As calls for a boycott of Mike Myers's new movie The Love Guru mount among members of the Hindu community in the U.S., the best-selling self-help author and spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra has not only come to the movie's defense but castigated its detractors. In an interview with the Associated Press, Chopra said that Mike Myers, who stars in the title role, "has the most profound understanding of Eastern wisdom, traditions and spirituality. ... In the end, the movie is about self-esteem and love. It is about, in fact, love being the ultimate truth. He goes about it in a very silly, humorous way, but that's his style." Rajad Zed, a self-described prominent Hindu and Indo-American leader, has mounted a letter-writing campaign against the film in which he has called on members of the National Association of Theatre Owners to refuse to show it (they turned him down), and has asked for the support of some prominent Christian ministers and Jewish rabbis (several have expressed sympathy). Zed has charged that, judging from the trailer, the film denigrates Hindu culture and "hurts the sentiments of Hindus worldwide." But Chopra called Zed's efforts "a cry for importance." He added, "Mike is bringing attention to some very profound truths and these people haven't even seen the movie."
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Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Tomaz Pengov
Artist: Tomaz Pengov
Genre(s):
Dance
Discography:
Rimska cesta
Year: 1999
Tracks: 13
Odpotovanja
Year: 1973
Tracks: 13
Edgar Froese and Tangerine Dream
Artist: Edgar Froese and Tangerine Dream
Genre(s):
Electronic
Discography:
Lost Tales
Year: 2000
Tracks: 10
Jamie Lynn Spears' Hospital Escape Plan!
Nas - Nas Kelis Scrap Reality Show
Hip-hop couple NAS and KELIS have scrapped plans for a new reality TV show - because they're too boring.
The pair filmed two episodes of the proposed show but hated what they saw.
Nas says, "It was boring. We were too guarded. We weren't ready."
And now the couple insists their days of dabbling with reality TV are over.
Nas adds, "I'm comfortable keeping all the reality in my music."
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The Cure bring darkness, light to N.Y. concerts
NEW YORK (Billboard) - As any fan will tell you, there are two faces of the Cure.
One is that of a quirky, iconic pop band whose skill at composing endearingly offbeat radio hits made them the crossover darlings of the pre-grunge alt-rock scene. The other is that of a brooding post-punk archetype, whose downbeat songs of angst, sorrow and all-around misery have allowed frontman Robert Smith to reign as the unchallenged King of Goth for almost 30 years.
But one thing the Cure doesn't have is an identity crisis. Smith and Co. know that their bread is sufficiently buttered on both sides, so it's no surprise that equal helpings of darkness and light were brought to New York City on June 20 and 21 for the final two dates of the band's Cure 4 tour.
At the first show -- a sold-out appearance at Madison Square Garden -- the group proved its continued prowess as the arena-rocking monster it became during the mid-80s. The band treated the 17,000 fans to a marathon, 35-song set of classic hits and new tunes from its forthcoming 13th studio album (due in September).
Most great frontmen -- Bono, for example -- are effective due to rock-god bravado and good old-fashioned showmanship. Comparatively, the mop-topped Smith seems like alt-rock's court jester than one of its kings. During the show, he flopped around the stage (when not standing motionless behind the mic), often forgot the lyrics to his biggest hits and mumbled incoherently between songs. But these factors only seemed to increase Smith's anti-hero cachet. The more awkward he appeared onstage, the more favorably the crowd responded.
After a typically moody opening, the band quickly leapt into its lighter fare, nestling the upbeat melodies of crowd favorites like "Friday I'm in Love," and "Just Like Heaven" with new material like "The Only One." While the group occasionally dipped into darker material -- the ominous "Prayers for Rain" was an early highlight -- the band mostly played to a crowd that was clearly in the mood for a party.
But the Cure had a different game plan for their final show, at the more-intimate Radio City Music Hall. While the MSG set was designed to woo even the most casual of Cure listeners, much of the Radio City show seemed geared to thrill superfans alone. After lulling the audience with the strains of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings," the band wandered through a somber, deliberately paced set that relied largely on obscure album cuts and B-sides.
Though the band intended to add an air of tension to the performance, some stress was derived from elements other than the music. Guitarist Porl Thompson -- who drives much of the band's melodies now that the Cure performs without a keyboardist -- was plagued with sound problems, a fact that clearly aggravated Smith at times.
One is that of a quirky, iconic pop band whose skill at composing endearingly offbeat radio hits made them the crossover darlings of the pre-grunge alt-rock scene. The other is that of a brooding post-punk archetype, whose downbeat songs of angst, sorrow and all-around misery have allowed frontman Robert Smith to reign as the unchallenged King of Goth for almost 30 years.
But one thing the Cure doesn't have is an identity crisis. Smith and Co. know that their bread is sufficiently buttered on both sides, so it's no surprise that equal helpings of darkness and light were brought to New York City on June 20 and 21 for the final two dates of the band's Cure 4 tour.
At the first show -- a sold-out appearance at Madison Square Garden -- the group proved its continued prowess as the arena-rocking monster it became during the mid-80s. The band treated the 17,000 fans to a marathon, 35-song set of classic hits and new tunes from its forthcoming 13th studio album (due in September).
Most great frontmen -- Bono, for example -- are effective due to rock-god bravado and good old-fashioned showmanship. Comparatively, the mop-topped Smith seems like alt-rock's court jester than one of its kings. During the show, he flopped around the stage (when not standing motionless behind the mic), often forgot the lyrics to his biggest hits and mumbled incoherently between songs. But these factors only seemed to increase Smith's anti-hero cachet. The more awkward he appeared onstage, the more favorably the crowd responded.
After a typically moody opening, the band quickly leapt into its lighter fare, nestling the upbeat melodies of crowd favorites like "Friday I'm in Love," and "Just Like Heaven" with new material like "The Only One." While the group occasionally dipped into darker material -- the ominous "Prayers for Rain" was an early highlight -- the band mostly played to a crowd that was clearly in the mood for a party.
But the Cure had a different game plan for their final show, at the more-intimate Radio City Music Hall. While the MSG set was designed to woo even the most casual of Cure listeners, much of the Radio City show seemed geared to thrill superfans alone. After lulling the audience with the strains of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings," the band wandered through a somber, deliberately paced set that relied largely on obscure album cuts and B-sides.
Though the band intended to add an air of tension to the performance, some stress was derived from elements other than the music. Guitarist Porl Thompson -- who drives much of the band's melodies now that the Cure performs without a keyboardist -- was plagued with sound problems, a fact that clearly aggravated Smith at times.
Charon
Artist: Charon
Genre(s):
Metal: Gothic
Metal
Alternative
Metal: Doom
Metal: Heavy
Discography:
Songs For The Sinners
Year: 2005
Tracks: 10
The Dying Daylights
Year: 2003
Tracks: 13
Downhearted
Year: 2002
Tracks: 11
Little Angel
Year: 2001
Tracks: 2
Tearstained
Year: 2000
Tracks: 11
1999 - Tearstained
Year: 1999
Tracks: 11
Sorrowburn
Year: 1998
Tracks: 10
Made In Aluminium
Year: 1985
Tracks: 8
Dagda
Internal Bleeding
Artist: Internal Bleeding
Genre(s):
Metal: Death,Black
Rock
Discography:
Onward To Mecca
Year: 2004
Tracks: 9
Driven To Conquer
Year: 1999
Tracks: 9
The Extinction Of Benevolence
Year: 1997
Tracks: 9
Voracious Contempt
Year: 1995
Tracks: 10
Perpetual Degradation
Year: 1994
Tracks: 4
New York death metallic element isthmus Internal Bleeding was formed in 1991 with a transitory original batting order of guitar player Chris Pervelis, bassist Tom Slobowski, vocalizer Brian Richards, drummer Bill Tolley, and guitarist Anthony Miola; Slobowski and Richards were chop-chop replaced by John Colucco and Eric Wigger, respectively. Shortly after the band recorded its first demo, another card overhaul took place, with Wallace Milton pickings over spark advance vocals and Brian Hobbie claiming the basso slot. A irregular demonstration highborn Invocation of Evil was released by the small Wild Rags label in 1993; Milton and so left the radical, and drummer Tolley temporarily took over vocal duties for the 1994 EP Perpetual Degradation. A permanent replacement for Milton was found in Frank Rini, and the band's performance at the 1994 Milwaukee Metalfest helped get them a deal with Pavement Records. Their first nationally distributed record album, Voracious Contempt, appeared in 1995 and achieved some success in the metallic element resistance. After the follow-up, 1997's The Extinction of Benevolence, further lineup shifts occurred: Rini bygone in favour of Ray Lebron, and Miola's place was taken by Guy Marchais (ex-Pyrexia). Thus reconstituted, Internal Bleeding issued its third gear proper album, Impelled to Conquer, in 1999.
For those about to rock, steer clear of Celine Dion
She may have only played it once but to those who like their rock unadulterated it was nothing short of sacrilege. Celine Dion's cover of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" has officially been voted the worst cover song of all time by a panel of experts from Total Guitar magazine.
At a show in Las Vegas six years ago the French-Canadian singer – who is usually admired for her sweeping ballads rather than her ability to mosh – committed the ultimate musical faux pas. Dion came on stage playing air-guitar and (depending on your view) proceeded to belt out or destroy a rendition of the classic AC/DC track.
So appalling was the cover that experts have decided to award her the ignominious title from what must have surely been a rather long list of potential winners. "Cover versions have never been bigger but the number one worst cover song – Celine Dion covering AC/DC – is sacrilege", said Total Guitar's editor Stephen Lawson.
Not that UK acts have avoided the scorn of the magazine's panel. In close second place was a joint effort by Sugababes and Girls Aloud who also made the same mistake of being a pop act trying to cover a legendary rock track – this time Aerosmith and Run DMC's "Walk This Way".
Westlife's 1999 cover of the ballad "More Than Words" by Extreme was third while Will Young's cover of The Doors' "Light My Fire" , which topped the charts in 2002, came fourth. In fifth place was a retro version of Oasis's track "Wonderwall" by The Mike Flowers Pops.
The title of best cover song of all time went to Jimi Hendrix for his version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower". The Beatles' rendition of "Twist and Shout", first recorded by the Top Notes, came second, with Guns N' Roses' version of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live and Let Die" third.
"Mark Ronson became a household name on the back of his quirky covers album, with Amy Winehouse's version of 'Valerie' outselling The Zutons' original," said Mr Lawson.
"It's good to see that Hendrix still is No 1. The first time you hear 'All Along The Watchtower', with that heavy vibe, it sounds like it's from another planet. The best covers are unlikely choices and they do something radical."
Cover your ears
1 Celine Dion, You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)
2 Girls Aloud/Sugababes, Walk This Way (Run DMC and Aerosmith)
3 Westlife, More Than Words (Extreme)
4 Will Young, Light My Fire (The Doors)
5 The Mike Flowers Pops, Wonderwall (Oasis)
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Angry Bale Was Bolted In As Batman
Christian Bale really was a brooding, angry Caped Crusader in Batman Begins - because his tight-fitting costume made him feel restricted and caged. The movie star insisted on making some vital adjustments to the iconic batsuit for his second outing as Batman - and started with the comic book superhero's headgear. Bale reveals his Batman Begins costume was topped off with a helmet that felt like "I was going scuba diving". He recalls, "You couldn't move your head, you were bolted in. It was a vice on my skull, so I had a headache the whole damn time. "I used it; Batman's supposed to be full of anger and rage and I didn't have to act that."
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