Saturday, 31 May 2008

Andrea Ross

Andrea Ross   
Artist: Andrea Ross

   Genre(s): 
Classical
   Vocal
   



Discography:


Moon River   
 Moon River

   Year: 2007   
Tracks: 14


Andrea Ross (Demo)   
 Andrea Ross (Demo)

   Year: 2007   
Tracks: 5




 





Stallone faced Rambo death threats

Wednesday, 28 May 2008

Four accept Bitterman's "Job" offer

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Ron Perlman ("Hellboy"), Taryn Manning ("Hustle & Flow"), Joe Pantoliano ("The Sopranos") and Patrick Flueger (USA's series "The 4400") will star in the darkly comic drama "The Job."


Shem Bitterman is adapting his 1998 play about a hapless man, Bubba (Flueger), who's desperate to find a job and marry the woman he loves (Manning). A drifter (Perlman) hooks him up with a slick employment agent (Pantoliano), but after agreeing to the job, Bubba quickly finds that he's in way over his head.


Bitterman's play won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for best new play before transferring to an off-Broadway run. He co-wrote the upcoming action-comedy feature "Play Dead," starring Chris Klein and Fred Durst.


Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Gary Lewis and the Playboys

Gary Lewis and the Playboys   
Artist: Gary Lewis and the Playboys

   Genre(s): 
Pop
   Rock
   



Discography:


Everybody Loves a Clown   
 Everybody Loves a Clown

   Year: 1998   
Tracks: 27


Legendary Masters Series   
 Legendary Masters Series

   Year: 1990   
Tracks: 25


Hits! Again (Digitally Remastered)   
 Hits! Again (Digitally Remastered)

   Year: 1966   
Tracks: 12


Hits! Again   
 Hits! Again

   Year: 1966   
Tracks: 12




 






'American Idol' Elimination: Brooke White Says A Tearful Goodbye; Seacrest Addresses 'Gossip' About Abdul

"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest opened Wednesday's episode by saying Tuesday's buzzed-about pre-critique of Jason Castro by judge Paula Abdul might not have made for the strangest show in "Idol" history, as Simon Cowell had stated, but it certainly was one of the most hectic in recent memory. Things were much calmer during the elimination episode, which ended the long, tear-stained run of Mesa, Arizona native Brooke White.
Her elimination almost seemed like an afterthought given the previous night's gaffe. Not surprisingly, while the two-and-a-half-minute recap of Tuesday's night's performances did show Cowell berating the male contestants for not stepping up and showed Abdul furiously rummaging through her note cards, it conveniently left out the bizarre bit where she pre-judged Castro's second performance before it happened. It was that incident that set off a firestorm of postings from "Idol" fans on Wednesday morning, with many suggesting that it was proof that the judging is not on the up and up, despite multiple post-show interviews in which Abdul explained that she was simply confused due to the last-minute format change.
Seacrest did finally deal with the elephant in the room, admitting 12 minutes in that "last night the judges were thrown a curveball on the air, which is just part of a live show, but it sparked a lot of gossip about Paula," he said. As Abdul looked on, wearing a look of pouty sadness, Seacrest added that he'd read some of the reports about the incident and forcefully refuted, "the rumors, they're not true. She's part of our family, and we love her." Abdul even got a huge and a kiss from Cowell as a show of support.
But there were tears a short time later, as emotionally fragile former nanny Brooke White, 24, got the bad news that she would be going home. After several trips to the bottom three, she was finally done in by her version of guest mentor Neil Diamond's "Daydream Believer," which judge Randy Jackson called a bit karaoke, and Cowell dubbed "a nightmare." White, who shed many a tear during her "Idol" run, embraced Seacrest as she loudly wept and hugged fellow frequent bottom-finisher Syesha Mercado after the verdict was read. With her slightly raspy voice, infectious smile and elegance at the piano, White at turns charmed and frustrated the judges with her vulnerable, erratic performances throughout the season. And when it was time to sing her way home, Seacrest dabbed her tears away as White said, "I just wanna to say thank you. It's gonna be terrible for me now, but thank you."
Perhaps she should have scrawled the lyrics on her palm again, though, just in case. The finalist whom singer Carly Simon recently picked as her favorite forgot the first line to the song and again broke the cardinal rule Abdul warned her of last week: there are no do-overs. Smiling through tears, she soldiered on through "I Am ... I Said," surrounded by her fellow contestants. In a season when several contestants have struggled to deliver their final goodbye, White's last bow was the most emotional, ending with her voice cracking as she turned her back to the audience and attempted to leave the stage.
Given her frequent trips to the bottom, it was not the most shocking conclusion to this dramatic week — especially once Dreadheads who thought Tuesday night's show was proof of a conspiracy to boot Castro got to breathe a sigh of relief at the top of the show. Their man was the first one waved over to the sofa, despite a night of singing that nearly all the judges agreed was pretty weak.
David Archuleta made the early passage to safety as well, helped, no doubt by his rousing rendition of "America," a song choice Cowell called "smart ... clever," putting the teen sensation another step closer to the David vs. David showdown many "Idol" watchers have been predicting. He was followed by the man Abdul has already predicted will be the next "Idol," David Cook, who said that he hoped he did not fall victim to the same fate as last week's eliminee, Carly Smithson, who had joked that she was done in the by curse of Cowell's high praise. No worries, though, as Cook was helped by some of the 45 million people who voted Tuesday night.
It was then down to Syesha Mercado and Brooke White, who both had to wait to hear their fate until after Natasha Bedingfield sang "Pocketful of Sunshine" and the judges handled a few viewer questions. One of the questioners actually managed to make Simon blush a bit, when the woman who had given the acerbic judge his first kiss at age 9 called in to ask whether she or Paula were the better kisser. The show also featured Neil Diamond's performance of his new single, the acoustic mariachi-tinged ballad "Pretty Amazing Grace."
Next week Cook, Archuleta, Castro and last-woman-standing Mercado will each sing two songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The following night will feature performances from Maroon 5 and former "Idol" finalist Bo Bice, as the show steams toward the crowning of this year's "Idol" on May 21.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. And relive six seasons of "Idol" hot messes and high notes in six minutes with our video timeline.

New Releases, May 13: Death Cab for Cutie, Duffy, Jason Mraz

Plus: Frank Sinatra [ tickets ], The Old 97's [ tickets ], moreDeath Cab for Cutie [ tickets ]"Narrow Stairs"(Atlantic)The Pacific Northwest pop-rock quartet returns with a follow-up to 2005's Grammy-nominated "Plans." The first single from "Narrow Stairs," the band's second major-label release, is "I Will Possess Your Heart." The album was produced by Death Cab's guitarist, Chris Walla. Having appeared last month at Southern California's Coachella Valley music festival, Death Cab is now on the road in support of "Narrow Stairs." The trek includes stops at Tennessee's Bonnaroo (June 15) and British Columbia's Pemberton Festival (July 27). * * *Duffy [ tickets ]"Rockferry"(Mercury)The Welsh singer/songwriter is already a star in the U.K., where her debut CD, "Rockferry," was released earlier this year. Now, she's ready to try her luck on this side of the Atlantic as "Rockferry" is officially released in the U.S. Duffy, whose retro-soul sound invites comparisons to Amy Winehouse, has gotten a head start on familiarizing American audiences with her music. She has already performed at two media magnets--: Coachella and South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. She's also scheduled to appear at the this August's Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimoree in August. * * *Jason Mraz [ tickets ]"We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things"(Atlantic)The pop-rock star is set to release his third studio album, which follows 2005's "Mr. A-Z." "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things"The new album was recorded primarily in San Diego and London and features collaborations with singer/songwriters Colbie Caillat (on the track "Lucky") and James Morrison (on "Details In Fabric"). The first single from the album is "I'm Yours." * * *Frank Sinatra"Nothing But the Best"(Reprise)Fans of Ol' Blue Eyes--a group demographic that includes basically everyone--will certainly appreciate this collection of remastered hits. The set features Sinatra crooning through 22 classic tunes, including "Strangers in the Night," "Luck Be a Lady" and "Come Fly with Me." * * *Old 97's"Blame It On Gravity"(New West)The Texas troupe, led by vocalist Rhett Miller, returns with its seventh studio album. "Blame It On Gravity" is the alt-country-rock band's first new studio offering since 2004's acclaimed "Drag It Up." During the hiatus from the studio, the Old 97's did release a concert offering (2005's "Alive and Wired") and a best-of set (2006's "Hit by a Train: The Best of the Old 97's). More new releases:Regina Belle, "Love Forever Shines" (Pendulum)The Black Angels, "Directions to See a Ghost" (Light in the Attic)T Bone Burnett, "Tooth of Crime" (Nonesuch)Kerry Butler, "Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust" (P.S.)Dokken, "Lightning Strikes Again" (Atco)Christine Ebersole, "Sunday in New York" (Ghostlight)Filter, "Anthems for the Damned" (Pulse)Bill Frisell, "History, Mystery" (Nonesuch)Local H, "12 Angry Months" (Shout)Pendulum, "In Silico" (Atlantic)Arsenio Rodriquez, "El Alma de Cuba" (Tumbao)Siggi Schwarz, "In the Midst of Beauty" (Inakustik)Keith Sweat, "Just Me" (Rhino)10 Years, "Division" Soundtracks and scores:"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (Disney)

Kenny Chesney ties Brooks' ACM record

But singer doesn't approve of academy's Internet vote





LAS VEGAS -- Despite a new voting procedure, Kenny Chesney is still the Academy of Country Music entertainer of the year. He won for the fourth straight year Sunday night, tying Garth Brooks for the record.
For the first time ever, the entertainer award was voted for by fans on the Internet, who came to the same conclusion the industry has. "This one is really extra special because long before I had a hit record, the fans came to the shows," Chesney said. "I'm honored to be up here for the fourth year in a row."
Still, Chesney made it clear backstage that he thinks the academy made a mistake by making the award fan-voted. Calling the process a "sweepstakes," he said, "I think it's complete disrespect of the artist. It shouldn't be about pushing people's buttons on the Internet. We need to be careful about how we give this award away in the future."
"I think the fans should be a part of the it," Chesney said, "but not the one award every artist sacrifices to achieve." Chesney had the top country tour of 2007, selling over 1.1 million tickets and grossing over $71 million, according to Billboard Boxscore.
Meanwhile, Miranda Lambert was the surprise winner of album of the year award for "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." "I was sitting behind Kenny Chesney and I just don't feel right taking this," she said from the stage.
The critically acclaimed album has sold 408,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, but has only spawned two top 20 singles, "Famous in a Small Town" and "Gunpowder & Lead," which she performed on the show. "I've never had a top 10 hit," she added backstage. "I am a little left of center. I'm completely surprised."
Sugarland took home an ACM hat for single and song of the year for "Stay." The song peaked at No. 2 in January on Hot Country Songs. The duo introduced producer Byron Gallimore as "part therapist and magician."
"It was shocking," the duo's Kristian Bush said of the wins backstage. The duo later debuted their sticks-in-your-head new single, "All I Want To Do," which will appear on their July 22 release "Love on the Inside."
Brad Paisley, whose most recent album, "5th Gear," has sold 1 million copies, took home male vocalist honors for the second straight year. "A singer is nothing without inspiration," Paisley said before thanking his wife, actress Kimberly Williams Paisley and son William Huckleberry Paisley. Meanwhile, top video honors went to Paisley's "Online," which was directed by "Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander.
With temperatures topping 100 degrees outside, Carrie Underwood kicked off the show inside with an inspired performance of "Last Name," her current top 10 single, before taking top female honors. Just over a week earlier, Underwood was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.


Held at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena, the show was hosted for the tenth time by Reba McEntire, who performed with top vocal duo winners Brooks & Dunn on "Put a Girl in It."
Garth Brooks was honored with the Crystal Milestone Award for his career achievements and performed a medley of hits, including "The Thunder Rolls," "Friends in Low Places," "We Shall Be Free," "The Dance" and "Ain't Goin' Down (Til The Sun Comes Up)."
Taylor Swift took home top new female honors, besting gal pal Kellie Pickler. "Kellie, I love you," Swift said from the stage before dedicating the award to her mother.
Initially wearing a hoodie, which was torn off by two male dancers to reveal a black dress, Swift sang "Should've Said No," her new single, before being drenched by a cascade of water falling from above the stage. "This is a performance I've been dreaming up since I was 10," Swift said backstage. "I've never had that much fun on stage."
Rascal Flatts, who was honored with an ACM/Home Depot Humanitarian Award, also won top vocal group. Meanwhile, Tracy Lawrence, along with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney, picked up the vocal event trophy for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are."
George Strait, who celebrated his 56th birthday at the show, performed two songs back-to-back, his recent No. 1 "I Saw God Today" and "Shiftwork" with Chesney.
Eddy Arnold, who passed away at age 89 on May 8 and who was honored with an ACM pioneer award in 1984, was feted by Paisley and Underwood, who performed "Make The World Go Away."
Jack Ingram, who spent years on the Texas circuit before breaking out nationally with "Wherever You Are" in 2006, picked up the top new male trophy. "It's been a long road to stand in front of as the new male vocalist of the ACM. Dreams come true, never give up," he said.
"I've put in a lot of miles and a lot of hard work and I'm proud of the work I've done," he added backstage.
Lady Antebellum, whose debut single, "Love Don't Live Here," recently reached the top 10 on Hot Country Songs, scored the top new group or duo award only a year after being signed to Capitol Nashville. "Everything that's happened over the last year has been unbelievable," the group's Dave Haywood said backstage. "Being here now is the icing on the cake."

Anchor Bay to distribute 'Surfer'

Matthew McConaughey comedy set to play theaters





Anchor Bay Entertainment has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Matthew McConaughey comedy "Surfer, Dude."


Anchor Bay, whose primary business is home entertainment, has been moving toward independent theatrical releases with films such as "The Grand" and "Sex and Death 101."


"The acquisition of 'Surfer, Dude' underscores where this company is headed," Anchor Bay president Bill Clark said. "We will continue to acquire strong titles for theatrical and DVD release while maximizing the abilities of the various divisions at Starz, including our global sales team and the premium entertainment channels."


In "Surfer, Dude," McConaughey -- who also serves as a producer -- stars as a soul-searching surfer who is experiencing an existential crisis. Anchor Bay plans to release the film theatrically in late summer.


Jason Berk and Matt Lane executive produced and financed the project through Berk/Lane Entertainment, with additional financing provided by Winchester Capital Management. McConaughey's production company, jklivin, produced.


Anchor Bay is a Starz Media subsidiary.



See Also

Charlie Sheen - Richards Sheen Agreed To Reality Show

CHARLIE SHEEN tried to use ex-wife DENISE RICHARDS' new reality TV show to negotiate better access to their two daughters, the actress has claimed.

The former Bond girl has been criticised for allowing three-year-old Sam and Lola, two, to appear on Denise Richards: It's Complicated, which debuts in the U.S. on Monday (26May08).

But Richards claims Sheen actually signed the waiver allowing them to feature in the show, and only changed his mind when he realised he could use it to land more access to the girls.

The dispute went to court and a judge ruled in Richards' favour.

Speaking on U.S. morning TV's The Today Show on Wednesday (21May08), she said, "When I originally approached Charlie he didn't have a problem, he signed the waiver that I needed."

She adds that she refused Sheen's demands for a change in the custody arrangement, "(Because) I didn't want to change our custody for the show. They were two completely separate things.

"When people watch the show, my children are on it very little."

Of the deterioration of her relationship with Sheen since their split in 2005, she says, "Charlie is a stranger to me. He's my ex-husband and the father of my children and he's a stranger."




See Also