A Muslim's Michael Jackson Obsession in Egypt's 'Sheikh Jackson'
11/9/2017 by Alex Ritman The Hollywood Reporter

Egypt's best foreign-language film submission caused the director to come under fire from all sides in a country where two recent revolutions and the dramatic rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood have cut deep divisions through society.

Director Amr Salama had a hunch that Sheikh Jackson might stoke a fire or two in his native Egypt. Not that it would ever stop him (his previous films have dealt with AIDS and sectarian strife), but in dealing with the somewhat sensitive subject of hard-line Islam, he managed to — at least initially — draw criticism from both sides in a country where two recent revolutions and the dramatic rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood have plowed deep divisions through society.

"People are so polarized when it comes to Islamists in the Middle East," says Salama. "Both sides just condemn and judge the other."

Sheikh Jackson, which bowed in Toronto and will see an early 2018 release in the U.S. (following an awards-qualifying run starting Nov. 4) via Cleopatra Entertainment, centers on an ultra-conservative Islamic preacher and former Michael Jackson fan who suffers a crisis of faith and identity after the King of Pop's 2009 death. The emotional, character-driven drama isn't as far-fetched as it may sound. Salama himself was a serious Jackson obsessive at school (where his nickname was "Jackson" and he had long hair) before becoming "extremely religious" in college, banishing the arts — including music — from his life. After a year and a half, Salama says he "started shifting the other way," adding that there are many other Egyptians of his generation who had their own periods deeply entrenched in Islam. The experience, coupled with him being born and raised in Saudi Arabia — "the world champion of orthodox Islam" — gave Salama the confidence he could "live in both islands."

But in his portrayal of the film's central character — a man with white robes and a beard and someone Salama says is usually shown on Arab film and TV as a terrorist — the director came under fire from the country's liberals.

"After I wrote the first couple of drafts of the script, many told me I was being too sympathetic with the Islamists," he says. " 'You can't humanize these people' — I literally heard that a couple of times. One said, 'Listen, this film is just you trying to make us love those guys more, and this is risky.' "

At the other end of the spectrum, Salama says he was also told the film was insulting to Islam.

Sheikh Jackson's central character, Sheikh Khaled Hani (played by Ahmad Alfishawy) is from the Salafist movement, an ultra-conservative and puritanical strain of Islam. "A Salafist is just a guy who believes we should go back to the foundations of Muhammad," he says. "But actually, these orthodox Muslims were less aggressive than the liberals when it came to this film."

Thankfully, with Sheikh Jackson having moved from script to screen (it was released across Egypt on Oct. 4, topping the local box office), people have been able to see the film as Salama intended, and the criticisms have disappeared. "I haven't gotten any comments anymore, either from outside Egypt, inside Egypt, from liberals, from anybody," he says. "Even if they don't like the film artistically, they don't have a problem with me humanizing the character, because they understand that I'm not sympathizing with the ideology as much as I'm sympathizing with the journey of one man."

New interviews by Little Richard

You Can Now Buy a Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Jukebox
Jeff Giles November 10, 2017 Ultimate Classic Rock

Looking for a pretty place to put your vinyl — and got plenty of extra money to spend? You may wish to invest in Sound Leisure's new jukebox, decked out in officially licensed Sgt. Pepper's regalia.

The company, which bills itself as the last remaining manufacturer of vinyl jukeboxes in the world, partnered with the Beatles' Apple Corps to secure official licenses for the limited edition unit, described as an "analog dream machine." Built with "all the skills and knowledge of their in house research and development team that produced their original vinyl mechanism back in the late '70s," the jukebox boasts a "unique rotating vinyl mechanism" capable of spinning either side of the 70 45" singles it can hold, as well as software for producing personalized title labels.

In addition to old-fashioned vinyl sound, the jukebox includes Bluetooth capability for streaming, as well as auxiliary input/output options and an on-board amp that powers a five-way speaker system making sure "splendid quality sound is guaranteed for all from needle to ear." To add the finishing touch, the whole unit is decked out in a Sgt. Pepper's-inspired design that should make any Beatles fan happy — and extends Sound Leisure's streak of building Fab Four-licensed jukeboxes, including a Yellow Submarine machine and one inspired by the band's cartoon series.

That kind of craftsmanship doesn't come cheap. According to Sound Leisure's site, the jukebox is made to order for £8995 — or roughly $11,900 — plus delivery and installation. That's pretty steep, but if you can swing it, it may not be a bad investment; either way, it's free to take a look at the building of the unit below.

MickyDolenz said:

A Muslim's Michael Jackson Obsession in Egypt's 'Sheikh Jackson'
11/9/2017 by Alex Ritman The Hollywood Reporter

Egypt's best foreign-language film submission caused the director to come under fire from all sides in a country where two recent revolutions and the dramatic rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood have cut deep divisions through society.

Director Amr Salama had a hunch that Sheikh Jackson might stoke a fire or two in his native Egypt. Not that it would ever stop him (his previous films have dealt with AIDS and sectarian strife), but in dealing with the somewhat sensitive subject of hard-line Islam, he managed to — at least initially — draw criticism from both sides in a country where two recent revolutions and the dramatic rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood have plowed deep divisions through society.

"People are so polarized when it comes to Islamists in the Middle East," says Salama. "Both sides just condemn and judge the other."

Sheikh Jackson, which bowed in Toronto and will see an early 2018 release in the U.S. (following an awards-qualifying run starting Nov. 4) via Cleopatra Entertainment, centers on an ultra-conservative Islamic preacher and former Michael Jackson fan who suffers a crisis of faith and identity after the King of Pop's 2009 death. The emotional, character-driven drama isn't as far-fetched as it may sound. Salama himself was a serious Jackson obsessive at school (where his nickname was "Jackson" and he had long hair) before becoming "extremely religious" in college, banishing the arts — including music — from his life. After a year and a half, Salama says he "started shifting the other way," adding that there are many other Egyptians of his generation who had their own periods deeply entrenched in Islam. The experience, coupled with him being born and raised in Saudi Arabia — "the world champion of orthodox Islam" — gave Salama the confidence he could "live in both islands."

But in his portrayal of the film's central character — a man with white robes and a beard and someone Salama says is usually shown on Arab film and TV as a terrorist — the director came under fire from the country's liberals.

"After I wrote the first couple of drafts of the script, many told me I was being too sympathetic with the Islamists," he says. " 'You can't humanize these people' — I literally heard that a couple of times. One said, 'Listen, this film is just you trying to make us love those guys more, and this is risky.' "

At the other end of the spectrum, Salama says he was also told the film was insulting to Islam.

Sheikh Jackson's central character, Sheikh Khaled Hani (played by Ahmad Alfishawy) is from the Salafist movement, an ultra-conservative and puritanical strain of Islam. "A Salafist is just a guy who believes we should go back to the foundations of Muhammad," he says. "But actually, these orthodox Muslims were less aggressive than the liberals when it came to this film."

Thankfully, with Sheikh Jackson having moved from script to screen (it was released across Egypt on Oct. 4, topping the local box office), people have been able to see the film as Salama intended, and the criticisms have disappeared. "I haven't gotten any comments anymore, either from outside Egypt, inside Egypt, from liberals, from anybody," he says. "Even if they don't like the film artistically, they don't have a problem with me humanizing the character, because they understand that I'm not sympathizing with the ideology as much as I'm sympathizing with the journey of one man."

This looks really intrigueing.

London Scraps 'Racist' Live Music Regulation That Critics Said Targeted Grime and R&B Artists
11/10/2017 by Richard Smirke Billboard

A controversial U.K. regulation which critics say unfairly targets grime, garage and R&B artists has been abolished by London’s Metropolitan Police.

Since 2005, promoters in the British capital have been asked to complete a "Form 696 Risk Assessment" document when staging live events predominantly involving DJs and MCs.

The form requires promoters or licensees to provide the name, address, date of birth and phone number for each artist performing. Until 2009, when the process was revised, it also requested information about the type or genre of music being played and, most controversially, the ethnic make-up of the audience that an event was likely to attract.

Those questions were removed amid complaints that the form was being used to racially profile audiences and unfairly discriminate against music popular with black and Asian audiences.

A number of artists have also claimed the information provided to police via Form 696 has led to shows being cancelled at the last minute. In 2010, British rapper Giggs -- who’s long been a vocal critic of the regulation -- had his tour cancelled following police advice. London grime MC P Money has also stated that he’s had gigs pulled as a direct result of Form 696, which was originally introduced by the Metropolitan Police following a spate of shootings at club nights across London.

Earlier this year, London mayor Sadiq Khan called for a review of Form 696 in response to repeated concerns from promoters and artists.

“There is no doubt that over the last decade a number of serious incidents have been prevented through the effective exchange of information, advice and intelligence between the Met, promoters and venue managers as part of this process,” said a statement from the Metropolitan Police announcing that, after a review with stakeholders and representatives from across London’s live music industry, Form 696 was finally being scrapped.

In its place, Met Police will “develop a new voluntary partnership approach for venues and promoters across London,” said superintendent Roy Smith.

“This decision will help London’s night-time economy thrive, ensure the capital is a welcoming place for artists and DJs of all music genres and that Londoners are able to enjoy live music safely,” said Khan.

News that Form 696 was being abolished was also welcomed by British trade bodies the Musicians Union and umbrella organization UK Music.

“It’s great that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and London’s Night Czar Amy Lamé have listened to the concerns of the music industry," stated UK Music CEO Michael Dugher, who said the development would help ensure that “London remains a world beater when it comes to our cultural music mix.”

Earlier this year, New York City lawmakers repealed the so-called Cabaret Law, which had also been accused of racial discrimination. First enacted in 1926, the anti-dancing law originated as an attempt to police Harlem's 1920s jazz clubs and continued to be enforced unfairly, critics argued.

2017 reunions

Blossom

Family Matters

Perfect Strangers

Sabrina The Teenage Witch

Pop Prodigy Khalid Opens Up About Being Young in the Industry

https://is.gd/w1dVqo

Don Pedro Colley, 'Dukes of Hazzard' Actor (August 30, 1938 - October 11, 2017)
by Mike Barnes • November 17, 2017 • The Hollywood Reporter

The Oregon native also appeared in George Lucas' first movie, 'THX 1138,' and in several blaxpoitation films.

Don Pedro Colley, an actor who appeared in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, in the first film directed by George Lucas and on the 1980s CBS series The Dukes of Hazzard, has died. He was 79.

Colley died Oct. 11 in his hometown of Klamath Falls, Oregon, following a long battle with cancer, his friend William Sowles said.

Colley also had roles in The World's Greatest Athlete (1973), Herbie Rides Again (1974) and Piranha (1995) and in blaxpoitation films including The Legend of Nigger Charley (1972), Black Caesar (1973) and, playing a voodoo lord of the dead, Sugar Hill (1974).

The 6-foot-4 Colley portrayed the mutant Ongaro in Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), the second of the five original films in the franchise, and was the hologram SRT in Lucas' maiden directorial effort, THX 1138 (1971).

He is perhaps best known for playing the straight-shooting Sheriff "Big Ed" Little of Chickasaw County on the 1979-85 action comedy Dukes of Hazzard.

Colley also recurred as Gideon, a friend of Fess Parker's lead character, on NBC's Daniel Boone and appeared on other shows including Daktari, The Wild Wild West, Adam-12, Night Gallery, Ironside, The Streets of San Francisco, Little House on the Prairie, Starsky and Hutch and The A-Team.

Colley attended Klamath Union High School and the University of Oregon and attempted to qualify for the 1960 U.S. Olympic team in the discus throw.

Legendary Actor Earle Hyman Dead at 91
by Shantell E. Jamison, November 20, 2017 Ebony

Veteran actor Earle Hyman has died. He was 91.

According to the New York Times, the classically trained Broadway star passed away at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey, last Friday.

Hyman, who was blessed to have a career on and off of Broadway, was an actor for more than six decades. Although he is known for a plethora of Shakesperean roles performed at Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival, it was playing Russell Huxtable, the father of Dr. Cliff Huxtable, on The Cosby Show that got him access to his largest audience.

Hyman embodied the role of Huxtable’s sympatico father so well that he was nominated for an Emmy for the role in 1986.

He also portrayed roles in classics such as Othello, Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder and even Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night during his lengthy career on stage.

The Lady From Dubuque was one of his more memorable performances in contemporary works. It was a play that not only featured Hyman as a soft-spoken, karate-chopping enforcer but also one that left critics and audiences stunned by the work of art. The role earned the actor his only Tony nomination.

Hyman, a native of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, was biracial, born to an African-American father and Native American mother. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York, when he was a child.

His interest in acting was piqued after being exposed to theatrical plays of Ibsen. As a lifetime member or The Actors Studio, Hyman would go on to perform in the U.S. and Norway, where he made his second home after falling in love with the country.

The role of Panthro in the ’80s cartoon series Thundercats, as well as appearances in Julius Caesar, Coriolanus and Macbeth are among Hyman’s notable film and television performances.

His last NYC stage appearance took place in 2009, where he played Ferapont in Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters.

Rest peacefully, Mr. Hyman.

Avengers: Infinity War trailer sets record for most views in 24 hours
by Devan Coggan November 30, 2017 Entertainment Weekly

If you watched the Avengers: Infinity War trailer multiple times to catch all the details — Cap’s beard! Wakanda! The Guardians of the Galaxy! — you weren’t alone: The first trailer for the upcoming Marvel blockbuster racked up more than 200 million views in 24 hours, setting a new record for the most trailer views in a single day.

After debuting Wednesday morning, the Infinity War trailer earned 230 million views in its first day, according to Marvel. Infinity War‘s record viewership dethrones the previous champion, It, which earned 197 million views when the first trailer dropped earlier this year.

The trailer for the third Avengers film — which you can watch above — finds the tyrannical Thanos (Josh Brolin) making his way to Earth in search of the powerful Infinity Stones. The first footage follows some of Marvel’s mightiest heroes — including Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) — as they team up to take Thanos down.

Avengers: Infinity War will hit theaters May 4.

Three New Microbe Species Named After Rush
by Michael Gallucci - November 27, 2017 - Ultimate Classic Rock

Three new species of microbes have been named after Rush.

According to the University of British Columbia, the trio of microbes was found in the guts of termites and sport long hair and have a tendency to move rhythmically under a microscope. The researchers called the new Pseudotrichonympha species P. leei, P. lifesoni, and P. pearti after Rush's Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart.

Patrick Keeling, a University of British Columbia microbiologist and senior author of a paper about the new species, said he was asked by a Spanish colleague to recommend "some good Canadian music, and I suggested he listen to Rush,” he explained. “He came back to me and said, ‘Those microbes we’re finding have long hair like the guys on the album 2112!’”

The recently discovered microbes are covered with flagella, the long threads cells use to move. The university's report notes that many cells have a few flagella, but this new species boasts more than 10,000 "very long flagella, giving them flowing hair."

As the study in Scientific Reports points out, the three members of Rush aren't exactly the type to bust moves onstage, but their new microbe counterparts "sway their bodies in microscopic dances." The one named after Peart, particularly, features a "rotating intracellular structure never seen before." “We have looked at a lot of crazy cells in my lab, and none of us has ever seen anything like this,” Keeling said.

The real Rush, who are currently on a break that may turn out to be permanent after wrapping up what they said was a farewell tour in 2015, are releasing a 40th-anniversary deluxe version of their 1977 album A Farewell to Kings this week. The four-disc set includes a remastered version of the original record plus extras like live performances from the era and newly recorded tributes.

Jim Nabors (June 12, 1930 - November 30, 2017)
By Richard Severonov | Nov. 30, 2017 | New York Times

Jim Nabors, a comic actor who found fame in the role of the amiable bumpkin Gomer Pyle in two hit television shows of the 1960s while pursuing a second career as a popular singer with a booming baritone voice, died on Thursday at his home in Honolulu. He was 87.

His husband, Stan Cadwallader, confirmed the death. He said that Mr. Nabors’s health had been declining for a year and that his immune system had been suppressed since he underwent a liver transplant in 1994.

At the time, Mr. Nabors announced that he had contracted hepatitis B in India several years earlier when he cut himself shaving with a contaminated straight razor, which he had bought there.

Gomer Pyle, the character that so indelibly stamped Mr. Nabors’s career, originated in 1962 as a supporting role on “The Andy Griffith Show,” a bucolic CBS comedy that had been running since 1960. Gomer was a guileless, sweet-natured gas-station attendant in Mayberry, N.C., a sleepy fictional town where Mr. Griffith played the widower sheriff, Don Knotts his deputy, Ron Howard his son and Frances Bavier his matronly Aunt Bee.

Mr. Nabors’s character, a village innocent who tended to make a mess of things, became a favorite, and his sheepish “gawwwleee” and wide-eyed “shazam!” became popular catchphrases.

In 1964, the character was spun off into his own series, “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.,” in which Gomer, still bumbling but well meaning, joined the Marines and, on a weekly basis, tried the patience of his loudmouthed drill sergeant, Vince Carter (Frank Sutton).

Gomer was a recognizable kind of American hero: a good-hearted, gentle, unsophisticated sort (not unlike Forrest Gump of a later era) who encounters a harder, more cynical modern world — in this case embodied by Southern California — and helps redeem it.

“Sheldon Leonard and his co-creators astutely chose a Southern California Marine base for their hero,” Gerard Jones wrote in his 1992 history of the American sitcom, “Honey, I’m Home!”

He added: “In various episodes Gomer connected with the movie and TV industries, the music business, the surf scene, the Beverly Hills rich — all the easy symbols of modernity. Everywhere he went he left a trail of fond smiles and innocence — at least temporarily — restored.”

But “one thing Gomer never, ever connected with,” Mr. Jones added, “was the Vietnam War,” which was raging at the time, just as he and his neighbors in Mayberry had remained isolated from the civil rights movement in the South. “He somehow existed in the peacetime military when there was no peace.”

Mr. Nabors first showed off his booming singing voice for a national TV audience in a guest appearance on “The Danny Kaye Show” in 1964. To fans who knew him only as Gomer, his full-throated, almost operatic baritone was surprisingly striking, if strangely incongruous.

“Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.” lasted five seasons, ending in 1969, when Mr. Nabors was given his own CBS variety show and with it more opportunities to sing. “The Jim Nabors Hour” lasted until 1971. In 1975 and 1976, he and Ruth Buzzi starred as a pair of androids in the ABC children’s show “The Lost Saucer.” He was a frequent guest on “The Carol Burnett Show.”

He also made dozens of albums, recording ballads, show tunes, gospel and sacred music, country songs and Christmas carols, and performed regularly in Las Vegas showrooms and in concert. He regularly sang “Back Home Again in Indiana” at the Indianapolis 500 auto race, first in 1972 and most recently in 2014.

Continued here
Burt Reynolds Remembers Jim Nabors

Mr. Nabors, left, and Andy Griffith at CBS’s 75th-anniversary celebration in 2003 in New York.

Chanté Moore Accused of Using Ill-Gotten Funds to Produce New Album
by Fisher Jack | December 9, 2017 | Electronic Urban Report

Singer Chanté Moore finds herself embroiled in a real messy situation.

The” R&B Divas: LA” star is having the long finger of the law pointed at her as she is accused of knowingly accepting money that was fraudulently obtained by a criminal enterprise and used it to produce her latest album and artificially inflate her sales, according to The Blast.

Well that’s quite an accusation. The report goes on to say that Moore is wrapped up in a complicated fraud and racketeering case that essentially led to two men claiming they were defrauded out of $3.6 million.

The men who got fleeced claim their money was used to open a hair bar in Georgia, buy a house, and support Moore’s career.

In their lawsuit, the two men claim the defendants used some of their money to buy Moore plane tickets for her musical tour, lavish her with gifts, fund the production of and marketing campaign for her seventh album, “The Rise of the Phoenix,” and even to “pay off her significant personal debt.”

The plaintiffs even claim Moore knew the money was obtained illegally and the investments made into her career “were designed in whole or in part to conceal or disguise the nature, the location, the source, the ownership, and the control of the proceeds” of the alleged illegal activity.

It gets even messier because the men also say the money was used to “artificially enhance” Moore’s album sales through iTunes purchases. Since they believe their money was used to “directly used to finance the launching of Moore’s latest resurgence effort with her new album, including all advertising and marketing efforts put forth therewith,” they believe they are entitled to any profits from the record.

You may be wondering what Chante Moore has to say about the situation, she is denying the allegations and wants the case thrown out.

So far a judge has yet to rule.

Culture Club - "Live At Wembley: World Tour 2016" [DVD Review]

Band Links:

Rating: 7 out of 10

I am a child of the ‘80s and Culture Club pretty much dominated both MTV and the airwaves for most of that decade. It was near impossible to avoid Boy George and crew at some point during your everyday activities. The young, perhaps slightly immature version of me sort of rebelled at the thought of listening to Culture Club primarily because…well it was not metal. The thought was, if I listened to them, I would have to turn in my “Metal Card.” Over the years, the band had its share of turmoil and I never really gave them much thought until this disc made its way to me and the much older, perhaps wiser me, decided to sit down and watch it, if for nothing else then for the sake of nostalgia.

I can tell you that I was pretty impressed from the very beginning; Boy George is a fantastic front man and the band is so tight and on point that I was hooked for the rest of the 87 minute performance. Most of the ‘80s regalia is gone and what is left is a bunch of older, super-tight, super-talented musicians that are a blast to watch play. I never thought I would say this, but Culture Club’s unique mix of pop, reggae and soul is very enjoyable and really entertains.

This show was filmed as a homecoming for the band at the sold-out Wembley Arena and really opened my eyes to what great performers they are. Boy George has command of the crowd from the very beginning, with lots of back and forth banter, and tons of dancing and singing with the packed house having a great time.

I know the younger me would be mad if he heard me say this, but this is a really enjoyable DVD.

Live At Wembley Track Listing:

01. Church of the Poison Mind
02. It's a Miracle
03. I'll Tumble for Ya
04. Move Away
05. Everything I Own
06. Black Money
07. Time (Clock of the Heart)
08. Like I Used To
09. Different Man
10. Miss Me Blind
11. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
12. Victims
13. The War Song
14. Karma Chameleon
15. Bang a Gong

Run Time: 87 minutes
Release Date: December 8, 2017

Album and Film Review: Dixie Chicks, DCX MMXVI

September 27, 2017 Kevin John Coyne Album Reviews, DVD Reviews 7

Dixie Chicks
DCX MMXVI

Album:

Film:

One of the most revelatory discoveries when the Dixie Chicks toured the United States for the first time in ten years was that they had never sounded better.

Was it really ten years ago that the Grammy-sweeping Taking the Long Way and its accompanying tour doubled as both their victorious comeback and their undeclared swansong? Aside from the timely covers of Prince, Beyonce, and Patty Griffin, the set list for MMXVI could have been the same ten years ago.

But like those confident covers indicated on last year’s tour, which has been documented so accurately on both album and film, the band has completely shaken off the turmoil that surrounded their return to the national music scene after they were exiled from country radio and the industry that surrounds it. You could still feel the jilted lover aura in the air when they toured Taking the Long Way as a new album, and their struggle to balance their hitmaking legacy with their more recent and more personal material in a way that would satisfy both the band and their audience.

Ten years later, having not released anything new since, the Dixie Chicks have a stronger handle on their legacy and their audience. “Not Ready to Make Nice,” the emotional peak of their Accidents & Accusations Tour that came far too early in the set list, has claimed its rightful place as their encore and signature song. Tracks from Home and Taking the Long Way dominate the proceedings here, and rightfully so. Those two albums contain their strongest and most personal material, and fans react with enthusiasm for “Truth No. 2,” “Top of the World,” and “Lubbock or Leave it” as if they were #1 hits. Resurrecting actual chart hits like “There’s Your Trouble” and “I Can Love You Better” would have both the audience and the band checking their watches until they were over.

That’s not to say there aren’t a lot of hits in this show. But with the exception of “Wide Open Spaces,” they all come from Fly (“Ready to Run,” “Cowboy Take Me Away,” “Goodbye Earl”) and Home (“Long Time Gone,” “Landslide,” “Travelin’ Soldier.”) Some are played in a way similar to the record, while others are given fresh reinventions, particularly “Long Time Gone,” which has more in common with New Orleans than Austin in its reincarnation.

The film gets the edge over the album for two reasons. First, it includes all of the stage banter that is oddly left out of the CD version and is greatly missed. Natalie Maines is as great on the mic when she’s talking as she is when she’s singing, and their cover of Patty Griffin’s “Don’t Let Me Die in Florida” is prefaced by a hilarious audience interaction story that I wont’ spoil here. Second, director Sophie Muller filmed the show flawlessly. The last Chicks live DVD had rapid, disorienting cuts. This one has long cuts that linger on the band, while also capturing how fans are reacting to the music. Muller recreates the experience of attending the MMXVI tour better than most films I’ve seen of shows I’ve also attended. (Madonna needs to hire her.)

Country Universe launched thirteen years ago in the wake of the Chicks backlash and largely inspired by it. At the time, I was concerned that the genre would never recover from their blacklisting and that their peerless work would be forgotten because of it. Well, country music never did recover from losing the Chicks and subsequently becoming more hostile to female voices than it had been in fifty years. It’s a barren wasteland.

But as for the latter concern, I needn’t have worried. All the Chicks had to do was get back on stage, and the audience showed up to hear them prove, once again, that nobody does it better than them.

Setlist

1. "The Long Way Around"
2. "Lubbock or Leave It"
3. "Truth #2" (Patty Griffin cover)
4. "Easy Silence"
5. "Everybody Knows" | "Favorite Year" | "Some Days You Gotta Dance"
6. "Long Time Gone"
7. "Video Games" (Lana Del Rey cover) | "Nothing Compares 2 U" (Prince cover)
8. "Top of the World"
9. "Goodbye Earl"
10. "Travelin' Soldier"
11. "Daddy Lessons" (Beyoncé cover)
12. "Don't Let Me Die in Florida" (Patty Griffin cover)
13. "White Trash Wedding"
14. Instrumental Bluegrass (Wynter Gordon, Beyoncé, Kevin Cossom, Alex Delicata, The White Stripes covers)
15. "Ready to Run"
16. "Mississippi" (Bob Dylan cover)
17. "Landslide"
18. "Silent House"
19. "I Like It"
20. "Cowboy Take Me Away"
21. "Wide Open Spaces"
22. "Sin Wagon"

Encore

1. "Not Ready to Make Nice"
2. "Better Way" (Ben Harper cover)

Claudine Wong interviews Grammy award winning singer Linda Ronstadt about her life with Parkinson's Disease

N'Dea Davenport interview (August 2017)

starts around 6:15

NEWS

Tina Turner Writing Second Memoir — Story to Be More Candid

BySingersroom

Posted on December 12, 2017

R&B MUSIC VIDEOS

Leona Lewis & Dinah Jane (of Fifth Harmony) – Christmas Medley

BySingersroom

Posted on December 7, 2017

Former X Factor winner Leona Lewis and Fifth Harmony member Dinah Jane collaborate on a “Christmas Medley” that is sure to give you shivers. On the duet, the vocal powerhouses deliver intoxicating renditions of holiday favorites like “Silent Night” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

The accompanying black and white video spotlight the ladies singing the songs in the studio while highlighting their energy and chemistry.

In related news, Wilhelmina Models hosted an intimate holiday event for Leona on Tuesday night (Dec. 5) at the new Mondrian Park Avenue Hotel in New York City. During the event, the 3-time GRAMMY Award nominee performed some Christmas classics like “O Holy Night” as well as a few of her own hits including “Bleeding Love.”

Check out some of the photos from the event below:

Photo credit: Julian Rodriguez

Photo credit: Julian Rodriguez

Photo credit: Julian Rodriguez

https://singersroom.com/content/2017-12-07/leona-lewis-dinah-jane-fifth-harmony-christmas-medley/

Thanks to LEGO Ideas brilliant crowd sourcing platform, people around the world can submit proposals of subjects they would like to build using the iconic colored bricks. One of the coolest of these ideas that has been recently been confirmed for production is the Beatles' Yellow Submarine set, honoring the classic tune and 1968 film by the legendary musicians.

The brightly colored underwater vessel will come with 550 pieces, including John, Paul, George and Ringo figurines, as well as Jeremy, the other character from the movie. It will retail at $59.99 here in the states.

The designer behind the LEGO reconstruction, Justin Ramsden, said that he initially enjoyed how both the Beatles and LEGOs inspired so much creativity.

"I watched the film when I was younger and was really inspired by how it oozed so much imagination—comparable to how I view LEGO elements. I'm also a massive fan of the Beatles having grown up with their music all my life so to see the Beatles in LEGO form is a dream come true."

Kevin Szeto, who had the idea to recreate the band as the famous toy, said he really wanted to pay homage to the band with the concept.

"As an amateur musician and songwriter, I have always been drawn to the music of the Beatles. The creation of the Yellow Submarine model was really my way of showing my affection for the Beatles, as well as trying to pay a small tribute to the Beatles phenomenon. The Yellow Submarine is bright, fun, and colourful, which also made it a good subject to translate into LEGO form."

SPILL FEATURE: PROJECT MAMA EARTH – A CONVERSATION WITH JOSS STONE

PROJECT MAMA EARTH

A CONVERSATION WITH JOSS STONE

Preparation is overrated. Impulse is everything.
In June 2017, five world-renowned musicians met in Devon, England for a high-wire act unique in modern music.
They had no songs. No chord charts. No game plan. No safety net. Nothing, in fact, but a plan to play and catch the sparks.
We couldn’t be any more excited about a band than this all-star lineup of Joss Stone (vocals), Nitin Sawhney (guitar), Jonathan Joseph (drums), Étienne M’Bappé (bass/guitar) and Jonathan Shorten (keyboards).

Thus runs a press-release blurb for something that is quite different musically.

After the initial introductions where the very beautiful Miss Joss Stone quickly renders me into a blubbering mass of jelly by complimenting me on my accent, (cue very embarrassed interviewer), I manage to retain my composure and after pausing for a breath I seeked to identify what actually caused the complete musical departure. Joss explained that in order not to repeat her previous work she felt that it is important to do something different each time. She referenced a previous album release Water For Your Soul which featured many different music styles which fit together. There were a few styles that were the backbone, but that for her it was like a nice little departure and that had been inspired by her world tour. On this release however it is completely different .It involves two specific rhythms that run through the whole project. Joss stated that although it was just five or six tracks- a little EP that it had just felt like a nice little thing to do. ”To become part of something that you’ve never heard before.” The idea came from Jonathan the drummer who had studied the two rhythms from Cameroon. He had heard them when he was younger and as he felt that he couldn’t play them he immersed himself in it and studied it. After some persistence, Joss agreed.

I had seen some of Joss tour videos and had falsely got the impression that the Project Mama Earth was actually recorded around the world in various countries. Joss was keen to set the record straight. The EP was actually recorded in Devon. She saw the EP as just a little moment of her life. Her current project right now is her world tour. She plays a gig in every country and then makes a collaboration with an artist from that country, she then visits a charity and make a video. She thus becomes inspired to get involved in different projects. She finds that it inspires her mentally. Would her next step be to feature the Project Earth songs as perhaps a short set on her current UK tour? She expressed an interest in my idea but felt that it could be difficult to get the band together to actually perform. Although the EP is just a short collection of music When asked which was her favourite track, she paused before stating, ”I was just listening to the track “Breathe.” I really like that one. It is just like a lovely feeling.” Project Earth and its creation had served as a catalyst for Joss and inspired her to develop in terms of exploring different musical styles and genres. She stated that she had actually done all the collaborations first, so it was actually the other way around. The project had purely originated from the drummers desire to explore that particular form of rhythm. Joss regarded the project as “just another collaboration”.

I asked Joss if she had something unique to share about Project Mama Earth that she had not previously revealed in any previous interviews. Stating that this was only her third interview, my question appeared to momentarily catch her off guard. Other than saying it was fueled by drinking red wine with her mum in the kitchen there’s nothing unique about it. In her opinion it was just a piece of music and that it sounds different and interesting. The creative process itself was referred to as “a nice time”.

Joss had made several references to her current world tour and her experiences along the way. According to Joss, obviously each country was unique but that she personally felt that the countries that you have the best human experience in, those are the ones that you remember. She singled out Kosovo as a particular favourite and described it as a place that she loved particularly because of the people that she met there, she had made some friends there and she felt “like I’ll never not be in touch with them.” That was what inspired her and what had enriched her were the conversations that she had. She mentioned that when you work with an artist that she didn’t know and she was singing in a language that she didn’t fully understand, it’s like having a unique and very natural connection. In Kosovo she had gained a friend, they had sang together and recorded that song. She had also visited a charity which had also proved particularly memorable. Tanzania was another that Joss referenced because of its people “Yes the sand was white, and the sea was blue but that also the people are what matters”.

I feel that Joss has quite a unique vocal style and talent and asked her how that first became discovered. She referred to growing up in a musical home with both her parents playing music a lot when she was young. James Brown was one such artist that she recalled being played while she was growing up. There were no family musical get-togethers, Joss saying that performance just came naturally although it did have to be coaxed and encouraged. She stated that she was actually quite shy when it came to singing. While her sister was being centre stage and performing in school dramas, Joss was actually the quiet one just backing her up .Parental encouragement was then actually required to push Joss to sing at family occasions like barbecues. She accepts that being the centre is just something that comes with the job but surprisingly even now with all her musical success she still feels a sense of awkwardness. However Joss balanced that with the magical feeling of being blessed to be able to make other people feel good through her music. Joss like many of us has experienced more than her fair share of extremely dark and difficult times. Many turn to music to get them through those periods. Joss referenced close family support ,she stated that she didn’t expect to use music itself as a form of therapy however actually she had noticed in recent years that when she had felt particularly bad and that she didn’t want to perform that she felt she still had an obligation to do so as it is her job. When she performs however it totally fixes her “Music is totally the closest thing to magic that I have ever come across”.

Outside of the stage and studio when Joss is not doing anything musical, she goes home,spending some time with her dogs, and doing some cooking. She described a recent time when her and her mother sat down together and just painted together. She pointed out that despite neither of them knowing what they were doing, it was just particularly nice to have that shared experience. Joss said that she also enjoyed being creative or just appreciating nature through taking just a simple walk in the forest. She just enjoys colours and nature ”I enjoy that more than anything” Joss’s love of animals is widely known and would she agree with my description of herself as an “animal person” Laughing she shared that she supported several animal charities including one in the Congo for orphaned gorillas. Even just discussing one in particular, she virtually gushed in describing her personal experience. Had she brought that one home or adopted him. Laughing Joss replied, “I did think about it but I don’t think I’d get him through customs.”

Joss has achieved so much in her musical career to date, had she already ticked all her personal ambition and career boxes? Alternatively, did she even now still have some goals /dreams and ambitions to fulfill? ”The one hope and dream that I have is that I hope I make it to every country in the world and I hope to bring a little goodness to every country.”

She did add however that once that goal had been achieved that she would then come up with a new one.

Unfortunately my stated hope to see her live would have to be put on hold, or would it.? Her current world tour which had taken a year and a half which had included a solitary London show at the Royal Festival Hall meant that she would not be returning to the UK for the foreseeable future. However, this is where our conversation took a turn. My earlier suggestion of reuniting the Project Earth band had clearly been developing within her mind to the extent where Joss stated, “I may do a little touring with this Mama Earth Project. I’m thinking about getting everyone together and doing that.” As I claimed credit for that idea, I requested a personal invite to that one should it actually happen. Joss and I discussed a few things to that which would be a one off. ”If we do it, we’ll definitely let you know.” Joss, this has now gone into print so no going back on that now. I wrapped up with my standard interview closer by asking the beautiful Joss Stone if the roles were reversed who would she actually like to interview herself if given the opportunity. After mentioning one of her musical heroes Joss surprisingly stated, the Dalai Lama ,or someone like that would be more interesting.

With a shouted reminder from her mum in the background that my time was up, I bid farewell to Joss Stone,thanking her for taking the time out of her hectic schedule to allow me to talk to her. For a huge global superstar, Joss really impressed me with her easygoing manner and courtesy probably one of the most relaxed and pleasant interviews that I have done to date. I guess her initial, compliment regarding my accent set the relaxed tone for what freely followed .Certainly hope that the discussed Project Mama Earth gig happens, that would be truly a magical musical experience.

EXCLUSIVE: Stephanie Mills Talks Iconic Career, Transition of Music, Michael Jackson, Favorite Artists, More

By Singersroom

Posted on September 29, 2017

CBS Sets Air Date for 40TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS
by Broadway World News Desk Dec. 26, 2017

CBS has announced that it will air THE 40TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS on Tuesday, Dec. 26th at (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT). Actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, singer-songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan, hip hop artist LL Cool J, television writer and producer Norman Lear and renowned musician and record producer Lionel Richie will receive honors. CBS has broadcast the special each year since its debut 40 years ago. The host will be announced at a later date.

In a star-studded celebration on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage on Dec. 3, the 2017 honorees will be saluted by great performers from New York, Hollywood and the arts capitals of the world. The honorees will accept the recognition and gratitude of their peers through performances and tributes.

The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts - whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures or television - and are confirmed by the executive committee of the center's board of trustees. The primary criterion in the selection process is excellence. The honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; over the years, the selection process has produced a balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines.

Anita Baker Announces Farewell Concert Series!

BySingersroom

Posted on January 4, 2018

Legendary R&B/Soul singer Anita Baker will officially retire from music in 2018 after making the announcement last year (2017).

The music legend and eight-time Grammy winner, who turns 60-years-old later this month (Jan 26.), announces a concert series to culminate her almost four decades in music.

“So much to celebrate with you in 2018,” Baker confirmed on Twitter. “60th birthday in 25 days… farewell concert series beginning in March. We’ll paint pictures together two last a lifetime… let’s party!”

In early 2017, the sultry-voiced songstress spoke about retiring by writing on Twitter, “Jan 26th will celebrate my 59th BDay (lord willing) retirement was 1 of many goals/dreams.” she also added, “I still love 2 write & record music… its part of my DNABut, im on a different road.”

Baker is known for classic hits like “Caught Up In The Rapture Of Love,” “Fairytales” and “I Apologize.” Her last release was the 2012 cover of Tyrese’s “Lately” and follow-up single “Sweetest Dreams.”

Baker will be missed, but at least she gets to retire on her own terms while leaving a memorable moment for fans.