Wednesday, March 4, 2009
New 3-disc Prince album dropping March 29th
Prince is coming to a Target near you.
The superstar is releasing a three-disc CD set through the retailer at the end of this month. The set will include two new albums - "LOtUSFLOW3R" and "MPLSoUND" - as well as a third by his new artist, Bria Valente, for the price of $11.98.
Prince is just the latest music legend to release new music exclusively through a major retailer. AC/DC and the Eagles were among the acts who sold millions of CDs through their partnership with Wal-Mart.
Prince has released his recent CDs through major labels, but they were one-album deals that gave him the flexibility to go elsewhere when the project was done. Last fall, he released a coffee table book of photos titled "21 Nights" documenting his record-breaking, 21-night run at London's 02 Arena in 2007. The book also included a CD of live performances.
"Prince has long been renowned as one of the world's most original and iconic musical artists," said Mark Schindele, Target's senior vice president of merchandising. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share his most recent work with our Target guests."
The CD set will be on sale at Target and its Web site on March 29.
Madame Tussauds opening in Hollywood this year - FINALLY
After what seems to have been a long time coming, Madame Tussauds is set to open this year in Hollywood. Construction is under way on the $55 million project, part of the U.S. division of Merlin Entertainments Group.
Los Angeles architect Michael Rotondi was tapped to design the 40,000-square-foot building located at Hollywood Boulevard and Orange Drive. The Hollywood location's opening will coincide with the 200th anniversary of Madame Tussauds.
Other locations include London, Amsterdam, Las Vegas, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Washington and Berlin.
The first inducties into the Hollywood location will be none other than Beyonce and Jamie Foxx.
Dow Jones the lowest it's been since 1997
As a fresh setback Monday sent major indices plunging to mid-1990s levels, media companies generally kept pace with the market.
The Dow fell another 4% -- the lowest it's been since 1997 and less than half its all-time high above 14,000, reached in October 2007. Similarly dented was the S&P 500, which closed at 700.82, its worst finish since 1996.
Among the biggest pure media congloms, Disney was down 4% to $16.05; News Corp. dipped 5% to $5.28; Viacom dropped 6% to $15.75; and Time Warner gave up 3.5% to $7.36.
Wall Streeters had little specific news on which to blame the drop. They simply cited continuing anxiety about financial institutions and the complexity and severity of the recession and credit crisis.
In particular, the day brought unnerving revelations about AIG. The mega-insurer received a fourth round of federal assistance of up to $30 billion to repair damage from some $500 billion in credit that it extended with little collateral to cover defaults.
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
The next single in the US already a No.1 on the European Hot 100 Charts it looks to help propel them from popular indie band to mainstream act.
LA Mayor Villaraigosa scores 2nd term in office
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa established a solid lead over his nine challengers Tuesday, securing a second four-year term.
With about half of the votes counted, Villaraigosa avoided a runoff against the second-place candidate, attorney Walter Moore.The mayor had been expected to secure the needed majority, given that he had appeared in television commercials for himself and two other campaigns -- and had outspent Moore by a ratio of 15 to 1.
Villaraigosa has some major changes that he wants to bring to Los Angeles and is well on his way to doing so. He is more than two-thirds of the way toward his goal of hiring 1,000 additional police officers. The mayor also is attempting to replace as many as 17,000 older diesel trucks at the Port of Los Angeles and reach his goal of ensuring that 20% of the power at the DWP comes from renewable sources, such as wind and solar energy.
Britney kicks of Circus Tour
The reviews are coming in thick and fast and it is only 12am PST! It looks like Britney is back on form and aside from the predictable lip syncing throughout the tour, the show itself is said to be a 90 minute set of pure entertainment. Though deemed quite inappropriate for some younger fans, the show is extremely well produced, choreographed and executed.
I can't wait to see the shows in LA in April and London in June.
Below is the set list for the tour:
Act 1: CIRCUS
Circus (Funky Remix)
Piece Of Me
Radar
Act 2: HOUSE OF FUN (Anything Goes)
Ooh Ooh Baby/Hot As Ice
Boys
If U Seek Amy
Me Against The Music
Act 3: FREAKSHOW/PEEPSHOW
Freakshow
Get Naked
Breathe On Me/Touch Of My Hand
Act 4: ELECTRO CIRC
Do Something
I'm A Slave 4 U
Toxic
Baby One More Time (Remix)
ENCORE
Womanizer (Extended Remix)
Circus Reprise
Beyonce and Solange - Samantha Thavasa Campaign
Check the above image for an exclusive peek at the new campaign for Japanese bag designer Samantha Thavasa, featuring Beyonce and sister Solange.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Michael Jackson to follow in Prince's footsteps and do an O2 residency
Michael Jackson is set to announce a string of dates on Thursday 5th March at London's O2 arena, to be played over the summer, in a similar way to which both Prince and the Spice Girls both did in 2007 and 2008.
Talks for the last 2 years have been circulating about the King Of Pop's return to the stage, with him said to be performing 10 dates in London at the O2, 10 at the Tokyo Dome and then 10 at the Staples Center in LA.
His last substantial series of concerts came in 1996 and '97, when he played 82 shows in 58 cities as part of the History tour.
The whole world will be looking to see if this comes true and even more so if he can pull of touring in such a fragile state. Also speculation is rife that a new album will coincide with the tour dates.
Michael seen above arriving in London on Tuesday 3rd March 09 for the announcement on Thursday
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