Brothers In Arms/Team Dirty Live Interview

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you know we've been following the UK EDM group Brothers In Arms / Team Dirty, and today I had the pleasure of interviewing them in person. Forgive me for the extra babble as the editing program was giving what I consider an ignorant display of technical difficulties. However, these musical masterminds were able to meet with me prior to their show this evening on EmpireFM.net.

Without further adieu, I bring you DJ L-Jay, DJ Dubz-D, Flamezee, Flamezos, and Pikez MC.

Stay tuned as we follow their journey to spread the musical ideals and crash the normal expectations. We will be posting a link to the team's bios and information. You can catch them currently via twitter at #TeamDirty #BIAGroupee. See our previous post for their twitter addresses.

Kick up the bass DJs!


Stay Tuned...

The Musical Underbelly…now with Bass!

Ladies and Gentlemen… Ross Parker and Hugh Charles once wrote “There will always be an England”… the Sex Pistols made this their anthem. England has always been known in the melodic communities for their unwavering dedication and contribution to the music industry. This is a country that produced legends like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. A country that brought today’s favorites like Adele, Ed Sheeran and most recently, One Direction, still has a few hidden gems up its sleeves.

 So where’s the music these days? One in London has to look no further than the torrid depths of the London internet underground stations. One in particular, EmpireFM.net has been boasting listeners thanks to its incredible social media connections, from across the globe. This reporter was lucky enough to stumble across the Saturday’s 10-12pm GMT show last week which was the middle gooey filling to an entire night of DJ’s pumping UK Garage, Grime and House music.

 You may be wondering if this is what has become of the norm, but with the exception of pop stations, this is what you’ll find scrolling through the English radio dial. I know what you’re thinking, how you could compare the Legends of Rock and even the musical torture of One Direction to what is usually considered dance floor noise and rave fodder. Well as an avid rocker and musical lover extraordinaire I considered it an honor to listen to these DJ’s do what they do.

The crew which held that time slot is the now infamous Team Dirty/ Brothers-In-Arms. Consisting of master DJ’s L-Jay and Dubz-D and of emcee’s and artists: Flamezee , Flamezos, Pikez MC, and on occasion, N.E Deejay(aka Noerras) . This crew has managed to infiltrate the London Club scene showing up weekend after weekend at various venues, including the infamous Opera House. Boasting original tunes by Flamezee and Flamezos , ( including Flamezee’s new single “Way it’s Going Down”), and master mixing by their magical fingered DJ’s, they keep the clubs and radios across London and the internet thumping without a second to come up for air.

 This is only one of many crews rocking the underbelly of the musical universe of House and Garage music across the globe. They have even managed to change the opinion of genre non-believers and naysayers alike. This reporter is no exception to the new golden rule. If it has a bass line… turn it up higher. Check out Team Dirty/Brothers-In-Arms every Saturday 5-7pm EST (10-12am GMT) on Empirefm.com or follow on Twitter at #TeamDirty and #BIAGroupee. Stay Tuned!

Follow the Team on Twitter!
 - @mcflamezee - Flamezee
 - @ljaydubzd - L-Jay & Dubz-D
 -@pikezmc - Pikez MC

Catch you all on the bass side!
-Heather
@liquidaria (#BIAGroupee)

Internet Radio Dominating The Airwaves

So we all know about Pandora... we tune in and try not to skip too many songs so that we can listen to what we want. And yes, every one of you reading this would probably have given your left arm to get tickets to the I Heart Music festival now on it's second year in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel. But lets be honest, we all have a niche in our music that we listen to. For some of us it's country, and for girls like me, it's some good head banging Rock and Roll. But every once in a while, you come across something different that makes your foot tap, your head bang and you find yourself even learning some of the songs. Previously overlooked niche's find their way into the internet mainstream and take over your brainwaves for a little while, because lets face it, we're all kind of sick of Delilah. 

Fast Forward to this year's vacation in London where I stumbled across something that wasn't exactly my musical tastes but has turned into the highlight of my week. It's there in England, where DJ's L-Jay and Dubz-D reside. L-Jay and Dubz are current Friday night residents on the an underground internet radio station, PulseLondon.net. You'll find here some newer US dance, remixed with UK Garage, Old Skool Dance, maybe even a lil' dub-step if the mood strikes. 

DJ L-Jay & Dubz-D

As for L-Jay and Dubz, they take over the radio waves on Friday nights from 12am-3am (London time[GMT], that's 7-10pm[EST] for you New Yorkers). So what is it that's causes you to be so addicted to these humble English deejays? Perhaps it's the mix of fast and slow that melds to your mood, or maybe it's even just the accents of these guys which make you want to hand them your underwear when they say words like "Darling", either way it's definitely worth losing yourself for a lil' while in. If you're ever in their town, be sure to check out if they're playing a club that night or pumping up a rave crowd. In their own words "There's no bigger buzz then that." As they say in London, Lock in and locked on. Cause this reporter knows that they sure give some US deejays a run for their money... 103.5 KTU *cough cough* i'm talking to you...

 And of course as all good internet stations, Pulse London has an app for that! You can download from iTunes and listen anywhere you are.(http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/pulselondonnet/id539351591?mt=8) Don't be mistaken though, L-Jay and Dubz may own Friday nights and get you pumped for the weekend have a listen in to other deejays and get your groove on 24/7.  

So break out of Pandora's box and experience something new, something oddly niche-y and maybe you'd be surprised that you just could be listening to the next big thing...Stay Tuned...  

Bethel's Interstate Love Song

Last Wednesday, August 22, Stone Temple Pilots and their opening act The Crash Kings took the stage at Bethel Woods.

The night was not one of usual Bethel style, where people were flooding the lot hours before the show.

Surprisingly enough, though this show was one I was looking forward to, it didn’t really deliver in the usual ways a Bethel show does. In addition, attendance for this show lacked so heavily, that all the lawn seats were upgraded to inside pavilion seating. Approximately 4,000 of the 18,000 available capacity was used for this show. Was it a middle of the week thing? Or has STP lost their touch?

Opening was The Crash Kings whose unique style of band arrangement had the audience taken aback by the lack of guitarists on stage. Previously touring with Chris Cornell and Jet, this band’s three members, brothers Mike (keyboard) & Tony Beliveau (bass) and Tim Roslak (drums), took what is normal alternative rock and, in a way, reinvented the guitar’s sound. The guitar parts were replacing with multiple keyboards and synthesizers complete with whammy bars for that cryin’/wailn’ sound.

Despite their creativeness, there wasn’t too much interest flooding the seats for this band. Seemed like a shame, but perhaps once they have a few more years under their belts, it will get better.

The real anticipation came as STP pulled the diva card and postponed coming on stage for over an hour. The crowd was chanting, people were dancing in the aisles to the piped in house music all the while waiting for the band to take the stage. Once they decided to grace the fine people of Bethel with their presence, it was quite evident they had taken part in some back stage partying, as lead singer Scott Weiland seemed to stumble over some of the lyrics of ‘Vasoline’.

It was a slow opening for them as the audience waited through some mumbled lyrics and otherwise off the beaten path songs. The true rocking was delivered when the crowd heard the first riff of ‘Plush’ followed immediately by ‘Interstate Love Song,’ both of which STP delivered flawlessly and with fantastic energy.

Frankly a shame it didn’t do better for ticket sales, as if you got over the initial speed bumps, it was a very enjoyable show. Stay Tuned…

Country Comes To Woodstock...

Friday, August 10, Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center was filled with cowboy hats, boots and giant belt buckles as they welcomed to the stage Brad Paisley as a stop on his Virtual Reality World Tour. Opening for Brad was American Idol winner Scotty McCreery and The Band Perry.

The tour has brought great reviews from critics and reviewers across the country. Not just for the music which undoubtedly is fantastic, but for the benefits that have come along with this tour. In every city/town the tour has had on the schedule, they have created a “Virtual Reality Food Bank,” at which Paisley’s tour has collected food and then delivered to local food banks.

The center grounds were filled almost to capacity as the twang of the guitars and banjos flooded the air. Opening the night was Scotty. His adolescence charm won America over last season and Friday night was no different. Singing a few songs off his album, including his breakout single, “I Love You This Big,” Scotty gave a mellow and somewhat dull opening to what seemed like a shorter than usual night.

Following up was The Band Perry, who is still coming into their own. This sibling band put on quite a show, almost redeeming the mellow Scotty opening. They sang all five of their chart making singles from their debut album, all of which included a fantastic fiddle player and a rocking guitarist (even if he did look like a girl).

Finally, the man of the hour took the stage. Brad Paisley. Equipped with lasers and lights Paisley’s band was indeed worth sitting through McCreery’s 14th minute of fame. As in the past, he brought energy and comedy to the stage. The entire amphitheater sang his songs at the top of their lungs making even the parking lot lingerers sing along.

Rocking My Way Down the Thruway

Ladies and Gentlemen, I realize now why my English friends follow bands across the continent... in all fairness it's mostly Bruce Springsteen and Dance Music but I digress...

This month I have sat at the feet of greatness watching not one, not two but three music legends take the stage. It makes me very humble to know the music I love was born out of the roots these and many other greats have planted along the way.
Bethel Woods hosted earlier this month The Beach Boys on their 50th anniversary tour. The venue packed full of baby boomers, hippies from days gone by and surfers who just never missed the tide going back out. Missing Dennis and Carl Wilson who passed away (1983 & 1998 respectively), the remaining members hit the stage with front man Mike Love leading the way.

Banking on their new CD “That’s Why God Made the Radio,” they sang the album’s title song which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Charts, the highest chart placement they’ve seen since 1974. Of course all the usual favorites were heard including “Little Deuce Coupe,” “Surfin’ U.S.A” and “California Girls.”

Making my way up the Thruway, I landed at Times Union Center in Albany to see Aerosmith. This was the must see show of the season so far.

Their Global Warming tour set foot in the state capital along with their opening act, Cheap Trick, who might I add should have been left at home. The crowd seemed far from interested in the openers and far more interested in where Joe Perry and Steven Tyler were. The show went off without a hitch and what a show!

Playing off their new album “Music from Another Dimension!” the new hit single “Legendary Child,” which they originally debuted on the season finale of American Idol, brought everyone to their feet. This makes it their 15th studio album since their debut in 1973. Tyler and Perry rocked the house with their legendary chemistry and drummer Joey Kramer brought it down with a 10 minute drum solo which ended with his using his hands and head.
What a night! What a show! Be sure not to miss them at the IZOD center later this summer on July 24.
Coming back down to Bethel Woods, (after trying to regain my voice, of course, because how can you not scream out the words to “Walk This Way?”), I was enthralled by the one and only Dave Matthews Band. Closing out their tour on the east coast they lit up the venue like an early 4th of July celebration.

Opening for them was Delta Spirit which despite The Rolling Stone’s three star review fell very short of amazing and couldn’t hold a candle to DMB’s sound, despite the fact that Dave himself introduced the band.

It was a night for new music this round as DMB played mostly newer music to their set instead of classic standards. However, we were treated to “Satellite,” always a gem. The only downside to this show was despite Bethel’s always amazing security team, outside contractors which could have only been hired by the artists, flooded the place which was already overflowing with sheriffs and state troopers. Though it didn’t prevent this reporter from being shoved around by some ugly goon in the pit.

Up ahead keep your eyes peeled for amazing shows, new albums and a whirlwind of amazing music for you to rock your face off to this summer. After all, there’s got to be something better than what’s getting pumped out of American Idol… Stay Tuned…

Breaking Records...Social Media Style!!

In the last few weeks some interesting new records have been set for the Guinness Book.

One was for the title “World’s Largest Parade of Boats.” This record was set in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2012, with 670 boats in attendance, during the celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.

Right here in Rockland County, The Franklin Avenue Playground Committee brought in over 1,000 people as they broke the record for “World’s Longest Ice Cream Sundae.” The organization was raising money as an ongoing effort to renovate the playground at the Franklin Avenue Elementary school in Peal River. The delicious looking Sundae was measured at 406 feet and 8 inches long, which is more than two times the record! This mammoth of a sundae was 630 pounds of ice cream, 55 pounds of syrup, 28 pounds of sprinkles and 24 pounds of cherries!

The organization lined rain gutters with tin foil with dry ice every 10 feet to keep it cold. It took all the children in attendance’s patients to wait it out before they could pig out on ice cream! But the cost of $10 a bowl of this creamy goodness, the organization was able to raise $7,500. Not only an amazing record in ice cream, but in good old fashion fund raising!

Nationally, last week, Lucky Diamond, a rescued Maltese dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge after losing her battle with Cancer. She held the record for being the “Dog Snapped with the Most Celebrities”. She was recognized last year after being snapped with over 363 public figures including “Twilight” star Kristen Stewart, Virgin Atlantic Mogul Richard Branson, even Bill Clinton.

With Lucky’s Facebook page attracting thousands and thousands of fans, it encouraged Lucky’s owner Wendy Diamond to apply to Guinness..

According to Guinness’s website, when talking about her record-breaking dog, last year, Wendy said, “I always thought Lucky was sort of the Johnny Carson of canines but I never imagined a Guinness World Record! The record isn’t really about Lucky or even the celebrities, but the inspiring message that people can adopt their own Lucky and one day there won’t be any more homeless pets.”

Which brings me to today; right now there are a number of groups using Facebook to start a record for consideration.

I mean after all, Facebook has to be good for something other than losing money on the stock exchange now. One of the most interesting causes and records I have found is a group which currently is sitting at 1,661 members, who will be trying to set a record for “Most Greeting Cards Sent.”

Currently there is no record for that. What’s the reason for setting this record, you ask? One of the members of the group has an 8-year-old son Monty, who was diagnosed with Infantile Spasms, and who will be undergoing major spinal surgery at the end of the month.

According to the group, his life and the family’s is not an easy one, but full of love, and the one thing Monty loves most of all, is getting mail! So the family in conjunction with what started as a small group decided to send cards, and then they just started growing and cards kept coming.

Last week they received approximately 100 cards. After speaking with them they encouraged anyone to join in the record-making. Greeting cards can be sent to the PO Box they bought just for the record: Monty Chavez c/o Tiffany Chavez P.O. Box 2451, Cedar City, UT 84721.

Maybe with all of this record-breaking going on I should get in on the action myself. I think I’ll send a few cards to Monty along the way, then maybe get a record for most people to read an article… well hey it’s like the lottery, anything can happen! Stay Tuned…

Rock and Roll's Best Honored...

This year HBO aired the induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Thank god it was them and not network television as Billy Joe of Greenday let the F-Bomb slip more times the Keebler has cookies.

This ceremony fell on the heels of inductees “The Beastie Boys” losing a member of their band, Adam “MCA” Yauch to cancer on May 4. Rappers Chuck D and LL Cool J introduced them. LL Cool J said, “The reason I’m here tonight and the reason that this was so important to me is because if it wasn’t for the Beastie Boys, I wouldn’t have my career that I have today. The Beastie Boys actually played my demo tape for Rick Rubin in the NYU dormitory. A lot of people don’t know that.”

Greenday introduced Guns ‘n’ Roses minus lead singer Axl Rose. Earlier last month when the nominations were released, Axl turned down the nomination and invitation to attend with fellow members of GnR. Public issues with Slash, the band’s lead guitarist ultimately what led to this no show on Rose’s part.

Billy Joe of Greenday, made a comment during the introduction, saying “now who am I missing?” The crowd booed him and with next presenter, Chris Rock when he mentioned Axl’s name. In true Hall of Fame fashion, the inducted band played a few songs. Slash set the stage on fire, but you couldn’t help but miss Axl. They had a stand in for his vocals but both “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Paradise City” seemed to fall short. Shame on you, Axl.

Comedian Chris Rock introduced the Red Hot Chili Peppers to close out the evening. Calling them the “quintessential California Band” and compared them to the Mamas and the Papas, and Ice-T. Their touching acceptance speech included bassist Michael “Flea” Balazry chocking up after spotting George Clinton in the audience. Flea thanked him for his influence on his music.

Both Flea and front man Anthony Kiedis dedicated a portion of their speech and their acceptance to guitarist Hillel Slovak who died in 1988 of a heroin overdose. The played “By The Way” and “Give It Away.” Of course both Anthony and Flea went shirtless, as the Chili peppers we wouldn’t have them any other way (despite Flea’s now gray hair).

The Chili Peppers and GnR ended the night with an all out rock session. Slash and Flea on the same stage? Mindblowing! 3 Drum sets, 3 bassists and way too many guitars to count! This night ended with a huge bang. Even Greenday got in on the action! The stage of the Hall hasn’t rocked so hard since they inducted Aerosmith, Queen and Michael Jackson in 2001.

Other nominees for 2012 included Donovan, Laura Nyro, The Small Faces/Faces, Freddie King, Don Kirshner, Cossimo Matassa (engineer), Tom Dowd (engineer), Glyn Johns, The Crickets, The Famous Flames, The Midnighters, The Comets, The Blue Caps and The Miracles. Stay Tuned…

Growing up Potter

Growing up Potter
By: Heather Johnson, Gryffindor House

I didn’t grow up under a stairway or in a small town over the pond. I lived in typical suburbia with average friends who went to an average school. Yet, in 1997 I met a boy named Harry Potter. He was 11 years old, growing up with his terrible Aunt and Uncle after his parents met an untimely death and he had just received an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was at first magical owl bearing these invitations that I fell in love with Harry.

J.K Rowling has penned seven books in the Harry Potter series, each connecting to the other, chronicling the tale of Harry through his years at Hogwarts, and through his epic battle of good vs. evil with his nemesis, Lord Voldemort. With Harry I have met some wonderful people. I’ve laughed with Ron Weasely and his family, learned from Hermione Granger and stood beside Professor Dumbledore as an epic battle raged on. I would stay home, on every release date, from school or work, lock myself in a room and read, cover to cover about Harry’s latest adventure. Though I can recite spells to levitate objects and people, I, and the millions like me, learned about friendship and dedication even when “dark times are upon us”. Though the series is and forever will be only seven books per J.K Rowling, true Potter fans know there are two subsequent “textbooks” as well as an 800 word prequel which was handwritten for charity and can only be found in the back allies of the internet.

In 2001, Harry made his silver screen debut portrayed by a young Daniel Radcliffe. Finally, Harry was given a voice and a face to bring to life the adventures we’d so loved years earlier. It seemed as though each year’s book couldn’t get here fast enough so it could be brought to life thanks to Warner Brothers. The Potterverse was abuzz with delight! We still needed more. Harry Potter was our drug, and we were addicted.

Thanks to Electronic Arts, we joined in on our Playstations, Wii’s and PC’s to help fight off the Deatheaters. We screamed at our televisions while we played Scene It?: Harry Potter and lastly, turned ourselves into building blocks for Lego Harry Potter.

On the dawn of the next to final film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”, we were given the greatest gift…we were able to visit the Potterverse. Unveiled June 18th, 2010 (see previous issues of RCT for my review), Universal Studios: Island of Adventure brought forth their seventh “island”…The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Here you can visit Hogwarts, stroll through Diagon Alley, eat with Hagrid in Hogsmeade and even buy a pint of butterbeer. Life was good. So good in fact, that in March of this year, Warner Bros. announced plans to build a tourist attraction in the UK to showcase the film series. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London will be a behind-the-scenes walking tour featuring authentic sets, costumes and props from the films. The attraction will be located at Leavesden Film Studios, where all eight of the Harry Potter films were made and two new sound stages would be constructed to house and showcase the famous sets.

Finally, on July 15th “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” was released. This spectacular visual finale (in both 2D and 3D) astounded audiences all over the world as we bid adieu to our hero’s and friends. Helena Bonham-Carter’s performance like in every film before this was amazingly evil, even making us wonder if she was worse then Voldemort! The film brought in a whopping $43.6 million dollars upon it’s first night internationally, $150 million of that being just the US and $32 in advanced sales! If you don’t know what that means, I’ll tell you…not only has it put “The Lord of The Rings Trilogy” at the bottom of the barrel where it belonged, but it broke every box office record beyond “Titanic” and “Star Wars”. So far, the entire series has banked upward off $6.37 billion dollars world wide which makes it the most successful film series of all time.

So what does J.K Rowling have up her wand next? Follow the Pottermore.com website to see what’s brewing and maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones to read the unreleased chapters from the series. So farewell Mr. Potter, you’ve been a great friend and we hope to see more of you soon…Stay Tuned.

Step Right Up!

Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages! This past two weeks New York got to experience the wonder that was Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus! Both those who took the trip to the Times Union Center in Albany, and those who stepped out into New York City to Madison Square Garden got to experience childhood once again.

This year marked the 140^th season of the three ring show which was entitled “Barnum 200” which celebrated P.T Barnum’s 200^th birthday, and trust you me, it was a celebration which shouldn't be missed. But no worries folks, if you did miss it, you can catch next week’s show in Trenton, NJ or the following week in Hershey, PA. What better place for a weekend trip then the home of chocolate to visit some of the circus’s biggest stars, like it’s newly born elephant star, Barack who was a mere 250lbs at birth.

However all good things don’t come without protests. Lining the venues sidewalks prior and during the show protestors stood with posters and signs stating abuse for the animals. This has always been a topic of debate, but you can make your own judgments. In my opinion, those animals looked well taken care of…besides, wouldn't the nine tigers in the cage with one guy have made a lil' snack of him if they wanted to?

The circus though, much too popular belief isn’t what it used to be. Sure the elephants and llamas make their appearance, one elephant even paints art! These days, it’s all about the contortionists, trapeze artists and high wire walkers. Though who can forget about the clowns? However, this reporter held her breath as nine motor cycles raced around a steel ball all without hitting each other!

New York and Albany are only two of the 90 cities the tour will hit this year. Upon its completion Feld Entertainment, ran by the show’s producers Nicole and Alana Feld, will donate $10,000 to the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, CT, to honor P.T. Barnum and to provide future generations the opportunity to learn about this amazing showman and his contributions to society.

In conjunction with the 200th anniversary of Barnum’s birth, Ringling Brothers has launched The Barnum Award, which honors the spirit of the founder of “The Greatest Show on Earth” and his inspirational contributions to society by identifying and celebrating children who give back to their own communities in creative, fun and innovative ways. Nominations for the award can be submitted online at www.thebarnumaward.com.

P.T. Barnum will also receive a first of its kind dedicated Star in the plaza of the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 15, 2010, and the city of Los Angeles will issue a proclamation declaring that date as “P.T. Barnum Day”. So save up some cotton candy money, and stay tuned…

Fast Cars, Fails and Ferrell

Well Ladies and Gentlemen; this week has been an interesting one in the world of entertainment. Now that all the press of the royal wedding is over and Will and Kate are on their honeymoon, the world can move on to bigger and better media exposure.

This weekend, the fifth installment of “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, “Fast 5” was released into theatres here in the USA. Topping the box office numbers, for the first time in months, it brought in$83.6 million dollars, $165 million worldwide! This is first for Universal Studios as it buried this weekend’s competition (“Hoodwinked Too!” and “Prom”). Sure, you get to stare at Vin Diesel as the infamous Dominic Toretto and Paul Walker as he reprised his role as Brian O’Conner but now you have the added pleasure of watching Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in addition, all in the same place. Jordana Brewster returned as Mia Toretto, Dom’s sister but we missed seeing our favorite fast driver, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty, who met her demise in the last film. Overall, the best film since the beginning and with a touch of “The Italian Job” this movie is without a doubt, this writer’s favorite of the year…behind “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” that is. However, I don't get to drool over Vin Diesel in that movie, I think I'll buy it the day it comes out to DVD and watch it over and over...some of us will just have to forget that 2Fast 2Furious existed, I mean, a F&F movie with no Vin? Impossible...

Conan O’Brien continued to bring in the late night numbers this month. After a rocky beginning it climbed up almost an entire point to reach David Letterman’s ratings this past week. What was so special you ask? Try some of the guest stars. Will Ferrell voiced his hatred of Conan’s beard and on this past Monday night, armed with “excalibeard” and a handful of 1970’s playboys, Ferrell got Conan into an impromptu barber’s chair and removed the ginger whiskers ever so lovingly from his face. Of course he did a bang up job, reminding us after the next commercial break that Conan has a great professional staff behind the scenes as he showed up clean shaven a minute later.

Lastly, it wasn’t all rainbows and lollypops. Paul Reiser’s new show, “The Paul Reiser Show”, his first after the 1999 ending of “Mad About You”, was cancelled after only two episodes. The show filmed seven, but after the first two episodes aired, NBC decided to pull the plug. The show followed the actor portraying himself on the scripted show. What kind of story line is that? That’s almost as bad as that movie Tim Robbins made in 1992, “The Player”, insider jokes? No thank you Mr. Reiser. Hopefully June comes faster and we can turn our attentions to better things, like the fourth season of “True Blood”…stay tuned…

Stabs, Drunks and Cancellations

Ladies and Gentlemen…This week the entertainment world has been screaming with news! Some good, some bad but all of it evilly delicious. Some of which has got the whole media universe in a whirl. **Caution: Spoiler Alerts**

First and foremost, Friday the 15^th was the release of Wes Craven’s much anticipated Scre4m. Unfortunately it was a box office let down bringing in a disappointing $19.27m which fell about $10m short of their goal. Much more substandard-ness from the franchise was the complete lack of thought that went into this movie. Sure, after waiting 10 years one would think that Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox-Arquette would have given us a scare night to remember. However the film failed to make any memories for this reporter. The big “star” murder, which has become standard in the Scream movies (Drew Barrymore in Scream, Jada Pinkette Smith in Scream2, and even the infamous Liev Schreiber in Scream3) was seriously downplayed, by having Anna Paquin (True Blood) die and not even in the “movie” but in the “STAB6” parody within the film. Seriously a let down. As if that wasn’t enough, where was the motive Mr. Craven? The first three films tied together in motive, it was a family affair with true motive connected to Sydney’s mother. This installment however, fell far from the family tree which couldn’t have been their intention. Sure, it was in the family, Syd’s cousin but for what motive? Fifteen minutes of fame? Lame Mr. Craven…you’re falling into the same trap the “Saw” movies are, pushing too much. Sure the body count was higher, the voiceover still creepy, but really? And did we need to keep postponing the ending? We were promised some surprises and this gave us none. I do have to say however that Hayden Panettiere gave a great performance, and I was saddened with her demise, however it did pay homage to Tadam’s (Rose McGowan) garage door death from the first film.

In other celebrity news, Nicolas Cage was arrested in New Orleans over the weekend for domestic abuse, disturbing the peace and public drunkenness. Of course this was all captured on tape! Apparently he was down in the Big Easy, arguing with his wife Alice Kim over which house was theirs. (Something people always fight about apparently). After stumbling into a tattoo parlor demanding a tattoo with a bottle in his hand, the employees called the cops. This would be the second call of the night, a cab driver who passed Cage arguing with his wife and saw him grab her arm earlier had also informed the authorities after seeing him hit some parked cars. He was released on bond Saturday which was put up by my favorite bail bondsman, Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman. I wonder if we’ll see that on cable.

Lastly, the small screen says goodbye this year to two of our favorite daytime dirty indulgences. ABC has announced the cancellation of both “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.” I guess Susan Lucci will need to find somewhere else not to win Emmy’s. After 41 seasons though, I’m sure she’ll survive. AMC began in 1970, OLTL in 1968, such a long run for two of America’s most loved soap operas. AMC will air its last episode in September and OLTL in January 2012. According to ABC’s press release regarding the matter they claim, “To honor the core, passionate audience and their rich history with our soaps, both shows will conclude in a manner that respects their legacies and the longstanding hopes of many of their viewers.” This makes me wonder if NBC’s town of Salem and “Days of Our Lives” are next on the chopping block. Stay Tuned…

A New Brand of Household Names

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s hard to believe funny men like Jim Carey (who’s now sporting a mohawk by the way) or even odd numbers like Steve Carrell who is this month saying his final goodbye to NBC’s “The Office” can be topped by reputation. These days, one name has graced the big screen, small screen and in some cases, even our radios..Russell Brand.

This week alone, he has starred in two box office smashes. Brand voices an animated bunny in Universal’s “Hop” as well as playing the star in the remake of the 1981 Dudley Moore film, “Arthur”. However, instead of Liza Minnelli this time, we get stars like Jennifer Garner and Helen Mirren sharing the stage with Brand.

You may remember Brand from other films, regardless of your taste of films. Children remember him as Dr.Nefario in “Despicable Me” and Adam Sandler’s crazy friend Mickey in “Bedtime Stories”. While adults will remember his relationship with Kristen Bell in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” as he played the insatiable Aldous Snow, a character which was deemed good enough for his own movie. Brand teams up with chubby funny man Jonah Hill in the film which brought Brand’s vocals to the surface, “Get Him to the Greek.” If you haven’t seen any of these yet, I highly recommend them.

Recently, he graced the small screen in a various number of outlets. First and foremost, he married teen pop queen, Katy Perry after meeting her at MTV’s Video Music Awards in September of 2009. By this time he was cleaning up from his life of drug abuse and blatantly openness of being a sex addict. Katy managed to tame the beast. However, if you tuned in more recently say to Nickelodeon’s Kid Choice Awards this past month, you may have seen him covered in their infamous green slime. Makes me miss “You Can’t Do That On Television.”

Last week alone, he starred as guest “charisma” coach on American Idol. He even penned now infamous in the idol universe, one liner’s such as telling Casey Abrams “I’m very happy you are here. I think you’re a gorgeous hairball of wonder.” He also told them that being a great rock front man comes from well…that special area, just below your gut. He left the idol hopefuls by saying “I think fear comes from them judges judging us, who the hell bloody hell do they think they are?”

So while you’re looking for a movie to see, or even one to download from Netflix, try out one of Brand’s many amusing flicks to idle by your time. You surely won’t be disappointed and then you too will realize you’re quoting his lines and maybe even acting a little more “rockstarish”. Stay Tuned…

Royal Torpedoes

Ladies and Gentlemen the entertainment world has been yanked in various directions these days. Half the world can’t wait to see what will come out of Charlie Sheen’s mouth next and the other half has their eyes glued on England.

Charlie Sheen opened his show “My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is not an Option” in Detroit this past weekend to a rocky start! This tiger blood filled warlock was definitely not winning! Amid all the controversy that has surrounded Sheen’s outlandish lifestyle for the past few months, Sheen has decided to hit the road and take to a one man show. Well, once he took the stage in Detroit it was obvious he had no working script and unlike his last few media appearances, no interviewer. Sheen was booed off stage (much like Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino was earlier this month at Comedy Central’s Roast of Donald Trump)! The audience even walked out on Sheen before the intermission hit, which was accompanied by audience members saying “you suck”. To which Sheen retorted “I already have your money dude!”

He next appeared in Chicago on Sunday night and thankfully someone read the reviews the night before. Sheen was on stage with an interviewer who kept him on track and vowed that the night’s performance “not to become f&*%$ Detroit tonight.” Kudos to the resident warlock who ended his second night with a standing ovation, without much pushback (yet) from any trolls. Though tickets prices seem to be funding Sheen’s lifestyle, going for no less than $90 a seat, you can catch his act at Radio City Music Hall April 10^th or in Atlantic City on the 16^th. I guess Sheen’s “Violent Torpedo of Truth” finally hit its target…WINNING!

As for our favorite young Brits and royalty, the streets and media are filled with rumors, news and updates for the upcoming April 29^th nuptials. For the most part, details of the wedding including the dress Kate Middletown will wear has been kept under wraps. Small details such as what dessert will be served, and who is in the royal wedding party (of course Prince Harry is best man) has been given out as morsels for the media to eat up. In fact, unlike the wedding between Prince William’s parents, Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1981 which was billed as the “wedding of the century”, this wedding has gone hi-tech. In fact, so much so that as I mentioned in earlier articles you can even follow the wedding via iPhone apps!

Stay in touch with all the royal details at http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org, including finding out all about the music being used for the Westminster Abbey. The couple has even set up a charitable donation fund to help us mere mortals celebrate by donating to one of five causes the couple supports. The world will watch that day as the procession route passes royal landmarks starting at Buckingham Palace before ending at the ceremony location for the 11am celebration (that’s 5am EST). You can even view footage of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother’s wedding to King George VI here!

But not all Brits are happy about the nuptials. A lot of residents of the locale are for democracy and not for as they put it “inherited privilege.” A group called “The Democracy” (www.republic.co.uk) who are holding a street party with food and entertainment will be out more or less “campaigning” against the monarchy on that day. Though residents all over the nation will be joining in as they are more or less sick of hearing about the couple’s wedding. If you plan on traveling to see London that day, admission is free! Be sure to add their collectable “I’m Not A Royal Wedding Mug” to your collection of royal souvenirs which thus far have included everything from plates, stamps and even airsick bags with the couples coat of arms and portraits emblazoned on them….Stay Tuned!

Spring Fever Remedies

Antidotes for Spring Fever

Ladies and Gentlemen…Spring is officially here, and while I’ve been keeping my eye on the Charlie Sheen fiasco, not to mention the tragedy the world is going through with Japan I think it’s time for some happier thoughts. I’ve found the top five ways to keep your mind off your oncoming spring fever and draw your attention to the following:

5. While social media sites are the newest craze, I’ve found some throw back entertainment embedded within their virtual walls. For the past three decades, the world has been chasing two elusive characters that always seem impossible to find. Carmen San Diego and Waldo! Yes that’s right I went old school. Why not try your hand at The Learning Company’s Facebook version of Carmen San Diego? Or if you’d like something with less of a learning curve, Classic Media has released three variations on the Where’s Waldo series. Now available for iPhone, PC and Nintendo Wii console you can chase the elusive man in red stripes across scenes you may remember from yesteryear. Don’t forget to look for Wanda, Woof and Odlaw too!

4. Rolling Stones Magazine released the 20 Most Annoying Songs as voted on by the readers. Despite my disagreement with more than half the list, take a nostalgia trip into the 90’s and head over to iTunes and download a few. Personally where they have listed songs such as Aqua’s “Barbie Girl”, Chumbawumba’s “Tub Thumping” and Lou Bega’s “Mambo No.5”, I can’t help but wonder exactly where is Madonna’s “Music” or Hanson’s “MmmBopp”? I guess Bieber has not yet made the top annoying list yet…

3. Got Royal Wedding Fever? BBCAmerica.com has been keeping a blog so mere mortals like you and I can follow along with the insanity and constant additions to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal wedding extravaganza. In fact, the latest news is BBC is launching “Weakest Link: Royal Wedding Edition” as a new app for iPhone which will hit the iTunes store on March 22. The game features 10,000 trivia questions and over 1,000 devoted just to William and Kate’s nuptials. Stay up to date at http://blogs.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/category/royal-wedding/ and even watch Michael Flatley send his well wishes to the couple.

2. Find a good book, well… I have found some great spring reading. Check out Kyla Duffy and Lowrey Mumford's series "Lost Souls: Found, Inspiring stories... “I have read the Pug, Dachshund and Cat volumes and after crying my eyes out about some of these animals I finished the books with a smile on my face. Published by Happy Tails Books, these are not to be missed. Not to mention money made off the sales of these books goes to helping out our furry and feathered friends. Check it out at http://www.happytailsbooks.com because every animal deserves a happily ever after, even if it’s a short period of time. The authors are wonderful ladies and have poured their hearts into collecting these touching and tearful stories. A good read for anyone who loves or ever loved an animal!

1. Of course, to top my list off, I couldn't neglect the sports fans! Catch baseball fever! Opening day for the regular season is March 31st and the stars will be out that night! Hometown Yankee’s will host the Detroit Tigers at 1:05pm. On the West Coast, watch as the Los Angeles Dodgers host World Series Champion’s the San Francisco Giants starting at 8:00pm. Both games are not to be missed. Then of course, by that time, we’ll be keeping our eye on the NHL, as the New York Rangers are on a four game winning streak, maybe we’ll see some play-off time this year and at least get to take a peek at the Stanley Cup, hey if I bleed “Ranger Blue” I can dream can’t I?

***P.S*** If you noticed, I mentioned once again the same books as my last post, they were amazing! So instead of criticism, pick one up!

Idol Loses One...and other Heart Felt Things

Ok well, Idol loses Ashton tonight which eh, is ok in my book. I would say that the wild card not being used was good in theory but wasn't it the wild card that got her there in the first place? Will Idol never learn from past mistakes, they always end up using the save and then they get voted off the next week, may have well gotten it done and over with to begin with.

However, I do need to apologize to my readers who may have noticed I was absent from this week's paper. I needed a break after Oscars to regroup, not to mention the tiresome ordeal of keeping up with Charlie Sheen, I mean the minute I would send something to print for them it would already be yesterday or even last week's news because let's face it, Mr. Sheen, while you make good entertainment, you make it very difficult for us without Tiger Blood and in Los Angeles to follow you closely. While I'm at it...Kudos to you Jon Cryer for coming onto Conan tonight and meeting face to face with the troll comment Charlie Sheen threw your way. I do think you would make a great troll for my pencil eraser.

On an off note I have found some great summer reading. Check out Kyla

Duffy and Lowrey Mumford's series "Lost Souls:

Found, Inspiring stories... " I have read the Pug, Dachshund and Cat volumes

and after crying my eyes out about some of these animals I finished the

books with a smile on my face. Publis

hed by Happy Tails Books, these are not to be missed. Not to mention money

made off the sales of these books goes to helping out our furry and feathered friends. Please check it out at http://www.happytailsbooks.com because every animal deserves a happily ever after, even if its a short period of

time. The authors are wonderful ladies and have poured

their hearts into collecting these touching and tearful stories. A good summer read for anyone who loves or ever loved an animal!

American Idol - Top 12 Boys

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, it's that time of American Idol again where America gets to vote. This year Idol producers came to the ingenious idea that America could vote online, which is good since they have changed the open phone lines from 4 to 2 hour duration.

Overall the night had it's up and downs, however I don't think this year will go to the rockers as it has for the past two seasons. Casey Abrams (Seth Rogan's doppleganger) ended the night rocking out to "I put a spell on you" which wowed the judges, but James Durban let down the rock gods, despite the judges review when he screamed out a Judas Priest song ala Adam Lambert. Sorry dude, just because it worked for him, doesn't mean it works for you.

Crooner Paul McDonald and Aladdin look alike Robbie Rosen sang sweetly and gave the audience a reason to vote for them as they wooed the girls in the audience, but no one did it better than Scotty McCreery. His deep country drawl drew in the audience both in the room and in living rooms around the country. No doubt he'll be staying for a few rounds.

That leaves the rest, Clint Jun Gamboa who's performance was all but mediocre despite what judges though. Go back to Karaoke bars dude. Brett Lowenstern gave a memorable performance however I could have done without the 14 count them, 14 hair shakes he included. Jacob Lusk surprised the audiences by not screaming with that big mouth of his, and Jordan Dorsey gave a similar but ok run. Jovany Barretto and Stephano Langone showed they were more than a pretty body when they crooned out pleasing notes, but I don't expect them to be consistent. That left Tim Halperin who typically is behind a piano, took a risk by singing a fast paced song and didn't quite hit the notes.

Dialidol.com has predicted that Clint Jun Gamboa will be the first out, and putting Scotty McCreery in the first place spot. They have been right on the money every year, lets see if that holds up again with the addition of online voting. Stay tuned tonight for the top 12 girls to take the stage... though personally I rarely vote for the girls, most of them act beyond snotty, and I'm already getting that from Pia Toscano which is a shame because she has a nice voice. Last year front runner Crystal Bowersox (Mama Sox) had my vote, but alas, the male vote won out...but then again it's lil girls doing most of the voting, who else would keep someone like Sanjya in the running!?

Oscar Night!

Sleeping through the Oscars: Has the Academy gone crazy?

By: Heather Johnson

Sunday, February 27^th the 83^rd Academy Awards aired on ABC giving us an up-close and personal seat on the red carpet for the Super Bowl of Hollywood awards! However, I think I saw it better in my sleep than I did on TV.

This year the hosts for the night of festivities were Anne Hathaway and James Franco. Now, anyone who watched could tell that Hathaway worked her butt off and did her best to as they said “bring in a younger demographic.” Franco on the other hand, his performance was almost as bad as the 1995 Letterman/Host episode, in fact I may have even rather listened to Roseanne sing the Star Spangled Banner again! It was as if he had better things to do than host, and added no input to Hathaway’s struggling one-liners. By far the most boring moments of the night. Sure, their entrance ran on line with past montages. They inserted themselves into the night’s nominations for Best Picture, and even had a lil help from last year host Alec Baldwin, and the great Morgan Freeman but they seemed to be the best part, though personally, using Back To The Future was very ingenious, especially after the leak of them doing Grease which appeared last week on the internet.

Thankfully we got a break from this half way through as Billy Crystal was introduced to a standing ovation as he took us on a look back at the first ever televised Academy Awards show. Making note that the host of that night, Bob Hope, had hosted 18 times in his life, whereas Crystal holds a booming 8 honorable nights. Though it was rather awkward they projected a Bob Hope hologram and had voiceover actors act on behalf of him and introduce Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

The night had aspirations at the beginning; the first host of the night was Tom Hanks, who gave out the award for Best Art Direction (Alice in Wonderland) and Best Cinematography (Inception- their first win of the night). The next presenter got nothing short of yet another standing ovation as Kirk Douglas, who was almost still incoherent from his stroke a few years back, presented the award for Best Supporting Actress. He did however provide a great few moments of comedy, keeping the ladies on their seats with suspense as to who won the award. In the end Melissa Leo won for her role in The Fighter, which proved to have gotten into her head as she became the first person of the night to drop the F-Bomb. It was ok though, because it became one of the only running jokes of the entire evening. Though, I do have to say, she looked like a disco doily, what was she thinking with that lace dress and who starched her collar?

A little mystery came next as Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis presented Best Animated Feature (Toy Story 3) and Best Animated Short (The Lost Thing) but kept making reference to the movie Exit Through The Gift Shop’s elusive director, Banksey. According to The Hollywood Reporter he had many attendees guessing whether he was going to the show in disguise. Mr. Brainwash, aka Thierry Guetta (star of Exit) told THR on the red carpet that “He’s here, but you’ll never know.” Wonder if anyone figured out that it was Timberlake or if it was just me?

Keeping the night going awards for Best Adapted Screenplay (The Social Network) and best Original Screenplay (The King’s Speech) brought around no surprise as these winners were favorites to win this year. Though it seemed as if the awards hit a lull, Hathaway showed up on stage in a tuxedo and sang her version of Les Miserable “On My Own”, which was an ode to Hugh Jackman whom she says “bailed out on their duet at the last minute.” By far one of her most humorous moments of the night. Though why Franco felt he needed to come out in a hot pink strapless dress and make a Charlie Sheen joke was beyond me and the critics. Franco, go get changed, you’re not funny enough to pull off drag. Though this was not the end of embarrassing moments for the show, the announcer audibly stumbled on Reese Witherspoon’s name, which presented the award for Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale-The Fighter). Though Witherspoon, despite the stumble on her name, was simply beautiful!

Best Original Score was presented to The Social Network to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. How surprised was I to find Reznor in a suit, clean cut, and short haired?! He shed his “Nine Inch Nails” to accept his Oscar. Inception swept the next two awards for Sound Mixing and Sound Editing, which of course is always the biggest lull in the show. Hoping the Makeup category would spice things up along with the costume portion, I was highly disappointed to find that Cate Blanchett, who herself looked like something out of a horror movie (what was she thinking with that purple and yellow shower curtain), was presenting these awards. The Wolfman won for makeup (not after Blanchett made a comment that it was disgusting) and Alice in Wonderland beat out the King’s Speech and True Grit for costumes. Guess there was one advantage to having Helena Bowman Carter’s head that big.

We were treated to live performances for Best Original Song, though presented by two separate people, Kevin Spacey for the first two and Jennifer Hudson for the remainder. And how awkward was it that Hudson called Gwyneth Paltrow country music’s next big star? I doubt the country genre will be holding a spot in the Grand Ole Opry for her just yet. The incoherent performance by Randy Newman for “We Belong Together” from Toy Story 3 won the category, though he did keep a light note about him joking in his speech by saying “I'm very grateful for this and surprised. My percentages aren't great. I've been nominated 20 times and this is the 2nd time I won. At the Academy, at the lunch they have for the nominees, where they have like a Randy Newman chicken by this time.” That makes him the Susan Lucci of Oscar music.

As the night continued to drag on the awards for Best Visual Effects (Inception) and Best Film Editing (Social Network) were given out only prolonging the wait till the real awards of the night. However, we were treated at this time to the “Memoriam” section of the night, which shunned some actors and highlighted a mere 24 people instead of last year’s 36. Celine Dion came on stage and performed the song “Smile” beautifully as we watched the slide show. Stars such as Tony Curtis, Gloria Stewart (the old lady from Titanic), Leslie Nielson, Lynn Redgrave, Dennis Hopper and Lena Horn were honored. This included a dedication by Halle Berry to Lena Horn who was the first African-American woman to sign a long term contract with any studio. However, where was Corey Haim? Overlooked by the Academy that’s where, even in death.

The biggest awards are always Director, Actor/Actress and of course, Best Picture. So as the wait went on, Best Director was given to Tom Hooper for the King’s Speech, no surprise there. However, he was nice enough to mention his newly founded “bromance” in his acceptance speech, “Thank you to my wonderful actors. The triangle of man love which is Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and me.” Truly a nice way to lighten up the dull mood.

Best Actress was presented by last year’s winner and nominee again this year, Jeff Bridges. Though all the ladies nominated were well worth the award, Natalie Portman won for her role in Black Swan. Sandra Bullock presented the flipside for Best Actor, which regretfully skipped Bridges this year and was awarded to Colin Firth for his amazing role in The King’s Speech. Franco, who was nominated for 127 Hours, looked as if he was going to cry backstage, maybe that’s why he skipped the Hollywood after parties!

So who took home the whole shebang? Best Picture was of course given it’s ten nominations: Black Swan, Inception, Toy Story 3, The King’s Speech, The Fighter, The Social Network, True Grit, The Kids are All Right, 127 Hours and Winters Bone were all up for the award. Alas, the Kings Speech won making it the fourth Oscar win of the night, out of its twelve nominations. Inception brought home three for the night and the Social Network four, making it a night of no mouth gasping upsets.

So what do we do to close out the awards this year? We bring in PS 22 from Staten Island to sing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” with all the winners. Eh, I could have done without this. Overall I roll in my red carpet, thank Ryan Seacrest for the fantastic carpet interviews, and hope to the movie gods that next year’s hosts and awards will be far more appealing then this round. Stay Tuned…