Madonna [ tickets ] continues to add dates to her fall tour, a testament to the drawing power of an artist who delivers solidly every time out. Despite some less than stellar reviews for her latest release, "Hard Candy," the CD debuted at #1 and has held its own on the charts. LiveDaily's Tim Mosenfelder captured Madonna on her most recent tour, for 2006's "Confessions on a Dance Floor."
Saturday, 14 June 2008
The Apprentice - Apprentice Runner-up Will Land Essex Council Job
A job with Essex county council lies in wait for the runner-up in this year's series of The Apprentice.
Lee McQueen, Alex Wotherspoon, Helene Speight and Claire Young are the four remaining contestants vying for a £100,000 salary with Sir Alan Sugar's Amstrad firm but will have a back up position waiting with his local council, it has been revealed.
According to council leader Lord Hanningfield, the position with the county body - which employs some 38,000 staff and has a £2 billion annual spend - was an attempt to "challenge the perception of working for a local authority".
"Essex County Council is as ambitious as any private company," he added.
"We unashamedly want the best and brightest to come and work for us.
"Perceptions need to change. Working in local government is every bit as challenging and rewarding, if not more so, than the private sector.
"Sir Alan Sugar's company is based right here in Essex - so this is about the ambition of the county as a whole, both private and public sector working together, to deliver the best possible quality of life for the people of Essex."
With just four contestants left, the group will split into two teams for a perfume-design project on this week's final episode of the BBC1 reality show, with previously-fired hopefuls returning to offer their help.
The fourth series of The Apprentice concludes at 21:00 BST on Wednesday.
09/06/2008 15:27:30
See Also
Kylie a French hit
FRANCE has awarded Kylie Minogue its highest cultural honour, with officials praising the Aussie singer's fight against breast cancer.
Culture Minister Christine Albanel last night in a Paris ceremony gave Minogue, who kicks off a European concert tour in Paris tomorrow, the Order of Arts and Letters and told her she was a "Midas of the international music scene who turns everything she touches into gold''. "I want to publicly salute the courage you showed by revealing publicly that you had breast cancer,'' Ms Albanel said. "Doctors now even go as far as saying there is a 'Kylie effect' that encourages young women to have regular checks.'' Minogue, who attended the ceremony along with her parents, said she had "fallen in love with France'' since her first visit. Past recipients of the French award include singers Bob Dylan and David Bowie and Hollywood stars George Clooney, Leonardo Di Caprio, Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis. Minogue in December was decorated in the British Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honours List. The singer was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the annual list..
Culture Minister Christine Albanel last night in a Paris ceremony gave Minogue, who kicks off a European concert tour in Paris tomorrow, the Order of Arts and Letters and told her she was a "Midas of the international music scene who turns everything she touches into gold''. "I want to publicly salute the courage you showed by revealing publicly that you had breast cancer,'' Ms Albanel said. "Doctors now even go as far as saying there is a 'Kylie effect' that encourages young women to have regular checks.'' Minogue, who attended the ceremony along with her parents, said she had "fallen in love with France'' since her first visit. Past recipients of the French award include singers Bob Dylan and David Bowie and Hollywood stars George Clooney, Leonardo Di Caprio, Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis. Minogue in December was decorated in the British Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honours List. The singer was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the annual list..
Oasis pair in a Jam with Paul
NOW that’s a supergroup I’d like to see in action. Lords
PAUL WELLER, NOEL GALLAGHER, GEM ARCHER and STEVE CRADOCK belting it out in
a tiny club would be awesome.
This exclusive snap was taken shortly after the four rock titans came together
to record a track.
The song, Echoes Round The Sun, was the result of a boozy recording session
between the OASIS duo, the JAM legend and OCEAN COLOUR
SCENE guitarist Cradock – and Noel’s still clutching
his can of beer.
It will be out as a double Aside with Paul’s Have You Made Up Your
Mind on May 26 and will be the first release from Paul’s
forthcoming double album 22 Dreams.
It’s a great collection of tracks and by far the most varied from
the Woking-born singer.
It’ll surprise fans expecting another Heavy Soul-style Mod rock set,
but it’s good to see there’s plenty of tricks left in
Paul yet.
Click here to buy music and videos from Oasis
PAUL WELLER, NOEL GALLAGHER, GEM ARCHER and STEVE CRADOCK belting it out in
a tiny club would be awesome.
This exclusive snap was taken shortly after the four rock titans came together
to record a track.
The song, Echoes Round The Sun, was the result of a boozy recording session
between the OASIS duo, the JAM legend and OCEAN COLOUR
SCENE guitarist Cradock – and Noel’s still clutching
his can of beer.
It will be out as a double Aside with Paul’s Have You Made Up Your
Mind on May 26 and will be the first release from Paul’s
forthcoming double album 22 Dreams.
It’s a great collection of tracks and by far the most varied from
the Woking-born singer.
It’ll surprise fans expecting another Heavy Soul-style Mod rock set,
but it’s good to see there’s plenty of tricks left in
Paul yet.
Click here to buy music and videos from Oasis
Ice Cube announces one-off UK show
Rap icon Ice Cube has announced a one-off show in London this summer.
The gig, taking place at London's Electric Ballroom on July 14, will be the rapper's first over here since 2006.
To check the availability of Band Ice Cube tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/GIGS now, or call 0871 230 1094.
The gig, taking place at London's Electric Ballroom on July 14, will be the rapper's first over here since 2006.
To check the availability of Band Ice Cube tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/GIGS now, or call 0871 230 1094.
They've got game: Hub's Powerglove gives Nintendo tunes a metal makeover
Video games hijacked rock ’n’ roll.
The soundtracks to “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater,” “Madden NFL” and “Grand Theft Auto” have trumped MTV and radio as promotional tools for rock artists. And “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” launch new bands and line artists’ pockets with cash from gamers adding digital downloads to the games.
So it’s only fair for metal band Powerglove to appropriate something from video games.
The Boston quartet of guitarists Chris Marchiel and Alex Berkson, bassist Nick Avila and drummer Bassil Silver-Hajo has usurped a dozen musical themes from classic Nintendo games for their full-length debut, “Metal Kombat for the Mortal Man.”
“Everyone in the band kind of had this idea independently,” Marchiel said from Virginia, where Powerglove was in the process of wrapping up its first national tour in advance of Friday’s homecoming show at the Middle East, Cambridge. “We were all in a local melodic death metal band called Revengence when Powerglove started out as a side project. It very quickly eclipsed our real band.”
Rock bands have been covering video game music for years. The most popular compositions have been performed by groups as varied as Wisconsin a cappella singers Redefined and classical orchestras including the London and Tokyo philharmonics. Even video game composer Nobuo Uematsu formed his own rock band, the Black Mages, to play his music live.
But Powerglove adds something different.
“Most video game themes are looped after a minute or a minute-and-a-half,” Marchiel said. “They can’t really be rock songs on their own. What we do is transcribe the music and then arrange it and add to it. We have to flesh it out, find where a chorus might go and turn it into a real song.”
By real song, Marchiel means a power-metal, thrash-guitar orgy of epic instrumental rock. Most of Powerglove’s rearrangements are manic three-minute bursts that evoke Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai fronting Slayer’s rhythm section rather than Sonic the Hedgehog (which they steal from on the furious and funky “So Sexy Robotnik”).
The band also does long, complicated suites including an eight-minute medley embellishing their favorite bits of “Final Fantasy IV” called “Red Wings Over Baron.” It’s what you’d expect from a guy who spent his childhood listening to Metallica and Megadeth and playing “Final Fantasy” (and a little “Duck Hunt”).
“I remember pausing Final Fantasy III just to listen to the music over and over,” Marchiel said.
For a band dependent on old-school Nintendo themes, Marchiel doesn’t lament the decline of video game music in current games, which favor soundtracks populated by the likes Rush, R.E.M. and Aerosmith.
“There are so many games of that (Nintendo) era that we could try for the rest of our lives and never go through all the themes,” Marchiel said.
Which is basically the plan.
“We look at this as having a future,” Marchiel said. “We’re finishing a three-month tour, so this has become our career. Now we want to see how far it’s going to go.”
Powerglove, with Psychostick, Look What I Did and Peelander-Z, at the Middle East, Cambridge, Friday. Tickets: $12; 617-864-EAST.
The soundtracks to “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater,” “Madden NFL” and “Grand Theft Auto” have trumped MTV and radio as promotional tools for rock artists. And “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” launch new bands and line artists’ pockets with cash from gamers adding digital downloads to the games.
So it’s only fair for metal band Powerglove to appropriate something from video games.
The Boston quartet of guitarists Chris Marchiel and Alex Berkson, bassist Nick Avila and drummer Bassil Silver-Hajo has usurped a dozen musical themes from classic Nintendo games for their full-length debut, “Metal Kombat for the Mortal Man.”
“Everyone in the band kind of had this idea independently,” Marchiel said from Virginia, where Powerglove was in the process of wrapping up its first national tour in advance of Friday’s homecoming show at the Middle East, Cambridge. “We were all in a local melodic death metal band called Revengence when Powerglove started out as a side project. It very quickly eclipsed our real band.”
Rock bands have been covering video game music for years. The most popular compositions have been performed by groups as varied as Wisconsin a cappella singers Redefined and classical orchestras including the London and Tokyo philharmonics. Even video game composer Nobuo Uematsu formed his own rock band, the Black Mages, to play his music live.
But Powerglove adds something different.
“Most video game themes are looped after a minute or a minute-and-a-half,” Marchiel said. “They can’t really be rock songs on their own. What we do is transcribe the music and then arrange it and add to it. We have to flesh it out, find where a chorus might go and turn it into a real song.”
By real song, Marchiel means a power-metal, thrash-guitar orgy of epic instrumental rock. Most of Powerglove’s rearrangements are manic three-minute bursts that evoke Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai fronting Slayer’s rhythm section rather than Sonic the Hedgehog (which they steal from on the furious and funky “So Sexy Robotnik”).
The band also does long, complicated suites including an eight-minute medley embellishing their favorite bits of “Final Fantasy IV” called “Red Wings Over Baron.” It’s what you’d expect from a guy who spent his childhood listening to Metallica and Megadeth and playing “Final Fantasy” (and a little “Duck Hunt”).
“I remember pausing Final Fantasy III just to listen to the music over and over,” Marchiel said.
For a band dependent on old-school Nintendo themes, Marchiel doesn’t lament the decline of video game music in current games, which favor soundtracks populated by the likes Rush, R.E.M. and Aerosmith.
“There are so many games of that (Nintendo) era that we could try for the rest of our lives and never go through all the themes,” Marchiel said.
Which is basically the plan.
“We look at this as having a future,” Marchiel said. “We’re finishing a three-month tour, so this has become our career. Now we want to see how far it’s going to go.”
Powerglove, with Psychostick, Look What I Did and Peelander-Z, at the Middle East, Cambridge, Friday. Tickets: $12; 617-864-EAST.
Heartworn highways
Townes Van Zandt - Be Here to Love Me
I found out about Townes Van Zandt when our bass player bought a second-hand T-shirt with a picture of him on it. None of us knew who he was, but the picture was very cool so we did a little research and discovered he's the star of this country music documentary called Heartworn Highways. He was a bit of a cult figure, the kind of modest, deeply sensitive singer who people really take to heart. This song is ruled by his wonderful, cracked voice, lilting guitars and piccolo. I call it broken soul music and it reminds me of driving through the smoky mountains of Tennessee.
I found out about Townes Van Zandt when our bass player bought a second-hand T-shirt with a picture of him on it. None of us knew who he was, but the picture was very cool so we did a little research and discovered he's the star of this country music documentary called Heartworn Highways. He was a bit of a cult figure, the kind of modest, deeply sensitive singer who people really take to heart. This song is ruled by his wonderful, cracked voice, lilting guitars and piccolo. I call it broken soul music and it reminds me of driving through the smoky mountains of Tennessee.
Click here to download from iTunes.
Joe Tex - The Love You Save
This song is for that late night drive after a gig when you're heading through Kentucky and all you can see are neon lights. It seems glamorous, but at times like this you miss home so much you can start to feel dysfunctional; The Love You Save is exactly the kind of slow, sensual song that will bring you back to life. Joe Tex is lesser known than his contemporaries like Sam Cooke or Marvin Gaye, but as far as I'm concerned his voice stands up to any of those guys. This song will warm your soul up.
Click here to download from iTunes.
MIA - Paper Planes
I listen to this track in a medicinal way, to relieve myself from the Americana of it all when I'm on tour. MIA's accent is so south-east, it feels so British. Covering a Clash song should be sacrilegious, but she does it justice and the lyrics and cash register sample give that riff a new lease of life. The force behind this song is a strong antidote to traveller's fatigue.
Click here to download from iTunes.
The Rezillos - I Can't Stand My Baby
This track cropped up on a 30 Years of Rough Trade compilation that has had its fair share of plays on my iPod. I have to say that the sheer Scottish-ness of the band is what I love the most. Their accents are so broad it brings a comic relief to what is a brilliantly shambolic punk song. It's a tasty little number because it's not too serious.
Not available from iTunes.
Roxy Music - All I Want is You
I've always been a fan of Roxy Music, but then who hasn't? Their songs are so well paced, perfect for a boring journey when you're subconsciously pushing the bus along with your mind because you just want to get to the next town. Bryan Ferry's delivery is this charming blend of English foppishness and a cabaret that is almost French in its nuances. A good, zippy, sexy number for when you're far from home and keen to get to where you're going.
Click here to download from iTunes.
El Rego et Ses Commandos - Se Na Min
When I'm dealing with the onslaught of touring I get pretty sick of guitars, lyrics, basically anything stereotypically rock and roll, so I like to listen to something totally different. There's a compilation just out called African Scream Contest that's a real adventure to listen to, mainly because I don't know what they're singing about. Sa Na Min is this irresistible African take on mid-60s rhythm and blues that I always get lost in. I think it's possible to appreciate music in a very different way when the lyrics are little more than a collection of consonants and vowels to the listener. Not available from iTunes.
Royal Trux - Yellow Kid
We play this song a lot before we go on stage, just to get us going. Like most of Royal Trux's music it's lo-fi, druggy rock with a memorable chorus that goes, "We need somebody, somebody like the kid". Our drummer's nickname is The Kid, so it has a special meaning. A while back his eardrum burst before a show and he said he'd play the show anyway, which may or may not have been a good idea. We all sang this song to honour his heroism.
Click here to download from iTunes.
See Also
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)