Kanye West documentary-maker 'disappointed' by Netflix editing row

The director of Netflix's new Kanye West documentary was left disappointed -- though not surprised -- by the controversial rapper's last-minute demand to recut a movie decades in the making, he told AFP.

Clarence "Coodie" Simmons started following his friend West with a camera in 2001, curious to see how far the ambitious young music producer from Chicago could go, and eventually amassed 320 hours of behind-the-scenes footage of his journey to international stardom.

The first part of seven-hour movie "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy" will be released by Netflix on Wednesday, but the famously perfectionist West last month took to Instagram demanding "final edit and approval" on the project, in order to "be in charge of my own image."

"I told Kanye he had to have 100 percent trust in this film ... he said he trusted," said Simmons. 

"So when I seen that Instagram, I was a bit disappointed."

As recently as last week, West -- now known as Ye -- continued to issue demands, such as having fellow rap superstar Drake take over the narration. 

Ironically, Simmons had gone to significant lengths to ensure West was happy, scrapping plans to first release the footage back in 2005 because West "said he wasn't ready for the world to see the real him."

The pair later grew apart and Simmons had little access to West for the next decade or so.

But in a seeming reconciliation, West showed up at a Hollywood screening of the documentary Friday, hugging Simmons and telling the audience that "people try to cancel us and we all run away from each other and scatter or we be not talking to each other, not communicating."

'Put the camera down'

The documentary touches on West's mental health issues, including a bi-polar disorder, which led to him being hospitalized in 2016 and came under renewed spotlight during his bizarre run for the US presidency in 2020.

Filming a meeting two years ago in which West ranted to real estate investors that he had taken bi-polar medication to "have a normal conversation and turn alien into English," Simmons felt concerned enough by his friend and subject's behavior to turn off the camera.

"It was my first time ever capturing Kanye in that light," Simmons, a former comedian and television host, said.

"I just felt like I had to put the camera down so I could listen and be there for him as a brother and not as a director, so that's the reason I put it down.

"It happened a couple other times where I'm like, 'Okay, let me pay attention.'"

At Friday's screening, West said he had made "what y'all might think are mistakes in public" to show the world that limits imposed on Black people are "just a smokescreen."

"We on labels we don't own, play for basketball teams we don't own. The time is now," he said.

'Carefree' Kanye

The controversy surrounding West's demands for creative control over "jeen-yuhs" has undoubtedly drawn more publicity to the documentary.

But Simmons and co-director Chike Ozah hope that showing West's more vulnerable and sometimes embarrassing moments during his rise to greatness will help the world reassess a figure known for frequent arrogant and egocentric outbursts.

For instance, Ozah highlights an early scene at diner chain Denny's, where West is celebrating the removal of wires from his jaw following a serious car crash.

"He's only been taking liquid foods so he's dropped some considerable amounts of weight, he's got a little six pack," recalled Ozah.

"It's a moment you share with Kanye, where he even takes the camera from Coodie and starts filming Coodie, and he just seems so carefree and so happy.

"That's a moment that you just cherish, to see him in that space."

So, after all these years, is West now ready for the world to see the real him?

"It's not really about him being ready ... I would hope that he will see this film," said Simmons.

"The world needs to see this," he added. "It's not about me and Kanye."

Agence France-Presse

'Nevermind' baby sues Nirvana again

The man depicted as a naked baby on Nirvana's 1991 album "Nevermind" has revived his lawsuit accusing the band of sexually exploiting him, after a US judge dismissed an earlier version of the case.

Spencer Elden, the plaintiff, maintained in an amended complaint filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles that the "lascivious nature of his image" amounted to "child pornography" that helped the band reap tens of millions of dollars at his expense.

Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic; Courtney Love, the widow of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain; several record labels, and photographer Kirk Weddle are among the 10 defendants. Elden is seeking at least $150,000 from each.

Lawyers for the defendants did not immediately respond on Thursday to requests for comment.

The "Nevermind" cover art depicted Elden, then four months old, swimming naked toward a dollar bill pierced with a fish hook, an image Elden has said caused him "lifelong damages."

Elden filed his amended complaint nine days after US District Judge Fernando Olguin dismissed an earlier version because Elden had not responded to the defendants' dismissal motion.

The latest complaint includes a declaration from art director Robert Fisher, describing a stock photo he used for a mockup for the "Nevermind" cover that depicted a different baby and did not show his penis.

Elden said the band decided to create its own photo to save money, with Cobain sardonically suggesting that the cover include a warning sticker saying: "If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile."

Fisher was dismissed as a defendant last month.

Elden's lawsuit no longer accuses Nirvana of violating a 2003 federal law against child sex trafficking, after the defendants said that law could not be applied retroactively.

"Nevermind" features Nirvana's signature song "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and its worldwide sales exceed 30 million. Grohl now leads the band Foo Fighters. Cobain died in 1994.

Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot

-reuters

Peter Jackson sells Weta Digital special effects firm in $1.6-B 'metaverse' deal

WELLINGTON - New Zealand film director Peter Jackson on Wednesday announced the sale of his Oscar-winning Weta Digital special effects business to a US software firm intent on using it to develop the virtual-reality "metaverse".

San Francisco-based Unity Software said the US$1.6 billion acquisition would "shape the future of the metaverse", an immersive 3D version of the internet tipped to transform workplaces and online interactions.

The firm said Weta's technology -- used in blockbusters such as "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "Avatar" -- would allow its subscribers to create their own ultra-realistic corner of a virtual world.

"We are thrilled to democratize these industry-leading tools and bring the genius of Sir Peter Jackson and Weta's amazing engineering talent to life for artists everywhere," Unity president John Riccitiello said in a statement.

Under the deal, Unity takes over Wellington-based Weta Digital's technology and engineering assets while Jackson retains majority ownership of a standalone film effects company called WetaFX.

Jackson said the opportunity to use Weta's ground-breaking programs was a "game-changer" for those working in creative industries.

"Together, Unity and Weta Digital can create a pathway for any artist, from any industry, to be able to leverage these incredibly creative and powerful tools," he said.

The metaverse is expected to develop into an online platform that makes virtual experiences -- such as chatting with a friend or attending a concert -- feel face-to-face.

It grabbed headlines last month when Facebook changed its parent company name to "Meta" to reflect founder Mark Zuckerberg's commitment to the concept.

Zuckerberg's firm has announced plans to hire 10,000 people in the European Union to build the metaverse, but other tech players are also scrambling to stake a claim in the online world.

The technology might, for example, allow someone to don virtual reality glasses that make it feel as if they're face-to-face with a friend -- when in fact they are thousands of miles apart and connected via the internet. 

"The metaverse has the potential to help unlock access to new creative, social, and economic opportunities. And Europeans will be shaping it right from the start," Facebook said in a blog post. 

Zuckerberg predicted in July that Facebook will transition from "primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company" over the next five years.

Facebook bought Oculus, a company that makes virtual reality headsets, for $2 billion in 2014 and has since been developing Horizon, a digital world where people can interact using VR technology. 

Agence France-Presse

Kurt Cobain’s ‘Unplugged’ guitar sells for record $6 million at auction

The guitar that grunge rock icon Kurt Cobain played during his legendary 1993 MTV Unplugged performance sold Saturday for a record $6 million (over P300 million), the auction house said.

The retro acoustic-electric 1959 Martin D-18E that Cobain strummed for Nirvana’s career-defining performance in New York, just five months before he took his own life at age 27, sold after a bidding war to Peter Freedman, founder of RODE Microphones, Julien’s Auctions said.



At $6.01 million after fees and commission, the instrument was the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction, among other records. The starting estimate was $1 million (over P50 million).

Freedman said he plans to display the guitar in a worldwide tour, with proceeds going to benefit performing arts.

“When I heard that this iconic guitar was up for auction, I immediately knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure it and use it as a vehicle to spotlight the struggles that those in the performing arts are facing and have always faced,” the Australian was quoted as saying by Julien’s Auctions.

The guitar was sold with its case, which Cobain had decorated with a flyer from punk rock band Poison Idea’s 1990 album “Feel the Darkness”.


Until now, the most expensive guitar in history was a Fender Stratocaster, dubbed “Black Strat”, used by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. It had been sold by the musician for nearly $4 million (over P200 million) during a charity sale in June 2019.

Nirvana’s acoustic performance during the taping for the popular MTV Unplugged series on November 18, 1993 became what is considered one of history’s greatest live albums.

It included renditions of Nirvana’s hits “About A Girl” and “Come As You Are”, along with covers which include David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World”.





 In October 2019, Cobain’s cigarette-singed cardigan worn during the “Unplugged” performance sold for $334,000 (about P16.7 million).

Agence France-Presse

Lebron James, Spotify, HBO among 2020 Webby Award winners

Jimmy Fallon, Spotify and HBO are among the 2020 Webby Award winners for internet excellence.

The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences announced the winners Tuesday.

Fallon’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” won a Webby for best social media for promoting a celebrity, while James was honored for his ESPN’s “Welcome to Bron Bron Land,” which took home the best user interface award.

This year’s Webby From Home is dedicated to honoring individuals and organizations who are using the internet in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kristen Bell won for helping children understand the pandemic, while DJ D-Nice won artist of the year for his #ClubQuarantine sets on Instagram Live. Avi Schiffmann, a 17-year-old from Washington state, was honored for launching an early COVID-19 tracking database and site. John Krasinksi was also honored for his “Some Good News” show, which was created to uplift spirits after the pandemic.

Google and National Geographic won the most awards with 14 each. NASA came away with the best overall social presence.

Lil Nas X’s “Panini” won a Webby for people’s voice award for best art direction. Spotify scored an award for best use of online media, while HBO claimed best branded editorial experience.

Tom Hanks’ “#NiceTweets with Tom Hanks” won a people’s voice award for arts and entertainment.

Patton Oswalt will host the 24th annual Webby Awards’ beginning at 3 p.m. EDT.

___

This story has been corrected to show Fallon’s win was for social, not website, and that the celebration is called Webby from Home, not Webby Home Internet Celebration.

Associated Press

Coronavirus interrupts world’s longest-running cartoon

Production of the world’s longest-running cartoon and a mainstay of the Japanese weekend has been interrupted by the coronavirus, forcing the broadcast of re-runs for the first time in decades.

“Sazae-san”, which first aired in 1969, revolves around the life of Mrs. Sazae, a cheerful but klutzy full-time housewife who lives with her parents, husband, son, brother and sister.


The 30-minute episodes aired Sunday nights are very popular, and for many in Japan have come to denote the end of the weekend.

But the cartoon, recognized as the longest-running animated TV series by Guinness World Records, has been hampered by the outbreak of the virus, with animation dubbing halted to keep staff safe, broadcaster Fuji Television Network said.

“We will halt broadcast of new episodes of ‘Sazae-san’ for the time being from May 17 and instead air re-runs,” it announced on Sunday.

The network said upcoming broadcasts would be episodes from two years ago, adding it would announce a date for the resumption of new episodes as soon as possible.


It is the first time the network has been forced to air re-runs since 1975, when the economic effects of an earlier oil crisis lingered.

Japan has seen a comparatively small coronavirus outbreak with nearly 15,800 infections and 621 deaths.

The country is under a state of emergency that was extended last week until the end of May, though the government is considering lifting the measures early in parts of the country.

Agence France-Presse

Original artwork for Led Zeppelin’s first LP to hit auction block

The Led Zeppelin album cover will be on offer as part of Christie’s “The Open Book: Fine Travel, Americana, Literature and History in Print and Manuscript sale,” which will take place online from June 2 through 18.

The cover art for Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album features a black-and-white photograph of the burning Hindenburg airship, which was photographed by Sam Shere in May 1937.

The artwork was created by British graphic designer and illustrator George Hardie in 1969, when he was still a graduate student at the Royal College of Art.

After rejecting his initial ideas, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page suggested that Hardie adapt Shere’s photograph of the Hindenburg disaster.

Hardie created the cover illustration for “Led Zeppelin” by rendering the photograph in ink using a rapidograph pen to avoid potential copyright issues, with the band paying him $60 (P3,000) for the work.

“The idea of it was to use the impact of this but use it in a graphic interpretation. The fact is that it was the right thing to do because it’s really an iconic image plus it’s Led Zeppelin’s first album so it’s really good to go in there, not quite like a lead balloon, but like a streaming rocket… It’s a dramatic incident, it’s a dramatic album, it’s a dramatic statement,” Page said of the album cover to Time magazine in 2016.


Hardie later designed album covers for rock musicians and bands like Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Wings and numerous others, many in collaboration with British art design group Hipgnosis.

The original illustration for “Led Zeppelin,” once listed among Time‘s 100 most influential images of all time, will now go under the hammer at Christie’s with an estimate between $20,000 and $30,000 (P1 million to P1.5 million).

“The historical significance of this album cover cannot be understated. It marked a major turning point in the history of pop music, heralded by the debut of Led Zeppelin… And the image has endured in a way that most other album covers have not; it very much has taken on a life of its own,” Peter Klarnet, senior specialist, books & manuscripts for Christie’s, said in a statement.

Aside from the cover illustration of Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut, Christie’s will also auction the first dated printing of “The Star-Spangled Banner”.

This newspaper printing of what would become the national anthem was published in the Baltimore Patriot and Evening Advertiser on September 20, 1814, under its original title, “The Defence of Fort M’Henry”.


This rare printing includes all four original verses of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, which were completed by Francis Scott Key only three days before being printed in the Baltimore Patriot and Evening Advertiser.

The issue is estimated to sell for between $300,000 and $500,000 (P15 million to P25 million), with proceeds from the sale going to the American Antiquarian Society to benefit their collections acquisitions fund.

AFP Relaxnews

WATCH: Clip of David Bowie in ‘Stardust’ falls to earth on YouTube

Some four years after his death, a previously unreleased clip by Bowie, “Repetition ’97”, recently fell to earth on YouTube.

At a time when the Tribeca Film Festival has just announced the debut of select 2020 Festival programming online, David Bowie fans were delighted to discover a short extract from “Stardust”.



Written and directed by British filmmaker Gabriel Range, the film takes us on a road trip with the young Bowie in 1971. Then aged 24, the singer is just about to embark on a transformation that turned him into Ziggy Stardust, his first and most famous alter ego which immediately made him a pop icon.

The short sequence centers on a scene in which David Bowie, whose real name was David Robert Jones, discusses his prospects in the United States with Ron Oberman, a publicist for Mercury Records.

When Bowie raises the issue of Mercury’s doubts about his album “The Man Who Sold the World” and his United States tour, Oberman insists that he has none whatsoever.

AFP Relaxnews

The Beatles’ legend lives on, 50 years after breakup

When The Beatles went their separate ways in the early 1970s, few thought that half a century later the pioneering band would still influence pop music culture.

But, with Friday marking 50 years since their unofficial breakup, the so-called “Fab Four” are still popular and present, in spirit if not in the flesh.

“The Beatles were said to have been the 20th century’s greatest romance, but no one then could have foreseen that such an already phenomenal accomplishment would extend into the next century,” band historian Mark Lewisohn told Agence France-Presse.

“Fifty years now after breaking up, The Beatles remain an artistic ultimate, leading creative people everywhere to the limitless playing field, open to all,” said the ardent author of “Tune in,” the first installment in a trilogy, “The Beatles: All These Years.”

Flashback to April 10, 1970, release of an interview with Paul McCartney, in which he suggested The Beatles were done making records together, and the band’s legacy seemed far less certain.

Given shortly before the release of his first solo album, McCartney stopped short of announcing the formal breakup of the band in the brief and ambiguous Q&A.

But asked if he foresaw a time when his prolific songwriting partnership with fellow Beatle John Lennon would restart, his blunt reply—”no”—spoke for itself.

“McCartney Breaks Off With Beatles,” The New York Times headlined.

A British High Court case later that year to dissolve the business partnership made it official.

‘Indestructible’

The band’s acrimonious split left fans inconsolable, recalled Philip Norman, who has written several books on The Beatles, including the official 2016 Paul McCartney biography.


“A whole generation had grown up with The Beatles… they had a Beatles album for every important stage in their life,” he said.

“A lot of people thought it’s just dreadful… it’s just a bleak future without them. It truly did feel that way.”

But the band’s bountiful catalogue has aged well.

They remain the best-selling music artists of all time, with enduring hits from “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Hey Jude” to “Yesterday” and “Let It Be” familiar to at least four generations of fans.

“They’re not over,” Norman told AFP. “They’re still everywhere. They’re still in our language. They’re in our headlines… quoted all the time, their music is still played.

“The charm is just indestructible.”

‘No off-switch’

After busting out of Liverpool, England, in 1960, The Beatles—Lennon, McCartney, drummer Ringo Starr and lead guitarist George Harrison—became a social phenomenon.

But by the late ’60s, with the band “more popular than Jesus”—as the late Lennon once quipped—so-called Beatlemania was taking its toll.

He confessed in a recently discovered interview that the 1965 song “Help!” was a cry for exactly that.


“It was real. I was singing ‘Help!’ and I meant it,” he said. “There is no off-switch. You are on 24 hours a day… everyone wants a bit of you.”

Meanwhile, relations within the band, especially between Lennon and McCartney, had frayed.

By the time of McCartney’s announcement, they had not played live in four years. Starr and Harrison had solo records as well, while Lennon and his Japanese artist wife, Yoko Ono, had formed the Plastic Ono Band.

McCartney formed Wings, which included his wife, Linda, in late 1971 and despite initial criticism, it eventually prospered.

He, Harrison and Starr had fruitful solo and collaborative careers, while Lennon and Ono increasingly devoted their attention to pacifist activism.

‘Giant talents’

The Beatles almost got back together in the mid-1970s, but issues involving rights could not be resolved, according to Norman.

Then, in 1980, Lennon was shot dead in New York by Mark David Chapman, believed to suffer from mental illness.

McCartney said in 2016 that he had fortunately patched things up with his former bandmate before tragedy struck.

In 1982 he wrote “Here Today,” and later explained it was his way of saying “I love you” to Lennon. 


The pair’s relationship had been The Beatles’ main creative force.

“Lennon and McCartney were giant talents and produce an absolutely magical product together,” said Norman.

“Very different individuals but (they) just combined perfectly like virgin olive oil and vinegar—the perfect dressing.”

For Lewisohn, The Beatles continue to shine in today’s more manufactured pop music climate.

“There’s a universe of difference between shallow celebrity… and the true artistry with which The Beatles and other creative talents nourish the soul and inspire joy,” he declared. CL /ra

Agence France-Presse

Why hunks Tony and Marco don’t get turned on while doing love scenes

While their previous works can give people the impression that they’re already used to baring skin in front of the cameras, Marco Gumabao and Tony Labrusca insisted that it’s something that no one could ever get used to.

And the upcoming sexy drama flick “Hindi Tayo Pwede”—which had the two men doing steamy scenes with leading lady Lovi Poe—is no different. “It may seem like we’re comfortable doing those types of scenes, but the truth is, no—definitely not. We always get scared at first. There’s always hiya and awkwardness once you’re on the spot, and especially when you’re working with an actress you haven’t worked with in the past,” Marco told reporters at a press conference for the said film, which opens on March 4.



Marco, whose last film was another sexy drama—“Just a Stranger” with Anne Curtis—said being intimate with someone on-screen takes a lot of preparation. “For instance, I was informed that I was doing a love scene with Lovi on such a short notice … just the night before the shoot. That got me nervous because I wasn’t ready, physi­cally, at least. And you can’t help but worry about these things when you have to show off your body,” the 25-year-old actor pointed out. Thankfully, the process is much easier when working with a proficient actress like Lovi. “After the first take, the awkwardness starts to go away. And once you ­realize that you’re doing this for the movie, that’s when it all flows,” he said.

But even then, the two actors maintained that you can’t really get turned on while working. “We’re in a professional setting. What people forget is that when we do those scenes, there are a lot of people around us,” said Tony, whose passionate kissing scene with Angel Aquino in the film “Glorious” made headlines not too long ago. “You have the cameras, the lights, the director.”

“I know that when you see the end result, it’s like magic, there’s spark. But there’s a lot of hard work in it,” stressed the 24-year-old actor.

In “Hindi Tayo Pwede,” Tony plays Gab, who dies in a freak car accident days before his wedding with Gabby (Lovi). In her time of grief, Gabby gets comforted by Gab’s best friend, Dennis (Marco), who, apparently, has been secretly in love with her. Eventually, they get intimate. But as it all happens, Gabby still gets to communicate and make love with Gab via supernatural twist.

While the film’s trailer does highlight the steamy bits, “it’s not all there is to it.”

“We’re not selling it as a movie of love scenes. It really is mostly about relationships—there are confrontations, dramatic moments, too. It’s a love story among three people and each of them has his or her own burden to carry. I hope people get to see that,” Marco said. “When you love someone you express it by making love. It’s normal, that’s included in the film. But it’s really about how love transcends death. It’s a beautiful story,” added Tony, who was thrilled to be paired with Lovi for his first big screen project with Viva.

“I didn’t expect that I would be paired with her. And I’m really happy about that because Lovi is already an established actor who has proven herself in the industry. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with her.”

How do they relate to their characters? Tony said he would have probably made the same decisions as Gab. “Imagine being so in love with someone—your one true love—and you die. If you’re allowed to come back and love that person again, wouldn’t you take that chance?” Meanwhile, Marco, like Dennis, has had the experience of falling for someone who’s in love with another person. “You can be the best of friends or have the best chemistry, but things still don’t work out because of various circumstances. You’re not just destined for each other. It’s sad. But that’s reality. It’s about acceptance. You have to move on,” Marco said.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Sam Smith notices mysterious singer from Bacolod City

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Remember the boy from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental who went viral after belting to Sam Smith’s Too Good at Goodbyes?

Well, his viral video has reached Sam Smith himself!

Smith took to Twitter last night, February 8 and tweeted the video of the boy singing inside a mall in Bacolod City.

He tweeted, “WHO IS THIS KID!!!!!!? YOU ARE OUT OF THIS UNIVERSE WHOEVER YOU ARE <3.”

The video was first posted by netizen, Trixie Madison and quickly circulated online.

With the many shares and with how the video created abuzz online, with just four days after its posting, Sam Smith finally took notice of the video.

And with this post from Smith, the Twitter world broke and introduced the mystery singer, Carl Malone Montecido, who has already competed in Showtime’s Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 1.

Now, this is surely an exciting singing event we all can’t wait to happen. /dbs

source: cebudailynews.inquirer.net

Mourning for Mamba

Meryl Streep had a simple message on Instagram following the death of a former National Basketball Association superstar: “RIP Kobe Bryant #mrylstreep #kobebryant #50cent”

The award-winning actress added a photo of her, Bryant and rapper 50 Cent taken courtside in 2014 during a Los Angeles Lakers game against the New York Knicks.


Eerily, the photo posted on Instagram by 50 Cent was taken on Jan. 26, 2014, a Sunday and carried by People on Jan. 27, 2014, a Monday. Bryant’s helicopter crashed on Jan. 26, also a Sunday, killing him, his 13-year-old daughter, and seven others.

The rapper captioned the photo, “Things got a little gangsta.” He said of another shot of him and Streep sitting courtside: “Man, I got a good life lol.”

Somber Degeneres

The usually ebullient talk-show host Ellen Degeneres was serious, subdued and fought hard not to cry the day after Kobe Bryant’s death. Jan. 26 was her birthday. Here are excerpts from an Instagram video of the opening for her Monday show:“Yesterday was supposed to be a celebratory day, then we got the tragic news about Kobe Bryant and everything changed in a second. And that’s what I want to talk about. Life is short and it’s fragile, and we don’t know how many birthdays we have … (if) you don’t have a birthday to celebrate just celebrate life and if you haven’t told someone you love them, do it now. Do it. Tell people you love them. Call your friends. Text your friends. Hug them. Kiss them.”

Hurting

Kaley Cuoco, who starred on television’s hit sitcom “Big Bang Theory,” posted on Instagram: “Been sitting here for a few hours completely gutted by this news… Kobe–this one is gonna hurt for a long, long time. I feel so lucky being able to witness your brilliance courtside so many times, including your record-scoring game. I loved basketball because of you. I compared every athlete to you. You made your mark on this earth and will always be the GOAT. My future children will know it was you! Deepest prayers for Kobe, Gigi, Vanessa, their three daughters, the entire Bryant family, and the additional lives that were also lost in today’s tragedy.”

Prayers for Kobe

Stage and screen actor Rita Wilson, wife of Tom Hanks, posted: “My prayers go out to @kobebryant’s wife Vanessa, his surviving daughters, their parents and families. Prayers also to the other families who lost loved ones in the crash. Heartbreaking. Psalm 23:4 ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Rock band founded by Fil-Am cousins is up for Grammy

DALY CITY, California – A rock band founded in this city by Filipino American cousins in 1982 is among headliners at this year’s Grammy Awards.

The seminal heavy metal band Death Angel, a progenitor of the “thrash metal” subgenre, received its first-ever nomination in its nearly 40 years on the stage, on the road and on records.


The band’s ninth album, “Humanicide” is facing Candlemass for “Astorolus – The Great Octopus”; I Prevail for “Bow Down”; Killswitch Engage for “Unleashed”, and Tool for “7empest” for Best Metal Performance at this year’s Grammy Awards.

Produced by Jack Suecof, the Death Angel album was released last May.  It wowed Germany, whose rockers made it the nation’s 19th-ranked album, according to Offizielle Top 100 of 2019.

Also nominated is Filipino American R&B singer-songwriter H.E.R., as Gabriella Wilson is known in the industry.  Last year the Vallejo, California, native won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album.  She is nominated for five categories including Album, Record and Song of the Year with her album “I Wsed to Know Her” and “Hard Place.”

Named after the title of a book, Death Angel, is fronted by lead guitarist Rob Cavestany, the only one remaining of the original members. His cousin Mark Osegueda, who is also Filipino and reportedly the band’s former roadie, does lead vocals. Another Filipino and newer member, Ted Aguilar, plays rhythm guitar along with Damien Sisson on bass, and Will Carroll on drums.

“I was right here on this tour bus, behind my bunk at 5 a.m., when I woke up to our lead singer Mark shaking me,” Cavestany reveals in a Grammy Awards teaser how he learned about getting the industry nod for the first time.

He said the first person he called was his wife.  He disclosed that what most excited him about the 62nd Grammy Awards was meeting singer-songwriter-pianist Alicia Keys, a child musical prodigy.  Keys will host the ceremonies scheduled Sunday, January 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Death Angel defines Thrash Metal, the subgenre that takes rock rage to a new aggressive level.  Perhaps the most popular thrash metal band is Metallica, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers also born in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose lead guitarist is Filipino American Kirk Hammett.  In 2003 Rolling Stone named Hammett 11th among the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

Over the years, Death Angel has released nine studio albums, one box set and two live albums. It has weathered transitions, including the departure and return and second exit of founding member Andy Galeon, the original drummer.  Galeon, Cavestany, Dennis Pepa and Gus Pepa (who share a surname but are not brothers, Galeon noted) formed the original Death Angel in 1982.

Galeon left in 1991 when the band broke up temporarily.  He rejoined them 2001, after performing together at a benefit concert for a brother rocker, Chuck Billy of Testament, who was coping with cancer.  They regrouped afterwards, recorded and toured, but Andy opted out again in 2009; he was by then married and a father, saying his time had come to “move on.”

“That’s great!” Galeon raved about the Grammy nomination.  “I congratulate the guys for keeping the fire burning, passing the torch to a younger generation discovering thrash music.”

Galeon says the cousins, all US-born and raised in Daly City and Concord, California, naturally gravitated together being children of a musically inclined family.  His mother, the late community leader Erlinda Tiongco Galeon, played the marimba and the piano.

Their parents encouraged their passion for rock.  Their gigs were one of the rare reasons Erlinda Galeon, a Daly City Library Trustee and director of several nonprofit boards, would beg off from meetings and presentations.  She and her mom squad would scream the loudest near mosh pits, as fired up as their sons on stage.

Andy Galeon counts Black Sabbath, Rush, Scorpions and Iron Maiden as predecessors whose music inspired Death Angel.

Though he has stepped away from the band, he still gets together with them.

“We’ll always be cousins,” said the drummer who plays with “local bands around the Bay Area.”

source: usa.inquirer.net

Eminem drops surprise album, advocates changes to gun laws

Rapper Eminem once again dropped a surprise album, releasing “Music to Be Murdered By” on Friday — along with a video that calls for changes to gun laws.

The follow-up to 2018’s “Kamikaze” — also released without warning — was announced on Twitter just after midnight.


The Detroit rapper’s new music video for “Darkness,” one of the album’s 20 tracks, depicts a shooting at a concert. The lyrics and storyline of the video specifically allude to the 2017 mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. It closes with audio and video footage of news broadcasts from other recent mass shooting around the U.S. and an appeal to register to vote.

“When will this end? When enough people care,” reads the text at the end of the video. “Register to vote at vote.gov. Make your voice heard and help change gun laws in America.”

A link to the music video on Eminem’s website encourages viewers to contact or visit several gun violence prevention organizations, including Everytown for Gun Safety and Sandy Hook Promise.

The cover art features blood spatter and a bearded Eminem clad in a suit and fedora and holding a shovel. An alternate cover features the same splatter, with a now hatless Eminem holding both a hatchet and a gun to his head in an homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 album of the same name: “Inspired by the master, Uncle Alfred!” Eminem tweeted.

“Music to Be Murdered By” is Eminem’s 11th studio album, according to his website.

Among many collaborators, the album features Ed Sheeran, Skylar Grey, Anderson .Paak and Juice WRLD, the 21-year-old rapper who died in December.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Jiro Manio arrested for stabbing man in Marikina

MANILA, Philippines — Former child star Jiro Manio was arrested in Marikina City for allegedly stabbing a man, police said.

Manio, 27, was taken into police custody Friday night after a concerned citizen alerted authorities of the incident on M.A Roxas St. in Brgy. San Roque, the Marikina City Police Department reported.



The victim was identified as  25-year-old Zeus Doctolero.

When police arrived on the scene, the citizen had already restrained Manio, who used an unknown weapon to stab Doctolego twice in the back shoulder, the report said.

The victim was brought to the hospital for treatment.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Marikina Police chief Col. Restituto Arcangel said that Manio is currently detained and will face charges of frustrated homicide.

Manio is known for his role in the 2003 family drama “Magnifico”, earning him the best child actor award from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences.

source: ntertainment.inquirer.net

YouTube teases new Coachella documentary

YouTube Originals is partnering with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for a special documentary celebrating the festival’s 20th anniversary.

According to a press statement from YouTube, “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert” will include “exclusive, never-before-seen footage and interviews” documenting the Californian festival’s colorful history.


The documentary will also feature performances by some of music’s biggest names, including Billie Eilish, Kanye West, Daft Punk, Travis Scott, Blackpink, Swedish House Mafia, Björk, The White Stripes, Madonna, Moby, Beck, Radiohead and others.

In addition to releasing the Chris Perkel-directed “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert”, YouTube will return this year for the 10th year in a row as the official playlist and livestream partner for both weekends of the festival.

As is tradition, YouTube Premium members will receive exclusive access to a limited supply of passes for the 2020 edition of Coachella, which will take place across the second and third weekends of April.

General on-sale passes for weekend 1 (April 10 to 12) are currently sold out, while tickets for the festival’s second weekend (April 17 to 19) went on sale Jan. 6.

The announcement of “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert” arrived on the heels of the star-studded lineup for the 2020 edition of the festival, which will be headlined by Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine.

Weekend 1 is sold out  Register for Weekend 2 presale at https://t.co/x8PRTb12Eh. Presale starts Monday 1/6 at 12pm PT pic.twitter.com/QPRYnJVe9P

— Coachella (@coachella) January 3, 2020

Additional performers include Thom Yorke, Lana Del Rey, Lil Uzi Vert, FKA twigs, DaBaby, Run the Jewels, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, City Girls as well as Charli XCX.

Film composer and former Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman will also make a special appearance at the festival, leading fans to speculate about whether he will perform some of his most popular compositions like the scores of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Edward Scissorhands” and “Men in Black”.

I guess the cat is out of the bag. @coachella 2020!

Danny Elfman… Past, Present and Future! From Boingo to Batman and Beyond!#coachella #coachella2020 pic.twitter.com/qVKk4Siq3z

— Danny Elfman (@dannyelfman) January 3, 2020

This is not the first time that an award-winning film composer will take the stage of the Empire Polo Club.

Hans Zimmer made his debut at Coachella in 2017, bringing some of his most famous soundtracks to life alongside a full orchestra and special guest Pharrell Williams.

Ahead of the 2020 edition of Coachella, watch the newly-released teaser for “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert”:

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John tease upcoming collaboration

AFP - The unexpected collaboration was recently announced by Osbourne’s wife, Sharon, on her daytime chat show “The Talk”.

“There’s new music, and it’s great. He’s got his friends playing on it. He’s doing a song with Elton [John]. There’s so much good stuff. Good things,” she teased without sharing further details about the project.


Although Ozzy Osbourne and Elton John have never duetted in the past, the two musicians worked together for the 2011 animated film, “Gnomeo and Juliet”.

John notably contributed to the movie’s soundtrack, while the 71-year-old metal legend voiced the character of Fawn.

In a recent interview with The Sun, Osbourne revealed that John had been particularly supportive in the past few months, which were marred by a series of health issues for the former Black Sabbath frontman.

“Elton is a sweetheart. He has phoned me throughout all this. He was at the house the other day with his two boys. They are great kids. They are such a good family. You would be surprised. When you are feeling miserable, you find out who is a friend and who doesn’t give a sh*t,” he explained.

It is still uncertain whether Osbourne and John’s collaborative song will appear on the metal legend’s upcoming new album, which is set to arrive in the coming weeks.

“Ordinary Man” will notably mark Osbourne’s first studio effort in nearly a decade, with the rocker describing the follow-up to his 2010 “Scream” as “quite possibly the most important album I have done in a very long time.”

The album was recorded in Los Angeles with the help of Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and producer Andrew Watt.

Osbourne revealed that he was inspired to return to the studio for “Ordinary Man” by his recent collaboration with chart-topper Post Malone on “Take What You Want”, which appeared on Posty’s “Hollywood’s Bleeding.”

While Osbourne’s 12th studio opus is on the way, John recently won the award for “Best Original Song” alongside his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin at the 2020 Golden Globes.



“It’s the first time I won an award with him. Ever. We never won a Grammy, we never did anything together except for this and I’m so happy, thank you very much,” the vocalist said during the award ceremony.

The pair won the prestigious award for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again”, which they penned for the award-winning biopic retracing John’s life, “Rocketman”. CL/JB

Tina Turner mural defaced at record store

Employees at a record store in North Carolina say a mural of pop star Tina Turner has been defaced
with a red swastika.

The Citizen Times reported Thursday that the mural is outside Static Age Records in downtown Asheville.


Store owner Jesse McSwain said someone unconnected to the store apparently covered the mural in a black sheet before he could address the situation. Static Age called police and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

McSwain said that his store is “a widely inclusive, safe space” and that “hate speech will get you out the door.”

The record store uses its pulldown storefront to honor music legends. They have included Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Lemmy from Motörhead and Lou Reed. Turner’s mural was based on her character in the film “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome”. RGA

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Rock ‘n’ sausage roll tops UK Christmas charts

A novelty song about sausage rolls secured the coveted Christmas number one spot Friday on the U.K. singles charts.

LadBaby landed the festive crown for the second year running with “I Love Sausage Rolls” — a comedy reworking of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”, which was a 1982 hit for U.S. singer Joan Jett.


Last year LadBaby — 32-year-old YouTube ‘dad blogger’ Mark Hoyle — topped the charts at Christmas with “We Built This City”, a similar sausage roll-based revamp.

Proceeds from the single are going towards The Trussell Trust foodbank charity.

LadBaby became the first artist to serve up two consecutive novelty Christmas number ones.

The only other acts to have pulled off back-to-back festive chart-toppers are The Beatles between 1963 and 1965 and the Spice Girls, who also had three straight Christmas number ones between 1996 and 1998.

“How have we done this again? It’s the best feeling in the world — it’s a Christmas miracle yet again!” said Hoyle.

“Who doesn’t love a sausage roll at Christmas?”

LadBaby beat Stormzy’s “Own It” featuring Ed Sheeran to the top spot, while Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go” rose one place to number three.

The battle to secure the Christmas number one took off in the 1970s, seeing some epic contests between huge hits.

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Mull of Kintyre” by Wings, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston were all giant Christmas chart-toppers.


Since 2002, the race has commanded less national excitement, being predictably dominated by reality television contest winners — though novelty records and charity singles have recently started to chip their way in.

Meanwhile, Rod Stewart has the Christmas number one album with “You’re In My Heart”, a collection of his classic hits with new backing from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Stewart is only the fifth British act in UK chart history with 10 or more number one albums; only The Beatles, Robbie Williams, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie have more. NVG

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Coke Studio continues to go beyond supporting OPM to advocating for the environment

Coca-Cola has been on a constant mission to refresh the world by providing people with moments of happiness, moments where they can enjoy and pursue their passions. The ultimate testament to this is Coke Studio, a platform that has shown how Coca-Cola not only refreshes its customers with its beverages but also refreshes the local music scene by supporting the best and brightest of OPM.

Going beyond promoting OPM, Coke Studio rallies Filipino musicians and music-lovers to elevate the music scene with an uplifting purpose – advocating for environmental protection.  Since Coke Studio Philippines was first launched in 2017, it has seamlessly weaved two of its advocacies together, becoming a reflection The Coca-Cola Company’s firm stance on caring for the planet. This is an advocacy which the Company has continuously practiced across the board, from its operations to its various programs and campaigns including Coke Studio.



In 2018, this advocacy for sustainability was taken further when Coca-Cola announced its goal to creating a World Without Waste. The already-established Coke Studio became the perfect platform to introduce this vision to the youth. Now, three seasons in, Coke Studio continues to amplify the message of environmental protection through music.

With music as a powerful, unifying force, Coke Studio concerts and events have not only brought teens together to enjoy the best of OPM, but have also become spaces where the youth learn and practice mindful consumption. Across its three seasons, each concert and roadshow has been thoughtfully-planned to inspire environmental stewardship among event-goers, educating them on proper waste management and providing them the facilities for responsible waste disposal.

After mounting numerous concerts and events in universities, fiestas, to festivals nationwide, Coke Studio has continued to shift the youth’s perceptions on PET bottles from a use-and-dispose product to one with multiple lives and instilled the importance of collection, segregation, and recycling.

A testament to how involved the youth were in these green and sustainable activations, Coca-Cola was able to collect and divert an estimated 9,500 kilograms of PET bottles which will be recycled into new products such as T-shirts, benches, and even the iconic Coke Studio earphones with the help of its recycling partners.

Coke Studio has redefined and set a new standard for environmentally-conscious activations, events and consumer engagements with its goal of uniting and empowering the youth to become a part of the solution in protecting the planet.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net