Saturday, August 29, 2009

Kings of Leon to release remix album

KINGS OF LEON have reportedly revealed that they will release a remix album of their hits. The band told Billboard that their back catalogue will be remixed by a host of artists for the new LP. Drummer Nathan Followill said the record came about after he heard that Justin Timberlake and Pharrell had previously reworked some of the band's songs. He said: "It's neat to have these people who we would've jumped at the chance to work with ourselves... coming to us before we even get a chance to ask them. "It's amazing to hear your song played by these people who are so creative. Most of the time it takes me two or three listens to even wrap my head around, 'Oh man, that's our song'." Mark Ronson is one of the names reportedly lined up for the album. Followill also said the band want to be more adventurous on their next album. He said: "There's stuff that sounds like Radiohead. There's stuff that sounds like Thin Lizzy. There's stuff that sounds like The Band."

Friday, August 28, 2009

Jonas Brother for President

Nick Jonas wants to be US President.

The 16-year-old musician is keen to make the move into politics, and has wanted to serve his country since he was a child. He said: "I've always said that I would like to be president. It's kind of my whole thing. I'm starting the campaign now."
Nick also spoke about his struggle with diabetes - a medical condition where the body does not produce enough or respond properly to insulin, and which can result in renal failure and blindness - saying he was keen to raise awareness of the condition.
He explained to CNN show 'The Situation Room': "I'm here to basically raise awareness and encourage people to continue to do what they can to raise awareness as well in their own circle and on a broader scale. "Obviously, we've made some advances in technology to better manage our diabetes, but we're hoping for a cure one day, and that's what the main goal is."

Miley Cyrus Headed For Big Chart Debuts

Miley Cyrus‘ new “Party In The U.S.A.” could sell at least 200,000 downloads by week’s end, while Jay-Z’s all-star collaboration with Rihanna and Kanye West on “Run This Town” may sell between 150,000 and 170,000.
For Cyrus, the powerful sales figure will push her to a possible a top five debut on the Billboard Hot 100 next week. If she manages that, it’ll be her highest bow ever on the chart — beating the No. 6 entry of “The Climb” on March 21.
The good news for Cyrus doesn’t stop there: she’s also featured on the new Disney Friends for Change charity single “Send It On.” The tune boasts Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez and Jonas Brothers.




Thursday, August 27, 2009

The 39 Steps

This comedy stage adaptation of John Buchan’s 1935 novel The 39 Steps has been keeping audiences amused at the Criterion theatre for nearly two years, and won Best Comedy at the Laurence Olivier Awards 2007. Based on the book and the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film noir, this stage version of The 39 Steps was devised by Patrick Barlow (aka The National Theatre Of Brent) and started life at West Yorkshire Playhouse before transferring to the Tricycle theatre and then London’s West End.

The story of The 39 Steps follows Richard Hannay, a bored London gentleman whose life suddenly becomes infinitely more interesting when a woman is murdered in his apartment. Who is she? Why did she take refuge with him? And what are the mysterious 39 Steps? Framed for her murder, Hannay flees London for Scotland on a mission to find out the answers to these and other questions. Along the way he comes across an assortment of unusual and mysterious characters and is reluctantly accompanied by prim Pamela, who inadvertently finds herself handcuffed to Hannay.
This theatrical version of The 39 Steps features all the famous scenes from the hitherto ‘unstageable’ film, including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, Hannay’s escape on the Forth Bridge, a bi-plane crash and the death-defying finale in the London Palladium. With a tongue-in-cheek humour, 1930s costumes and just four cast members playing a reported 150 roles between them, this is a slick, fast-paced, whirlwind of a comedy.

Warren and Sharp join Vickers’s Little Voice

British stage and screen stars Lesley Sharp and Marc Warren are to join former X-Factor star Diana Vickers in the upcoming West End revival of The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice.
The headlining trio are joined in the dark comic drama, which runs at the Vaudeville theatre from 8 October, by Rachel Lumbert and James Cartwright.
Sharp is to play Mari, the drunken, overbearing mother from whom Little Voice escapes to her bedroom to listen to her late father’s records and perfect impersonations of divas including Judy Garland, Edith Piaf and Shirley Bassey. Warren takes the role of Ray Say, Mari’s current boyfriend and working men’s club impresario who hears Little Voice’s singing and thrusts her into a spotlight of which she is terrified.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Stones charge millions to play at weddings



The Rolling Stones charge £5 million to perform at weddings.The ageing rockers – made up of frontman Sir Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richards, drummer Charlie Watts and guitarist Ronnie Wood - have been named the world’s most expensive wedding act, ahead of Sir Elton John and Kylie Minogue who only demand £2 million to play at nuptials. In 2002 the 'Sympathy for the Devil’ hitmakers - who refuse to perform private shows unless they are already on tour - charged the enormous sum to play a 90-minute set at a lavish party in the US. 'Candle in the Wind’ singer Elton scooped £1.5 million in 2001 after singing along to his piano for a private bash.However, the pop icon donates all earnings from private concerts to his charity, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, rather than pocket the huge sums.In the poll - commissioned to celebrate Living TV’s 'Four Weddings’ series, which airs on Mondays in the UK - US songstress Christina Aguilera was named the fourth priciest performer at £1.5 million a show while British pop star George Michael bags £1.3 million for a private concert.Troubled 'Rehab’ starlet Amy Winehouse, Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney, 'X Factor’ winner Leona Lewis and US star Jennifer Lopez can each demand £1 million for a post-nuptials performance.