Sunday October 26th, 2003

 

New CD's this past week:

- Seek - Journey into day (UK release)
- John Stoddart - Wings to walk this road
- Marques Houston - MH
- Montell Jordan - Life after Def

 

Music news stories this week:

Michael Jackson Offers New Single To Fans Online

Michael Jackson had made his newest yet-to-be-released single available
free for download at his official Website, michaeljackson.com. The song
titled "One More Chance" is co-written by soul star R. Kelly and is
featured on Jackson's upcoming album titled Number Ones. It's due out
November 18th. The compilation album will feature 18 tracks, including
"Thriller," "Smooth Criminal," "You Rock My World" and "Break of Dawn."
Also due out is a DVD that includes 15 songs with accompanying videos.
In addition, Jackson is planning an hour-long CBS-TV special that's
supposed to air near Thanksgiving. The show will likely feature
Jackson's videos and a performance of "One More Chance."


Mary J. Blige, Eve Head To The Barbershop For 'Not Today' Clip

It's too bad some people miss the Mary J. Blige of old - the pained,
intense, soul-stirring period of her life that yielded some of her most
recognizable hits. Blige is now at peace with her demons and it's
resulting in another creative peak in her career. That period will
continue with the release of her new single and video, "Not Today," the
second offering from her latest album, Love & Life.
Like a lot of the songs from Blige of late, "Not Today," which features
Eve, is sung from the perspective of a woman empowered with knowledge
and in full control of her actions. This is an older, wiser Mary
advising young girls not to get twisted in a man's game, no matter how
sweet he might seem.
When it's released within the next two weeks, the track will double as
the lead single from the soundtrack to "Barbershop II." It's only
appropriate, then, that the video for the song is also set in a
barbershop - and it includes cameos from the flick's stars, Eve and
Cedric the Entertainer, as well as scenes from the film itself.
Directed by Chris Robinson, the clip features a sexy Mary visiting a
local social hot spot - the barbershop - and witnessing the flirtatious
actions of a man who seems to be too distracted by several women to ever
stick to just one. Eve and Mary watch the shenanigans amusedly.
Some highlights to look out for in the clip include Mary and Eve being
transported to colorful, imaginative scenes via a View-Master toy and -
especially for fans of Eve's body - a sequence of shots that feature Eve
in fetish gear.
The soundtrack to "Barbershop II" will be released in January, one month
before the film.


Destiny's Child Hit With Lawsuit

Destiny's Child, Mathew Knowles, Sony Music Entertainment, Columbia
Records, Music World Entertainment, and State of Mind Muzic, Inc. were
hit with a $200 million lawsuit in federal court in Houston, Texas on
October 14th by producer Terrence "T-Robb" Robinson, who maintains that
he produced the music the group used for their 2001 hit "Survivor,"
according to MSNBC.
According to Robinson, he submitted a song called "Glorious" to Mathew
Knowles, the group's manager, in October of 2000, and he later heard the
song used in a commercial without his permission and eventually as the
musical backdrop for "Survivor."
Robinson's attorney, Peter J. Clarke, admitted that when Robinson
submitted the song it wasn't copyrighted but a copyright was later
secured. Clarke elaborated, saying, quote: "Ultimately at the end of the
day, what is going to decide this lawsuit is the music."
Robinson believes if he were properly credited for "Survivor," his
career would have taken a different turn. He said: "I know right now I
would be one of the biggest, most sought-after producers."
Knowles' attorney, Thomas Sulkerson, wouldn't comment on the lawsuit
because as of Tuesday, October 21st, he hadn't seen it.
"Survivor" peaked at Number One on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart
in 2001.


Beyonce Knowles Responds To UK Tabloid Story

Beyonce Knowles has released a statement regarding quotes attributed to
her in the U.K. tabloid The Sun. The singer said she issued the
statement "in response to some recent misprints." Beyonce writes, "I
would like to clarify any confusion over some alleged quotes that were
attributed to me totally out of context in a recent interview. I have
never judged anyone based on his or her sexual orientation and have no
intention of starting now. I have a lot of gay and lesbian fans and I
love them no differently than my straight fans."
The tabloid had quoted Beyonce as saying that she would not consider
doing a girl-on-girl kiss like the infamous Britney/Madonna kiss because
God has not given her permission to kiss girls. "I have standards. There
are things I will not do," Beyonce is quoted in The Sun as saying.
According to the tabloid, Beyonce added, "I always carry myself like a
lady. I don't feel like I ever do anything raunchy. She said, "Maybe
people here have a different meaning of the word raunchy, but I'm not
disrespectful or dirty or nasty."
Beyonce is joining 50 Cent, Shakira, Pink, Bono and many others in
performing at a benefit concert for AIDS awareness on November 29th in
Cape Town, South Africa. The extravaganza will be broadcast on MTV on
December 1st, World AIDS Day.


Will Downing Gives Men Options On 'A Million Ways" With Help From Joe

Noted urban AC and smooth jazz vocalist Will Downing is thrilled that
urban AC outlets are airing his sexy tune "A Million Ways To Love A
Woman," the first single from his brand-new album Emotions. The single
currently stands at Number 20 on the Radio & Records Urban AC chart.
The lyrics to "A Million Ways To Love A Woman" were penned by R&B
balladeer Joe, who has had success with his own love ballads like "All
The Things (Your Man Won't Do)," "I Wanna Know," and "What If A Woman."
Downing says he loved the tune the first time he heard it. He said: "The
first single which is 'A Million Ways,' which was actually penned by the
artist Joe, and I heard this song and I just knew it was gonna be an R&B
... you know, I thought it was a smash. I still think it's a smash. I
think it's a great song lyrically, I think it's got a great tempo to it
-- I feel like I'm on (American) Bandstand: It's got a great beat and
you can dance to it!"] Downing says that part of the tune's appeal is
certainly the lyrics, which give men some clear ideas about how to keep
their mates happy. Downing said: "I think that the song offers up
options, let me put it that way. A lot of times, when you talk to women
and they refer to men, they say, 'You know, men think if they put it
down in the bedroom, that's all they have to do to make me happy.' And a
lot of times men feel that way themselves. So with a song like 'A
Million Ways,' it gives you other options, it makes you kind of open up
your mind and be a little bit more adventurous in trying to make your
lady happy."
Downing will perform a special holiday show with saxophonist Gerald
Albright, who also appears on Emotions, and acoustic duo Tuck & Patti.
They will appear in Home For The Holidays, December 16th and 17th, at
the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos, California.


Prince Opens Up World Tour In Australia

Music's legendary Prince lived up to his promise to perform his biggest
hits on his latest world tour, which kicked off Tuesday (October 21st)
in Melbourne, Australia. Wearing a white pin-striped suit, Prince
started off the two-hour show with a trilogy of songs from his 1984
album Purple Rain, which included "Let's Go Crazy," "I Would Die 4 You,"
and "When Doves Cry," according to The Age newspaper of Australia.
"Controversy," "Kiss," and "Purple Rain," were also performed as Prince
straddled a pistol-shaped microphone, backed up by a six-piece band, the
paper reported.
Prior to the show, a spokesperson for Prince said he would be, quote,
"performing his hits live for the last time," unquote, on the tour,
which marked his first performances in Australia in more than a decade.
For now, the tour is limited to Australia and wraps up on October 27th
at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. The tour follows the release of
Prince's latest album, N.E.W.S, which is available in stores and on his
web site, npgmc.com.
Prince made headlines recently when it was reported that he's been going
door-to-door sharing his Jehovah's Witness faith. According to the
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, a Jewish couple living in the city found
Prince and his good friend, fellow music legend Larry Graham, ringing
their doorbell a few weeks back. The visit happened to occur just before
the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur -- and during a Minneapolis Vikings game.


Stevie Wonder Teams Up With British Pop Band

British pop act Blue has teamed up with Stevie Wonder and soul diva
Angie Stone to record an updated version of Stevie's 1970 hit "Signed,
Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours." The current pairing follows the band's
Number One hit last year when they enlisted Elton John on a remake of
his classic "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word." The band said after
that, it was their dream to record with Stevie Wonder and they were
thrilled when Wonder agreed.
At the end of September, Blue flew to Los Angeles to record the track
with Wonder and Stone. In addition to recording the song, they also
filmed a video.
Blue's Simon released a statement which said: "Recording with Stevie was
an experience like no other. It was a dream come true, the man is a
legend. It was amazing to record 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours'
as it's one of our all-time favorite songs. There was a great vibe on
the video set. Stevie and Angie are good friends and that really came
across. They made us feel very comfortable and we had a fantastic time."

The new version of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" will be
featured on Blue's new album, Guilty, which is set for release in early
November.


Brandy Sings About Coldplay On Her Upcoming Album

R&B singer Brandy is not only a big fan of Coldplay, but she recently
recorded a song about the British band, which will be featured on her
next album due out in March 2004. Teenmusic.com is reporting that the
song might even be released as a single. On the new recording, Brandy
mentions lyrics from Coldplay's song "Sparks," which appeared on their
debut album, Parachutes.
She sings, "Sittin' home on a cold day/ Underneath the covers like a
little baby/ Think I wanna hear some Coldplay, especially that song when
the man sings, 'Did I drive you away?'"
Coldplay are looking forward to hearing Brandy's new song. Bassist Guy
Berryman said, "We're very flattered that someone is so into our music
that it's inspired them to write a song. It'll be interesting to hear
how it sounds."


News 2003

News 2002

News 2001