Now out!

Deborah Nowalski Kader, better known by her stage name Debi Nova, is a Costa Rican singer-songwriter and dancer from Escazú, Costa Rica who resides in Los Angeles, California.

Nova has sung on various projects from jazz artist Boney James to rapper Q-Tip to Sérgio Mendes and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. Her single CD, "One Rhythm," has an English version, Spanish version and six mixes.

She has been involved in six projects nominated for a Grammy award, a dance song which reached #1 on the Billboard Dance charts, and has collaborated with artists including Sean Paul, Ricky Martin and Franco De Vita.

Nova started as a backing vocalist for Gandhi with whom she had the chance to open for Deep Purple. She also has worked with Ricky Martin, with whom she recorded a Spanish version of the song "I Don't Care". Nova made background vocals for Britney Spears in her song "Lace and Leather", from her album Circus.

In 2004 she scored a #1 track on Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with "One Rhythm". A remix of the song was featured on the soundtrack for the EA Sports video game FIFA Football 2005.

More recently, she has featured on projects by Illa J (brother of J Dilla) and Sa-Ra as well as Urban Legend (artist)'s Tropical Techniques.

On April 20, 2010, she made her US television debut on Dancing with the Stars. Nova also participated in the Colgate MaxWhite Charging Up The Music campaign.

She recently released her first studio album Luna Nueva in 2010, which features her new single "Drummer Boy".

In 2011, MTV Latin America awarded her the prize MTV Chiuku for her work in the United Nations campaign “UNITE to end violence against women” organized by UN Women, and in April 2012 she was named ambassador of YUNGA (Youth and United Nations Global Alliance).

Nova is one-third of the group "LR1" (Latinos are One) along with Jean Shepherd (of the electro-Latin funk band, Navegante) and Velcro. The single "Maña y Corazón" was produced by Andres Levin and released on September 13, 2011, to kick off Latino Heritage Month.

Recently, Nova was selected as the official voice of the Central American Games, San José 2013, with the song “Arriba Arriba” (Get Up, Get Up) and was also invited to participate in the TEDx Joven Pura Vida (Youth Pure Life) conference, where she shared her story, her music and encouraged young people to follow their dreams.

On December 17, 2013, she released her EP "Un Dia a la Vez". The project is entirely in Spanish and serves as a preview for her upcoming album, "SOY", which was released on June 24, 2014. The album is being produced by Grammy-winning producer Cachorro López. The album has released three singles, "Un Día a la Vez", "Amor" and "Emergencia". "Emergencia" is the Spanish version of "Emergency" one of the first songs that Nova wrote for the album and that is included as a hidden track on "SOY".

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Exclusive Interview With the Monkees’ Micky Dolenz

By Patrick Phillips / August 21, 2014

DoYouRemember is delighted to feature interviews conducted by Patrick Phillips for his show, Pop Culture Tonight. Below he speaks with actor and musician Micky Dolenz, one of the stars of the ’60s TV show The Monkees.

PATRICK PHILLIPS: Micky Dolenz began acting in 1956, starring in the adventure series Circus Boy. His enthusiasm for music and the stage quickly became his passion. In 1965, he auditioned for the television series that would ultimately change his life. On TV, the Monkees were just a fictional rock band, but to the world, they were huge stars whose music is forever engrained in popular culture. It’s a pleasure to welcome Micky Dolenz to the program.
MICKY DOLENZ: Well, thank you, and thanks for that great intro! You should come and emcee my show.

[Laughs] Any time, any time. Micky, one of the things I find so inspiring about you is that you are very family-oriented. I noticed online that you actually own a business in California called Dolenz & Daughters, where you produce handcrafted furniture. Has woodworking always been a part of your life?
Yeah, all kinds of machine-shop stuff and woodworking and electronics. Before The Monkees, when I got out of high school, I was in college studying to be an architect. If it didn’t work out, I could always fall back on show business. But then the Monkee audition came along. The show became a series and I quit school. But I have always, always done that kind of work in my shop at home. It’s my main hobby. My daughter Georgia got a degree in theater in England, and one of the things they do, of course, is learn how to build sets, and so between that and old me always having a shop, she became very, very handy with tools and woodworking herself. So we were building this coffee table for her boyfriend and I jokingly said we should start a business, Dolenz & Daughters Fine Furniture. And she ran with it and did a website and has done a lot of the design, and it’s been great. We do it whenever we can.

Well, that’s fantastic. I didn’t realize that you had started out playing the classical guitar, and it wasn’t until you were cast on The Monkees that you started to play the drums. You were such a natural.
Yeah. My parents were both in the business—both singers, actors. My mom played piano and my father got me into classical guitar at a very young age. And then I went from that into folk music and then from that into rock ’n’ roll. My audition piece for the Monkees was actually Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.”

You studied with John Carlos in L.A., and I was wondering if, at any point, you were intimidated by having to learn a new instrument? Because there’s usually frustration, Micky, in learning anything new, and here you are learning it for television in front of millions of people.
No, it wasn’t intimidating. I just took it on as an assignment. When I was ten, I did that series you mentioned called Circus Boy. When I was cast in that, they said, ‘Okay, you’re going to ride an elephant.’ And they started me up with elephant-riding lessons. So, no, I wasn’t intimidated—but then again, I was a musician. I played, like I said, classical guitar. I could read music. I had been in rock bands—a few of them. I was familiar with the drums and I was familiar with rock ’n’ roll, so it wasn’t like I was started right from square one.

The Monkees were rock stars for generations and still are, and The Monkees was a different kind of show. We really hadn’t seen anything on television at that time that was anything like it, and I could only imagine with the technical aspect of the series that things did not always go as planned. Were there some big challenges that you can recall when you guys were shooting The Monkees?
Yeah, mainly just trying to keep us from exploding. They had created a very improvisational, spontaneous environment. It was very funny, but at times it did get out of hand and we’d start literally almost bouncing off the walls. They would capture a lot of that and it would end up in the show, but sometimes it could get daunting for the production crew. It was very unusual back in those days to improvise on a television series. It was always very scripted and sort of formal, very old-school. And we came along and the producers and writers of the show encouraged us to be improvisational and spontaneous, and it was great. It had a lot to do with the success of the show, but it also could cause production problems.

Was there a period for you, Micky, when you felt that you wanted to shed that image as a Monkee and really embrace the music more than the acting?
At the time, we didn’t have a lot of choice when the show was cancelled. That was sort of the end of the Monkee project. And remember, The Monkees was not just the four cast members. It was producers and writers and directors and record companies and musicians—a whole lot of people. When the show went off the air, I had already been through that once as a child when Circus Boy was finally cancelled. Since I’d been through it one time before I sort of knew what to expect. After The Monkees, I left and went to the U.K. where I got married and had three kids, and I was doing nothing but producing, writing and directing television and films.

What is it that you like most about meeting your fans?
It’s just keeping the connections going and keeping it real, I suppose. If you get too far away from your audience, it’s like playing in a venue where you can’t see anybody. I hate that because you might as well be just phoning it in. So the best thing about it is not getting too far away from your audience, because otherwise you lose them. They don’t feel a connection, you don’t feel a connection. That’s the wonderful thing about live theater, and that’s why we love performing live—people in this business—because there’s an instant feedback.

Micky, I had the honor of interviewing your very close friend Davy Jones a few months before he passed away. I was wondering if you could talk to us about Davy’s legacy and if you’d mind sharing maybe a fond memory of him with us.
As far as the memories go, I have so many. I spent half my life with him in one way or another. I would say the legacy is of a great showman. He was a classic entertainer, and in a way, a bit old-school—but then we all are to some degree—old-school rock ’n’ roll. And he was a bit old-school entertainment, an entertainer like a Sammy Davis, Jr., or someone of that ilk who was a song-and-dance man, and he would be the first to say that. That’s what he did. He was English. He came out of that English seaside, almost vaudevillian sort of world. He was in Oliver! on Broadway when he was a child. He was definitely into musical theater, and indeed, that is to a degree what The Monkees was, a sort of musical theater on television, like a Marx Brothers movie. That will certainly be his legacy: the consummate entertainer.

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Robert Rodriguez on Quentin Tarantino's TV Aspirations and Plans for El Rey Network

Brent Humphreys

Robert Rodriguez

The channel's founder and 'Sin City' filmmaker also laments the way Hollywood misjudges the Latino audience

This story first appeared in the Aug. 29 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Robert Rodriguez has made a career out of firsts. In 1992, the then-23-year-old director helped kick-start the indie film boom with El Mariachi, made for just $7,000. Eleven years later, he foreshadowed the 3D revival with Spy-Kids 3-D: Game Over. Now 46, he's making history again as founder and chairman of El Rey, the 8-month-old cable network aimed at men 18-49 and inclusive of second- and third-generation English-speaking Latinos.

Spanish for "the king," El Rey is a joint venture with former WME agents John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa’s FactoryMade Ventures and Univision, which has reportedly loaned the network $72 million. Rodriguez and co-chair Scott Sassa oversee about 70 employees in Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Austin, Texas — where Rodriguez lives with his wife and five kids. There, he curates original El Rey series such as From Dusk Till Dawn (based on his vampire film), the spy thriller Matador and The Director's Chair, in which he grills helmer friends such as Quentin Tarantino. Aiming to be in 40 million homes by year's end (but not yet rated by Nielsen), El Rey competes for Rodriguez's time as a busy film director — his latest, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, opens Aug. 22.

"I didn't know what busy was until this job," says Rodriguez, photographed Aug. 8 in his Troublemaker Studios office in Austin, Texas, housed in the same space (formerly an airport) where his series From Dusk Till Dawn is filmed.

How does a guy like you end up starting a TV network?

John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa at FactoryMade told me, "There's an opportunity for a TV network. Comcast is giving them away." So I came up with the concept for El Rey. People have always asked me, "How do we get to Latinos' wallets?" Well, you've got to get them here (touches his heart). You have to give them characters to fall in love with. It was never just about "putting Latinos in more shows." There were no Latin actors in Hollywood when I started. I discovered Salma Hayek in Mexico, brought Antonio Banderas from Spain and found Danny Trejo. I had to get Cheech [Marin] out of retirement! But television is the next frontier. My kids speak English, but they don't see themselves represented on TV. I told this to President Obama about attracting more Latino voters: What disenfranchises people is not having a sense of belonging. We are 18 percent Hispanic in the U.S., but on TV, we represent only 5 percent of major roles. Behind the camera, it's like 2 percent — and I'm one of those percentages!

A painting of Salma Hayek from 2003's Once Upon a Time in Mexico graces his office.

Why has TV been so slow to target and reflect the Latino audience?

We have to create storytelling that has universal appeal. That's how I had to sell Miramax on Spy Kids. They asked me, "Why are you making them Hispanic? Why don't you just make them American?" I said, "They are American! It's based on my family." I told them, "You don't have to be British to enjoy James Bond." The more specific you can make them, the more universal. Spy Kids, Machete, Desperado — they are Hispanic films, but they're for anyone. You can't beat people with the Latin stick. Even Hispanics don't want that. It's so much easier to start your own network than to try to get the 8 p.m. time slot on ABC. If there are more than 10 people trying to get through the same door, you have to find a new door. There was very little competition for this network. Only around 100 people applied for the slot. And how many of those had a solid business plan like ours? Probably only five.

Univision reportedly bought 5 percent of El Rey and loaned you $72 million. How did this come about?

Univision got wind of what we were doing. They knew the future of Hispanic TV was in English programming. Univision is a great partner; they are a market-leading broadcaster with extensive multimedia brands and have a lot of money to invest in these shows. As they renegotiate their [carriage] contracts, they can add us into their pile of networks. It's a great umbrella to be under. It reminds me a lot of when Miramax started but didn't have money, so Disney said, "We need an indie arm. Let them run it; we'll invest."

What are your budgets on Dusk and Matador?

Very comparable to big cable shows like The Walking Dead — about $3.5 million per episode. For a new network, we're definitely competing. I needed El Rey to not be rinky-dink.

The hand puppet used for the dog in the fourth Spy Kids and a Mickey Rourke “Marv” figurine from Sin City.

Between Starsky & Hutch reruns and grindhouse movies, this network feels like it's your custom screening room.

It is! This all started six years ago when I burned my favorite DVDs, Blu-rays, short films, Twilight Zone episodes onto my hard drive, and I'd just let it play all day on my TV at home. People would come over and ask, "What is that?" It was my own personal TV station. Maybe it was a premonition.

Oprah Winfrey had a tough first few years with OWN and admitted that some fans "couldn't find" the network. How much do you worry about access and competition?

After Oprah got more involved with OWN, it took off. There are around 112 networks. Around 10 or 11 are aimed at the black audience, but none have English-language content aimed at Hispanics. What we're doing is very unique; even so, I'm all for any network attempting to engage a culturally diverse audience. The more of us out there, the better. It's much bigger than just, "Are we competing with Univision, Telemundo and Fusion?" We are mostly in competition with ourselves. Also, there was no Hispanic material to license, so we needed original series right off the bat. I can't do what Magic Johnson did with his network, Aspire. He has reruns of Good Times, The Jeffersons, The Cosby Show.

You adapted your own work with Dawn. Will you do this again? And have you talked to Tarantino about doing something on El Rey?

He definitely would. We haven't talked specifics, but he has always wanted to get into TV. I'd love to adapt Spy Kids. Kids consume those movies so much on Disney.

Rodriguez, who plays guitar, composes music for many of his films, including the Sin City sequel. “I painted the one with scorpions and actually threw it out to a kid at one of our shows,” he says of gigs with his band, Chingon. “He showed up after the show and gave it back!”

Machete's Danny Trejo, your second cousin, has appeared in nearly all your films. Will you ever create a series for him?

Would love to. Or maybe we can do an Avengers-type show featuring characters from Machete, Desperado and Spy Kids. Maybe a Christmas special. (Laughs.) I've always had an eye for casting. I gave George Clooney his first film role [in Dawn].

El Rey has a 10-year deal with Comcast. What are your goals in the short- and long-term?

We won't get rated until the fourth quarter, so we have more time for people to find us. We are also rolling out our El Rey People's Network website, where people can submit short films and features. If I like your work, you get it on El Rey and cash. I remember sending my films into contests — if I won 100 bucks, it felt like the biggest money in the world. When I made El Mariachi, I didn't make it to sell to Columbia Pictures. I made it for the Spanish home video market. Today, people can send their films to us. I'm also going out to as many TV writers and directors as I can to start mentoring more diverse voices. More than 60 percent who work at El Rey are Hispanic, in front of and behind the camera.

El Rey is male-targeted. Would you do a female-oriented network, La Reina?

We've actually talked about that. Advertisers want female viewers. That's kind of why we made El Rey so dramatically male, because we knew there'd be a separate niche for women.

Robert De Niro’s gun from Machete, Demian Bichir’s severed head from Machete Kills and a knife used in Platoon. “[The knife] was a gift from Charlie Sheen,” he says of the actor, who starred in Machete Kills.

Sin City came out in 2005. Why did a sequel take so long?

We wanted to do it in 2007 and met with actors, but couldn't cast anyone because the Weinsteins were no longer at Miramax. After the Weinsteins got going on other stuff, it was really hard for me and [co-director] Frank Miller to sink our teeth into Sin City. So we thought we'd wait until the stars aligned. Three years ago, Frank and I kicked into high gear. We shot in 32 days. We didn't have all the actors when we started filming. We shot Jessica [Alba] and Mickey [Rourke] together, but everyone else came on during production. Josh Brolin gets to set and he's like, "Where's Mickey? I thought all my scenes were with him." We said, "He is, but we shot him already. That's how we do it around here!"

Can you continue to direct movies while running El Rey? You had once signed on to direct a reboot of Red Sonja. Is that still possible?

Someone else owns the rights to Red Sonja, so probably not. I follow the George Lucas way of doing things. He wanted to do Flash Gordon but couldn't get the rights, so he wrote Star Wars. I'm definitely continuing to direct movies. I'm doing a sci-fi flick later this year. I sign on for everything. Some won't happen. But then sometimes everything happens and you're like, "Oh shit — I thought a couple of these would drop out."

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Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga Already Planning 'Cheek To Cheek' Sequel

By Gary Graff, Detroit | August 21, 2014 3:41 PM EDT

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga arrive to their "Cheek To Cheek" taping at Jazz at Lincoln Center on July 28, 2014 in New York City.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

"We'll be touring together for quite a while," Bennett also tells Billboard.

Tony Bennett says he and Lady Gaga plan to spend more time joined at the musical hip -- or, if you prefer, cheek.

With the pair's duets album, Cheek To Cheek, ready to come out Sept. 23 -- and off to a hot start with the first single, a rendition of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" that topped the Jazz Digital Songs chart -- Bennett tells Billboard he and Gaga envision touring to support the set as well as a follow-up project that's already in their crosshairs.

"We'll be touring together for quite a while," Bennett says. "She's kind of exhausted from playing for 45,000 people a night. She said, 'Let's just play for three to six weeks in Las Vegas.' She has the idea of just performing at Radio City for possibly two weeks with her. It's amazing how she's planning out how we should perform together, and it won't be those 45,000-seat places because I work in acoustical halls all the time, or outdoor theaters sometimes. I'm not interested in playing to 45,000 people a night, so she's finding places where we could work for three or four days, or three or four weeks, in one place at a time. That's how she wants to work with me."

No live dates have been announced for Bennett and Gaga yet; the two will, however, debut "Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE!" on Oct. 24 at 9 p.m. ET as part of PBS' Great Performances series. Meanwhile, Bennett says he and Gaga are already eyeing a follow-up to Cheek To Cheek -- a recreation of Cole Porter's 1936 song cycle "Red, Hot & Blue."

"I received the music for that," Bennett says. "When I told Lady Gaga, I said, 'If ('Cheek To Cheek') goes well, we could do a follow-up with Cole Porter, 'Red, Hot & Blue.' She said, 'Why wait? Let's do it right away.' So we're gonna do two albums in a row with her. We'll have to try and do that as soon as possible, just as a follow-up for a second album."

Bennett and Gaga have been planning the duets album ever since she joined him for his Grammy Award-winning Duets II album in 2011, which turned Bennett into an instant fan. "She's a sensational jazz singer," Bennett gushes. "She's always tried to tell everybody she really sings good jazz, and this is going to be the first time that people realize she's quite the singer. They're going to be fascinated (by) how well she sings and improvises jazz." Meanwhile, he's hoping that Gaga singing the standards will bring a new and younger audience to the Great American Songbook.

"(Gaga) has that audience in the palm of her hand," Bennett explains, "and by doing this with her it'll go right to those little kids. They'll grow up listening to this music. It's great music, and it's never going to become dated. It's never going to become old fashioned. It's very intelligent music that everybody, and especially these young people, need to know and appreciate."

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Michael A. Hoey, Producer, Director and Elvis Screenwriter, Dies at 79

3:53 PM PST 08/19/2014 by Mike Barnes

Courtesy of Dennis Hoey

The son of a British actor, he also wrote, produced and helmed the 1966 film 'The Navy vs. the Night Monsters'

Michael A. Hoey, who wrote the screenplays for a pair of Elvis Presley films and was the architect behind the 1966 cult science-fiction movie The Navy vs. the Night Monsters, has died. He was 79.

Hoey, the son of English actor Dennis Hoey — who played the bumbling Inspector Lestrade in the 1940s Universal Pictures series of Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce — died Sunday of cancer at his home in San Clemente, Calif., his son Dennis told The Hollywood Reporter.

Michael Hoey also produced, wrote, directed and edited several episodes of the 1980s music drama series Fame, based on the Alan Parker box-office hit. He earned two Emmy Award nominations for his work on the show and wrote a behind-the-scenes book about the series that was published in 2010.

Hoey penned the scripts for the Presley films Stay Away, Joe and Live a Little, Love a Little, both released in 1968. For the latter, he worked with director Norman Taurog, who also helmed the teen comedy Palm Springs Weekend (1963), a film that Hoey produced.

In The Navy vs. the Night Monsters, a staff manning a weather station on an isolated island fights for survival against a carnivorous plant-like species that spews acid, moves around at night and reproduces quickly.

The cast included Anthony Eisely, Mamie Van Doren, Bobby Van and Billy Gray, best known as the son on Father Knows Best. Jack Broder produced (with an uncredited assist from Roger Corman) and gave the movie what Hoey once called its “abominable” title.

“I remember the day when I was rehearsing and Jack Broder walked in and announced what the new title was going to be,” Hoey told author Tom Weaver. “The entire cast was ready to walk out. They were furious.”

In the interview with Weaver, Hoey said the film had a 10-day shooting schedule and cost $178,000 to make.

Born in London and raised in Beverly Hills, Hoey began his Hollywood career as an editor, working for such top-notch directors as John Ford, George Cukor and Fred Zinnemann. Studio head Jack Warner made him a producer for Palm Springs Weekend, which starred Troy Donahue, Robert Conrad, Stefanie Powers and Connie Stevens.

Hoey later would direct episodes of Dallas, Falcon Crest, Murder, She Wrote and Crossroads Café; wrote for the shows The Rat Patrol, Get Christie Love! and McCloud; and served for years as executive producer of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

He also wrote the books Elvis, Sherlock and Me: How I Survived Growing Up In Hollywood; Sherlock Holmes and the Fabulous Faces: The Universal Pictures Repertory Company; and Elvis’ Favorite Director: The Amazing 52-Year Career of Norman Taurog.

He served two four-year terms as a governor on the board of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and the WGA honored him with its prestigious Morgan Cox Award in 1997.

Hoey asked that his film books be donated to the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he taught editing as an adjunct professor.

In addition to his son Dennis, a former Hollywood makeup artist and producer of TV commercials, survivors include his daughters Lauren and Karin.

The family plans a small memorial service, with his ashes scattered at sea.

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Obie/Emmy Award Winner Hector Elizondo Receives HOLA! Award

Posted by admin on August 19th, 2014 02:41 AM

The Fifteenth Annual HOLA Awards will take place on Monday, October 13, 2014 at the Battery Gardens in NYC

New York, NY— The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), the nation’s longest running active arts advocacy organization for Latino actors, is pleased to announce that it will honor Obie and Emmy winner Héctor Elizondo (Last Man Standing, Chicago Hope, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, The Princess Diaries films), five-time Tony nominee Danny Burstein(currently in Cabaret on Broadway), actress Ana Ortiz (Devious Maids, Ugly Betty), triple threat Bianca Marroquín (currently in Chicago on Broadway), Pedro Pascal (“Game of Thrones”), Cierra Ramírez (“The Fosters”) and WNBC-TV anchor Sibila Vargas at the Fifteenth Annual HOLA Awards Gala and Benefit. The HOLA Awards will take place on Monday, October 13, 2014 at 6:30pm at The Battery Gardens, located on the waterfront overlooking New York Harbor in Battery Park (opposite 17 State Street in lower Manhattan). Sponsorship opportunities are still available. A limited number of individual tickets are available at $150.

Héctor Elizondo will receive the 2014 Rita Moreno HOLA Award for Excellence. The star of stage and screen can currently be seen in the ABC sitcom Last Man Standing. He won an Obie for the off-Broadway play Steambath and an Emmy for his role on the CBS series Chicago Hope. He has acted in over 80 films, including every film ever directed by Garry Marshall (17 in all, including Runaway Bride, Young Doctors in Love, The Princess Diaries movies and Pretty Woman– the last of which earned him a Golden Globe nomination).

Five-time Tony nominee Danny Burstein, currently treading the boards on Broadway in Cabaret; and Ana Ortiz, star of the television series Ugly Betty and Devious Maids, will receive the 2014 HOLA José Ferrer Tespis Award.

Bianca Marroquín (currently on Broadway in Chicago, and a judge on Univision’s celebrity dance competition series ¡Mira Quién Baila! and the Univision children’s talent series Pequeños Gigantes) will receive the 2014 Raúl Juliá HOLA Founders Award.

Cierra Ramirez

Pedro Pascal

Sibila Vargas

Pedro Pascal (of the HBO series Game of Thrones and the upcoming Netflix series Narcos) will receive the HOLA Excellence in Television Award. Cierra Ramírez (of the ABC Family series The Fosters) will receive the HOLA Emerging Artist Award. HOLA will present its Excellence in Media Award to WNBC-TV anchor Sibila Vargas.

In addition to the above awards HOLA will also continue its annual tradition of honoring the best of Latino theater in New York with noncompetitive awards encompassing multiple winners in each category. HOLA is at the forefront in recognizing the high caliber work being offered across New York’s growing and thriving Latino theatrical stages.

A list of the 2013-2014 theater awardees is below.

Individual tickets are $150 and can be purchased in advance by calling (212) 253-1015or by going to www.hellohola.org. Sponsorships are also available and can be purchased by calling A.B. Lugo at (212) 253-1015 or via e-mail atablugo@hellohola.org.

The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) is an arts service/advocacy organization dedicated to expanding the presence of Hispanic artists in entertainment and media through the cultivation, education and recognition of emerging artists.HOLA strives for an accurate, informed and non-stereotyped portrayal of the full spectrum of Latino culture and heritage in the entertainment and media industries.

2014 HOLA Awards for Excellence in Theater (producer[s] shown in parentheses)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR

Pablo Andrade, Noche tan linda (Pregones Theater-Puerto Rican Traveling Theater)

Armando Riesco, The Happiest Song Plays Last (Second Stage Theatre)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR

Zulema Clares, Noche tan linda (Pregones Theater-Puerto Rican Traveling Theater)

Beatriz Cordoba, Cita a ciegas (Repertorio Español)

Caridad del Valle, Las cenizas de Troya (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos/Group of the Arts)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED MALE ACTOR

Iván Camilo, Barceló con hielo (Repertorio Español)

Javier Fano, Barceló con hielo (Repertorio Español)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED FEMALE ACTOR

Xiomara Cintrón, Las cenizas de Troya (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos/Group of the Arts)

Jeannie Sol, Rafael Hernández… Romance (Society of the Educational Arts)

Kathy Tejada, Elektra XXXI (Teatro Experimental Blue Amigos/Compañía Hispana de Actores Sobresalientes)

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

Emely Grisanty, Edipo (Guacamolink Performing Arts)

George Riverón, Últimos días de una casa (Festival Monologando Ando)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE CAST

Ricardo Birnbaum, María Cuartero, Pep Muñoz, María Peyramaure, Xabi Soret, Días estupendos (AENY – Spanish Artists in New York/IATI Theater)

Pablo Andrade, Annia Bu, Zulema Clares, Dalia Davi, Javier Fano, Erick González, Elena Mohedano, Antonio Rubio, Fermín Suárez, El loco por fuerza (Repertorio Español)

George Bass, Fermín Suárez, Teresa Yenque, Los borrachos (El Grupo/Comisionado Dominicano de Cultura en EEUU)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL PRODUCTION/DESIGN

José López Alemán, for his puppet, set, and animation design of My Superhero, Roberto Clemente (Society of the Educational Arts)
Daniel Soto for his choreography of My Superhero, Roberto Clemente (Society of the Educational Arts)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PLAYWRITING

Pablo García Gámez, Noche tan linda (Pregones Theater-Puerto Rican Traveling Theater)

José Rivera, Adoration of the Old Woman (INTAR)

Marco Antonio Rodríguez, Barceló con hielo (Repertorio Español)

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION

Leyma López, El loco por fuerza (Repertorio Español)
Walter Ventosilla, Edipo (Guacamolink Performing Arts)

Andrés Zambrano, La zapatera prodigiosa (Repertorio Español)

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Germán Jaramillo, for his performance in Cita a ciegas (Repertorio Español)

Edna Lee Figueroa, for her performance in Carmen Loísaida (Teatro Círculo)

GILBERTO ZALDÍVAR HOLA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Barceló con hielo (Repertorio Español)
La zapatera prodigiosa (Repertorio Español)

To find out more information on HOLA and the programs they offer CLICK HERE

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“Cristela”: True-To-Life Comedy Thru the Multi-Camera Lens

Posted by admin on August 19th, 2014 10:15 AM |

by Robert T. Wood

Cristela Alonzo’s brand new self-titled sitcom, Cristela premieres on ABC on Friday, October 10th. If the series’ buzz at ABC’s test screenings is anything to go by, there’s a solid chance it could be the next Latino sitcom hit and could give the multi-camera, live-studio-audience format, developed by I Love Lucy co-creator and producer Desi Arnaz, another success story.

Cristela is based on Cristela Alonzo’s real-life experiences with a dash of fantasy. Set in Dallas, where Alonzo got her start as a stand-up, the sitcom draws upon several family dynamics she experienced while growing up in South Texas.

Alonzo got her first TV job behind the camera as a writer for Comedy Central’s Mind of Mencia. Her stand-up gained traction after NBC’s Last Comic Standing introduced her to a wide audience. Since then she has appeared on a multitude of late-night shows such as The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, TBS’s Conan, and Last Call with Carson Daly. Based on her track record and audience appeal across cultural and generational barriers, more people came to agree that Cristela Alonzo was ready for prime-time.

While Alonzo has been writing and has been performing comedy for over a decade, her character Cristela is a law intern (an homage to her late mother). In her final year of law school, Cristela is living with her sister and looking for work, with plans to move out on her own in pursuit of her dream of becoming a successful lawyer.

Cristela the sitcom, has the potential to appeal to all audiences, both seasoned and young on many different levels. It’s a show that deals with universal stories. The protagonist’s journey from college grad to law student, and the fact that she is an unpaid intern and still living with family, should be familiar to many of today’s twentysomethings, the target demographic for networks and advertisers. The series’s multi-camera, live in-studio audience format should reel in the viewers who fondly remember the family comedies of times past.

The Little Pilot That Could

At the start of last year’a pilot season, it did not seem likely the “alphabet network” would be adding another comedy series recorded and performed in the classic theatrically-inspired style, much less with a Latina lead.

Kevin Hench & Cristela Alonzo - TCA Press Tour

Originally Cristela did not get a pilot greenlight. However, Alonzo, her co-executive producer and writing partner Kevin Hench, and 21 Laps/Adelstein Entertainment thought Cristela could be a bona-fide hit. On a shoestring budget, Cristela’s team used the Last Man Standing setto shoot the pilot. Co-starring Terri Hoyos, Maria Canals- Barrera, Carlos Ponce, and fellow comic Gabriel Iglesias Cristela proved to be a hit among test audiences. Because of the unique path to pick-up, Deadline.com’s Nellie Andreeva dubbed it “the little pilot that could”.

Sitcom Staying Power?

Starting next October, Cristela Alonzo will join a very short list of Latinas who have starred in their own network comedy series. Elizabeth Peña was the first when she starred in I Married Dora in 1987 on ABC. Jackie Guerra, best remembered for her performance in Gregory Nava’s Selena, was the first Latina comedianne to headline a sitcom in the WB series First Time Out in 1995. This past decade saw America Ferrera’s dramedy Ugly Betty become a critical and ratings favorite, also on ABC.

Cristela has much in common with The Cosby Show and Roseanne, two shows Alonzo cites as having inspired her. The Cosby Show was based in part on Bill Cosby’s stand-up routine and comedienne/actress Roseanne Barr wrote her own self-titled series and eventually became executive producer of the show. As for Alonzo, she is not only the star in Cristela she is the first Latina to executive produce, star and write her own sitcom.

It seems one of the secrets to a successful sitcom is authenticity. At the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour this past July, President of ABC Entertainment Group, Paul Lee stated that Cristela, and some of their other shows,were picked up due to their “authentic, relatable stories”. That is what made George Lopez and Chico and the Man hits. They were developed from existing stand-up routines and based in part on the performer’s own experiences.

Producer James Komack seemed to understand this all too well when he retooled what was originally a Cheech and Chong inspired sitcom and turned into a vehicle for Freddie Prinze. Chico and the Man would turn out be the third-highest rated series of the 1974-75 season. Lopez also incorporated his own personal experiences into his sitcom which ran for six seasons on ABC. Both George Lopez and NBC’s Chico and the Man kept audiences coming back for more. Who could forget George Lopez’s resplendently ebullient “I got this!” in the face of adversity or the crescendo of Freddie Prinze’s “looking good!” on Chico and the Man?

Lasting Impressions

There are those that believe single-camera comedies perform better among viewers, but if you take a look at the ratings, they tell a different story. Variety‘s Rick Kissell wrote that the top two most-watched comedy series amongst the crucial 18-49 demographic were CBS’s The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother, respectively. While The Millers, another CBS sitcom, was the highest rated new comedy. All three use the multi-camera setup, the format most familiar to older viewers. However, in contrast with the expectations of the networks, the style also appears to be embraced by younger audiences.

(L-R) Gabriel Iglesias, Terri Hoyos, Cristela, Carlos Ponce & Maria Canals-Barrera

Alonzo described her affinity for the multi-camera comedies at the TCA press tour, stating, “As a young girl growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, multi-camera sitcoms were the only accessible forms of theater. You know, for me, I loved theater as a kid, and Broadway shows didn’t come to my border town. … Nobody comes down there to perform any shows. So I always think about those towns and girls like me, kids like me that don’t have the exposure to that. And that’s why multi cam seemed like the only option.” Alonzo now has the chance with her show, to bring her take on a classic format to a new generation.

Back in a 2010 interview with Amy Nichol Smith of The Monitor, the future prime-time funnywoman said: “Maybe one day I can get close to doing like 10 percent of what George Lopez has been able to do — I’d be happy.”As the star of her own sitcom on the same network, Cristela Alonzo is one step closer to accomplishing her goal.

Will Cristela have the right ingredients to turn a situation comedy into a smash sensation? Will audiences turn on their flatscreens, tune in to ABC, and drop into Cristela’s universe? We’ll find out in October.

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America Ferrera Hosts “Panoramica” for Pivot & Univision

Posted by admin on August 20th, 2014 08:59 PM

Rosanne Cash Praises 'Meticulous' Restoration of Johnny Cash's Boyhood Home

By Chuck Dauphin | August 18, 2014 4:30 PM EDT

Portrait of Johnny Cash at the Star Plaza Theater, Merrilville, Indiana, May 2, 1994.

Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Trisha Yearwood Signs With Sony, Announces New Album

By Deborah Evans Price | August 19, 2014 7:35 PM EDT

Trisha Yearwood performs with Alabama at the Ryman Auditorium on November 4, 2013 in Nashville, TN

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Country singer also going strong with her newfound culinary career.

Trisha Yearwood is back and gearing up for a very busy fall. On Tuesday evening (Aug. 19) at a press event in Nashville, the Grammy-winning vocalist announced she's signing with Sony Music Nashville, launching her own imprint, Gwendolyn Records, and releasing her 12th studio album, PrizeFighter.

Yearwood, who is joining husband Garth Brooks on a string of sold-out dates this fall, is returning Aug. 23 for five season of Trisha's Southern Kitchen, her Emmy-winning cooking show on the Food Network. She's also set to launch a new cookware line and a line of cutlery as well as publish her third cookbook next April.

Garth Brooks Talks Co-Headlining With Wife Trisha Yearwood

Though her culinary career has been a successful sideline, Yearwood fans have been clamoring for new music for several years. The Georgia native's last studio album was 2007's Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love. "It's been a wonderful few years," Yearwood told Billboard. "I haven't released records, but I've been so busy and I've loved the whole second career. The cookbooks and the TV show and everything is doing just great, but it's kind of forced [music] to take a backseat. It just makes sense now that we have this tour in place and we're getting ready to go back out on the road that there is new music, so I'm excited."

Yearwood's signing with Sony follows Brooks' announcement last month that he was signing with the label and would have a new album this fall. "We wanted to be on the same label because we thought it would be easier and more fun because we want to do duet records," Yearwood said. "We wanted to be able to do whatever we wanted and we've never been on the same record label, so it was kind of born out of looking to find a home that wanted to work with both of us, and Sony was that. I'm excited because it's a joint venture and I got my own imprint for the first time. I named my imprint Gwendolyn Records after my mom, so that's special to me."

Yearwood says the title track reminds her of her late mother who passed away in 2011 after battling cancer. "'Prizefighter' is an empowering song about just staying in the fight," Yearwood said. "When I hear this song I see everything about my mom. I think about her. I think about the soldiers I visited at Walter Reed [National Military Medical Center]. I think about little kids going to school and getting bullied. There's so many things going through my head. It's a really cool song and it just seemed like the right title for this album."

The release date hasn't been set yet, but the album will mix new songs with some of Yearwood's classic hits. "It's everything you would expect like 'She's in Love With The Boy' and all the way to 'How Do I Live,'" Yearwood said of the songs that range from her breakthrough hit to the Diane Warren-penned power ballad featured in the Nicolas Cage film Con Air. "When we released 'How Do I Live,' we did two versions for the movie. We did the country version and we did the pop version. The country version is what went to radio, but the pop version was released on the album, so the country version has never been on a record. PrizeFighter will be about eight or nine greatest hits and about six new songs, so it should have about 15 songs on it."

The bulk of the album will be produced by Yearwood's longtime producer Garth Fundis with a couple of additional tracks she worked on recently with Mark Miller, Brooks' longtime engineer, who is producing this new record. "I'm still kind of frantically finishing up," Yearwood said of the album.

When asked if she's thinking about country radio as she records the new music, Yearwood responded, "Absolutely! I'm not young. I'm going to be 50 this September and all you hear is, 'Nobody over 30 gets played on radio,' so it's a whole new ballgame, but it's not going to stop me from making good music and I do think about radio. We are recording a little differently. The sound is a lot different on radio now. The vocals are a lot dryer and more in your face, and I like that. It's been a new experience for me and we are recording that way. I feel like musically it sounds like what you hear on radio. Now whether radio will play it or not remains to be seen, and I'm conscious of it. But I'm doing what I've always done, and that is pick songs that I believe in and try to do the best job I can on them and then hope for the best."

Much has been said and written recently about the dearth of women on country radio, and Yearwood admits to being baffled by it. "I don't know why," she mused. "When I was making records in the mid-'90s, women were just taking over the radio. It was me, Faith [Hill], Martina [McBride], Reba [McEntire], Pam Tillis and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Everywhere you turned there was a female on the radio, having No. 1s and selling records. I never thought it would go the other way. I read that there were maybe four female artists that have had No.1 records this past year, so I don't know what happened. The female artists that are doing well are doing great. Everybody's voice needs to be heard. I love Miranda Lambert. I'm a fan and I'm glad that if women are being represented by a few, I'm glad that one of them is her because she is awesome, but we need more."

In addition to working on her album, Yearwood has been readying the new season of her cooking show, which launches this weekend. "I did 15 shows in 16 days, so I'm fresh off of that," Yearwood said, admitting she's still amazed at the show's success because it's so much fun to do. "We ad-lib everything. We don't have a script and they could show a whole show of outtakes because I make so many mistakes. I can't believe they edit it all together and make it look like a show, but it's been fun and I feel like it works because it goes back to being true to what I know. I'm not a chef. I don't pretend to be. I'm a cook like my mama was. I think I cook like most people cook when they are in the kitchen. The biggest compliment is when somebody says, 'I feel like I could be in your kitchen and be your friend.' It's the same way when somebody comes to a concert and says, 'I feel like I got to know you in that two hours and I feel like we could hang out.' That's what I want. I don't want to be the elusive star, whatever that is. I want to be the girl you think you can be buddies with."

Trisha's Southern Kitchen began in April 2012 spurred by the success of her New York Times best-selling cookbooks -- 2008's Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen and 2010's Home Cooking With Trisha Yearwood. The cookbooks and TV show have led to Yearwood partnering with GreenPan to launch her Trisha's Precious Metals collection. She'll be introducing two items on In the Kitchen With David on Aug. 24 and will launch the entire line on QVC in November. It goes to Walmart in the spring of 2015. Yearwood is also launching a line of cutlery with Furi.

"The success of those books, which turned into the success of the TV show, brought with it all sorts of opportunity, and I've been really slow to endorse this product or that product because I don't want to endorse anything that I don't believe in," Yearwood said. "I've been working on a cookware line for about two years, just making sure to get it right and make sure it's something that I liked. And I approached them. It's a company called GreenPan, which is what I use. I bought a pan of theirs in Target and I really liked it, so when we were being pitched all these cookware lines, I said, 'Can somebody just call GreenPan to see if they would meet with me?' They are wonderful. They are just a good company that is not only a good product, but is affordable and it's something that I really use. So they worked with me on developing a bunch of pans that are beautiful that I use in my kitchen. They go in the dishwasher, all the things that I require. I don't want some $200 pan that is beautiful and cooks great but I can't put in the dishwasher, so that's something that is coming."

Yearwood says she's also a fan of Furi Knives and is partnering with them to start her own line of cutlery. "They study carpal tunnel syndrome and the whole ergonomic thing about holding a knife and they make amazing knives," she says. "So I'll partner with them too. I'm probably moving slower than everybody in my camp would like, but I'm not going to endorse something that I don't believe in. I just did this Hellmann's Mayonnaise campaign because I've been talking about them for seven years, so they came calling. It's just like looking for songs. You try to find songs that feel like you. If you didn't write them, you still feel like you did when you're done. It's the same thing like these ventures. I'm not going to endorse a pan that I'm not going to use myself."

In the midst of recording the new album and readying her cutlery and cookware lines, Yearwood recently moved back to Nashville, where she and Brooks are settling into a new home. "We both had houses here that we lived in, but we are trying to pare down," she says. (Her previous Nashville home is up for sale as well as a home the couple own in Malibu.)

"We have multiple homes, but we're not really multiple home people," she says with a laugh, "so we're trying to pare down and have just one place in Nashville, and we do still have our place in Oklahoma."

In the next few weeks, the couple will be on the road, starting with a string of 11 sold-out Chicago shows on Sept. 4 and then heading to Atlanta for multiple dates. "It's going to be super cool. You know my husband doesn't do anything halfway," she said. "It's going to be over the top and I get to be a part of this. I'm super excited."

Yearwood is appreciative of where she is now in her career and excited about the future. "When I took a break from music to move to Oklahoma and marry the love of my life, I really didn't know what would happen next," said Yearwood, who has won three Grammys, three CMAs and two ACM Awards. "I'm an artist, so my goal is to continue to make music for as long as I can still sing. I want to sell records and I want to have hits. You always want to be that girl that people are talking about, but my bigger goal in music is really to make music. My role model is somebody like Emmylou Harris. I'm going to buy every Emmylou Harris record that she ever makes. It doesn't matter to me if she is trending on Yahoo or if she's got a No. 1 record or she's not getting played on radio or she is. She's an artist and I want to hear what she has to say, so I model my music career on somebody like her.

"Although I'm not saying I'm not sitting here trying to figure out the best way to market myself so I can sell records and have hits, because this is a good opportunity for me," she continues. "The touring is an opportunity for me, and so is the cooking show. We have an average of 1.2 million viewers every Saturday, so I've got a nice audience there that I'm hoping I can bring along with all this other stuff. I would not have thought that I would have this kind of energy and excitement after almost 25 years of being in this business. It's wonderful and it makes me feel like there's nothing that I can't do. If you can dream it, then figure out a way to do it. And when you do dream it, and it is successful, then you have more confidence to try the next thing. It's like, 'OK, what else can we do?' I've never been busier, but it's good. It's all good."

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U2 New Album 2014: Another Source Confirms Release 'This Year'

By Alex M. Smith
Aug 19, 2014 11:13 AM EDT

Bono of U2(Photo : Richard Bord/Getty Images)

Another source has confirmed that U2's new studio album will indeed be released in 2014.

Rolling Stone reports that a spokesperson for the band said, "We've always said an album is expected this year."

The magazine also notes several other sources, including:

• Tweets from Universal Music Venezuela and Universal Music Colombia indicating the album would be coming out in September.
• A report from French newspaper Nice-Matin that says the band shot a new music video in Nice, France, "the other week."
• A report from The Irish Times that quotes a source saying there will be a single in September, an album in September or October and a tour announced in December, with dates beginning in April 2015. "It is believed," the story says, "the band will release (the album) with little of the fanfare usually associated with a new U2 album."

As previously reported this July, a source close to The Sun discussed the new album, saying: "The U2 comeback is very much on for this year. This album has been a real struggle for them to make. It's taken a long time and Bono didn't find it easy. But they're very confident now and are convinced the wait has been worth it."

Also from July: Some believe that the band's frontman, 54-year-old Bono, has suffered from writer's block and anxieties throughout the production process, which stands as a reason for the lengthy recording session. Perhaps another reason is because both Bono and The Edge have been working with John Carney, director of Once, on a new musical based on the filmmaker's early days as a child.

The same source for The Sun noted the album will mostly likely be out in November. They also hinted at the fact that the band could be performing at London's Roundhouse in September as part of this year's iTunes Festival.

U2 last released a studio album, No Line On The Horizon, in 2009, but they cut a new single - "Invisible" - in February.

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Jessie J Announces New Album 'Sweet Talker,' 'Bang Bang' Singer Shares Cover And Release Date [PHOTO]

Jessie J(Photo : Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Today British pop singer Jessie J announced the title, artwork, and release date of her next album through her Instagram account. The album will be titled Sweet Talker and is set for release on Oct. 13 in the U.K. and Oct. 14 worldwide. The album has already spawned two singles: "Burning Up" featuring 2 Chainz, and the top 10 hit "Bang Bang" featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.

You can check out the album's cover right here. It was posted with the caption, "'SWEET TALKER' the official title of my 3rd album! This is the official album cover! So happy to share it with you all! It's OUT 13th OCTOBER In the UK and 14th OCTOBER REST OF THE WORLD! #sweettalkerbaby #album3".

According to Rap-Up, the album will feature contributions by Diplo, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Max Martin, and 2 Chainz.

"I recorded a week in L.A., a week in New York, and two weeks in the U.K. It was the quickest album I've ever made," Jessie J told Radio.com about the album's recording. "Really proud of it, though. I really feel like it represents where I'm at right now as a singer, as a woman, as a person, emotionally, everything. I can't wait for people to hear it."

Sweet Talker will be Jessie J's first studio album since 2013's Alive, which spawned the singles "Wild," "It's My Party," and "Thunder," all of which were top 40 hits in the singer's native U.K.

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Classic Brit Award-Winning Saxophonist Amy Dickson Releases 'A Summer Place' on Sony Classical

Aug 21, 2014 12:44 AM EDT | Maria Jean Sullivan (m.su...alite.com)

Classic Brit Award-winning saxophonist Amy Dickson released A Summer Place on August 12 via Sony Classical. Australian-born, London-based Dickson has re-gifted us summers in the 1950s, '60s and '70s, taking the listener to a far off, well, modern-day sax paradise.

A Summer Place features arrangements by five-time Grammy-nominated composer/arranger/conductor Chris Walden and two-time Grammy-nominated record producer and trumpeter James McMillan.

The album also features...

“The Windmills of Your Mind” by Michel Legrand, the brilliant theme from The Apartment, Paul Desmond’s “Take Five,” “The World We Knew (Over and Over)” by Frank Sinatra, “Moon River” by Henry Mancini, “We Have All the Time in the World” by John Barry and even Simon and Garfunkel’s "The Sound Of Silence.”

Dickson remarked on the making of A Summer Place to Entertainment Focus: “With this album I aimed to capture the feel of summer in the 1960s--that very sumptuous, still elegant feel, especially from the Mediterranean. There are quite a few pieces from '60s films, which have been given a very cool, modern twist.”

“There were just so many options to choose from, so the challenge on this album was to narrow it down to the ones we have finally chosen. As I wanted to put my own stamp on the more well-known pieces, we also took into consideration the treatment which was to be given to each of the tracks,” she continued on the compositional process.

Catch her this fall from October 2 to 5 at the Phoenix Symphony Hall in Phoenix, AZ.

Below, browse the full tracklist.

And do give a listen to her SoundCloud below.

1. A Summer Place
2. Windmills of Your Mind
3. The Apartment Theme
4. Take Five
5. The World We Knew
6. Moon River
7. We Have All the Time in the World
8. What’s It All About Alfie?
|9. The Summer of ’42
10. The Sound of Silence

Amy Dickson interview

Posted on August 8, 2014 By Pip Ellwood Music Interviews

110 45 Google +0 0

Australian-born Amy Dickson is preparing to release her new album A Summer Place on 25th August 2014.

The saxophonist puts her own take on some wonderful, evergreen themes from the late 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s. Songs on the record include A Summer Place, The Windmills of Your Mind and the theme from The Apartment.

We caught up with Amy to talk about her career, find out more about her album and discuss her achievements to date.

How are you today? Where does this email Q&A find you?

Great, thank you! Today I am in beautiful Mallorca, where we are doing the photo and video shoot for my new album.

You’re releasing your new album A Summer Place in June. What can your fans expect from the album?

With this album I aimed to capture the feel of summer in the 1960s – that very sumptuous, still elegant feel, especially from the Mediterranean. There are quite a few pieces from 60s films, which have been given a very cool, modern twist.

How did you choose the tracks you wanted to record for the album?

There were just so many options to choose from, so the challenge on this album was to narrow it down to the ones we have finally chosen. As I wanted to put my own stamp on the more well-known pieces, we also took into consideration the treatment which was to be given to each of the tracks.

You’ve picked up a Classic Brit Award and been nominated for a Grammy. What were those experiences like for you?

Absolutely thrilling. As with this new album, Dusk and Dawn was very much a project of a lot of love and passion from so many people who were involved. So it was really wonderful to be able to share those experiences with the people who have worked so hard on this music.

You’re classed as ‘the world’s leading classical saxophonist’. That’s a pretty big weight to carry isn’t it? How do you deal with having that label?

Actually, the saxophone is such a diverse instrument in terms of possible timbres and styles of playing, that it differs greatly from one person to another – and how that is received is really a very subjective thing. That’s the wonderful thing about the saxophone: it can be interpreted in so many ways, as indeed can music in general. It shouldn’t be a competition!

During your career to date you’ve made a substantial contribution to the repertoire for saxophone by commissioning new works. Do you feel that part of your job is to promote the saxophone and encourage others to play it?

I certainly feel passionate about the contemporary repertoire and its expansion, and given the position that I am fortunate enough to find myself in, I do also feel a responsibility to use that profile to promote it.

What’s been your favourite piece to play so far and why?

I have such a broad repertoire that my favourite piece differs many times a day, at least!

You’re a brand ambassador for REN Skincare. How did you get involved with that?

Quite a few years ago I first became affiliated with REN. They have such a wonderful, natural range of products, which I have used ever since. I think that it’s rare to find beauty products which are still as effective after such a long time.

What other plans do you have for the rest of the year?

This summer I am performing at festivals in Europe. After that I have tours in America and Australia.

Amy’s album A Summer Place is released on August 25th. Check out the video for A Summer Place below:

- See more at: http://www.entertainment-...54bVX.dpuf

Barbra Streisand to duet with the late Elvis Presley on new album Partners

By Iona Kirby for MailOnline

Published: 23:29 EST, 11 August 2014 | Updated: 05:32 EST, 12 August 2014

Barbra Streisand is teaming up with the late great Elvis Presley for her new album.

The singer has announced the upcoming release of Partners, which will be made up entirely of duets.

And thanks to the wonders of modern technology, Barbra will team up with the King Of Rock And Roll for a rendition of Love Me Tender, according to ABC News.

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'What an extraordinary collection of talent!': Barbra Streisand has announced the upcoming release of her new duet album Partners, as well as sharing a photo of the album artwork

Barbara confirmed that all 12 duets on the album, which is set to hit the shelves on September 16, will be with male vocalists.

The 72-year-old will also be joining forces with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli and Michael Bublé.

And there’s something for everyone as other singers featuring on the record are John Mayer, John Legend, Blake Shelton, Babyface, Josh Groban and Jason Gould.

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The King: The singer is teaming up with the late great Elvis Presley, pictured in 1958, for a posthumous rendition of Love Me Tender

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Big names: The album, out September 16, also features the likes of Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Andrea Bocelli

‘What an extraordinary collection of talent!’ Barbra gushed on her Instagram page as she shared the exciting news on Monday.

She also posted a picture of the simple album artwork, which features a photo of Barbra alongside the words ‘Streisand, Partners’ and a list of the stars she has collaborated with.

An exclusive video of Barbra’s It Had To Be You duet with Michael Bublé was shown that same day on Good Morning America.

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Teaser: An exclusive video of Barbra's It Had To Be You duet with Michael Buble was shown on Good Morning America on Monday

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Making music: The pair laid down the track together and separately, while an orchestra played in the background

Watch more news videos | Latest from the USThe clip shows the pair laying down their track together and separately, while an orchestra plays in the background.

Barbra and Elvis never collaborated while the rock star was alive, although the Way We Were actress had wanted him to appear in 1976’s A Star Is Born, with the role eventually going to Kris Kristofferson.

It was rumoured that Elvis, who was 42 when he died the year after the movie’s release, had been interested in the part but his manager had asked for top billing and a huge sum of money, which producers would not agree to.

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Now's her chance: The 72-year-old will get to sing on a track with Elvis after wanting him to star opposite her in 1976's A Star Is Born. The role eventually went to Kris Kristofferson (L)

Madonna's New Album: Diplo Reveals Details, Says 'It's Going To Be A Breakthrough'

By Caitlin Carter
Aug 22, 2014 11:57 AM EDT

Madonna(Photo : Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

In a new interview with Billboard, Diplo reveals details about his work with Madonna that we've all been waiting for. Here's what we learned:

1. Diplo and Ariel Rechtshaid have been in the studio with Madonna for three sessions in New York so far, and he thinks the tracks are coming along great.

"I think three are just like amazing, smashes," Diplo told them. "One is super weird. Late one night in the studio we got a little bit drunk and she improvised a little hook and we made a song out of it. I think it's going to be a breakthrough if she can manage to get everything together and get it out properly."

2. Madonna doesn't really drink in the studio, but when she does, she drinks rosé

3. The collaboration began earlier this year when Madonna invited Diplo to her Oscar party. Although he couldn't attend, the two began texting, and Diplo send her some song ideas. He never expected her to take them seriously.

"She wrote me back like a 20-page text, notes about all these songs," he said.

4. He said that Madonna really liked a hook of a track that he crafted with MNEK, a London songwriter who worked on the Disclosure album, so they are they revamping the verses for her.

"I need those verses [from Rechtshaid]. I want to wrap that up," he said. "That song is on like version 20. It went from a piano ballad to a 'Turn Down for What'-style song, which I didn't like. Now it's somewhere in the middle, which is a more pop record."

Madonna announced she was working with Diplo back in May when she posted photos to her Instagram account with the captions, "Working with @Diplo got me like................WHAAaaat?" and "Diplo is a slave driver! Got me working all hours of the night in the studio. Had to sneak into the bathroom!"

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Taylor Swift Interview: 'I've Been Taking A Feminist Stance Without Actually Saying so"

By Alex M. Smith
Aug 24, 2014 10:35 AM EDT

Taylor Swift(Photo : Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

What's basically become "Taylor Swift Week" got a little more interesting on Saturday when The Guardian released a new interview with the pop star.

Swift touched on TMZ, haters and friendships with women such as Lorde and Lena Dunham, but she also clarified her stance as a feminist:

"As a teenager, I didn't understand that saying you're a feminist is just saying that you hope women and men will have equal rights and equal opportunities," Swift said. "What it seemed to me, the way it was phrased in culture, society, was that you hate men. And now, I think a lot of girls have had a feminist awakening because they understand what the word means. For so long it's been made to seem like something where you'd picket against the opposite sex, whereas it's not about that at all. Becoming friends with Lena - without her preaching to me, but just seeing why she believes what she believes, why she says what she says, why she stands for what she stands for - has made me realise that I've been taking a feminist stance without actually saying so."

The 23-year-old star has been ultra-famous for several years, but she's finally learning how to cope in the public eye.

"In the last couple of years I've had to come to terms with the fact that anyone can say anything about me and call TMZ or Radar Online or something, and it will be an international headline," she said. "You can either go crazy and let it make you bitter and make you not trust people, and become really secluded or rebellious against the whole system. Or you can just shake it off and figure that as long as you're having more fun than anyone else, what does it matter what anyone else thinks? Because I've wanted this life since I was a kid.

"I am not gonna let them make me miserable when I could be enjoying my life. That's why you see these artists become a tabloid regular and then become artistically and musically irrelevant, because they let [gossipy websites] stifle them. It's not going to happen here."

Another interesting point of the interview: When Swift discusses the giant cliché that she's become to a large section of listeners who dislike her.

"I really resent the idea that if a woman writes about her feelings, she has too many feelings," she says. "And I really resent the 'Be careful, buddy, she's going to write a song about you' angle, because it trivialises what I do. It makes it seem like creating art is something you do as a cheap weapon rather than an artistic process. They can say whatever they want about my personal life because I know what my personal life is, and it involves a lot of TV and cats and girlfriends. But I don't like it when they start to make cheap shots at my songwriting. Because there's no joke to be made there."

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Crazy Tales From The Beatles' First Hollywood Concerts

Apple Corps Ltd.

The Beatles

Promoter Bob Eubanks describes the way the Fab Four were rescued from fans at Dodger Stadium — an ambulance and armored car were involved

5 of Summer's Most Overlooked TV Shows

Tim Goodman's picks for what to watch before fall

'The Honorable Woman'

This story first appeared in the Aug. 29 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

The Honorable Woman, SundanceTV

This eight-episode limited series (episode four aired Aug. 21) arguably is the best show on television at the moment — a riveting, complicated, timely espionage thriller about Israel, Palestine and the conflict's ties to the U.S. and Britain. Star Maggie Gyllenhaal is exceptional, and the writing and directing are top tier. It's kind of stunning that more people aren't talking about it. Now's your chance to change that.

Available at sundance.tv

Manhattan, WGN America

Once WGN stepped into the scripted game with Salem, it didn't look back, and its second effort is surprisingly accomplished. Viewers might wonder if they even get the channel, which would explain why Manhattan's first season (episode five airs Aug. 24) is under the radar. But the story of America's rush to build the first atomic bomb, and the scientists who moved to the New Mexico desert to do so, is sharply written, acted and directed.

Available on Hulu

Penny Dreadful, Showtime

Here's one on which you'll have to play catch-up as this unique horror series starring Eva Green and Josh Hartnett wrapped its first eight-episode season June 29. A blend of influences from mainstays of the genre (Frankenstein, Dorian Gray, various vampires, etc.), the show, created by John Logan, was far more intriguing and sophisticated than expected — and has more gravitas than bigger-buzz horror series like The Strain.

Available on Showtime Anytime

Rectify, SundanceTV

Here's a perfect example of how massive critical acclaim can't always get the world to watch. The first season of Rectify, which emerged as a poster series for Slow TV, was a revelation — the incredible tale of a man on death row for murdering his teenage girlfriend, his subsequent release and his slow return to civilization. The second season (the final episode aired Aug. 21) has generated dramatically less watercooler chatter, though the quality hasn't diminished in the slightest.

Available at sundance.tv

The Divide, WE tv

This, perhaps, has been summer's biggest surprise. WE tv's first original scripted series (the eight-episode season's finale airs Aug. 27), from screenwriter Richard LaGravenese and Tony Goldwyn, is a Philadelphia-set drama about a high-profile murder case that saw an innocent man executed 11 years after the fact. But it goes deeper than that and features shockingly good performances by Marin Ireland, Damon Gupton and Paul Schneider.

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Emmys: Billy Crystal to Pay Tribute to Robin Williams

Courtesy Everett Collection

Robin Williams and Billy Crystal in "Father's Day"

Sara Bareilles to perform during In Memoriam segment

Deborah Cox on Re-Recording Whitney Houston’s Vocals for Lifetime Biopic: ‘I Had Some Big Shoes to Fill’

By Gail Mitchell | August 22, 2014 6:13 PM EDT

Airing in 2015, Lifetime’s I Will Always Love You: The Whitney Houston Story,” starring Yaya DaCosta (pictured below, right), has already faced major challenges. Family matriarch Cissy Houston denounced the biopic, directed by Angela Bassett. Then there were problems securing the rights to Houston’s vocals. To overcome the latter hurdle, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter (“Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”) and Broadway star (Aida, Jekyll & Hyde) Deborah Cox, 40, was asked to re-create several tracks. “I knew I had some big shoes to fill,” says Cox. “But I did the job that was supposed to be done.” The singer talked to Billboard about her work on the project.

Billboard: How did you become involved?
Deborah Cox: Angela, who is a friend, approached me about singing a few songs. She and I -- along with [songwriter/producer] Dick Rudolph, who is also closely supervising the music -- went into the studio to record “Greatest Love of All,” “I Will Always Love You,” “I’m Every Woman” and “I’m Your Baby Tonight” strictly for the film. There is no soundtrack. Obviously, the best-case scenario would be to use Whitney’s voice. But we’re all very passionate about telling Whitney’s story with integrity and very sensitive to all the talk. It’s been a complete honor to do this.

What will fans hear in your rendering of those songs?
The key was to sing in a tone as close to Whitney’s as possible, purely from the heart. None of Deborah Cox seeped into the performances. I have a little more of a cry in my tone when I sing certain things; her tone is round and warm. It was about creating the essence of her. I still haven’t read the script. Angela would tell me what was happening in a particular scene, so I sang with the spirit of that in mind. She was directing me in the studio, which was cool. I was very unbiased. I didn’t have any preconceptions.

Lifetime

You recorded the 2000 single “Same Script, Different Cast” with Houston. What would she say about your role in this biopic?
“Go on, girl!” She was always that kind of motivator when working with her in the studio. Doing that single was a dream come true. She loved singing with other singers; there’s a great exchange and camaraderie that can happen. We laughed and had fun telling stories about the business. And I heeded a lot of her advice like have children and don’t miss out on personal things. I was honored to have those quiet moments with her. I always say I came from the School of Whitney Houston. Her style helped me understand the kind of artist I wanted to be.

In addition to your R&B and pop success, you’ve charted 12 No. 1s on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.
It’s been an amazing ride with dance taking off over the years. Both my No. 1’s, “We Can’t Be Friends” and “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” were a springboard for everything, allowing me to do a number of different projects. It’s all about longevity in this business, which is hard to come by. It’s all in the song. And I’ve had the opportunity to work with great songwriters and producers.

When can fans expect a new album?
I’m looking for that to happen in 2015 through Primary Wave/BMG. Hopefully, I’ll have a new song out by the end of this year. I’m really focusing on well-penned songs … something I can really sink my teeth into. I love melodies and great stories in sync with what’s going on in my life.

An edited version of this article first appeared in the Aug. 30 issue of Billboard.

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Aloe Blacc & JC Chasez Talk Making of Smokey Robinson's 'My Girl' Remake

By Gloria Ayee, Durham, NC | August 22, 2014 7:24 PM EDT

Smokey Robinson Autumn de Wilde

Smokey Robinson's new album Smokey & Friends is an R&B/soul masterpiece that features new duet versions of some of the singer/songwriter's most memorable songs, including remakes of tracks written by Robinson for himself and his group the Miracles, as well as other acts like the Temptations and Marvin Gaye.

Smokey Robinson Records Duets Album With Elton John & More

What makes Smokey & Friends special is Robinson's collaborations with music-industry heavyweights, including Elton John, Steven Tyler, Cee Lo Green, John Legend, JC Chasez, Mary J. Blige, Jessie J, Miguel, Ledisi, Aloe Blacc, Gary Barlow, Sheryl Crow and James Taylor.

A standout track from the new duets album is "My Girl." The original song, which is widely recognized as a musical standard, was co-written and co-produced by Robinson and Ronald White and first recorded by the Temptations for Barry Gordy's Motown label in 1964. "My Girl" went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 6, 1965. It was the Temptations' first No. 1 and first top 10.

For its remake, Robinson wanted to do a modern take on the Temptations classic. He didn't want this song to be duet, therefore he and Randy Jackson put a group together: Blacc, Miguel, Chasez and John Mayer on the guitar.

With the perfect combination of soul, flawless harmonizing and well-executed runs, the remake of "My Girl" is a contemporary take on the classic record. Mayer brings his usual style to the track with a lot of clean blues licks/riffs that complement the vocal performance beautifully, followed by smooth melodic soloing during the instrumental breaks.

In exclusive interviews with Billboard, Blacc and Chasez described their experiences recording "My Girl" and also talked about what it meant for them to be included on Robinson's new album.

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked "My Girl" as one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. What did it mean for you to be included in the remake of such an iconic R&B song?

Aloe Blacc: It is an honor to be invited to lend my voice and share a song with such an accomplished songwriter and singer as Smokey Robinson. I grew up listening to many of his songs and have learned a great deal about writing by analyzing his compositions.

JC Chasez: I think it is a privilege to sing any one of Smokey Robinson's songs. You are talking about someone who installed some of the foundations of Motown, and Motown is really a foundation for what music is built on today. "My Girl" is so recognizable. I was more than excited to be a part of it.

Do you remember the first time you heard "My Girl"? What is your personal history with the song?

Blacc: When I was a young child my dad would play Motown hits on long drives and sing along to the songs. "My Girl" was definitely one of those songs. I fell in love with The Temptations and many other classic soul acts.

Chasez: The first time I heard the original version of "My Girl" was with my family. We used to take cross-country trips all over the United States. We would stop at different places and we kind of popped into one of those '50s diners. We would dig through all the records and play different songs. My parents would listen to the Motown [records] as well. My strongest memory was sitting in a '50s diner when I was 5 or 6 years old and hearing that song come on.

It is often difficult for artists to get a favorable response for remakes of songs, especially when the song is such a classic. Nonetheless, there is something really magical about hearing you sing along with Smokey Robinson and the other artists on this track. How do you personally feel about the remake?

Blacc: Personally, I believe some songs should never be covered. There are artists whose voices and delivery are incomparable. It's impossible to do better than the original in many cases. However, when the song's composer invites you to join in a cover, there is some license granted. I feel like the remake is a special reminder of Smokey's brilliance.

Chasez: Everybody has their opinions about the originals, and I respect those opinions because there was magic that happened in that moment that made that song so special in that time. But we are also talking about the person that wrote that song in the first place. It's not like someone else went and manipulated it from left field. The fact that Smokey Robinson was involved and working with Randy Jackson to make sure it sounds the way he wants it to sound… I thought it was the right fit, the right process. I was totally comfortable with it.

What was the most challenging thing about working on this record? What surprised you, and what did you enjoy most about working with the other gentlemen?

Blacc: The most challenging part was balancing our different styles and voices. I was really surprised by the power and finesse in Miguel's voice. I've known him for years and I'm proud of the way his talent has developed.

Chasez: The most nerve-racking thing was that I had to lay my vocal down first. You know that these great singers are going to come in and sing all over this thing, so you want to perform at a high level because you respect all these other artists, and you want to do the song justice. I respect Smokey Robinson and I admire his talent. So I wanted to make sure that I was giving him every ounce that I had to give.

Describe "My Girl" in one word.

Blacc: Nostalgia.

Chasez: Modern.

Do you think that the remake of "My Girl" will introduce a new generation to classic R&B music?

Blacc: I really hope so. Classic soul and R&B are my favorites, and I'd love for today's youth to know more about the roots of contemporary music. It is very enriching to explore the past and make connections to what is happening in modern life.

Chasez: I certainly hope so. In my opinion, a great song is a great song and should be heard by as many people as humanly possible. So I think it would be wonderful if a new group of people fell in love with this song. I also like the fact that usually when people like something they want to find out more about it. And I would like for them to go back and check out the original song as well.

Smokey & Friends was released Aug. 19 on Verve Records.

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Tamia Signs With Def Jam Ahead of New Album

By Gail Mitchell | August 22, 2014 11:42 AM EDT

Tamia has signed with Def Jam

Grammy-nominated singer Tamia has signed with Def Jam Recordings, signaling her return to the major label ranks. Her first album for the label -- and sixth overall -- is expected in spring 2015.

Tamia's most recent studio set, 2012's Beautiful Surprise, was released via her own Capitol/EMI-distributed label Plus One Music Group. The album, her first after a six-year hiatus, debuted at No. 6 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. She also garnered two Grammy Award nominations for her work on that album: best R&B song for the title track and best R&B album.

• Essence Festival 2013: Be... Superdome

Currently signed to Chris Smith Management, Tamia first came to national attention in 1995 when Quincy Jones introduced her on the single "You Put a Move on My Heart." She later teamed with Brandy, Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan on the top 10 R&B single "Missing You" from the 1996 Set It Off soundtrack. Her other hits include "So Into You," "Stranger in My House" and her No. 1 R&B duet with Eric Benét, "Spend My Life With You."

Tamia, wife of retired NBA star Grant Hill, shared a photo to announce the news via her Instagram account:

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Jennifer Lawrence in talks for Quentin Tarantino's western 'The Hateful Eight'

'The Hunger Games' star could play "The Prisoner" Daisy Domergue

Jennifer Lawrence is in talks to star in Quentin Tarantino's hotly anticipated western The Hateful Eight.

The star of The Hunger Games and American Hustle could be in line to play "The Prisoner" Daisy Domergue.

According to the Collider film blog Lawrence isn't just on Tarantino's casting wish list but actively discussing a role in the director's eighth film.

A teaser trailer for the film has been shown in selected American cinemas soundtracked by Iggy Pop's 'Gimme Danger'. It suggests Lawrence could play the only female member of The Hateful Eight.

The main characters have been revealed as, Major Marquis Warren, “The Bounty Hunter”, John Ruth “The Hangman”, Daisy Domergue, “The Prisoner”, Chris Mannix, “The Sheriff”, Bob “The Mexican”, Oswald Mobray “The Little Man”, Joe Gage “The Cow Puncher” and General Sandy Smithers “The Confederate”.

The official synopsis adds, "The Hateful Eight follows the steadily ratcheting tension that develops after a blizzard" when a "pitiless and mistrustful" group are trapped together by circumstance. Stuck together on a stagecoach the eight, including "a competing pair of bounty hunters, a renegade Confederate soldier, and a female prisoner", hole up in a saloon in the middle of nowhere.

Tarantino fell victim to a script leak earlier this year when website Gawker published an early draft of the Civil War set western.
The Reservoir Dogs director said at the time he was shelving plans to make the western adding defiantly that there were "plenty more where that one came from". He then showcased a live read through of the script in April with regular collaborators Samuel L. Jackson and Kurt Russell. Amber Tamblyn read the role of Daisy while Zoe Bell (Death Proof) played Six Horse Judy.

Using last month's Comic-Con in San Diego as a platform to announce a change of heart the Pulp Fiction director confirmed his plans to finally shoot The Hateful Eight.

Jennifer Lawrence will be seen next in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 in cinemas November 21. The actress is also scheduled to reunite with director David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) for Joy.

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Tim Sutton: Director of MEMPHIS

Category: Interviews

Published on Monday, 24 March 2014 11:37

Part of our Independent Visions Competition

Click here to view all of...ion films.

MEMPHIS is a gorgeous, impressionistic portrait of a young musician named Willis Earl Beale (playing himself), a talented outsider hustling his away through the streets of Memphis and looking for inspiration among the city’s juke joints, bars and legendary performers. But soon, his refusal to make a record takes him to the edge of his invented persona, putting his creative project in jeopardy as he slowly begins to unravel. With gorgeous cinematography and an almost painterly commitment to moments and images that underscore Willis’ state of mind, Tim Sutton’s film is an ode to the vulnerability of creativity.

SFF Interview: Tim Sutton: Director of MEMPHIS

SFF 2014: What drew you to this story and the special world of the recording artist?

TIM SUTTON: For a long time there has been an evolving cocktail in my head that mixed a realistic African American musician's experience with a truly dreamy surrealism and sense of folklore. Memphis is a city of myth and legend and I wanted to add my own tag to that evolving tale, evoking spiritual and secular life as it really is: powerful, strange, and true to its own world . And I believe certain musicians, from Beethoven to Thelonious Monk to Kurt Cobain, have a third eye. That through their vision and talent and persona, they can see things that we can't. Not ghosts but they can understand that existence has many dimensions to it and not just a standard way to live. They color outside the lines and I not only find that fascinating, I find it meaningful as an example that says that the alternatives are many. The character I wrote was a part of that fabric. And Willis Earl Beal, whom we cast after the story was written but angled it more toward him and his reality, is truly of that lineage. He's an outsider who doesn't see the world as inside and out, black and white. He sees textures.

SFF 2014: The film has a vérité feel. Was it tightly scripted?

TIM SUTTON: I wrote a very detailed short story and 'scriptment' with dialogue and characters and a very ethereal but linear progression to the narrative. That is what I first showed DP Chris Dapkins and producer John Baker, but with the full intention to use this only as a starting point and to very much 'live' the film as we shot it. The project was developed through the Venice Biennale Cinema College lab program. They funded the film in its entirety. So they needed assurances that there was a real plan. Willis read it twice and then we put it away and went forward in a very structured improvisational style. Each day I would have a set plan of what to shoot and when (time of day is very important to the cinematography). A minimal storyboard and the basic needs that had to happen with each scene. But within the scenes, the people in the film had control over how they acted. I work with real people as real people; I guide them and give them hints, but within the frame it becomes very much about them. And that's the same for the DP. I know what I want and we discuss it but it is typically executed with his eyes as the focus. If you micromanage people, they can't add to the vision. If you empower people, they'll take it farther than you can imagine.

SFF 2014: You achieved incredible visuals and a real sense of place that few filmmakers accomplish. Tell us about your approach to the film's look:

TIM SUTTON: Memphis is a place that is both cursed and blessed. It has the history of many kings but, at the same time, has grass growing up through the cracks in the sidewalk. That's what I wanted to ruminate on and further illustrate. To explore a place that feels like a forgotten Eden, not some tourist's idea of blues but REAL blues, a world that is mythic and being taken back by the trees and the river and the witnesses who live there. I think in many ways it takes someone from the outside to know how to do that. A fresh eye. Not a stranger's take on it, but a humble observation of all the glory and loneliness that the city has acquired over all these years. Not being concerned with facts or plot points but, rather, being free to daydream, to wonder, is what makes the character and the film as a whole worthwhile; to me, at least. And that is purely out of collaborating with Chris, with Willis, and Seth Bomse (editor).

SFF 2014: How did you assemble this amazing soundtrack?

TIM SUTTON: Well most of it comes from Willis: either from pieces of his current LP Nobody Knows or from his recordings while he was down shooting in Memphis. We gave him a little tape recorder to record things on knowing we could piece together themes and scenes that way. The film is about fragments and fragmentation and so I knew we wanted a ragged score mixed with moments of pure beauty: like the Bobby Blue Bland tune, I'll Take Care of You, and the song Willis records with the Hi Rhythm section, Flying So Low. Both tracks were aided by the amazing Memphis producer and arranger, Scott Bomar.

SFF 2014: What were some of the challenges involved in the making of this project?

TIM SUTTON: Working with Willis. He's in his own world and the rest of us are often unwanted bill collectors.

SFF 2014: What were some of your fondest memories from the shoot?

TIM SUTTON: The six weeks I was down there was a true spiritual journey for me as well as the entire creative team. I honestly can't separate the pieces or the moments. It was a life changing experience. A truly meaningful time.

SFF 2014: What do you hope audiences will take away from this film?

TIM SUTTON: Well, two things happened at Sundance (which has been my only experience with audiences thus far) that I want to mention. The first is that there were plenty of viewers and critics who complained that film “demands patience”, as if that was a bad thing. The film takes its time and that is by design. When you enter a new world, you have to take your time, let it breathe, look around, dream on it a little. And if a viewer allows him/herself to do that, they can maybe take away a truly meaningful experience, not just a cool movie, but something more than that. And, second, because the film is called MEMPHIS, many people go in expecting a rollicking soul music movie, an indie RAY, and, to me, that context is more of a Broadway mentality. The title MEMPHIS speaks to the film's quest for authenticity, its overall sense of place, its belief in folklore, its strange spirituality and the beautiful people who live in it.

Memphis: Sundance Review

9:51 PM PST 1/27/2014 by Justin Lowe

The Bottom Line

A film of quiet intensity and poetic imagery.

Venue

Sundance Film Festival, NEXT

Cast

Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson

Director/screenwriter

Tim Sutton

Blues musician Willis Earl Beal stars as a singer-songwriter who dreams big but comes up short on creativity in Tim Sutton’s sophomore feature.

Obscure, lyrical and exhibiting a far more European sensibility than even many American indies, Tim Sutton’s second feature is suffused with deep thoughts and emotions, but demands patience that may be in short supply among audiences.

PHOTOS: The Scene at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival

A dedicated distributor with the inclination to nurture the film could buoy a specialized release, although home entertainment formats may prove more suitable to the film's sense of quiet intensity. Blues musician Willis (Willis Earl Beal) is stuck, both creatively and emotionally. Unable to come up with enough material for a new album, he struggles to access a creative spark that will get him back on track.

His girlfriend feigns patience, but although she's in love with him, she can't abide his continuous mood swings. Willis meanders around the margins of Memphis, dropping in on a gospel church service in search of motivation, hanging with his thuggish homeboys, frequenting strip clubs and arguing with his producer, but none of it seems to help. He's gradually losing his talent to write music and sing the blues, as well as his ability to relate to people around him, receding into his own dreamlike world.

STORY: Elizabeth Banks to Direct 'Pitch Perfect 2'

An out-of-town trip only pushes him closer to chucking it all, and when he makes the decision to live out in the woods and pursue a solitary existence, his tenuous grip on reality slips even further. There's an awful lot that goes unsaid in Sutton’s second feature -- among the first group of films supported by a Venice Biennale College grant. His enigmatic characters don't do much to fill in the blanks and the exceedingly rudimentary plot itself has little to reveal.

Beal's performance speaks volumes however, expressing Willis' bewilderment with his diminishing artistic abilities and his search for true "glory" and whatever it actually means to him. Sutton's portrayal of the city of Memphis is far more eloquent, however, sticking to the leafy side streets and local blues clubs rather than the far grander tourist attractions and storied historic districts. Sutton and cinematographer Chris Dapkins are almost fanatical in reproducing unadulterated reality, shooting almost exclusively on location, often with handheld cameras and natural light. Musical performance scenes would have benefited from showcasing the Chicago bluesman's remarkable talents for more extended periods than the snippets of song captured in the film, however. Together with editor Seth Bomse, the filmmakers achieve an erratic visual rhythm that discloses little, creating a dense, impressionistic cinematic style.

STORY: God Help the Girl: Sundance Review

At times, the film appears to feint toward magical realism, and while Willis claims to believe in sorcery and have the creative power of a wizard, he gets so lost in his own unique brand of mysticism that eventually he may never find his way out.

Venue: Sundance Film Festival, NEXT

Cast: Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson

Director/screenwriter: Tim Sutton Producer: John Baker Director of photography: Chris Dapkins Production designer: Bart Mangrum Music: Willis Earl Beal Editor: Seth Bomse

No rating, 79 minutes

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Prince Releasing Two New Albums At The End Of September

‘Better Call Saul’ What Happened to Jimmy McGill?

Published 13 hours ago by Anthony Vieira

AMC’s Breaking Bad has perhaps eclipsed similar prestige TV shows like Mad Men to become the standard bearer of just how good a television show can be. The series finale concluded the morality play of science-teacher-turned-meth-kingpin Walter White, but the upcoming spinoff, Better Call Saul,will bring that universe back to life.

The last we saw of morally-challenged attorney Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), he was about to ditch his entire identity and start over to evade prosecution. When Better Call Saul was announced, many fans wondered if this would be the starting point for the spinoff, until it was revealed that the show is actually (primarily) a prequel, taking place before the events of Breaking Bad, and even featuring the return of Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut.

Expectations are very high, but so far all audiences have seen was a very short teaser video which still managed to convey the new show’s tone and highlight Saul’s smarmy charisma. Now, on the heels of that sneak peek, AMC has a released another teaser, this one more substantial and featuring Better Call Saul‘s creators Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan. Check out the video above.

Gould and Gilligan finally give us a concrete time frame for the prequel (about five years before Saul meets Walter White on Breaking Bad) and remind us that when we first meet Saul, his name is actually Jimmy McGill. They also spend almost thirty seconds asking each other the questions that fans will presumably have to watch the show to learn the answers to.

Here’s their exchange from the video:

Gould: He didn’t start this [as Saul Goodman].

Gilligan: He’s Jimmy McGill.

Gould: How do you become Saul Goodman?

Gilligan: Yeah, and why?

Gould: Why? What kind of problem do you have that becoming Saul Goodman solves it?

Indeed. The video ends with Saul/Jimmy explaining to someone how he “doesn’t go looking for guilty people to represent. Who needs that kind of aggravation, right?” The joke, of course, is that by the time we meet Saul in Breaking Bad, guilty clients are the only kind he has.

AMC appears to be carefully building up their marketing for Better Call Saul, and while this teaser offers some new footage and an ironically funny line from the always-welcome Odenkirk, it’s actually an impressive little package for all it accomplishes. Gould and Gilligan seem to be presenting us with the show’s overall theme of transformation, one which echoes that of Breaking Bad even as they get audiences excited all over again with another glimpse of Saul.

While everyone involved is determined to make something “fresh and new” with Better Call Saul, it still seems to reflect the original show in that this is the story of the evolution of a criminal. Even though we’ve seen what happens to Saul, the spinoff is said to take place “before, during and after” Breaking Bad, and the potential of the show having a decidedly nonlinear storytelling style has been confirmed more than once. Does this mean we’ll meet up with a post-Walter White at some point?

Even if that doesn’t happen, Saul’s origin story could still make for a fascinating counterpoint to Walter White’s saga, and shed new light on different aspects of this universe. Odenkirk will be joined by Michael McKean (This Is Spinal Tap), Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn (Franklin & Bash), Patrick Fabian (Grey’s Anatomy) and Michael Mando (Orphan Black).

Better Call Saul premieres on AMC in February of 2015.

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Neil Marshall Wants To Direct A ‘Black Widow’ Movie

Published by Andy Crump

Neil Marshall is a busy man. He’s currently basking in a well deserved Emmy nomination (his very first!) for his efforts on the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones‘ fourth season; that bit of recognition nearly glazes over his dual contributions to Starz’ Black Sails (to say nothing of his upcoming pilot for NBC’s Constantine). And he has more works waiting in the wings, most of them stalled projects from prior to his martial engagements in Westeros – Outpost, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and Burst 3D among them.

So with a slate that packed, it’s a wonder Marshall could even find time for genre movies about spontaneous human combustion, much less studio driven pictures. That’s the funny thing about busy people, though: they’re usually pretty good at balancing their time. In Marshall’s case, an increasing number of television forays has only delayed his theatrical jaunts rather than killed them, and he’s still adding to his ever increasing pile of “to do” pictures he’s intermittently keen on directing.

Case in point: he wants to make a Black Widow movie. At least that’s what he told Vanity Fair in an interview posted last Thursday, in which he also talked about ‘The Watchers on the Wall‘, the ins and outs of adapting popular books for television, and the creative freedom offered by the medium versus the constraints of film. Marshall is an engaging personality, so the entire piece is worth a read, but Marvel fans will likely zoom right in on his remarks toward the end.

One last preamble: there’s absolutely nothing about this that should be interpreted as “Neil Marshall is making a Black Widow movie”. He might want to, but “wanting” is a country mile away from “doing” (and besides, Marvel is just too busy for that kind of thing anyways, it would seem). Here’s the full quote:

I would love to do a Black Widow movie. That’s perfect, I would love to do that. That character is really interesting, she doesn’t have any superpowers, she just has extraordinary skills, and the world that she comes from, being this ex-K.G.B. assassin, I find that really fascinating, yeah.

Marshall prefaces this little nugget by hashing over his preference for superheroes that don’t have superpowers; for him it’s a matter of relating to the character, and how he would need to “believe” in such a character to make a movie about them. Apparently the more grounded qualities of Black Widow are right up his alley. (Either that or he’s hiding a shadowy past as a former super spy.)

Frankly, a quick glance at his filmography makes his statement something of a no-brainer. Marshall has been making female driven movies for years; while his debut, Dog Soldiers, is almost totally dominated by men, his 2006 follow up The Descent is all about relationships between women, while 2008′s Doomsday plays with the iconography of Mad Max using a female protagonist in place of Mel Gibson. 2011′s Centurion reverted back to a male action hero with Michael Fassbender in the lead, but cast Olga Kurylenko as a sympathetic (and incredibly deadly) villainess who served as his foil.

So Marshall’s fascination with the Black Widow character makes a lot of sense: she would give him the heroine he needs, and possibly the female superhero movie that Marvel fans deserve. There’s certainly room to turn out a compelling standalone film centered on Natasha Romanoff (and Scarlet Johansson has made it clear she’s game to star in that film if it ever comes together). For now, it’s a pipe dream, but as pipe dreams go it’s a pretty good one.

Source: Vanity Fair

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‘Shutter Island’ TV Series ‘Ashecliffe’ Being Developed by HBO

Published by Sandy Schaefer

HBO’s Martin Scorsese-produced period drama Boardwalk Empire series is about to embark upon its final season, but the network and legendary filmmaker have already begun developing multiple projects for the future. One such venture is a currently-untitled 1970s-set rock n roll drama that Mick Jagger is also backing, while another is titled Ashecliffe: a series inspired by the novel-turned film adaptation Shutter Island, which Scorsese directed.

Shutter Island, based on the novel by author/screenwriter Dennis Lehane, is a 1950s-set mystery/thriller that follows U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he investigates the mysterious disappearance of a resident at Boston’s Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital – an institution for the criminally insane. Deadline is reporting that the Ashecliffe series takes place well before Scorsese’s film and Lehane’s book, and explores “the secrets and misdeeds perpetrated by [the] founders” of the eponymous hospital.

By the sound of it, Ashecliffe won’t really be a prequel series that lays the groundwork for Mr. Daniels’ predicament in Shutter Island; not in the same way that Bates Motel elaborates upon the history of Norman Bates from Psycho, for example. Then again, the ending to Shutter Island suggests that there isn’t any elaborate backstory to be revealed for Ashecliffe Hospital. Which is to say, much as Bates Motel uses its Psycho origins as a springboard for weaving a more complicated and intriguing mythology that most would’ve imagined, Ashecliffe may wind up being only tangentially related to the plot and characters featured in Lehane’s Shutter Island source material (as well as Scorsese’s film adaptation).

Ben Kingsley as Ashecliffe’s Dr. Cawley in ‘Shutter Island’

FX’s Fargo dramatic anthology series (during its first season) found a way to connect to the Coen Brothers’ film that inspired it, yet also function very much as a standalone world and narrative. Ashecliffe might go even further in the same direction – avoiding just about any discernible immediate connection to the events that transpire in Shutter Island, but while still continuing to explore similar themes and issues raised by that narrative. (Hence, it wouldn’t just be a Shutter Island series in name only.)

Lehane will be responsible for expanding his Shutter Island mythology by scripting the Ashecliffe pilot, which Scorsese is lined up to direct. Paramount TV head Amy Powell is also behind this project, as is Shutter Island film producer Brad Fisher and DiCaprio’s production banner, Appian Way, among other executive producers. Scorsese, of course, also helmed the Boardwalk Empire pilot and is set to do likewise with the pilot for the aforementioned ’70s music drama. However, it sounds as though Ashecliffe isn’t so far along in development to affect Scorsese’s commitment to begin filming Silence early next year for a late 2015 release.

Currently, Cinemax’s The Knick is examining the gruesome side of physical medical treatments in the early 20th century. Perhaps Ashecliffe will end up making for a strong companion piece to that Steven Soderbergh program, and provide an equally adept (and unsettling) examination of psychological care and practices around the same period of time. First, though, we’ll have to wait and see if the series makes its past the early stages of development.

We’ll bring you more information on Ashecliffe as it becomes available.

Source: Deadline

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Casting: 'Short Term 12' Star Keith Stanfield To Play Snoop Dogg In 'Straight Outta Compton' And More

West Coast rap is coming back next summer with N.W.A. biopic "Straight Outta Compton." And the cast for the F. Gary Gray movie just keeps getting bigger. "Short Term 12" star Keith Stanfield (who showed off his rap skills in the indie flick) has joined the movie, taking on the role of hip hop titan Snoop Dogg. Those are some big shoes to fill. He joins a cast that includes O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge and Neil Brown Jr. as N.W.A., with Paul Giamatti as their manager. The movie hits the streets on August 14, 2015. [http://www.thewrap.com/se...clusizzle/" href="http://www.thewrap.com/selmas-keith-stanfield-to-play-snoop-dogg-in-universals-n-w-a-movie-exclusizzle/">The Wrap]

Mary Elizabeth Winstead will face the end of the world in "The Cellar." She has joined the thriller about "woman who wakes up underground after a terrible car accident and fears she’s been abducted. Her captor, a doomsday prepper, warns her that a terrible chemical attack has left the outside world uninhabitable but as tensions rise she decides she must escape regardless of the terrors that await outside." John Goodman co-stars and Dan Trachtenberg will direct. [http://deadline.com/2014/...ot-824306/" href="http://deadline.com/2014/08/mary-elizabeth-winstead-the-cellar-bad-robot-824306/">Deadline]

Judy Greer and Natasha Lyonne will co-star in the wild comedy "Fresno." The movie follows a "lonely but stoic lesbian Martha (Lyonne), whose sister Shannon (Greer), a sex addict with no impulse control and a long history of poor decisions, winds up back in Fresno cleaning hotel rooms with her. When they accidentally kill a guest, the sisters are forced to confront their unpleasant co-dependent relationship." Jamie Babbitt ("But I’m A Cheerleader," "Itty Bitty Titty Committee") will direct, with production starting next month. [http://deadline.com/2014/...it-823445/" href="http://deadline.com/2014/08/judy-greer-natasha-lyonne-fresno-jamie-babbit-823445/">Deadline]

Daryl Hannah joins James Franco, Zachary Quinto, Emma Roberts, Chris Zylka, Avan Jogia, Charlie Carver and Lesley Ann Warren in "Michael." Based on a true story, the film follows "Michael Glatze (Franco), a gay activist from Wyoming who renounced his homosexuality after enduring years of abuse and became a conservative Christian minister." [The Wrap]

Judi Dench will appear with Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Bonneville, Sophie Okonedo, Keeley Hawes and Tom Sturridge in the BBC TV production of Shakespeare's "Richard III." Dominic Cooke will direct. [http://www.hollywoodrepor...tch-726734" href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/judi-dench-joins-benedict-cumberbatch-726734">THR]

Holliday Grainger, Richard Madden and James Norton will star in BBC's "Lady Chatterly's Lover." Production on the adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence novel will begin this fall. [http://www.digitalspy.ca/...SCU5CQMi2J" href="http://www.digitalspy.ca/british-tv/news/a592086/holliday-grainger-to-lead-the-cast-of-bbcs-lady-chatterleys-lover.html#~oNZ1SCU5CQMi2J">Digital Spy]

Michelle Dockery is joining Elisabeth Moss in Alex Ross Perry's "Queen Of Earth." The thriller "centers on two women (Moss and Dockery) who retreat to a beach house to get a break from the pressures of the outside world. Although they grew up as best friends, they soon realize how disconnected from each other they have become, allowing their suspicions to bleed into reality." [THR]

Bond girl Berenice Bejo has joined Robert Pattinson and Tim Roth in Brady Corbet's directorial debut "The Childhood Of A Leader." The ambitious film "focuses on the early years of a post-World War I ruler," and lensing will begin in November. [http://variety.com/2014/f...201287292/" href="http://variety.com/2014/film/news/berenice-bejo-the-childhood-of-a-leader-1201287292/">Variety]

We're beyond excited for David Simon's next HBO project, and the cast keeps growing with some intriguing new names climbing aboard. Winona Ryder, Jon Bernthal and Alfred Molina are joining Oscar Isaac and Catherine Keener in "Show Me A Hero." The miniseries "centers on Nick Wasicsko, the young mayor of a midsize American city who is faced with a federal court order that says he must build a small number of low-income housing units in the white neighborhoods of his town. His attempt to do so tears the whole city apart, paralyzes the entire municipal government and, ultimately, destroys the mayor and his political future." Sounds like it's gonna be a tough one. [THR]

Ken Jeong, David Hasselhoff and Hulk Hogan will all finally be in the same movie. It's a comedy about "a struggling nightclub owner who after amassing a large debt from a loan shark, sets out to win a long-running celebrity death pool by attempting to kill Hasselhoff." Good lord. [Variety]

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New International Trailer For ‘Whiplash’ Starring Miles Teller Gets The Beat Cracking

News

by Edward Davis
August 25, 2014 3:39 PM

Lauded Sundance dramas often get a lot of critical acclaim, but can’t translate that heat into awards season contention. The studios that often distribute the films are too small, the movies are too niche, etc. etc. But that feels like it might be changing in 2014. Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” has already been snatched up by Paramount for home video (which will presumably make it easier to get in front of Oscar voters) and by all accounts, the music drama “Whiplash”— about a young musician struggles to make it as a top jazz drummer— has what it takes to get noticed outside indie circles.

A big crowd pleaser, but smart and never ingratiating, the movie stars Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, and most pundits predict that it could get serious attention over the next few months. And they have a strong point, even if you haven’t seen it. The movie is the rare 2014 indie that has played Sundance and Cannes, and will screen at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. Sundance films rarely repeat at major festivals, but the fact this one is playing two beyond its original Utah premiere is a big deal. Here’s the synopsis:

A pedagogical thriller and an emotional S&M two-hander, Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash is brilliantly acted by Miles Teller as an eager jazz drummer at a prestigious New York music academy and J.K. Simmons as the teacher whose method of terrorizing his students is beyond questionable, even when it gets results. Dubbed “Full Metal Jacket at Juilliard” at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, Chazelle’s jazz musical was developed from his short film of the same name, which premiered at Sundance the previous year. The live jazz core that is fused with Justin Hurwitz’s ambient score, the blood-on-the-drum-kit battle between student and teacher, and the dazzling filmmaking will keep your pulse rate elevated from beginning to end. A kinesthetic depiction of performance anxiety—you don’t need to be a musician to feel it—Whiplash also presents us with a moral issue open to debate.

The sophomore filmmaking effort from writer/director Damien Chazelle, who’s earning a lot of buzz himself, “Whiplash” also stars Paul Reiser and Melissa Benoist, and is already set for an October 10^th release by Sony Pictures Classics. A new international trailer has debuted below, showing more footage and a slightly different tone from what’s been revealed so far. We’ve heard nothing but praise for this one (http://blogs.indiewire.co...m-20140117" href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/sundance-review-whiplash-starring-miles-teller-leads-with-the-different-beat-of-a-very-different-drum-20140117">here’s our Sundance review).

Image Credit: Univision

The bad news is you’re suffering from Breaking Bad withdrawal. The good news? Fans of the hit AMC show — which wrapped up its five-season run in a gripping finale last fall — can look forward to an upcoming Spanish language remake that has plenty in common with Vince Gilligan’s Emmy-winning drama.

Or will it? Sure, true to the original, Walter Blanco — his last name means “white” — is a timid chemistry teacher who transforms into a meth-dealing mastermind after he’s diagnosed with lung cancer. But there are also a few notable differences too, which make Metástasis a blend of high-stakes telenovela drama and American cable TV storytelling. (Never fear: Gilligan consulted on the Colombian remake.) Here are a few of the most striking differences — with the promise of a lot more to come when the show premieres in July in the United States on Univision-owned network UniMás.

Univision

Remember season 5’s shocking Great Train Robbery? Breaking Bad‘s Spanish cousin promises to deliver that type of suspense, but with a twist. In Metástasis, Walter (Colombian telenovela star Diego Trujillo) and Jose Miguel Rosas (known as Jesse in the original and played by hunky Roberto Urbina) steal their methylamine from two cargo trucks that need to use an alternate road since the city’s main highways are blocked by protesters — a common occurrence in Latin America.

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Univision

During the final episodes of Breaking Bad, Walter hides out in a small, isolated cabin in New Hampshire. But in Metástasis, Walter Blanco hides out in the craggy mountains of Colombia — much closer and more familiar to Latino audiences than far-off New England. And here’s another fun fact: Original Breaking Bad fans might remember “Negro y Azul,” a narcocorrido by Cuates de Sinaloa that opened an episode in season 2. But for Metástasis, show creators commissioned a song titled “Vals de Jaisenber.” (Non-Spanish speakers: That’s “Heisenberg” spelled phonetically in Spanish.) The tune is an original song written by Colombian musicians, but for the purposes of the series, the fictional band that performs the tune is called “Los Cuates de la Roca” (“Friends of the Rock”). Get it?

Univision

The Spanish-language version of Saul has a much bigger platform than a few low-budget television ads. In Metástasis, Saul hosts a late night talk show called Cuéntele a Saúl, in which he offers audiences legal advice — a riff on a talk show model that’s highly popular among Spanish speaking audiences.

Univision

Walter’s swimming pool played a vital role in Breaking Bad — but Bogotá, Colombia, where Metástasis takes place, is typically too chilly for a pool. The backyard oasis, therefore, won’t be a fixture in Metástasis as it was in the original series.

Univision

Scene after scene of Breaking Bad takes place in a classic RV where Walter and Jesse cook meth. In Metástasis, an old school bus is used because campers aren’t common in Latin America.

Univision

When fans first met Walter in 2008, he was a humble public school chemistry teacher. In Metástasis, Walter teaches at a private school. It’s not a matter of making a statement regarding Walter’s background — in Latin America, private schools are generally more affordable than their U.S. counterparts and are attended by a greater majority of children than public schools.

The fearsome killers known as the Salamanca cousins in Breaking Bad also make an appearance in Metástasis. But in a fun twist, the roles of the deadly duo — personified by brothers Luis and Daniel Moncada in the U.S. show — are played by real-life twin actors Oscar Luis and Luis Oscar Medina.

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It’s ‘Breaking Bad,’ But in Spanish, and in Colombia. And It’s Still Perfect.

I am a human with eyes and a brain and a television and an Internet connection, which is just a different way of saying that when Breaking Bad was running its natural course on television I watched it and thought about it and read about it. In a lot of ways, watching the series unfold for the first time was maybe my favorite TV watching experience of all. The impish Walter White getting swallowed up by Heisenberg’s gorgeously swollen and blackened ego; the reverb of Heisenberg’s moves wobbling an entire pretend universe; the casual brilliance of nearly all the characters but especially Gus Fring, and also Jesse Pinkman when he was navigating his breakdown late in the series. It was all just so PERFECT.

That’s why, despite not necessarily being that big a fan of all-Spanish television, I was semi-excited that an all-Spanish version of Breaking Bad was going to be begin airing this summer on UniMás, a station I’d otherwise only ever bothered to watch at my parents’ house because it’s one of like nine channels they get.

But so I watched several of the episodes, and two things stood out immediately, one of them small in scope and encouraging and the other large in scope and overwhelming.

The small thing: The show, surprisingly, is very well done. It’s not quite as nuanced and hefty as the original, but it’s far superior to the production value of other shows that run on UniMás, many of which look like they’re shot using someone’s cell phone. And more than that, it’s not corny, and that’s lovely. Out of all the episodes I watched, I saw exactly zero adults dressed up like bumblebees or babies, a thing that seems to happen on every TV show that comes on a Spanish channel. Way to go, Mexicans. We’re getting there.

The large thing: First, here is a list of facts about the new show to consider:

• • It isn’t called Breaking Bad, it’s called Metástasis. It’s not near as cool sounding, but it’s a word that’s the same in Spanish as it is in English, so I guess it works OK enough.
  • It isn’t set in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It’s set in Bogotá, Colombia.
  • This isn’t a subtitled version of the original. Everything has been refilmed and all the characters have been recast, some more accurately than others. The guy who plays Walter, for example, is very effective and enjoyable. The guy who plays Tuco, however, is maybe the third-goofiest person who’s supposed to be intimidating that I’ve ever seen. (The other two are a first-place tie between the guy who played Dracula in Blade: Trinity and Kobe Bryant when he tries to make that scowl after he does something he thinks is impressive.)

• A couple of characters have the same name as their English version (Tuco is still Tuco because Tuco is a boss-ass name), but most have slightly modified versions. Walter White is “Walter Blanco,” Skyler is “Cielo,” which is literally just Spanish for “sky” but also means “heaven,” Saul Goodman is “Saul Bueno,” and on and on. So those are kinda new, as well. They all fall into place very easily.
• There are a few changes that’ve been made because of the new environment (the RV has been replaced by a bus, the White family pool is a water fountain, etc.) but almost all the scenes/conversations are just faithful re-creations of the English versions.
• In fact, if you’re very familiar with the original, you can make it through entire episodes without knowing any real Spanish. You can even play the English and Spanish versions side by side, one on your computer and one on your TV, if you want to be particularly nerdy about it. That’s probably the best way to learn Spanish that anyone has ever thought of.

But that’s all to say this: Because UniMás stuck so closely to the original version but is doing so with all new pieces, you’re basically gifted an opportunity to watch Breaking Bad for the first time for the second time, and that is just amazing.

Since debuting last month, Metástasis has burned through 22 episodes (UniMás is playing one new episode per weeknight for three months because Mexicans are WAY better at watching TV than Americans). And so far it’s all there. Remember the thing with the acid in the bathtub? Remember Walter’s conversation with Krazy-8? Remember Walt exploding Tuco’s office with the fake meth? Remember Hector Salamanaca and that goddamn bell? Remember the fugue state? Remember the ATM? Remember Better Call Saul? Remember the keys in the RV’s ignition? Remember Jane? Remember the Twins? GUESS WHAT, THEY HAVE HAIR NOW!!!!!!

I’m saying, all the stuff you liked about it the first time through is happening again only you don’t have to watch it again because somehow it’s all new but all the same AND OH MY GOD I CAN EVEN BARELY WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND IT.

It’s like you time-traveled.

It’s like God reached into Her uterus and reversed the orbit of the Earth, especially for you.

It’s like your brain got wiped by that stupid Men in Black thing, only you don’t forget — you just kind of forget, but still remember how much you loved everything about what it was you’re supposed to have forgotten.

This is a gift. I don’t know that an English-to-Spanish remake has ever happened so accurately and thoroughly and agreeably before, and it’s happening right now with what many consider the greatest television show that has ever aired.

You could’ve been born during the Industrial Revolution or whatever but you were born when you were born and now you get to see this. Amazing.

Breaking Bad is back. But it’s new. But it’s the same. But it’s new.

Emmy Awards 2014: In pictures

The biggest night for television has taken place in Los Angeles with the Primetime Emmy Awards, with a host of stars gathering for the glittering awards ceremony. Here are just a few moments from the night.

Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul celebrated his win for best supporting actor in a mini-series.

The entire cast and crew of Breaking Bad assembled to pose with their awards for outstanding drama series.

Julianna Margulies, who was named best actress in a drama series winner for The Good Wife, said it was a "golden age for television".

Sherlock screenwriter Steven Moffat picked up the trophy for outstanding mini-series writer, while the show's stars Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch won acting accolades.

British TV star Cat Deeley was nominated for best reality host for So You Think You Can Dance, but lost out to Jane Lynch for Hollywood Game Night.

Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons won his fourth Emmy for playing socially awkward genius Sheldon, beating Ricky Gervais, among others, to the honour for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series.

and Octavia Spencer" width="976" height="549" />

Oscar winner Kathy Bates (left) picked up the gong for best supporting actress in a mini-series for American Horror Story: Coven from fellow Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer (right).

Modern Family walked off with the outstanding comedy prize, beating The Big Bang Theory, Louie, Orange Is The New Black, Silicon Valley and Veep.

Singer-songwriter Weird Al Yankovic performed a parody routine about some of the nominees during the ceremony.

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‘The Brittany Murphy Story’ Gets September Premiere Date on Lifetime

Brian To/FilmMagic

August 13, 2014 | 03:49PM PT

Variety Staff

It Looks Like Mike Epps Will Indeed Play Richard Pryor in Lee Daniels' Biopic

Based on the above tweet from director Lee Daniels, as well as the Instagram post from Oprah Winfrey, I suppose we can now assume that Mike Epps has indeed beating out the competition and has been cast as Richard Pryor in a film that will be directed b Daniels.

And we can also assume that Oprah is involved in the as well, likely both in front of and behind the camera, as she's done recently on films like "Selma."

Earlier this month, Nick Cannon all-but confirmed in a video interview with TMZ, that he would play Richard Pryor in Lee Daniels' film.

Daniels has not spoken publicly about casting the project, until now, with recent reports saying that Mike Epps has actually been the front-runner for the job, after he reportedly blew Daniels and producers - The Weinstein Company - away with his audition.

Cannon, as well as Michael B. Jordan and Marlon Wayans (who was attached to star in the project before it changed producer hands), were also in contention for the part under Daniels' direction.

Also, Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway were said to both be in the running to play Jennifer Lee Pryor in the film.

I should note that Mike Epps actually plays Richard Pryor in Cynthia Mort's Nina Simone film that Zoe Saldana stars in.

It's also worth noting that, Richard Pryor's son has threatened legal action in a move to block production on Daniels' in-development film about the legendary comic. Lawyers representing Richard Pryor, Jr. have reportedly sent a cease and desist letter to Pryor's (the father's) widow, Jennifer Lee Pryor, who is involved in the making of the film. The letter, obtained by http://www.tmz.com/2014/0...se-desist/" href="http://www.tmz.com/2014/07/22/richard-pryor-movie-rights-biopic-jennifer-lee-cease-desist/">TMZ, insists that all work on the project stop, accusing Jennifer Lee of using "illegal, fraudulent" activity to obtain the rights to her husband's story. Pryor Jr. is also reportedly threatening to take legal action, if the biopic does moves forward.

No comment yet from Jennifer Lee nor Lee Daniels in response to the son's statements, but, clearly, with The Weinstein Company attached, I'd say it's moving forward, with Mike Epps in the staring role, Lee Daniels directing, and Oprah Winfrey involved in some capacity.

This could be the dramatic catalyst that Epps needs to encourage producers to see him as more than a comedian/comedic actor.

I should note that, last year saw the release of what was dubbed the definitive documentary on Pryor's life, directed by Marina Zenovich (known mostly for directing the multiple award-winning 2008 documentary "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired").

Jennifer Lee Pryor was also producer of the doc, giving director Marina Zenovich access to estate photos and other materials, as many of Pryor's friends and family opened up for the project, which focused on Pryor's transformation from successful but mild stand-up comedian, to successful but dangerous social critic.

Titled "Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic," the doc was broadcast on Showtime last fall, as part of a new documentary series showcase titled "Closeup," which gives measured and complex looks at the lives of several notable public figures, with Richard Pryor being among the first to be "provocatively studied," as Showtime described it.

Stay tuned for updates on the Daniels/Epps biopic.

Robin Williams' Final Days: Inside Rolling Stone's New Issue

A close-up look at the triumphant life and painful last days of a comedic genius

By Rolling Stone | August 27, 2014

"The legend is true," Tom Hanks writes in the new issue of Rolling Stone. "In 1978, word came from the set of TV's Happy Days. That week, Fonzie's ultracool was threatened by a stranger from another world. The guy playing the alien was hilarious."

Robin Williams on the cover of Rolling Stone. (Photo: Peggy Sirota/Trunk Archive)

The new issue of Rolling Stone (on stands Friday) is devoted to the triumphant life and painful final days of a comedic genius: Robin Williams, who died after hanging himself in his California home on August 11th at the age of 63. Contributing editor David Browne traces Williams' comedic roots to his childhood, when he'd try to attract the attention of his mother, Laurie ("The first laugh is always the one that gets you hooked," Williams once said) and spent hours alone with a massive collection of toy soldiers, making up voices for many of them.

Martin Short recalls Williams' joy at the success of Mork & Mindy, when the show became an instant sensation, Williams' salary jumped from $15,000 to $40,000 an episode and his life was transformed. "He couldn't get enough," Short says. "He loved it." In the years before Mork, Williams' party-animal side was under control, but the series offered him full access to Seventies debauchery. Browne writes about the night in March 1982 that gave the young comic a wake-up call: He'd stopped by John Belushi's bungalow at the Chateau Marmont hours before Belushi died of an overdose.

The success of Good Morning, Vietnam, which earned Williams his first Oscar nomination, re-energized his post-TV career, and he continued to be a major draw on the road. "You can't look at any modern comic and say, 'That's the descendant of Robin Williams, because it's not possible to be a Robin Williams rip-off," Judd Apatow says. "He was doing something so unique that no one could even attempt their version of it. He raised the bar for what it's possible to do, and made an enormous amount of us want to be comedians. He looked like he was having so much fun."

But Williams' on-character fun was always tempered by his demons. "He was so addicted to entertaining people and making them laugh," says Mark Romanek, director of the serious One Hour Photo, "that he needed to be funny between takes to get that out of his system, so when he went into character, he could be completely free of that urge."

In 2011, Williams seemed on the verge of a new beginning, and turned to television for the first time since Mork & Mindy for a David E. Kelley show, The Crazy Ones. But when the show was canceled, Williams took it hard. He returned to rehab to "fine-tune" his sobriety. And he learned he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Friends say in the last few months, the actor was sad and unhappy. "We were all worried about him," friend Peter Asher says.

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'The Identical' New Trailer Previews Christian-Themed, Rock-N-Roll Tale Featuring Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta (Exclusive)

By Benge Nsenduluka , CP Reporter

August 27, 2014|3:08 pm

(PHOTO) 'The Identical Movie' - Courtesy: Grace Hill Media

Actor Blake Rayne, star of 'The Identical Movie'

Dustin Marcinello's 'The Identical' hits theaters next week and a new teaser trailer provides a glimpse into the journey of lead Ryan Wade, a pastor's son in search of his identity and life purpose.

Blake Rayne, who plays Wade, stars alongside Emmy award-winning actor Ray Liotta (Reece Wade) and acclaimed actress Ashley Judd (Louise Wade) in this Christian-themed, rock-n-roll tale about fate and destiny.

A new teaser reveals one pivotal moment in the film where Ryan's own instinct threatens to uncover a well kept family secret. Ironically, this close call helps validate his passion for music and ultimately leads him closer to discovering his purpose.

(PHOTO) 'The Identical Movie' - Courtesy: Grace Hill Media

Blake Rayne, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta star in 'The Identical Movie'

"Mama, I can't do this anymore. I don't hear this call Daddy wants me to hear. It ain't there," he says.

Ryan, who intentionally resembles Elvis throughout the film, finds himself torn and conflicted between what his adopted father and others expect of him and who he is destined to become. Ultimately, he scraps the idea of a career in ministry to pursue his dream.

"When do you plan to tell your Daddy?" Louise asks before explaining why he must find the courage to do so himself. "It's a man's job learning to stand in his truth. I hope if we have taught you anything, it's that the love of God seeks us in every situation and desires our good. If He is in your dreams, nothin' can stand against him."

The film, produced by City of Peace Films, spans from the 1930s through to the 1970s. It features
20 original songs written by Jerry Marcellino and Yochanan Marcellino.

"First and foremost it's a really good story and you want someone to come in on any given day or night and you want them to be entertained," Liotta said in an exclusive Behind the scenes YouTube clip. "Whether they walk away inspired [and/or] with some sort of lesson … I just think this story is so strong and compelling."

"The Identical" hits theaters across the U.S. on Sept. 5th.

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Chuck Berry Receives Sweden's Prestigious Polar Music Prize

Keith Richards records video message congratulating Berry, who was too ill to attend the ceremony

By Daniel Kreps | August 27, 2014

Chuck Berry was honored with Sweden's 2014 Polar Music Prize, "the world's most prestigious music accolade," in a ceremony at Stockholm's Concert Hall. While members of the Swedish Royal Family were in attendance, Berry was unable to appear at the ceremony due to illness. However, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer wrote an acceptance speech that was delivered by musician and rock revivalist Dave Edmunds. The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards also recorded a video message congratulating the influential "Johnny B. Goode" guitarist.

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"Unfortunately I am unable to travel, but my heart is in Sweden. I want to thank the King and the Royal Family for awarding me the Polar Prize," Berry wrote. "I understand what a great honor it is to be a recipient. I am sorry that I am unable to travel and receive this personally." Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Patti Smith and few other rock legends have been named Laureates of the Polar Music Prize in years past.

"Chuck Berry, he just leapt out of the radio at me," Richards said in a video message, below. "I ate him, basically. I mean, I breathed him. It wasn't just food, he was the air I breathed for many years when I was learning guitar and trying to figure out how you could be such an all-rounder. Such a great voice, such a great player and also such a great showman, you know? It was all in one package, so basically if I listened to Chuck Berry, I was full for the day. Chuck, congratulations Chuck! And also congratulations to Sweden for recognizing Chuck Berry for what he is."

The Rolling Stones covered a handful of Berry songs early in their career: "Come On" was the band's debut single, "Around and Around" featured on their 1964 Five by Five EP, and "Little Queenie" and "Carol" both appeared on the 1970 live album Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!

Health problems have slowed the once-prolific Berry in recent years, but the 87-year-old rocker did travel to Cleveland to receive the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's American Music Masters Award in October 2012.

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Andre 3000 on the Outkast Tour: 'I Don't Get Anything From Performing'

The rapper opened up in a recent interview about how he eventually found the right tour headspace, the encouragement he got from Prince and what it's like to play Jimi Hendrix

By Ryan Reed, Kory Grow | August 27, 2014

Andre Benjamin, who made a name for himself in Outkast as Andre 3000, long avoided touring with his Outkast partner Big Boi and recently apologized to Big Boi on a verse in T.I.'s "Sorry" for turning down multiple lucrative appearances before the group's anniversary tour this year. "We've left millions and millions of dollars on the table," Benjamin recently told The New York Times. "We didn't even tour for our biggest album [Speakerboxxx/The Love Below]. I just wanted to say I know how hard it must be."

Now that the duo has finally come together to celebrate its 20th anniversary, with tour dates planned through October, he's grateful he took the opportunity. "I feel good in being able to look at Big Boi and say, 'Hey, man, we did it,'" the rapper said. "Big Boi's got these great records on his own, but this means something else for him."

But as it stands, Benjamin "never planned to go onstage again in that way" with Outkast before this tour. "If I feel like I'm getting to a place where it's mimicking or a caricature, I just want to move on," he said. "But I felt like: Let me do it now 'cause these kids [in the audience], it feels good to know that they're happy. I really don't actually get anything from performing."

That latter sentiment was something that took him a little bit to come to terms with, especially at Outkast's first big show back, at Coachella. The rapper said he had to find the right headspace, especially after he realized he was performing in front of music royalty. "I kind of fluffed through rehearsals," he said. "A few hours before the Coachella show, I get a message that Prince and Paul McCartney are going to be there. My spirit is not right, and idols are standing side-stage, so as the show started, I'm bummed. This is horrible. In my mind I was already gone to my hotel room halfway through.

"So Prince called a couple days after," he explained. "It was my first time actually talking to Prince. He said: 'When you come back, people want to be wowed. And what's the best way to wow people? Just give them the hits.'" Benjamin protested and said he didn't want to just go through the hits, but Prince advised him that he had been there himself and from experience, when you give an audience the hits first, an artist is able to do whatever he or she wants. "He broke it down like this: 'You're a grown man. You're either going to do it or you're not,'" Benjamin told the Times.

Elsewhere in the interview, Benjamin talked about the effect of having his son live with him has had on him personally and where he's at musically. Currently, he says he would love to put out a new record but he doesn't know what it would be, opting to call it "honest" instead of sung or rapped. "I know this may sound morbid, but I was like, if I were to die today, I have all these half-songs on my hard drive, and I don't want that," he said.

But currently, his prime preoccupation is the movie Jimi: All Is By My Side, a biopic in which he stars as Jimi Hendrix. Benjamin's goal in taking on the role was to present something new about Hendrix that couldn't be found on YouTube, but he also had more personal objectives. "[Playing] Hendrix kind of saved me," he told the Times. "I was in a not-so-great space, just in a dark place every day. I needed something to focus on to get me out of my depression and rut.... I knew if I got on a train with a lot of different people, then I couldn't let them down."

The team behind Jimi: All Is By My Side has shared a brief teaser from the film. The clip, available to view at NME, finds Hendrix (rapper Andre "3000" Benjamin) and then-girlfriend Kathy Etchingham (Hayley Atwell) engaging in a sarcastic back-and-forth with hostile police.

Hendrix "has a laugh" when officers take issue with his military jacket. When asked if he fought in an actual war, the rock icon smiles and says he's in a "constant, constant struggle" with "the color grey" and "small minds."

"You're a disgrace to every man who wore that uniform," says an angered policeman, who forces Hendrix to take off the jacket.

The film, written and directed by 12 Years a Slave's John Ridley, focuses on Hendrix's life and career from 1966 - '67, climaxing with his legendary performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. As previously reported, the biopic's soundtrack won't include any of the guitar icon's actual songs, instead featuring covers of songs by the Beatles and Muddy Waters that performed by Hendrix during the years prior to his 1967 debut LP, Are You Experienced?

Fans previously got a wider glimpse of the project with its shred-tastic trailer, which shows Hendrix's journey from a back-up guitarist in New York City to a fashionable scene-setter in London.

Earlier this year, Ridley talked to talked to Rolling Stone about Benjamin's preparation for this intimidating role. "André came out to L.A. in January of 2012 and worked with me through April on all aspects of Jimi, from watching video of him to working with a vocal coach to getting as slim and slender as Jimi was at that time period," the writer-director said. "He didn't just work on playing the guitar, but playing the guitar left-handed.... He gave that performance because he wanted it. It was never going to be a Vegas lounge act. It was always going to be about getting to an emotional honesty with this character, and I cannot say enough about what André did."

Jimi: All Is By My Side will hit American theaters on September 26th.

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Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea Team for Cheeky 'Booty' Remix

Singer and rapper prepping video for the new version of the Diplo-produced track

Iggy Azalea and Jennifer Lopez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 18th, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

By Jon Blistein | August 26, 2014

With Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" leading the pack, the remix of Jennifer Lopez's "Booty" is bringing up the ever-important rear of what historians may very well remember as the Summer of the Behind. While J.Lo initially released the track with a guest verse from Pitbull, the updated version of "Booty" features a new verse from Iggy Azalea, Rap-Up reports.

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Produced by Diplo, "Booty" boasts a quick-clapping dancefloor beat and a serpentine synth line over which Lopez pays tribute — Tina Belcher-style — to the hypnotic power of the butt. Azalea storms over the beat as well proclaiming, "The last time the world seen a booty this good, it was on Jenny from the block."

Lopez and Azalea reportedly shot a video for the track with director Hype Williams over the weekend, as well. And to answer any questions regarding the content of the clip, Lopez told Power 106: "It’s a lot of booty."

"Booty" appears on Lopez's most recent album, A.K.A, which came out in June and marks her first solo effort since 2011's Love?. As for Azalea, she's been on a tear this summer thanks to her chart-topping hit "Fancy," off her LP, The New Classic. Azalea was on hand at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday where she performed "Black Widow" with Rita Ora and was introduced by J. Lo, who teased not only the "Booty" remix, but noted that she'd worked with the Aussie rapper on a handful of other cuts, as well.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/jennifer-lopez-iggy-azalea-booty-new-remix-20140826#ixzz3Bf6FcGH6

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Billy Idol Announces New Album, Premieres First Single

by Michael Gallucci August 26, 2014 1:25 PM

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BFI

The last time Billy Idol released an album that had nothing to do with blue, white and other shades of Christmases, it was way back in 2005. In October, he returns with a brand new LP, ‘Kings & Queens of the Underground.’

In 2006, Idol released ‘Happy Holidays,’ a Christmas-themed album filled with mostly traditional numbers like ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and ‘Silent Night.’ The year before, he released ‘The Devil’s Playground,’ his first album of new music since 1993′s much-maligned ‘Cyberpunk.’

On Oct. 21, he’ll unveil his seventh album (not counting the holiday offering), and the first on his own BFI Records. But you can listen to the record’s first single, ‘Can’t Break Me Down,’ right now on Idol’s website.

It’s a pretty poppy song, but not without Idol’s trademark sneer (yes, you can hear it) and guitarist Steve Stevens’ familiar crunch (yes, he’s back in Idol’s band).

The album was mostly produced by Trevor Horn, who did some time with Yes back in the ’80s and was one of the architects behind their only No. 1, ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart.’ But Greg Kurstin (who’s worked with Kelly Clarkson and Pink) produced ‘Can’t Break Me Down,’ which is available as a download now to fans who pre-order the album. (The iTunes version of ’Kings & Queens of the Underground’ includes a bonus track unavailable anywhere else.)

The album comes out two weeks following the publication of Idol’s autobiography, ‘Dancing With Myself.’ He’ll also launch a short European tour — including shows in London and Milan — a few weeks after the record comes out. More dates are promised for the future, and will most likely be announced closer to the album’s release.

Read More: Billy Idol Announces New ...rst Single | http://ultimateclassicroc...ck=tsmclip

Kate Bush comeback greeted with huge cheers

26 August 2014 Last updated at 21:27 ET

By Tim Masters Arts and entertainment correspondent, BBC News

Gemma Arterton and Anna Calvi gave BBC Newsnight their take on Kate Bush's comeback concert

Kate Bush has made her stage comeback to an ecstatic response from fans at her first live concert for 35 years.

Bush received a standing ovation as she closed the show with Cloudbusting, from her 1985 hit album The Hounds of Love.

The 56-year-old British star was appearing at London's Hammersmith Apollo - the scene of her last live show in 1979.

Tuesday's three-hour set kicked off a run of 22 shows, titled Before the Dawn, which sold out in minutes.

Afterwards, she thanked fans for their "warm and positive response".

Backed by seven musicians, Bush opened the show with Lily, from the 1993 album Red Shoes.

There was a huge roar from the crowd as Bush appeared on stage - barefoot and dressed in black - leading her five backing singers.

"It's so good to be here - thank you so much," she told the cheering crowd.

She later introduced one of the backing chorus as her teenage son Bertie who, the star said, had given her the "courage" to return to the stage.

The first half of the show included the 1985 single Running Up That Hill and, from the same Hounds of Love album, the song suite The Ninth Wave - which combined video, theatre and dance to tell the story of a woman lost at sea.

After an interval, the second act was dominated by songs from Bush's 2005 album Aerial.

Kate Bush is appearing in her first live show in 35 years

There were no songs from Bush's first four albums, which meant fans did not get to hear early classics such as Wuthering Heights, The Man with the Child in his Eyes or Babooshka.

But fans did not seem to mind.

Julie Beynon, from Glasgow, told the BBC: "That was really surprising. I noticed she played a lot from Aerial which I didn't have a problem with. I think it might reference the fact she was much happier in that period of her life. It felt quite joyous and celebratory."

She added: "I'm not disappointed - I thought it was stunning comeback. To me it was like musical theatre but with Kate Bush songs. It was a a weird hybrid of different styles, and completely innovative."

Elizabeth Hobson, from Enfield, said: "She does what she wants to do. We might have liked to hear some of the songs we love from a while back - but hopefully everybody's going to be really nice about it and we might see some more of her at a later date."

Fans outside the Hammersmith Apollo said the concert was worth the wait

The audience also largely resisted taking photos or video, as the singer had requested.

Bush said on her website last week: "I very much want to have contact with you as an audience, not with iPhones, iPads or cameras."

'Butterflies'

Fans of the singer showed up early on Tuesday to begin queuing for the show.

Richie Cairns from Southampton said: "I'm almost nervous myself. I've got butterflies. It's something I never thought I'd have an opportunity to see - and it's my birthday.

"I don't mind what she does. I'd have happily sat there for two hours while she played the piano as beautifully as she does. People say we want to hear the hits but I'm not fussed to be honest. I just want to see and hear her after all this time."

As Colin Paterson discovered, some fans have travelled thousands of miles to attend the concert

Belinda from London turned up looking for a ticket while others had placards begging for a spare.

She said: "I should have been in here in '78 but I was only 12 then, so I'm hoping to see it tonight. I'd pay £150 or £200."

Awarded a CBE for her services to music last year, Bush is one of UK music's most important and distinctive artists.

Theories about her long absence from the stage have included her fear of flying and the death of one of the tour crew during a warm-up show for The Tour of Life.

In an interview with Mojo magazine in 2011, Bush admitted that tour had been tiring - even for a 20-year-old.

"It was enormously enjoyable. But physically it was absolutely exhausting," she said.

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Kate Bush Makes Live Return Following 35 Year Hiatus: Review

By Richard Smirke, London | August 26, 2014 11:34 PM EDT

Opening night of Kate Bush: Before The Dawn live at The Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith in London, Britain on August 26, 2014.

Ken McKay/Rex/REX USA

[Edited 8/27/14 20:53pm]

Throwback Thursday: Bob Dylan Sang for Civil Rights in 1963

Danny Lyon / Magnum Photos

Bob Dylan

Fifty-one years before the events in Ferguson, Mo., the singer performed with Pete Seeger to support a voter-registration drive: "The press went crazy over the caliber of the white folk who came," says comedian Dick Gregory

This story first appeared in the Sep. 12 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Along with the genius and blessings of celebrity comes the obligation to spread the good news," says Jesse Jackson from Ferguson, Mo., where on Aug. 9 an 18-year-old unarmed black man was killed by a policeman, sparking riots. In July 1963, two weeks after a Klansman assassinated Medgar Evers, the NAACP's field secretary for Mississippi, a 22-year-old Bob Dylan fulfilled his obligation, going to Greenwood, Miss., with singer-activist Pete Seeger to support the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee's voter-registration drive.

"Black folks in Mississippi didn't know who they were. Black folks were singing church songs, not folk songs," says comedian Dick Gregory, now 81, who also was organizing in the South. "The press went crazy over the caliber of the white folk who came. And these were people who didn't have to come; they could have just sent money." A month later, Dylan performed for a 250,000-strong crowd at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Two planeloads of Hollywood stars, including Gregory Peck, Marlon Brando and Paul Newman, arrived to hear him sing "When the Ship Comes In" and Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his "I Have a Dream" speech.

"Artists and actresses have been fools and clowns," said Judy Garland at an L.A. organizing meeting held two weeks before the march. "We've been used by many causes we couldn't be true to. But this problem of the Negro should never have been a problem. Now that it is, we'll bloody well have to stand up and be counted." Says DreamWorks marketing executive Marvin Levy, who flew in with a group from New York: "The way it was organized, you were guided toward a section, but it wasn't like there were reserved seats. Everybody was equal. How many times do you see that many A-listers carrying their own bags?"

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Angela Bassett Talks Whitney Houston Biopic on Emmys Red Carpet: "Controversy Can Be Good"

11:03 PM PST 08/25/2014 by Denise Warner, Billboard

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Angela Bassett

Bassett is directing the made-for-TV movie, which stars "America's Next Top Model" alum Yaya DaCosta

Angela Bassett thinks her work on the upcoming Whitney Houston biopic is going smoothly.

On the red carpet of the 2014 Emmys during NBC's pre-show, Bassett was asked about the controversy surrounding the Lifetime movie, due out in 2015.

"It felt like it was flowing from the beginning. Except me with the learning curve, you know. Coming from one side of the camera to the other," she explained.

"Controversy can be good. It can pique your interest," she added.

Bassett is directing the made-for-TV film, which stars America's Next Top Model star Yaya DaCosta.

Singer Deborah Cox, who has re-recorded Houston's hits for the movie, said her motivation was "about creating the essence of" Houston. The key, she told Billboard, "was to sing in a tone as close to Whitney’s as possible, purely from the heart. None of Deborah Cox seeped into the performances."

A version of this article first appeared on Billboard.com.

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Martin Scorsese Attached to Direct Ramones Movie

A book, play and documentary with never-before-seen footage also in the works as the band's 40th anniversary approaches

By Jon Blistein | August 28, 2014

Martin Scorsese is attached to direct a new movie about the Ramones, one of several projects in the works to celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary of the band's first LP in 2016, Billboard reports.

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No Compassion: CBGB in the Seventies

Jeff Jampol, who now co-manages the Ramones' estate, offered no other details about the film, but when talking about his plans for the estate as a whole, he noted, "authenticity is the foundation of everything.

"Luckily, when you have a really genius artist like the Ramones, you don’t have to spin it," he continued. "It is what it is and what it is is a beautiful moment in time that sparked a revolution in music and in fashion."

Along with the film, Jampol said the estate is working on new apparel, remastered music, a theatrical play, a book and a documentary. The book will combine stories about the band's early years with photographs, memorabilia and posters that also offer a look at the burgeoning New York City punk scene. As for the documentary, Jampol teased a bevy of never-before-scene footage: "It came from the Ramones on the road over the years in the Seventies and a little bit in the Eighties, from a gentleman who had shot them, his name is George Seminara."

The slew of new projects not only comes in the wake of the death of Tommy Ramone — the band's original drummer — but the reconciliation of the band's estate, half of which was overseen by Johnny's wife, Linda for years, while frontman Joey's brother Mickey handled his half.

Linda Ramone spoke to Rolling Stone about the future of the reunited estate with Rolling Stone during the annual Johnny Ramone tribute at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery: "The whole Ramones family, we have falling outs and arguments and go make up. That's life," she said. "We've got so much stuff coming up. We have offers all the time for movies and plays and cartoons. It's been like that since the beginning, but now is the time to make it all happen because the Ramones are bigger than ever. Everybody loves them."

As for Scorsese, the director has plenty on his plate right now: He's currently filming the pilot for a show about a fictional record executive in the late 1970s, which he developed with Mick Jagger and Boardwalk Empire creator Terrence Winter; the show has been long-attached to HBO and stars Bobby Cannavale and Olivia Wilde. Scorsese is also working on a TV adaptation of his 2002 film Gangs of New York that will focus on the birth of American organized crime in cities like New York, Chicago and New Orleans. And just this week, HBO announced they would likely pick up an adaptation of the 2010 film Shutter Island, and that the Scorsese would not only direct the first episode, but serve as an executive producer. All this as Scorsese gets ready to direct an adaptation of the Shusaku Endo novel, Silence, and prepares to helm an upcoming Frank Sinatra biopic.

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My Everything Review

• My Everything
• Ariana Grande
• Republic

BY Rob Sheffield | August 26, 2014

Ariana Grande showed promise on her 2013 debut, Yours Truly – a classic case of "great voice, shame about the tunes," overseen by Nineties R&B god Babyface. My Everything is where the 21-year-old Nickelodeon starlet grows up. It's a confident, intelligent, brazen pop statement, mixing bubblegum diva vocals with EDM break beats. The summer smash "Break Free" sets the tone: Grande sings, "This is the part when I break free," while German producer Zedd builds up those whisper-to-scream synths, until the bass explodes and so does Grande. Like a Natalie Imbruglia for our more pretentious times, she's in the zone where "Torn" meets "Turn Down for What."

Unlike most of today's young pop royals, Grande's star power is rooted in her Mariah Carey-esque chops as a singer. She has a more virtuosic voice than Selena Gomez, Katy Perry or nearly anyone else on the radio in 2014 – and while she's far from the only diva-in-training to aim for Mariah's squeaky-deaky octave-goosing frills over Whitney's grit and growl, very few have Grande's sensitive touch. She knows how not to oversing, even when she opens the LP with a mostly a cappella intro overdubbing herself into an En Vogue chorale.

The hyperactive hummingbird-in-a-miniskirt energy of her voice makes sense, because she's usually singing about how all these boys, boys, boys are driving her out of her wits. Grande doesn't have much interest in wuss ballads where she plays the victim – she's an I'm-so-moving-on type, which is what gives her voice its emotional kick. "Break Your Heart Right Back" is a righteous manifesto for young women all over this land, as well as a reminder of why your little sister is more punk than you are.

Grande has hit-or-miss luck with rappers, but mostly misses. After klutzy cameos from Iggy Azalea and Big Sean, Childish Gambino sounds like Rakim by comparison. She makes up for it in bonus track "Bang Bang," her perfect Max Martin throwdown with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj. It fuses Nelly's "Country Grammar" with Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," which is some truly twisted pop archaeology.

The only flat-out terrible song here is "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart," a masochistic piano drooper where Grande plays the doormat who keeps taking back her no-good man every time he cheats. It doesn't exactly fit her personality, to say the least. You can practically hear her rolling her eyes as she sings. (And this is the one Harry Styles wrote? Harry, Harry, Harry. Do yourself a favor and get some songwriting tips from Babyface, pronto.)

When Grande reaches for a more adult tone in the ace power ballad "Why Try," she pulls it off. It's a Ryan Tedder special in the mode of Beyoncé's "XO" or "Halo," with Grande contemplating grown-up heartbreak ("We been living like angels and devils") over those nowfamiliar martial drum rolls. In clumsier hands, a song like this would turn into pure corn, but she doesn't waste a line of it. It sounds like there's no limit to where Ariana Grande can go from here. But as My Everything proves, she's already a major force.

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Lindsay Ell (The 'Female Keith Urban') Talks Singing With Keith Urban

By Chuck Dauphin | August 28, 2014 6:25 PM EDT

Lindsay Ell

Jessica Wardwell

From hearing her debut single, "Trippin' On Us," on the airwaves to sharing the stage with the Band Perry and Keith Urban, 2014 has been one incredible moment after another for Canada-born songstress Linsday Ell.

"Any time I think about it all, it seems like such a whirlwind," Ell tells Billboard. "Getting to share the stage with Keith was a dream come true. It's definitely something I've been waiting to do for a long time. I was playing at the Calgary Stampede Rodeo, and he was playing the next night. As it turned out, he called me a few hours before his show, and asked if I wanted to go out on stage with him."

Needless to say, it was a question that Ell -- who has been described as a "female Keith Urban" -- didn't have to ponder long. "It took me about three seconds to say, 'Umm... Yes. I would be absolutely honored.' I just have so much respect for him as an artist, a songwriter, and a guitar player. And he's such a great guy. It was a wonderful moment."

"I also went out with the Band Perry, which was great. It was my first time in Europe," Ell says. "We did 20 shows in eight different countries in 30 days. The three of them are so amazing. They took me in as a member of their family, and I learned so much from them and how hard they work. And I got to make my debut on the Grand Ole Opry, so it's been an unforgettable year, for sure."

With her follow-up single, "Shut Me Up," out on Stoney Creek Records now, Ell looks forward to building her profile in the States. "I know there are a lot of people here that don't know who I am, so I try to make sure that first impression is right. It's very important to me. I'm a huge social media fanatic, and spend a lot of time there to have that one-on-one connection, so they know I'm an actual human being. People have responded amazingly well."

She's also been able to showcase her athletic skills in events like a CMA-related softball game in June, or last week's Music Row Ladies' Golf Tournament.

Ell loves the challenge of going where she's never been before. "I don't say no to many things. If it was rock climbing, I might find a way to muster the courage up to do it. It was so much fun to do the softball game during the CMA Music Festival, and such a great cause with the City of Hope. We also did some bowling during the festival. I love when fans get to see another side of you and your personality. I may not be as great at it, but it's a lot of fun. Maybe if I played holding a guitar, then it would be great."

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Exclusive: Kellie Pickler Teases Fifth Album, Talks Meeting Her Idols

By Chuck Dauphin | August 25, 2014 4:15 PM EDT

Kellie Pickler performs an intimate show as part of Starwood Preferred Guest's Hear The Music, See The World at Four Points By Sheraton Nashville-Brentwood on August 23, 2014 in Brentwood, Tennessee. See The World Concert Series On August 23.

Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Four Points By Sheraton

Nashville is a place where dreams have a magical way of coming true, and for a select group of music fans on Saturday night, Kellie Pickler delivered a too-good-to-be true performance for an intimate crowd just south of Music City. In addition to performing, Pickler chatted with Billboard and shared how excited she is to be creating some new music.

"I'm working on my fifth album. I'm in the whole songwriting and song-picking process. We're in the very early stages of working on it," Pickler tells Billboard. "It's always great to have new music out -- to freshen up the set list, and it's exciting for the country fans. They are always eager to have new music.

"It's interesting that when you're working on an album, you pretty much live with it for the year that you're working on it. Then you send it off for the copies to be made, and the artwork to be produced and distributed. That takes months. So you've lived with the album for almost a year before anyone hears it. Then, by the time it comes out, you're ready for the next one, because you're sung it a million times -- but not for anyone outside of your circle."

Brad Paisley, Moonshine in the Trunk: Track-by-Track Review

Pickler's intimate Saturday night show was part of the Hear The Music, See The World concert series at Four Points by Sheraton Nashville-Brentwood, put on by Starwood Preferred Guest and Live Nation. Prior to her show, some audience members used their SPG points to attend a meet-and-greet with Pickler.

When asked about meeting her favorite idols, Pickler didn't hesitate. "I'm a big sucker for the classics, and I love me some Dolly Parton. I definitely enjoyed meeting her. She is such a wonderful asset to country music and the music business in general. She's done it all, and is someone you could learn a lot from. Reba McEntire is amazing, too. I've been lucky to meet her several times."

Kellie Pickler Returns With The Woman I Am

Another amazing experience for Picker was performing last October with Kenny Rogers. "That was such a surreal moment for me," she recalls. "I will never forget the invite. He was going to do a benefit for Cumberland Heights at the Ryman. He had recorded 'Someone Somewhere Tonight,' then I recorded it last year for The Woman I Am. He loved what I did with it, and of course, who doesn't love what he does? It just made sense for us to come together and to perform the song as a duet.

"I was so nervous. I will never forget it. I remember watching him and Dolly sing 'Islands In The Stream,' so I told myself that I was going to pretend I was Dolly for a second. It was a special moment, for sure -- especially there. There's no bigger stage in country music than the Ryman."

Pickler tells Billboard she was flattered SPG choose her as the Nashville represenative in their concert series. "I love Nashville, and it's the place that I've always wanted to call home as far back as I can remember. This is where I'm supposed to be, but with this crazy business, we live wherever the bus is parked," she says with a smile.

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Bacon Brothers Q&A: New Album, Jamming With Daryl Hall & Playing 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon'

By Chuck Dauphin | August 22, 2014 6:44 PM EDT

Kevin Bacon poses next to his brother Michael Bacon in Cologne, western Germany on May 7, 2010.

Henning Kaiser/AFP/Getty Images

The Bacon Brothers return to the musical world with 36 Cents, their first disc of all-new material in six years. In an interview with Billboard, both Michael and Kevin Bacon expressed excitement to get new music out to the public, and also amazement at the work that goes into releasing a project.

"Once you get the right songs, then you have to get all the loose ends tied up, like finding a distributor and writing the thank you's written for the CD jacket," said Michael. "When you're doing it yourself, there's a lot of loose ends, and they all have to be tied up. If you spell someone's name wrong or have the wrong mix of the track -- there's a lot of things that can go wrong, but hopefully we got it right."

Bacon Brothers Talk Getting the Band Back Together

To raise awareness of their new music, the brothers have been touring throughout the summer -- including a two-night stint at the historic Franklin Theatre just south of Nashville. Kevin Bacon tells The 615 that the vibe inside that particular venue was absolutely electric.

"It's a beautiful theater. It's very nice and extremely artist-friendly. The sound and the dressing rooms are both really nice as well. As is always the case in Nashville, there's always a little bit of an element of stepping up your game. There's going to be a lot of musicians and songwriters in the audience. Upstairs, there's a wall of fame with some fantastic photographs of some of the most amazing performers that have been there. You look at that wall, and hope 'Oh, shit. I hope I can live up to the tradition.' It was a lot of fun."

One of the highlights of 36 Cents is the intoxicating "Above the Clouds," which Michael says was written at a very special place. "We were asked to do a show called Live at Daryl's House with Daryl Hall. You come to his house in upstate New York and rehearse with his band. Everybody sings some of our songs, we do some of his, as well as covers. It's all pretty spontaneous. I think it's a unique situation -- and in a funny way, closer to how things go in Nashville than New York City, where it's very informal and respect for each other as musicians."

Another notable track is "Wonderful Day," which contains a great deal of irony in the lyrics. That fact was not lost on Kevin, who said, "The verses are certainly not happy verses. There is certainly some irony there. When people say 'Have a nice day,' it becomes something you repeat over and over without it meaning anything. The arrangement of the song and verse is a juxtaposition of the idea of having a wonderful day. It's one of the songs that we put in the hands of a friend of ours. We gave him the demo, which was pretty different, I think, than what ended up on the record. He took it to a whole other place, and we're very happy with it."

Michael says he and his brother definitely enjoyed the touring experience this summer. "We've been playing for a long time, but this tour felt different. I think we felt like we took it to another level, as far as musicality and audience response. I give our manager a lot of credit for making it easy for us."

Now, with the record out, things will resume their normal schedule, with Kevin getting ready to shoot another season of The Following. Michael knows that's part of the bargain. "Kevin goes back to his day job, and it's an incredibly busy time for him. He gets totally immersed in it. So the band has to fend for itself. What we are really hoping is that one of the songs will break out and collecting some attention. I feel good that this CD has some stuff on it that can garner some attention. Of course, I felt that way since 1970," he says with a laugh. "Maybe they're all hits."

Before the interview ended, we couldn't resist asking Kevin about the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game. He admits that it took a little getting used to. "I guess I hear that daily, maybe," he says. "Usually, someone will say, 'This makes us one degree' when they bump into you. I used to really find it annoying, but I don't anymore. There was a lyric in a song I wrote a while ago where I was talking about doing morning radio, and how every time I walked in, they wanted to play a round of 'Six Degrees.' It would drive me nuts. But it's not going away, so you can't fight it."

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Aaliyah’s Afterlife: How the Singer Still Lives on in Music and Fashion

By Clover Hope | August 22, 2014 4:36 PM EDT

Aaliyah

13 years after her death, the R&B star lives on with an astonishing influence over music and fashion

On her aunt’s porch in Haines City, Fla., in 2001, you could find a 15-year-old Sevyn Streeter doing her best Aaliyah impression. She and her cousin would glide from side to side, emulating the R&B icon’s fluid choreography. "We were so excited to move like her and have that same vibe," remembers Streeter, now 28 and one of several new soul stars whose sound and style are blatantly influenced by Aaliyah. "When I think back on that, I realize how long she’s not only been in me, but in our generation, and how long we’ve tried to imitate her."

It’s been more than a decade since Aaliyah Haughton died in a plane crash on Aug. 25, 2001, at 22, and 20 years since her 1994 debut, Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number. Nonetheless, the singer has become the go-to muse for millennial R&B. Jhene Aiko’s calm coos and windswept beats, heard on "The Worst" (which peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated April 26 and precedes her debut LP, Souled Out, due Sept. 9), follow Aaliyah’s downtempo template. In 2013, Streeter paid homage to the singer with a cover of "Come Over," and you can hear Aaliyah’s phrasing in her duet with Chris Brown, "It Won’t Stop," which reached No. 30 on the Hot 100. Brown later sampled Aaliyah, crediting her as a guest on his 2013 song "Don’t Think They Know," and Drake has sampled her as well. Aaliyah’s soft vocals and electro-influenced beats, courtesy of go-to collaborator Timbaland, are also providing a blueprint for the alt-R&B sounds of FKA Twigs (who released her debut album, LP1, on Aug. 12), Kelela, and Tinashe, whose single "2 On" is No. 27 on the Hot 100.

Aaliyah's Influence on Fashion and Music: Photo Gallery

"The new generation pulls inspiration from Aaliyah, despite not growing up with her, because she was authentic," says 43-year-old Missy Elliott, who co-wrote many of Aaliyah’s songs. "Her music couldn’t be placed in a category."

Rather than the powerful pipes R&B is known for, Aaliyah’s vocals were intimate and low-key. "Coming from a church background, if you can’t hit high notes and runs, some say you can’t sing," says Streeter. "She made me feel OK about not screaming over every track."

"We owe our chill vibe to her," says Tinashe, 21. "People were used to artists belting things out. She brought a new vocal styling that wasn’t represented in R&B. Not everything has to be so uptempo."

Aaliyah’s innovations landed her five top 10s on the Hot 100, three No. 1s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and more than 7.7 million U.S. album sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan. They also helped make her a style icon, then and now. “You see her look every day on college campuses and music videos,” says Streeter.

The late singer’s sacred status among young fans came to the fore in the uproars that plagued recent posthumous projects. In 2012, her former label, Blackground Records, headed by her uncle Barry Hankerson and his son Jomo, tapped Drake and producer Noah "40" Shebib to put together a new Aaliyah album with unreleased vocals. Its sole single, "Enough Said," drew fierce criticism from both fans and Timbaland, and the LP was shelved. "The concept was to relate the music to current artists who have common ground with Aaliyah," says Jomo Hankerson, "but the controversy was overwhelming, so we put the brakes on it."

This fall, Lifetime will air a biopic, Aaliyah: Princess of R&B, without involvement from the singer’s family, but it’s facing similar problems, with fans piling up on each casting announcement. In July, Disney star Zendaya Coleman dropped out of the lead role. "The production value wasn’t there; it wasn’t being handled delicately," she said in a video posted online.

BET’s 106 & Park co-host Keshia Chante, 26, auditioned to play Aaliyah in a planned VH1 biopic that also isn’t linked to the artist’s family. But after talking to Aaliyah’s mother, Dana Haughton, she backed out. "If the right production comes along and the family’s behind it, I’d do it," says Chante. "Aaliyah’s been part of my life since I was 6."

Reps for both VH1 and Lifetime declined to comment. Tinashe, however, is very vocal about the reservations she and other Aaliyah devotees have about new projects that try to resurrect the iconic singer. "I don’t necessarily think it’s a good idea," she says. "It’s more respectful to let Aaliyah have her legacy, not create new storylines."

Pioneering Rumba King Peret Dead at 79

By Judy Cantor-Navas | August 27, 2014 12:15 PM EDT

Pedro Pubill Calaf aka Peret.

Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

Barcelona bids goodbye to the father of its urban gypsy sound.

Pepe Aguilar & Carlos Vives Among Hispanic Heritage Awards Honorees

By Justino Aguila | August 28, 2014 4:54 PM EDT

Pepe Aguilar

Regional Mexican crooner Pepe Aguilar and Colombian singer Carlos Vives are among the honorees being celebrated at the Hispanic Heritage Awards on Sept. 18.

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation has announced that the entertainers, among others, will be honored at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., and PBS will broadcast the awards show as a one-hour special Sept. 29.

Latin Radio Icon Polito V...rk Concert

Both Aguilar and Vives have had thriving careers in the entertainment industry in addition to being consistently on the Billboard charts. Aguilar is receiving the Master of Arts award, while Vives is being given the Legend prize.

The 2014 honorees are the Hayden High School Robotics Team (Education), Bernie Williams (Sports), Henry R. Munoz III (Leadership), Zoe Saldana (Vision), Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (Science Technology Engineering Math) and a special recognition for the 65th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army, "The Borinqueneers."

"The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is proud to honor yet another inspiring group of Latino leaders," said Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. "The Hispanic community has made significant contributions throughout history, and we are proud to recognize that impact. Beyond celebrating our past success, we are focused on the future. Now more than ever, Latinos will play a vital role in moving America forward."

The Hispanic Heritage Awards were launched in 1987 by the White House as a way to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S. The awards receive support from about 40 national institutions who co-host the program.

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Telemundo's 'Yo Soy El Artista' Premieres Sept. 14

By Justino Aguila | August 26, 2014 5:33 PM EDT

Lucero performs on stage during the 2014 Premios Tu Mundo from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, in Florida on August 21, 2014.

John Parra/Telemundo

The new Telemundo reality competition show Yo Soy El Artista (translation: "I Am the Artist"), featuring judges Luis Fonsi, Olga Tañon and Mario Quintero Lara, among others, is scheduled to debut Sept. 14.

Latin Pop Singer Luis Fonsi Joins Telemundo's 'Yo Soy El Artista'

Hosted by TV personality Lucero, the show also includes judges Chiquibaby and Boris Izaguirre. The program will include an international pool of 100 social-media influencers who will vote on which contestants will sing, dance and show their star quality and showmanship.

The 13-week competition will eventually crown a winner as the ultimate "artist" in a show that will also feature music icon Juan Luis Guerra during the show's premiere.

More than 4,000 people auditioned in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Chicago and Puerto Rico. Of those contestants, 120 have traveled to Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla., where the competition takes place in three parts: auditions, selection and galas.

Telemundo and Reset TV are partners in the ownership of the show. They are also partners in the development, production and international distribution. The show's format is based on the original concept by the founders of Reset TV, Toni Cruz and Josep Maria Mainat, the creators of shows such as Crónicas Marcianas, Mira Quién Baila and Operación Triunfo.

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Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame 'Masterclass' Scribes Talk Writing for Latin Superstars

By Justino Aguila | August 22, 2014 8:12 PM EDT

(L to R) Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame "Masterclass in the Round" featured Aureo Baqueiro, Rudy Perez, Claudia Brant, KC Porter and John Echevarria from Universal Music Publishing Group Latino.

Justino Aguila

Their names may not be as widely recognized as Ricky Martin and Carlos Santana, but their lyrics and songs have been heard around the globe. The songwriters featured at the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame's "Masterclass in the Round" have written some of the most iconic compositions and are rock stars in their own right.

Uforia Music Fest Brings ...op in L.A.

Three of these veteran songwriters -- Aureo Baqueiro, Claudia Brant and KC Porter -- took to the stage at the L.A. Live Grammy Museum on Thursday to tell the stories behind some of their signature hits, how the writing process works for them and what it takes to be creative in a competitive field.

For Brant, it's the collaborations with artists that have allowed her to flourish. The writer, who has worked with Santana, Michael Bublé and John Legend performed a heartwarming rendition of the song "Ice-El Hielo," which she co-wrote with the Los Angeles-based band La Santa Cecilia. The song is about immigration and it was composed at Brant's home, where she worked with lead vocalist La Marisoul and the band members to chart out the song's musical direction.

"This is a song that would never go to No. 1 on the charts and I really don't care," Brant said, who added that earlier this year La Santa Cecilia took home a Grammy. "They [the band] come from very humble families. They are incredible, real and honest. They deserved to win the Grammy."

For the California-born Porter -- an arranger, composer and producer -- working with everyone from Martin to Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Michael Jackson, the writing process is heavily influenced by his travels to Latin America.

Porter performed "La Pared" for the audience, who he drew in to sing a verse from the composition also about immigration. "My roots and my heart is really in Latin America," said the composer, adding that singing and writing in Spanish is essential for his creative vision.

Baqueiro, who hails from Mexico, performed the romantic ballad "Te Voy a Perder," which he originally presented to a Latin pop group that rejected it. He put the song away for a couple of years before he reintroduced it to Mexican singer Alejandro Fernandez, who loved it and made the song a success.

"I started as a songwriter, and that was the only thing I wanted to do growing up," Baqueiro said. "I kind of just wanted to sing my own songs."

All songwriters agreed that one of the best things about writing music is how the community of writers gets to know each other and find support among each other, which can often lead to collaborations.

"You get to work with people like these masters and then you become friends," said Brant, who was also the evening's host. "Then you have these really amazing friendships."

Porter said that while there is room for all kinds of music, it's important for songwriters to bring integrity to projects that help elevate music.

"It's about moral responsibility," Porter said. "I try to instill that value into the artists that I produce or people I write with. We as artists/songwriters have a greater responsibility to communicate … to uplift the condition of mankind and it's not easy."

As for the discipline of writing music, the songwriters also agreed that there should be a consistency when it comes to honing skills and writing music.

Brant writes daily with the exception of Wednesdays and weekends. Porter, too, writes regularly and gets inspired by even the sounds from his backyard.

Baqueiro finds inspiration at any time during the day, which may be why he's often late when he's in the writing zone, much to the chagrin of his wife.

"There are some songs that you feel are special," Baqueiro concedes. "For me [it's a special song] when time goes by and I really don't remember [the time]. It's when I think I do my best work."

The Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, a nonprofit, was founded by Desmond Child and Rudy Perez with the intent of honoring the greatest Latin songwriters and their music in all genres. The second annual induction gala will be held Oct. 18 at the Ritz-Carlton in Miami.

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Fall Season Latinas on ABC: Two Law Students and a Detective

Posted by admin on August 25th, 2014 10:29 PM |

Latina Trend at ABC This Fall

It seems ABC Television has not forgotten the four-season success of its Latina-driven series Ugly Betty (2006-2010), even though the ratings dropped by season four. This fall ABC has three shows they hope they will be as successful or more.

ABC is introducing Cristela, a half-hour sitcom created by and starring standup comedienne Cristela Alonzo, premiering Friday, Oct 10 (8:30 EP/PT). Adding further strength to its Latino-friendly airwaves, ABC is introducing two drama series that are imbued with Latin flavor—Forever, featuring Alana De La Garza, premiering Tuesday, Sep 23 at 10p (ET/PT) and How To Get Away With Murder, with Karla Souza, beginning Thursday, Sep 25 at 10p (ET/PT). All this emerging talent, gathered at the recent summer gathering of the Television Critics Association (TCA), were only too happy to discuss what they hope to be spectacular debuts.

(L-R) Gabriel Iglesias, Terri Hoyos, Cristela Alonzo, Carlos Ponce & Maria Canals-Barrera

The Comedic Law Student

“It’s really weird,” Cristela Alonzo admitted. “Every step as we move towards it, I keep thinking I can’t believe I’m here, I can’t believe I’m here.” Cristela, which Alonzo is also exec producing along with co-creator Kevin Hench, Marty Adelstein, Shawn Levy and Becky Clements, chronicles the familial, social and professional misadventures of a Mexican-American law school graduatewho has yet to live the American dream.Series regulars include Carlos Ponce, Terri Hoyos, Maria Canals-Barrera, Sam McMurray and Andrew Leeds.

Alonzo added, “When it comes to expectations, I really try to never have any. It’s something that mom always told me. She always said, ‘Don’t expect anything or else you’ll be disappointed.’ So for me, I expected that whatever the outcome was, that was the outcome it was supposed to be. I don’t try to put any expectation on this show except that I want the show to portray me as me. The name of the show is Cristela. The character in the show is very much who I am in person, and I just want to show people the real me because, when you try to pretend that you’re someone else, people can tell.”

The Dramatic Law Student

Mexico City-born Karla Souza (Instructions Not Included) is making the small screen jump from Spanish-language telenovelas to the legal drama series, How to Get Away with Murder, the latest ABC effort from executive producer Shonda Rhimes, created by ShondaLand writer Peter Nowalk, starring Viola Davis as a law professor who believes the best way to teach the law is to entwine her most promising students in an actual murder case. Souza revealed, “I play one of the law students and my name is Laura Wilding. So I better be able to speak English very well.”

When asked if she is playing a non Latina, Souza responded, “At this point, I don’t really know. Pete (Nowalk) actually asked me if I wanted to have my character’s last name changed to be Latin. I was so surprised that he would even ask. And I loved it that the producers were so caring. So I remember Pete saying, ‘The fact that you actually speak French and you’re Mexican, but you lived in Colorado, is very useful. We want to bring all these things into the character.’ So I was very honored and very grateful about that. So I don’t know if it’s going to be the Latina you’re used to seeing on TV, because I feel like there’s a very strong stereotype out there, and I’m happy to kind of show a different side to that.”

How To Get Away With Murder has a large ensemble of regulars, including Viola Davis, Karla Souza, Billy Brown, Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Katie Findlay, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGorry, Karla Souza, Charlie Weber and Liza Weil. Executive producers include Pete Nowalk, Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, and Bill D’Elia.

Alana De La Garza & Judd Hirsch

The Fun Detective

Forever, which is a police procedural with a medical twist, stars Welsh-born Ioan Gruffield as Dr. Henry Morgan, a top flight medical examiner, with a profound secret—he’s immortal. His new partner is Detective Jo Martinez, played by Mexican American Alana De La Garza, who is no stranger to procedural dramas. She played assistant DA Connie Rubirosa in the Law & Order franchise from 2006 to 2011.

“This is a different thing altogether, Garza proclaimed. “I guess my Law & Order experience helps in the fact of the interrogations and dealing with the perps, but the way this show is written is so much fun and such a different experience. Jo is such a full person. She’s got a history and a backstory and feelings. It’s so wonderfully written on the page. I just have to open my mouth and make it come alive.”

One of the aspects that really has Garza excited is the fantasy aspects of the series. “It’s funny. I always play a very serious strong woman, and I’m a goober. I’m a total dork. So doing something that is more fantastical and adventurous in the way this show develops, it appeals to me, and it’s fun. From day one, I felt like I’d known the people on this show my whole life. And it’s lovely. It’s beautiful when that comes together.

Forever, which also stars Judd Hirsch, is created and produced by Matt Miller

Upcoming are TeleVision spotlights on the fall programming of CBS-CW, NBC, FOX, PBS and Cable.

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‘Breaking Bad’ took over the Emmys; Latinas go absent

Aug 26, 2014

By Daniel Lastra

Best supporting actor in a Drama, best actress and best actor in a drama were taken by the cast of “Breaking Bad” at this year’s Emmys. (Getty Images)

It was an Emmy that attracted and nominated many movie stars, including promising nominee Kevin Spacey, but TV actors dominated the 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, namely the cast of “Breaking Bad,” who stole many of the most coveted awards in the show.

SEE ALSO: Bruno Mars thinks his Emm...y funky’

It was what the Associated Press called a “long goodbye” to AMC show “Breaking Bad.” It’s finale aired 11 months ago, and Emmy voters gave the show lots of love: Bryan Cranston (meth dealer Walter White) won his fourth best drama actor Emmy, tying him with four-time winner, Dennis Franz; Aaron Paul, his sidekick, won his third supporting actor award for playing Jesse Pinkman; and Anna Gunn, who played Walter White’s wife, also won.

The show itself won best TV drama for second year in a row.

“Thank you for this wonderful farewell to our show,” Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan said.

Latino actors didn’t take any of the more notable awards at the Emmys; Sofia Vergara was not nominated this year, even though her show, “Modern Family” won its fifth award.

“Modern Family” co-creator Steve Levitan almost seemed speechless after the ABC show won it’s fifth best comedy award in a row. It now matched sitcom “Frasier,” which also won five consecutive awards in its heyday.

Actor Ty Burrell, who plays Phil Dunphy, won the best supporting actor award.

SEE ALSO: Sofia Vergara’s ‘Kill...s canceled

Another show that enjoys critical acclaim but fell short of getting any major awards was “Orange is the New Black.” None of it’s mostly female, Black(Uzo Aduba won an Emmy before the Emmys telecast aired)) and Latina cast won any acting awards either.

[Edited 8/28/14 19:02pm]

The Last Internationale's Edgey Pires and Delila Paz, front, have been bolstered by Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk, left.

By: Ben Rayner Pop Music Critic, Pop Music Critic, Published on Tue Aug 19 2014

Watch: Trailer For Documentary 'Nas: Time Is Illmatic' Presents A Classic Rap Album

Can documentaries about famous rap groups and albums be a new thing please? A few years ago we got the excellent "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest," detailing the fascinating and incredible story of the highly influential hip hop group, and now comes "Nas: Time Is Illmatic," another snapshot of a rapper who has inspired a generation of artists.

Directed by One9 (huh?) and featuring the participation of Nas, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., DJ Premier, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys and more, the movie goes twenty years back in time to 1994, when Illmatic dropped and turned heads everywhere. The doc chronicles Nas' influences, his life story and career—which saw him signing to major label at 20 years old—and how he developed his unique artistic voice.

"Nas: Time Is Illmatic" arrives in select theaters beginning October 1st and on nationwide VOD and iTunes/digital platforms beginning October 3rd. Read our review here. [Rap Up]

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The updated action comedy will revolve around an inner-city teacher named Isaac

Believe it or not “The Greatest American Hero” could be coming back to the air.

Fox is developing a reboot of the Stephen J. Cannell series which ran from 1981-83 and starred William Katt as Raph Hinkley, a teacher who receives a suit that gives him superhuman powers. Hinkley then embarks on a trial-and-error career of do-gooding.

Also read: Lifetime Orders Glen Mazzara's ‘Omen’ Reboot ‘Damien’ to Series

The project, which comes from “21 Jump Street” directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, has received a put pilot commitment, meaning Fox is subject to monetary penalties if the pilot doesn't air.

The one-hour action comedy project will offer a new take on the classic series and will revolve around an inner-city teacher named Isaac whose discovery of a superhero suit which also gives him superhuman abilities. Unfortunately for Isaac, he hates wearing the suit and has to learn how to use its powers by trial and error because he quickly misplaces the suit's instructions. He also has to deal with a government handler who has very different objectives than him and struggles as to whether he should use his newfound gifts to help others or just himself.

Also read: Matthew Perry's ‘Odd Couple’ Reboot Casts Leslie Bibb in Recurring Role

Lord and Miller are executive producing via their shingle Lord Miller, which has an exclusive overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television to develop, write and direct comedy projects. The pair's “22 Jump Street” collaborator Rodney Rothman is writing the pilot, and is also executive producing.

Seth Cohen, Lord Miller's president of television, and television director Tawnia McKiernan — Cannell's daughter — are also executive producing.

“The Greatest American Hero” marks the second sale this season for Lord Miller, which also sold an untitled comedy project from writer Dan Sterling (“The Interview”) to CBS. Lord and Miller also have the upcoming straight-to-series comedy “Last Man on Earth,” starring Will Forte, at Fox.

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‘Exodus’ Director Ridley Scott Explains Controversial Casting Decision

Movies | By Greg Gilman on August 29, 2014

20th Century Fox

The main characters in the Biblical adaptation, set in Egypt, are all played by Caucasian actors

Thousands of people aren't happy with “Exodus: Gods and Kings” director Ridley Scott‘s decision to cast all white leads as Egyptians in the upcoming Biblical drama, but there's a method to his madness: He just really likes Christian Bale and Joel Edgerton.

When asked to expand on his self-described “careful” casting of the 20th Century Fox Dec. 12 release, Scott told Yahoo he knew Bale “was the right actor for the role” of Moses.

“I was thinking about the idea of ‘Exodus’ and Moses being this kind of larger-than-life character who, at the same time, has to be played definitively as a very real person, that I thought of Christian and I knew he was the right actor for the role,” Scott said. “It's not a fantasy. Ramses certainly wasn't a fantasy and somewhere Moses is very much written down and indicated and believed. So it's a real thing.”

As for Edgerton, who plays Egyptian pharaoh Ramses, Scott had his eye on the actor since he auditioned for 2005's “Kingdom of Heaven.”

“Joel had read for me for ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ and I really liked him,” Scott said. “He sent me a tape at the time, out of the blue, and I watched it and I was like, ‘Who is this?’ And later I saw him in ‘Animal Kingdom,’ which is a great film, and he was brilliant. I was knocked out by what he did on ‘Exodus.'”

The movie, which also stars Sigourney Weaver (“Alien”) as an Egyptian queen, was criticized for its Caucasian cast after the trailer was released earlier this summer.

“Ridley Scott‘s ‘Exodus: Gods And Kings’ movie is racist as shit. And it's disgusting, lazy and a movie that people shouldn't still be making in 2014,” David Dennis Jr. wrote in a lengthy opinion piece for Medium. “Boycott the movie. Go see the movie. I don't care. Just know that what you're watching  –  if you choose to watch it  —  is a crock of bullishit.”

That sentiment resonates with 16,300 people who have signed a petition urging Scott to stop racist casting.

“In his new version of Moses’ battle to save his people from slavery, Scott has played into the worst, most outdated assumptions that the heros of Judaism and Christianity were Caucasian,” the Care2 petition reads. “Christian Bale is playing Moses. Did anyone in the ancient middle east look like Christian Bale?”

Scott was not asked about the racial component of his casting decision, but he did answer a question about how he formed the international cast — which has been criticized for only featuring colored performers in small roles, such as servants, thieves and assassins.

“Egypt was – as it is now – a confluence of cultures, as a result of being a crossroads geographically between Africa, the Middle East and Europe,” Scott said. “We cast major actors from different ethnicities to reflect this diversity of culture, from Iranians to Spaniards to Arabs. There are many different theories about the ethnicity of the Egyptian people, and we had a lot of discussions about how to best represent the culture.”

Also read: Holy Moses! Christian Bale Gets Biblical in First ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ Trailer (Video)

Casting white actors as characters who were historically not white — either in reality or the original piece of fiction — is nothing new in the entertainment business. It started with minstrel shows and vaudeville, and continues to this day in major studio productions including “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Prince of Persia,” “Argo,” “A Beautiful Mind,” and “21.”

Producers point to bankability of the stars they're gambling on to draw an audience into theaters, but Mel Gibson's 2006 Mayan adventure film “Apocalypto” challenges that theory — or excuse, depending on who you ask.

The lead, a Mayan named Jaguar Paw, was played by Native American Rudy Youngblood, who spoke Yucatec Maya language throughout the film, which grossed $120.6 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. Sure, it's not the $457.6 million Scott's “Gladiator” grossed around the world in 2000, but it's proof that audiences are willing to be adventurous if the story is intriguing.

achary Quinto Ponders NBC's ‘Heroes’ Reboot and Whether He's Bringing Back Sylar

Lord and Miller are repped by UTA and Matthew Johnson at Ziffren Brittenham LLP. Rothman is repped by UTA and David Miner at 3 Arts, while McKiernan is repped by Jack Leighton at APA and Andrea Simon.

Deadline first reported the news of the “The Greatest American Hero” reboot.

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ABC's Diversity Push: Can It Put the Network Back on Top?

TV | By Tim Molloy on August 29, 2014

What makes “Black-ish,” “Cristela,” and “Fresh Off the Boat” different

Every network says it celebrates diversity. But ABC is going harder than any other broadcaster this season, airing three comedies in which race isn't just in the background, but right out front.

In one case, it's even in the name.

“To ABC's credit, we didn't want to do a show about a family that happened to be black,” Kenya Barris, creator of “Black-ish,” told TheWrap. “We wanted to do a show about a family that was absolutely black.”

The network has given the show its ultimate vote of confidence: It scored the spot after “Modern Family,” ABC's top-rated show and the winner of five consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Comedy.

Why now? It's a mix of demographics, ratings, trying to do the right thing, and the awesome success of Shonda Rhimes. In the 2014-15 season, the creator of ABC's biggest dramas, “Grey's Anatomy” and “Scandal,” will be responsible for the network's entire Thursday primetime lineup.

“Black-ish” stars Anthony Anderson as a dad afraid that his kids are losing touch with black culture. “Cristela,” also debuting this fall, is about a Mexican-American woman living with her mother and her sister's family. “Fresh Off the Boat,” which doesn't yet have a premiere date, is about a family of Taiwanese immigrants that includes 11-year-old, hip-hop obsessed Eddie, who is inspired by celebrity chef Eddie Huang.

The network is also airing “American Crime” from Oscar-winning “Twelve Years a Slave” writer John Ridley. The multicultural series bluntly examines how racial prejudice pervades the criminal justice system.

Broadcasters have said for years that they want their shows to reflect all of America. But they've often demonstrated it by sprinkling a few members of racial minorities into ensemble casts often led by whites.

ABC's diversity push this fall is different because the casts are led and dominated by people of specific backgrounds, telling stories directly relevant to those backgrounds. The shows are more color-conscious than color-blind. Rather than pretending stereotypes don't exist, they acknowledge and subvert them.

ABC entertainment chief Paul Lee has said he chooses shows that tell good, authentic stories – and that authentic means specific.

“They're into pure voices,” said Barris.

But ABC also has another incentive: The fourth-place network needs to do something different. Networks often take their biggest swings when they have little to lose.

ABC's lower ratings in the key 18-49 demographic may have given it some freedom to experiment, says UCLA professor Darnell Hunt, author of “Channeling Blackness: Studies on Television and Race in America.”

“That may be what's giving them space to try something new, since what they were trying before wasn't as successful,” he said. But he says the network is “making a noble effort” to better reflect the diversity of America.

Hunt is one of the authors of UCLA's Hollywood Diversity Report, which tracks underrepresentation in the entertainment industry. He has met with ABC to make the case that diversity is good business.

“The people who are currently there are thinking more long term,” says Hunt. “When we're there, we're telling them: Five years down the road, if you guys haven't figured this out, you're not going to be as competitive. It's not just about politics, it's not just about public relations. It's also about dollars and cents.”

His study notes that television will need to change dramatically to keep up with its audience. For the first time in 2012, the study notes, most babies born in the U.S. were not white, and the U.S. is no longer expected to have a white majority by 2042. Whites will no longer be a majority in California by the end of this year.

A recent Nielsen report, meanwhile, found that African-Americans, who represent about 13 percent of the television audience, watch about 223 hours of traditional TV each month, compared to 159 hours for viewers overall.

Hispanics, who represent about 17 percent of the audience, watch about 126 hours, and Asians, who represent about 5 percent, watch about 93 hours. All the numbers are based on the first quarter of 2014, and the report doesn't break out numbers for whites. (See chart, below, excerpted with permission from the Nielsen report.)

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Janelle Monáe & Kimbra Team Up To Show Love For MJ, Cover “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” Live In Session

The love keeps on spinning, as Janelle Monáe and Kimbra link up to pay a proper tribute to Michael Jackson, performing the fallen star’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” live in session. The two-headed beast of powerhouse soulstresses began their little romp with a light-hearted take on Queen Aretha‘s “Rock Steady,” before sharing time in a call & response that plays to their strongest vocal suits. They traded line for buttery boogie line in a rendition that perfectly applied The Funky Android’s croon (which I have long preached is one that uncannily resembles a young MJ) and the Aussie-based vocalist’s own airy and on-point delivery.

Micky Dolenz: The Monkees Singer and Drummer in the Furniture Workshop at his Los Angeles Home

Posted on August 28, 2014 by admin

1 MAKE A STAND My father got me into DIY and it’s always been my release from the crazy world of showbusiness, so my haven is the garage in my four-bedroom Spanish-style house in LA, which I’ve converted into a workshop. I even do my own plumbing, electricals, and repairs. I got my children into DIY too and last year my youngest, Georgia, and I started a handmade furniture company, Dolenz & Daughters. I made this mahogany guitar stand, and we may start selling them.

2 MONKEE BUSINESS I was at college studying architecture when I auditioned for The Monkees, a TV show that ran from 1966-8. It was about an imaginary pop group and we were compared to The Beatles, but on the show we were more like The Marx Brothers. This photo is of us winning an Emmy for the first series. We could all sing and play, and still do. My co-stars Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork and myself are now on our third Monkees tour since the tragic death of Davy Jones in 2012.

3 FAMILY FIRM This photo of my four daughters was taken about 12 years ago, and they gave it to me for Christmas. Ami, 45, [bottom] is from my first marriage to Samantha Juste, who co-hosted Top Of The Pops and who sadly died in February this year. From my second marriage to Trina, I have Charlotte, 33, [left] Emily, 31, [right] and Georgia, 30 [top]. I’ve been married to my third wife Donna since 2002. All of us get on so well we’ve holidayed together, even the ex-wives.

4 GUITAR PICK This original Monkee Gretsch guitar was among those produced as merchandise for the TV show. In recent years I’ve wanted one, and I finally tracked this down and bought it from a guy for a few thousand dollars. To this day, often when people see me out in public they sing, ‘Here we come, walking down the street…’ from The Monkees theme song. I have a gold record of The Monkees’ first album here too, though the metal has faded with time.

5 CIRCUS ACT My parents, George and Janelle, were actors and singers – I was so used to seeing Dad on movie sets that I thought everybody’s father was an actor. I got into the business myself as a child in 1956 in a TV series called Circus Boy, about a child adopted by circus folk when his parents die. Here are some mementoes from the show – my hat, belt, gloves and pictures. Sadly, my dad died of a heart attack when I was 17. Mum became my business manager and we were very close until she passed away in 1995. 6 STAR SIGN In the late 80s, The Monkees got a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. And in 2003, while I was hosting the morning show on a radio station in New York, a nearby street was named Micky Dolenz Way. This is one of the street signs they made. I’ve also lived in the UK – in the 70s and 80s I was a TV director on shows such as Metal Mickey and lived in London and Newark. A few years ago I played Wilbur in the West End production of Hairspray, and I’d love to get back on stage there.

Source: Monkees.net For more information on Micky and Georgia’s furniture company visit www.dolenzanddaughters.com

Harry Belafonte to Receive Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

by Press Release
August 28, 2014 5:12 PM

The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted Tuesday night (August 26) to present the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Harry Belafonte, as well as Honorary Awards to Jean-Claude Carrière, Hayao Miyazaki and Maureen O’Hara. All 4 awards will be presented at the Academy’s 6th Annual Governors Awards on Saturday, November 8, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center.

“The Governors Awards allow us to reflect upon not the year in film, but the achievements of a lifetime,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “We’re absolutely thrilled to honor these outstanding members of our global filmmaking community and look forward to celebrating with them in November.”

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, also an Oscar statuette, is given “to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.”

An actor, producer, singer and lifelong activist, Belafonte began performing in theaters and nightclubs in and around Harlem, where he was born. From the beginning of his film career, he chose projects that shed needed light on racism and inequality, including “Carmen Jones,” “Odds against Tomorrow” and “The World, the Flesh and the Devil.”

He was an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, marching and organizing alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., often funding initiatives with his entertainment income.

Belafonte was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1987 and currently serves on the boards of the Advancement Project and the Institute for Policy Studies. His work on behalf of children, education, famine relief, AIDS awareness and civil rights has taken him all over the world.

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

Jean-Claude Carrière, who began his career as a novelist, was introduced to screenwriting by French comedian and filmmaker Pierre Étaix, with whom he shared an Oscar® for the live action short subject “Heureux Anniversaire (Happy Anniversary)” in 1962. He received two more nominations during his nearly two-decade collaboration with director Luis Buñuel, for the screenplays for “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” and “That Obscure Object of Desire.” Carrière also has collaborated notably with such directors as Volker Schlöndorff (“The Tin Drum”), Jean-Luc Godard (“Every Man for Himself”) and Andrzej Wajda (“Danton”). He earned a fourth Oscar nomination for “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” with director Philip Kaufman.

Hayao Miyazaki is an artist, writer, director, producer and three-time Oscar nominee in the Animated Feature Film category, winning in 2002 for “Spirited Away.” His other nominations were for “Howl’s Moving Castle” in 2005 and “The Wind Rises” last year. Miyazaki gained an enormous following in his native Japan for such features as “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,” “Laputa: Castle in the Sky,” “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Kiki’s Delivery Service” before breaking out internationally in the late 1990s with “Princess Mononoke.” He is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, a renowned animation studio based in Tokyo.

Maureen O’Hara, a native of Dublin, Ireland, came to Hollywood in 1939 to star opposite Charles Laughton in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” She went on to appear in a wide range of feature films, including the swashbucklers “The Black Swan” and “Sinbad the Sailor,” the dramas “This Land Is Mine” and “A Woman’s Secret,” the family classics “Miracle on 34th Street” and “The Parent Trap,” the spy comedy “Our Man in Havana” and numerous Westerns. She was a favorite of director John Ford, who cast her in five of his films, including “How Green Was My Valley,” “Rio Grande” and “The Quiet Man.”

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AFI Fest to pay tribute to 'timeless' actress Sophia Loren

Sophia Loren, shown In South Wales in 1965, is the subject of a tribute at this year's AFI Fest. (Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images)

By Oliver Gettell

Sophia Loren will receive a special tribute at this year's AFI Fest

Meet the face of this year's AFI Fest: Sophia Loren, the Academy Award-winning actress and Italian bombshell, will receive a tribute at the film festival and grace its promotional materials via a striking photograph from the summer of 1965.

A celebration will be held Nov. 12 in Hollywood and will feature a 50th anniversary screening of the newly restored "Marriage Italian Style," for which Loren earned an Oscar nomination; a conversation with the actress about her career; and a presentation of her son Edoardo Ponti's recent short "The Human Voice," in which she appears.

Loren, 79, got her start in a series of 1950s Italian films and burst onto American screens playing opposite such leading men as Cary Grant, Anthony Quinn and John Wayne.

She won the first major Oscar given to a foreign-language performance with her lead role in the 1961 drama "Two Women," and she went on to star in such films as "El Cid," "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," "Arabesque" and "A Countess From Hong Kong." In 1991, she received an honorary Oscar for her contribution to world cinema.

"In a world where the daily obsession seems to be, 'What's next?' Sophia Loren is a rare and welcome reminder that true talent is timeless," AFI President and Chief Executive Bob Gazzale said in a statement. "It is AFI's honor to shine a proper light on all the gifts she's given the world across the years."

AFI Fest will run Nov. 6-13.

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Showtime's 'The Affair': Go Beneath the Sheets of the "Dark" Romantic Drama (Exclusive)

12:06 PM PDT 8/29/2014 by Philiana Ng

The new three-minute promo premieres Sunday

This Sunday, Showtime will premiere an in-depth first look at its new drama The Affair.

Focusing on the psychological effects of an extramarital affair between a married woman Alison (Ruth Wilson) and an older married man Noah (Dominic West) in Montauk, the new hourlong series promises to take a deep dive into the complexities of long-term relationships. Joshua Jackson and Maura Tierney also star.

Right off the bat, there's a clear physical attraction between Alison and Noah. As Wilson explains in the three-minute promo exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter, Noah represents "an escapism" that Alison is attracted to.

As the series goes on, The Affair further explores the consequences of "what happens when two honest, good people can't control their feelings for each other" and how that decision "affects everyone around them," says West, warning, "It gets pretty sinister." Wilson adds that the show shines a light on "the dark undershades" of the town.

One of the biggest stars of the series is the setting, with its lazy-summer East Coast feel. "Montauk means something different to everybody who is a part of our story," Jackson says.

The Affair premieres Sunday, Oct. 12...p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

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Monroe

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Introducing: Kiesza

You’d be hard pressed to find a pop star with a resumé quite as eclectic and impressive as Kiesza. The 25-year-old Canadian, whose debut single ‘Hideaway‘ has built a steady head of hype since its unveiling by Annie Mac last week, has been a naval sharpshooter, sung lullabies to cruise ship patrons and competed in Miss Universe Canada. The only linking factor in a life that’s seen her traverse the globe is a determination to follow her gut, wherever it may take her.

Fortunately, it’s been a path that’s led her to music. From a childhood that saw her starring in stage productions of Annie to life aboard the cruiser where she first wrote her own songs, the now London-based vocalist has been refining her craft for years now, constantly challenging herself to write the perfect pop song. The results of her journey are nothing if not immaculate; ‘Hideaway’ pristinely melds her love of garage, house and pop with the utmost drama, while a forthcoming cover of Haddaway‘s ‘What is Love?‘ finds the perfect hinterland between power and vulnerability.

Now settled in London, the prodigious up-and-comer talks us through life in the navy and its emotional conflicts, her subsequent departure to music school and the art of writing a great pop song.

PlanetNotion: ‘Hideaway’ has been incredibly well received since Annie Mac played it on Friday night. Tell us a little bit about the track’s origins.
Kiesza: It’s a crazy story. I was just about to head to the airport to board a plane to LA. At the time, I was in New York and I was going to head out there as my writing was picking up. I was ready to board a plane and Rami – the producer I work with – had started working on this track in the studio and it sounded really cool. It reminded me of a lot of the people that I’m into, so I asked if I could jump on the mic before I had to go. The entire song just came out. Everything you hear was finished in an hour-and-a-half. It just poured out. I nearly missed my flight; it was like a scene from a movie.

Two days later, I get this call from Rami saying, “I think you need to come back to New York.” That’s when I knew I’d found a sound that really worked for me. I ended up going back there and working on more tracks. The rest is history.

PN: It’s the lead track from an EP of the same name. What can you tell us at this point in time about the EP?
K: There are two original songs, a remix of ‘Hideaway’ and then a new version of ‘What is Love?’ [by Haddaway]. That’s always been one of my favourite songs. I was so into it and I realised that although the song itself is so happy, the lyrics are so sad. I wanted to interpret the song in the way that the lyrics are written, and that was as more of a slow ballad.

PN: It sounds like you’ve had a really interesting life. You’ve been a ballerina, you’ve served in the navy, and you’ve competed in Miss Universe Canada. How long were you in the navy for?
K: About four years. I didn’t serve but I was part of the reserves. I wasn’t contracted for the four years. They were really pushing me to do that but I was so young and I was still in high school. I was very adventurous and a total thrill-seeker; the navy just really appealed to me. I loved the idea of going to boot camp, so I did.

PN: When did you realise that you wanted to leave that part of your life behind?
K: When the reality sunk in that it wasn’t a game. I’d thought it was fun and that it was a cool thing to do, but then I realised that these people were looking at me as a serious shooter and that my job would be to shoot real people. They put me into simulation training; it was almost like being in a video game but you’re shooting with real guns that have lasers wired into them. There’s no way I could ever pull the trigger on a real person.

It was fun and I gained a lot of discipline from the military. It’s definitely helped me as a musician. I was also really good at Morse code. I originally signed up as a naval communicator because I had no idea that I was a good shot. I actually had the top Morse code score that year as well.

PN: And after your time in the military, I hear you sailed to Hawaii.
K: Before and during my time in the navy, I was really into sailing. I went on this really big ship in Victoria – it was about 132ft – and every few years it does a world trip. This time it was going to Japan. I made it as far as Hawaii and on getting there I rang home and my mum told me I’d been accepted into music school. I hadn’t even auditioned for this school. I’d just sent a demo. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do; music was something I’d picked up on the boat.

PN: Did you have your first exposure to being a musician while on that boat then?
K: That was my first exposure to being a songwriter and creating my own music. I’d had classical piano training before. I’d done ballet and musical theatre too – I was in the musical Annie as a kid. I’ve been singing throughout my life but never creating my own music. That was when I realised I had a natural instinct for it.

I would actually sing people to sleep on the ship with these little lullabies I’d write. I thought I might end up being the captain of a ship one day but people started asking for my demo. A friend of mine said to me, “you should send it to this music school. It’s in the middle of nowhere in Canada but it’s actually really good.” I really didn’t expect to hear anything back but they called and said I didn’t even need to audition. I just followed my gut. I got off at Hawaii and flew home.

Within my first semester at this school, I also auditioned for Berklee and I received a really big scholarship. It’s the leading contemporary music school in the world.

PN: What other styles of music have you dabbled with in the past?
K: I started out as a folk singer, which was simply because I had a guitar and was on a boat. That slowly turned into folk-pop. It’s funny; I wrote pop for a little while and the reason was that I’d heard these two students talking about pop music saying, “that’s not real music. Those songs are stupid. They’re so easy to write.” I’d thought to myself: ‘If it’s that easy to make, why doesn’t everyone do it?’ I love a good challenge and that’s the one I set myself: can I write a good pop song? I realised it’s all in the art of simplicity and that’s a real skill.

My personal writing has always been evolving. It’s kind of like my life – trying on different hats and seeing what fits. There are so many styles that I really loved writing but they just didn’t fit. For me, it was a very organic process; in the same way that I tried out sailing, I tried out the navy, I tried out Miss Universe. I was actually also a synchronised swimmer as well. When I found music, it just stuck. That was what I really excelled at the most.

PN: You’ve just moved to London. What inspired that decision?
K: I really like the music scene. Deep house is almost mainstream here and I’m really into Route94, Dusky, Disclosure, and Maya Jane Coles. I really wanted to come out here and be part of it as I really feel like I’d fit in with it all.

I’ve always done everything myself: I design my own artwork and logo, I write the songs and I really wanted to do this independently as well. There are so many people that I want to work with out here; Gorgon City and Naughty Boy to name just a couple.

- Alex Cull

Vocally Incredible:

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Glenn Cornick, Original Bassist in Jethro Tull, Dies at 67

Glenn Cornick, the original bassist in the popular British rock group Jethro Tull in the late 1960s, died on Thursday at his home in Hilo, Hawaii. He was 67.

His death was announced on the band’s website. His family said the cause was congestive heart failure.

The focal point of Jethro Tull, which was formed in late 1967 and remained active into this year, was always Ian Anderson, who in addition to being the lead singer and principal songwriter is a charismatic performer and one of the few rock musicians to play flute. But the contributions of Mr. Cornick and the band’s other two members — for most of his three-year tenure he played alongside the guitarist Martin Barre and the drummer Clive Bunker — did not go unnoticed.

The group typically “creates a deep, rumbling bass and guitar line and paints a breathy flute ribbon upon it,” Mike Jahn wrote in a 1969 New York Times review of Jethro Tull’s performance at the Fillmore East. “It maintains this through moments of loud, typically British rock bashing, and occasional passages of relatively quiet, inauspicious jazz.”

Like many other British rock bands of its era, Jethro Tull, whimsically named after an 18th-century British agriculturist, started out primarily playing the blues. But the group did not achieve widespread fame until its sound developed into something more ambitious and uncategorizable, incorporating elements of jazz, folk and even classical music.

In a 2011 interview with the magazine It’s Psychedelic, Baby, Mr. Cornick recalled that he and his bandmates had been surprised by the reaction to Jethro Tull’s second album, “Stand Up.” “We still thought we were a blues band,” he said. “You don’t consciously change the direction of your music. It just happens naturally, so we were all shocked when the album was released and people said, ‘Oh, they’re not playing blues anymore.’ ”

Glenn Douglas Barnard Cornick was born in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, on April 23, 1947. He began playing bass in his teens and first worked with Mr. Anderson in Blackpool in a band that eventually evolved into Jethro Tull. Mr. Cornick played on the band’s first three albums, “This Was” (1968), “Stand Up” (1969) and “Benefit” (1970), and on its first tours.

He left shortly before the band recorded its celebrated album “Aqualung” and was replaced by Jeffrey Hammond. He later formed the band Wild Turkey and was a member of Paris, a group that also included the former Fleetwood Mac singer and guitarist Bob Welch.

Mr. Cornick is survived by his wife, Brigitte Martinez-Cornick; a daughter, Molly Cornick; and two sons, Drew and Alex.

In a statement on the Jethro Tull website, Mr. Anderson praised Mr. Cornick as someone who “brought to the early stage performances of Tull a lively bravado both as a personality and a musician.”

Correction: September 3, 2014

A picture caption with an obituary on Monday about Glenn Cornick, the original bassist in the band Jethro Tull, misstated the year the photo was taken. The picture, of Mr. Cornick and the other members of Jethro Tull, is from 1968, not 1969.

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Jimi Jamison, former lead singer of Survivor, dead at 63

Jimi Jamison, lead singer for bands Cobra and Survivor, died Sunday night. He was 63. Jamison was the lead singer on classic songs like, "The Moment of Truth," "The Search Is Over," and "Burning Heart."

By Ryan Parker contact the reporter

Jimi Jamison, who died Sunday at 63, was the lead singer on Survivor hits that include 'The Moment of Truth'

Jimi Jamison, the former lead singer for the rock bands Cobra and Survivor, died Sunday, his booking agent Sally Irwin confirmed to the Los Angeles Times.

Jamison died of a heart attack at his home in Memphis, Tenn., Irwin said. He was 63.

Photos of leaders, stars and other notable figures who have died in 2014.

Jamison was the lead singer for Survivor from the mid-to-late 1980s, creating such hits as "Burning Heart" from "Rocky IV" and "The Moment of Truth" from "The Karate Kid."

Jamison joined the group at the height of its popularity -- the band having just released "Eye of the Tiger" from "Rocky III" -- after former lead singer David Bickler left the group because of voice issues.

In a 1985 interview with The Times, Jamison said that following such a monster hit wasn't easy.

"After 'Eye of the Tiger,' the fans wanted an album full of songs like 'Eye of the Tiger,' " said Jamison, who was not with the band when its second album, "Caught in the Game," was released in 1983 to little success. "An average or a good album wouldn't be enough. The band needed a great album and some huge hit singles. But it didn't happen."

At the time, Jamison said he did not miss his days singing heavy metal, which also included seven years in the Memphis-based band Target.

"I did a lot of screaming in those other groups," he said. "I got a little tired of it. I don't lose my voice as much on this kind of singing."

Jamison said even though he no longer got to go "crazy onstage," he felt his voice was stronger on ballads.

"I like to sing them more than anything else, but I didn't get much of a chance before," he said. "Being in this group is just right for me."

News of Jamison's death was posted on his Facebook page shortly after 6 p.m. Monday.

"We are saddened and heartbroken to announce the passing of a great musician, loving father and grandfather, and overall extraordinary, giving, and kindhearted human being," the post said. "He's loved by so many, most of all his family, and he will be incredibly missed by all. Please keep his family in your prayers, and please give them the privacy they need during this extremely difficult time. Thank you all for your condolences and kind words."

By Jon Blistein | September 4, 2014

HBO will debut Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown, a new documentary about the Godfather of Soul directed by Oscar winner Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) and produced by Mick Jagger. The film airs on October 27th at 9 p.m.

Hear an Unreleased 1966 James Brown Performance

Made with the support and cooperation of Brown's estate, the doc features rare and never-before-seen footage, interviews and photos from throughout the musician's career. The documentary will also include interviews with Jagger, Questlove, Chuck D, Rev. Al Sharpton, Maceo Parker, Clyde Stubblefield, Melvin Parker, Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, Martha High, Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley and many more.

"We had full access to amazing never-before-seen photos and video from James Brown's estate, which Alex Gibney used brilliantly to tell the story of James' career from its inception through its pinnacle," Jagger said in a statement. "We spoke with the extraordinary people who knew James well and worked alongside him throughout his career. By hearing their fascinating stories and memories, we were able to paint the full picture of James as both a musical artist and social activist, whose legacy and impact on the music industry is ever-present."

While the film will focus primarily on Brown's astonishing rise from a child abandoned by his parents to a superstar, it will also delve into his work as a social activist and examine his music within the greater context of American culture and history. "As a musician, ‘Mr. Dynamite’ was the essential funk pioneer, a hugely influential figure and one of the greatest live performers — ever," Gibney said. "Beyond his music, Brown’s cultural impact extends to the present day."

Mr. Dynamite comes on the heels of the new Brown biopic Get On Up, which starred Chadwick Boseman and was also produced by Jagger. Back in February, Rolling Stone caught up with Jagger on the set of Get on Up, where he spoke about studying thew way Brown performed, engaged the audience and, of course, danced: "The way he interacted with the audience, the timing, I was taking it all in and trying to understand the whole picture of it."

By Kory Grow | September 4, 2014

The estate of George Harrison will remember the Beatle this fall with a star-studded, one-night tribute called George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison. The event will take place at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre on September 28th and feature appearances by a number of notable rockers including Brian Wilson, Norah Jones, the Killers' Brandon Flowers and Mark Stoermer, the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd, Heart's Ann Wilson, Spoon's Britt Daniel and even "Weird Al" Yankovic.

The lineup also includes Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Cold War Kids and members of the Strokes, the Cult, Weezer, Velvet Revolver, Guster and others. Harrison's son, Dhani, is set to perform, and the event organizers are promising surprise guests.

The event will serve as a fundraiser for Sweet Relief, which benefits career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet, and 100 percent of ticket sales will go to the organization. Tickets go on sale September 5th.

George Fest will take place less than a week after the release of a new, six-disc Harrison box set, The Apple Years 1968-75, which comes out on September 25th and collects Harrison's first six solo records, as well as a selection of previously unreleased songs and photos. Among the rarities on the set, which Dhani oversaw, is a tune called "This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying)," which features guest appearances by Eurythmics member Dave Stewart, Dhani, Kara DioGuardi and, on drums, Ringo Starr.

By Stephen L. Betts | September 4, 2014

Ronnie Milsap was elected to Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this year, but the genres that have influenced his recordings for more than 40 years have won him critical acclaim and a fan base that stretches far beyond country music.

Now, the winner of six Grammys and four CMA Album of the Year awards will be celebrated with the release of The RCA Albums Collection on November 4th. The 21-CD package from Legacy Recordings features all of Milsap's original albums for RCA, which yielded an astounding 48 Top 10 hits, 40 of which reached Number One. Many of the albums have long been out of print or unavailable on CD.

Featuring CD-sized reproductions of the original album covers, liner notes from esteemed music journalist Peter Cooper, and expanded notes about each recording, the collection includes remastered versions of every album Milsap made during his four decades with RCA, and includes such legendary crossover hits as "Smoky Mountain Rain," "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me" and "Stranger in My House."

Slated to receive the ACM Career Achievement Award in Nashville on September 9th, Milsap's induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame will take place October 26th. Still, the release of the album collection is an exciting development for the superstar entertainer.

"The idea that all the music I made for RCA will be available in one place thrills me," Milsap explains. "It is my life's work. These songs, and the records I made, are a big piece of who I am – and the people who loved them. I feel honored to know The RCA Collection is coming."

Ronnie Milsap: The RCA Albums Collection

Where My Heart Is (1973)

Pure Love (1974)

A Legend in My Time (1975)

Night Things (1975)

20/20 Vision (1976)

Ronnie Milsap Live (1976)

It Was Almost Like a Song (1977)

Only One Love n My Life (1978)

Images (1979)

Milsap Magic (1980)

Out Where the Bright Lights Are Glowing (1981)

There's No Gettin' Over Me (1981)

Inside (1982)

Keyed Up (1983)

One More Try for Love (1984)

Lost in the Fifties Tonight (1985)

Christmas With Ronnie Milsap (1986)

Heart & Soul (1987)

Stranger Things Have Happened (1989)

Back to the Grindstone (1991)

My Life (2006)

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Annalise Emerick on 'Field Notes,' Collecting Fans & Telling Stories

By Chuck Dauphin | September 01, 2014 9:00 AM EDT

Annalise Emerick

Jackie Osborne

Annalise Emerick definitely qualifies as a "Road Warrior." Since 2011, the Nashville native has spent a lot of time on the highway, spreading the word about her music. She tells Billboard if you are going to build a career in the music business, full-throttle is the only way to go.

"I've been playing shows as much as possible the past three years, but have really been going full-time with touring since March of this year. That goes along with being a full-time artist. I needed to play as many shows as I could."

Emerick is awaiting the Sept. 16 release of Field Notes, an album that she feels showcases the art of storytelling. "It's kind of a conceptual thing. I'm a very adventurous person and consider myself to be an explorer of people's stories. With Field Notes, I wanted to come up with 10 or 11 songs that tell stories -- those are my favorite kind of songs. I like telling my story, and a lot of times, that's where people can find their own stories inside of it and relate to them in their own way."

In addition to telling her own stories, Emerick admits she loves drawing inspiration from observing what others are going through. "I think that I have a good ear for things like that. I also listen to a lot of podcasts because I'm driving all the time. Those are really inspiring. Sometimes, it's hard to pull all the details out of a conversation, but it definitely inspires you to delve a little deeper into your opinion of what you saw -- and finding a way to relate it back to yourself. It's always easier to write a song about yourself than it is to write a song about someone else's habits."

If you try to put Emerick's music inside a box, you just might be wasting your time. She tells The 615 that it's not an easy description. "I've been in Nashville long enough to know that I really don't want to fit into anything. I just want to write good songs. If you have strong songs, you should be able to make people like you."

Emerick admits that looking at her schedule -- with the calendar full through November -- can be a little daunting, but she's doing exactly what she needs to. "I just want to get myself in front of humans and get a fan base. I've been fortunate to play so much and find people who will book me. I believe that if you tour, people will start to follow you. And it's been happening a little at a time. Eventually, it will be less gigs, and more money per gig, but right now it's as many gigs as you can get, it's better. Touring is the best way to build a fan base."

Field Notes is full of varying moods and styles. Fans of '90s female country performers like Patty Loveless will be drawn to the riveting "Home," a song that Emerick says comes from a place way down deep. "I wrote that song when I was living in Boston, and it's really near and dear to my heart. It was one of those songs that literally just falls out of you. I was thinking about how I travel so much, and home is such a strange concept to me. 'Home' is about the people that I feel the most comfortable with. It's totally a state of mind. If you're around people who love you, it doesn't matter where you are. It's always been more about relationships than a location."

On the other end of the spectrum is "Patti Smith," a song that Emerick admits was years in the making. "That song took me about three years to finish. I had the first few stanzas for years but couldn't really figure out what I was trying to say. I had a co-write in Nashville with Jamie Floyd. She heard the last line (which ends with) 'Rock & Roll,' and she said, 'That's the whole idea. You're giving it all for rock and roll.' From that, we just wrote the rest down on a piece of paper. That was really trying to tell someone that you give everything you have to that one goal that you want to achieve -- whether it be farming, law school, music. For me, it's rock and roll. I think it translates well to whatever your goal is."

Country Newcomer Danika Portz Talks Eclectic Influences: Katy Perry, Dolly Parton & The Circus

By Chuck Dauphin | September 03, 2014 6:02 PM EDT

Danika Portz

Danika Portz's debut single "Greatest Show On Earth" definitely qualifies as one of the most unique country singles this summer.

The dramatic, haunting melody is underscored by the fact that the Iowa native simply sounds like nobody else in Nashville these days, especially on a vocal level. The lyrics of the song compare a disastrous love affair to life in the circus, which Portz says she realizes is slightly outside the lines for country.

"It's a little flowery, which scares some people off," she tells Billboard. "I wrote it with Chris Drizen, who is a great writer. We started with a melody, which sounds circus-y. It was very dark. I always loved going to the circus, and I loved that imagery idea. Because of the melody, it felt very angst-y, like someone had been wronged. It was easy to take it in that direction, and there are so many images that come along with that theme."

Portz is glad she took time to develop her skills as a writer once she moved to Music City in the spring of 2011. "The first thing you want to do when you get here is make a record. I had never written a song before I moved here, so I dove right in. By the grace of God alone, I fell in love with some amazing writers, like Steve Mitchell, who also co-produced the album. He's been fabulous, and I learned so much from him.

"Three-and-a-half years ago, the songs I was writing were good, but they weren't this. I'm glad I had the foresight to hang on and build a catalog of great songs that I could pick from."

Her just-released EP, Set This World On Fire, showcases her diverse group of influences, ranging from icons like Dolly Parton and John Denver to more modern voices.

"My generation, our attention span is so short, and we get bored so easily -- myself included. That's where my music comes from: Katy Perry melodies with Mumford & Sons rhythm. It's grabbing from those, making something that is unique and different and represents just me."

The singer grew up in Remsen, Iowa -- a town of 1,500 -- so aside from singing in the choir at church, there weren't a lot of musical opportunities for her. "In second grade, I did my first competition. It was a jingle for Hy-Vee, a grocery store chain back home. I made it to the finals, so that was my first taste of competitiveness mixed with music. My mom lined up my first 'tour' -- which was to the local nursing homes with my cousin.

"We sang karaoke to Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. We put on a show, and I was in charge. I couldn't have been second or third grade, but I was calling the shots. Even from a young age, I was already in it," she recalls with a laugh. Later on, it was her stirring performance of the National Anthem that led to people outside of nursing homes to notice her talent.

One track that might very well break Portz's career wide-open is the heartfelt ballad "And He's Waiting." A song about heartbreak, the songstress says it's indeed personal. "That song is based on a true story. I've noticed in my writing that the more personal and specific that I get, the more universal that people are able to connect with it."

As a writer, Portz admits that she always has her radar on -- whether it's her life or conversations she might overhear at the airport, mall, or grocery store. "I have a whole list of notes on my iPhone. You would be surprised at what they can turn into. They can light a spark that leads the discussion to something else. I'm always listening."

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Garth Brooks Creates Digital Music Partnership

By Associated Press | September 04, 2014 4:33 PM EDT

Garth Brooks performs during The Dream Concert to Benefit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial on September 18, 2007 in New York City.

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Country star is one of the last holdouts refusing to put his music on iTunes.

Garth Brooks isn't just going digital. He's launching his own digital sales service.

Garth Brooks Releases Comeback Single 'People Loving People'

Brooks announced Thursday (Sept. 4) that he's partnered with the creators of digital pay site GhostTunes.com to release his back catalog and two new albums for about $30 and is encouraging other artists to join him in taking control of their music.

The country music superstar made the announcement at Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburbs where he was to open his world tour later Thursday. It's the first of 11 concerts planned in the Chicago area before shows in Atlanta and Jacksonville, Florida.

Brooks was one of the last holdout big-name musicians refusing to put his music on iTunes. He previously announced a deal with the Sony Music label for a new album.

Latin Rock Icon Gustavo Cerati Dead at 55

By Judy Cantor-Navas | September 04, 2014 2:50 PM EDT

Gustavo Cerati Getty Images

Millions of fans mourn the loss of Latin America’s most emblematic rock star and one of the region's most celebrated artists of all time.

Gustavo Cerati, the front man of the legendary Argentine pop-rock group Soda Stereo, who went on to a brilliant but too short solo career, has died.

Millions of fans are mourning his death, which had been falsely rumored several times since he fell into a coma following a stroke after a concert in Venezuela in October 2010. Cerati’s family broke the news on social media, informing his Facebook fans and 2.67 million Twitter followers that the artist passed today (Sept. 4) in the early hours of the morning of respiratory failure at the Buenos Aires clinic where he had been interned. The news was the top story on the front page of Argentina’s national newspaper Clarin.

“Gustavo, we still have to do the most important song of all,” Shakira, for whom Cerati had written and produced, said on Facebook. ”I love you friend and I know that you love me! Just as you taught me [in song], I’ll use love as a bridge.”

“Ciao Gus. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Sony Music Latin America chairman Afo Verde tweeted.

“The lion gave up the fight,” tweeted Zeta Bosio, the bassist-turned-DJ who formed Soda Stereo with Cerati in Buenos Aires in 1982. They met as university students majoring in advertising. Drummer Charly Alberti completed the trio.

The group, born in the cultural boom that occurred just after the fall of Argentina’s military dictatorship, was influenced by Britpop in both sound and aesthetic, and pioneered the idea of touring throughout Latin America. It became the first true pan-Latin rock en espanol band. Soda Stereo created a fan base that extended from Mexico to Chile, and later, the United States, when their music was discovered by younger generations of Latinos. The South American super group sold a reported 17 million albums in Latin America before splitting in 1997. On a 2007 reunion tour, they performed for nearly 1 million people in 22 countries. Songs like “Musica Ligera” and “Persiana America,” have become standards of the Latin music canon.

"I think with Soda we were really at the dawn of something." Cerati told Billboard. Such was their popularity that once they stumbled upon a hotel called the Soda Stereo Inn in Mexico; the singer had kissed babies named Cerati.

Cerati received three Latin Grammys in 2010 for his last album, Fuerza Natural. “It’s my best album,” he said just months before he fell into a coma. “I feel that I’m at a point where anything is possible… ”

That record followed Bocanada, Siempre es Hoy and Ahi Vamos, which were all well received by Soda fans and new followers who may not have been born when Soda was at its peak, many young artists among them

“Cerati’s work influences many new and veteran artists, from garage bands to Shakira,” Argentine producer Tweety Gonzalez, sometimes called the fourth Soda, previously told Billboard. “Getting accustomed to the idea that we won’t hear any new songs from him is very strange and unexpected.”

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Rodriguez Lands Three Albums On Australian Sales Chart

By Lars Brandle | September 01, 2014 12:38 AM EDT

Rodriguez

Sixto Rodriguez has three albums in the top 30 of this week’s Australian sales chart, fuelled by the announcement of his upcoming national tour and the free-to-air TV broadcast of the Oscar-winning documentary Looking for Sugar Man.

The first Rodriguez album Cold Fact (Inertia) from 1969 is currently at No. 11, outpacing its previous chart peak of No. 23. Also on this week’s ARIA Albums chart, the Searching for Sugar Man (Legacy/Sony) soundtrack is at No. 22 and his second and final studio set Coming From Reality from 1971 (Light in the Attic/Inertia) is at No. 25. The chart is led this week by Ariana Grande’s My Everything (Universal), while Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” (Big Machine/Universal) leads the singles chart.

Cult Singer Rodriguez Ris...Sugar Man'

Searching For Sugar Man tells the story of how the protest singer from Detroit was all but forgotten in his homeland, but an unlikely legend in South Africa, where his political and personal themes resonated with the blossoming anti-apartheid movement (he cut two albums of soulful folk rock for Sussex, label home to Bill Withers). The film tracks the search for Rodriguez, a journey undertaken by a few fans and journalists in South Africa who cherished his music. It won the Oscar in 2013 for best documentary, and Rodriguez is now enjoying the international attention which eluded him in his prime.

The film aired Aug. 24 on the SBS channel as a warm-up for Rodriguez' Australian tour. He'll visit Australia to play Brisbane (Convention Centre, Oct. 19), Sydney (Sydney Opera House, Oct. 21 and 23), Melbourne (Palais Theatre, Oct. 25 and 26), Adelaide (AEC Theatre, Oct. 29) and Perth (Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Nov. 7).

'Searching for Sugar Man'...uez Today?

The singer-songwriter’s cult status has been assured in Australia since the mid-1970s, when his music gained airplay on Sydney AM radio station 2JJ (the precursor to Triple J) and he toured here finding limited success. He first performed Down Under in 1979, returning in 1981 when Midnight Oil joined him for some shows. He was last in Australia for 2013’s Bluesfest.

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'Cantinflas' Star Oscar Jaenada Discusses Film’s Mario Moreno-Inspired Soundtrack

By Justino Aguila | August 30, 2014 1:14 PM EDT

Oscar Jaenada stars in the title role as the late Mexican comic Mario Moreno in Pantelion Films' "Cantinflas."

(Pantelion Films)

The film's soundtrack features Latin music from Aleks Syntek to La Santa Cecilia.

As the Cantinflas film is being seen across the country over Labor Day weekend, fans of the late comedic actor Mario Moreno are also being treated to the soundtrack, which sets the tone beautifully for one of Mexico’s most celebrated entertainers.

The film stars Spanish actor Oscar Jaenada as Moreno, who became famous by performing as Cantinflas, the endearing and fast-talking street cleaner that made him relatable to the working class. Moreno, who starred in the classic film Around the world in 80 Days, achieved success in Hollywood but was considered a major star in his native country.

The film's soundtrack features Latin music from singer/songwriter Aleks Syntek to the Grammy-winning La Santa Cecilia, fronted by La Marisoul, who sings the classic song “Tu Vida Es Un Escenario” (Your Life is Pure Theater). The song was made famous by the late Cuban singer La Lupe.

While the film's music was inspired by songwriters such as the legendary Agustin Lara, the soundtrack and the score honored the past with a modern flavor, said the film's producer Vidal Cantu, adding that the Mexican film in its initial run will be seen in 15 countries.

“We wanted the music to parallel the quality of the acting,” Cantu said. “To have artists like Aleks Syntek, Enrique Bunbury, La Santa Cecilia, Pate de Fua and Los Claxons be part of the album represents the best.”

Roque Banos Lopez, who is currently working on Ron Howard’s film Heart of the Sea, also scored the newly released Pantelion Films project, which also stars Michael Imperioli, who is best known for his work on The Sopranos.

Syntek, who wrote the song “Riete de Amor Hasta Que Mueras” (Laugh at Love Until You Die), said that his composition was inspired by Moreno's life and that he also recorded several versions to parallel the film’s bilingual approach since it shifts from English to Spanish.

Jaenada got in on the musical direction by asking his friend Bunbury to be part of the soundtrack.

“It added a different element to the film to have someone like Bunbury and Syntek,” Jaenada said. “You’ll feel the past through the music and yet it also has a modern vibe.”

As for playing Moreno and his iconic Cantinflas, Jaenada, a method actor, said it was one of the biggest challenges of his career, but a thrilling ride that doesn’t come around too often.

“Mario Moreno was an artist and a businessman,” Jaenada said. “He achieved so much with Cantinflas. For a Mexican to reach Hollywood the way he did back in the day is impressive. He came from humble beginnings: the circus and tent shows. I related to him in many ways."

"Cantinflas" opened Aug. 29 and in September will open in more theaters around the world, including Latin America.

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Michael Pena New “Ponch” in Warner Bros. CHips Film

Posted by admin on September 4th, 2014 10:52 AM | Spotlight

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The idea of turning the 70/80′s TV hit series CHiPS, which made Eric Estrada an international star, into a film has been kicked around for years and it seems it will finally get made. IWarner Bros. recently announced that Dax Shepard has been hired to write, direct and star in the film. Shepard will play the role of Officer Jon Baker (the role originally played by Larry Wilcox) while Michael Peña has been attached for the role of Frank “Ponch” Poncherello.

This is not the first time attempt at a film version of CHiPs by Warner Bros. In 2005 a film version that had Wilmer Valderrama (That 70′s Show) playing the role of “Ponch” was announced . Erick Estrada and Larry Wilcox were all set to do cameos in the film, however the film stalled and the idea fizzled out, until this new announcement.

Both Shepard and Peña bring some major star power to the film. Shepard is an audience favorite as Crosby Braverman on the hit show Parenthood which has been airing on NBC for three seasons. Peña star profile is already impressive with credits in both TV (Eastbound & Down) who is currently starring in Gracepoint for FOX . His long list of film credits (End of Watch, Crash) include the recent title role in Cesar Chavez and this weekend can be seen working alongside Ed Harris and Eva Longoria in Frontera. Next he will be seen alongside Brad Pitt in Fury which releases October 17th. Shepard’s film credits include big films like the recently released Veronica Mars and The Judge, set to release October 10. Both these films are for Warner Bros.

Shepard directing credits include the indie comedy Hit & Run and another comedy Brother’s Justice, both of which he also wrote. Shepard’s Primate Pictures will produce, along with Andrew Panay. CHiPS TV series creator Rick Rosner will executive produce, and Jesse Ehrman and Nik Mavinkurve will oversee for Warner Bros.

Michael Peña is repped by CAA.

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Finally Rosie Perez! New Host on “The View”

Posted by admin on September 3rd, 2014 07:21 PM

Deadline.com is reporting that Rosie Perez will be joining The View this coming fall, while political commentator Nicolle Wallace fills the other vacant slot. After a parade of guest hosts including a half dozen Latinas, Perez is the chosen one, and a formidable choice it is!

Born in Brooklyn, NY Rosie started off her career as a dancer on the 70′s hit dance show Soul Train and choreographed music videos for the likes of Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown and Diana Ross.

Rosie Perez sure has many life experiences to tap into for her upcoming conversations on The View.

Her now infamous and controversial clash with Jennifer Lopez when Perez was choreographer for the dancing group the Fly Girls on FOX’s In Living Color is legendary, and is still cause for some frostiness between the two. Perez don’t back down. We’ll see how that manifest itself in her new role on The View. I will definitely tune in when Jennifer Lopez is schedule as a guest — for sure!

Perez’s accomplishments as an actress go back to when she was selected by Spike Lee himself to star in Do the Right Thing making her acting debut in a film that was not just a commercial success but received numerous accolades and awards. Perez has been nominated for every major talent award in Hollywood, including as actress for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a N.Y. Critics Circle Award (for Fearless). Her producing nominations came from the ALMA Awards and Black Reel Award for the film The 24 Hour Woman. Perez has also been nominated for an Imagen Award, a Spirit Award, and NAACP Award. On TV she was nominated as choreographer for In Living Color. Can we say accomplished!

She is also an author. Her autobiography Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling was released earilier this year. She is a boxing fan, an activist for Puerto Rican rights, and a philanthropist, (serving as the chair of the artistic board for Urban Arts Partnership). Can we say eclectic?

After all her work, success, and tabloid fodder I look forward to really getting to know the real Rosie Pérez! I will start by coming back after a 7 year hiatus to watching The View, because Rosie is a voice that brings a Latina perspective to the table. That is what Latinas have been asking for…a voice at the talk show table on a national scale. We had none for so long that Latin Heat Media created our own talk show HOLA! LA with four Latina hosts which airs on CBS2/KCAL9 in Los Angeles.

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Latin Music Icon Juanes To Guest Star on “Jane the Virgin”

Posted by admin on September 4th, 2014 01:41 PM | Spotlight

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Juanes’ New Single ‘Una Flor’ Will Be Featured In The Oct. 13 Series Premiere

Producer Ben Silverman, GIna Rodriguez and Juanes

Los Angeles, CA – If the talent of Gina Rodriguez and her engaging personality hasn’t already impressed you and if you haven’t already set your TV to the CW Network for the Jane the Virgin premiere on October 13^th (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET), then here is one more reason to tune in. Multiple Grammy winning music superstar, Juanes will be joining the show as a guest star later in the series, however his new Single Una Flor will make an appearance first as it is featured in the premiere episode. Jane the Virgin is adapted by showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman and famed producer Ben Silverman who was the producer that brought Ugly Betty to ABC.

Juanes subsequent role on Jane the Virgin will be playing an idiosyncratic music producer and ladies man, who is interested in producing a demo for Jane’s mother Xiomara.

Juanes has already made major inroads into the English language market, bringing all-Spanish language music to wider audiences via English TV broadcasts in the United States. The Colombian rock superstar has reached a Hollywood milestone with a unique multi-song arrangement with the production beyond Juanes’ Una Flor single in premiere episode.

Jaime Camil with Andrea who plays mom and Gina who plays Jane

The show is establishing a formula, which is sure to pay off. That formula consists of incorporating established superstars from Mexico and Latin America into the American TV series. It has done so with the casting of Jaime Camil, who is an accomplished singer and telenovela star with a strong Spanish speaking fan base. He plays a telenovela star in Jane the Virgin which is sure to bring many of his devoted fans to check out his new show on the CW.

Silverman (The Office, Ugly Betty) said of the collaboration with Juanes: “It is an honor and a privilege to be working with Juanes on this genre re-defining series. Together with Juanes and our fantastic partners at the CW and CBS Television Studios, we aim to provide a voice to the traditionally underserved Hispanic audience in the US.”

Jane the Virgin is an hour-long series adapted from a Venezuelan telenovela (Juana La Virgin). The story revolves around a Latino family and stars break-out newcomer Gina Rodriguez as Jane, notable, Jaime Camil as Rogelio, Andrea Navedo (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Golden Boy) as Xiomara, Yael Grobglas (Reign) as Petra, Ivonne Coll (Switched at Birth) as Alba, Justin Baldoni (Single Ladies) as Rafael and Brett Dier (Ravenswood) as Michael.

Una Flor appears on Juanes’ recent chart-topping and already platinum new album Loco De Amor, released in March of this year is produced in tandem with famed rock producer Steve Lillywhite.

In conjunction with the release of Loco De Amor, Juanes has already performance the song on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, as well as a TODAY Show Plaza Concert Series appearance. This follows other landmark television first of its kind appearnces for Juanes singing in Spanish language on Dancing With the Stars, andThe Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as appearances on The Grammy Awards HE GRAMMY AWARDS, Seasame Stree, Live With Kelly & Michael and multiple visits (more than any other all Spanish-language artist) to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

In another example of Juanes’ ability to also bring all-Spanish language music to major/mainstream music events in the United States, he was one of the featured headliners of the Jay-Z curated Budweiser Made in America Festival. As the only Latin music artist on the bill, Juanes joined Imagine Dragons, Kanye West, John Mayer, Kings of Leon, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Tiesto& more as the headline performers on the Bi-Coastal Labor Day Weekend festival. In October, Juanes will likewise join another top festival bill of global artists, as he performs on The Austin City Limits Music Festival alongside Eminem, Pearl Jam, Outkast, Skrillex, Beck, Lorde, The Replacements & more.

Jane the Vigin keeps getting better and better — and it hasn’t even premiered