Monday, 30 June 2008
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Bob Dylan - Dylan At Center Of Memorabilia Dealers Legal Battle
Legendary singer/songwriter BOB DYLAN is at the centre of a bitter legal battle between dealers of the rocker's relics and a man they say has sold them false artifacts.
New York resident Peter MCKenzie - whose famous mother, dancer Martha Graham, and father MAC, supported Dylan before he rose to stardom in the 1960s - is being targeted in separate lawsuits by a pair of Dylan memorabilia dealers who claim he sold them forged items for over $80,000 (GBP40,000).
But MCKenzie is claiming the accusations made by dealers Reed Orenstein and Jeffrey Gold that the items - which include a harmonica, a Harry Belafonte album cover autographed by Dylan and a sheet of lyrics - came only after they were unable to sell their Dylan relics at inflated prices.
MCKenzie has since filed a countersuit asking for $200,000 (GBP100,000) in damages, claiming defamation in the documents filed on 12 June (08).
He says, "(Gold) had a hard time selling his memorabilia and now he wants his money back."
Meanwhile, Reed Orenstein is seeking $40,000 (GBP20,000) in a suit filed with the Manhattan Supreme Court just last week (begs16Jun08), claiming he was also unable to sell the folk legend's artifacts sold to him by MCKenzie.
MCKenzie, 61, was 12 at the time of Dylan's arrival to his home from Minnesota in 1961.
He held on to much of the memorabilia left from the rocker's stay, and alleges he began selling the relics in 1991 with the permission of the iconic folk crooner.
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Monday, 16 June 2008
Seven Wiser
Artist: Seven Wiser
Genre(s):
Metal
Discography:
Seven Wiser
Year: 2004
Tracks: 13
 
Hans Christian
Monday, 9 June 2008
Rivers Cuomo - Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo
Having apparently lived in a wardrobe for weeks on end; sold all his possessions bar a guitar to buy a one-room basement flat; left rock 'n' roll for a degree at Harvard, and gone on sex binges followed by years of abstinence, Weezer's frontman has, rightly or wrongly, garnered a reputation as rock's weirdo.
Something of a hesitant rock star, it is peculiar then that Cuomo has now decided to raid his near 20-year collection of demo recordings and allowed us in.
Recorded between 1992 and 2007, the 18-track collection is more a curiosity for Weezer fans than anything else with the quality of a lot of the recordings questionable. With many, it's easy to see why they haven't made it on to Weezer albums, while others point to Cuomo's sometime desire to experiment outside of Weezer's structured sound and flirt with other genres.
'This Is The Way', one of the more recent demos, was apparently considered as a lead single for the band's forthcoming album and is one of the more experimental sounding tracks here in that it has a sleazy hip-hop feel to it. You can picture bling, gold and black rappers with Cuomo looking odd and out-of-place somewhere in-between.
Cuomo's geek-eyed sensitivity flows to the core on tracks like 'Wanda (You're My Only Love)', which was intended to soundtrack the movie 'Angus', and the excellent 'Chess' and 'Longtime Sunshine'.
'Blast Off', however, is the standout track and one which would feel at home on any Weezer album.
Recorded as part of the band's second album sessions, Cuomo had intended to release a "space-voyage rock-opera" entitled 'Songs from the Blackhole', and indeed many of the songs here were intended for that work.
Hardcore Weezer fans will be familiar with these tracks, along with much of 'Alone'. Many of the songs have previously cropped up online, along with a host of other less focussed demos.
One of the best things about the record, however, is Cuomo's sleeve notes. The songwriter openly describes how each track came about and what was going on in his life at the time.
It's an engaging companion to the 18-tracks and, thankfully, 'Alone' doesn't look like being the only road into the workings of Cuomo's creative mind. He's currently looking on a publisher for his memoirs - now that should prove fascinating.
Steve Cummins
Richards reality show is confirmed
Variety says the series will now debut on E! Entertainment Television this summer and will focus on Richards' life as a single mother.
Commenting on the series, Lisa Berger, Executive Vice President of Original Programming and Series Development for E!, said: "At the core of this series is a resilient single mom who is trying to get her life back on track."
Richards will also work as executive producer on the series.
Martin Scorsese - Jonathan Demme Replaces Scorsese For Marley Doc
JONATHAN DEMME is to replace MARTIN SCORSESE as the director of the Tuff Gong Pictures/ Shangri-La Entertainment Bob Marley documentary.
Scorsese has been forced to pull out of the project as a result of "scheduling problems", according to the film's backers
Demme, who last worked with Shangri-La Entertainment on the acclaimed Neil Young documentary HEART OF GOLD, will join with the Marley family to direct the biopic of the legendary reggae star.
It is hoped the as-yet-untitled movie will be released on Feb 6th, 2010 - the 65th anniversary of Marley's birth, according to its producers.
Bob Marley's son Ziggy is to be among the film's executive producers.
Demme recently completed work on upcoming Sony Pictures Classics release RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, based on Jenny Lumet's original screenplay and is currently editing NEIL YOUNG TRUNK SHOW, a new concert film.
Scorsese recently directed the acclaimed Rolling Stones documentary SHINE A LIGHT, as well as the seminal 1978 music documentary THE LAST WALTZ.
22/05/2008 10:30:51
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Double eviction for BB: Celebrity Hijack
According to the show's official website, two of the housemates will be evicted as a result of this week's public vote.
The website said: "Not one, but two people will be leaving the House on Friday night."
For more on 'Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack', read our blog here.
CRAZY, an Award-Winning Film Inspired by the Life of Guitar Legend Hank Garland, Is an Official Selection at the Boston International Film Festival, Screening Saturday, June 7, 8:15pm
CRAZY WINS THE VANGUARD AWARD AT THE JACKSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL, BEST
FEATURE AT THE BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL, JURY AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE AT
CHARLESTON INT'L FILM FESTIVAL AND BEST SCREENPLAY AT METHOD FEST
LOS ANGELES, June 6 -- CRAZY, an independent feature film
inspired by the tragic life and groundbreaking music of legendary 1950s-era
guitarist Hank Garland, is an official selection at the Boston
International Film Festival (6/6-14) in Boston, MA. CRAZY will be shown at
8:15PM on Saturday, June 7 at the AMC Loews Theater Boston Common (175
Tremont St., Boston, MA, 02111).
CRAZY's Boston connections include Boston native Stacy Earl, a
successful recording artist with a number of Top 10 hits, who portrays
country crooner Goldie Hill in the film. Executive Producer --- and famed
guitar hero -- Steve Vai is an alumni of Boston's Berklee College of Music,
and was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Music degree in 2000.
CRAZY just won the Vanguard Award, top honor at the Jacksonville
International Film Festival in Jacksonville, FL. Hank Garland lived the
last four decades of his life near Jacksonville with his brother (and
manager) Billy Garland and Billy's wife Amy, who attended the opening night
screening. The film also won Best Feature at Hawaii's Big Island Film
Festival and the Jury Award for Best Feature at the Charleston
International Film Festival. For Charleston's Post and Courier, Bill
Thompson wrote, "CRAZY has a bedrock feel of authenticity ... a lively,
emotionally resonant movie that is an uncommonly seamless meld of character
study and period recreation." At the L.A. area's Method Fest in Calabasas,
CA, CRAZY won the Daily News Award for Best Screenplay for a script
co-written by Bieber, Jason Ehlers and Brent Boyd.
Bieber was introduced to the project -- and to the late Hank Garland --
by Ray Scherr, who served as Executive Producer for CRAZY along with Steve
Vai (who also performs a cameo as Hank Williams) under the Favored Nations
Films mantle. Scherr had known the Garland family for over a decade, and
believed Hank's true story had great potential for a compelling drama. Hank
consulted on the screenplay and was involved with the project until he
passed away in December '04, shortly before principal photography began.
Waylon Payne, acclaimed for his debut film role as Jerry Lee Lewis in
the Oscar-winning film Walk The Line, stars as Hank Garland. LA.com
recently wrote, "The brash and brilliant musician is well played by
charismatic actor Waylon Payne." In addition to acting, Payne is a country
artist with deep musical roots. He was named for his godfather, Waylon
Jennings, and is the son of GRAMMY-winning country singer Sammi Smith and
Jody Payne, longtime guitarist for Willie Nelson.
Payne headlines CRAZY opposite Ali Larter (Heroes, Legally Blonde,
Varsity Blues, etc), who plays Hank's beautiful but deeply troubled wife
Evelyn Garland. Cast members also include: Lane Garrison as Billy Garland;
Scott Michael Campbell, as Garland's friend and fellow guitar ace Billy
Byrd; singer Stacy Earl, as Goldie Hill; Evans Forde as Nashville legend
Chet Atkins; and Ryan Cross, as jazz bassist Joe Benjamin.
CRAZY chronicles Hank Garland's rise to fame in Nashville, from playing
on hits for icons including Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, the Everly Brothers
and Roy Orbison through his brief but influential solo career as a
visionary jazz artist. It also explores his tempestuous marriage as well as
his repeated clashes with the "Nashville Mob" -- who then controlled the
country music establishment -- over artists' rights, civil rights and other
issues. The car crash and electroshock treatments that eventually ended
Garland's performing career and derailed his life are starkly portrayed,
and the enormity of what was lost is deeply felt.
CRAZY is also an official selection at upcoming '08 festivals
including: New Jersey International Film Festival (5/30-6/15);
International Film Festival of England (6/9-13, Tamworth, U.K.),
Provincetown International Film Festival (6/18-22), Long Island
International Film Expo (7/9-17), Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival
(7/16-28), Woods Hole Film Festival (MA, 7/26-8/2), Rhode Island
International Film Festival (Providence, 8/5-10), Sacramento Music & Film
Festival (CA, 8/8-17), and Scottsdale International Film Festival (10/3-7).
For more information, log on to http://www.crazy-themovie.com
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Paul McCartney Plans "Final" Farewell World Tour
Paul McCartney is reportedly set to announce a huge "farewell" tour, before he plans to settle down and retire from future heavy touring.
Reports claim The Beatles songwriter will confirm one hundred shows that are spread over a two year period, starting in the Autumn (the Fall). The first of these dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
After this final global jaunt, McCartney will stop touring worldwide as a source tells The Sunday Mirror: "Paul explained that this tour will be the last big one. He wants to settle down and enjoy Beatrice's [his daughter] childhood."
"The tour will be the last time he performs in many parts of the world. Beatrice and his family life are going to come first. He does not want to be away for months at a time."
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'I Choose To Speak': Mother Of Soldier Killed In Iraq Explains Why She Can't Keep Silent: A Street Team '08 Report
June 4, 2008
New ratings every Wednesday
G -- GENERAL AUDIENCES. All ages admitted.
PG -- PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED. Some material may not be suitable for children.
PG -13 --PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
R -- RESTRICTED. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
NC-17 -- NO ONE 17 AND UNDER ADMITTED
Film | Distributor | Reason | Rating | |
1. | 305 | Allumination FilmWorks, LLC | Rated for some crude humor, comic violence and language. | PG-13 |
2. | Another Cinderella Story | Warner Premiere | Rated for some mild sensuality and language. | PG |
3. | Baby Blues | Allumination Filmworks, LLC | Rated for disturbing violence and terror, and brief drug use | R |
4 | Blue Lake Butcher | Grindstone Entertainment Group | Rated for bloody horror violence, disturbing images, sexual content, drug use and language. | R |
5. | Bottle Shock | Freestyle Releasing, LLC | Rated for brief strong language, some sexual content and a scene of drug use. | PG-13 |
6. | Dance of the Dead | Ghosthouse Underground | Rated for horror violence and gore, language and some drug use. | R |
7. | Defiance | Paramount Vantage, A Division Of Paramount Pictures Corporation | Rated for violence and language | R |
8. | Foreign Exchange | Screen Media Ventures, LLC | Rated for crude sexual content, language and drug use. | R |
9. | Ghosts of Goldfield | MTI Home Video | Rated for for bloody violence, sexuality and language. | R |
10. | Goal II: Living the Dream | Peace Arch Entertainment | Rated for for some sexual content. | PG-13 |
11. | Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson | Magnolia Pictures | Rated for drug and sexual content, language and some nudity. | R |
12. | Great Buck Howard, The | Great Buck Productions LLC | Rated for some language including suggestive remarks, and a drug reference. | PG |
13. | Guantanmero | Peace Arch Home Entertainment Inc. | Rated for violent images and some strong sexuality. | R |
14. | Harold | City Lights Pictures | Rated for for crude and sexual content, language and teen drinking. | PG-13 |
15. | Heckler | Echo Bridge Home Entertainment | Rated for pervasive language including sexual references, and for brief nudity. | R |
16. | Holding Trevor | here! TV | Rated for sexual content, language and some drug material. | R |
17. | House of Lies | Warner Bros. Pictures Inc. | Rated for strong violence including some torture, and for language throughout. | R |
18. | I Want Candy | Magnolia Home Entertainment | Rated for sexual content and language. | R |
19. | Juncture | MTI Home Video | Rated for violence, language, some sexuality and drug content | R |
Updated Wednesday, June 4, 2008 |
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Stallone faced Rambo death threats
The 61-year-old star said he received threats over the Burmese troubles, which are touched on in the film.
Stallone said: "Yes, got them all the time. It's a very dangerous part of the world. A lot of people do disappear and you know they didn't want this film to be made."
He continued: "The civil wars have been going on for 60 years and no one knows about it because they pay a fortune to keep it quiet."
Twenty years have passed since Rambo last appeared on the big screen, now Stallone has revived the franchise with this fourth instalment in which Vietnam veteran John Rambo is called back into action to rescue a group of Christian Aid workers held hostage by Burmese militia.
He said: "This is the greatest action film, mainly because it's a real story. As we are speaking people are being destroyed. Hopefully we can bring awareness to this."
The 18-certificate film is said to be the bloodiest Rambo yet. Stallone said: "War is a horrifying situation. If anyone's dropped into a war zone you come back damaged the rest of your life. The film has got a responsibility; if you're going to make a war let's show it the way it is."
Asked what the secret was to his fitness regime his answer was "fish, fish, fish".
The first Rambo film, 'First Blood', was released in 1982 with sequels in 1985 and 1988. Stallone has joked previously: "I feel like I'm 20 again - but with arthritis."
"I tried to ignore the scepticism about my age and just get on with making films. The stunts in 'Rambo' were pretty hard but I still did all but one of them myself," he said.
Stallone has admitted that the last Rambo film was a "crock of crap" and says the franchise is now returning to its roots.
'Rambo' is released in Irish cinemas on Friday 22 February.