May 10, 2012
Legendary crooner Tom Jones says he’d rather die on stage than retire.
The Welsh star, who first reached the top of the pop charts almost fifty years ago, tells the Daily Star he’d prefer to keel over in the spotlight than stop singing.
“I hope my life comes to a natural full stop so maybe it’d be easiest if I fell down dead on stage,” Jones tells the paper. “I hate the thought of not being able to sing – I’ve no idea how I’d fill my time.”
The singer says he dreads the thought of being able to hear others sing without being able to join in the fun.
“It’d be terrible if I had to sit around listening to other people’s records, thinking: ‘I can’t do that any more,’” he says. “It could happen that I’ll just get too tired to tour any more and it’ll be time for a long sit-down. But having it forced on me, sat at home with regrets? F— that.”
Despite being 71 years old, Jones has no plan to slow down any time soon and will soon release his latest album, Spirit in the Room. The disc is a collection of cover versions of some of the star’s favourite songs, including famous numbers by Leonard Cohen and Sir Paul McCartney.
Jones says he’s excited to continue recording and hopes to continue pushing the envelope of what his fans have come to expect.
“My life has gone as well as I could have hoped, and it feels like I’m on a real roll. I might make a dance record or work with a hip-hop producer for my next album, you never know.”
Spirit in the Room lands on store shelves May 21.
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May 10, 2012
Troubled former R&B star Bobby Brown will release his first album in 15 years this summer.
Billboard reports the member of revived 1980s boy band New Edition and ex-husband of late superstar Whitney Houston will release The Masterpiece this June. The album will be launched with the perhaps tackily titled lead single “Don’t Let Me Die” in the spring.
In a statement, Brown says he hopes his new work will continue his musical legacy.
“I simply wanted to create a body of work that will take listeners on a musical journey; the style of music that will allow people to get in touch with their highs and lows and their joys and pain of living through song,” Brown says. “At the same time, I am hoping to bridge the gap between good old R&B and R&B of today.”
Last year Brown released two singles – “Damaged” and “Get Out The Way” – as he began work prepping the new album.
To promote the new disc, the 43-year-old singer is set to make a number of media appearances, including guest spots on Ellen, The Tonight Show and The Wendy Williams Show.
Brown, who was married to Houston from 1992 to 2007 is reportedly set to finally marry longtime fiancee Alicia Etheridge. Celebrity gossip site TMZ reports the pair will finally make things official later this year in Hawaii while he’s on tour with the recently reunited New Edition
The Masterpiece lands on store shelves June 5.
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May 10, 2012
Blink-182 have been forced to cancel a number of North American tour dates due to a medial emergency.
The band announced on their website that all of their May 2012 dates – including one in Quebec City – have been called off, because drummer Travis Barker required an urgent tonsillectomy.
A statement says the recovery period is expected to extend beyond the scheduled tour dates.
“The band apologizes for any inconvenience as a result of these cancelations [sic] and thanks their fans for their ongoing support.”
The following tour dates are cancelled and will not be rescheduled:
May 15 at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY
May 17 at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH
May 18 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT
May 19 at The Bamboozle in Asbury Park, NJ (There are no refunds being offered for The Bamboozle)
May 20 at Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem, PA
May 22 at Colisee Pepsi Arena in Quebec City, Canada.
Refunds for these performances will be available at point of purchase. Any tickets purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or www.billetech.com will be automatically credited back to the credit card used to make the order. All tickets purchased at venue box offices must be returned to the box office to receive a refund.
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May 9, 2012
Simon Le Bon, lead singer of 1980s pop sensation Duran Duran, injured his leg during a performance this past weekend in Argentina.
Digital Spy reports that the star was actually exiting the stage Friday night at a concert in Buenos Aires when he jolted the appendage. Le Bon later tweeted about both the injury and his attempts to remedy the wound on Twitter.
“Very cleverly managed to twist my knee, running off stage in BA;” Le Bon tweeted. “Had to ice & elevate all I could.”
Later the star posted a follow-up asking Chilean fans to understand if his performance Tuesday night in Santiago is bed-ridden – albeit in true Duran Duran style.
“Might ask someone to wheel me onstage… on a big brass bed…” he wrote. “With a martini… …and a lobster …on a lead with a studded collar.”
ioL reports that band keyboardist Nick Rhodes recently responded to criticism over the bands’ inclusion on the line-up in an upcoming Olympics concert in London.
“The fact that after more than three decades in this business we can still whip up a bit of controversy gives me enormous pleasure,” said Rhodes “I can’t think of anything worse than being average, or not provoking a polarized, opinionated response from people. That would be so boring, wouldn’t it?”
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May 9, 2012
Canadian dance music king Deadmau5 almost brought the house down – literally – while premiering his brand new track the other day.
The New York Post reports the DJ and producer was in the midst of unveiling his new song “The Veldt” during a set at the New York City club Provocateur when he almost set himself and the club on fire.
Deadmau5 – a.k.a. Joel Zimmerman – lit an air horn as he started, creating a huge spark that threatened to turn to flame. “Omg I actually lived through that . . . Nearly blew up myself and a Buncha people in the booth. Pyros a b—-,” the electronic house maestro later tweeted about the incident.
The club, located in the city’s Meatpacking District, was packed to the rafters with fans including model Hilary Rhoda and R&B singer Ciara.
The paper reports that outside the hotspot, over 200 fans waited to get in, lining-up under a 7-foot replica of the DJ’s famous Mickey Mouse-shaped helmet.
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May 9, 2012
Cher reportedly set off a storm on Twitter by blasting probable Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney – later deleting the posts.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the pop culture icon took to the social networking site on Tuesday to rant about the politician and soon her tweets had gone viral, thanks to political gossip website the Drudge Report.
“If ROMNEY gets elected I don’t know if I can breathe same air as Him & his Right Wing Racist Homophobic Women Hating Tea Bagger Masters,” Cher reportedly wrote.
Later, after some of her followers had criticized her remarks, the star followed up her comments with even more anti-Romney sentiments.
“TOO HARSH? That’s me Holding BACK! They care nothing about the POOR The OLD The SICK The HUNGRY CHILDREN & People striving 4 a Better LIFE !” she wrote.
The comments were later deleted by the singer/actress, but not before they were reposted by such conservative websites as Drudge and Twitchy. Bloggers criticized the tweets as “nasty,” “crazy” and “bizarre.”
After one fan tweeted back at Cher “Ouch!!! Bet you just lost half of your fans,” the provocateur responded with the tweet “Thank God I Got the half that thinks!”
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May 9, 2012
Selena Gomez is feeding herself on just $1.50 a day this week.
The pop star and actress is joining an effort to raise awareness about hunger in the Sahel region of Africa.
Selena wrote on her Facebook page last week, “In a continued effort to help support #SahelNOW I am living off of 1.50 a day all of next week. 1.4 Billion people live on $1.50 per day their wholes lives we only need to do it for one week. Can you do it? Join UNICEF next week in the Live Below the Line Campaign and help provide children food and supplies to the drought effect region of the Sahel.”
According to UNICEF’s website, “An estimated 1 million children stand on the brink of severe acute malnutrition in the Sahel region of Africa. UNICEF is calling for an intensive and immediate response to the crisis.”
The challenge is to “Spend 5 days feeding yourself with $1.50 a day – the US equivalent of the extreme poverty line…To give a glimpse into the lives of 1.4 billion people who have no choice but to live below the line every day – and who have to make $1.50 cover a lot more than food.”
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May 8, 2012
Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was honoured with the 2012 Golden Heart Award for his work on behalf of Los Angeles’ homeless population last night.
According to a press release, Sambora was recognized alongside Del and Bettina Breckenfeld, the marketing directors for legendary guitar makers Fender.
Organized by the Los Angeles homeless shelter The Midnight Mission, the annual awards celebrate those who have worked to improve the lives of the poor and destitute on the city’s Skid Row.
“I have a profound respect for the Midnight Mission,” says Sambora. “I’m inspired by the work they do day in and day out. I’m proud to be affiliated with such a solution-minded outreach program. For the betterment of our community, I gladly contribute whenever I’m able to lend my support to the cause.”
The guitarist was recognized for his work with a number of charitable orgs in the city, as well as for performing at past Golden Hearts Awards ceremonies.
Sambora says he’s touched to be this year’s recipient.
“To have the Midnight Mission recognize me with this award is humbling and an incredible honor,” he says.
The 2012 Golden Hearts Awards were given out at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on May 7th. The event was hosted by TV personality Kevin Frazier, while environmentalist and actor Ed Begley Jr. served as Master of Ceremonies.
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May 8, 2012
Has hip hop mogul Suge Knight been arrested for the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur? That’s the rumour that spread across the Twittersphere over the weekend.
But police say it’s not true.
E! News reports that word started circulating this past weekend that the former Death Row Records boss had been arrested by Las Vegas police for being the mastermind behind the killing.
Shakur died in 1996 at the age of 25 in a drive-by shooting. At the time of his death, he was signed to Knight’s record label and riding in a car being driven by the industry exec.
Though Knight has a criminal record dating back to the 1980s and has served a number of jail sentences, he’s never been charged with any involvement in Shakur’s death. And that has not changed, despite numerous reports to the contrary.
“I don’t have any information that Suge Knight has been arrested,” says Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Laura Meltzer. “We picked him up on some traffic warrants back in February and that is the last arrest I show for him.”
Records indicate Knight was arrested on February 10 of this year for drug possession following a routine traffic stop.
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May 8, 2012
The first-degree murder trial of rapper Lil Boosie – real name Torrence Hatch – is taking some interesting turns.
First, Baton Rouge, Louisiana NBC affiliate NBC33 reports – via Billboard – that witness “Marlo Mike” Louding, who had previously confessed to killing Terry Boyd, alleging he was paid $2,800 by Boosie, changed his story on Monday. Louding reportedly now says he did not commit the 2009 murder and that he only confessed because detectives threatened his family’s welfare.
Now, a man has been arrested for allegedly posting a threatening Twitter comment towards the East Baton Rouge District Attorney regarding the trial.
NBC33 reports that the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Department arrested Derrick Deandre Green and that Green was charged with public intimidation and terrorizing.
The message, sent on Saturday, May 5, shortly before 4:00 p.m. reportedly “contained verbage that could be deemed to be a threat made towards East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore.”
The post read, “I got a sniper rifle for Hillar Moore when he walk out of the court house.”
Billboard reports that a second post read, “MAN THEM B—-ES BETTER # FREE BOOSIE BEFORE I SHOOT THAT F—ING COURT HOUSE UP.”
Detectives traced the Twitter account to Green, who was found at the Judicial District Court where the Lil’ Boosie trial was being held.
Green admitted to detectives that he had posted the message and said that he was just “fooling around.”
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