Entertainment blog - news about music and movies

Amy Winehouse is reported to be living of a diet that consists exclusively of sweets and fizzy drinks.

Friends of the singer, who is currently recording her third album, have raised concerns about her obsession with junk food.

“It is so, so sad to see the state she’s got into. Those who see her on a daily basis are at a complete loss as to what to do,” a friend told the Daily Star.

“She is lost and bewildered and all she lives off is fizzy drinks and sweets.”

In an interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year, one journalist described talking to Winehouse as she ate a banana and crisp sandwich at her home in Camden.

Recent reports claimed Winehouse was struggling to write material for her as-yet-untitled new album, which will be the follow-up to 2006’s ‘Back To Black’.

Amy Winehouse in London

During R.E.M.’s Voodoo-closing set Sunday night in City Park, Michael Stipe sang, “We are young, despite the years.” In keeping with that line in “These Days,” he and his bandmates played with focus and passion, as if still needing to prove themselves.

An animated Stipe was even infected with a bit of the bad language voodoo that afflicted numerous main stage acts. At the end of “What’s the Frequency Kenneth?” he inserted the line, “Don’t f— with me.” Moments later, he asked, “Voodoo, how the f— are you?”

Like Saturday night headliner Nine Inch Nails, R.E.M. has drawn on New Orleans inspiration. “Drive,” Stipe noted, was written and recorded at Daniel Lanois’ old Kingsway Studio on Esplanade Avenue. Guitarist Peter Buck shut it down with a lagniappe squall of feedback.

R.E.M. has survived long enough to write songs critical of both the Reagan and current Bush administrations. The first President Bush apparently got a pass, even as Stipe, Buck and bassist Mike Mills consistently vote Democrat. They, like every Voodoo artist who expressed an opinion, made clear their support for Barack Obama — his “Hope” campaign poster appeared briefly on the video screen behind the band.

Songs from R.E.M.’s 2008 release “Accelerate” fell in naturally alongside classics. The sonic trademarks are the same, from Buck’s chiming Rickenbacker guitar to Stipe’s distinct enunciations to Mills’ high harmonies in “Fall On Me” and elsewhere.

The new album’s “Houston,” a post-hurricane lament for the Gulf Coast (”If the storm doesn’t kill me, the government will”), led into “Electrolite,” from 1996’s “New Adventures in Hi-Fi.” After “Orange Crush” and “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” closed out the regular set, the new “Supernatural Superserious” preceded the classics “Losing My Religion,” “Driver 8″ and “Man on the Moon” in the encore.

“We’re R.E.M., and this is what we do,” Stipe declared. After nearly 30 years, they still do it well.

“Peace Queer” (Aimless): C

Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but corrosive, semicomic troubadour Snider’s decision to make this eight-song EP about war and greed available free during October reflects its worth. Though the album’s central rave-up, the snarky “Stuck on the Corner” - the track to download - is worthy of his catalog, much of the rest is cheap, derivative or redundant, as in the inclusion of two versions of “Is This Thing Working”/ “Is This Thing On?” One would have been way more than enough.

free movies online

Confessions Workshop On-Line delivers engaging and relevant information for
entertainment attorneys from top-notch music-biz expert Moses Avalon

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1 — Leading music-industry expert The
Moses Avalon Company announced today the launch of a unique interactive
portal, Confessions Workshop On-Line. The only music-business workshop
approved by the California State Bar and CLE-accredited (14 hours,
including 4 Ethics credits), Confessions Workshop On-Line contains 11
lessons, authored by Mr. Avalon, a court-recognized music-business expert
in New York, California, and US Federal Court. Lessons contain hard-hitting
data ranging from copyright and royalties to new developments in digital
distribution and music piracy. Confessions Workshop On-Line will make it
simple and convenient for lawyers to view the program anytime, anywhere.

Los Angeles-based music attorney Sally Koenig calls the workshop “a
thorough and comprehensible introduction to the complexities of recording
agreements and cash flows in the music industry.” Other lawyers’ comments
have echoed this sentiment. “For years, entertainment lawyers have raved
about how entertaining the live workshops are,” says CEO Moses Avalon. “It
is the perfect tool for lawyers to stay informed. Considering today’s
economy, it’s far better than spending thousands on traditional CLE credits
or traveling to a live workshop.”

For more information, visit http://www.confessionsworkshop.com.

About The Moses Avalon Company

Since 1999, The Moses Avalon Company offers a variety of products and
services for those interested in learning about the music business. From
platinum artists to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Record-Industry
Accounting Practices, countless knowledge-seekers have used the company’s
expertise. Services include music-industry contract analysis, consultation,
dispute resolution, expert-witness testimony, and the popular Confessions
of a Record Producer live workshop, also online at
http://www.confessionsworkshop.com. For more information, visit
http://www.mosesavalon.com.

About Moses Avalon

Mr. Avalon began his career producing and engineering records for
several major and independent labels. After noticing that all
music-industry books were written from a legal perspective and inaccessible
to musicians, he took an informal, real-world approach to writing his first
best-seller, Confessions of a Record Producer: How To Survive the Scam and
Shams of the Music Business. The book is now integrated into over 40
colleges’ and universities’ curricula. Mr. Avalon remains an active
lecturer worldwide, popular blogger, featured guest on The O’Reilly Factor,
and author of two other books. Mr. Avalon is available for interviews and
commentary.

Dilated Peoples member Evidence will be releasing his sophomore album titled The Layover on November 25th.

The Layover will feature appearances from will.i.am, Blu, Phonte, Defari, and Alchemist.

Prior to the album’s release, Evidence will release a mixtape titled The Layover which will be hosted by DJ Skee.

WRAPPING IT UP

Saab is excited to announce that gorgeous Swede September (Petra Marklund) will be their exclusive guest at the 2008 Melbourne Cup Carnival and will be performing an intimate acoustic set in the Saab Song Sauna on both Melbourne Cup and Oaks Day.

September has been a major star in Europe for a number of years, topping the charts and selling Platinum and Gold with hits such as ‘Satellites’, ‘Cry For You’ and ‘Until I Die’. In recent years September has been recognised and revered around the world breaking both the UK and US markets.  This year she enjoyed a stunning 14 weeks in the top 20 of the UK singles charts(peak #5), and managed to secure the top spot in US Billboard charts.

Australia was introduced to Petra in July with her single ‘Cry for You’, and the response by music directors, editors and general public alike has been nothing short of stunning. With across the board playlist additions on hit music radio and TV she landed straight into the top 20 as the highest new entry, and has stayed there since.

September’s timely visit will also coincide with the release of her debut self titled album, which hits stores November 15th through Central Station Records. “I’m so thrilled to be coming out to Australia to perform at Saab as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival celebrations. The opportunity to release my new album to Aussie fans in an environment that shares my Swedish heritage couldn’t be more perfect!” explains Petra.

Besides singer Petra, the September team consists of producer/songwriter Jonas Von Der Burg, and songwriters Niclas Von Der Burg and Anoo Bhagavan.

Petra Marklund is 23 years old and just moved out of her parents’ house in Stockholm. She was still in high school when Jonas, Niclas, and Anoo approached her, looking for just the right unique voice that could lift their tunes to something that would move people on, as well as outside of, the dance floor. When the foursome first met up, Petra mostly sang jazz - and today, it’s her dark, soulful voice in combination with high quality hit songs that makes the trademark September sound.

The hip-hop community was one of, if not the cross section of people most vocal about their diligent support of Barack Obama. For many, including 18-year-old Soulja Boy Tell’em, 36-year-old Busta Rhymes, not to mention Juelz Santana, Maino, Bow Wow and Nas, Tuesday marked their first time voting. Others, such as Diddy, Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z, worked tirelessly both online and in real life, encouraging people to get out to the polls. Young Jeezy made a tremendous record called “My President,” while Will.I.Am wrote a trio of proudly pro-Obama tracks. Their faith paid off when Obama was announced the president-elect.

“Obama!” Fat Joe yelled, watching the news of the Illinois senator’s win from his home in Miami. Joe was shaking in his chair like a little kid. “That Latino vote!”

London (ANI): Guy Ritchie will get 60 million pounds in property and cash in his surprise settlement with Madonna, it has emerged. According to reports, the Brit director shall receive 20 million pounds in cash and properties worth multi-millions, including the couple’s 1200-acre country estate and a posh London pub, in his deal with Madonna.

The money will be for covering their London properties - a 7million pounds family townhouse in Marylebone, a ten-bedroom, 6million pounds property next door and two mews cottages worth 2 million pounds each. All in all, the 40-year old will be entitled to a total value of 60 million pounds, which shall add to his existing 25 million pound fortune.

“The negotiations were relatively painless,” the Sun quoted a source close to the couple, as saying. “Guy knew what he wanted and Madonna knew what she was keen to keep.

Adam â??DJ AMâ?? Goldstein has been released from hospital in Augusta, GA after being treated for six days for burns he suffered in a plane crash.

Goldstein was a passenger on a Learjet 60 that crashed during takeoff from a South Carolina airport just after midnight last Saturday (September 20).

Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker also managed to escape the burning wreckage. Barker is currently being treated for burns at the same hospital, and is expected to remain there for two more weeks, according to his friend Jermaine Dupri.

“While he is deeply saddened by the events, he is thankful for all of the love and support he has been receiving from fans and friends worldwide,” Goldsteinâ??s rep, Jenni Weinman, said in a statement. “We ask that you continue to respect his privacy as he rests and heals and mourns the loss of his friends.”

The two crew in the plane- pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31 and co-pilot James Bland, 52- died within minutes of the crash from smoke inhalation and burns, while Chris Baker, 29 and Charles Still, 25 died from the impact of the crash.

–By our New York staff.
Find out more about NME.

DVD films.tv weblog

Actress KEIRA KNIGHTLEY is in no rush to wed her actor boyfriend RUPERT FRIEND - because she prefers to take life “as it happens”.
The couple made its romance public in 2006 after wrapping-up filming on their movie Pride and Prejudice.
But Knightley insists she is not planning to marry anytime soon.
She tells People magazine, “Marriage is a big thing for a lot of women, but not me. I don’t have plans. You never know what’s going to happen day-to-day, so you might as well just deal with it as it happens.”