Famed musicians, including REM and Pearl Jam, have filed a series of Freedom of Information requests, asking the government to declassify documents that would reveal which artists’ catalogs were used in several prisons and military detention centers, including Guantanamo Bay. The music may have been used in controversial interrogation methods in which detainees are forced to listen to music at extreme levels for hours on end. The requests were filed by Close Gitmo Now, an organization aimed at pressuring Congress to support President Obama’s intentions to close Guantanamo Bay prison. Their allegations are based off the testimony of former prisoners and guards that identified music from artists like Britney Spears to AC/DC to the Sesame Street theme song.
Sir Bob Geldof, David Gilmour and Chrissie Hynde have joined forces to record a song in an appeal to Barack Obama to stop the extradition of Gary McKinnon to the US.
The song calls on President Obama to stop the autistic computer hacker from being forcibly removed to the US to stand trial.
The rockers join dozens of celebrities and politicians who have already given their support to a campaign against McKinnon’s extradition for hacking into Pentagon systems in search of evidence of “little green men”.
Geldof, Gilmour and Hynde have recorded a version of Chicago (We Can Change the World) by Graham Nash.
McKinnon’s mother Janis Sharp said: “We need to reach him and ask him to help Gary as I think that is what it’s going to take to change all this by standing up for Gary’s human rights and justice for autistic people.
“I thought music would be the best way to do that. David Gilmour has been a family friend for a long time and he’s asked Sir Bob to get involved because he’s the sort of person you need to tap into governments and politicians.”
Source: Splash News
President Barack Obama has paid tribute to Michael Jackson a week after his sudden death and told how he has all the music icon’s hits on his iPod.
The President, who had faced criticism for not making a public statement about Jackson, gave his thoughts on the King of Pop a week on.
Obama said Jackson will “go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers”.
He added: “I grew up on his music. I still have all his stuff on my iPod.”
Obama said he felt Jackson lived a “tragic and in many ways sad personal life”.
The President did not make a formal public statement about Jackson’s death, something typically done by the White House when a prominent public figure dies.
Instead Obama sent a private letter of condolence to the Jackson family.
Source: Splash News
Nick Jonas has gone to Washington DC to speak to President Obama about federal funding for diabetes research.
The youngest member of the Jonas Brothers was pictured at the White House with the US leader and children who are living with diabetes.
Jonas, 16, is a sufferer and is currently starring in TV adverts about the disease.
This week he joins boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and actress Mary Tyler Moore as the trio testify before a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing on federal funding for diabetes research.
Leonard doesn’t personally have the disease, which has affected his family, but Moore does.
Jonas, who first revealed he has Type 1 diabetes while performing at a Diabetes Research Institute fundraising in 2007, also had a private meeting with Frank Lautenberg the Democratic senator from New Jersey.
Source: Splash News
Kiwibox.com is running a huge Lady Gaga Music Video Quiz Contest! One Grand Prize winner will win a $500 gift certificate to the Miss Sixty Store, an iPod and a signed copy of ‘The Fame’! Ten runner ups will also win signed copies of ‘The Fame’!
Plus, Lady Gaga recorded a Dear Mr. President video drop for Pepsi’s Refresh Everything campaign. Check out her special message for Barack Obama!
Lady Gaga’s Dear Mr. President Video
Enter the “Just Dance” Dance-Off on IBeatYou.com!
A lot of celebrities showed up to give their support to President Barack Obama’s inaugural festivities in Washington DC. Beyonce and Bono were the headliners for the group of entertainers who kicked off the celebrations. Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen were just some of the performers who helped keep the parties going. Beyonce also sang the song to which Barack and his wife Michelle danced to. It seemed like everyone was in DC for the events that have gone on over the weekend up to the actual inauguration on Tuesday. Congratulations to the new President!