Senin, 25 April 2016

Prince 'Worked 154 Hours Straight' Before Death



Prince reportedly worked for 154 hours without sleep in the days before he was found dead inside his Paisley Park estate.

The musician was found collapsed in a lift by staff members on Thursday after last being seen alive 12 hours earlier.

His brother-in-law Maurice Phillips has claimed the singer worked for six days non-stop before his death.

Speaking after a private family service at the estate,  Mr Phillips said: "He worked 154 hours straight.

"I was with him just last weekend. He was a good brother-in-law."

Meanwhile, Mr Phillips told The Sun Prince's estate will be turned into a museum as a lasting memorial.

"It would be for the fans. He was all about the fans - this would remember his music, which is his legacy," he said.

"Prince was always private but would have wanted his music remembered."

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death after authorities said they had "no reason to believe" Prince committed suicide.

Authorities added that there were "no obvious signs of trauma" on his body.

Employees at the Electric Fetus record shop in Minneapolis said the musician appeared to be "pale" and "weak" when he visited five days before his death.

Max Timander, who works at Electric Fetus, told the Press Association: "Everyone I've talked to on that Saturday said he looked kind of pale and he was not totally looking in the best shape as he normally is.

"It sounded like he was looking kind of weak. I know he had just got over the flu supposedly.

A state senator in Prince's home state of Minnesota has, meanwhile, called for it to adopt purple as its official colour, reported the St Paul Pioneer Press.

Sales of Prince's music have skyrocketed worldwide since the artist's death last week and several songs or albums are expected to make it into the next UK chart when it is published on Thursday.

The mayor of Chanhassan, the city which is home to Paisley Park, said a private funeral service will be held for Prince in early May.

Me And Mrs Jones Singer Billy Paul Has Died


Billy Paul, the soul singer best known for the ballad Me And Mrs Jones, has died aged 80.

Paul's co-manager, Beverly Gay, said he died at his home in Blackwood, New Jersey, on Sunday.

Paul had been recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Ms Gay said.

Paul was one of many artists who had success with the Philadelphia-based writing and production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

Me and Mrs Jones, a seductively arranged confession to an extramarital affair, was released in 1972 and won a Grammy award - and enjoyed more recent success thanks to the movie Bridget Jones' Diary.

The song was by far his biggest hit, although he did have some success with Let's Clean Up The Ghetto, Thanks For Saving My Life and other releases.

Senin, 11 April 2016

Bryan Adams Axes Show Over Mississippi Law


Canadian rocker Bryan Adams has become the latest performer to cancel a US gig over controversial state legislation involving the LGBT community.

Adams announced he was cancelling an upcoming show in Mississippi, citing the state's new law that allows religious groups and some businesses to decline service to gay couples.

In a statement, the singer said: "I cannot in good conscience perform in a state where certain people are being denied their civil rights due to their sexual orientation."

Adams' decision comes just days after Bruce Springsteen axed a show in North Carolina in protest at the state's move to force transgender people to use public toilets that match their birth gender.

Mississippi's "Religious Liberty" law enables businesses, religious charities and churches to cite their religious beliefs as a reason for declining services.

Adams said he stood "in solidarity with all my LGBT friends to repeal this extremely discriminatory bill".

Meanwhile, some 95 Mississippi authors, including John Grisham and Donna Tartt, penned a letter to state lawmakers urging them to repeal the law.

The state's governor, Phil Bryant, who signed the legislation last week, said the law "merely reinforces" existing religious freedom rights.

Missouri is also considering a so-called "religious freedom" bill, but governors in Georgia and South Dakota have vetoed such proposals.

Tennessee is proposing legislation similar to the North Carolina law.

The measures have provoked outcry not only from the LGBT community, but also from large corporations.

PayPal announced last week it was abandoning its plan to build a new operations centre in Charlotte, North Carolina, who would have brought 400 new jobs to the city.

Google, Apple, IBM and American Airlines are among several other companies that have condemned such laws.

'Dog Whisperer' Cleared Of Animal Cruelty


TV "Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan has been cleared of wrongdoing amid allegations of animal cruelty involving a pig, authorities have said.

Millan came under fire over a February episode of his show Cesar 911, in which a dog he was training nipped a pig's ear, drawing blood.

Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Jacobs announced on Monday that the 46-year-old dog trainer would not face charges.

"There is no evidence that the pig was used as bait, and all parties who witnessed the incident felt it was an accident," Mr Jacobs wrote in a case evaluation statement.

"Although in the video the pig is seen bleeding, the dog's act was merely a nip and did not tear or bite the skin off."

More than 10,000 people signed an online petition calling on Nat Geo WILD to cancel the programme after the episode aired.

In the programme, Millan used a pig to train a French bulldog-terrier mix called Simon, who had a history of attacking its owner's other animals, including pigs.

At a point in the show, Simon chased down a pot-bellied pig and nipped its ear after Millan placed the animals together in a yard.

Later in the episode, the dog was seen mingling calmly with a group of pigs and other animals.

On Monday, Millan said in a statement he was pleased but not surprised by the lack of charges.

He said: "Our animal handling procedures are safe and humane ... I am continuing my work rescuing and rehabilitating even the most difficult problem dogs, which has saved the lives of thousands of animals that otherwise would have been euthanised."

Millan first found fame in 2004 through his internationally broadcast TV show Dog Whisperer.

He has sold millions of books about his techniques training aggressive canines.

Rabu, 06 April 2016

Charlie Sheen Accused Of Threat To Ex-Fiancee


Los Angeles police have confirmed Charlie Sheen is under investigation, amid reports the actor threatened his ex-fiancee.

The former Two and a Half Men star was recorded saying Brett Rossi "needs to be f****** buried", according to Radar Online and the National Enquirer.

LAPD said in a statement its officers had responded last Thursday morning "to a criminal investigation where Charlie Sheen was listed as suspect".

The police department did not name the victim, but said "LAPD threat management detectives" were on the case.

Ms Rossi filed a $5m lawsuit last year accusing Sheen, 50, of assault and of failing to tell her he had HIV until after they had unprotected sex.

According to Radar Online, a New York-based gossip website, Sheen's alleged threat emerged in a 35-minute audio tape.

Referring to porn actress Ms Rossi, Sheen reportedly told another former lover in a recording: ''This piece of s*** needs to be f****** buried.

"Family of gangsters. You get it. I can't be f****** extorted. It's called treason. You know what treason is?

"It's punishable by death. I'd rather spend 20 grand to have her head kicked in. Then people will realise.''

Ms Rossi reportedly went to a Los Angeles police station last Thursday after reading about the recording.

She said she had endured physical assaults and death threats during her time living with Sheen, an affidavit said, according to Radar.

Ms Rossi reportedly said Sheen, whom she dated from 2013-14, was prone to fits of rage and had previously brandished firearms at her.

Sheen did not immediately comment.

The Platoon star revealed his HIV status last November on national television, insisting he never hid his diagnosis from any sexual partners.

Country Music Star Merle Haggard Dies


Country music icon Merle Haggard has died in California, his manager has said.

Haggard succumbed to pneumonia on his 79th birthday, Frank Mull told the Associated Press.

A masterful guitar player, fiddler and songwriter, Haggard was known for celebrating outlaws and underdogs in his lyrics.

His career spanned over 40 years and spawned dozens of albums and No 1 hits, including Sing Me Back Home, Mama Tried and Okie From Muskogee.

Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994.

He won dozens of county music awards throughout his career, along with three Grammy Awards.

In 2010, Haggard was among several artists, including Sir Paul McCartney, to be honoured at the White House by President Barack Obama at the annual Kennedy Center Honors.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday the President was sending his thoughts and prayers to Haggard's family.

"His passing is a loss for country music, but obviously is a loss for all the people who got to know him personally, too," Mr Earnest said.

Haggard's rise to stardom began under inauspicious circumstances. His parents were poor and lived in a converted railway boxcar.

At age nine, Haggard's father suddenly fell ill and died. The young Haggard turned to a life of petty crime and spent several years in and out of institutions.

But it was a three-year stint for burglary at San Quentin, where he saw Johnny Cash perform, that eventually prompted Haggard to turn his life around and pursue music.

He would go on to collaborate with some of the industry's biggest stars though the years. His own works have been covered by the likes of The Byrds, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Grateful Dead, among others.

Senin, 04 April 2016

'Colossal' Rolling Stones Exhibition To Open


The "revolting digs" the Rolling Stones lived in before they became famous have been recreated exactly, right down to the smell, for their first-ever major exhibition.

No detail was spared when depicting the flat on Chelsea's Edith Grove and that included evoking the smell of tandoori chicken, Mick Jagger's dish of choice, and the other band members' preference for fish and chips.

Exhibitionism, opening at the Saatchi Gallery on Tuesday, reflects the rock band's 54 years in the music business.

The interactive experience has been described as "the most comprehensive insight" into the group.

The musical heritage which took the from a blues band in the early 1960s to the influential pop culture giants they remain forms the heart of the exhibition.

The band's personal artefacts, including costumes and original instruments, are on display, along with archive film, fashion and performance material.

The brainchild of Australian promoters Tony and Thea Cochrane, the ambitious show "had to be as colossal as their body of work," Mr Cochrane told News Corp Australia.

Three years in the making, it has had the full co-operation of Sir Mick Jagger, 72, Keith Richards, 72, Charlie Watts, 74, and Ronnie Wood, 68.

Lifelong fan Mr Cochrane hailed the members of the group for their input.

"Charlie, for example, is enormously gifted in the area of art and design," he said.

The Australian added: "Mick is very detailed, very exacting. He wants to think about things and he comes back with really clever solutions from left field."

The exhibition will be spread across two floors of the King's Road gallery, which is a stone's throw away from Edith Grove.

Nine different rooms spanning over 1,750 square metres, each with its own distinctly designed environment, will be used.

It will also include original stage designs, a 3D simulation of what it is like to be backstage, and then on the stage, with The Stones in addition to their collaborations with various big-name artists and designers such as Andy Warhol, Alexander McQueen and Martin Scorsese.

Continuing to set the pace well into their 70s, The Rolling Stones have just performed a historic free concert in Cuba in front of half a million fans.

Rolling Stones On New Babies And Paying Taxes


For 54 years the Rolling Stones have been at the front line of popular culture - the consummate entertainers, with shocking moves and wild reputations to complete the rebel image.

But when the band sat down with Sky News for the launch of Exhibitionism at the Saatchi Gallery they seemed much more reflective than rebellious.

Keith Richards admitted they wanted to put on the retrospective because - while they may all be long-time pensioners - they insist they are going nowhere: "I refuse to croak and the band refuses to croak so we thought we'd better get it in now."

And from deaths to births, 68-year-old Ronnie Wood enthused at the prospect of becoming a father for the fifth time, telling Sky News: "Two baby girls in there, it's going to be a wonderful experience, I'm looking forward to not sleeping, it's a blessing they're two little girls, if it was two little boys it would be even harder."

As for taxes, commenting on the Panama Papers scandal, Ronnie Wood added: "I just pay my taxes I can't let them drive me away any more, you just have to pay up and get on with life."

While many of their contemporaries such as Bob Geldof, Bono and Sir Paul McCartney have used their star power to shine a light on political, humanitarian and environmental issues, the Stones have never really been political.

But Mick Jagger did contemplate the EU referendum debate with Sky News.

"Europe is a complex question," said Sir Mick.

"I wonder if David Cameron would actually want to put this out to a referendum now ... A lot of politics is emotion, it affects different people in different ways; to me personally it won't make a huge difference ...

"I think to the country it will be detrimental in the short term if we pull out ... but in the long term, like 20 years' time, it could be beneficial."

On their historic gig in Cuba last month, Jagger added that he hopes it will "lead to greater freedom of expression" in the country.

The band's exhibition elegantly examines their history, recreating the flat in Edith Grove - described by Richards as a pigsty - where they shared a room in the early 60s, to countless costumes, photos, guitars and memorabilia, and an impressive 3D performance, which makes you feel like you are onstage with Jagger.

A glitzy red carpet greeted guests at the gallery on London's trendy King's Road, with family and friends in attendance from Fearne Cotton and Jessie Wood to James Bay.

:: Exhibitionism, the Rolling Stones' first ever exhibition, is at the Saatchi Gallery from 5 April - 4 September 2016.

Minggu, 03 April 2016

Olivier Awards: Lesser Known Stars Shine


Heavyweights of film, TV and theatre including Nicole Kidman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance and Gemma Arterton missed out on Olivier Awards this year as lesser known stars stole the night.

Of course, a record eighth win for veteran actress Dame Judi Dench - for her role in A Winter's Tale - and a Best Actress in a Musical gong for Imelda Staunton for Gypsy, were to be expected, but otherwise, despite a starry nominees list, relatively unknown names shone.

Kenneth Cranham, 71, took Best Actor for The Father - his first ever Olivier win, having only been nominated once before.

He told Sky News he could not believe his luck, saying: "I can't believe I've beat big brands like Cumberbatch and Branagh."

The Best Actress award was taken home by another relative unknown, Denise Gough, for her acclaimed role in People, Places and Things, and who only a few years ago nearly gave up acting, telling Sky News: "I could hardly find the rent, so I started waitressing."

The Best Actor in a Musical went to Matt Henry for Kinky Boots, who crossed the invisible line from audience to stage, when 15 years ago he swapped selling ice cream in the interval for walking the boards.

Musical Gypsy was the big winner of the night, winning four prizes - the most for a single production.

Kinky Boots won three awards including Best New Musical, thanks in part to Cyndi Lauper who wrote the music and lyrics - proving perhaps, that for all its pomp and ceremony, at the theatre, girls just want to have fun.

So while Hollywood may shine a light on the West End, these awards were not blinded by celebrity, as the overall feeling from the Royal Opera House, in the Olivier's 40th year, was that the winners were supremely deserving.

Presenters included Dame Shirley Bassey, Vanessa Redgrave and Eddie Izzard and the show was hosted by two-time Oliver Award winner Michael Ball.

It featured performances from Grammy and Tony Award winner Cyndi Lauper, Michael Feinstein, Joe Stilgoe and Jack Savoretti.

Stars Play At Viola Beach Tribute Concert


More than a thousand people packed into Warrington's Parr Hall for a tribute concert in memory of Viola Beach.

Some of Britain's biggest indie bands, including The Kooks, The Coral and The Courteeners, performed alongside local bands in front of the families and friends of the young musicians who died in February.

Singer Kris Leonard, guitarist River Reeves, bassist Tomas Lowe, drummer Jack Dakin and their manager Craig Tarry were all killed when their car crashed through a barrier and into a canal after a concert in Sweden.

Despite only forming last year, the band were gaining critical acclaim, and were already booked to appear at festivals and gigs around the world.

Amongst the bands performing at the tribute were Blossoms. Viola Beach were on tour with them when the accident happened.

Tom Ogden, singer with Blossoms, said they were left stunned by the news of the accident.

He told Sky News: "We started to get to know them really well, and they were a really friendly, fun group of lads."

Luke Pritchard from the Kooks said it was an honour to be asked to perform at the concert, and told the crowd that Viola Beach were superb musicians who'll be hugely missed.

Mike Manning was a close friend of River Reeves. He told Sky News before the concert: "It's really lovely for people to come out and show their support especially for Viola Beach. It's so lovely that it's brought all of Warrington together."

The most poignant moment came when a set recorded by Viola Beach was played to a cheering crowd. As the video played their families took to the stage and danced to the music that is now the soundtrack of their memories. 

Jumat, 01 April 2016

Denise Robertson: This Morning Agony Aunt Dies



Denise Robertson, the agony aunt for ITV's This Morning programme, has been described as "an extraordinary woman" by her family.

The programme posted the news that the 83-year-old had died from pancreatic cancer on its Twitter account on Friday morning.

In a statement Robertson's family said that the "very great lady" had fought a short battle against the disease and was treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

"We send our gratitude to the many thousands of people who have sent message of love, support and prayers during these difficult weeks, these sustained and delighted her immeasurably.

"The care Denise received from Professor Cunningham, Dr Tait and all the staff at the hospital was above and beyond anything we could have hoped for.

"The world has lost an extraordinary woman. We know that her ITV family, the This Morning viewers and the incalculable numbers of people she has helped and causes she has championed during her 83 years, will be grieving with us at this intensely painful time."



In mid-February Robertson issued a statement announcing her absence from the show.

This Morning presenter Ruth Langsford read a message from her which said: "I'm sorry I've not been around for a couple of weeks but a persistent health issue has turned into something quite a lot bigger. I've been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

"It has come as a surprise to me and my family but we know that many others have suffered and dealt with this condition and I don't plan to give up without a fight.

"My doctor is referring me for chemotherapy and hopefully that will start soon.

"I'd like to thank all the lovely viewers of This Morning who have been concerned about my health recently and I hope I'll be back on the sofa soon."

Robertson, from Sunderland, had been on the programme since it began in 1988.

Presenter Phillip Schofield paid tribute to her on Twitter, describing his colleague as "kind, thoughtful, caring & wonderful".

Robertson also had her own advice website and wrote a column for Candis magazine.

Her popularity on This Morning led to her being offered her own TV show in 2000, called Dear Denise.

'Knighthood Campaign' For Corbett Before Death



Ronnie Corbett, who was suffering from a form of motor neurone disease when he died, was reportedly being considered for a knighthood.

Tributes were paid to the diminutive star who died on Thursday, having been one of the country's most popular entertainers.

It is understood comedian David Walliams launched a campaign to include the 85-year-old on the Queen's 90th Birthday Honours list as concerns about his health grew.

A panel which bestows the titles had received a number of letters from famous names in support of his nomination.

Downton Abbey creator Lord Fellowes, who sits on the arts and media honours committee, told The Daily Telegraph he thought "he [Corbett] should have been awarded a knighthood" - although he refused to discuss the workings of the panel.

Writing in the Daily Mail, a friend of the entertainer, Michael Thornton, said he contacted the Cabinet Office to propose a knighthood "several months ago".

He said there was a "virtual stampede on the part of celebrated figures" when it came to gathering letters in support of the nomination.

At the time Corbett was "fighting to survive" after being diagnosed with suspected amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a form of motor neurone disease, Mr Thornton said.

The entertainer's first honour came in 1978, when he was awarded the OBE alongside comedy partner Ronnie Barker.

The pair were household favourites at the time for their sketch show, The Two Ronnies.

In 2011 Corbett said he did not imagine he would receive a knighthood, adding that Barker, who died in 2005, should have been made Sir Ronnie.

Corbett was made CBE in 2012 but the knighthood that some people believed he deserved eluded him.

Speaking in 2015, Sir Bruce Forsyth questioned why figures from the world of comedy "seem to be left out".

The former Strictly Come Dancing host told Sky News on Thursday: "A great big hole has been left in show business."

Senin, 28 Maret 2016

Jackman Rescues Swimmers From Dangerous Surf


While taking a break from saving the world in superhero movies, Hugh Jackman got caught up in a real-life drama on Bondi Beach.

The Australian actor sprang to action when surf conditions changed suddenly, and video footage showed the star helping his son and another man to safety from strong currents.

But Peter Adam, who told the Nine Network he was the man being assisted in the clip, said: "He wasn't rescuing me. I was assisting him to get his daughter up to the sandbar.

"He then grabbed my hand to get us up."

Jackman was also seen beckoning swimmers to shore - away from the perilous conditions at sea.

One witness, Lynzey Murphy, told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph: "When we got in the water 20 minutes earlier it was fine. Then the water came up suddenly.

"Hugh just pulled them calmly on to the sandbar. He then said: 'All right, we are going to walk towards the flags.'"

A lifeguard told the newspaper that Bondi Beach was subsequently closed because of dangerous surf.

De Niro's Festival Pulls Anti-Vaccination Film



Robert De Niro, the organiser of New York's Tribeca film festival, has been forced to pull a documentary about vaccination after controversy.

The film, Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Conspiracy, is directed by UK doctor Andrew Wakefield, who was struck off the British medical register over his comments on the MMR vaccine.

De Niro had originally said he wanted to show the film in order to start a conversation about autism, from which one of his children suffers.

The Meet The Fockers star originally said the issue it explores was "very personal to me and my family". 

In 2010, the GMC said that Wakefield was "dishonest", "misleading" and "irresponsible" while carrying out research into a supposed link between the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, bowel disease and autism.

It found him guilty of a series of charges at a hearing in central London, and banned him from practising in the UK.

At the time, speaking from New York, Wakefield told Sky News that an increasing number of doctors and scientists in the US were "getting involved in looking at vaccines and autism because they realise there is a problem." 

De Niro released a statement saying he had reversed his decision after reviewing the film.

"We do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for."

He said members of the scientific community had reviewed it with him.

He added: "The festival doesn't seek to avoid or shy away from controversy. However, we have concerns with certain things in this film that we feel prevent us from presenting it in the festival program."

Wakefield and Del Bigtree, the film's producer, criticised the decision in a statement saying they didn't get a chance to defend themselves.

"We have just witnessed yet another example of the power of corporate interests censoring free speech, art and truth," the statement said.

Sabtu, 26 Maret 2016

Mariah Cancels Brussels Gig Over Security Fears




Mariah Carey has cancelled an upcoming gig in Brussels over safety concerns, in the wake of Tuesday's terror attacks in the Belgian capital.

The pop star was scheduled to perform in the city on Sunday night - the day of her 46th birthday - but a message on her website revealed the show has been postponed.

"I love my fans in Brussels and at this time I am being advised to cancel my show for the safety of my fans, my band, crew and everyone involved with the tour," the singer tweeted.

"I hope to see you soon and send my prayers and eternal love, laughter and light."

An alternative date is yet to be set for the gig at the Forest National arena, and her cancellation came after the venue said all of its events would be continuing - albeit with tighter security.

The venue had told fans: "Guests are asked to come early and not bring any luggage, backpacks or large handbags, to respond to any requests of security services, and to stay alert."

Following on from November's Paris attacks, U2 delayed their shows in the French capital - but later performed at a special gig in the city with Eagles Of Death Metal, whose concert at the Bataclan music hall was one of the public places targeted.






source

Rolling Stones Rock Cuba With Historic Concert




The Rolling Stones have performed in front of hundreds of thousands of jubilant Cubans, delivering a historic concert in a country that once considered the band's music subversive.
Coming two days after Barack Obama finished the first trip to Cuba by a US president in nearly 90 years, Friday night's free gig in Havana cemented the communist-run island's opening to the world.

The veteran rockers started their first-ever show in Cuba with Jumpin' Jack Flash, a song recorded in 1968 when Cuban rock fans were secretly sharing pirated vinyl records and risked being sent to rural work brigades to cure "ideological deviation".

"We know that years back it was hard to hear our music in Cuba, but here we are playing. I also think the times are changing," singer Mick Jagger said to a roar from the crowd.

Jagger spoke in Spanish throughout of the 18-song show of hits that lasted more than two hours.

The band posted the set list on their official Twitter page, revealing the hits they performed for the crowd.

It included Out of Control, Angie, Honky Tonk Women, You Got The Silver, Before They Make Me Run, Midnight Rambler, Miss You, Gimme Shelter, Start Me Up, Sympathy For The Devil and Brown Sugar, as well as All Down The Line, which was chosen by fans on social media. They finished a two-song encore with Satisfaction.

Security was low-key at Ciudad Deportiva stadium and there was a noticeable absence of would-be entrepreneurs selling T-shirts or memorabilia.

The audience of hundreds of thousands of fans ranged from teenagers to pensioners.

Angela Menendez, who cleans floors in a hospital, said: "I love Mick Jagger so much. I've always dreamed about this. I couldn't sleep knowing he would be here."

Cristian, an 18-year-old, said: "Don't let anybody tell you different, this is the best concert in the history of Cuba."

For Juan Carlos Leon, 57, the event was more than special.

"To me, this is a consecration," he said. "I've waited my whole life for this. The Stones are the greatest."

Jumat, 25 Maret 2016

Hola Havana: Rolling Stones Fly Into Cuba



The Rolling Stones have touched down in Cuba on the eve of the rock band's historic free concert in a country where their music was once silenced.

Tonight's concert will come three days after President Barack Obama wrapped up a visit to the communist-run island during which he declared an end to the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas.

The band's private jet flew into Jose Marti airport with the four veteran rockers and about 60 staff and family members.

Sir Mick Jagger gave a brief greeting in Spanish and said he was happy to be on the island.

The concert will be held at Havana's Ciudad Deportivo.

In a statement released before they arrived, the band said: "We have performed in many special places during our long career, but this show in Havana will be a milestone for us, and, we hope, for all our friends in Cuba, too."

Cuba banned music from artists such as the Stones, the Beatles and Elvis Presley on radio and television following the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power.

The Rolling Stones' Cuba stop follows concerts in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina and Mexico.

source

Axl Rose 'Will Front AC/DC' For Tour Dates




Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose will step in as a guest vocalist for fellow rockers AC/DC, according to reports.
The Australian band was forced to halt its tour this month after lead singer Brian Johnson was told he risked total deafness if he continued to perform.

In a statement, the band said the rescheduled gigs would likely be staged with a guest vocalist.

A radio host in Atlanta, where AC/DC stopped its tour, said he had seen Rose in the city and that he was practicing with the band.

"It's all but a done deal that Axl will front AC/DC for the 10 remaining shows" in the US, host Jason Bailey said on his show on rock station WNNX.

A representative for AC/DC did not deny the reports when contacted by NME.

"Nothing official to announce. Will update you if that changes," they said.

The band is due to begin the European leg of its Rock Or Bust tour - which includes shows at London's Olympic stadium and Etihad Stadium in Manchester - in Lisbon on 7 May.

The move, if confirmed, would come as a surprise, not least because Rose is currently preparing for a reunion with some of the original GNR members.

Rose will reunite for the first time since 1993 with Slash and Duff McKagan for the Coachella Festival in California and several other shows.

Johnson has reportedly voiced dismay at his swift departure from the band.

US comedian and radio host Jim Breuer said he had met the 68-year-old, who felt "kicked to the curb" by his bandmates as he believed his hearing issues were not as serious as stated.

Johnson joined AC/DC in 1980 after singer Bon Scott died following a night of heavy drinking in London.

His first album with the band, Back in Black, remains one of the top-selling albums of all time.

Rabu, 23 Maret 2016

Adele Sings Tribute To Brussels Victims



Adele dedicated one of her songs to the victims of the Brussels terror attacks and slammed the perpetrators during her concert in London last night.

The singer's fans lit up the O2 Arena with their phones when she sang Make You Feel My Love.

"This is 'Make You Feel My Love' and this is for Brussels tonight, I want you to all sing it with me alright so they hear us," she said as her fans sang along with her.

After finishing the song she said: "I don't think I've ever actually been so moved before in my life at one of my shows, that was just so beautiful. Thank you very much for doing that ... I think they heard us."

Adele went on to hit out at the terrorists who killed at least 34 people at the Zaventem Airport and a metro station.

In video from the show, she can be heard calling the attackers "f***ers".

"We're all here for the same reason," she said.

"I'm hoping you've all come to be entertained by me. I'm here to entertain you, so we're all united, so that makes us much better than them f***ers. You're on you, f***ers!"

Adele is currently touring with her third album 25 and has received rave reviews for her show.


Batman v Superman: The Reviews Are In



The new Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice film has been given a lukewarm response by critics, with some describing it as "convoluted" and "muddled".

Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill were in London on Tuesday night for the European premiere but interviews were cancelled in the wake of the terror attacks in Brussels.

The new Warner Bros film is Affleck's first outing at the Caped Crusader, whose vendetta against the Man of Steel leads to an epic showdown.

Geoffrey Macnab, in The Independent, praised the "full-blooded performances" of the two leading men but described the film as a "convoluted affair".

"It pulls in far too many directions at once," he wrote.

"There is also a lingering suspicion that both these superheroes work better when they're flying solo."

Kate Muir, in The Times, gave the film two stars and said the "finger of shame" should be pointed at director Snyder.

"Snyder is on a CGI-high, assaulting the viewer with noise and fury, overloaded by Hans Zimmer's Wagnerian score," she wrote.

The Daily Mirror's David Edwards gave the film three stars as he criticised the "muddled storyline" which made it "hard to root for either superhero".

"Batman's grudge against Superman feels like it's been contrived to set up an encounter that is less iconic fight and more exhibition match," he wrote.

Awarding the film three stars, Andrew Pulver, in The Guardian, claimed Affleck "acquits himself pretty well" as Batman and the influence of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight "still looms large".

:: Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice can be seen in cinemas from Friday.