13 posts from October 2008

Led Zeppelin may yet reunite and tour — and they'd consider doing it without Robert Plant.

John Paul Jones, the group's founding bassist, told the BBC that he and his fellow band members would consider looking for someone to replace their lead singer.

"We want to do it. It's sounding great and we want to get and get out there," he told the British radio program in an interview broadcast Monday. "It's got to be right. There's no point in just finding another Robert."

Led Zeppelin's spokesman Chris Goodman declined to comment Wednesday on plans for a possible reunion.

Plant joined the rest of the band for a one-time concert in London's cavernous O2 arena last December. It was the group's first full set since 1980, the year the band broke up after drummer John Bonham died.

The O2 concert generated rave reviews and calls for the band to reunite.

Plant recently toured with bluegrass artist Alison Krauss. However, Plant said in a statement on his Web site that he has no intention of touring with anyone for at least the next two years.

The band's former promoter Harvey Goldsmith said the band should not tour without Plant.

"If they're going out with another singer it's not exactly Led Zeppelin," he said, "and if it is, then them doing a long tour, I'm not sure what the point is because they don't need to do it."

What a piece of work is Katherine Jenkins!

She arrives at an achingly trendy bar restaurant in London's Notting Hill, a small retinue in tow and any number of increasingly wild rumours swirling around her head.

She looks fab-u-lous, as they say in Neath, the town in south Wales where she grew up on a council estate with her parents and younger sister, Laura.

Freshly primped and preened for a photographic shoot, the blonde hair is now tied artlessly behind her neck, the eyes ('sometimes they're blue, sometimes they're green') are perfectly made-up, the curvaceous size ten figure is encased in a scoop-necked, printed cotton dress from Topshop. She looks like a glossy milkmaid.

Her first action is to dismiss her team, who dissolve discreetly into the shadows before extending her hand and switching on a megawatt smile.

We are here to discuss a blizzard of professional activity: an album, a DVD, a national tour.

But we're here also, I feel compelled to forewarn her, to nail some of the more exotic stories about her which are currently doing the rounds.

Perfect,' she says, smooth as silk. 'I'm happy to set the record straight, happy to answer any question.' Which turns out to be true (well, almost).

At 28, Katherine Jenkins has come a long way in a short time.

Her first four studio albums went to the top of the classical charts, making her the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano ever.

Her sell-out tour with prima ballerina Darcey Bussell is likely to re-surface in Australia next year and return to these shores in 2010.

In the meantime, a DVD of the show, Viva La Diva Live, will be released in the UK on November 10.

Then there's the 14-date tour which begins in Sheffield on December 1 and finishes in Cardiff on December 22.

This is my first concert tour in two years,' she says, 'and I'm really looking forward to it.'

It will give her the opportunity to showcase her new album, Sacred Arias (Universal), released last Monday, and featuring such guaranteed gut-wrenchers as Abide With Me, Pie Jesu, Ave Maria and a cracking version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

Katherine has sung for as long as she can remember - 'around the house, at school, for my disabled cousin who I'd go and visit in her home where I'd put on a little show'.

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AC/DC's new album, Black Ice, has been flying off the shelves at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores since the U.S. retail giants began selling the CD exclusively on Monday (October 20th). Sources have reported first-day sales of 193,000 copies, with the disc potentially moving 800,000 copies in its first full week of release. Sales are far outpacing the Eagles' last album, Long Road Out of Eden, which was also a Wal-Mart exclusive.

In America, Black Ice is also selling at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club's websites, as well as ACDC.com.

Special AC/DC mobile stores have been opened in New York City and Los Angeles, where Wal-Marts are not readily accessible.

Wal-Mart reportedly ordered 2.5 million copies of the record from Sony Music, with a guarantee to sell them all.

Black Ice is the band's first new effort since 2000's Stiff Upper Lip, which has sold more than 900,000 copies since its release.

AC/DC begins a world tour on October 28th in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, with a "dress rehearsal" show scheduled for the 26th.

Lily Allen has her eyes set on a new career. She reportedly wants to start dj-ing at clubs.

A source says,
 

Lily wants to give DJ-ing a try, and she's in talks about lots of bookings already.

"She's using her musical background to produce some great sets.

"But she won't come cheap."

Why doesn't Lily stick to what she does best? Singing! She has an incredible talent and she should use it. Besides, chances are she's gonna be too drunk to actually DJ.

Meanwhile, her upcoming album is slated to be released on February 9, 2009. Woohoo!

@music.hollyscoop.com

Check out the new artwork for Beyonce’s much-anticipated album, I Am… Sasha Fierce. (Sasha is Beyonce’s alter ego, her performance character.) The album is set for release on Tuesday, November 18.

Beyonce recently talked about Etta James, the character she’s playing the upcoming movie, Cadillac Records. She said,

“Lyrically, it’s deeper than what I’ve done before. I wasn’t mature enough or old enough, or in touch with myself enough, to do this type of album before. I didn’t have the guts.”

It’s too bad it took a professional photographer and and some nifty photoshop work to finally get some decent pictures of Christina Aguilera. Here she is as a sexy spacegirl riding a giant rocket in some promo pics for her greatest hits album.

I don’t understand how someone in their twenties can have a greatest hits album but who am I to judge. At least in these she doesn’t look like a slutty clown. This Christina can ride my rocket anytime

A HIT, ONE MORE TIME: For the second week in a row, the record for the biggest leap to No. 1 on The Billboard Hot 100 has been broken. Just seven days ago, I was writing about T.I. and Rihanna racing 80-1 with "Live Your Life," besting the 71-1 move of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" six weeks earlier.

That new record set by "Live Your Life" only lasted one week, as Britney Spears' "Womanizer" (Jive) blasts 96-1, almost - but not quite - the biggest jump to pole position possible.

There are only four other positions on the chart from which an artist could make a greater bound to the top. Once a single does take the inevitable 100-1 ride, we can all be assured the record will never be broken again.

Looking at this week's Hot 100 might make you wonder if that 100-1 jump is going to happen next week. Debuting in the anchor slot is a new Beyonce single, "If I Were a Boy" (Music World/Columbia). But don't look for a new record to be set when you read the next edition of Chart Beat. "If I Were a Boy" is charting based on early airplay - that's the same way Spears' "Womanizer" entered at No. 96 last week. The difference is that a digital single of "If I Were a Boy" wasn't released this week, so there isn't going to be an injection of sales to fuel a big "Boy" move. Additional airplay will allow the Beyonce track to move up, and an eventual digital release could result in an impressive jump to first place, but not a record-setting move.

Since we have a new record-holder, here is an update of the list published last week, summarizing the dozen songs that have leapt to No. 1 from No. 31

96-1: "Womanizer," Britney Spears (Oct. 25, 2008)
80-1: "Live Your Life," T.I. featuring Rihanna (Oct. 18, 2008)
71-1: "Whatever You Like," T.I. (Sept. 6, 2008)
64-1: "Makes Me Wonder," Maroon 5 (Sept. 12, 2007)
53-1: "Take a Bow," Rihanna (May 24, 2008)
52-1: "A Moment Like This," Kelly Clarkson (Oct. 5, 2002)
51-1: "Love in This Club," Usher featuring Young Jeezy (March 15, 2008)
42-1: "Give It to Me," Timbaland featuring Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado (April 21, 2007)
41-1: "Umbrella," Rihanna featuring Jay-Z (June 9, 2007)
34-1: "SOS," Rihanna (May 13, 2006)
32-1: "This Is Why I'm Hot," Mims (March 10, 2007)
31-1: "SexyBack," Justin Timberlake (Sept. 9, 2006)

"Womanizer" puts Britney back in control of the Hot 100 for the first time in nine years and nine months, since her first chart entry, "...Baby One More Time" ruled the list. That's the longest gap between No. 1 songs since Cher's "Believe" moved into the penthouse 10 days shy of 25 years after "Dark Lady."

"Believe" began its reign in March 1999, just four weeks after "...Baby One More Time" ended its run at the top.
"Womanizer" is Spears' 18th chart entry and sixth top 10 hit. Two of her three biggest hits have occurred in the last 13 months. Here's how those half-dozen top 10 songs fared:

No. 1: "...Baby One More Time" (1999)
No. 1: "Womanizer" (2008)
No. 3: "Gimme More" (2007)
No. 9: "Ooops!...I Did It Again" (2000)
No. 9: "Toxic" (2004)
No. 10: "(You Drive Me) Crazy" (1999)

Finally, Spears is one of just a small group of artists who have spent time at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in the 20th and 21st centuries. The other members of this elite club are Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez, P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Usher and Mariah Carey. Justin Timberlake and Krayzie Bone have No. 1s in this century as solo artists and in the last century as members of groups - 'N Sync and Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, respectfully.

 Kanye West caused a stir at the launch party of his new album by inviting 40 naked models to attend.

The rapper unveiled his eagerly-anticipated fourth album '808s and Heartbreak' - due to be released in November - at a lavish bash at Los Angeles' Ace Gallery on Tuesday (14.10.08), but guests were amazed to find the room full of nude beauties wearing masks.

A source said:

After waiting in an area with an open bar and a DJ, we walked up a driveway illuminated by fluorescent lights to a darkened room where we saw 40 nude women. Most of them were wearing strange masks made of wool.

The models stood in the middle of the room - black girls at the front and white girls at the back. Then the entire album played without any introduction or explanation."

Kanye insists the women were "live performance artists" who appeared as part of an arranged art show he masterminded with Italian artist Vanessa Beecroft.

After the playback - in front of 700 fans and industry professionals - had finished, Kanye appeared alongside the model and launched a foul-mouthed tirade against critics who are considering giving the album a negative review.

He said:
 

These are pieces of real life that I'm putting out for people to judge. It's from my heart.

I don't give a f**k if someone rates it 'hot' or 'not.' I'm here to bring positivity that cannot be judged. It's like judging a grandmother's love."

The star also revealed plans to release another full-length album next summer and explained new song 'Cold As Winter' is a tribute to his mother, who died following complications from cosmetic surgery operation late last year. 

Tim McGraw apologized to fans Tuesday for his latest greatest hits album, saying his label should have instead released a record with new music.

I am saddened and disappointed that my label chose to put out another hits album instead of new music," says the country singer. "I've only had one studio album since my last hits package. It has to be just as confusing to the fans as it is to me."

McGraw, 41, said he has been working on a new studio album for more than a year and has debuted three new songs on his tour. But he said his label, Curb Records, decided to release a greatest hits album instead, to extend his contract term.

I had no involvement in the creation or presentation of this record," he says. "Sure, I love the songs and I don't want to take anything away from all the creative people who were a part of making those records. But the whole concept is an embarrassment to me as an artist. In the spirit of an election year, I would simply say to my fans 'I'm Tim McGraw, and I don't approve their message.' "

According to a Curb Records statement, Executive Vice President and General Manager Dennis Hannon had "numerous conversations" with McGraw's representatives about "all aspects" of Greatest Hits 3.

The good news is that the album is anticipated to debut as the No. 1 album on the Billboard Country chart," the label says. "Nevertheless, we share Tim McGraw's disappointment with the first week's sales levels and we acknowledge that unfortunately the week that this album was released was right at the peak of the collapse of the economic and finance markets."

Curb Records adds:

We are going to work hard to try to take the current single 'Let It Go' to No. 1 in hopes that the economic climate is improving and that sales will also improve."

people.com

It’s going to be a presenting debut for ‘I Kissed A Girl’ singer at MTV Europe Music Awards 2008 on November, 6 in Liverpool, UK. Katy Perry says she couldn’t believe her ears when the organizers offered her to host the show.

I was so excited when I heard that I was nominated for two awards, but when I was asked to host the show I wet myself, Fergie-style,” Katy, 23, revealed to the source.

To follow in the footsteps of previous hosts Christina Aguilera, Tom Jones, P Diddy and Snoop Dogg at this prestigious event is an incredible honor – do they know what they are getting into? I just hope that I don’t spill my cocktail!”

Katy is nominated for Best New Act and Most Addictive Track for ‘I Kissed a Girl’, and she will also perform alongside The Killers, Pink, Kid Rock, Duffy and Beyoncé Knowles.

Presenters at this year’s show will include Grace Jones, Solange Knowles, Sugarbabes, Tiziano Ferro, Tokio Hotel, and Perry’s boyfriend Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes.

Wondering what Katy’ll perform at the show. Hope it will be her last single ‘Hot N Cold’. Check the video out here