News Round Up: Week Ending 2nd December 2005

[Revan]

Snoop Dogg Meets With Arnie
Rapper and former gang member Snoop Dogg has met with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger to lobby for the life of the Crips’ founding member Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams, who is due to be executed on December 13. Williams was convicted of murdering four people in 1979 but his work producing children’s books promoting non violence, and his role in brokering a peace deal between rival gangs the Crips and The Bloods in 2004 has seen him nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on four separate occasions.


Grateful, Dead & Up For Auction
It’s not quite the guitar collection, but household items belonging to the late Grateful Dead singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia are being auctioned for charity. Three toilets, cupboards, a dishwasher, a Jacuzzi, a freezer and a stereo are among the items up for auction. The charity, Sophie’s Foundation, hopes to raise more than $135 000, with the monies benefiting separated families. All items have been salvaged from a house Garcia lived in during the early 1990s.


Design A Flag For Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have announced their second album will be called Coco Beware, after singer Karen O’s cat. The album is tentatively set for release in March next year. In the meantime, the band are running a competition on their official site asking fans to design a flag for said cat that might be incorporated into the cover art for Coco Beware. According to the band, the flag can be “any colour you like (easy on the hot pink)” but must be “relative to the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s… embodying the symbolic essence that you have vibed off us totally to the max [Huh? Ed]… and recognisable above all as a flag that we can stick on a pole and wave around”.


Country Music Awards nominees announced
Nominees for the 34th Annual Country Music Awards of Australia - which will take place at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre on Saturday January 28 - were announced this morning at a ceremony at Sydney’s The Basement. The nominees for the major awards are dominated by an array of familiar faces:


APRA Song Of The Year

“Chandelier of Stars” - John Williamson
“Firefly” - Sara Storer
“Lonesome But Free” - Troy Cassar Daley
“Postcards From Saigon” - James Blundell
“She Still Believes” - Bella


Male Vocalist Of The Year

James Blundell
Troy Cassar Daly
Adam Harvey
Paul Kelly
John Williamson


Female Vocalist Of The Year

Beccy Cole
Tanya Kernaghan
Samantha McClymont
Sara Storer
Felicity Urquhart


Album Of The Year

Troy Cassar Daley - Brighter Day
Adam Harvey - Can’t Settle For Less
John Williamson - Chandelier of Stars
Sara Storer - Firefly
Paul Kelly - Foggy Highways


Richie Gere!
Lionel Richie and actor Richard Gere have co-written a song to raise AIDS awareness in India. The song was written for the Indian version of Australian (OK, well, American) Idol and will be performed in the show’s finale. “We changed some lyrics and created a song around HIV and responsibility,” said Gere.


Eminem Faces Curtain Call
Eminem is set to release his first greatest hits compilation next month, and in a move set to please parents Curtain Call: The Hits will be released in Parental Advisory and Non-PA versions. Along with 13 of Eminem’s biggest hits, Curtain Call includes three new songs--“Fack,” “Shake That” (featuring Nate Dogg) and “When I’m Gone” - each written and produced by Eminem. In addition, the Curtain Call bonus track marks the album premiere of the controversial Eminem-Elton John live duet of “Stan” from the 2001 Grammy Awards presentation. "I have some songs that a lot of people like," said Eminem. "I have some songs that only I like. This album is obviously for the 'lot' of people."


Missy Elliott Biopic Exposes Rape
Missy Elliott has told MTV she’s writing a bio-pic about her life. Speaking at the American Music Awards where she was again crowned Favourite Female Artist (Rap & Hip-hop), Missy says it’s time to get the details of her private life out in public - including her traumatic childhood. “I've been kinda like a character in the TV world as far as [music] videos and stuff, so the [fans] really don't know my life story about my father being abusive, the rape [at age eight by her 16-year-old cousin]. So y'all will see that soon."


AFI Bail Out Of Big Day Out
BIG DAY OUT organisers have advised that Californian hardcore band AFI will no longer perform at next year’s Big Day Out. In a statement organisers said “The band are currently in the studio working on their new album which is running late and is now not due for completion until next year. Plans for touring have consequently been put on hold”. The BDO is currently considering options for a replacement, so stay tuned.


Sony Signs Idol Lee Harding
He may have placed third in this year’s Idol, but faux punk Lee Harding has scored a record deal ahead of runner up Emily Williams. Denis Handlin, Chairman & CEO of Sony BMG Music Australia & NZ says “We are thrilled to have signed such an enthusiastic young talent. l am really impressed with Lee’s commitment and determination and l know he has an exciting career ahead of him”. Lee’s first single, “Wasabi” will on sale next month with an album to follow in February next year. “I can’t wait to get into the studio and record the album”, says Harding. “To all my fans: Rock hard, Rock out & Rock on”.


Australian Musician Poll Results
Australian Musician Magazine has released the results of its annual readers poll with Australian songs topping three categories: Cold Chisel’s “Khe Sahn” beat out John Lee Hooker’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” and Violent Femmes’ “Blister in The Sun” for Best Drinking Song, AC/DC’s If You Want Blood You’ve Got It whipped Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged and Ben Harper’s Live From Mars for Best Live Album, while Spiderbait’s “Black Betty” controversially nabbed Best Cover Version ahead of Hendrix’s “All Along The Watchtower” and Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah”. Other results are:

Song to be played at your funeral: “Stairway to Heaven” - Led Zeppelin
Worst song of all time: “Crazy Frog Song” - Axel F
Best acoustic song: “Layla (Unplugged)” - Eric Clapton
Best driving song: “Radar Love” - Golden Earring
Best instrumental: “Classical Gas” - Mason Williams/Tommy Emmanuel
Rock's biggest poser: Mick Jagger
Fave seduction song: “Sexual Healing” - Marvin Gaye


Indie Rockers Salute 80s Soundtracks
US indie label Laundromat records has pulled together a super cool, all-star concept album… an indie salute called High School Reunion - A Tribute To Those Great 80's Films. The soundtrack features classic tracks from iconic 80s films like Pretty In Pink, The Breakfast Club, Fast Times At Ridgemont High and Weird Science. Track listing for the album is:


01. Somebody's Baby - John P. Strohm
02. A Million Miles Away - Dipsomaniacs
03. American Girl - Matthew Sweet
04. Turning Japanese - Blank Pages
05. Weird Science - The Bennies
06. Don't You (Forget About Me) - Lori McKenna
07. In Your Eyes - AM
08. If You Were Here - Kitty Hawk
09. Little ***** - Nova Social
10. Love My Way - The Modifiers
11. Bring On The Dancing Horses - The Atomic Hep Cats
12. Moving In Stereo - The Commons
13. Pretty In Pink - The Dresden Dolls
14. Wave Of Mutilation - Kristin Hersh
15. Please Please Please Let Me... - The Caulfield Sisters
16. I Melt With You - Underdog
17. Danke Schoen - The Wading Girl
18. Repo Man - Frank Black
19. I Go Crazy - PC Muñoz
20. Within Your Reach - *******s Of Melody


Robbie Breaks Ticket Sales Record
Robbie Williams has broken a world record for ticket sales, selling close to two million tickets for his world tour in a single day at an estimated cost of $187 million. Robbie's tour begins in April next year and will be reaching South Africa, Ireland, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Scotland and England. STILL no news on any Australian shows, though.


Jagger A Bad Influence On Lennon
The Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger is convinced Yoko Ono stopped John Lennon from hanging out with him in the 1970s. Speaking with the New York Daily News, Jagger says he partied regularly with the late Beatle during the singer’s famed Lost Weekend (which followed Lennon’s separation from Yoko Ono in 1973) but when Lennon reunited with Ono in late 1974, the pair lost contact. “[John and I] had some funny times. We got really drunk and we went out on sailboats and we just sat around with guitars and played”, recalled Jagger. “When he went back with Yoko, I was probably considered one of the 'bad influences', so I was never allowed to see him after that".


Beta Band Singer Goes Solo
Former Beta Band lead singer Steve Mason is readying the release of his first full-length album since the band split in 2004. Mason is releasing his solo material as King Biscuit Time, a name familiar to The Beta Band fans as Mason released two EPs under that moniker while he was still in the band. King Biscuit’s debut album, The Crunch will be released in the first quarter of 2006. Here’s the track listing:

1. C I Am 15
2. Izzum
3. Impossible Ride
4. Kwangchow
5. Lefteye
6. All Over You
7. Way You Walk
8. Paperhead
9. Rising Son
10. Metal Biscuit


UK Indie Supergroup Requires Singer
If you’ve got a thing for bass players, we’ve got the band for you. New Order’s Peter Hook, The Smiths' Andy Rourke and the Stone Roses' Mani have come together to form a supergroup called Freebass (see what they did there?). They’re currently on the hunt for a singer, a drummer, a guitarist. Everything in fact but another bloody bass player.


2006 Rock Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced
While it's amazing they weren’t inducted years ago, the Sex Pistols, Miles Davis, Black Sabbath, Blondie and Lynyrd Skynyrd will all be inducted into next years Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…a mere 19 years after it was created! This year’s inductees were the Pretenders, U2, Buddy Guy, the O’Jays, and Percy Sledge. An international voting body of rock ‘experts’ determines who goes in and who stays out. The ceremony will take place at The Astoria Hotel in New York next March.


Pharrell Williams Denies Timberlake
Pharrell Williams has revealed that a dispute with Justin Timberlake’s record company means he won’t play any role in the singer’s new album - despite winning a Grammy for his work on Timberlake’s 2002 smash hit debut, Justified. "We'll always be cool but his record label upset me so I'm not going to be on his next project. I told him not to worry. He could win more Grammy’s with his own solo work." Williams produced seven of Justified’s 13 tracks, including the hits “Like I Love You” and “Senorita”. Meanwhile, word from the Timberlake camp suggests we’ll have new music early next year, with “Best Man U Eve Had” the possible first single.


Shakira’s Oral Fixation
Shakira is back with her first English language album since the mega-selling Laundry Service. Oral Fixation, vol 2 (yes, that IS what it’s called) was written and produced by Shakira along with longtime collaborators Gustavo Cerati, Lester Mendez, Luis Ochoa, and Tim Mitchell. The esteemed Rick Rubin EP’d the album. The companion piece to Fijacion Oral, vol. 1, the Spanish language album Shakira released in May, Oral Fixation vol. 2. caps a creative spurt that that has seen the singer write more than 60 new songs. Though whether she will ever top “Whenever, Wherever”’s immortal couplet (“Lucky that my breasts are small and humble / So you don't confuse them with mountains”) is dubious.


Kelly Osbourne Just Wants To Have Fun
You can put the champagne cork back in the bottle… Kelly Osbourne isn’t quitting music after all. Although the singer was rumoured to be bailing out on her already faltering career, Osbourne has slammed the reports as gossip. “I don't know where the quit rumours came from - I've just recorded a version of ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ with Cyndi Lauper”. But it seems Osbourne’s concept of fun is becoming increasingly stale. Osbourne debuted at No. 3 on the ARIA charts in 2002 with a cover of Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” but has failed to make any impact with subsequent releases.


Roger Waters Talks Up Floyd Reunion
Former Pink Floyd bassist and lyricist Roger Waters - who left the band in 1983 - has told a UK radio station that the band’s recent Live 8 performance has opened him up to the possibility of once again working with his old bandmates. "I'd be very up for doing a lot more”, Waters told XFM. "It was such fun. We went in and did some rehearsals, and the moment we plugged in for the first rehearsal, it was like putting on an old shoe." Waters last recorded with the band on 1983’s anti-war concept album the Final Cut.


The Edge Sets Up Charity
U2’s The Edge and producer Bob Ezrin (Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, KISS) have partnered with Gibson Guitar and retail store Guitar Centre to establish the Music Rising charity to supply musical instruments to New Orleans musicians, schools and churches affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Edge says the charity is about ensuring the city’s rich music legacy continues to evolve. “New Orleans is a crucible for great music,” says the Edge. “The idea that it would be just a place of history for music is awful to me. Coming from Dublin in the Seventies, I'd never dreamt that somewhere like New Orleans could exist. Music was coming out of the walls. It seemed not just a form of escapism, but like it was weaved into everybody's life.”