feeling bullied and misunderstood. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and, during her senior year, spent a few weeks in a psychiatric hospital. “I had tried to kill myself,” she says. “I was an adolescent; I didn’t know what I was doing. Because I was 17, I was still in a children’s ward. Which was terrifying. I was in there with 9-year-olds who had tried to kill themselves.”

Despite her real-life troubles, she had a natural aptitude for making her online persona irresistible to other kids. She packed her Tumblr, se7enteenblack, with selfies, poems, diary entries, memes and countless photos of Harry Styles -- earning her 10,000 followers and an international network of Internet cool kids (including the Australian dudes who would go on to form 5 Seconds of Summer). Being cut off from that network was the hardest part of being hospitalized. “There was no TV, no music, no nothing,” she says. “The day I got out of the hospital I was in the car and I was listening to Imagine Dragons. It was a f---ing moment for me. I don’t think I realized how important music was to me before that.” She shakes her head, and adds, “Three years later, I was opening their U.S. arena tour.”

Halsey sometimes stayed with her boyfriend in New York, but she also bounced around a lot. One night she swung by a party at a hotel, hoping to score a room for the night. Outside she met a young dude named Anthony Li, who played in a Warped Tour band called Action Item. He had heard a tongue-in-cheek song called “SOS,” about Styles’ relationship with Taylor Swift, that Halsey had recorded during a brief stint in community college and was shocked to see go viral. “It just blew up for a minute,” she says. “I didn’t even realize I was writing songs -- I thought I was just being witty and sarcastic.” (It wasn’t even her only song about their relationship. There also was “The Haylor Song,” with lyrics like, “How could we allow Taylor to get him with her fake smiles.” She’s still a big One Direction fan, tweeting things like, “Don’t ever let anyone make you feel shitty for listening to boy bands.”)

Li suggested that Halsey try her hand at more serious recording at a friend’s studio in New Jersey. “He was like, ‘You can write some songs for synch,’ ” she recalls. “I just wanted to make a quick couple of hundred dollars writing yogurt commercials.” She took the train out to New Jersey and in an hour knocked out the spare, icy single “Ghost.” Li encouraged her to come up with a name and without a lot of consideration she picked Halsey, both an anagram of Ashley and the name of her boyfriend’s Brooklyn subway stop. They put the song up on iTunes, and something magical happened -- stoked by her Internet fan base, the tune shot up the alternative chart overnight. By the following morning, A&R reps from "Republic, Atlantic, Island, RCA -- the whole major-label circuit based out of New York" -- wanted to talk development deals. Li quit his band and became her manager. (Co-manager Jason Aron joined the team soon after.)

A still from one of the two versions of the “Ghost” music video, in which Halsey alternately stars opposite a man and a woman.

A still from one of the two versions of the “Ghost” music video, in which Halsey alternately stars opposite a man and a woman.Courtesy of Astralwerks 2015


During the next few months, “Ghost” -- with its post-Lorde feel -- grew, first on blogs and the Hype Machine and eventually through SiriusXM. Top label executives came calling, including Astralwerks’ Glenn Mendlinger, with whom she signed for a relatively modest $100,000 because she liked the label’s people best -- even though they had never broken a pop act. “I was like, ‘I need you to give me a bigger budget for styling. I’m a female, I need a makeup artist!’ ” she says. “He didn’t understand because he has only ever dealt with, like, French DJs.”

She recorded an EP, Room 93, and hit the road. Halsey credits hard touring, the most old--fashioned audience-building technique in the book, as being as important as the Internet was in breaking her nationwide. Her first non-showcase gig ever was at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theatre, opening for The Kooks. Since then, she has set out on a string of nearly universally sold-out solo shows, mixing in intermittent opening stints with top acts like The Weeknd and Imagine Dragons. “Most artists, their 60th show was in front of no one,” she points out. “My first show was in front of 1,200 people. I’ve never had a chance to f--- up. I need to be good every night.”

One of the most important people in Halsey’s life is a tall, 23-year-old Norwegian beat-maker named Lido (Peder Losnegard), who is the executive producer of Badlands. They met in the studio -- each, unbeknownst to the other, broke off the relationships they were in that night. They began seeing each other soon after. Still, their relationship seems tailor-made for the “it’s complicated” era -- even though it has been on and off (it’s currently off), they’ve lived together virtually nonstop since they met, including in the new house in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sherman Oaks that Halsey recently purchased. “They’re two incredibly talented people who found something that works in terms of how they can create together,” says Jeremy Vuernick, Halsey’s A&R rep and one of her best friends. “That’s one of the most difficult kinds of relationships to find.”

ON INSTAGRAM, Halsey serves up everything from snaps of her handwritten diary entries to  half-jokey, half-sexy selfies. “I followed her on social media before I knew her,” says Imagine Dragons’  Dan Reynolds. “She’s an open book.”

ON INSTAGRAM, Halsey serves up everything from snaps of her handwritten diary entries to half-jokey, half-sexy selfies. “I followed her on social media before I knew her,” says Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds. “She’s an open book.”@iamhalsey


Outside of Halsey’s core crew, her increasing fame has started to leave her feeling a little isolated. “I hate feeling like a prisoner,” she says. “I show up somewhere and I can’t explore the city because there’s like 6,000 to 10,000 people on the lookout for me.” She worries she’s not a good enough friend or family member to people she knew before her new life, about which she has enough ambivalence that it has infected her lingo. “In my camp we have a different F-word and C-word,” she says. “ ‘Fame’ and ‘celebrity.’ I hate them.” (Still, she’s comfortable enough in her new world to have a “camp,” which isn’t a thing that non-F- or C-people have.)

It all leaves her with a deeper understanding of one artist in particular, who perhaps feels even more deeply misunderstood than she does. “I love Kanye West,” she says. “I think he’s a visionary. He’s one of those people for whom I separate his personality from his artistry. But I also sympathize with him in a weird way, because being a musician is tough. If you were asked to talk about yourself for six hours a day you would probably go crazy, too! Which is why I give Kanye the benefit of the doubt. Being him must be exhausting.”

No matter how stressed Halsey gets, there is one huge consolation: the sheer joy she gets from performing. This is fully on display during her Tonight Show performance, where she’s backed by her touring band and augmented with a five-piece string section. “I could be having the worst day of my life, hate my body, think I’m fat, think I suck, and as soon as I hear the first few notes of my intro, that all goes away,” she says. “Everything that I hate about myself goes away when I walk onstage. That’s why I cling to it so much -- it keeps me from killing myself.”

Now, though, Halsey has to leave the unmarked bar and get back to rehearsal. Lido and her crew are waiting. Outside, she quickly chain-smokes a couple of Marlboro Lights, pulls out her phone, climbs into another black SUV and drives off into the night.

[Edited 3/10/16 18:43pm]

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Reply #145 posted 03/10/16 6:49pm

JoeBala

Album Of The Week: Julien Baker Sprained Ankle

Tom Breihan | October 20, 2015 - 12:11 pm

In the single most quotable moment of her debut album Sprained Ankle, the 19-year-old Tennessee singer-songwriter Julien Baker plaintively and matter-of-factly mutter-coos, “Wish I could write songs about anything other than death.” That’s the closest she ever comes to a statement of intent, a this-is-who-I-am moment. But she’s selling herself short. Baker writes songs about so many other things. She writes songs about lying in a hospital bed and waiting for consciousness to fade away, listening to the beeps and whirrs of the machines around her and feeling the cold invasiveness of an IV needle in her skin. She writes songs about wandering around a public park, strung out in the dead of the night, trying to figure out if she should complain to God or rejoice in her own squalor. She writes songs about the moment of a devastating breakup, seeing it coming a mile away and being unable to stop it: “I knew I should have said something, but I couldn’t find anything to say, so I just said nothing, sat and watched you drive away.” She sings, over and over again, about seeing her veins turn different colors. Compared to all that, songs about death are easy. Here’s a song about death: I’m a fucking skeleton, whoa whoa whoa, I’ll bite your head off. See how easy that was? I just wrote that. It was nothing. Baker writes songs about living, about staring at the darkness at the core of your being and deciding to struggle on anyway. So no, she doesn’t only write songs about death. Her songs are way heavier than that.

Baker’s origin story goes something like this: When she left her Memphis home and went away to college outside Nashville, she left behind her band Forrister. She started recording songs on her own because she missed her friends, but her friends told her that her demos were good, and that she should record them for real. And so here we have a fully-formed album full of these songs about fucked-up despair, about feeling close to death when you’re not even old enough to legally drink yet. Baker has some kind of substance abuse in her past, and while she hasn’t been very specific about that substance abuse in interviews, she sings unflinchingly about the feelings and sensations she remembers: “There’s more whiskey than blood in my veins, more tar than air in my lungs. The strung out call that I make, burned down on the edge of the highway: ‘I’m sorry for asking, but please come take me home.'” These days, she refers to herself as a grandma, and in this great Vulture interview, she even takes some issue with the idea that she’s a singer of sad songs: “I don’t say that it’s sad. I always say ambient, because I have four reverb pedals and three delays that I don’t need.” And sure, she’s not shy about using effects pedals. But she’s actively brave in singing about the feelings she sings about, about being raw and sucked-out and utterly devoid of hope. On Sprained Ankle, she makes a whole aesthetic about it.

Spacebomb Studios is in Richmond, Virginia, and it’s the sort of place you go when you’re making orchestral pop and you want to make sure you’re not halfassing anything on the “orchestral” side of that genre tag. It’s Matthew E. White’s studio, and it’s the place where he developed his shambling auteurist hippie-soul, learning exactly where to pile the strings and how high to pile them. It’s also where Natalie Prass made her astonishing self-titled debut, a ray of sunshine that came out in the dead of winter, at the top of the year. But Spacebomb is also where Julien Baker recorded Sprained Ankle. There ain’t a damn thing orchestral about this album, and she’s nobody’s ray of sunshine. Instead, it’s a spare and personal affair. Baker is the only musician credited in the liner notes (only songwriter, too), and that hard intimacy is important to the album. It feels like she’s singing directly to you, with no filter and nobody standing between you. But recording at Spacebomb was still a great idea, since the album piles on layers in subtle ways, ways that always enhance what you’re hearing. That’s where those effects pedals come in. As a song builds, we’ll hear a few different Julien Bakers singing in multi-tracked harmony, or we’ll hear another guitar chord humming and chiming underneath the main figure. There’s a widescreen clarity to the way the album is recorded; for all its unflinching intensity, it sounds big. In a weird way, the album’s sound treats Baker’s feelings with the respect they deserve.

And Baker delivers those feelings, too. On every song, her voice starts out quiet and inward. It’s conversational, but it’s conversational in that pulling-teeth way, where you can tell she’s only talking because she’s forcing herself to do it. As the songs progress, though, that voice gets louder, as if it’s building confidence. And by the end, she’s gone into a full-on wail. She comes from emo, and you can hear that in her voice, in the way she uses vocal fry for its full heart-ripping effect. But there’s also enough twang in her delivery that it can’t help but connect itself to country and soul and gospel. And when that voice finally rises up, it grabs you and shakes you around and does things to your soul. “I can’t think of anyone, anyone else,” she howls on “Something,” and off top, I can’t remember the last time I heard anyone express that “how am I going to get over this person?” post-breakup feeling that forcefully or cathartically.

Force and catharsis are big themes here. This is an album that takes an S.O.S. pad to your feelings. It’s harsh, and it’s cleansing. The feelings are universal in the most cringing and desperate ways: “Whenever I’m alone with you can’t talk, but ‘Isn’t this weather nice? Are you Okay?’ Should I go somewhere else and hide my face?” Or: “You’re gonna run when you find out who I am. I’m a pile of filthy wreckage you will wish you’d never touched.” And Baker’s voice is so wounded and expressive that those sentiments come through with excruciating plainness. She lays it all out, again and again. By the end of the album, she’s finally singing about the death that she can’t stop writing songs about, or at least she’s singing about an escape that sounds like death: “I know my body is just dirty clothes. I’m tired of washing my hands. God, I wanna go home.” But that moment doesn’t feel like an expression if weakness. Instead, the mere fact that it exists says a whole lot about Baker’s inner strength; these can’t be easy things to sing. And by rendering these feelings in these plain and spare melodies, she’s passing that strength onto the rest of us. There is every chance that you need an album like this in your life, even if you don’t know it yet.

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Reply #146 posted 03/11/16 5:27am

Identity

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The X-Men Defend in New Poster
03.2016


Fox has released a second poster, titled “Defend,” for the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse film.

The poster features Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), flanked by Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Quicksilver (Evan Peters), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee); all overseen by Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy).

The movie releases in theaters May 27.




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Reply #147 posted 03/11/16 8:00am

JoeBala

Thanks ID Nice poster.

NEWS/

Ariana Grande Releases "Dangerous Woman" Song

Ariana Grande is embracing her inner vixen.

The pop star released her latest single, "Dangerous Woman," overnight Thursday. The song is the second single from her upcoming album of the same name, which will be released May 20. Grande previously released "Focus" in 2015; the song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Dangerous Woman" is Grande's most grown-up tune to date.

"Somethin' 'bout you makes me feel like a dangerous woman," the two-time Grammy Award nominee sings in the chorus. "Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout you / Makes me wanna do things that I shouldn't / Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout you." In the refrain, she sings, All girls wanna be like that / Bad girls underneath, like that / You know how I'm feeling inside / Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout / All girls wanna be like that / Bad girls underneath, like that / You know how I'm feeling inside / Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout."

Ariana Grande, Dangerous WomanTwitter

Dangerous Woman is Grande's third album, after 2013's Yours Truly and 2014's My Everything. The 22-year-old singer had originally titled her third album Moonlight, but announced she had changed her mind via Snapchat last month. During aJimmy Kimmel Live! appearance in January, Grande said one of the tracks had taken her in a new direction. "As we're wrapping things up, of course I've been writing and singing. We're at the final stretch," she said. "Now there's this other song that has thrown me for a whirlwind and I love it so much. It's changed everything."

After the track shot to No. 1 on iTunes, Grande thanked her fans Friday.


'Beetlejuice' Sequel Is A Go According To Tim Burton

Original cast members Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton are on board.

03/11/2016 09:13 am ET

Stephanie Marcus Senior Entertainment Editor, Huffington Post

WARNER BROS.

Get ready to start singing "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)"at the top of your lungs because a "Beetlejuice"sequel is going to become a reality.

Rumors of a sequel have been swirling since 2013 and now director Tim Burton has confirmed that it's really happening.

“The film is a go and has been approved by the Warner Bros. team, we have talked with the cast members we wanted for the film and they are all on board, this includes both Winona [Ryder] and Michael [Keaton]," he told ShowBiz Spy earlier this week. "We have the script in hand everything is in place all we need to do now is get ready to start filming.

OK, to be fair, we've known for a while that there would be a sequel to the wonderfully weird 1988 hit. "As far as I know, it's going to happen," Ryder confidently told HuffPost Live in January 2015. But now we have Burton's confirmation and we know that Keaton and Ryder are set to reprise their roles everyone's favorite bio-exorcist ghost, Beetlejuice, and goth teen Lydia Deetz, who presumable grew up in the 28-years since the movie was released.

And the involvement of the original cast was crucial for the sequel to take shape, since Burton told IGN in December 2014, "There’s only one Beetlejuice, and that’s Michael."

Hell yes. Because if you are going to do a sequel, do it right.

Ali Larter Fox Pitch

Ali Larter Replaces Elisabeth Shue in Fox's Baseball Pilot Pitch

A substitution has been made in the line-up.

Heroes alum Ali Larter has been cast in the Fox drama pilot Pitch, replacing former CSI Elisabeth Shue.

Per our sister site Deadline, Shue’s departure comes after creative differences over the direction of her character, Amelia Slater, a sports agent who doubles as a personal guru for Major League Baseball’s first-ever female pitcher (to be played by Twisted‘s Kylie Bunbury).

Penned by Dan Fogelman (Galavant, The Neighbors) and Rick Singer (Younger), the cast of Pitch also includes Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Franklin & Bash), Mo McRae (Murder in the First), Meagan Holder (Ringer) and Tim Jo (The Neighbors).

Larter most recently appeared in Season 1 of TNT’s Legends.


NCIS Alum Cote de Pablo Eyes TV Return in Syfy Pilot Prototype

Ex-NCIS leading lady Cote de Pablo is inching closer to a full-time TV return.

The actress is in final talks to play the female lead opposite Smash‘s Jack Davenport in the Syfy pilot Prototype , Deadline reports.

The potential series, written by 24: Live Another Day scribe Tony Basgallop, centers on three unlikely people who inadvertently stumble upon an invention that challenges the very nature of quantum physics.

De Pablo — who recently starred in the CBS miniseries The Dovekeepers — is poised to play Laura Kale, a member of the aforementioned trio who is described as a driven, extremely intelligent mother of two.

The news comes amid speculation (or wishful thinking?) about de Pablo’s possible return to NCIS to help facilitate the imminent departure of former co-star Michael Weatherly. In a TVLine poll, 28 percent of respondents expressed their wish that Tony reunite with de Pablo’s Ziva before riding off into the sunset.

NCIS showrunner Gary Glasberg recently told Matt Mitovich that Ziva will likely merit at least a mention. “You can’t have Tony leave the show and not get into that in some respect,” said the EP, “so plan on it being discussed and handled, even if it’s in background.”

Amazon The Tick Reboot

The Tick Reboot Pilot Ordered at Amazon — With All-New Cast!

That noise you hear is another TV reboot getting a green light.

Amazon has officially ordered a pilot for an update of The Tick , the cult live-action comedy from writer/producer Ben Edlund, our sister site Deadline reports.

Original star Patrick Warburton — who headlines NBC’s upcoming comedyCrowded — will not return for the project, which will resurrect his muscle-bound, antennae-sporting superhero.

The live-action Tick ran for nine episodes on Fox in 2001 and starred Nestor Carbonell (Lost) as Batmanuel, Liz Vassey (All My Children) as Captain Liberty and David Burke (Brothers & Sisters) as Arthur.

Griffin Newman (Vinyl) will play sidekick Arthur in the Amazon version, while Valorie Curry (House of Lies, The Following) will portray Arthur’s sister, Dot.

Edlund — author of the comic book series that birthed The Tick, and who created the Fox comedy, as well as the 1994 animated series — will pen and produce the comeback.

Reports of a possible reboot first surfaced last August, with the expectation that Warburton would reprise his role.

Underground Ratings WGN

Ratings: Underground Sets WGN Record

Underground hit the ground running, setting a viewership record for WGN America.

The slave escape drama debuted Wednesday night at 10/9c to 1.4 million total viewres, marking the No. 5 scripted cable series premiere this TV season.

Across four premiere-night plays, Underground amassed 2.5 million viewers, the largest-ever same-day audience for a WGN premiere, outpacing Outsiders and Salem by 27 and 6 percent, our sister site Deadline notes.

TVLine gave the pre-Civil War thriller a grade of “A-,” as did readers in a TVLine poll.

Samantha Bee Full Frontal

With Full Frontal, Samantha Bee Is the New King of Late Night

It all started with a glass of milk.

When Full Frontal With Samantha Bee premiered on TBS on Feb. 8, 2016, its Werner Herzog-esque documentary piece on Jeb Bush quickly went viral by likening the Republican presidential candidate to the “not fantastic” white beverage that’s “a source of calcium and protein, mucus and flatulence.”

The deeply weird specificity and gleeful gross-out humor of Jeb? Ein Film Für Full Frontal — which included an extreme closeup of a bearded man guzzling the white beverage ’til it dribbled down his chin — set the tone for a show that, after just five episodes, is already delivering the the bravest, ballsiest political humor in all of late-night.

Bee, the former Daily Show correspondent who films her Monday-night show standing in front of a live studio audience, is unapologetically feminist and frequently mad as hell — excellent qualities in the news-satire game — but also informed by a giddy energy of a woman who’s living the dream of saying exactly what she wants, when she wants and how she wants to.

Samantha Bee Midterm elections rhinoceros

Take her recent rant against liberals and moderate conservatives for their low turnout during the 2010 midterm elections — set against the backdrop of a video featuring a rhinoceros in the middle of an epic bowel movement. “The newly elected [Tea Party] lawmakers and governors [unclenched] their legislative sphincters and [passed] every shitty idea from deep in their bowels,” Bee declared. “Bankrupting school systems, redrawing congressional districts and doing everything short of bronzing pregnant women to block access to abortions — all the things that directly affect your life a million times more than the presidency!”

Bee’s interviews — a hallmark of her Daily Show days — are equally scathing, like her horrified/horrifying chat with a former Israeli army member who now teaches grade schoolers how to turn the tables on school shooters using supplies from their desks. Better still was her the way she cut to footage of Game of Thrones‘ “Red Wedding” after “uterus expert”/Texas state Rep. Dan Flynn, who sponsored legislation that has forced all but 10 Texas abortion clinics to shut down, opined that Draconian regulations on clinics are necessary because the procedure involves “cutting on people’s body.” The host’s incredulous reply — “you don’t seem to know anything specifically about abortion really at all, and yet you did all this with building regulations” — even got Flynn to crack a smile himself.

Remarkably, each episode of Full Frontal has been stronger than the one before it.Bee’s nearly seven-minute eulogy for the Republican Party on Monday left no fool unpunished, taking swings at Donald Trump Jr.’s elephant hunt, Mitt Romney’s condescending anti-Trump speech and Senator John McCain’s indignation about Trump’s foreign-policy qualifications. “The guy who gave us Trump 1.0,” Bee seethed, looking at a photo of McCain and his vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, “does not get to complain about the latest upgrade!” Wiping fake vomit off the camera lens, Bee hilariously concluded that “The party of Lincoln has completed its long journey from ‘a house divided against itself cannot stand’ to ‘you should see how my pocket Donald looks when I masturbate with my totally normal-sized hands.'”

With the wearying thought of the long and ridiculous election season in front of us — Bee took special joy this week in pointing out the absurdity of Democrat Bernie Sanders’ vow to “end institutional racism” (¡!) — it’s a comfort to know that Full Frontal is delivering late-night change we can believe in… and laugh at.

Lethal Weapon TV Series

Lethal Weapon on Fox: Clayne Crawford Cast as Martin Riggs in Reboot

Clayne Crawford will channel a circa-80s Mel Gibson in Fox’s in-the-works Lethal Weapon reboot, TVLine has confirmed.

The Rectify actor has been cast as Martin Riggs opposite Damon Wayans, Sr.’s Roger Murtaugh in the pilot, which is based on the 1987 film starring Gibson and Danny Glover as polar-opposite LAPD detectives who become reluctant partners. Crawford’s Riggs is described as a former Navy SEAL and Texas cop who suffers the loss of his wife and baby and tries to start anew by moving to Los Angeles and working for the LAPD, where he is partnered with Murtaugh.

The cast also includes Dallas‘ Jordana Brewster, Hart of Dixie‘s Golden Brooks andDesperate Housewives‘ Kevin Rahm.

Matt Miller, who created and executive-produced ABC’s Forever, penned the pilot script and serves as EP. McG is on board to direct.

Crawford’s TV credits also include Rogue, 24, NCIS: Los Angeles and Graceland. He recently landed a recurring role in David E. Kelley’s untitled legal drama for Amazon.

EXCLUSIVE

Photo: Containment Cast Is Trapped During Viral Outbreak in CW Thriller

Enjoy the clean, pretty state of affairs in TVLine’s exclusive Containment cast photo, because things definitely aren’t going to stay that way behind that quarantine fence in the bloody CW series.

Premiering after The Flash on Tuesday, April 19, executive producer Julie Plec’s intense medical thriller explores what happens when an extremely deadly epidemic breaks out in Atlanta, isolating half of the ensemble (seen below) from the rest of the city. In the process, lovers are separated, a conspiracy is born and Kai from Vampire Diaries trades magic for anger issues.

Containment stars (from left to right): George Young (Casualty), Claudia Black (The Originals, Farscape), Christina Moses (Nikita), David Gyasi (Interstellar), Chris Wood (The Vampire Diaries), Kristen Gutoskie (Beaver Falls, Being Erica), Hanna Mangan Lawrence (Spartacus: War of the Damned) and Trevor St. John (One Life to Live).

Click the image to zoom, then hit the comments to let us know if you’ll be checking out the show.

containment-season-1-photos (1)

The Ranch Trailer: Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson Reunite on Netflix

Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson are hanging out on a totally different street in Netflix’s forthcoming sitcom The Ranch (releasing on Friday, April 1).

In the first trailer for the new multi-camera sitcom, the former That ’70s Show co-stars are joined by on-screen dad Sam Elliott (Justified), a foul-mouthed rancher prophesying about life while chowing down on a bowl of quinoa.

His desire to prognosticate probably has something to do with son Colt (Kutcher), who’s struggling to let go of his semi-pro football career after returning home to help his brother Rooster (Masterson) run the family’s Colorado ranch.

Also featured in this two-minute tease are Happy Endings alum Elisha Cuthbert, who recurs as Kutcher’s former flame, and Academy Award winner Debra Winger (Terms of Endearment), who appears as their mom.

The Ranch‘s 10-episode Season 1


Ashley Thomas 24 Legacy

24: Legacy Recruits Black Mirror Alum as Corey Hawkins' Big Bro

Fox’s next hour of 24 just became a family affair.

British thesp Ashley Thomas (Black Mirror) has joined the network’s 24: Legacypilot as a series regular, TVLine has learned.

The potential series stars The Walking Dead‘s Corey Hawkins as Eric Carter, a former Army Ranger who encounters a troubled return to the U.S. He eventually turns to the CTU for help in saving his life and stopping what could potentially be one of the largest-scale terror attacks on American soil.

Thomas will appear in the drama as Isaac Carter, Eric’s older brother who remains angry about their bitter past. (Eric is now married to Isaac’s former girlfriend, which goes against every letter of the bro code.)

The actor/musician — whose TV credits also include the U.K.’s Criminal Justice andTop Boy — joins Homeland‘s Miranda Otto (as the former CTU head), The Messengers‘ Anna Diop (as the aforementioned spouse), Sons of Anarchy‘s Jimmy Smits (as a powerful U.S. senator) and Masters of Sex‘s Teddy Sears (as the newest CTU boss).

Leighton Meester Snags Lead in Fox's Time Travel Comedy Making History

Blair Waldorf is trading headbands and pencil skirts for mob caps and petticoats.

Former Gossip Girl fashionista Leighton Meester has landed the female leadopposite Adam Pally in Fox’s time travel-themed comedy pilot Making History, TVLine has learned.

Exec produced by Last Man on Earth EPs Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the potential series centers on three friends who find a way to travel through time in search of truth, justice, and riches, which complicates their lives in 2016. They visit some of the greatest moments of the past as they try to resolve their personal problems, while history and pop culture comically collide.

Meester, who despite being heavily wooed by all the major networks has remained off the TV grid since Gossip Girl ended in 2012, will play Deborah, a self-educated and incredibly motivated colonial woman who possesses modern ideals despite being trapped in a regressive time. She has contemporary beliefs of gender and racial equality which everyone scoffs at in 1775.

The Grinder‘s Julius “Goldy” Sharpe penned the pilot script and will serve as an exec producer alongside Lord and Miller.

AMC's Preacher Releases Character Posters for Custer, Cassidy and Tulip

A vice or two are on display in the character portraits for AMC’s Preacher, premiering this May.

Based on the cult comic book franchise of the same name, Preacher is a supernatural, twisted and darkly comedic drama that follows Jesse Custer (played by Agent Carter‘s Dominic Cooper), a West Texas preacher who is inhabited by a mysterious entity that causes him to develop a highly unusual power.

Along with his badass ex-girlfriend Tulip (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Ruth Negga) and an Irish vagabond named Cassidy (Misfits‘ Joseph Gilgun), Custer is thrust into a crazy world populated by a cast of characters from Heaven, Hell and everywhere in between.

Check out the photos below and tell us: Will you be tuning in come May?

preacher-Jesse-CusterPreacher/ PilotPreacher/ Pilot


What to watch on Friday, March 11...


SEASON 2 PREMIERE, 12:01am Pacific, Amazon
Bosch
The sophomore season will delve into police corruption, with Michael Connelly’s books Trunk Music and The Drop providing much of the source material and the author himself scripting the season finale.


SERIES PREMIERE, 12:01am, Pacific, Netflix
The Characters
Eight comedians—Kate Berlant, Paul W. Downs, Dr. Brown, John Early, Lauren Lapkus, Tim Robinson, Natasha Rothwell, and Henry Zebrowski—each write and star in one episode of this sketch series. Each gets a half-hour free-for-all in which to present their original character creations, occasionally with the help of pals like Cecily Strong, Abbi Jacobson, Bobby Moynihan, and more.


SERIES PREMIERE, 12:01am, Pacific, Netflix
Flaked
Will Arnett stars as a troubled shyster attempting to keep sober—and keep his many deceptions from catching up with him—in this comedy co-created by Arnett and Mark Chappell (The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret) and produced by Mitch Hurwitz. The eight-episode first season drops today.


8pm, ABC
Last Man Standing
Annoyed by how much space Vanessa is occupying in the house, Mike builds her an outdoor extension of her very own in “He Shed, She Shed.” In other frustrations, Kyle is left glum when Kristin claims employee of the month honors at Outdoor Man.


8pm, Fox
Sleepy Hollow
The FBI throws a team-building day in “Into the Wild.” But in between all the trust falls and games of Never Have I Ever, Abbie and Sophie must tangle with a monster that may expose the truth to Reynolds. Elsewhere, Ichabod comes to suspect there’s more to the symbol from the Catacombs than he first believed, while Jenny and Joe realize they’re in possession of something extremely valuable.


SEASON 2 FINALE, 8:30pm, Disney
Girl Meets World
As they prepare to move on to high school, Riley, Maya, Lucas, and Farkle put their heads together to decide the mark they want to leave behind at John Quincy Adams in “Girl Meets Legacy.” Say, you don’t suppose their teacher Cory will somehow accompany them to an entirely different grade level at an entirely different school next year, do you? That’d be weird, right?


8:30pm, ABC
Dr. Ken
In “Dicky Wexler’s Last Show,” Ken is distraught to share bad news with his favorite comedian and longtime patient: The man’s cancer has returned, and the treatment will force him to miss what would’ve been his final stand-up show. Allison has an unhappy encounter of her own with a former patient at another therapist’s office, prompting her to question where she went wrong.


9pm, CBS
Hawaii Five-0
The squad hunts for a Russian spy who purloined key NSA intel, putting the life of one of their own on the line. Elsewhere in “Waiwai (Assets),” McGarrett learns why Catherine left him while Abby keeps Chin and Five-0 in the dark about her mission.


9pm, NBC
Grimm
A centuries-old hidden treasure spells trouble for Nick and Monroe in “Into the Schwarzwald,” the series' 100th episode, but it spells it in German so this could take a while. Things aren’t going much smoother back in Portland, where Captain Renard, Hank, and Wu have their hands full with an assassin that Eve is also tracking.


11pm, Cartoon Network
Childrens Hospital
A tongue depressor shortage is only the beginning of Owen’s troubles, as he becomes enmeshed in a hospital-wide conspiracy in“By the Throat”


LATE-NITE:
– Jeff Daniels, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Audra McDonald on Late Show with Stephen Colbert, 11:35pm, CBS

Just Music-No Categories-Enjoy It!
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Reply #148 posted 03/11/16 3:10pm

JoeBala

British musician Keith Emerson - of 1970s prog rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer - dies aged 71 in suspected suicide 'after gunshot wound to the head'

  • The keyboardist died in his Santa Monica home on Thursday, the band said
  • His death has been reported as a suicide, though the cause of death has not been confirmed
  • Emerson's girlfriend reportedly found him with a single gunshot wound to the head

The progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer confirmed Friday the passing of its keyboardist and founding member Keith Emerson. Emerson, 71, reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

Emerson died Thursday at this home in Santa Monica, the 1970s band wrote in a statement on its Facebook page.


According to TMZ, which cited anonymous police sources, Emerson's girlfriend found him dead from a single gunshot wound to the head.


Though the cause of death has not been confirmed, TMZ reported the death is being investigated as a suicide and said Emerson had 'recently' been suffering from depression and a degenerative nerve issue that hampered his keyboard playing capabilities.

Musician Keith Emerson died Thursday in Santa Monica. He was 71

Musician Keith Emerson died Thursday in Santa Monica. He was 71

Born in 1944 in the Yorkshire village of Todmorden, Emerson was a keyboardist for a number of groups in the 1960's, including The Nice.

But he was best known as a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, a so-called 'super group' of well-known rock musicians formed in 1970.


In addition to Emerson, the band included bassist Greg Lake, formerly of King Crimson, and drummer and percussionist Carl Palmer, a veteran of several famous English bands.


'Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come,' said former bandmate Carl Palmer on his website.


'He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz.'


The band released nine studio albums during the 1970's, including its debut self-titled album and its follow-up 'Tarkus,' released in 1971. The latter reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart, according to Billboard.com.


Emerson later worked as a solo artist and wrote an autobiography, 'Pictures of an Exhibitionist,' in 2004.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer was a so-called 'super group' of well-known rock musicians formed in 1970

Emerson, Lake & Palmer was a so-called 'super group' of well-known rock musicians formed in 1970

Keith Emerson pictured in 1973.  He was born in 1944 in the Yorkshire village of Todmorden and died Thursday in Santa Monica

Keith Emerson pictured in 1973. He was born in 1944 in the Yorkshire village of Todmorden and died Thursday in Santa Monica

Keith Emerson pictured in 2002. His band members remembered him as a 'pioneer and an innovator'

Keith Emerson pictured in 2002. His band members remembered him as a 'pioneer and an innovator'

03/08/16

Cyrille Aimee
Let's Get Lost
Mack Avenue Records

Speaking with JazzTimes two years ago, vocalist Cyrille Aimée explained why, viewing music as an essentially positive force, she purposefully focused on upbeat material. No sad songs, she insisted. That rule has at last been bent, if only slightly. Otherwise Let’s Get Lost checks all the requisite Aimée boxes: her love of guitar; her French and Dominican heritages; and her passion for the Gypsy influences that ignited her career.

The album is, she says, intended to trace the arc of a relationship. Along for the sometimes romantically bumpy ride are longstanding members of her coterie: guitarists Adrien Moignard and Michael Valeanu, plus bassist Sam Anning and drummer Rajiv Jayaweera. Charming as ever, Aimée opens with a sunny reading of Stephen Sondheim’s “Live Alone and Like It.” Loneliness creeps in with a hazy “There’s a Lull in My Life,” but sensual pleasure is soon at hand with Dominican poet Juan Luis Guerra’s “Estrellitas y Duendes,” a shimmering “Lazy Afternoon” and the cuddly Chet Baker-associated title tune.

Aimée includes two French tracks, Edith Piaf’s tender “T’es Beau tu Sais” and the wistful “Samois à Moi,” a Gypsy-fired reminiscence of her birthplace, cowritten with Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo. And she adds three more originals: the wordless “Laverne Walk,” a swinging pas de deux with Anning; the sweet “Nine More Minutes,” with lovers awaiting an early morning train; and the mellifluous “Each Day,” an ode to soulmate contentment sung with her onetime American bandmate (turned European pop star) Matt Simons.

Sullivan Fortner
Aria
Impulse!


Pianist Sullivan Fortner’s dazzling debut album is the sort of tradition-steeped modernism that so many Young Lions following Wynton Marsalis rode to stardom in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Its opener, “Aria,” is followed in quick succession by two more Fortner originals: “Ballade,” dedicated to his mother; and “Parade,” a nod to the 28-year-old’s New Orleans heritage. “Passepied” arrives several tracks later and has intriguing Baroque-period dance roots, with altered rhythms that Fortner compares to “bebop in 7” in the liner notes. The uptempo set closer, “Finale,” like “Aria,” began life as a movement in a six-part suite written for the Jazz Gallery. Half of the album’s 10 tracks are covers, among them “All the Things You Are,” a hip, two-handed arrangement of Fred Rogers’ “You Are Special” (yes, that Mister Rogers), and a version of the Thelonious Monk/Coleman Hawkins collaboration “I Mean You” that demonstrates Fortner and his young colleagues’ way with jazz history.

About that band: Tivon Pennicott has played tenor and soprano saxophone everywhere, from touring with Kenny Burrell while still in college to appearing on Grammy-winning albums by Esperanza Spalding and Gregory Porter. Bassist Aidan Carroll remains sufficiently unknown to have his surname misspelled twice in the album credits (though not in Fortner’s thank you’s), despite touring with Lisa Fischer, enjoying a soul-rock stint with Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds and releasing his own debut jazz album, Original Vision, last year. Drummer Joe Dyson, a grade-school pal of Fortner’s, is also in the latest band of their fellow New Orleanian Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. All fitting companions for a pianist on the rise.

Upcoming Releases:


Artist: The Puppini Sisters

Album: The High Life

Released: 2016

Style: Swing


Artist: Charles Aznavour

Album: Collected

Released: 2016

Style: Chanson


Artist: Alexandra Stan

Album: Alesta

Released: 2016

Style: Pop


Artist: Charles Bradley

Album: Changes

Released: 2016

Style: Soul


Artist: Bright Light Bright Light

Album: Blood Moon EP

Released: 2016

Style: Pop


Artist: Jack Garratt

Album: Phase

Released: 2016

Style: Pop


Artist: Various Artists

Album: Acoustic Pop Covers

Released: 2016

Style: Pop


Artist: RuPaul

Album: Butch Queen

Released: 2016

Style: Pop


Artist: Percy Sledge

Album: The Very Best Of Percy Sledge

Released: 2016

Style: Soul


Artist: Bee Gees

Album: Greatest

Released: 2016

Style: Pop


Artist: Pascal Obispo

Album: Billet De Femme

Released: 2016

Style: Pop


Artist: Violent Femmes

Album: We Can Do Anything

Released: 2016

Style: Indie Rock



Artist: Esperanza Spalding

Album: Emily’s D Evolution

Released: 2016

Style: Jazz



Artist: Lucius

Album: Good Grief

Released: 2016

Style: Indie Pop


Artist: Ray LaMontagne

Album: Ouroboros

Released: 2016

Style: Indie Folk


Artist: Carole King

Album: A Beautiful Collection Best Of Carole King

Released: 2016

Style: Folk


Artist: Loretta Lynn

Album: Full Circle

Released: 2016

Style: Country


Artist: Willie Nelson

Album: Summertime Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin

Released: 2016

Style: Country


Artist: Jane Siberry

Album: Ulysses’ Purse

Released: 2016

Style: Folk



Artist: Aurora

Album: All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend

Released: 2016

Style: Synthpop


-

-



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Reply #149 posted 03/11/16 4:25pm

JoeBala

Photo by Getty

METALLICA 'DRIVEN NUTTY' BY WORK ON 10TH ALBUM

NEWS / STEF LACH / 11 MAR 2016
Drummer Lars Ulrich says Metallica agonise over new material much more so than they did in the past

Lars Ulrich says Metallica have driven themselves "nutty" agonising over their new material.

The band are at work on t...10th album and the drummer expects to wrap up recording sessions "this spring." But he admits that the nine months they've spent working on it so far have, at times, been frustrating.

Ulrich tells Rolling Stone: "Nowadays, we sit and go, 'That's a great piece of music,' and 'That's really cool,' and then we'll play it faster, then slower, then half a step down, exploring all these options. There are 75 different ways to play something, and you end up fucking driving yourself nutty.

"I think it will be a pretty in-your-face year, at least the back half of it. Obviously, we've gotta finish the new record now. But thankfully we're quite far along.

"Hopefully we should be able to knock that on the head this spring, I would guess. So we will be gearing up and playing shows and doing all that fun stuff again soon."

Late last year, Metallica released a clip of frontman James Hetfield playing a snippet of a track from what will be the follow-up to 2008’s Death Magnetic.

Ulrich adds that being in the band keeps the members feeling young. He says: "What am I, 52? So I'm usually taking care of my kids, being a husband, hanging out with my friends, doing my thing and making a record, all this type of stuff.

"It's awesome to feel my age. But when the four of us are together, it's like the median age of all of us just drops and drops.

"We get very silly, very childlike. There's a lot of adolescent humour. This is a bunch of 52-year-olds trying to make sense of all of it. David Lee Roth or somebody once said, 'The more people you put in a room together, the lower the IQ gets,' and there's definitely a sense of that when all of us get together.

"It's kind of nice to a degree that you can still feel young and spunky and vibrant. I still think that we feel kind of young and like we have something left to prove. We're still sort of trying to figure it all out."

The band this week announced a 'garage sale' in the run-up to Record Store Day.

AGAINST THE CURRENT IN WILD THINGS PROMO

NEWS / SCOTT MUNRO / 11 MAR 2016

View track from Against The Current's upcoming album In Our Bones

Against The Current have released a video for their track Running With The Wild Things.

It’s the opening song on their upcoming album In Our Bones, which will be released on May 20 via Fueled By Ramen. The release follows their 2015 Gravity EP.

The band say: “This album is as much yours as it is ours. We wouldn’t be here doing what we love right now if it weren’t for the endless support we’ve received from our friends and fans across the world over the last two years.

“We hope you love this record as much we do, and can’t wait to play these songs for you the next time we make it to your city.”

The New York trio are currently on the road across Europe – a tour which will wrap up on March 21 with a set at London’s KOKO.

In Our Bones is available for pre-order.

AGAINST THE CURRENT IN OUR BONES TRACKLIST

  1. Running With The Wild Things
  2. Forget me Now
  3. Chasing Ghosts
  4. One More Weekend
  5. In Our Bones
  6. Young & Relentless
  7. Runaway
  8. Brighter
  9. Wasteland
  10. Blood Like Gasoline
  11. Roses
  12. Demons

AGAINST THE CURRENT 2016 TOUR DATES

Mar 11: Belin P BHF Club, Germany
Mar 12: Prague Futurum, Czech Republic
Mar 13: Vienna Szene Wien, Austria
Mar 14: Munich Technikum Kultfabrik, Germany
Mar 16: Segrate Mi Circolo Magnolia, Italy
Mar 17: Lucerne Schuur, Switzerland
Mar 18: Frankfurt Am Main Batschkapp, Germany
Mar 19: Haparanda Teatersalongen, Sweden
Mar 21: London KOKO, UK

Winnipeg Folk Fest Rolls Out 2016 Lineup

Winnipeg Folk Fest Rolls Out 2016 Lineup
Proving there is no shortage of great music festivals happening in Canada this summer, the Winnipeg Folk Fest has rolled out its 2016 lineup. And as could be expected, there are a lot of big names hitting up the 43rd edition of the annual event.

Taking place at Birds Hill Provincial Park from July 7 to 10, the festival will welcome the likes of Ryan Adams, Sam Roberts Band, the Head and the Heart, Basia Bulat, Cœur de pirate, Loudon Wainwright III, Lord Huron, Milky Chance, the Wainwright Sisters, Andy Shauf, Twin Peaks, Jennifer Castle, and Jim Bryson.

On July 8, there will also be an appearance by the Bluegrass Situation North, who promise to be "a festival within a festival" with the help of the Punch Brothers' Noam Pikelny, the Foggy Hogtown Boys, the Infamous Stringdusters and the Wild Reeds. The bands plan to cap off the day with a performance of the Eagles' Hotel California with an "American twist."

Also, Grammy-nominated Native North American curator Kevin Howes will be hosting a showcase of Canadian indigenous music on July 9, when Willie Thrasher, Willy Mitchell, Duke Redbird and Eric Landry will all play. And among the other special events, Loudon Wainwright III will not only being playing the fest but receiving the Winnipeg Folk Festival's Artistic Achievement Award.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow (March 11), and you can get more information here on the festival website.

Tegan and Sara Announce 'Love You to Death' Album

Tegan and Sara Announce 'Love You to Death' Album
After having announced last year that they'd wrapped the recording sessions behind their eighth full-length release, Tegan and Sara have now confirmed the album arrives this spring. Titled Love You to Death, the next record from the pop world's favourite Canadian sister duo arrives June 3.

The twins announced the due date today (March 10) through their Facebook page. There, they added that the album cover will be revealed tomorrow (March 11), while the first piece of music from Love You to Death arrives on April 8.

UPDATE (3/11 4:15 p.m.): The cover art to Love You to Death has now been revealed, and you can see it up above. A post from the group also adds that Greg Kurstin (Adele) produced the new LP.

Though the details have yet to drop in full, Tegan and Sara teased the release over a series of Instagram posts. If you head to their profile, you'll see posts that include a scoreboard for a tennis match between Serena and Venus Williams, a sheep, a Canadian two-dollar coin, and the Death Star from Star Wars. Piecing these together, you'll come up with the album title, Love You to Death.

Up above, you'll find an assembled image of nine separate Instagram posts, which sure looks a lot like a folded-up piece of album art. Whether or not the eyeliner-heavy photo of the sisters is the album cover will apparently be revealed tomorrow.

Love You to Death is the follow-up to 2013's Heartthrob, though Tegan and Sara worked on The Lego Movie in 2014.

Megan Bonnell

"Unknown Legend" (Neil Young cover)

Megan Bonnell"Unknown Legend" (Neil Young cover)
Toronto singer-songwriter Megan Bonnell recently announced plans to release her debut full-length Magnolia, but before it lands next month, she's paying homage to some other homegrown talent.

Bonnell will be playing Music Ontario and Halifax Pop Explosion showcases down in Austin at SXSW next week, and she's showing some love for fellow Canuck folkie Neil Young before she leaves. She's shared a cover of Young's classic "Unknown Legend," making it her own by swapping out guitars for dramatic piano and string accompaniment.

Magnolia is out on April 15 via Cadence Music. For now, hear her take on "Unknown Legend" in the player below Listen: [via Stereogum].

Premiere: Watch Keke Palmer's "Enemiez" Video f/ Jeremih

Edwin Ortiz is the news editor for Complex Music​. Follow @iTunesEra.

MAR 4, 2016

Keke Palmer's talents know no bounds as the 22-year-old entertainer showcases her singing, dancing, and acting skills in the video for "Enemiez," her latest single featuring R&B crooner Jeremih. The video was shot in Los Angeles and breathes new life into the concept of the record as Keke is caught between her so-called friends and the man she can't resist.

This struggle becomes apparent right from the beginning, and Keke attempts to fight through it internally. "This ain't enough for me/Gotta be honest, I want you to lust for me/And if we're just friends/I'd rather be your enemy," she sings, before bringing it full circle: "I know you keep your friends close/I know you keep your enemies closer." From there, Keke delivers a stunning performance that her fans will certainly appreciate.

"Sharing this first single off my upcoming album with Island is something I have been looking forward to for a long time!" Keke told us over email. "I kept the kidz in mind when we shot the video for it, I feel like it shows our many sides… Sometimes we feel like fierce warriors, sometimes fearful, other times sexy and always with fun mixed in! It has singing, acting and dancing, glam and fashion… all my loves. I am so thrilled that Complex wanted to be the first to help me share it with the world! Enjoy…"

Check out the Carly Cussen-directed video for Keke Palmer's "Enemiez" above and grab it on iTunes here.

Chairlift

"Crying in Public" (video)

Chairlift"Crying in Public" (video)
Unless you're some sort of masochist, it is no fun at all to be caught crying in public. All the same, Chairlift singer Caroline Polachek is making the best of some sad circumstances by dancing through a chilly New York landscape with frozen tears flecked across her face in the new video for Moth number "Crying in Public."

The video first gives us a black and white, behind-the-scenes look at how Chairlift put together the smooth-grooved love ballad in the studio. From there, Polachek emerges into a frigid outdoor scene to grab some fruit. A blue mood grafts a few shed tears onto her cheek, which are pretty obviously sticking around for the long haul as she hop on an F train.

Rather than be embarrassed by the situation, she embraces it. You'll find out how down below.

As previously reported, Chairlift kick off a North American tour in support of Moth later this month. You'll find the route, which hits Vancouver and Toronto, over here.

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