LISTEN: Train Releases New Single 'Angel In Blue Jeans' From Seventh Studio Album 'Bulletproof Picasso'

Train the band has announced a new album "Bulletproof Picasso" and dropped a new single.(Photo : Getty Images)

After a year and a half lying low, pop rock band Train is pulling back into the station (of making new music that is). Today (June 9), the "Marry Me" band released a new single, "Angel In Blue Jeans," marking a new album cycle.

The song, which pulls away from the band's ukulele-driven sound from its last two albums (2009's Save Me, San Francisco and 2012's California 37) features a strummed, steady guitar/drum combo driving the mid-tempo beat and a chorus filled with a cinematic "Oh," recalling some of fellow pop rocker Phillip Phillips' more bombastic singles.

Lyrically, the song finds Pat Monahan and co. in familiar territory, with a mysterious lady, fittingly wearing blue jeans, making the singer feel some type of way (that way being intrigued and in insta-love).

Though not as earworm-y as "Drive By" or even "Hey, Soul Sister," "Angel In Blue Jeans" is a more technically proficient song, making Train tolerable to the masses.

Listen to the new Train track "Angel In Blue Jeans" below:

According to Yahoo, "Angel In Blue Jeans" is the lead single from Train's upcoming seventh studio album, Bulletproof Picasso, which will be released on Sept. 16.

Bulletproof Picasso will be Train's first album in two years. The band's last effort, California 37 was released on April 13, 2012, and spawned the singles "Drive By," "50 Ways To Say Goodbye" and "Bruises."

.

Train Covers Led Zep Nicely.

.

[Edited 7/8/14 18:46pm]

July 08, 2014 Television

It is almost time for Season 7 of “The Voice,” and the all-star coaches are locking in some serious talent to join them as guest mentors.

Stevie Nicks will be joining Adam Levine’s team as his mentor, and “Extra’s” Terri Seymour was with Levine and Nicks to talk about the exciting news.

Nicks is no stranger to the show, and she may just be Levine’s good luck charm. After she performed "Landslide" with Team Adam in the finale of Season 1, Adam’s contestant Javier Colon went on to win the title. Stevie laughed with Seymour, “I won the first season, actually. I did! I flew in, barley made the show, no rehearsal, then Javier won. I looked at Adam and went, ‘He won!’”

The two also joked about how Levine persuaded Stevie to join. Adam said, “Bribery, begging, pleading.” Nicks jokingly added, “Presents… fur coat, some beautiful shoes, sheets.”

All joking aside, Stevie is excited to be a part of “The Voice.” She said, “I just think it's a great show… Adam would never be sitting here seven years later if this wasn't a great show.”

As for the new “Voice” coaches Pharrell Williams and Gwen Stefani, Levine said, “It was smooth sailing from the beginning. They are frighteningly good at it.”

Season 7 of “The Voice” premieres September 22 on NBC.

.

Richard Percy Jones, Voice of Pinocchio, Dies at 87

In addition to 1940’s animated classic, the actor appeared in the "Our Gang" films as well as numerous Westerns.

Richard Percy Jones, who voiced the title character in Disney's 1940 animated film Pinocchio, died July 7 at his home in Northridge, Calif. He was 87.

Lt. Fred Corral, of the L.A. Coroner's Office investigation division, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that an 87-year-old man was found dead Monday by his wife on the bathroom floor of their Northridge home. She called 911, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Jones voiced the role of the puppet who wants to be a boy — and whose nose grows each time he tells a lie — in the classic Disney film as a child actor. He also performed on the songs "Give a Little Whistle," "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee" and "I've Got No Strings."

Also known as Dickie or Dick Jones, he additionally had small roles in the Our Gang movies as well as Babes in Toyland (1934), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Knute Rockne All American (1940) and Heaven Can Wait (1943).

Jones was born Feb. 25, 1927, in Snyder, Texas, according to his IMDb page, and was the son of a newspaper editor. He reportedly worked in Hoot Gibson's rodeo as a trick rider and roper before moving to Los Angeles with his mom to pursue acting.

His first role was an uncredited part in 1934's Burn 'Em Up Barnes. He went on to have small roles in several Westerns, in both film and TV.

From 1951-53, Jones played Dick West/Jimmy the Kid in 78 episodes of the TV series The Range Rider. He also made several appearances as various characters on the 1950-54 series The Gene Autry Show and the 1954-55 series Annie Oakley. He went on to play the title character in 1955-56's Buffalo Bill Jr.

His last credit was the 1965 film Requiem for a Gunfighter.

According to City News Service, Jones pursued a career in real estate and banking after he retired from acting in the 1960s.

Jones (right) as Henry Aldrich with Jackie Kelk on The Aldrich Family, circa 1943 – 1944.

TV Review: ‘Extant’

July 7, 2014 | 08:00AM PT

Brian Lowry

TV Columnist @blowryontv

“Extant” feels a bit like a Steven Spielberg greatest (and not-so-greatest) hits album, from “A.I.” to, in this case, a close encounter of the reproductive kind. That’s not an indictment so much as a road map to this CBS summer drama, which brings the star power of Halle Berry to the screen as an astronaut who returns to Earth after an extended mission only to discover — after an “anomaly” — that she’s pregnant, however impossible that seems. Throw in assorted subplots, and it’s certainly an intriguing launch; but then again, so was “Under the Dome” before that narratively ran into a brick wall.

Berry’s Molly is back home when the story begins, reunited with her husband, John (Goran Visnjic), and artificially intelligent son (Pierce Gagnon), which John has not only built but is seeking funding to market. (His expression of contempt for religion when pressed about the boy is one of the more bracing signals that this is a futuristic science-fiction piece.)

When Molly’s doctor (Camryn Manheim) delivers the news about her condition, that invites all manner of questions about what happened up there — dealt with, only partially, via sporadic flashbacks. Yet that’s only one of the mysteries built into the show, including the mogul (Hiroyuki Sanada) who might invest in John’s enterprise, a Nixon-like gap in the taped record of the mission, and what really caused the death of the astronaut who preceded Molly into space.

Aside from the coup of landing Berry — a woman, apparently, irresistible to sentient life throughout the galaxy — the show’s strong cast hints at more promise than the premiere ultimately exhibits, racing as it does to establish a foundation for what’s to come in the pilot written by first-time series creator Mickey Fisher and directed by Allen Coulter.

Being more pragmatic about it, if to paraphrase “Alien’s” famous ad line that in space no one can hear you scream, “Extant” looks well suited to making some noise, despite a pilot that’s heavy on tantalizing threads and not much else. Of course, the disclaimer would be that the same Amblin-CBS collaboration birthed “Under the Dome,” which proved a summer hit in 2013 but left a bad taste behind for many by playing too many “No, honest, you’ll get an idea what’s going on next week” games.

“Extant” is certainly awash in Spielbergian themes, starting with the prospect of alien visitation, whether friend or foe. And not afraid to risk overselling matters, the PR materials promise Molly’s experiences will “ultimately change the course of human history.”

Perhaps they will; still, if recent history is any guide, the gestation period for gaining true clarity regarding precisely how will probably be uncomfortably drawn out.

.

‘Extant,’ TV review

Halle Berry blasts off into deep sci-fi co-starring Goran Visnjic in Steven Spielberg's CBS series

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Monday, July 7, 2014, 2:00 AM

CBS Space is a fertile area for exploration with Halle Berry in “Extant.”

"Extant” has the fingerprints of executive producer Steven Spielberg all over it, which could be viewed as both a triumph and a concern.

Spielberg, of course, has a proven touch with futuristic science fiction, the field “Extant” is playing on.

Halle Berry, who doesn’t do a lot of television drama, plays Molly Watts, an astronaut who returns from a 13-month solo space voyage and learns she’s pregnant.

It gets more complicated.

Back on Earth, she and husband John (Goran Visnjic) are raising a young boy named Ethan (Pierce Gagnon) who turns out to be a robot developed and built by John to replicate human behavior and emotion.

This puts John at the center of a high-octane moral, ethical and scientific debate that, as we might expect, folds soon enough into Molly’s situation.

The show clearly plans to unveil the science fiction slowly, in some cases letting us come to certain realizations at the same time as the characters.

This will rule out some casual viewers, because “Extant” is a show to which you must pay attention — a task which, happily, the writing and acting make rather pleasant.

But unless you’re a viewer whose gauge for sci-fi is “the deeper the better,” be advised that “Extant” will run 13 weeks.

CBS From left, Halle Berry, Pierce Gagnon and Goran Visnjic in “Extant”

That gives creator Mickey Fisher, showrunner Greg Walker and Spielberg time to explore all sorts of cracks and corners, and to add many embellishments to the basic plot. It’s a “wouldn’t it be cool if we added this twist” kind of show.

In a three-hour movie, Spielberg has to pretty much stick to the point. In 13 hours of television — more than nine, even with the commercials — he can go over the river and through the woods.

If that’s your favorite path, “Extant” should become your summer transport.

Concord Music Group Acquires Famed Soul Label Vee-Jay Records

By Roy Trakin, The Hollywood Reporter | July 08, 2014 9:53 PM EDT

Concord Music Group has acquired the catalog of renowned American R&B/soul label Vee-Jay Records.

The label vaults feature more than 5,000 master recordings from renowned artists such as Little Richard, John Lee Hooker, Betty Everett, Jimmy Reed, Jerry Butler, The Staple Singers, Gene Chandler and The Dells, among many others.

Classic Vee-Jay tracks include Chandler’s early '60s No. 1 hit “Duke of Earl,” John Lee Hooker’s iconic “Boom Boom,” The Staple Singers’ “Uncloudy Day,” (with a 12-year old Mavis on lead vocal!), Jimmy Reed’s inimitable “High and Lonesome” and Betty Everett’s “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss),” among many others.

Founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by the husband-and-wife team of Vivian Carter and James C. Bracket (“V” and “J”), Vee-Jay quickly became a top indie label that regularly turned out superb R&B, urban blues, and later on, jazz, folk and gospel recordings. Vee-Jay was one of the first black-owned and female-owned labels in America and also the first U.S. record company to release any recordings by The Beatles.

Concord Music Group president and CEO Glen Barros stated: “The range and richness of Vee-Jay’s catalog is truly remarkable. We’re grateful to be its guardians and look forward to broadening this unique musical legacy.”

The transaction between Concord Music Group and Vee-Jay Ltd. Partnership was facilitated by Scott McLain.

The company’s notable family of labels includes Concord Records, Concord Jazz, Hear Music, Fantasy, Stax, Milestone, Riverside, Specialty, Telarc, Prestige and Rounder Records.

Additionally, Concord has recently partnered with Tom Whalley's independent label Loma Vista Recordings whose illustrious artist roster includes Spoon, St. Vincent, Little Dragon, Birds of Tokyo, Ghost BC, Manchester Orchestra and Papa.

'The Bridge' Season Two: 'The Body Count is High'

Castmembers from the FX border drama acknowledged their fear of reading new scripts as the series takes a darker turn.

As FX's The Bridge ventures into darker territory in its second season, castmembers are admittedly concerned.

"Every time I read a script, I tell my children to say a prayer and I cover my eyes," said Johnny Dowers of his constant fear of seeing his Detective Tim Cooper killed off, adding: "The body count is high this season."

The increase in bloody murders comes with showrunner Elwood Reid's decision to transform the Peabody-winning drama from a procedural to more of a character-driven mystery. In doing so, the show's second season will also deviate from the Danish series Broen from which it originated. Without the latter as a roadmap, the actors joke that their fates are that much more uncertain.

"At least then I would have been able to count down the episodes I had left," said Emily Rios, who plays journalist Adriana Mendez. For the Breaking Bad alum, losing fellow castmembers has been the hardest part of the season. "You get to the table read and the people that are getting killed off are like, 'Did you read?' What do you say to them?" she added, noting the real-life consequences of decisions made in the writers' room. "It's not that somebody is just getting killed off; they're losing their job."

Star Diane Kruger has embraced the changes afoot for the series. "In season one, you always have to give a lot of information about each person so that people know them," said the German-born actress who plays a El Paso police detective with Asperger's Syndrome. "The great thing about a second season is that all of that has already been given, and now you can really dig deep into character work, and it's been much more interesting to really play out the darkness and the deepness of these characters."

Largely responsible for the season's elevated death tally is the entrance of a new, unpredictable character played by Franka Potente. "With a crazy person, the sky is the limit," she said of her season-long arc. "If someone is insane, you can do a lot of things with it."

Still, Shine America executive Carolyn Bernstein maintains that the sinister tone is ultimately warranted: "The violence and the bloodshed and the darkness of the show is well-earned because it's authentic to the lawless place the show is set."

She added: "It's a setting that allows us to push characters from a morality perspective and a behavioral perspective to the very limits of human behavior and still feel authentic to the world."

Season two of The Bridge premieres Wednesday, July 9, on FX.

Rosemary Murphy, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Actress, Dies at 87

July 9, 2014 | 03:55PM PT

Rosemary Murphy, who appeared as the neighbor Maudie Atkinson in the classic 1962 film adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” starring Gregory Peck, died Saturday in New York City. She was 87 and had recently been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

Murphy, who won her Emmy for portraying the mother of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1976 ABC miniseries Eleanor and Franklin, died Saturday at her home in New York City, her longtime agent, Alan Willig, told The Hollywood Reporter. She recently was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. – See more at: http://www.hollywoodrepor...qOdBQ.dpuf

Murphy, who won her Emmy for portraying the mother of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1976 ABC miniseries Eleanor and Franklin, died Saturday at her home in New York City, her longtime agent, Alan Willig, told The Hollywood Reporter. She recently was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. – See more at: http://www.hollywoodrepor...qOdBQ.dpuf

Murphy won an Emmy in 1976 for her work on the seminal miniseries “Eleanor and Franklin,” and was nominated the next year for her work on sequel “Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years.”

The actress had a long career on the stage and was Tony nominated for lead actress in a play or featured actress in a play three times: for “Period of Adjustment” in 1961, “Any Wednesday” in 1964 and “A Delicate Balance” in 1967.

In Fred Zinnemann’s 1977 film “Julia,” which won three Oscars and sported an all-star cast including Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave, Murphy was sixth billed, ahead of a young Meryl Streep.

The actress appeared in features including Woody Allen films “September” in 1987 and “Mighty Aphrodite” in 1995 and had appeared in a number of films in recent years: 2007′s “The Savages,” with Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman; 2008′s “Synecdoche, New York,” written and directed by Charlie Kaufman; 2009 horror film “After.Life,” starring Christina Ricci and Liam Neeson; and, finally, Galt Niederhoffer’s “The Romantics” (2010), in which she played Grandma Hayes.

Murphy was known for her work on soap operas, appearing on “All My Children” as Maureen Dalton Teller in 1977 and on “Another World” as Loretta Fowler in 1988. She was a series regular on brief NBC series “Lucas Tanner” in 1974-75.

Murphy’s other feature credits include “That Night!” in 1957; 1961′s “The Young Doctors”; “Any Wednesday,” with Jane Fonda and Jason Robards, in which she was fourth billed; “A Fan’s Notes,” rat-filled horror film “Ben” and horror pic “You’ll Like My Mother,” in which she was second billed after Patty Duke, all in 1972; 1973 hit “Walking Tall”; “Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies” and “40 Carats,” also in 1973; and 1980 horror film “The Attic.”

Murphy was born in Munich, the daughter of a U.S. diplomat. She attended Manhattanville College, studied acting with Sanford Meisner and made her feature debut in the 1949 German film “Der Ruf.”

She started her American TV career in the early 1950s with small roles on “Lux Video Theatre” and “Robert Montgomery Presents.” Later she appeared on series including “Ben Casey,” “The Virginian,” “Cannon,” “Maude,” “Columbo,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Law & Order,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” and “Frasier.”

In addition to her Tony-nominated work, Murphy’s other Broadway credits include “Look Homeward Angel” in 1957, “The Ballad of the Sad Cafe” in 1963, “Coastal Disturbances” in 1987 and, finally, “Waiting in the Wings” in 1999.

Goldie Hawn

.

'The Flash': Robbie Amell Joins as Major DC Comics Superhero

He reunites with "Tomorrow People" producer Greg Berlanti for a meaty role on the "Arrow" spinoff.

The Tomorrow People star is reuniting with executive producer Greg Berlanti for a major recurring role on The CW's The Flash, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Amell is boarding the Arrow spinoff as DC Comics character Ronnie Raymond, otherwise known as one-half of Firestorm. First appearing in the third episode, Ronnie is Caitlin Snow's (Danielle Panabaker) fiance, whose fate is more complicated than first imagined.

A maintenance worker at S.T.A.R. Labs, Ronnie plays an integral part in the particle accelerator accident that transforms Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) into The Flash.

“[Executive producers] Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg and I designed the pilot and series to include Ronnie (aka Firestorm) — and to actually have someone with Robbie's talent playing the role is beyond exciting. We can't wait for viewers and fans of the character to check it out," said Berlanti.

Added Amell: “I'm so excited to join forces with Greg Berlanti and The CW again on The Flash. Being brought into the DC Universe is a dream, I can't wait to get started!”

In the comics, Ronnie is bonded with another man to form the nuclear-powered superhero, Firestorm.

Though Ronnie/Firestorm has made his way into several animated properties, including Super Friends: The Legendary Superpowers Show, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians and Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, this will be the character's first appearance in a live-action property.

The Flash casting also marks an Amell reunion: His cousin, Stephen, stars as the title character on Arrow (he makes a cameo in The Flash pilot) and the two briefly shared Wednesday nights on The CW, which was unofficially dubbed #AmellWednesdays.

Amell joins Gustin, Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Jesse L. Martin, Candice Patton, Tom Cavanagh, Rick Cosnett and John Wesley Shipp in the ensemble.

Amell is repped by WME, Protege Entertainment and Coast to Coast. He recently wrapped production on CBS Films' The Duff and is currently filming the MGM indie Max. Other recurring TV credits include 1600 Penn, Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous and Revenge.

The Flash premieres Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. on The CW.

.

.

BBC America Renews 'Orphan Black' for Season 3

UPDATED: The critically lauded clone drama starring Tatiana Maslany will return for another 10-episode run.

Orphan Black has cloned itself another season.

BBC America has renewed the critically hailed sci-fi series led by Tatiana Maslany for a third season, greenlighting 10 more episodes for a spring 2015 premiere. Production on the new season kicks off in Toronto in September.

The one-hour clone drama has become a crucial benchmark for the cable network as it expands its foothold in original scripted programming beyond British staple Doctor Who. Orphan Black has attracted more that its share of accolades since its March 2013 launch, earning Maslany — who plays nearly a dozen characters — a Golden Globe nomination and honors from the Critics' Choice TV Awards, TCA Awards and Canadian Screen Awards. This year, Orphan Black added a Peabody Award to its trophy case.

Orphan Black's season-two premiere on April 19 lured 1.24 million viewers, and its adults 18-49 demographic viewership jumped 91 percent to 746,000 with live-plus-3 DVR factored in. The premiere's total audience increased to nearly 1.6 million with the DVR boost while the season-two finale hit a series high in live-plus-7, drawing 1.4 million viewers. The series, along with Doctor Who, contributed to BBC America's best year ratingswise to date.

Orphan Black is produced by Temple Street Productions, airing on BBC America and Canada's Space network. The series is co-created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director. In addition to Maslany, the main cast includes Jordan Gavaris, Dylan Bruce, Kevin Hanchard, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Evelyne Brochu.

Following the season-two finale, Fawcett told the The Hollywood Reporter that the final episode, which ended with Mark (Ari Millen) as a male clone, "put in motion" the new season. "A lot of the things that we put in motion at the end of season two are obviously big story components going forward and new pieces to the puzzle," he said at the time. "We believe in giving the audience answers, but we have our mysteries and we want to earn the answers. This is kind of a new aspect to the larger puzzle that is Orphan Black."

Also in the BBC America pipeline for 2015: the second season of British drama Broadchurch, which returns stars David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Arthur Darvill and Andrew Buchan. Tennant also toplines Fox's Broadchurch adaptation, Gracepoint, which hits U.S. television this fall.

Additionally, the cable network has commissioned two dramas: the eight-episode Tatau, from the producers of Being Human, and the previously announced eight-episode The Last Kingdom, a historical series based on Bernard Cornwell's best-selling series of novels The Saxon Stories.

'Björk: Biophilia Live': Karlovy Vary Review

This visually rich documentary captures the inventive spirit of Icelandic diva Björk's spectacular sci-fi live show.

KARLOVY VARY -- Rock concert films are often prosaic cash-in affairs, but the live show that accompanied Icelandic art-pop icon Björk's 2011 album Biophilia was a dazzling audiovisual spectacle that benefits from the full cinematic treatment. A mix of avant-garde opera, high-tech science lesson and large-scale performance art piece, this ambitious production was staged in the round with an arsenal of exotic musical machines and a 24-piece all-women choir, Gradule Nobili, who danced and harmonized alongside the volcano-voiced diva.

Making its European debut at Karlovy Vary film festival this week, Biophilia Live is a faithful record of the show but also an imaginative stand-alone artwork. The left-field British duo behind the camera are Peter Strickland, best known for his stylish 2012 retro-horror thriller Berberian Sound Studio, and Nick Fenton, an award-winning editor turned first-time director. Considering Björk's solid global fanbase, and the ecstatic reviews that greeted these concerts, interest should be keen around the film's theatrical release in the fall, with brisk home-entertainment business to follow.

Biophilia Live was filmed last September in London at the penultimate date of a two-year tour, with additional visuals and animations added in post-production. For the performance, Björk models an explosive orange-tinted wig, a face-framing band of vivid blue and a flesh-colored biomorphic dress by the chic Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen which looks like it slithered out of a David Cronenberg body-horror movie. Memo to Lady Gaga: Cutting-edge glam-pop spectacle can have substance as well as style.

Björk was involved with every aspect of this multimedia project, and her name appears at least a dozen times in the credits. But Biophilia Live is a broad coalition of diverse talents, onstage and off. The veteran BBC television presenter David Attenborough provides the pre-recorded opening narration, laying out the show's interwoven themes of nature, technology and creativity. Musical director Matt Robertson and multi-instrumentalist Manu Delago play most of the music, but it is the all-female army of singers who hog the limelight.

The artist and sculptor Henry Dagg also makes a cameo with his hand-cranked “sharpsichord”, a glorious steampunk contraption which generates tinkling melodies via a pianola-style rolling drum. This show also features four “gravity harps” mounted on long wooden pendulums, a 100-year-old Celeste keyboard specially adapted to mimic the trance-like ripples of Indonesian gamelan music and a huge electromagnetic Tesla coil which spits man-made lightning forks like something from Doctor Frankenstein's laboratory. Antique craftsmanship meets carnival showmanship.

Strickland and Fenton bring an extra layer of visual invention, smartly expanding on the show's pre-existing video elements and adding their own bespoke cinematic touches. Heavenly constellations billow across dark sections of screen above the stage, sometimes engulfing Björk like she is some kind of gargantuan space goddess. Dancing starfish, tumescent mushrooms, whirling DNA spirals, molten lava lakes and psychedelic crystal formations all invade the screen at various points.

Heavily biased towards Biophilia tracks, with just a handful of rebooted classics from Björk's 20-year back catalogue, Biophilia Live is not a greatest hits show. Casual fans may find some of it too forbiddingly arty, particularly abrasive interludes like the ferocious burst of drum'n'bass at the end of "Crystalline." But there are some gorgeous emotional depths here too, especially when the swooping harmonies of Gradule Nobili are given full rein. The ear-bashing call to arms "Declare Independence" is also a great finale, proving that behind all the alien glamor and sci-fi technology, Björk remains a punk rocker at heart.

Production companies: Gloria Films in association with One Little Indian and the Wellcome Trust

Starring: Bjork

Directors: Peter Strickland, Nick Fenton

Producer: Jacqui Edenbrow

Executive producers: Derek Birkett, Emma Birkett, Meroe Candy

Cinematographer: Brett Turnbull

Editor: Nick Fenton

Music: Bjork

Sales company: Cinema Purgatorio

No rating, 97 minutes

Tony Bennett and Maya Angelou attend The Norman Mailer Center Fifth Annual Benefit Gala

Eva Mendes & Ryan Gosling Expecting Their First Child Together!

By Latina Staff • July 9, 2014 • 5:38pm

UPDATE: The rumors are true: People reports that Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling are expecting a baby! This will be the first child for both. A friend of Mendes told People that while the actress has said she wasn’t planning to get married or have children, “with Ryan things are different….she’s very independent but she’s content with her partner. She finally found the person she really wants to be with.”

If the reports are true, our hearts are going to shatter into a million pieces (RYANNN)!

According to BuzzFeed, numerous sources are saying that Eva Mendes is allegedly seven months pregnant with Ryan Gosling's baby. QUE?!

“Eva is thrilled. She’s been ready for motherhood for a while now, and to be sharing this experience with Ryan is a dream come true for her,” an unnamed source told OK! Magazine.

“Ryan grew up without a dad, so he always said when he had kids, he’d be there no matter what. This is it for him.”

The 40-year-old Cubana and The Notebook hottie began dating in 2011, after meeting on the set of their movie, The Place Beyond the Pines.

.

.

Kickstarter: Gael Garcia Bernal & Diego Luna’s “Ambulante California”

Posted by admin on July 8th, 2014 08:49 AM | Spotlight

Celebrating 15 years Of Cutting-Edge Latino Entertainment at LAMC

Posted by admin on July 2nd, 2014 08:43 PM

New York, NY – The Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) is coming back to New York to celebrate 15 years of promoting Latin Music. The New York Times said of the conference, “LAMC is to Latin alternative the way the Sundance Film Festival is to indie movies.” Indeed thousands of entrepreneurs, musicians, DJs, journalists, marketers, managers, programmers and all kinds of music lovers attend LAMC at its new home: the Affinia Manhattan Hotel at 7thAvenue and 31st Street.

The LAMC features free concerts at parks from Central Park to Harlem, plus intimate private showcases at iconic venues around the city, as well as numerous industry panels and Q&As with special guests, showcases and events. The conference continues to grow, with an expanded focus on movies, books, food and all forms of cutting-edge creativity, thanks to with key support from Google, AT&T, Google +, Google Play, Gibson, YouTube, KCRW, Shure, LARAS, Herradura and more.

This year, the panels will kick-off on Thursday July 11th at 2pm, with the first panel being “Every Centavos Counts: Making Sense of Streaming & The New Digital Economy” moderated by Rich Bengloff (A2IM) and featuring Zach Diaz (Sony/RED), Pablo Douzoglou (Beggars Group), Ady Harley (Google Play), Chris Harrison (Pandora), Barry Levine (SoundExchange), and Valerie Miranda (Spotify).

On Friday, July 12th at 11am, panelists will discuss “Publicity, The Media & The Art of Reaching Consumers and Fans” moderated by Juan Jose Duran (Google/Youtube), and featuring Alex Espinosa (PlayNetwork), Ivan Figueroa (MiTuNetwork), Maria Hinojosa (NPR Latino USA), Nic Harcourt (KCSN / Guitar Center Sessions on DIRECTV), Henry Quintero (Tr3s) and John Reilly (Rogers & Cowan).

“The Artist as the Brand: Licensing & Sponsorship In 2014″ panel moderated by JT Griffith (Nike), and featuring Anita Benner (Mood Media), Gustavo Lopez (Universal Music Latin Entertainment), Rudy López-Negrete (Lopez Negrete Communications), Mary Nunez (Sony Latin), Jose Luis Pardo (Musician/Producer) and Alejandro Solorio (Brown-Forman).

The final panel on Friday is “The Importance of Lollapalooza, Vive Latino, Supersonico & Other Concert Series…And How to Get Your Artist Booked Around the World”.

The performances begin on Wednesday, July 9th at Central Park SummerStage, with the LAMC line-up of hip-hop heavyweights featuring Beatnuts, Ana Tijoux, Bodega Bamz and DJ Tony Touch.

On Thursday July 10th, the LAMC will once again return to Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park for a free show featuring Illya Kuryaki & the Valderramas, ChocQuibTown and RVSB.

On Friday July 11th at the Gramercy Theatre, the LAMC will feature AJ Davila, Milkaman, Esteman, The Wookies, Diana Fuentes and Los Macuanos.

The LAMC will close on Saturday July 12th with another free show at Summerstage, featuring Babasónicos, Juana Molina and La Santa Cecilia.

For more information on the Latin Alternative Music Conference, please visithttp://www.LatinAlternative.com

.

[Edited 7/9/14 19:35pm]

Sax Player Aaron Bing’s Journey to the Latin Grammys

Posted by admin on June 27th, 2014 04:08 PM

Rick Gonzalez: The Good and the Bad in USA Network’s “Rush”

Posted by admin on July 8th, 2014 09:50 AM

Playing a drug dealer is a fairly new role for Gonzalez

By Bel Hernandez

Rick Gonzalez plays a drug dealer in USA Network’s Rush, but there is more to Gonzalez’s character, Manny then meets the eye. Written and directed Jonathan Levine and produced Shawn Williamson, Rush premieres on Thursday, July 17^th at 9pm/8c.

“What drove me to this roles is the duality, he has a good side and bad side and in a good show you always want to care about the character,” Gonzales tells us. For that he gives props to the writer (Levine) who he says writes “flawed” characters. In fact they are all flawed from the lead to all those around them. They are after all human and the series goes along the writers will delve deep into their lives to see what makes them the imperfect persons that they are.

The pilot sets the groundwork. Tom Ellis plays the title role of William Rush a renegade physician. Once a top attending physician, working alongside his physician father and having found the love of his live, he loses it all. We find Rush now a drug addicted doctor whose livelihood consists of making house calls to self entitled Los Angeles’ elite (and some other shady characters) for a hefty “cash only” payout. Larenz Tate plays his loyal friend from the good old days, who still stand by his friend. His beautiful ex-girlfriend played by Odette Annable (who is also in ABC’s Astronaut’s Wives Club new series), while is still in love with him, holds him at arm’s lengths hoping to see him change change his evil ways. She may have a long wait if at all.

As for Gonzalez, playing a drug dealer is a rather new role. A trained actor graduating from New York’s High School of the Performing Arts Gonzalez has played a wide range of characters. Beginning his professional career shortly after graduating from high school, he landed his first role in a TV move in 1998 (Thicker Than Water) then made is film debut in the indie film Mambo Cafe written and directed by Reuben Gonzalez in 2000. Then it was on to the bigger profile films. In a span of four years, from 2003 to 2005 he was cast in five films including working alongside Luke Wilson, vince Vaughn and Will Farrell in Old School; the blockbuster film War of the Worlds starring alongside Tom Cruise; a baseball movie (The Rookie), a Basketball movie (Coach Carter) and in between played a sex-crazed character in Biker Boyz written by Craig Fernandez and starring Laurence Fishbourne. On TV he has been a series regular on The Reaper where he played a “soul searcher” for Satan himself. In addition check his IMDB credits and he has done guest appearances on most of the top TV shows in the past decade.

His role as Manny is not your typical Hollywood stereotype. This drug dealer a hip looking cat who rides around delivering his drugs on a motorcycle wearing black jeans, a leather jacket and boots. The unconventional bond between Manny and Rush pushes the boundaries of your typical drug connection. Serving as a drug concierge delivery service, at Rush’s beck and call, does have its rewards so when Manny reaches out to Rush he is there to help him out in matter of a life or death situation. It’s obvious these two have a strong bond, how deep it goes will be explored in further episodes.

When we spoke to Gonzalez he was on location in Vancouver, Canada having just shot their third episode. He was happy to be working and even happier to be playing the most important role of his life – not the drug dealer – the dad role. He recently became a father and, not wanting to miss a single day of his young daughter’s life, had brought her on location with him.

Having started his career at age 19 and having played the young teenager roles and 20 something’s for so long, it now seems Gonzalez is finally getting to play the role of a lifetime – the daddy role.

Rush is Executive Produced by Adam Fierro (The Shield) and Craig Wright (Six Feet Under). From Fox21 (Homeland) and writer/director Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies, 50/50), along with Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo (Missing,13 Going on 30)

.

.

The CW’s “Jane The Virgin” Could Be Addictive

Posted by admin on July 9th, 2014 08:31 AM |

Jessica Alba is a lunatic but sexy in ‘Sin City’ sequel

Jessica Alba has let loose –but in a psychotic way– in her upcoming role in “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.”

A 33-second video clip of the forthcoming “Sin City” sequel shows Alba’s returning character Nancy Callahan a bit too crazy to handle.

SEE ALSO: Jessica Alba takes her da... to school

In the 2005 “Sin City” film, the bombshell stripper lost the love of her life, Detective John Hartigan (Bruce Willis), when he took his own life in order to protect the her from the Roark family, who had been after her for years.

Fast forward to “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” and something tells us that Callahan is still haunted by the memory of her lost love.

In fact, she undergoes a dramatic transformation as she sets out to seek vengeance by killing Senator Roark (Powers Boothe), the man responsible for the detective’s death in part one.

She’s hungry for revenge and quite frankly, we’re digging it.

The black-and-white footage begins with a poster of Senator Roark laughing hysterically with the word “murderer too much time” captioned at the bottom.

A hurt and frustrated Callahan approaches a three-way mirror and as she grabs a pair of scissors says: “Maybe I’ll prove both of you wrong.”

All while, a deceased Hartigan appears at her side and gazes at Callahan as she continues with her rant.

“Maybe I’ll go crazy,” she says as she begins to chop off her long locks. “Crazy’s sounding pretty good right now.”

Though she can’t see Hartigan by her side, he still manages to utter: “I Love You, Nancy.”

Co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller reunite to bring to life the sequel of the 2005 successful film “Sin City.”

Returning cast members Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Jude Ciccolella, Powers Boothe, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen and Bruce Willis all form part of “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” releasing on August 22nd.

.

.

Jennifer Lopez to Star in New NBC Drama

Have you missed Jennifer Lopez on your television lately? While she may not be returning as an X Factor judge anytime soon, there is light at the end of the tunnel: J.Lo will star in a new NBC drama, Shades of Blue.

The Huffington Post reports that NBC has already ordered 13 episodes of the show, which is set to debut in Fall 2015.

Lopez will play the role of Harlee McCord, described by the network as “a single mother and detective recruited to work undercover for the FBI’s anti-corruption task force.”

NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke said in a statement “Whether its producing, acting, singing or any of her other many entrepreneurial activities, Jennifer is an extraordinary talent and life force, and we’re delighted to be in business with her and Adi Hasak on this sophisticated show.”

RIP Ken Thorne

Thursday, July 10, 2014

HBO Lands Beyonce and Jay Z's 'On the Run' Concert Special

By Philiana Ng, The Hollywood Reporter | July 10, 2014 6:27 PM EDT

HBO is expanding its partnership with Beyonce and Jay Z.

The duo is teaming with the premium cable network to bring a concert special for their current worldwide On the Run Tour.

Filming for the "On the Run Tour: Beyonce and Jay Z" special will be done during the Sept. 12 and 13 dates at Paris' Stade de France and will feature Beyonce and Jay Z performing more than 40 songs from their catalogue.

"This is a major musical event that belongs on HBO," said Michael Lombardo, president of HBO programming. "It's going to be a night to remember."

The On the Run Tour, which features 19 dates in the U.S. and two in Paris, marks the couple's first time touring together on the same bill. It began June 26 in Miami.

The news comes as Beyonce is currently appearing in Beyonce: X10, a 10-episode series of four-minute segments debuting before new episodes of True Blood. She previously appeared in her feature documentary Life Is But a Dream, which aired in February 2013.

Jay Z's "Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film" premiered on HBO in August 2013.

.

.

Last week's Glastonbury Music Festival performance by Dolly Parton was witnessed by more than 100,000 people, but when all was said and done, one lonely pooch nearly stole the spotlight from the iconic entertainer.

A fluffy white pup that had been separated from her owners during the festival — and nicknamed "Doggie Parton," in part because of her sweet nature — came to the attention of the singer-songwriter, who vowed to adopt the 15-year-old dog if her original owners were not able to be located.

On a conference call from Stockholm, Sweden today, Parton said that just five minutes before joining the call, she had found out the dog, who was being held at the Happy Landings animal shelter in Somerset, U.K., would soon to be reunited with her owners. So, the country superstar will not be able to adopt her after all.

"We got a call that the true owners did come forward," Parton explained. "They had reported the dog missing but there was a language barrier. I think they were from another country. They got the dog back, everybody feels good about it. The Happy Landings shelter has a happy ending now."

Although Parton was looking forward to taking the dog home with her, the dog's health and advanced age would have prevented it traveling overseas. Had she been able to adopt her, Dolly already had a name chosen for the adorable pup.

"I was gonna rename her 'Glassie' because of Glastonbury… I was gonna say, 'Glassie come home,'" the singer quipped, in reference to Lassie Come Home, the classic film about another lovable canine. "I would've called her 'Glassie Doggie Parton.'"

On July 14th, the global superstar will be in Locarno, Switzerland, for the final show on her Blue Smoke world tour. Up next for the tireless 68-year-old is a little time off, before getting back into other business ventures, including continuing to work on new music, as well as the musical — and accompanying film — based on her literal rags-to-riches life story.

Although she was at the center of the 2011 documentary, "Hollywood to Dollywood," about twin brothers in L.A. on a mission to get their screenplay in her hands, Parton's last big-screen appearance as an actress was alongside Queen Latifah in 2012's Joyful Noise.

"I may possibly do some television and some producing," she teases. "I do hope to do more movies. I'm not opposed to it. But only if I get good scripts."

Glassie, Come Home, anyone?

.

.

[Edited 7/11/14 18:23pm]

Don Cheadle Talks Upcoming Miles Davis Biopic, Says Playing The Role Is 'Surreal'

Don Cheadle(Photo : Getty Images)

Don Cheadle is working on the most important role in his career, playing legendary jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.

The actor recently gave Entertainment Weekly the deets about the film, which will also be his feature film directorial debut.

"At this point, with everything that's happening, its real and surreal and hyperreal and every version of it that I can think of," Cheadle said.

The film will co-star Ewan McGregor, Michael Stuhlbarg and Emayatzy Corinealdi and begins shooting this week in Cincinnati.

It has been a long time coming for Cheadle and the producers. Miles Ahead has been in development for nearly a decade.

Cheadle, who says Davis' Porgy and Bess album was a staple of his family's music collection, also co-wrote the film.

"His music was definitely a part of my life very early on, thanks to my parents," he said explaining his exposure to Davis. "I remember the Porgy and Bess album by Gil Evans and Miles Davis that was in my house."

Cheadle's love and passion for Davis' music motivated him to proceed with the film. He has even sought out crowdfunding.

"This is an independently produced film," he said. There is no studio element. We're still in the process locking down all the financing so it was a component of funds needed to cover a gap , including my own personal money I've put into the movie and a consortium of others."

EW says Miles Ahead will highlight his transition into music after a five-year hiatus and his relationship with his wife.

"The construction of the movie is the parallel story of Miles in 1979 at the end of this quiet period he was in, the five-year stretch of time when he wasn't playing and performing and recording, juxtaposed against the 10-year period where he was with Francis Taylor Davis, who, at the time, was the love of his life and his muse," Cheadle said.

No release date has been set for the film. Stay tuned for updates.

.

.

John Anderson, Paul Craft, Tom Douglas, Gretchen Peters Named to Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

By Caitlin Carter
Jul 10, 2014 03:19 PM EDT

John Anderson(Photo : Getty Images)

John Anderson, Paul Craft, Tom Douglas and Gretchen Peters have been named the newest inductees of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The organization made the announcement Tuesday (July 8).

According to CMT, the four songwriters will be officially inducted during a ceremony on October 5 in Nashville.

Anderson, who is best known for his vocals, will be inducted under the songwriter/artist category.

He scored his first No. 1 single with "Wild and Blue" in 1983 and the following year, he hit No. 1 with "Swingin'," a song he co-wrote. The song was named single of the year at the 1984 CMA Awards.

Anderson's discography also includes hits like "Seminole Wind," "I Wish I Could Have Been There," "Bend It Until It Breaks" and "Chicken Truck."

Craft is slated to be inducted into the veteran songwriter category. He has written several bluegrass classics, most notably "Midnight Flyer," which was originally recorded by the Osborne Brothers and later covered by the Eagles on their 1974 album, On the Border.

Craft also wrote Bobby Bare's "Dropkick Me, Jesus," Moe Bandy's "Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life," Ray Stevens' "It's Me Again, Margaret" and Mark Chesnutt's "Brother Jukebox."

Douglas and Peters will be inducted in the songwriter category.

Douglas has written hits including Lady Antebellum's "I Run to You" and "Hello World," Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me," Tim McGraw's "Grown Men Don't Cry," "My Little Girl," "Let It Go" and "Southern Voice," Martina McBride's "Love's the Only House" and Collin Raye's "Little Rock."

Peters first gained success back in 1991 with George Strait's "The Chill of an Early Fall."

Her catalog of hits includes Patty Loveless' "You Don't Even Know Who I Am," Faith Hill's "The Secret of Life," Pam Tillis' "Let That Pony Run," Trisha Yearwood's "On a Bus to St. Cloud" and McBride's "My Baby Loves Me."

.

.

Rita Ora Previews Prince Collaboration, 'Single Most Amazing' [LISTEN]

By Caitlin Carter
Jul 10, 2014 03:19 PM EDT

Rita Ora(Photo : Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

As previously reported, Prince and Rita Ora have been working on a few collaborations. Now the Roc Nation singer has previewed her collaboration with The Purple One called "Single Most Amazing." Penned by Prince and produced by Josh Welton, the track is featured in a behind-the-scenes video from Roberto Cavalli's Autumn/Winter 2015 campaign.

Over lush horns Ora sings, "She didn't care how many there were and who / 'Cause she was fallin' in love with the single most amazing thing in the room."

In a recent interview, with Paper magazine, Ora spoke about working with Prince.

"We did a few tracks together," she told them. "I flew to Minneapolis and went to Paisley Park, which is like his iconic studios and we just made music. I was there for a week. It was the best thing I have ever done in my life."

Prince had similar words of praise when he spoke to the Star Tribune about working with Ora on a track for his upcoming album that features "aggressive and menacing" music as well as rapping.

With Ora, he said "time is money" because she makes "money walking out of the house wearing a certain kind of makeup or sunglasses."

In addition to her work with Prince, Ora has been in the studio with Diplo, DJ Mustard, and Macklemore for her sophomore album, which is due out this fall, Rap-Up reports.

Preview "The Single Most Amazing" below, and let us know what you think in the comments section!

.

KISS' dynamic during their spectacular Forum set.

.

.

.

.

'The Beatles: The Night That Changed America' Scores Six Emmy Nods

By Phil Gallo, L.A. | July 10, 2014 11:13 AM EDT

The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show

CBS Photography 1964

"The Beatles: The Night That Changed America," the CBS special that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show," received six Emmy Awards nominations Thursday morning. The special, produced by CBS and AEG Ehrlich Ventures, is up for Outstanding Variety Special and in the categories of direction (Gregg Gelfand), music direction (Don Was), writing (Ken Ehrlich, David Wild), lighting design and sound mixing. In the composing world, John Lunn will attempt to win his third consecutive award for "Downton Abbey," the opening number of the Tony Awards is angling for a hat trick and T Bone Burnett has received his first Emmy nomination. Lunn and Burnett, who wrote for HBO's "True Detective," are up for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special along with Jeff Beal (his second nomination for "House of Cards"), Ramin Djawadi ("Game of Thrones") and first-time nominee Alan Silvestri ("Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey"). David Arnold and Michael Price, nominated twice before for their work on PBS's "Sherlock," are up again for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, this year for "Sherlock: His Last Vow." "Downton Abbey" composer Lunn is in contention with "The White Queen," along with James Levine ("American Horror Story"), Ludovic Bource ("Clear History"), Jeff Russo ("Fargo") and Rob Mathes for "Herblock: The Back and White." Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda are nominated for this year's Tony Awards opener and will go up against the "Saturday Night Live" team responsible for "(Do It On My) Twin Bed") - Eli Brueggemann, Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon - Bob Christanson and Alisa Hauser ("A Christmas Carol - The Concert"), Joshua Funk and Rebecca Drysdale ("Key & Peele"), John William Kavanagh, Craig Gerber ("Sofia the First: The Floating Palace") and Bob Thiele, Noah Gundersen and Kurt Sutter ("Sons of Anarchy"). Besides Was, who is also the president of Blue Note Records, music direction nominees include William Ross who is up twice, for "Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn" and "The Oscars." Their competiton is Davice Chase ("The Sound of Music Live!"), Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis and Eli Bruggemann ("Saturday Night Live") and Elliot Lawrence and Jamie Lawrence ("The 67th Annual Tony Awards)." "The Voice" was the only music competition to earn nominations, picking up three: realiuty competition series, makeup and picture editing. NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!" received a nomination in the Special Class Program; it is the only scripted show among the nominees.

MJ and Lola Falana

Ali and Lola

First Look: Yaya DaCosta As Whitney Houston In Lifetime Biopic [PHOTO]

Yaya DaCosta(Photo : Getty)

Production for Lifetime's Whitney Houston biopic is in full swing and Entertainment Weekly recently offered up a first look at ­former America's Next Top Model contestant Yaya DaCosta as the late singer.

While DaCosta began shooting only recently, she has already re-created the iconic cover of the pop diva's 1987 Whitney album.

DaCosta says her modeling background helped during the shoot.

"I just looked at the picture and did the pose!," DaCosta said.

DaCosta has had recurring roles on shows including All My Children, Ugly Betty and House. Most notably, she appeared in Lee Daniels' The Butler.

Last month, Music Times reported Arlen Escarpeta had been cast as Bobby Brown and Yolonda Ross is set to portray Houston's friend Robyn Crawford.

Escarpeta is a 33-year-old Belizean actor who has appeared in Final Destination 5, Friday the 13th and Star Trek Into Darkness. Ross most recently appeared in Phil Spector and Treme.

As the press release notes, the film "chronicles the headline-making relationship between the iconic singer, actress, producer and model and singer-songwriter Bobby Brown-from the time they first met at the very height of their celebrity, to their courtship and tumultuous marriage. Throughout it all, difficulties followed the superstar couple while they dealt with the overwhelming rewards and consequences of the fame and fortune created by Whitney's meteoric rise that would soon overshadow them both."

The film is slated to air in 2015 and will be directed by actress Angela Bassett in her directorial debut.

"I have such regard for both Whitney's and Bobby's amazing talents and accomplishments, and I feel a responsibility in the telling of their story," Bassett said in a statement. "Their humanity and bond fascinates us all. I'm beyond excited to have this opportunity to go behind the camera and into their world."

Bassett and Houston starred together in the 1995 film Waiting To Exhale.

Tommy Ramone, last of the Ramones, dies

In this Jan. 8, 2005, file photo, Tommy Ramone, ex-drummer and manager of The Ramones, smiles as he is interviewed backstage at the Knitting Factory in New York. A business associate says Ramone, a co-founder of the seminal punk band The Ramones and the last surviving member of the original group, has died. Dave Frey, who works for Ramones Productions and Silent Partner Management, says Ramone's wife called to tell him he died on Friday, July 11, 2014. Ramone was 62. (Tina Fineberg/AP)

By Associated Press July 12 at 6:34 AM

Tommy Ramone, a co-founder of the seminal punk band the Ramones and the last surviving member of the original group, has died, a business associate said Saturday.

Dave Frey, who works for Ramones Productions and Silent Partner Management, confirmed that he died on Friday. Frey didn’t have additional details. Ramone was 65.

Tommy Ramone, a drummer, co-founded the Ramones in 1974 in New York along with singer Joey Ramone, bassist Dee Dee Ramone and guitarist Johnny Ramone. All four band members had different last names, but took the common name Ramone.

The band influenced a generation of rockers, and their hit songs “I Wanna Be Sedated,” and “Blitzkrieg Bop,” among others, earned them an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

In this March 18, 2002, file photo, members of the Ramones, from left to right, Dee Dee, Johnny, Tommy and Marky Ramone hold their awards after being inducted at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at New York's Waldorf Astoria. A business associate says Tommy, the last surviving member of the original group, has died. (Ed Betz/AP)

Clad in leather jackets and long black mops of hair, the group of motley misfits started out in legendary New York clubs like CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, where they blasted their rapid-fire songs.

Since its debut album in 1976, the band struggled for commercial success, but they left a formidable imprint on the rock genre. Though they never had a Top 40 song, the Ramones influenced scores of followers, including bands such as Green Day and Nirvana.

Even Bruce Springsteen was moved. After seeing the Ramones in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Springsteen wrote “Hungry Heart” for the band. His manager, however, swayed him to keep the song for himself and it became a hit single.

The Ramones’ best-known songs reflected their twisted teen years in Queens: “Beat on the Brat,” ‘’Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue,” ‘’Teenage Lobotomy,” ‘’Sheena Is a Punk Rocker.”

The Ramones disbanded in 1996 after a tour that followed their final studio album, “Adios Amigos.” A live farewell tour album, “We’re Outta Here!”, was released in 1997.

Johnny Ramone, whose birth name was John Cummings, died in 2004 of prostate cancer. Joey Ramone, whose real name is Jeff Hyman, died in 2001 of lymphatic cancer. Dee Dee Ramone, whose real name is Douglas Colvin, died from a drug overdose in 2002. Tommy Ramone was born Erdelyi Tamas in Budapest, Hungary.

___

De Groot reported from Philadelphia.