Joss Whedon Multitasking Projects Post Buffy: Is Spike Getting His Own Film?

‘’Joss Whedon Multitasking Projects Post Buffy: Is Spike Getting His Own Film?’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 27, 2005

With the success of ‘’Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s’’ Creator Joss Whedon’s theatrical release of ‘’Serenity’’, the hit film adaptation of his TV series, ‘’Firefly’’, Whedon has quite a few irons in the fire. One is his film, ‘’Goner’’ which the prolific Whedon hopes to direct. ‘’Goner’’ as Whedon tells ‘’Variety Magazine’’, is ‘’the story of a young woman’s journey that involves a great deal of horror and heroics’’. Meanwhile, Whedon is writing the script for the film version of ‘’Wonder Woman’’ which he will also be directing. But, if ‘’Serenity’’ continues its full steam ahead with fans, there just might be a sequel in the works for Whedon.

And for all you fans of the amazingly talented James Marsters, (us included!), Whedon is playing mum that there may be future plans for a made for TV film showcasing Spike, the sexy Vamp (ire) who brought fresh blood, (pun intended), saving the day (and the ratings), for both ‘’Buffy’’ and it’s spinoff ‘’Angel’’ and who gets our vote for the hottest Nosferatu ever! We want Spike, We want Spike! Hey fans, letter writing campaign please!

Source:
http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---26858,00.html

Muse News & Micro Muse September 27, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 27, 2005

Aerosmith And Lenny Kravitz Touring Together For Fall North American Tour

‘’Aerosmith And Lenny Kravitz Touring Together For Fall North American Tour’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 27, 2005

Aerosmith, still kicking major rock and roll ass, will be bringing co-conspirator in kicking rock ass, Lenny Kravitz, along for their fall North American Tour. The tour kicks off, October 30, in Uncasville, Connecticut and will continue through December 8, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Boston based band are touring in support of their live double CD, ‘’Rockin’ The Joint’’, set to drop October 25, which features highlights from a January 11, 2002 gig at the Las Vegas venue of the same name. Don’t expect anything less from this tag team of one of rock’s ultimate, powerhouse, classic rock bands and the solo singer/guitar wizard, than tornadic showmanship and music pyrotechnics meant to tear the roof off the house.

Source:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001181548

Muse News & Micro Muse September 27, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 27, 2005

Mischa Barton's Romance Heats Up With Rocker Cisco Adler

‘’Mischa Barton’s Romance Heats Up With Rocker Cisco Adler’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 26, 2005

Mischa Barton’s on again, off again romance with oil heir Brandon Davis is well...off again. And who better to fill that void than rocker Cisco Adler, from the band Whitestarr, whose father just happens to own the infamous bang your head clubs, The Roxy and Whiskey-A-Go-Go on L.A.’s Sunset Strip. Must be a trend with Hollywood’s acting goddesses cozying up to rockers. Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Kate Hudson and hubby Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes. And of course Winona Ryder and Renee Zellweger who must be in a fight to the finish, trying to top one another with a list of scoring with musicians including Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, The White Stripes’ Jack White, Kenny Chesney, etc. etc. etc. Mischa, we LOVE rock and roll, but we still are rooting for you and hot headed Brandon. You do make a delicious looking couple. Besides, Brandon loves escorting you to such cool, rockin’ events as L.A’s Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival, where you got to hang in the VIP area with ALL of the rockers. Much, much better!

Muse News & Micro Muse September 26, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 26, 2005

Ashton Kutcher And Demi Moore Marry!

‘’Ashton Kutcher And Demi Moore Marry!’’

Muse News & Micro Muse September 26, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 26, 2005

‘’Us Weekly’’ is reporting that 27 year old Ashton Kutcher’s and 42 year old Demi Moore’s May, December romance is now wedded bliss, with the 2 having married on Saturday, September 24. Some 100 guests attended the nuptials including Moore’s ex husband Bruce Willis, Kutcher’s ‘’Punk’d’’ co-creator Jason Goldberg, Kutcher’s ‘’That 70’s Show’s’’ co-star Wilmer Valderamma, and Moore’s 3 daughters, Scout LaRue, Rumer Glenn, and Tallulah Belle. The traditional ceremony was conducted at a Beverly Hills home. As yet, the 2 giddy lovebirds have remained mum to the press. Now, where should they go for their honeymoon? A low rider show replete with pimped out rides, a wet t-shirt contest, a dunking booth filled with beer instead of water…oops sorry, you’ve been PUNK’D!

Muse News & Micro Muse September 26, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 26, 2005

Source:
http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/articles/1510307/09252005/story.jhtml

"The O.C": Caleb's Will Explodes!

‘’The O.C.’’: Caleb’s Will Explodes!’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 23, 2005

So…the moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived, the reading of Caleb’s will. And everyone, (us included), is on pins and needles! Well, just hold on there partner, because if you knew what megalomaniac Caleb was leaving, and to who, whom…all who/whom cares!, straight up…then you might change that dial. First a few plot twists my friend.

In last night’s September 22, Episode 3, Sandy tells Ryan to take ‘’a break’’ from seeing Marissa. (Duh, get real!) Julie takes things a step further by giving Marissa an ultimatum, banish Coop to boarding school with her mysteriously ever mentioned, never seen sister, Kaitlin, or stay in Newport but never see Ryan ever again. Uh, Yeah…. Course, Marissa opts to stay at home, but it’s a no brainer that she and Ryan proceed to sneaking around together for daily scorching, canoodle fests.

Meanwhile, good old perennial, likable screw up Jimmy, who last week we learned was in debt up to his eyeballs to some sleazebag, well, the sleaze wants his money…er…yesterday, informing Jimmy that if Jimmy doesn’t pay up pronto, he’s gonna find himself with some major broken legs. Jimmy rushes a ‘’Let’s do it now, why wait’’, marriage proposal to Julie, planning the wedding right after the reading of the will, assuming Caleb left Julie the mother lode of his estate. Jimmy promises the sleaze that he will get his money the following night after the will reading and proposes to Jules that after they get hitched again, that they sail away with Marissa to Hawaii to ‘’start a new life’’, course not letting on to Jules about his shady dealings and fear of winding up in cement overshoes.

Sandy, pays a trip to Kirsten at nutzy Charlotte’s cabin, asking Kirsten to the reading of Caleb’s will, something his already recovering teetotaler wife is hedging on and Charlotte just can’t resist putting a bug in Kirsten’s ear about how the ‘’stress’’ of hearing what’s in that will, might cause Kirsten to nosedive, fall down drunk again.

Marissa takes the news about leaving Newport for Hawaii as something in her life, that is at last going right. Yeah, right. So when she springs the news on Ryan that he will always be her lover man, but that she finally has a shot at having and being a real family, even if it means moving away to pineapple island, which she actually is willing to do, Ryan supports Coop’s decision, but cooks up a plan for a last, unforgettable, romantic night with his woman, like no other.

Ah, you thought we forgot. Nope. Drum roll. The reading of Caleb’s will. Well Kirsten shows, as so does Sandy, Julie, and Jimmy all about to explode with anticipation. So what does Caleb’s lawyer inform them? HA! The joke is on all of them as Caleb was flat broke, in debt to everyone but Jimmy’s sleazebag. Caleb Nichol didn’t have a plug nickel. Jimmy looks as if he’s shit his pants (knowing he will have to renege on his promise to pay off the thug he owes), Julie is pissed (isn’t she ALWAYS anyhow!), and Kirsten, well Caleb left ONE thing. A lone letter, only to her, which throws the recovering lush into a tailspin, as she’s just certain that Caleb’s letter is a final, smug, snarky, ‘’Fuck You’’, so she won’t bother to read it, and she leaves the proceedings, alone, in a huff.

Back at Harbor High School, Seth and Summer have been forced by Dean Asshole (Hess), to put in servitude to power hungry Taylor, who is now Director of Harbor’s Drama Club and it’s stage production of ‘’South Pacific’’, and the couple are assigned chain gang duty as set laborers. Well fuck Hess and Taylor, (metaphor here…not literal cause nobody would ‘’do’’ those snarky tyrants). Summer and Seth ‘’borrow’’ some of the tiki hut stage props and join a starry eyed, horny Ryan in building a candlelight surrounded love nest on the beach, to which Ryan brings Marissa for a sexalicious night of wave pounding passion, fire, desire, climax, Oh…Oh…OH!!!! (Is it hot in here? Lost track there. Where was I?)

To a metaphor inclined, crescendo building music laced montage, we get shots cutting back and forth of Ryan and Marissa’s orgasmatronics, while we see poor Jimmy getting the royal shit kicked out of him as punching bag material by the sleazebag and el sleazo’s thugs for welching on his debt, while Kirsten buys a fifth of vodka and holes herself up with it in a flea bag motel.

Fraught with the delicious moment of truth, hope, (and amor!), finally for Ryan and Marissa who have been through so much, with the two consistently being derailed or kept apart by circumstance, and that the lovebirds have waited 3 seasons for, not only do they deserve this, (WE DO!), as the two at last consummate their love.

Meanwhile our hearts are simultaneously stomped on, wrenched with despair for Jimmy and Kirsten.

As the morning sun shines the next day on a post orgasmic Ryan and Marissa, entwined in each other’s arms, (We just LOVE this stuff. More!), Marissa’s damn cell goes off, prompting her to answer and just guess who it is? Next thing, she and Ryan meet Jimmy on his boat. Jimmy, whose face resembles a blood rare hamburger patty (or one of the zombies in ‘’Night Of The Living Dead’’), oozing, bruising, and half of it knocked clear off, confesses his ‘’pickle’’ to Marissa and that it’s best that he leave for Hawaii, but alone, obviously leaving Julie at the alter. But hey, while Jimmy was losing it, Kirsten was actually getting her shit together. She joyfully arrives home to her steadfast Sandy, announcing that she never touched the vodka (and she’s the ONE person last night who actually told the TRUTH), that she’s never leaving her family again, and she reads Caleb’s letter to her. An apology of all things to the daughter he had final words, only of love for. (Aw, how sweet!)

Oh, and psycho Charlotte, you remember her. Her landlord arrives to inform her that the rent check didn’t clear, asking for cash on the spot and for Charlotte to vacate the cabin. Which Charlotte does in spades, escaping out the back window with the clothes on her back. (Hope that’s the last we’ve seen of the female ‘’Oliver’’).

As for Marissa, well she isn’t going to Hawaii after all, so she and Ryan take a walk, enjoy a luscious, big wet snog, and promise themselves to one another, no matter what’s down the road.

Back at the ranch, Cohen central, we end with the Cohens, where else, but gathering and noshing in the kitchen….Ryan, Seth, Sandy, and Kirsten, ribbing and kibitzing on how crappy things are, but hey, things could be worse. They’re cheering (and we are too!), that they’re one big, dysfunctional, happy, FAMILY again. Booze, fisticuffs, shady dealings with hoodlums and being brainwashed by lying, deceitful psychos, cash shortages. We laugh at such trivial matters. Is that all you’ve got? You can’t break up the mega awesome, oh so cool, Chrismukkah founding, merry making Newport reigning clan. The Cohen’s rule the O.C.!

(Hey Josh Schwartz....FAB writing, you're BACK!)

Cool tunes from last night’s episode ‘’The End Of Innocence’’:

Shout Out Louds ‘’Wish I Was Dead Part 2’’

Transplants ‘’Gangsters And Thugs’’

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club ‘’Salvation’’

All Sad Girls Are Beautiful ‘’Baby Blue’’ (OUR Pick of the week! **** 4 Stars)

Matt Pond PA ‘’In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’’ (2nd Pick of The week *** 3 Stars)

Muse News And Micro Muse September 23, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 23, 2005

''The O.C.'': How Many Bitches Can Newport Survive!

‘’The O.C’’: How Many Bitches Can Newport Survive!’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 16, 2005

‘’The O.C.’s’’ Julie Cooper must be shouting, a la the film ‘’Highlander’’, there can be only ONE! Bitch that is, in Newport. Or so Julie would like to think that she is the reigning Queen Bee. Guess again. In last night’s September 15, 2nd, season 3 episode, we found the fabulously wealthy town of Newport, overrun not just with bitches, but psycho bitches at that and major league SOB’s. Put up your dukes! It’s a snarky fight to the death!

First we have Taylor Townsend, or ‘’psycho Barbie’’ as Summer has aptly coined Harbor High School’s preppy diva pretender to Marissa’s teen socialite crown and school social chair throne, after Marissa got expelled from school for plugging Ryan’s pain in the ass brother Trey, even if it was to save Ryan from being 86ed by the thug. (Note: scandal and high society supposedly don’t mix, equaling grounds for expulsion…and if you believe that one, there’s a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you on the cheap!)

Then comes the real contender to dethrone Julie’s title. Charlotte, the schizoid lush who met Kirsten in alcohol rehab and has conjured a Svengali like hold over Kirsten’s brain cells, convincing our Cohen matriarch, heroine after leaving rehab, to not go home to her family, because according to Charlotte’s ‘’personal experience’’….all lushes relapse, and Kirsten wouldn’t want to go home to fail Sandy, Seth, and Ryan.

Actually, we know Kirsten is just fine and well. It’s Charlotte who is one can short of a six pack, one slice short of a loaf of bread..oh you get the picture! Unbeknownst to Kirsten, Charlotte never dried out at the rehab clinic, or ever, so it seems. After conniving and convincing Kirsten that ‘’it’s for the best’’ for Kirsten to get herself together by staying with whacko Charlotte at Ms. Demented’s secluded cabin in the woods, Charlotte ‘’confides’’, tearfully, hysterically to Kirsten that it is she who needs Kirsten to stay with her so she (Charlotte) can ‘’stay sober’’. As Kirsten walks away, Charlotte dries her phony ass tears, takes a swig of booze from her secret stash, and the manipulative whack job smirks, smugly, sociopath loony tune that she is.

Then we have ultra bastard extraordinaire, Harbor’s new Dean, Jack Hess (as in Nazi, Rudolf Hess!), a man with a mission, which is expelling Marissa (See Paragraph 2!), and then baiting Ryan (seems Hess gets his jollies wanting to expel Ryan too), with supreme jerkdom. Now we all know when you FUCK with Ryan, punches get thrown.

Unfortunately, that’s Hess’s master plan. And when Ryan lands a killer right hook on the SOB, (YEA!! Go Ryan!) for worse yet, fucking with Ryan’s lady love, Marissa, with Hess grabbing, dragging, and pawing her like a lion with a freshly killed gazelle, simply over Marissa stepping onto so called school property, showing up at the school carnival with Ryan, just so she can hang with friends Summer and Seth, and enjoy a big wet snog, lip lock with Ryan on the Ferris Wheel, a la Season One, well fireworks go off, and not the good kind. Fucker Hess gleefully expels Ryan, too, on the spot at the school carnival, in front of all of Harbor’s jaw dropped student body, with a mega snarky, smirking look on his face so smug, we personally wanted to slug it off! Oomph!

Give us some boxing gloves, cause after we’re done kicking psycho bitch, Charlotte’s ass, we’re laying out dickwad Hess. Two for the price of one we say!

So what’s in store for next week? We hear Ryan’s and Marissa’s parents FORBID them to see one another, ever again. Ah yeah…right.

SPOILER ALERT! Ryan and Marissa run away together, on a romantic sexcapade, at their very own canoodling friendly, makeshift beach home and hideaway. Ooh la la!!!!!!!

Tune in right here, all week, and next week. Same channel, same blog, for the further adventures of ‘’The O.C.”!

No smirking, smug assholes allowed!

Muse News And Micro Muse September 16, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 16, 2005

Seal & Heidi Klum Steal Home Plate First With Birth Of Their Son On Monday!

‘’Seal And Heidi Klum Steal Home Plate First With Birth Of Their Son On Monday’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 15, 2005

‘’Seal And Heidi Klum Steal Home Plate First With Birth Of Their Son On Monday’’
September is busting out all over..with celebrity babies that is! Britney may have won the ratings race with the birth of her son on Wednesday, but British singer Seal and supermodel wife, babalicious Heidi Klum got to home base first, with the birth of their first child, a son, on Monday, September 12, in Los Angeles. The Fab looking couple named their little dumpling, Henry, and with 2 hot and sexy parents, (Klum is an International Supermodel who has modeled for Victoria’s Secret and the ‘’Sports Illustrated Magazine’’ swimsuit issue, and of course Seal is…well a HOT rocker!), surely little Henry will grow up to be a hot and sexalicious, rock star who models. Congrats are also in order for the very talented Seal and his lovely lady Klum.

http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271974901,00.html

Muse News & Micro Muse September 15, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 15, 2005

''The O.C.'s'' Whip Smart Cracking Return With Season 3 Premiere

‘’The O.C.’s’’ Whip Smart Cracking Return With Season 3 Premiere’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 9, 2005

It’s back and better than ever. We CONFESS!!!! You thumb screwed it out of us. ‘’The O.C.’’, the Fox Network’s night time soap is our favorite show, ever since it premiered 3 years ago. (Where does the time go?) Though last year’s 2nd season suffered a dangerously insufferable sophomore slump which can only be attributed to ‘’O.C.’’ creator Josh Schwartz’s brain damage…whoops, sorry!...writer’s block. Either that, he turned seriously stupid, morphing into a lazy ass, Frankenstein monster, lapping up all the press hype over his whip smart, writing, plot, and character development and razor sharp, self aware dialogue in season one, that pulled a strangely catastrophic disappearing act in season 2. But we digress. Apparently, Schwartz has been indulging in truckloads of wheaties, fish….er brain food, by all accounts of our marveled introduction to season 3.

Last night’s September 8, 3rd season opening episode blew away all sordid memories of that god awful 2nd season with all the magnum force impact of Marissa putting a bullet through resident asshole Trey, in the season 2 cliffhanger finale (and the only decent damn episode of that whole season).

Got to admit, in last night’s opener, when dumb ass Trey finally awoke from his coma, to find Julie Cooper (aka Marissa’a mom and the wicked witch of the west…coast that is, and more bad ass than ANY gangsta rapper!), in his hospital room, hovering over him with a look more lethal than Marissa’s gunshot, threatening to smother his ass….mug (same difference), with a pillow for attempting to rape Marissa, causing Marissa’s beloved, Ryan, to tussle with Trey…causing Trey to tar the crap out of Ryan, causing Marissa to shoot Trey just as Trey was about to bash in Ryan’s head with a phone and kill dear Ryan, saving Ryan’s life, (are you getting all this?)….all we could do was cheer….’’Do it! Do it NOW!’’ We even stopped munching on our popcorn we were so enthralled, hoping she would do the misdeed, but Fuck All, she didn’t. (Instead, she paid off Trey with some major Benjamins to pin the rap on Ryan.) Dude, they broke the mold with ice queen, empress of all bitches, Julie Cooper.

Better yet, Marissa, played coy and sexy super sleuth to save her man (yep, poor Ryan got sent to the slammer, and the tightrope suspense was driving us NUTS! as to what would happen to our innocent hero), pulling some detective work that would make ‘’Alias’s’’ super spy, Sidney, proud, worming the truth and a written confession of what REALLY happened, out of Trey for the cops. Trey decided to hightail it out of Dodge, (hope we’re finally rid of the slug), and Ryan was cleared and set free by the fuzz.

With disrespect to season 2, which emphasized geeky Seth’s and ditzy Summer’s bone headed, leaden romance, now, we have a return to form (read: Emphasis) on our favorite, savvy, ‘’Champagne Supernova’’ lovebirds, Ryan’s and Marissa’s sexalicicious romance that made season one, oh, so yummy. It’s back to basics BABY!

Last night, Ryan and Marissa sparked and snogged more deliciously and with all the combustion of Marissa’s real life counterpart, luscious actress Mischa Barton and her real life on again/off again/on again canoodling with billionaire flame, the hot headed Brandon Davis, (much like aka hot headed Ryan Atwood, aka real life actor the sizzling hot hunkarama, Benjamin McKenzie who we will take any day over Davis!).

Oh…and the soundtrack tunes last night…kick ass as always, a signature of ‘’The O.C.’’.

Ryan and Marissa, sitting in O.C., K I S S I N G!!!! Ain’t love grand!

Muse News & Micro Muse September 9, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 9, 2005

U2, Foo Fighters, Fats Domino Headlines As Artists & Entertainers Continue Hurricane Katrina Relief Aid

‘’U2, Foo Fighters, & Fats Domino Headline As Artists & Entertainers Continue Hurricane Katrina Relief Aid’’

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 8, 2005

People throughout the music and entertainment industries are continuing their outpouring of kindness and generosity in helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina and raising money for the disaster relief funds set up by The American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.

….Fats Domino, who we are VERY pleased to report, was rescued from his hurricane ravaged home in New Orleans, and is doing well, will be performing September 20, at a star studded hurricane benefit concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden, with…

….Sir Elton John, Rod Stewart, Lenny Kravitz, Jimmy Buffett, John Fogerty,
The Neville Brothers, Stevie Nicks, Earth, Wind & Fire, Bette Midler, The Original Meters, Loggins & Messina, The Dirty Dozen, Allen Toussaint, and more. The concert has been dubbed, ‘’From The Big Apple To The Big Easy’’, showcasing, honoring, and combining many of New Orleans’ most beloved native musical talents performing side by side among a galaxy of other glittering music artists.

In addition….

….The ‘’American Idols Live’’ tour will hold a benefit concert, Sunday, September 11, in Syracuse, New York.

….Tomorrow….Friday, September 9, Television Networks ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, and the WB, starting at 8:00 pm EST all will simultaneously host, ‘’Shelter From The Storm: A Concert For The Gulf Coast’’, an all star, live benefit in which all funds raised will go directly to both the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army, with donors acknowledging their preference. The benefit fund raiser will also be broadcast on some 20 cable television Networks as well and will be broadcast Internationally to some 95 nations via satellite. Though ‘’Shelter From The Storm’’ airs at 8pm, phone lines accepting donations will open at 7:00 am EST Friday September 9, and most of daytime, prime time, and late night US TV regular programs such as NBC’s ‘’Today Show’’, ABC’s ‘’Good Morning America’’, CBS’s ‘’The Early Show’’, NBC’s ‘’Tonight Show’’, CBS’s ‘’Late Show’’, ABC’s ‘’Jimmy Kimmell Live’’, and local programming on television affiliates throughout the US, will be airing pleas for aid throughout all of tomorrow.

….Stars on board, with more to be announced include:

…..U2, Foo Fighters, Garth Brooks, Paul Simon, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Sheryl Crow, The Dixie Chicks, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Rod Stewart, Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Jack Nicholson, Jack Black, Jennifer Aniston, Chris Rock, Morgan Freeman, Ellen DeGeneres, Ray Romano, Cameron Diaz, Sela Ward.

2 Indie Band favorites are making donations from their upcoming gigs.

Death Cab For Cutie, along with some ‘’very special guests’’ will be holding a gig in their hometown of Seattle, Washington at the Showbox, on September 21. 100% of all monies from that show will go to the hurricane disaster relief.

Dashboard Confessional will donate proceeds from their 3 upcoming shows, September 18, in Toronto, September 19, in Chicago, and September 28, in Sayreville, New Jersey. The band will also be performing in the Nationally televised September 10, benefit concert event, ‘’ReAct Now: Music & Relief’’.

Sources:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001095150
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001056926
http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271974001,00.html


‘’Britney Spears Rumored To be Auctioning Video Rights From Childbirth For Hurricane Relief’’
And in REALLY news of the weird, an unconfirmed rumor is flooding internet sites and radio waves that Britney Spears is auctioning exclusive one time video rights to her live, graphic, hospital delivery room spawning of Satan’s demon seed, and bouncing baby lip syncher to be, for upwards of $7 million!, with 100% of the proceeds to go to the Katrina relief funds. Fact or fiction, while the sentiment behind the gesture is quite a worthy cause, what whackjob would truly pay one cent, much less $7 million for that squirmy freak show? Can’t people just make out a check for $7 million directly to the hurricane relief fund? Well, how about those wild and crazy people who just wanta have fun? Indeed, we know there are some zany, loony birds that will gladly shell out mucho denero dough, for a noble cause, but some just happen to like the addition of a little star treatment, ‘’goody bag’’ thrown in. In this case, that would be Britney’s placenta. UUGGHH!!!!!!! All we can say is, it takes all kinds…and in this case..from the Bizarro World.

Muse News & Micro Muse September 8, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 8, 2005

U2, Rolling Stones, Green Day, Paul McCartney & More Step Up As Music And Entertainment Communities Unite For Relief Concert

''U2, Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Green Day & More Step Up As Music And Entertainment Communities Unite For Hurricane Relief Concert''

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 6, 2005

As we reported 9/1/2005, on Saturday, September 10, 2005 MTV, VH1, and CMT, as well as, MTVU, MTV2, and VH1 Classics, will be televising a live, 3 city concert event in Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville to benefit the victims of hurricane Katrina. As of today, some of rock’s most venerable acts have come on board for the good will event now being dubbed, ‘’ReAct Now: Music & Relief’’. The new additions now include:

...U2, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones, Sir Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Kelly Clarkson, Bon Jovi, Norah Jones, Beck, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Jewel, Big and Rich, Fiona Apple, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams, Jr., Marc Broussard, Audioslave, Chris Thomas King, Allen Toussaint, Sugarland, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Kanye West.

Other artists will be stepping up with both live and taped performances, including: Motley Crue, Good Charlotte, Dashboard Confessional, Maroon 5, Kid Rock, Staind, Sheryl Crow, The Goo Goo Dolls, Melissa Etheridge, Alan Jackson, Common, and John Mayer.

As reported on 9/1/05, the event will feature as well, Green Day, Dave Matthews Band, Usher, Alicia Keys, Rob Thomas, Ludacris, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, and John Mellencamp.

Also, a bevy of artists and entertainers, performing and giving of themselves at music and entertainment benefits and projects for the hurricane victims are all on the calendar.

Velvet Revolver will be playing a benefit concert tonight, Tuesday, September 6, at the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida.

The Dave Matthews Band will be playing a benefit concert September 12, at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.

Chris Rock, Stevie Wonder, Sean ‘’Diddy’’ Combs, Jay-Z, Wynton Marsalis, Russell Simmons, and Master P, will perform in a benefit televised September 9, on the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Network.

The legendary contributions that New Orleans has made to the history and culture of Jazz, is being honored and aided by some of its most influenced musical compatriots. On September 17, the Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert For Jazz will be held at New York’s esteemed Lincoln Center starring Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Wynton Marsalis, and Bill Cosby.

The Grand Ole Opry weighs in on September 27th with a benefit concert in Nashville, starring Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, and Alison Krauss, which will be televised on the Great American Country Network.

The E! Entertainment Networks will be producing a series of Public Service Announcements to support the American Red Cross featuring Paula Abdul, Mariah Carey, Destiny’s Child, Carlos Santana, and more.

Donations to the American Red Cross are pouring in from the entertainment community, music, TV, and film alike. The Walt Disney Company has donated $2.5 million, Celine Dion and her Las Vegas show Producers have donated $1 million. Sean ‘’Diddy’’ Combs and Jay-Z each contributed $1million. Hilary Duff donated $250,000 and is asking fans to bring donations, as well as food and clothing to her concerts. Clear Channel Entertainment is currently coordinating several upcoming benefit concerts and benefit drives.

The list goes on and on and refreshingly proves that when tragedy strikes, despite some of the few bad apples depicted in the press, we Americans do pull together, inspire one another with selflessness and courage, and will emerge from this stronger and better than ever.

Sources:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001054961
http://www.pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID=4274


Muse News & Micro Muse September 6, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright September 6, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse For August 29, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse August 29, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 29, 2005

‘’Green Day Sing Day-Oh! Conquering The MTV Video Music Awards!’’
My man Billie Joe Armstrong and company had me cheering at the edge of my seat as Green Day emerged the ultimate victor, sweeping the MTV VMA’s Sunday night. The video for their dazzling song, ‘’Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’’ won 6 awards including Video Of The Year, Best Group Video, Best Rock Video, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Their video for ‘’American Idiot’’ won The Viewer’s Choice Award. Green Day opened the awards performing ‘’Dreams’’ with Armstrong stating ‘’It’s nice to know rock music still has a place at MTV’’, (translation: Music…Period), upon accepting the award for Best Rock Video. Other winners included Kelly Clarkson, Missy Elliott, and Gorillaz. Performances came from the likes of a very bizarre R. Kelly, as well as from Clarkson, My Chemical Romance and others. While Hurricane Katrina threatened to huff, and puff, and blow the house down, the biggest ‘’twister’’ came prior to the awards, early Sunday morning. At a pre-show celebrity shindig held at Miami’s Shore Club, hosted by hip hop’s Kanye West, rapper, music mogul, gangster, Marion ‘’Suge’’ Knight was shot in the leg by an, as yet, unknown assailant. Knight, certainly a man of questionable associations and reputation, is just fine. Our discerning listening ears, on the other hand, are another story.

Source:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001050164
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001050100


‘’Sir Paul McCartney Causes Chaos!’’
Macca is back with a vengeance and a brand new album, ‘’Chaos And Creation In The Backyard’’ to prove it. The album drops September 13 as Sir Paul launches a 37 city USA Tour kicking off at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, September 16. The album has proved great fodder for Sir Paul dishing big time doing a gamut of press. In the current issue of ‘’Billboard Magazine’’, Macca goes on to say that since he doesn’t own the publishing rights to the Beatles’ catalog, he actually has to pay ‘’someone’’ whenever he performs his own songs live, the very ones he wrote with bandmate John Lennon. That ‘’someone’’ would be Michael Jackson who bought the lucrative Beatles’ publishing rights from Northern Songs. However, Jackson is having his own financial difficulties as of late in that one of the financiers who put up the loan funds for Jackson to buy Northern Songs, hasn’t been paid back and is getting their panties in a legal uproar, and so, boo, hoo, Jackson is getting a taste of his own medicine. If Wacko Jacko doesn’t come through and pay up soon, the publishing rights automatically will revert, rightfully to Sir Paul. Can you say, ‘’Oh Bla Di, Oh Bla Da, Life Goes On’’! Or as John would have said ‘’Instant Karma Is Gonna Get You’’!


‘’Pete Doherty Rumbles With Johnny Borrell’’
Proving he really is the pain in the ass we all know and love, Pete Doherty, not content to sit on his laurels for crack and heroin addiction, being the tosser boy for Kate Moss’s pussy whipping, assault and burglary of former Libertines’ bandmate, Carl Barat, now can add ‘’pathetically trying’’ to beat the crap out of Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell to his glowing attributes. Last night, August 28, at Branham Park at the Carling Weekend: Leeds Festival, both Doherty’s attempt at a band, Babyshambles, and Razorlight played the final night of the Festival, with Razorlight performing on the main stage and Babyshambles performing on the NME/Radio 1 Stage. Witnesses claim that just before midnight, Doherty turned into a wolf with the arrival of the full moon. Or something to that affect, as nut job Doherty went to Borrell’s dressing room and for no good reason, headbutted Borrell. As the ‘’fight club’’ ensued further, security was called in to break things up. Sources told NME.COM ‘’We’ve been told that Doherty did in fact have a disagreement with Razorlight. Rumor is that Doherty walked into the band’s dressing room last night after both bands had played and in an unprovoked attack, headbutted Johnny Borrell. Johnny put Doherty on the floor and left the dressing room, at which point festival security escorted Doherty from the dressing room and back to his bus.’’ Pete, ya know it’s pretty lame when the only way you can get your band any attention, is to play the village idiot. Razorlight not only kicked Babyshambles’ ass, Johnny took you out to the cleaners.

Source:
http://www.nmefestivals.com/carling_weekend_-_reading_festival/news/113530


‘’Iron Maiden Kicks Ozzy’s Ass At Leeds’’
Speaking of being taken out to the cleaners and idiots turning into wolves. After the legendary scuffle last week between Sharon Osbourne, starring as Alien lording over Ozzy “Bark At The Moon’’ Osbourne, and Iron Maiden starring as Predator in the train wreck of the century, with the two going head to head over a war of words and chaotic events, Iron Maiden came out on top, closing out the opening day of the Carling Weekend:Leeds Festival. They tore the roof off the main stage in what was their first performance since their notorious final night show at Ozzfest, in California last week, where Maiden alleges that Sharon Osbourne deliberately sabotaged their show, due to certain negative remarks allegedly made by Maiden’s frontman, Bruce Dickinson about Ozzy. Looks like Predator won this round. Stay tuned for further developments..er..regression!!!

Source:
http://www.nmefestivals.com/carling_weekend_-_reading_festival/news/113509


‘’Evangeline Lilly And Dominic Monaghan Lost In Love’’
After much ado about something, with whispers of a romance going on between the 2 co-stars of the USA’s hit guilty pleasure TV show, ‘’Lost’’, Evangeline Lilly and Dominic Monaghan have confirmed that they are indeed a couple. Monaghan proudly spoke up and let the cat out of the bag to the press, doing the honorable thing by his woman, with the two lovebirds being spotted hand in hand and on red carpets in tinsel town aka Hollywood. Wonder how that real life dynamic will play out in the upcoming Season 2, when Lilly’s character, Kate, gets fresh, turning up the heat with actor Matthew Fox’s, character, Jack? Just remember, now that ‘’Alias’’’ Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have gotten hitched, and there being rumors of just a little jealous tension on the set, it’s now confirmed that ‘’Alias’’ co-star Michael Vartan’s character Agent Vaughn, will meet an untimely demise this season. Careful, Matthew….watch out for that falling tree, that ferocious monster, that typhoon, uh, just watch out!

Muse News & Micro Muse August 29, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 29, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse For August 23, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse August 23, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 23, 2005

‘’Slash, Duff McKagan: See You In Court Axl!’’
Former Guns N’ Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan may be enjoying their current success as part of super group Velvet Revolver. But their creative tenure and contributions as part of Guns N’ Roses was indeed considerable. Unfortunately, also considerable was all of the GNR band members’ infighting, brawls, squabbles, mud slinging, particularly by and against GNR mercurial Bizzaro world frontman, Axl Rose. Last Wednesday, August 17, the war came to an ugly head, when Slash and McKagan filed a federal lawsuit against Rose in Los Angeles claiming that Rose sold the multimillion dollar publishing rights to the GNR back catalog to Sanctuary Publishing without their knowledge and consent, and then proceeded to keep the sizable cash all to himself. The lawsuit alleges that ‘’Suffering an apparent attack of arrogance and ego, Rose recently decided that he is no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners and bandmates in having created some of rock’s greatest hits. Rose’s actions were malicious, fraudulent, and oppressive, and undertaken in conscious disregard of Slash’s and Duff McKagan’s property rights’’. Slash and McKagan state that they were kept out of the loop entirely and had no knowledge of Rose’s lucrative business dealings until they didn’t receive their regular royalty checks for 2005’s first quarter. Now the two are seeking damages for fraud, copyright infringement, and among other items, breach of fiduciary duty. Gee, let’s all lay bets. Which will come first? Slash’s and McKagan’s rightful royalty checks or more than just Chinese Whispers of the forever delayed, overblown, over budget, just plain over, next GNR album, ‘’Chinese Democracy’’?

Source:
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1508091/20050822/guns_n_roses.jhtml?headlines=true


‘’Elijah Wood Bashes Coldplay!’’
Say it’s not so Frodo! In the September 2005 issue of ‘’Spin Magazine’’, doe eyed actor and ‘’Lord Of The Rings’’ star Elijah Wood dishes oh his career and then gets to play guest music critic. Regarding Coldplay’s new album ‘’X&Y’’, Wood has this to say. ‘’I’m shocked that this record is getting the attention it’s getting. Of course, they’re a huge band, and there’s a lot of money behind them, but every single publication I’ve read has given it incredible reviews, like this is a masterpiece. Chris Martin has a great voice, he’s got good facial hair, but I don’t hear any new ideas. I hear the piano refrain from ‘’Clocks’’. Someone even called it ‘’Darling’’. Darling? If this is darling, we’ve got problems’’. Chris, I bet you would just be thrilled to review Wood’s new ‘’groundbreaking’’ film, ‘’Everything Is Illuminated’’. Oh, and by the way Elijah, you’re name is SCRATCHED OFF the guest list and you can forget about that back stage pass to that Coldplay concert. Gee, and just when you were hoping to score with your groupie, movie star hanger on date, who sure as hell wouldn’t shag you for your ultra nerd looks, and now you gotta break the news to her that she won’t get to meet the band. Guess you’re not gonna get laid tonight. Damn!


Muse News & Micro Muse August 23, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 23, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse For August 22, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse August 22, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 22, 2005

‘’Bob Geldof: How He Engineered The Pink Floyd Reunion’’
The August 2005 issue of ‘’Word Magazine’’ has an in depth interview with Sir Bob Geldof detailing how he made pigs fly. That is, orchestrating the infamous Pink Floyd reunion which took place July 2, 2005 for their one off legendary performance at Live 8. The good, the bad, and the very rancorous ugly are all included as Sir Bob details how he became more than a diplomat and peacemaker to the long time feuding, slagging, law suit slinging 2 main ring leaders, Roger Waters and David Gilmour. More like a Nanny 911 to the two decades war of tantrum throwing, ego bellowing, chest beating theatrics in which Sir Bob went back and forth more than a ping pong ball between the other band members and (emphasis: read Gilmour), entreating Gilmour repeatedly in person, via phone, via letter. After a more than amicable discussion and a firm yes from Waters of all people, as well as from Nick Mason and Rick Wright, finally, Sir Bob had Waters step in to extend the first olive branch with Waters personally phoning reunion holdout Gilmour, who at last relented, sealing the deal.

Geldof has said that getting the G8 to firmly act on making poverty history was akin to a tea party compared to the 100 year’s war and truce/reunion of Pink Floyd for Live 8. Waters and Gilmour have since turned down numerous USA concert promoters’ offers reputed to be in upwards of $150 million to tour the USA. Gilmour has stated, that their reunion was done strictly as a one off, that they ‘’put aside their petty differences’’ when put in perspective with and in the broad context of such an important issue as aiding world poverty, and that Pink Floyd wished to lend as much leverage as possible, to help the cause at hand for such an important event as Live 8. So, no tour folks, the pigs have now firmly landed with no further plans for flight.


‘’Live 8 DVD Gets Digital Extreme Makeover’’
Speaking of Live 8, some of the performers at the historic concert event are none too pleased with their performances. Whether off key or in the case of main ear offender Pete Doherty’s shambolic, show stopping (as in ‘’Stop the show, PLEASE, NOW!) out of it attempt at a duet with Sir Elton John (who must have wanted to crawl under his piano in embarrassment), on Marc Bolin’s ‘’Children Of The Revolution’’, you can rest assure that the Live in the DVD of Live 8, will be noticeably removed due to the high tech trickery sound engineering and mastering of music software known as Auto-Tune, or as some have dismissed it as ‘’Botox for the vocally challenged’’. Auto-Tune can literally create or enhance vocals for those of the er..challenged. You know, Pete might have sounded closer to croaking than the Crazy Frog, but we like our live music, well, live and GENUINE. Live Aid had very little tinkering with the exception of dubbing in Sir Paul McCartney’s vocals on the section of ‘’Let It Be’’ where his microphone conked out. But taking the magic, spontaneity, integrity, and authenticity of the live experience, and in this case of a music event of such historic and meaningful context, farcial warts and exhilarating sublime moments included, and nipping and tucking it with cosmetic digital surgery? I prefer my music real, not fake and fabricated via technical gimmicks.

Source:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14929-1743834,00.html


‘’Rolling Stones Give Bigger Bang!’’
The Rolling Stones, always men of their words, gave a bigger bang, that is they rolled into Boston’s Fenway Park last night, Sunday August 21, blowing Beantown away with the first concert in their ‘’A Bigger Bang’’ world tour, in support of their new studio album ‘’A Bigger Bang’’ due to drop September 6. Not ones for foreplay, the legendary British rockers kicked off the gig with their signature anthem ‘’Start Me Up’’, segued into several cuts off the new album, including their first single to radio from the album, the sexually implicit, deliciously snide rocker, ‘’Rough Justice’’ and a catalog of Stones’ classics, ‘’Tumbling Dice’’, ‘’Satisfaction’’, ‘’Sympathy For The Devil’’, ‘Jumping Jack Flash’’ and more.

Source:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001018887


‘’’’Four Brothers’’, ‘’March Of The Penguins’’ Rock Summer’s Box Office’’
Who would have figured? These 2 sleeper underground films, both portraits of loving, unbreakable bonds squaring off against all odds, came out of nowhere and rolled right over ‘’The Dukes Of Hazzard’’, ‘’Stealth’’, ‘’Cinderella Man’’ and several Flopbusters like ‘’The Island’’ to emerge as two of this summer’s biggest hits. ‘’Four Brothers’’ with its old school John Ford style tale of 4 adopted brothers going after the hoods who gunned down their benevolent mother, as directed by acclaimed director John Singleton, is a razzle, dazzle paean to the classic western films of the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s. Mark Walhberg, Andre Benjamin, Tyrese Gibson, and Garrett Hedlund in stellar performances portray the tight knit brothers, bound by ties of love and loyalty, as urban cowboys creating their own brand of justice in a city where the cops are as crooked as the gangsters. ‘’March Of The Penguins’’, Luc Jacquet’s warm and fuzzy documentary following the life of Antarctica’s emperor penguins, is a breath of fresh air after all the ranting, pseudo politics of Michael Moore. Luxuriously filmed on location, the film depicts the births, trials, perils, stalwart journeys, fortitude, and loving bonds of these adorable waddling wonders of nature.

Muse News & Micro Muse August 22, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 22, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse For August 19, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse August 19, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 19, 2005

‘’’’Sin City’’ Now On DVD!’’
No we’re not talking about all of the idiots above. This is the DVD release of the delectable jaw dropping film directed by maverick auteur Robert Rodriguez , as well as co-directed by ‘’Sin City’’ graphic novel author Frank Miller. Film Noir never looked better, rawer, bleaker, grittier, scrappier, and sexier in this glorious looking, dazzling, black and white photographed violent and erotic vision of despair and hope. With an all star cast featuring in separate connecting storyline vignettes, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Rosario Dawson, Carla Gugino, Elijah Wood, Benicio Del Toro who bring to life this denizen pit of ‘’crooked cops, sexy dames, desperate vigilantes. Some are seeking revenge. Others lust after redemption. And then there are those hoping for a little bit of both. A universe of unlikely and reluctant heroes still trying to do the right thing in a city that refuses to care.’’ The film’s scintillating highlight is the ever so bootylicous Jessica Alba’s turn as good hearted exotic dancer Nancy, the lasso twirling, cowboy hat topped, leather chaps wearing damsel in distress, saved by lovelorn, cynical cop Hartigan (Bruce Willis) from a demon killer known only as ‘’Yellow Bastard’’.

Source:
http://video.movies.go.com/sincity/

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 19, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse For August 18, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse August 18, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 18, 2005

‘’Nicole Kidman Among First Honorees In Britain’s Walk Of Fame’’
Nicole Kidman, another native of the land down under, Australia, and 17 other stars’ names that were also announced on Wednesday August 17, received the honor of being inducted into the very first British Avenue Of Stars, the UK equivalent of America’s Hollywood Walk Of fame. Stars are selected from all areas of the entertainment industry and are citizens of Britain or the Commonwealth of former British colonies. There will be a total of 100 honorees chosen, with the remaining stars announced on Sunday September 18, 2005. Other stars inducted include Sir Laurence Olivier, Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Alec Guinness, Shirley Bassey, and The Rolling Stones. The silver stars will be placed in London’s Covent Garden Market, within the courtyard of St. Paul’s Church.

Source:
http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---26551,00.html


‘’Robbie Williams' ‘’Angels’’ Banned At Wedding By Tameside Pencil Pushing Idiots’’
Howard Monks and Julie Sagar-Doyle were filled with joy on their wedding day. For their nuptials, they chose the beloved Robbie Williams anthem ‘’Angels’’ to be played at the ceremony. Just 15 minutes before they were to exchange vows in Dukinfield, Tameside, they were abruptly informed by register office officials that ‘’Angels’’ is banned ‘’because it contains religious connotations that could be offensive’’. Mr. Monks said, ‘’I don’t know how anyone could be offended by Robbie Williams. He’s a pop star and it’s just a pop song. He’s hardly some religious bigot.’’ A spokesman for the General Register Office said, ‘’It’s up to each register office what they do about songs or poems. The guidance says any music or poetry that has any religious reference can’t be used, but that is a bit subjective.’’ Maybe the couple should have chosen Ozzy’s ‘’Bark At The Moon’’. The couple settled on ‘’From This Moment’’ by Shania Twain’’. Now THAT’S offensive. Arggghhh….Shania Twain.

Source:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14929-1740036,00.html


‘’Ozzfest RIP, Black Sabbath Arise!’’
The end of an era is over as the Godfather of all Satanic Music, Ozzy Osbourne, announced his retirement from his own signature Ozzfest Music Tour and Festival, which prompted the subsequent announcement of the cancellation of the final show for Ozzfest 2004. However, devil worshippers everywhere, rejoice, as The Lord Of Darkness will be back with a vengeance next year when Ozzy, along with a reunited Black Sabbath, hopefully kick off a tour in Canada sometime in early 2006.

Source:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001016880


‘’Mariah Carey Really Does Glitter!’’
Mariah Carey proved the doubting Thomases wrong with a comeback that even has music industry naysayers and finger wagging fans shaking their heads. With her chart topping hit, ‘’We Belong Together’’, she has spent 12 weeks in the #1 position of The Billboard Hot 100 and 20 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100. After her disastrous career stumble a few years back with the stinker film ‘’Glitter’’, an album that tanked, an emotional breakdown that landed her in the hospital, and her former record label, Virgin, paying her to go away…now Carey is laughing…all the way to the bank. And nothing glitters brighter than cold hard cash! The Bling of Ca Ching!

Source:
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001017613

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 18, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse For August 17, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse August 17, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 17, 2005

‘’Eminem: I’m Not Retiring! ‘’Someone’’ Is Spreading Those ‘’Rumors’’ Saying I Am To Stoke My Celebrity Flames And Push My New Album To #1!’’

Yep. Eminem’s ‘’retirement’’ is the only thing more confusing than Jude Law’s tangled affairs (no pun intended). Eminem’s D-12 bandmate Proof reportedly told the Detroit Free Press that the rap star is retiring from performing, to pursue other creative ventures to include producing other recording artists. Then the ‘’Eight Mile’’ star countered the story, which was ‘’retired’’ when Eminem told the crowd during his ‘’Anger Management 3’’ tour concert set at Washington’s White River Amphitheater on July 17, ‘’How many of you all read the tabloids?” Cause there’s some shit goin’ around that I’m retiring.’’ Eminem in rare form said that the Detroit Free Press article had run next to a story about ‘’the moon blowing up today.’’ To which he added, ‘’I’m retiring? Then I guess the moon just blew up.’’ to which to add his own asinine humor, Eminem pleasured the crowd with their own moon sighting, when he dropped trowel and they caught full sight of his ass. Now Eminem has mysteriously cancelled and pulled the plug on his greatly anticipated entire ‘’Anger Management 3 Europe’’ tour, (the rapper’s worldwide Anger Management 3 Tour coincides with promoting Eminem’s new album, ‘’Encore’’), due to ‘’exhaustion, complicated by other medical issues.’’ What’s up Stan? Sounds to me like a serious case of mental confusion!

Source:
http://www.nme.com/news/113381.htm
http://www.nme.com/news/113094.htm

‘’Madonna Injured In Horseback Riding Accident’’
All of our best get well wishes to the Material Girl herself, who while celebrating her 47th Birthday, (Happy Birthday Madge!) yesterday August 16, went for a horseback ride on her estate on the outskirts of London and fell off the steed. It’s reported that Madonna was riding a new horse she wasn’t accustomed to, which resulted in her fall. The music icon cracked 3 ribs, and broke both her collarbone and her hand. She was already released from the hospital and is said to be doing well. While it’s reported that Madonna ‘’won’t be hanging from a disco ball anytime soon’’, she is still basking in the glow of her show stealing performance at the Hyde Park, London leg of Live 8 to which aol.com reports that her performance of ‘’Like A Prayer’’ was the 2nd top download from the historic music event on their website, and she is set for the upcoming release of her new album this fall.

Source:
http://www.pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID=4215

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 17, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse For August 16, 2005

Muse News & Micro Muse August 16, 2005

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 16, 2005

‘’Macca And Michael Still Not Saying.’’
Mojo Magazine’s September 2005 issue reports in an interview with Sir Paul McCartney, that Macca says that he and whacko Jacko Michael Jackson are still on the outs ever since Jackson slithered his way into buying up the publishing rights to much of the Beatles’ legendary and ever lucrative song catalog through Northern Songs. Macca explains that when Jacko first bought the publishing rights to such timeless songs as ‘’Yesterday’’, Macca, ever the polite gentleman, personally wrote Jackson several times to discuss the former Beatles’ dismay at Jackson’s betrayal, but was repeatedly rebuffed by Mr. Billie Jean. Mojo inquires if Macca might now sieze upon Jackson’s current financial problems to buy back the catalog but Macca seems content to let sleeping dogs lie. Lie might be the best word…for Jackson screwing Macca, who during the 1980’s was both a good friend and professional collaborator to Jackson with the two composing and recording together with great success. Michael, say what?, or would that be, ‘’Say, Say Say’’, you won’t be an ass.


‘’Ride The Surf At The Teen Choice Awards’’
Tonight, Tuesday 8/16/2005, in the USA, the Fox Television Network airs the annual ‘’Teen Choice Awards’’, this year hosted by wholesome tween Hilary Duff and not so wholesone ‘’Deuce Bigalow’’, ‘’Male (and currently European) Gigolo’’ himself, Rob Schneider. The awards show was held Sunday 8/14/2005. Winners included Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling winning for Choice Actress Movie Drama, Choice Actor Movie Drama, Choice liplock, love scene, and movie chemistry for the 100 hanky tearjerker chick flick, ‘’The Notebook’’.

"The O.C.", the hot dramedy soap highlighting the not so great and often sloshed lives of the rich and famous in Newport Beach, California which is broadcast on the Fox Network, scored as the night’s big winner with Adam Brody winning for Choice Actor on a TV Drama with his spot on take as pocket protector wearing sarcastic quipping geek Seth Cohen, and Brody’s real life canoodler Rachel Bilson winning as Choice Actress on a TV Drama for her portrayal of rich bitch Summer Roberts (alias Paris Hilton). Other categories included the likes of Choice Movie Sleazebag, Choice Movie Hissy Fit, Choice Movie Scream, Choice Album, and a bevy of other ‘’achievment’’ awards in the film, TV, and music industries.

Winners receive a momentous surfboard as their trophy. Surfs Up! Just ask Ashton Kutcher who took home 3 Surfboards Sunday and is now the proud recipient of 11 Teen Choice Awards’ surfboards in his illustrious career, the most ‘’Surfboards’’ ever, setting a new world’s record! Wow! Who needs that Oscar or Grammy anyhow. A surfboard is so much more rad dude!

For the full list of winners and ‘’honorees’’ see the source link below.

Source:

http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271969341,00.html


By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright August 16, 2005

"Tommy Lee Goes To College", There Goes The Neighborhood...Er...School!

‘’Tommy Lee Goes To College’’, There Goes The Neighborhood..Er..School!

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright 8/13/2005

All Quotes By Tommy Lee © Copyright www.zap2it.com

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water….da da, da da, da da, da da…no it’s not the shark from ‘’Jaws’’ that might make people run away in fear…rather it’s party hearty Motley Crue drummer rocker and self professed wildman Tommy Lee attending The University Of Nebraska at Lincoln in his own reality TV show, ‘’Tommy Lee Goes To College’’.

Then again while Mom and Dad might want to pull Junior and Juniorette out of college and lock them safely in their bedrooms at home, me thinks a lot of students are going to be running TO the U of N to enroll, when they hear that Lee is a student there! Wow, party up dude!

Well, no, not really. On the 6 episode show which premieres in the USA, Tuesday August 16, on the NBC television Network, the 42 year old Lee actually approached and tackled his schooling (for him) somewhat seriously. (Incidentally, Lee also is a producer of the show, wrote the show’s theme song, and it’s set to be broadcast in timing with the release of Lee’s new solo album, ‘’Tommyland: The Ride’’. Hmmmmmm!)

Lee, in a total reversal for the madman of 80’s metal, proved to be a model student...well for him anyways! Charming, well mannered (must be that anger management course!), astonishing considering Lee’s reputation, renowned for his tabloid adventures including divorces from actresses Pam Anderson and Heather Locklear, several bouts serving jail time for you name it, whose ‘’exploits’’ were self described with exuberance in Motley Crue’s own autobiography tell all, ‘’The Dirt’’ and who recently penned his own hell raising autobiography, ‘’Tommyland’’, who has more body piercings and tattoos than all of Hells Angels combined, and who put the ‘’sex, drugs, and rock and roll’’ into the phrase.

The University’s Chancellor, Harvey Perlman refused to cater to Lee and expected the same top scholastic standards and responsible behavior from Lee, required of the rest of the college’s classmates when he met with Lee. Lee, set out to put on his gentleman’s best.

‘’Oh my God,’’ Lee says. ‘’I was freaking out. One of my favorite parts was when he said, ‘’You know Tommy, we do know a little bit about your history’’, and I was like, ‘’Hopefully, not too much of it.’’ I was like, ‘’What’s this guy going to bring up next?’’ Did you notice all those awkward, silent moments? They were genius. You could hear when my throat would go, ‘’Urp’’. I got read the riot act. But I tell my kids, (Lee has 2 sons with ex-wife Anderson), mostly nobody will turn their backs on you if you’re always polite and courteous’’.

Lee roomed off campus with Matt Ellis, a political science and philosophy student. Lee says ‘’He’s a smart cookie, that kid. He does play a little guitar, and he’s a music fan, so we got along on a musical level. As things progressed during my stay there, he really helped me to stay focused, because there was a lot of studying to do. So Matt and I got along really great. He’s a great kid.’’

Taking classes in chemistry and math, Lee soon found College more of a challenge than touring with the ever infighting and brawling Crue! Struggling with the subjects, Lee, undaunted, hired a tutor and to Lee’s wondrous joy and surprise, one was appointed in the person of Natalie Riedmann, a luscious, beautiful blonde (which the show’s producers played up to the hilt upon Lee and Riedmann’s introduction courtesy of a wind machine blowing Riedmann’s locks and the heralds of a choir singing ‘’Hallelujah’’ (which can also be seen and is also played up big time in the regular promos being aired for the show).

Lee goes on to say, ‘’It was really difficult because she’s so pretty, and I’m trying to pay attention. She’s super smart. (Riedmann is a Pre-Med student with top tier grades). She did get through to me. She actually helped me not so much with chemistry, but with study habits, word associations, certain little drills that would help me remember test answers. But as far as chemistry goes, I can’t divulge how it would turn out, but let’s just say it gets a little crazy.’’

Lee was certain and confident that he would excel in 2 areas, horticulture, since Lee has landscaped several of his homes, and of course hitting the tubs, as part of the drum line in the school’s Cornhusker marching band. Guess again!

Horticulture…not so good. Lee, though well versed in the plant life of his homes was completely out of his element with the flora of Nebraska. ‘’I’m such a dumb ass.’’ Lee says. ‘’My first day in horticulture, we go out onto the campus, and I’m looking around. I’m like, ‘’Oh, no.’’ I don’t know any of this plant life. This is a whole different climate zone. Oh no, more work.’’

Well one would assume though that Lee, regarded as one of the world’s premier, top class drummers could lay waste to the Cornhuskers’ drum corps. NOT! First Lee had to adapt to the strict regimen of awaking early at daybreak. (Remember, this is the infamous rock musician from the Crue. Morning is not an option!)

Then Lee was less than enthused with strapping on the cumbersome, heavy drum set. (Strange when one considers that Lee is totally at ease when he has played drums for the Crue upside down inside a rotating cage, suspended in mid air over the audience!)

Adding to that, Lee says, ‘’The drum captain comes over and throws this huge notebook on my drums. It’s filled with sheet music. I’m like, ‘’Oh no!’’ When I play drums with my band or on my solo projects, I play by heart and by feel. I do know how to read music, but it’s been awhile. I’m like, ‘’What have I done? I’m going to look like a chump. I’m a drummer, and I can’t even make the drum line.’’

Lee says, ‘’Trust me, I was very surprised by those two things, because it was time to go to work, Tommy.’’ Well we all know Tommy may have put his best foot forward to go to college, but as they say, Don’t quit your day (or in Lee’s case…night), job.

While the press is having a field day over the rocker’s academic journey, wonder what his Motley Crue bandmates, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Mick Mars think about Mr. Varsity Letter?

One thing’s for sure for Lee, with Motley Crue currently reunited and enjoying one hell of a lauded kick ass international tour, he gets an A plus, raising major Cain on his drum kit with the legendary bad boys of rock in Motley Crue.

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright 8/13/2005

All Quotes By Tommy Lee © Copyright www.zap2it.com

Sir Bob Geldof, Bono Give Accolades To G8 Leaders. What Did Live 8 Accomplish In The Broad Political, Economic Scope? An Analysis.

Sir Bob Geldof, Bono Give Accolades To G8 Leaders For Global Aid. What Did Live 8 Accomplish In The Broad Political, Economic Scope? An Analysis.

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 11, 2005

Sir Bob Geldof and Bono openly praised the leaders of the G8 nations and consider the G8 Summit’s resolve to ‘’Make Poverty History’’ a great success. The summit, which concluded Friday 7/8/2005, accorded two milestone decisions.

1) To double aid to Africa to $50 Billion by the year 2010.
2) To grant $40 Billion of debt relief (canceling/forgiving debts) for 18 countries worldwide.

Speaking together at a press conference held Friday 7/8/2005, at the conclusion of the G8 Summit, both Geldof and Bono agreed that the G8’s decisions will ultimately save millions of lives from starvation and insufficient healthcare. Bono said ‘’We’ve pulled this off. The world spoke and the politicians listened. A mountain has been climbed here. But it’s worth just stopping for a second and looking back down the valley at where we’ve all come. Doubling aid for Africa has not been easy, and it’s been a very hard sell for us salesmen. And I’m proud to report that these figures are very meaningful.’’

Sir Bob Geldof exuberantly lauded the Summit. ‘’The summit in Gleneagles (Scotland) is a qualified triumph. A great justice has been done.’’

Obviously, both Irish rockers, social and political activists realize that this is not the end of world poverty, and a bounty of issues all still play a major role in eradicating indigence. But, indeed it is a monumental, significant step, towards a future where potentially, poverty will in fact be but a part of past history. As Bono stated, ‘’ It’s not the end; it’s the beginning of the end.’’ Bono also advised the G8 nations’ leaders that they will be held accountable for making good on their decisions.

The July 2, 2005 Live 8 International, 10 city concert event spectacular in particular, along with the global public’s 26.4 million ‘’Unite’’ text messaging petition campaign conducted during Live 8, the ‘’One’’ and ‘’Make Poverty History’’ campaigns with their global public petitions and televised public service announcements starring the likes of celebrity elite and artists Brad Pitt to Bono, the public protests in Edinburgh during the G8 Summit, the international media attention, and the heightened global public awareness and outpouring of support, all have been deemed pivotal, successful factors that did indeed, in fact put pressure on the G8 leaders to make the issue of global poverty, especially that in Africa, a top priority issue to be focused on, addressed, and resolved as much as possible.

Live 8, and the subsequent campaigns, media attention, etc, accomplished precisely what Geldof and Bono had hoped for. Taking an issue that was on the backburner, and making it a topic of everyday dialogue from water coolers to newsrooms to political conference rooms. 3 months ago, most people in the 8 western nations had no idea of the existence, much less the scope of Africa’s and the world’s developing countries’ plight.

While cynics can and will continue to drone on endlessly about how Live 8 and charity/benefit concerts don’t tackle the political and economic semantics that are at the center of hard core facts, of corrupt, murderous, dictatorship, puppet regimes, who oppress and murder their own people in Africa and 3rd world countries, last week’s terrorist bombings in London showcase a much broader perspective of what is at stake.

Since the beginning of mankind, democratic nations have waged battles, and yes wars, to overthrow such regimes. The current situation in Iraq is the classic example. And what do the USA and UK get for trying to emancipate the people of Iraq in a free, democratic environment, and for trying to assist the people in successfully developing and progressing their nation? Resentment, violence and terror inflicted on us for involving ourselves in the political affairs of other nations who think us arrogant, pompous, and imperialistic for what we see as trying to improve their quality (and value) of life.

We cannot wage war on an entire continent (Africa) and hordes of 3rd world nations in our attempts to fight tyranny and engage freedom and development in these nations. It simply can’t be done. The USA, UK, France and other western leading nations have tried and we have had our share of Vietnams, Afghanistans, Nicaraguas, Iraqs, Ugandas, Congos, etc. As has been the case with all of the aforementioned countries, the very oppressed people of these war torn, poverty plagued nations resented us and didn’t even want us there, thinking us pompous infidels for having the audacity of involving ourselves in their nation’s political affairs and climate, or the people were happy to have us there to instill freedom within their culture, but as soon as we rid a nation of one corrupt regime or dictator that we displace, another one swoops right in again to takes its place.

Bob Geldof and Bono (nor the G8 Summit) can’t play the ongoing parents or be the police of billions of people. Geldof and crew tackled what IS possible, feasible, with resounding success.

We can only do so much for the people of these beleaguered nations. Offering to purge these nations of corrupt rulers and offering advice to them as to how to run their nations, leads to antagonizing the peoples of these nations.

History shows that there are all too numerous nations who go through an endless ebb and flow of political unrest. We can’t be the guardians of the world. But…we can help undermine these regimes with….empathy and humanity….which often works where politics fail.

That is what Geldof, Bono, Live 8, Live Aid, the Long Walk For Justice…are all about. Slipping in under the radar of these twisted 3rd world governments and providing food, healthcare, education, safe harbor to those people within our grasp and capability to help, to save.

I truly don’t feel that Sir Bob Geldof and Bono think that whatever good may potentially come out of this landmark decision from the G8 Summit and any leverage that Live 8 had in influencing the G8 leaders’ decision, will permanently save the world and end all human suffering and social injustice forever. In fact Geldof himself, has said so. But Geldof has said, that to not TRY to do whatever he, or you, or I, or any of the western leaders of the world can do to help…is unacceptable.

Critics, with your selfish, pompous chides and taunts, and by the way, I don’t see any of you working your tails off for endless years, putting yourselves on the line as Geldof and Bono do; get a reality check. Geldof is not an idealist, but he’s not a cynic either. As Sir Bob so urgently and stalwartly exclaimed at Live 8 to the worldwide audience watching and tuning in, when he brought Birhan Woldu, (the child near death of starvation seen in the original BBC documentary footage shown at Live Aid, and shown again at Live 8), out on stage, now a lovely, radiant woman of 24, now achieving..anything her dreams and imagination might be, as she is now an accomplished student at agriculture school, ‘’Don’t let them tell us why we should even try. Don’t let them tell us why we should accept defeat. Because of a concert we put on (Live Aid) this beautiful woman is alive today. Don’t let them tell us this doesn’t work! This stuff works. YOU work!’’

I am certain Birhan Woldu,…and the countless millions more lives…of people who will now literally LIVE as a direct benefit from Live 8…and from the G8..would most profoundly agree. Her life, one life, any lives, are worth 10 global concerts and an audience of 3 billion. And many concerts more. However many it takes, it’s worthwhile. Critics also bellow about star trips, celebrity, increased music artist record sales, pomposity that maybe was somewhere in the equation of Live 8. Bob Geldof and every single person involved with Live 8, from music or movie superstars, to organizers, to unpaid volunteers, whatever their selfless..or otherwise agendas, motives, who the hell cares?

The end result…no matter how you criticize it, dissect it, it doesn’t matter. What it all comes down to is it works in saving lives. And 2 parties benefit here. Those involved with and who were watching Live 8, whose hearts are now aware, touched, filled with compassion and have…taken successful ACTION to help those in need, and significantly…the lives that have and WILL be saved. A mutual connection and bond in answering the call to action, the call to arms, of grace, of hope, of humanity, in the brotherhood of mankind.

Whatever God you may pray to, whatever political doctrine you may adhere to, on Saturday July 2, 2005, we all spoke with one collective voice of hearts, of humanity in the family of man. I never thought I would be so wrong when I said that on July 13, 1985, with Live Aid....music, and rock music at that, had its finest hour.

But, this is a delightful way to be wrong, because on July 2, 2005, I witnessed once again, music, and rock music at that, had oh how wonderful..yet another finest hour, and proved that man’s good will and ability to rise to the occasion, gather and call to arms and action a most powerful voice of good and positive action, can happen again and again. It can, it did, and it will. It’s spark, it’s light is within all of us.

I never felt so proud to be part of one global heart of the common thread that connects us all. But as someone once said so beautifully about Live Aid, and what has now also proven true with Live 8, ‘’We all wanted to help. We saw the harrowing pictures on TV. What could we possibly do? Geldof gave us this immense way to help. Geldof made it all so easy.’’ Yes, and Sir Bob Geldof and the Live 8 and Live Aid organizers also had and did all of the exhaustive, laborious work for Live Aid..and now with Live 8.

I can say that during Live 8, and the subsequent week of triumphant, sentimental hurrahs in its wake, I haven’t shed this many happy tears since….well Live Aid. Every jubilant tear marked and was well worth the joy, pride, exhilaration, and sincere privilege that I felt in Sir Bob inviting me and some 3 billion people around the world to embrace our fellow brethren of this grand planet with hope, with faith, with dignity, with compassion, and with justice.

By the way, Bob Geldof has been nominated for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for Live 8 and pledging his tireless, endless work on behalf of and to help resolve poverty in Africa and around the world, (which he also was nominated for in 1986 for his work with Live Aid). Personally, I want and hope that he receives it. He most certainly has earned and is deserving of it.

But for those git critics, I would like to say that, no Bob Geldof is not a saint. I don’t want him to be. He is more. He is a flawed, abrasive, angry, mercilessly driven, blunt, ….wide eyed with wonder, optimistic, open to any positive change and possibility, faith filled, hope filled, actively involved, selfless, compassionate measure of a true and good man who will never cease…trying…to make a positive difference in bettering the world, in forever traveling and treading the road of the long walk to justice.

In closing, I think singer Dido put it best in her signature song ‘’Thank You’’, which she performed at Live 8. On behalf of myself, people all over the world, and the people whose very gift of life itself will directly benefit from Sir Bob Geldof’s and Bono’s and everyone involved with Live 8’s, gracious deeds, “I want to thank you, for giving me the best day of my life”.

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 11, 2005

Live 8: The Concert Event Of Light, Hope And Triumph

Live 8: The Concert Event Of Light, Hope and Triumph

By Arlene R Weiss © Copyright 7/5/2005

Saturday July 2, 2005, was no ordinary day. It was an extraordinary day that will be one of the few to go down in history, as a day where some 3 Billion people around the world, including music artists, movie stars, political dignitaries, concert goers, and a global audience tuning in via TV, radio, and the internet, all connected in the family of man, with open hearts and minds all to stand up for the universal cause of finding solutions to 3rd world poverty. July 2, 2005, was Live 8.

What some saw as the sequel to the 1985 historic Live Aid, once again materialized, organized, and spearheaded by Sir Bob Geldof, along with Midge Ure, Harvey Goldsmith, and the Band Aid Trust, promised monumental expectations, and delivered handsomely.

Live 8 opened with a momentous flourish. Performing ‘’Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’’, live for the first time ever, Sir Paul McCartney was joined onstage in London’s Hyde Park by U2 with Bono trading vocals. The opening verse, of the legendary song ‘’It was 20 years ago today’’, paid affectionate homage to the 20th anniversary of Live Aid, held July 13, 1985, and the song itself could not have been more befitting this music event, of love and humanity. As Macca and U2 performed the song, four men dressed in the infamous Sgt. Pepper uniform costumes stood onstage playing the brass horn part of the tune from the Beatles’ concept album about peace, tolerance, and love, while a giant onstage video screen collage mirroring the classic Beatles’ album cover art, showed a collage of political figures and celebrities from Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela, to Madonna and John Lennon. Bono joyfully changed the lyrics singing, ‘’You’re such a lovely audience, we’d love to take you home with us.’’

From there, U2 performed the moving and equally appropriate ‘’One” and a rocking “Vertigo”. Then as Bono and crew charged into the sublime, powerfully jubilant, uplifting ‘’Beautiful Day’’, with Bono again changing the lyrics to include ‘’Hyde Park, London stretched out in front of you’’ as well as including the names of all 10 Live 8 concert cities in the song, the 200,000 strong London crowd rapturously cheered to the release of white doves. Live 8, indeed a most beautiful day, forever in our hearts and history, officially opened its arms to the world.

As 10 simultaneous concerts were then underway in London, Philadelphia, Rome, Berlin, Paris, Barrie, Tokyo, Moscow, Johannesburg, and Cornwall, the universal voice of music never spoke louder and more meaningfully. But no message ever had more rockin’, dancing, and grooving, all part of the inspiring spirit of the day.

Many of the artists performed songs that were hit, crowd pleasers, many artists chose songs whose meaning befit the message of the day. Around the globe saw Bryan Adams’ ‘’All For Love’’ and Neil Young’s ‘’Keep On Rockin’ In The Free World’’ in Barrie, Canada.

In Philadelphia, Alicia Keys, The Black Eyed Peas singing the apt ‘’Where Is The Love?’’, Destiny’s Child covering the Staple Singers’ gospel song of tolerance ‘’I’ll Take You There’’, Linkin Park, Def Leppard, Sarah McLachlan dueting with Josh Groban on the lovely ‘’Angel’’, Bon Jovi, the one and only Stevie Wonder, and the inimitable Will Smith were introduced by Hollywood luminaries, Richard Gere, Jennifer Connelly, Jimmy Smits, Natalie Portman, Don Cheadle. Paris saw The Cure close an all star lineup that included Shakira and Muse. Rome had Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Duran Duran adorn their stage. Tokyo had the stylistic diversity of Bjork and Good Charlotte.

Berlin was enthralled by Roxy Music and an anthemic Green Day performing with an exuberant Billie Joe Armstrong.

There were speeches too, from Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates, Brad Pitt, to Will Smith. Smith hammered home the bleak harshest of realities of statistics that every 3 seconds, a child dies of starvation or disease in Africa. He proclaimed on this the USA’s July 4th Independence Day weekend, that this should be a world where people around the globe, now proclaim ‘’our declaration of interdependence’’ to have humanity for one and all, in that ‘’We are all in this together’’. Annie Lennox gave a heart string tugging plea as well before performing her set.

And then there was London. With Bill Gates and Brad Pitt on hand to do the introduction honors, glittering star after star rocked Hyde Park, and the world. During U2’s performance, Bono proclaimed, ‘’This is our moment. This is our time. This is our chance to stand up for what’s right. We’re not looking for charity, we’re looking for justice. We can’t eradicate every problem, but the ones we can, we must.’’

Bono went on to exclaim, ‘’Eight of the most powerful men on earth are meeting on a golf course in Scotland, and we have a message for them. This is your moment to make history by making poverty history.’’ And so like the words of U2’s song, oh yes, it was indeed about ‘’Pride, In The Name Of Love’’.

Coldplay, in a superb duet with Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft, performed a lush ‘’Bittersweet Symphony’’. Elton John also collaborated with former Libertines’ frontman Pete Doherty on ‘’Children Of The Revolution’’. The stars kept coming. R.E.M. with their social conscious set including ‘’Everybody Hurts’’, Dido’s passionate ‘’Seven Seconds’’ and a gorgeous crowd pleasing ‘’Thank You’’, incredibly funky showstopping shake your booty beats from both soul songstress Joss Stone on ‘’Super Duper Love’’ and the bo-ho hippy Scissor Sisters ‘’Take Your Mama’’, Mariah Carey joined by The African Children’s Choir for the uplifting ‘’Hero’’ and ‘’Make It Happen’’, Razorlight went toe to toe with the ever outrageous Velvet Revolver with both tearing what roof there was off of the Hyde Park stage with their volatile sets.

And then there were the icons. Bob Geldof himself gave a powerful, pivotal repeat performance of his 1985 Live Aid take on the Boomtown Rats classic ‘’I Don’t Like Mondays’’ backed by Travis, and just as he also did at Live Aid, midway through the song, he paused abruptly at the ever so stark and fitting lyrics, ‘’And the lesson today is how to die,’’ with his fist raised to the sky in anger, in defiance, in compassion, in encouraging man’s humanity to one another, in fighting the good fight to end injustice, to the cheers of the audience.

The reunion people have waited 2 decades for was worth the wait when a tight and spot on Pink Floyd gathered together on stage with all 4 original members performing to a stone quiet audience exhilarated and mesmerized with The Floyd’s ‘’Money’’ ‘’Breathe’’, ‘’Wish You Were Here’’, and ‘’Comfortably Numb’’. David Gilmour and Roger Waters traded smiles with one another and the audience.

The Who, more than made up for their faltered 1985 Live Aid performance by all but stealing Pink Floyd’s thunder with firestorm versions of ‘’Who Are You’’ and ‘’Won’t Get Fooled Again’’. Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend showed why many still say The Who is the greatest band in rock, choosing 2 classic songs of questions, skepticism, and outrage at authority..perhaps targeting the leaders of the G8 nations, performing them with vicious, tornadic ferocity.

As U2 had lit up the stage before in 1985 at Live Aid, in 2005 at Live 8, it was U2 once more, along with fellow Live Aid returnees Sting and Madonna.

Sting performed a pointed yet emotionally uplifting, optimistic, faith filled version of ‘’Every Breath You Take’’ changing the lyrics to, ‘’this time we’ll see, a democracy.’’ And ‘’we’ll be watching you’’, as footage of the G8 leaders played on the video screen behind him.

Then…Sir Bob Geldof and Lady Madonna brought the house down with heart wrenching and heart soaring matters. Geldof, understandably angered and frustrated with the cynics, especially in the International press, about his and the Live 8 organizer’s mission, showed to the Live 8 world audience, footage of the original BBC documentary he had also shown to the Live Aid world audience of the dying masses from the 1985 African famine. In it, Geldof pointed out, was a three year old girl, just moments away from dying of starvation.

Geldof, adamant in driving home the message of what Live 8 was about and not letting the global audience forget what all the wonderful music of the day was about, to serve a universal purpose of justice, saving lives, impassionately exclaimed ‘’See this little girl? She had ten minutes to live 20 years ago. And because we did a concert (Live Aid) in this city and in Philadelphia, last week she did her agricultural exams in the school she goes to in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands.’’

Then, he proclaimed, with outrage, ‘’Don’t let them tell us why we should even try! Don’t let them tell us why we should accept defeat!’’

And with those words Geldof brought out that same girl from the documentary, Birhan Woldu, saved by the funds from Live Aid that provided her with food and healthcare, now a resplendent 24 year old woman. And Geldof trumpeted and beamed, ‘’She is here tonight. Here is this beautiful woman.’’ And as the crowd cheered with joy and triumph, Geldof exclaimed, ‘’Don’t let them tell us this doesn’t work. This stuff works. YOU work.’’ Calling Birhan a beautiful queen, there was not a dry eye in London, and all around the world, but tears of joy rained down with Geldof’s words and the immensity of what Live Aid, and Live 8 has, can, and will accomplish. The gift of life.

With that, Geldof introduced Birhan, ‘’this beautiful Queen’’ to the ‘’Queen Bee of Rock’’, Madonna, and the infamous songstress exclaimed ‘’Are you ready to start a revolution? Are you ready to change history?’’ as Madonna embraced and kissed Birhan throughout the absolutely glorious, exalted, joyous, resounding resolve of a soaring, gospel choir backed ‘’Like A Prayer’’, perhaps the most befitting song of the day, as all of Hyde Park clapped along to the song in unison, and billions cried in happiness and cheered and rejoiced around the world.

And the finale…Sir Paul McCartney playing piano and singing a stunning, poignant, ‘’The Long And Winding Road’’, in reverence to what Live 8 and the ‘’Make Poverty History’’ campaign is all about and what it will commence with, this July 6-July 8, 2005 during the G8 Summit in Gleneagles Scotland, when Sir Bob and people from every walk of life gather in Edinburgh for The Long Walk To Justice. From there, happy..beginnings…and hope that Live 8 will impact and make a resounding difference in convincing the leaders of the G8 nations to enact concrete resolutions with foreign aid and economic development to Africa and the 3rd world nations….as Sir Paul and the all star artists who had performed at Hyde Park, all day, gathered together onstage to sing ‘’Hey Jude’’ with joy in their hearts and souls, as Sir Bob heralded to the world, ‘’We’ll see you in Edinburgh’’!

By Arlene R. Weiss © Copyright July 5, 2005