Arcade Fire performed an intimate surprise show for fans in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti last week, on top of raising over $1 million for post-earthquake relief for the devastated country. Sources claim that the band, whose singer Regine Chassagne is the daughter of Haitian immigrants, performed their own hits “Keep the Car Running”, “Sprawll II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), and “Haiti”, as well as covers of Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones and Cyndi Lauper music. That was so amazing. I’m sure it meant a lot to not only their fans but the entire community. I’m extremely proud of Arcade Fire’s efforts. Everyone should be.
Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood has said he was once so addicted to drugs he smoked pieces of a meringue thinking it was crack cocaine. Back in the 1980s, the legendary hell-raising guitarist was hooked on various illegal drugs as well as alcohol. He told Britain’s News of the World newspaper: “It got to the point where I would be on my hands and knees looking for crumbs that might have fallen out of the crack pipe. “I even banned my children from eating meringues in the house after I ended up smoking sugar, believing it to be cocaine.”
Michael Gondry, acclaimed filmmaker and music video director for the likes of The Rolling Stones, Radiohead and The White Stripes has vision but the guy has to be blind by not being amazed by Lady Gaga. During a recent interview, the director basically slammed the pop princess by saying ?I?m not interested. To me it?s like a form of Marilyn Manson. It?s hard for me to talk about it; I?ve seen a couple of videos of hers, and not for very long. I stop watching them each time because I don?t think there?s melodies? And I don?t see it. Her melodies are very conventional. I remember when my friend and I would argue about Killing Joke. I remember him saying, ?It?s so great!? But I said, ?It?s so conventional! How can you find anything original? It?s just surface!? I don?t know, maybe the comparison is ridiculous. But the melody was very, very flat. That?s probably why they are famous. But maybe it?s considered high art just because of the way she dresses?? I?ll compare his next video to the best of the singer?s and we?ll see which is better.
In an in depth interview with Oprah, child star Mackenzie Philips discussed her long battle with addiction, her high profile family and her new memoir ?High on Arrival?. She talked about being introduced to drugs by her father, saying ?My father [Mamas and Papas founder, John Phillips] shot me up for the first time.? What kind of father shoots up his own kid? And if you thought that wasn?t sickening enough, Mackenzie also talked about being seduced by Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger saying ?Mick Jagger locks the door and he says, ‘I’ve been waiting for this since you were 10 years old.’? Gross!
After Adam Lambert?s performance with the rock legends Queen on the American Idol finale last week, Queen guitarist Brian May told Rolling Stone magazine that the band is toying around with the idea of the runner up becoming the band?s permanent front man. May said ?”?[Drummer Roger Taylor] and I are definitely hoping to have a meaningful conversation with [Lambert] at some point. It’s not like we, as Queen, would rush into coalescing with another singer just like that. It isn’t that easy. But I’d certainly like to work with Adam. That is one amazing instrument he has there.? It just goes to show that losing American Idol isn?t the end of the world.
One of the guys from Pearl Jam was recently jumped and robbed by three masked scumbags with knives ? and the whole ordeal was caught on tape! According to a police report filed in Atlanta, the band?s bassist Jeff Ament, was pulling up to their studio with a friend when the three muggers darted out of some nearby woods, smashed the windows of his car in and demanded money. According to Rolling Stone, the musician tried to take off on foot but the robbers caught up with him, knocked him to the ground and stole over $7000 in money and goods. Jeff suffered a cut on his head and was treated at the scene. But despite having the scene being caught on camera, no arrested have been made.
Stuart Cable, former Stereophonics drummer, who supported Rolling Stones on a tour, told an interesting story in his book ?Demons and cocktails? about how Keith Richards almost canceled a contest because of a shepherd?s pie: “I whacked several hefty spoonfuls onto my plate. Mick Jagger came in and stopped in his tracks and the pleasantness suddenly left his face, ‘Who’s eating that?’ He said, ‘Do you know the rules? You never, ever, take the shepherd’s pie unless Keith’s broken the crust first.’ He twirled on his heels and said jokingly, ‘Enjoy the show, boys. If there will be a show. I’m not sure if he’ll go on after this.’ At least I thought it was a joke.” So it was the potato pie that kept Keith Richards going all of these many years. Who knows what evil forces the crust is imbued with… well, Keith Richards at least probably does since he seems to be able to channel their energy. And as proof, the story continued with the ?recruiting? of the pie? dark magic at work here.
The ‘Mercy’ singer was a member of several different bands at the same time in her teens, and admits she dated numerous boys from each group.
She said: “I was such a terror. When you’re young and you’re female and you have a band, you have, like five boyfriends in every band. But I’d have about five bands going on and each band wouldn’t know about the other. I was like a pessimistic lover. I knew that none of them would work out, but I would keep them on the go for enjoyment’s sake.”
Meanwhile, Duffy has revealed she was inspired to make music by Sir Mick Jagger. The 23-year-old star was mesmerised by the charisma of The Rolling Stones frontman when she watched videos of 60s pop show ‘Ready Steady Go’ as a child.
She said: “My dad has these old videos of ‘Ready Steady Go’. I remember the first time I saw Mick Jagger I thought, ‘He’s cool.’ The Beatles, The Stones, Sandie Shaw – it was the sexiest thing ever. I wore that video out.”
The Beatles’ Strawberry Fields and Jeff Buckley’s cover of the Leonard Cohen classic Hallelujah feature in a poll to find the 10 greatest tracks.
Fifty songwriters, including Coldplay’s Chris Martin and John Legend, took part in the vote for Q Magazine.
“Hallelujah is as near perfect as you can get. It transcends your mood. I can listen to it anywhere,” said Legend.
The songwriters were asked to name their top three and from there the list was whittled down to the final top 10.
TOP 10 GREATEST TRACKS
Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve
Blowin’ In The Wind – Bob Dylan
Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
Life On Mars – David Bowie
Perfect Day – Lou Reed
Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday
Strawberry Fields Forever – Beatles
Sympathy For The Devil – Rolling Stones
Source: Q Magazine
“You can play Strawberry Fields Forever on an acoustic guitar and it sounds beautiful,” said Serge Pizzorno, of Kasabian.
“But the Beatles took the song to its furthest point, and the results are mind-bending.”
Other classic tracks on the list include David Bowie’s Life on Mars, The Rolling Stones’ Sympathy For The Devil and Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run.
“It makes me feel like I’m being dragged away by this euphoric moment that could any moment tip into being corny, but doesn’t,” said Manic Street Preachers’ star James Dean Bradfield of the Springsteen hit.
Coldplay singer Martin picked The Verve’s Bitter Sweet Symphony.
“Bitter Sweet Symphony is as perfect a song as there is. And I say that as somebody who believes perfection is the enemy of imperfection,” said Martin.
Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ In The Wind, Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit, God Only Knows by The Beach Boys and Lou Reed classic Perfect Day complete the list.
Amy Winehouse is still not completely out and about after her frightening drug overdose last week. And she?s keeping it that way.
The ?Rehab? singer has cancelled her appearance in Germany where she was supposed to open for the Rolling Stones. She also won?t be opening for them at another concert later in the week. Who the heck refuses the Rolling Stones? That is such an honor.
Anyway, Wino is still scheduled to perform at the V Festival in the UK this weekend but I?m willing to be that she?d cancel that too.
The girl needs some serious help. Can?t anyone do something?
