Thanks to your votes, the song for Madonna Friday this week is Jump. Jump was the fourth and final single released from Madge's Confessions on a Dance Floor album on October 31, 2006. Written by Stuart Price and Joe Henry (who is Madonna's brother-in-law, by the way) the song is about empowerment and has an amazy upbeat, club vibe to it and was often compared to Madonna's 80s hits. The song became her 37th No. 1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart and her 7th No. 1 on the Hot 100 Singles Chart. It's also a highlight of the Confessions tour with the dancers jumping off platforms and swining through an aparatus set up in the middle of the stage. Aside from all these accomplishments, Jump is, most importantly, my FAVORITE MADONNA SONG OF ALL TIME!!! I absolutely worship this song. I cannot gym without it. Enjoy the jaunty, lively video for Jump and the version from the tour after. AND congrats to all who voted for it!
MJ's estate is piling up lots of cash since the legendary singer passed away five months ago. This is even BEFORE the opening of This Is It. This has put him third on the list of dead celebrities making the most money. (how morbid is THAT list? First is designer Yves Saint Laurent and second is Rodgers and Hammerstein) Hopefully this money is being put to good use and benefiting his children. This Is It made over $2 million just on it's mid-night screenings, so there is going to be more where that came from. Also, together with another on the list of money making dead artists, Jackson's silkscreen portrait done by Andy Warhol (shown above) is expected to go for as much as $700,000 at an auction happening in November.[source] photo
Robbie Williams is hot. There. I said it. I try not to let that affect my judgment on his music, but sometimes it might. That being said, this is not my favorite RW album....yet. I have been know to let his music grow on me, so I will not be so positive of my final opinion yet. Reality Killed the Video Star is a clever title, especially since Trevor Horn (member of the Buggles) is the producer and member of a band that had a hit with "Video Killed the Radio Star". Get it? Robbie is very cheeky. Look at the handsome photo he smacks on the cover. At 35, Robbie is looking his age, no more, no less. Sexy smirk, well groomed hair, very British! He is a mega-star overseas, but has yet to connect with his American audience. I LOVE HIM!!! Always have since the Take That days. His new album is good. It's not his best, but that is a big order to fill. Robbie has had many great songs from Angels to Millennium, Killing Me Softly to Lazy Days. Rock DJ to Lovelight. He has an arsenal of hits. RKTRS has some hits on it. It is ballad heavy and sometimes is bogged down by said ballads, but the upbeat songs keep it moving. The album kicks off with Morning Sun, a melodic ballad full of horns and pianos and orchestration that kicks into an upswing at the end that makes for a satisfying opening. It's followed by Bodies, the first single from the cd. This is a sexy, strutting number with a big chorus that boasts such talks of how we all want to "look good naked" and "..want perfection". It has a hard beat and is choppy and keeps you body moving. You Know Me has a doo-wop feel to it and lets Robbie croon a bit while the next track Blasphemy has the clever line "was it a blast for you? Blasphemy". It is another slow, piano-driven ballad. Nice, but not a highlight. Do You Mind is guitar rock and very cocky, which is a Williams trademark, but it fails to really kick into high gear and leaves you a little in need of more. One of a couple of heavily 80s influenced tracks, Last Days of Disco has a great new wave vibe and seems to be autobiographical in the lyrics that state, "don't call it a comeback. Look what I invented here". It is atmospheric and quite good. Somewhere is something of a segue between songs, only a little over a minute long. It is string-laden and remorseful in it's lyrical content. Deceptacon has an ambient sound. It is yet another ballad, but this has personal lyrics and a spacey sound to it that sets it apart from the other slow numbers. Starstruck is a straight-up homage to Fastlove by George Michael. I could have laid those lyrics right over it in some way. It even has a similar female backing vocal. Robbie's voice is smooth and works well on the song, but it is a filler here. Difficult for Weirdos is another futuristic 80s sounding track (is that possible?). You can hear heavy influence left over from Robbie's working on Rudebox with the Pet Shop Boys. This song is about the pleasures of being different with lyrics like, "he is a lesbian but that is okay" and "just another humanoid reaction to the voices in this town". It is one of the more satisfying tracks on the album. The next track, Superblind, is perhaps my favorite on the disc. It is another ballad, but this one has a really great opening with Robbie using his falsetto to wonderful effect. It has a very 70s Bowie feel to it and builds to a great orchestral crescendo towards the end. The last track (besides a reprise of Morning Sun) is Won't Do That. It is a mid-tempo stomper with a big sound and hints of Queen and classic rock guitar. All in all, this album is quite enjoyable and very worth a buy. If you love Robbie, you will love this. I give it a B+.
I don't watch Gossip Girl, but I have a strong feeling I'll be tuning in November because Lady Gaga is going to be doing a cameo!!! Pictures from the set are making their rounds on the internet, and she looks amazy!!! Tease that hair, girl!!! Some super-hot guy (Penn Badgley) and a super-skinny girl (Leighton Meester) had fun things to say about Gaga, joking that there would be a threesome, but alas, that is not the truth. He said, "Yeah, she's part of a threesome -- I'm kidding." And added, "I don't want to give away too much, but she will perform a little bit." I can't wait to see this! Gaga is EVERYWHERE!!!
In 1986 Stacy Q released one of the most infectious and recognizable hits of the 80s, Two of Hearts. The song is bright, bouncy and soooooo much fun. The song rose to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also a success in Australia where it reached #7 on the ARIA chart. This song was so popular that Stacey even landed a role on The Facts of Life playing Cinnamon, a singer Tootie was competing with to get a part in a Broadway show. (Because obviously if you wanted to be on Broadway you would sing a breathy pop song...duh!) Anyway, I am STILL to this very day obsessed with this song and when it comes on my iPod I always have to play it again at least once, and by once I mean thrice!! While Stacey Q had a couple of other hits (We Connect [#35] and Don't Make a Fool of Yourself [#66]) she never quite connected to the broad audience she reached with Two of Hearts. Doesn't matter. People still love this song today. Here is TWO OF HEARTS!!!
Now follow me on this one. I like this album cover! Here's why. Aside from it being so 80s it hurts, it is also a strong statement for an artist like Adam to come out with an image like this. It establishes that he is fearless and is going to be himself. This look is not exactly new. David Bowie started doing this in the early 70s and almost ALL glam rock of the last four decades have donned this look. Shocking it isn't, but some are saying it's too "gay". NEWS FLASH: ADAM LAMBERT IS GAY!! HE WAS GAY ON AMERICAN IDOL AND HE IS GAY NOW!!! Get over it. This look is not classic gay, it's classic glam rock. If you don't get that, get it now. Adam Lambert is clearly not scared of you. Are you scared of him? I hope not.
My boyfriend and I mozied on down to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre last night to see the Broadway production of Hair. I had not seen this production, which won the 2009 Tony for Best Revival, before, so I had no idea what I was in store for. First of all, the cast is incredible!! So much energy and soooo much commitment to the material it is really inspiring. Will Swenson, who plays Berger was all sex and insanity, slinking through the opening number stripping down to a fringe g-string and straddling several unsuspecting audience members during the first numbers in the show. There were a couple of understudies in, but it certainly didn't change the very high quality of the show. Their performances were pitch perfect. Paris Remillard was on in the role of Claude and he was great. His voice and his acting are both top notch and he is adorable ta-boot!! Nicole Lewis was a feisty, strong Sheila, imbuing the character with intelligence and bravery. In his usual role as Woof, Bryce Ryness was both charming and sexy as he fawned over Mick Jagger, whom he is obsessed with and wants to make love to. The ensemble was packed with talent, especially Sasha Allen who sang the role of Dionne (Her "Aquarius" was the most amazing I have ever heard). The songs are all legendary from Aquarius to Black Boys, Manchester England, Hair, Easy to Be Hard, Hare Krishna and of course Let the Sun Shine In. This production is really not to be missed. There's even some juicy nudity right smack dab in the middle of it!!! (yowza!!!) If you get a chance, you MUST MUST MUST go see Hair!!!! PS..I almost forgot to mention that during the times the cast members came into the audience I got a kiss on the head from Berger, Claude laid in my lap, Hud storked my face and Sheila just came to have a chat. YEAH!
GLEE is hitting the road and doing some in-store appearances throught the U.S. There are five stops planned for now and hopefully more to come. Here is the list so far:
Chris Brown, the Ike Turner of his generation, has taken to Twitter once again to use Rihanna's image to further his career. In several tweets early Monday morning, Chrissy posted a link to a youtube video montage of himself and Rihanna when they were together. PATHETIC!! He stated, “I’m sorry y’all. Just had to post it,” and then the douche said, “for the fellas: showing emotion doesn’t make u weak … being honest makes you strong.” And beating up your girlfriend makes you...what...owner of her image? Brown isn't violating his restraining order by posting about RiRi, but he is violating my gag reflex. Hopefully no one will purchase or support Chrissy Brown-eye any further! DOWN WITH BROWN!!! [source]
Love Jane Austen? Love zombies stories? THEN JACKPOT, YOU GOTTA READ THIS BOOK!! Now my motto has always been, "Honey, I don't read. I'm read to," just like Karen Walker, but Seth Grahame-Smith has taken the classic text by Jane Austen and added in enough gory, creepy, exciting zombie carnage to satisfy both the book snob in you AND the monster movie geek. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came about when an editor at Quirk Books, Jason Rekulak, compared a list of fanboy characters like ninjas and monkeys and zombies with titles of public domain books like Wuthering Heights and War and Peace. PP&Z just stuck in his head. He called Grahame-Smith and told him about his title. Grahame-Smith thought it was brilliant and started on it straight away. (I am sounding like a Jane Austen character now) He found that the original story and text suited adding in some zombie elements because "You have this fiercely independent heroine, you have this dashing heroic gentleman, you have a militia camped out for seemingly no reason whatsoever nearby, and people are always walking here and there and taking carriage rides here and there . . . It was just ripe for gore and senseless violence. From my perspective anyway."[source] I am not yet through with the book, but I have to say it is a joy to read. I don't normally read books like Pride and Prejudice, but I was drawn to this idea of taking a classic and making it something entirely different while still using the original text. It's a fun read and it still makes you think. (beware Twilight fans, you will have to think and it may be painful at first. I kid, I kid!!) Anyhoooo, check it out. Did I mention it even made the New York Times Bestseller list. Well it did!! OH! ps...it's a GREAT book for Halloween!!
Paul Haggis, Hollywood director (Oscar for Crash) and now hero, has quit the "Church" of Scientology citing the "church"'s opposition of gay marriage and financial support of Prop 8 as the last straw. In a kick-ass letter addressed to the spokesman for the "church" Tommy Davis, Haggis spoke of the failure of the "church" to distance itself from homophobic statements made by its San Diego branch in 2008. "I called and wrote and implored you, as the official spokesman of the church, to condemn their actions," Haggis wrote. "You promised action. Ten months passed. No action." "The church’s refusal to denounce the actions of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly. I can think of no other word. Silence is consent, Tommy. I refuse to consent," he added. Haggis and his wife were also forced by the "church" to cut ties with his wife's parents after they left the "church" last year. This is an interesting inside look at the "church" who among it's members counts LONG TIME suspected homos like Tom Cruise and John Travolta. We'll see what those to ladies have to say about all this. Good for you, Paul Haggis. (PS....by "church" I mean cult, and by cult I mean happy hour at any gay bar) [source] [picture]
Oprah is set to own television next year (well, her own chanel, The Oprah Winfrey Network) and Jennifer Aniston is going to be a part of it. Jennifer is apparently friends with Chelsea Handler and thought it would be fun to do a chat show of her own. She mentioned it to Oprah. Oprah commanded the universe to make it happen by sacrificing 20 of her servents, and WHAM!! Jennifer and Oprah are doing a talk show together!!! Jen is worth about $210 million, so insiders say her only reason for doing the show is because she damn well feels like it. I love me some Jennifer Aniston, I love me some Oprah, so I will be checking this one out. [source]
In her new memoir, UnSweetined (ugh) she lets the secrets fly about her high times since leaving the beloved family sitcom. (yeah, I watched it. I was sooo into Kimmy Gibler) She tells gawd and everyone that when she was at Candace Cameron's (DJ Tanner, y'all) wedding, she chug-a-lugged two bottles of wine and passed out in the bathroom. SHE WAS 14! I think she won the Drew Barrymore award for that one. She also admits that she hoovered some meth not before, not after, but AT the premier of MK and Ashley Olsen's New York Minute. To be fair, I think most of us did some sort of narcotic to get through that film. She said her progression was from ecstacy to coke to meth (sounds about right) and that she has been sober since last December. I hope for her sake that she is sober, if not HOW RUDE!!!! [source]
Human Nature was the 4th single from Madonna's 1994 album Bedtime Stories. A fan favorite, the song was not wildly successful on the charts, only reaching #46, but was a success in club play, reaching #2 on that chart and was a top 10 hit is Canada and the UK. The thing that is most remembered about Human Nature is the AMAZY video!!! It is really one of Madge's best and should be worshiped daily by all the Madonna-wannabe's working today. Directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Madonna, with her hair in cornrows, and the (sexy as hell)dancers and her chihuahua, Chiquita, are dressed in black leather S&M gear. Lots of whips and ropes and M in a black bikini. It's all very tongue-in-cheek with Madonna making faces and crossing her eyes at the camera and the choreography (done by Jamie King who would later become a frequent collaborator) is super-superb!!
GoMusicNow.com (formerly the site I recommended gomusic.ru) has lots of new music not yet available over here in the US. Lady GaGa's new song Bad Romance is available for 15 cents! Also there is a new girl group that is making some headway overseas called The Saturdays who have a new album out called Wordshaker that is poppy good fun. The tracks Forever is Now and Wordshaker are standouts. Finally, one of my faves, Annie, a Norwegian singer who had an amazing album out in 2004 called Anniemal (also worth buying. The whole album is 97 cents.) Her new album is called Don't Stop and it's really different from the first one. It is more mainstream, but Annie's voice is a little stronger and the music has some more guitar elements to it. Since no video is available for her new single, My Love Is Better, I am going to give you one of my faves off the first cd, Chewing Gum. Enjoy!!!!
YES!! MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. Two of the gayest things in showbiz will collide next season on GLEE! Madonna has given GLEE the rights to her catalogue for the episode, according the Entertainment Weekly. What a great idea!! It will be like a jukebox musical using Madge's hits. I always thought her songs would weave together a great story. This is the most exciting news since.....EVER! What songs do you think the kids from GLEE should perform? [source]
Adam Lambert confirms that he has been working on tracks with Lady Gaga and has some very nice things to say about her via his official Twitter page. Lambert gushes, "Yes it's true: I spent yesterday in the studio w the insanely talented and creative Lady GaGa recording a song that she wrote! I love her." He continues, "Gaga wrote the song a while ago and she thought it would be a good fit for me. It's a solo track. I feel so honored and lucky to be asked." And finally he stated, "GaGa just gets it, ya know?" Sounds like the two of them got along famously. I am anxious to see what becomes of this collab. Sounds like it could be fun!!!
Hilary Swank announced in Marie Claire that she likes to walk around naked, even if her boyfriend's 6 year-old son is in the room She states, "My boyfriend's son is six years old, and you wonder at what age you should stop walking around nude. Every morning he comes into the bedroom, and you're just nude. But he doesn't look twice; he doesn't think about it yet." I would imagine he looks a lot more than twice and considers himself the luckiest kid in the world! Ha. Now some psychologists say this could cause some sort of mental harm to the child and his "psycho-sexual adjustment". I don't know. I mean most contries are much less uptight about nudity than we are here in the U.S. I guess it's okay if Hilary was skinning unsuspecting teens are blowing up bridges in front of her boyfriend's son. Hmmm, which is worse? I digress. Hilary's body is slammin'! If I had that bod I'd walk around naked all the time: picking the kids up from school, waiting in line at the DMV, church....you name it. [source]
Now I think there are two ways to look at this story. You see, Lily and Elton have some history. The two of them hosted the GQ Men of the Year ceremony last year in London. Appartently Lils was partaking of the champers and Elton was having none of it!!! He lost him temper a bit (which I understand Elton is prone to do) and Lily gave him a nice ilttle "F*CK OFF" for his efforts. NOW Lily has since credited the incident with her recent decision to stop drinking her face off because it made her feel "upset and angry". In her new video for her song Who'd Have Known, Lily is seen staring at pictures of Elton John before he is kidnapped and coerced into saying he loves her. I don't really see this as bashing as much as a thank you and a funny way to make amends. What do you think? I love them BOTH by the way!! [source]
NEW MUSIC FROM RiRi!! Love me some Rihanna and her new single has leaked to the internet. You can listen here. It may not be there for long, so go now! It's from her upcoming new album, Rated R, due out Nov. 23rd. It is VERY VERY dark, y'all. She is talking about death and shizz, but over a totes fun beat, so it's cool. With lyrics like "As my life flashes before my eyes/I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise/So many won't get the chance to say goodbye/but it's too late to pick up the value of my life." DAYUM!! Okay, Rihanna. Just have a drink and calm down. Back away from the mic.....AND WERQ! [source]
NEWS FLASH: MADONNA IS A PERFORMER! Karen George, who lives above Madge in her condo, thinks there is too much loud music coming from Madonna's apartment, according to a lawsuit the trouble-maker filed in Manhattan. The lawsuit states that, "Madonna and one or more of her invited guests repeatedly dance to unreasonably high-decibel, amplified music, causing noise and vibration through the walls, ceilings and radiators." Sounds like somebody is a little jello they weren't invited to the party! How does this person know they are dancing? Hm? Whatevs. Madonna, I think there's a one bedroom available in my building if you wanna rehearse there!! I think you can afford it. I would love THAT kind of noise instead of hearing that homeless guy on my street who yells "GOD" all night long. [source]
