Ok, so maybe I am only posting this so I had the opportunity to type out the above title. Digital Spy is reporting that Madonna is hell bent on fostering her Latin lover, Jesus Luz’s recording…career.
Apparently Madonna has floated all of the recording session expenses and set Jesus up with remixer Victor Calderone (‘Frozen’). Reportedly, Jesus was granted a two-single deal, after the refusal by Warner, Madonna’s former record label, of an entire album.
If true, this is almost as bad as when Britney was paying the bill for KFed’s budding rap career. As one member of a pop forum community so astutely put it: ‘Madonna can’t even earn a #1 these days, what hope does she possible have for Jesus?’
I think Madonna should nix this idea straight away and go back to recording a Confessions part II album.
What are your thoughts? Are you ready for international pop star Jesus? Sound off in the comments or @popboi on twitter.
Boys in heavy metal band on the verge of rocking the planet meet 13-year-old girl. Girl hates boys in band. Boys in band batter a smurf. The private yacht they are all on sinks. Boys in band are marooned on a desert island with only a pink Hello Kitty ghetto blaster, a case of batteries, the 13-year-old’s 1980s pop music CD collection and 158 cases of schnapps for company.
Ah… how often have we seen that sad story play out?
Such is the legend of Rock Sugar (full legend here). However, for the band, and fans of great music, there is a happy ending.
Twenty years later, the band were rescued by tuna fishermen and now they are back and ready to rock on from where they left off. With a twist.
Two decades of listening to 80s teenybopper music has left a mark – Popholm syndrome, as the band amusingly describe it – and now Rock Sugar is a musical nexus where the heaviest of metal collides with the lightest, catchiest and, um, cheesiest of bubblegum pop.
Okay, so, in other words, stripping away the wonderfully silly back story, we’re essentially in mash-up territory here. Or should that be mosh-up..?
I can’t say I’ve ever been a fan of the mash-up – they never improve on the original component parts and if they involves a song I like, it just annoys me to hear it ruined by some idiot playing about with mixing software on his computer.
But Rock Sugar bring something new to the mix. For a start, they are performing the songs, rather than just cutting and pasting other people’s recordings together.
But more importantly, they bring a sense of fun that transforms the mash-up from the dry, soulless technical exercise it essentially is into something… wonderful.
The 13 tracks on Rock Sugar’s debut album, Reimaginator, are an astonishing fusion of no fewer than 34 songs by rock heavyweights such as Metallica, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue and Judas Priest with catchy pop-rock anthems from the likes of Journey, Eurythmics, Rick Springfield, Bon Jovi, Madonna and Queen.
The album opener, which is generating massive internet buzz at the moment, is Don’t Stop The Sandman, which blends Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing and Metallica’s Enter Sandman to simply stunning effect.
I know, I know… the Journey song has been hugely over-exposed in the last year or so, from its memorable use in the final scene of The Sopranos, through being massacred in last year’s The X Factor (in the UK) and, most recently, the surprisingly decent version performed by the cast of TV smash hit (and, the Choob must admit, one of my guilty TV pleasures) Glee.
But Rock Sugar’s version will make you look at the song in a whole new light. In a good way.
The official video has only been up on YouTube for about six weeks and already, through only word of mouth, has just smashed through the 200,000 views mark. Here it is, see what you think:
Great though it is, Don’t Stop The Sandman is really just the curtain-raiser to the album. You can stream all the tracks on the band’s official site, and most are also up on YouTube too, so I won’t go through them all.
However, here are a few that I think are particularly awesome (I’ll leave you to work out what’s been mashed together).
First up we have Prayin’ For A Sweet Weekend:
Next, Shook Me Like A Prayer:
And finally, Dreaming Of A Whole Lotta Breakfast:
There are countless ways this could have all gone horribly wrong and been an embarrassing mess – but it’s hard to imagine how it could possibly have turned out better.
And that is surely a testament to the fact that the band have genuine musical talent to back up their high-concept idea. Yes, there is a gimmick inherent in their music – but there’s nothing gimmicky about their inspired choices of songs to combine, the technical genius of their arrangements or the quality of their recorded performance.
If the live experience matches the studio effort – and early live reviews suggest that they are even better live than on disc, then this band may just be THE next big thing.
In the title of this post I jokingly compared Rock Sugar to the ever-entertaining Spinal Tap. But that’s perhaps unfair, because Tap are all about spoofing the self-important pomposity and excess of heavy metal. Rock Sugar is no spoof.
If Rock Sugar share any characteristics with Spinal Tap, it’s that their tongue is firmly in cheek and they are making rock music fun again.
The album is currently only available from the band’s website for $17. Adding international shipping of $8 makes it a slightly pricy proposition for those outwith the US – $25 or £16 – but well worth it, for my money, to get in at the ground floor because they deserve to be huge.
Rock Sugar might just be my new favourite band. Because pop rocks!
Incidentally, lead singer Jess Harnell has apparently had a colourful career. In addition to being in a few bands, including Loud & Clear, he’s a somewhat prolific voice-over artist. He has lent his voice to many animated TV shows and videogames.
Most notably, he starred as Wakko Warner in the fondly remembered 1990s Animaniacs cartoon series and also voiced two of the Transformers in the two recent live action movies. Oh, and he’s been the announcer for America’s Funniest Home Videos for over a decade.
At first sight of Michelle Obama, I noticed her arms. Her arms are so sculpted but not masculine or not like a body builder’s. Ever since then, I’ve always wanted to have arms like hers.
I’ve been researching about how to make my arms something like the First Lady’s. I particularly like Tracy Anderson’s program because it doesn’t look too hard. Besides that, she has trained with Madonna, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Hers should be effective. I plan to do these 6 kinds of arm exercises that she does and hopefully see some results. She prescribes using the threadmill, however that costs thousands. I will just substitute. I will just incorporate my yoga in my arm workout. I have to. I have been practicing yoga for 10 years now. It is very important to me. It is like a ceremony for me. I wonder if this is a good substitute. Doing yoga affects “cardio”, studies have shown.
I’ve practiced different kinds of yoga. Yoga from the books, yoga at the gym. Recently, I’ve been doing yoga from videos. I am currently doing “twisting” yoga. It was from this website called yogatoday.com. You could download different kinds of yoga for different uses from this website. It costs around $4 per download.
And so this morning, I bought a pair of 3 pound dumbbells as adviced by Tracy Anderson. She says a woman should not exceed 3 pounds otherwise it wouldn’t look sexy or feminine.
Today is my first day to do this workout. I took a picture of my arms today as a “before” picture. The “after” picture to follow. I wonder how long this will take? Hopefully this is effective.
The rumour goes that Madonna is negotiating for an apparel-line. Her relations with the fashion industry grew tightly over the years, and a lot of people admire Madges chameleon style.
Parties said to be involved in the project, like Iconix brand Inc (a brand management firm that owns and licenses 21 brands), and Madonna’s publicist Liz Rosenberg nor admit or decline the possibility of this apparel-line. Sources say even the label names are in serious consideration. These would be Material Girl for the apparel, and Truth or Dare for lingerie and underwear. The line would be exclusively sold to Macy’s.We think it’s a project that suits Madonna’s ambitions outside the music industry. It’s not like she hasn’t done it before. She co-branded a line with H&M in the Spring of 2007, under the M by Madonna label. H&M’s head of design, Margaretha van den Bosch was impressed by the popstar’s feel for fashion and trends: ”She was extraordinarily style conscious, passionate and was involved in even the smallest details of every design.”
We’ll keep you posted if anything on this issue will be confirmed.
I have an affinity for all of the seasons but quiet frankly I am over the frigid temperature and the snow.
It’s fashion week in New York City . All the major designers are debuting their Fall 2010 collections.
I understand the reasons why designers show their collections a season ahead but I love the warm weather and I can only think about Spring frocks.
I am so ready for the last traces of the snow to melt from the corners of the concrete so I can welcome Spring with arms wide open.
Spring-time is the chance to shed the bulky sweaters and walk out the door with a cute dress and a trench coat.
Bows are one of the hottest accessory trends for Spring 2010.
Bows will allow the opportunity to dress up your hair, neck, or shoes in a new and vivacious way.
Bows are a trademark vintage look. Hair stylist Guido who was responsible for the hair bow masterpieces on the runway for Marc by Marc Jacobs (Spring 2010) told Allure Magazine that Bows are a mix of ’50s and ’80s. “It’s a ’50s look, but we based it on Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan. “She really had a Marc sensibility in that movie, so we took it from that.”
Hair Bows Spring 2010: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Bows for the hair, Bow Ties for (men and women) and Bow Tie necklaces will be all the rage once the first signs of Spring appear.
One of the fascinating aspects about Bows is that they come in an assortment of textures, fabrics and colors. Designers like Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Milly created their own unique interpretation of the Hair Bow using gorgeous silks that would make any Flashdance enthusiast tickled pink. Forever 21.com has a variety of headbands affixed with dazzling bows that can turn a casual Spring outfit into something you can wear for a night on the town.
Bows made out of unique fabrics are also in high demand this Spring. Garment Colors has fantastic unisex bow-ties available on Etsy.com.
These handmade crocheted bows that are Cashmere, Silk, and Merino wool
Bows are the must-have purchase for Spring because it doesn’t matter what size or shape you are; anyone can find one that fits their style.
“Madonna herself released a statement to Access Hollywood in memory of the designer, calling the loss “a tragedy.”
“Lee McQueen was a truly unique visionary in the world of fashion,” the fashion-forward star said in the statement. “A creator of beauty. What a tragedy.”” – Madgetribe
One of the things I try to emphasize when speaking to people about choosing a volunteer vacation, is the importance of knowing who assessed the need for the project in the first place. If you are working on community building and helping with social issues, it is hugely important that the community members being served are the ones who decided they need help, and what kind of help they need. Well meaning but misdirected volunteers and organizations can undo some of their good will and best intentions by forcing a foreign perspective onto a culture where it is not a very good fit.
Madonna ran into a situation like this quite recently. I am not one to disparage Madonna or any celebrity involved in generous causes around the world–I kind of think they are superstars, not for their fame, but for bringing attention to important issues in ways only their fame allows. They are able to open doors as well as unite fans and followers in ways many of the rest of us cannot. We certainly would if we could. The fact that celebrities are willing to lend their names, their wallets, and quite often their hands-on work, gets more people involved, and that can only be a good thing.
IF–the projects and organizations with which they align themselves are in step with the community served. In Malawi, a nation Madonna holds dear to her heart and family, the national government has told a group of villagers that they will lose their homes and be forced to move away to make room for a girl’s school the pop star is having built. Residents, according to an Associated Press story from yesterday, have refused to leave the site just outside of capital city Lilongwe. 200 villagers are being displaced, and I have to wonder if there isn’t perhaps a better, less intrusive location for the new school. The government has offered the residents other government land–and I don’t know the details of why THAT land is not a good site for the school, but it truly underlines the point about being sure the goals of the charities with whom we work are the SAME goals as the people we choose to help. I’m sure they will find a solution that benefits the village children AND keeps the village united…but what a tough first step motivated by love and philanthropy, but perhaps, unknowingly, off target.
It is important due diligence research you need to do before signing up for your volunteer work. Who determines the need? And who decides what is a successful outcome of our work?
Twenty years later, the band were rescued by tuna fishermen and now they are back and ready to rock on from where they left off. With a twist.
The album opener, which is generating massive internet buzz at the moment, is Don’t Stop The Sandman, which blends Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing and Metallica’s Enter Sandman to simply stunning effect.
Hair Bows Spring 2010: Marc by Marc Jacobs
These handmade crocheted bows that are Cashmere, Silk, and Merino wool
knowing who assessed the need for the project in the first place. If you are working on community building and helping with social issues, it is hugely important that the community members being served are the ones who decided they need help, and what kind of help they need. Well meaning but misdirected volunteers and organizations can undo some of their good will and best intentions by forcing a foreign perspective onto a culture where it is not a very good fit.