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Tribe's reunion |
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A Tribe Called Quest have got together to record a new track and an
album could be released by winter 2004.
The trio reunited last month to record '(ICU) Doin' It', a track set to
be featured on the upcoming Violator Records compilation, 'V3: The
Good, The Bad and The Ugly'.
There is no set release date for the new Tribe album, though a new
single will reach stores by autumn 2004.
Since rumours of a Tribe reunion began, the crew had received countless
offers of tracks to rhyme to.
'V3: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' which also features tracks from
Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, G-Unit, Tweet and Mobb Deep is due to be
released in the US on December 9.
Tribe members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad are to both due to release
solo LPs soon.
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Courtney Love Drugs |
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It was reported that Courtney Love has been hospitalised for a possible
drug overdose in Los Angeles.
The singer, who was arrested earlier last week after allegedly breaking
windows at a friend's house, was discovered at a private residence
following a call for help to Beverly Hills police and medics.
Courtney was taken to Century City Hospital for treatment but had left
the premises by midday on Thursday (October 2). No additional details
were added.
According to Reuters, Love had been booked earlier this week for
allegedly being under the influence of a controlled substance. Police said
the former Hole frontwoman had broken four windows in an attempt to enter
a friend's house in the Wilshire area.
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Michael is Invincible |
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The Rolling stones magazine reported the release of the forthcoming
album of the King of Pop Michael Jackson.
Michael should have saved the title Invincible, because his upcoming
collection packs more chart-muscle than his disappointing last studio
album mustered. On November 18th, he will be releasing his album Number
Ones with sixteen biggest hits from the past three decades. The set also
includes the new song "One More Chance," written by R. Kelly.
The criteria for a song's inclusion weren't limited to U.S. charts, as
the songs on Number Ones include a handful of U.K. chart-toppers like
"Black or White" and "You Are Not Alone." Actually, some of the songs
like "You Rock My World," "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal" weren't Number
Ones on either side of the Atlantic, but merely hits. And one Number
One, "Say Say Say," Jackson's collaboration with Paul McCartney, was
excluded from the record. But the collection spans Jackson's solo career,
dating back to his 1972 ode to a mouse, "Ben," and running through
"Break of Dawn," from last year's Invincible. A fifteen-song DVD with the
same title is also in the works for a November release, compiling the
now-legendary videos for his hits like "Thriller," "Bad" and "Beat It."
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CDs VS Internet |
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The International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (IFPI) says
sales fell by 10.9% in the first half of 2003, but by just 7.1% in
2002. The blames are on commercial piracy and unauthorised internet music
sharing. Britain is not suffering from this as sales are slightly up but
in Germany, Japan and the US, illegal downloads are now matching or
exceeding commercial sales, IFPI reports.
The IFPI also said there was a marked increase in the availability of
legitimate online music, with 300,000 tracks now on offer. Its report
showed interim sales of all audio and music video formats were worth
$12.7bn (£7.6m), compared to $14.2bn (£8.5m) in the same period of 2002.
DVD music videos showed substantial growth (up 46%) and value of sales
(up 55%), and now represents more than 5% of global music sales.
The global music industry is facing its most testing times since sound
was first recorded for sale to consumers.
But while sales and profits may be down, the music industry is still a
global force with profits at the third highest level of all time.
Earlier this month the US music industry started legal action against
hundreds of people accused of sharing music files without permission online.
More than a billion unlicensed files are available to users at any one
time, depriving the industry of millions in revenue. Critics argue that
the industry is moving too slowly to take advantage of the internet and
users are simply taking control of their music needs.
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Big Brovaz: brother shot |
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The brother of Big Brovaz and Nadia Shepherd was amongst a number of
people injured in a recent spate of shootings. DJ Andre Shepherd was shot
in the arms and back in a drive-by shooting which took place in the
red-light area of Reading on Friday night. Two other men were also injured
in the incident by shots fired from what has been described as a "dark
coloured Volvo-type car." One man is said to be in a serious condition
after undergoing surgery for facial injuries.
Andre Shepherd's mother, Margaret, told reporters: "Andre has been let
out of hospital and I haven't really talked to him about the shooting.
None of us know why this happened to him." The shooting was one of
several gun-related incidents with took place last week in week in which
nine people were shot in the UK and two people killed.
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Ashanti rocks around your Christmas tree |
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Ashanti wants to Rock around your christmas tree. The singer has a
holiday album titled Ashanti's Christmas due November 18, the album will
include 4 news songs as well as "Joy to the World," "Silent Night" and
"Winter Wonderland."
In the next couple of weeks, Ashanti will be traveling to India to
shoot a small part in an undisclosed Miramax film. We don't know much about
the role, except that she'll be singing in the movie. It's not the
first time that we will see Ashanti on the Big Screen, but this will be her
first movie. An 11-minute version of her "Rain on Me" video will be
shown at 4,000 Regal theaters across the country in the next few weeks.
Moviegoers will get to take the clip home with them via a promotion
called Lid Rocks. A disc of the video is attached to the lids of soft drinks
sold at the theaters' concession stands.
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Dido's album beats the record |
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Dido's latest album Life For Rent has become the fastest selling
British album in six years, according to figures released on Friday. It has
sold 255,000 copies since its release on Monday - the highest first-week
sales since Be Here Now by Oasis. It is expected to have sold at least
350,000 by Monday - overtaking The Beatles' greatest hits collection,
1, which sold 319,000 in a week in 2000. Life For Rent, Dido's second
album, tops the chart on Sunday. It has easily beaten its closest rival,
Robbie Williams' Live At Knebworth.
Oasis broke records in 1997 when Be Here Now, their third album, sold
more than a third of a million copies on its first day and reached
696,000 within three days.
Dido, 31, launched Life For Rent on Monday by chartering a plane and
performing in London and New York on the same day.
Despite its success, the album has received a string of lukewarm
reviews from critics, some of whom accuse Dido of a bland but commercial appeal.
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Let it be ...Naked |
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The Beatles' record company has unveiled the cover of the band's album,
"Let It Be," which is due to be released on November 17. "Let It Be ...
Naked" features the original cover shot but as a negative in
black-and-white mounted on a gray background, the idea being to strip the image
back in the same way the music has been overhauled.
The new version of the album recorded in 1969 and released the
following year takes the music nearer their desire to return to basics, as
expressed on the original sleeve, "This is a New Phase Beatles Album."
"Let It Be" was recorded before the acclaimed final album, "Abbey
Road," but was released later due to disagreements that ultimately led to
the band splitting in 1970.
A statement from McCartney said: "If we'd have had today's technology
back then, it would sound like this because this is the noise we made in
the studio. It's all exactly as it was in the room. You're right there
now."
The track listing of "Let It Be ... Naked" differs from the 1970
release. Background dialogue, "Dig It" and "Maggie Mae" have been removed and
"Don't Let Me Down" has been added.
A bonus 20-minute CD will be released with the album featuring extracts
from the original sessions together with a booklet of historic
photographs of the sessions.
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