Monthly Archives: May 2002

Kylie’s Hopes Are Crushed

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Just when hopes of reconciliation was on Kylie Minogue’s mind last week, it appears that her former boyfriend James Gooding has gone back to his old womanizing ways again.

James looked glum when he turned up solo at the Star Wars premiere but his eyes lit up when he met his best friend-turned-lover Edith Bowman at the after party. This is in accordance with the papers.

According to onlookers, they looked close and disappeared for an hour and a half. James raised eyebrows when he openly flirted with Edith during ‘An Audience With Kylie’ last year.

Friends say Edith is the only reason Kylie and James split.

Do us a major favour Kylie. Please tosh James away. You clearly can get any man you want. Being single is so much fun anyway. If he’s cheated on you before, there’s no telling he’s not going to do it again and this, Kylie, will break your heart even more and it’s going to hurt a whole lot.

P Diddy Invented The Remix

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P Diddy’s latest album has already found its way into all proper music stores in the States. Hot on the heels of remix CDs from J-Lo, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit and Destiny’s Child, the rapper is hoping to cash in with ‘P Diddy and Bad Boy Present… We Invented The Remix.’

P Diddy doesn’t hold the copyright on the remix concept but he reckons he deserves major recognition for the idea, mainly because of what he feels, saying “We started this kind of formula of remixing records where we do the whole record over. The first record I ever produced was a remix. So it was like a natural thing for me to drop a remix album.”

The 14-track album features collaborations with the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Busta Rhymes, Usher, Ashanti, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott and others.

The album is due for release in the UK on the 27th of May so look out for that because you just know it’s going to be awesome.

Land And Water LLC Looks To Revitalize An Art Form: The Birth Of L.A.W Record

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Land And Water LLC, a comprehensive entertainment company based in New York City, announced on Wednesday that it would be launching an independent record label, called Land And Water Records. According to Robert E. Villanueva, Vice President of Business Development at Land And Water LLC, “the label has been created to pursue a vision where barriers to entry are removed and replaced with a universal common ground for the expression of creativity and imagination.”

Land And Water LLC www.landandwaterllc.com will be launching Land And Water Records www.landandwaterrecords.com on May 31, 2002. Private investors back the independent record label, often referred to by the “L.A.W” acronym. The company will be based in Washington Heights, New York City.L.A.W Records will be focused foremost on the Rap genre, making Washington Heights a seemingly ideal setting. Washington Heights is the home of many early 1970 graffiti pioneers, most notably “JULIO 204” and “TAKI 183.” It is land marked by one of the first Hip-Hop clubs in the country, The Audubon Club, and the neighborhood where members of the High Times Crew shocked the media, when arrested for break-dancing in the Subway back in 1980. Hip-Hop pioneers in Washington Heights have contributed immensely to the culture, with its own code of behavior, slang, and esthetic standards.

“Having been raised in this community, a community that’s played such an integral role in the establishment of Hip-Hop mores and traditions, it’s a natural progression for our company to base its operations in Washington Heights,” said Rene Marcano, a Brown University alum, and Vice President of Land And Water Records.

The first release from Land And Water Records will be a Single by the “other-ground” group ‘Krimzon’ (Anebawk and Modtrikz). The Single will include two electrifying and emotionally charged recordings, “Live Wire” and “Every Ghetto Got.” L.A.W Records will release the 12″ Single, with guest vocals and production by Al-Shid of Bigger Picture Productions, on June 11, 2002. Other singles will follow shortly thereafter. The Krimzon Album, “Le Sacrifice” (Creole translation of The Sacrifice) is set to drop Fall 2002.

Land And Water Records will embrace the Internet as its primary communication media. The website will add visual life to the labels name, provide its fans with unparalleled access to and interaction with the label’s ground, and in essence, manifest its liberation for users of this digital community.

Ronan Lashes Out At Celebrities Who Treat Others Like Dirt

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Ronan Keating has lashed-out at the sensations who surround themselves with massive entourages.

Speaking recently, the wee Irish pop star admitted that, throughout his career, he’s seen some stars treat people with very little respect and, as a result, he’s learnt a valuable lesson about dealing with people.

“When I hosted the MTV Awards a few years ago, all these stars all came along with their entourages and came in and treated the crew and their staff like dirt,” Ronan remembered, explaining, “It really opened my eyes. I don’t surround myself with people who treat me like a star. It’s unhealthy. I’ve been with the same people for nine years. They know who I am. I don’t have an entourage, which just goes to your head. I’m not interested.”

In the meantime, Ronan Keating has also revealed that the minute he quit Boyzone, he thought he’d lost all of his fans.

The crooner said “It was overnight from boyband to solo artist. The hysteria disappeared overnight. I’m not joking you, it suddenly went from being met in Bangkok or say in India by 10,000 screaming girls, to just two or three people. The funny thing is, now I sell more records now than I ever did, which is weird. People my age buy my records which didn’t really happen when I was in Boyzone. It was younger girls or older women. Now guys come up to me in the street and say ‘Hi, how’s it going. Love the record.’ Parents come up to me and shake my hand. There’s a younger audience and an older audience. Thank God, I’ve got an across-the-board fanbase.”

Ronan, whose ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ single managed to touch the desirable No. 1 slot, released his ‘Destination’ album on May 20th.

Garbage Ask Fans To Help Them Out

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Garbage have asked fans to help them decide which of their b-side tracks should appear on a compilation of their flipsides that’s set to be released later this year.

In a post on their official website, www.garbage.com, Shirley Manson and the boys asked their legions of fans to send their dream tracklisting to garbagefanmail@qprime.com.

If the idea of the album sounds a little familiar, it’s probably because it was initially planned to appear back in 1999 but was put on hold while the band worked on their ‘Beautifulgarbage’ set.

Natalie Imbruglia’s So In Love

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Natalie Imbruglia is heads over heels in love over her Aussie boyfriend Daniel Johns of Silverchair.

A pal told the papers “The truth is they are absolutely blissfully happy.”

The ‘Wrong Impression’ crooner, who was a guest at Posh and Beck’s World Cup party, recently revealed that Daniel helped her turn her life around and saved her from depression.

She said “I was really down. Now I’m in a happy relationship.”

Meanwhile, Natalie Imbruglia is giving her music a rest and returning to her acting roots.

The Australian songstress will be starring with actor John Malkovich in another Austin Power/James Bond spoof, ‘Johnny English’, a flick I simply can’t miss.

According to thisislondon, Natalie will be cast as special agent Valdez and as Rowan Atkinson’s love interest. Director Peter Howitt said Natalie was casted for the part because she won the auditions. “She is very sweet. We didn’t cast her automatically though, she won through on merit.”

The Reelists Want Listeners Not To Be So Discriminating

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So Solid Crew collaborators, The Reelists, have said they want to be judged on their music, not their backgrounds.

Sef and K1, who release their cool radiant new single ‘Freak Mode’ this week, were brought in to work on the track ‘Haterz’ by So Solid and Shabz. Sef is Shabz’ brother, and was also in an R’n’B group with Megaman a few years back.

The Reelists both have Asian roots, which sets them apart from most of the UK soul scene, but they told BBC Radio 1 they really want the listeners to go past the race issue and just listen to them without any prejudice.

“I just want to do music. I’m a singer, I’m a songwriter and I just want to do that. Hopefully people shouldn’t watch the whole colour aspect of it.”

“The person that’s singing it, and how he’s singing it, that’s what it’s about. It’s about music at the end of the day.”

“We’re just doing our own thing. It’s more of a natural thing for us. We’ve never had no lessons. We’ve always been into music, so here we are” said Sef.

Personally, I think no one should judge anybody by their skin colour or the religion they believe in. It’s sad really. In this case, The Reelists have come up with a brilliant number and anybody shunning them because of their race, then it’s pretty much pathetic.

Visit them at their radical cyberhome: www.thereelists.com

Frontin’ On Velvet Empire

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Meet the guys and girls of Velvet Empire, made up of Janelle Belgrave, 18, Alex Price, 22, Justin Humes, 22, Ryan Hamilton, 19, and Lacey Block, 18, who are the latest pop sensations, having won the Canada’s version of ‘Popstars’. Personally, for some reason or another, I just have to say that they’ve picked a pretty cool name for their band.

“This has definitely been a whirlwind” Ryan said recently, speaking to the papers. “What’s been weird really, has been living in secret for six months or so. Even with everything out in the open, it’s still kind of weird, but it’s pretty exciting.”

For the past six months, Velvet Empire’s been working on their album, from which, their first single, ‘Frontin’ On Me’ can be found. “Our album is a little bit more edgy-pop, R&B pop, so hopefully it’s something that people haven’t heard yet”. This is according to Lacey.Meanwhile, Ryan says that he finds that it’s hard not to compare their ‘Frontin’ On Me’ to N’Sync’s ‘Pop’. If you’ve got the Real Player plugin, you could click on the link below and check their debut offering out. It’s not so bad, if you ask me. It’s the kind of song that’ll grow on you even if you hate listening to it first time round.

http://umusic.ca/umusic/media/velvetempire/vefrontinonme.ram

When asked if there are romantic sparks flying between members of the co-ed pop group Velvet Empire, Ryan insists “We’re all like brothers and sisters. I’ve got a girlfriend outside of the group and Alex has got a boyfriend, but otherwise we’re all single.”

Unlike the last Popstars-born act, girl-group Sugar Jones, whose members complained the show’s producers abandoned them after it ended, Ryan says Velvet Empire is prepared to leave the nest.

“They’ve forewarned us that we need to prepare and get our own place and get our stuff together. But that’s not about abandonment. We’re ready.”

Plans are already underway for a Canada’s Will Young.

Check Velvet Empire out at their official site at: http://umusic.ca/velvetempire/

Scott Cain – Australia’s Will Young

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Baby, you’ve been fired from hurting me/ It’s time you go find another job, yeah/ I’m moving on/ I’m feeling strong/ I’m good as gone out of your heart babe/ I’m moving on/ Guess who got strong and baby look at me/ I’m free.

You just read a few lines from Scott Cain’s debut pop/rock song, ‘I’m Moving On’, written by Greg Alexander of New Radicals fame. He is of course the fellow who won Australia’s version of ‘Pop Idol’ but for some reason, over there it was still called ‘Popstars’.

Recently the press got wind of the news that Scott has a two year old son and it practically overshadowed all publicity for the show and his debut single. Scott said “It doesn’t surprise me that people are interested. That’s what happens to celebrities, right. I have to protect myself. It takes away from the good side”.

Scott Cain, who is a big fan of Britney Spears, Anastacia, Ja Rule and J Lo, is currently working on his second single and debut album. He says he has written a hip hop song called ‘Stuntwood Circus’ for the record and that hopefully it would make the cut and finds its slot on the disc.

Apparently he was in a band before and an LP was something his first band, Funkapation, never accomplished. He said “I was in the band for six months in Port Macquarie. We won an award, a battle of the bands award but even then, an album was never produced. Sad, huh.”

On a personal note, I think the song’s cool and all. You’d be able to hear it via his official site: www.scottcain.com

Bellefire May Be Dropped By Virgin

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Pretty Irish ladyband Bellefire have been booked to play at next month’s Fleadh festival in London, despite reports a few days back that seem to suggest that their label has dropped them.

The band’s record company, Virgin, refused to comment the other day on reports that the band had been dropped after their new single, ‘All I Want Is You’, reached No 15 in the charts recently, a chart position that isn’t exactly befitting when it comes to the Irish girls since they haven’t exactly managed to score themselves a Top 5 position with their previous song.

Bellefire will be appearing on the same stage as Fleadh festival favourites like the Pogues, Joe Strummer, fellow Irish acts Paul Brady, Paul Kelly and Mary Coughlan as well as recent additions, Cornershop.

The Fleadh takes place at London’s Finsbury Park on 8 June. Tickets cost GBP32.50 and are available from the credit card hotline on: 08701 500044