Author Ian Halperin has been working on an
unauthorized biography of Michael Jackson. During a recent
interview with In Touch magazine, Halperin claimed the singer suffers
from a genetic disorder (Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency) that depletes
a protein that protects both the liver and lungs, chronic
gastrointestinal bleeding, blindness in his left eye and
emphysema. A spokesperson for the singer denied the report
saying, "Concerning this author's allegations, we would hope in the
future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such
an obvious attempt to promote this unauthorized 'biography.'"
"The writer's wild allegations concerning Mr. Jackson's health are a
total fabrication." The statement also said that Jackson is
"in fine health" and is "finalizing negotiations with a major
entertainment company and television network for both a world tour and
a series of specials and appearances."
The Blind Boys Of Alabama, the Four Tops, Hank Jones, Brenda Lee, Dean
Martin and Tom Paxton will be recipients of the Recording Academy's
Lifetime Achievement Award on Feb. 7th (and will be mentioned during
the Grammy broadcast the following evening.) The award honors
artistic contributions to the recording medium.
The Twilight soundtrack fell 2 places on the Billboard 200 albums chart
to #7 on sales of 156,000 copies. AC/DC's Black Ice dropped a
spot to #9 on sales of 143,000 copies. Enya's And Winter
Came... fell 3 places to #16. The Mamma Mia! soundtrack
surged up 16 spots to #18. Elvis Presley's Christmas Duets
dropped 7 places to #24. Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy
fell 4 spots to #33. Metallica's Death Magnetic climbed 5
places to #35.
Simply Red's 25: The Greatest Hits gained 6 places on the U.K. Albums
chart to #13. Celine Dion's My Love: The Essential Collection
dropped 2 places to #15. Bette Midler's The Best Bette
climbed 9 spots to #21. Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy fell
6 spots to #26. Enya's And Winter Came... gained a place to
#27. Rod Stewart's Some Guys Have All The Luck climbed 5
spots to #28. Status Quo's Pictures: 40 Years Of Hits gained
2 places to #35. AC/DC's Black Ice re-entered the chart at
#37.
The Pogues featuring Kirsty Maccoll's "Fairytale Of New York" gained a
place to #12 on the U.K. Singles chart. Wham's classic "Last
Christmas" dropped a spot to #27. Leonard Cohen's 1984
single, "Hallelujah," debuted at #36. (Covers of "Hallelujah"
by Alexandra Burke and Jeff Buckley took the #1 and #2 spots on the
singles chart respectively.)
Former Marillion singer Fish [Derek William Dick] has announced on his
MySpace blog that he plans to take at least 6 months off from singing
after doctors found an "irregular cell growth" in his throat during a
biopsy.
Bonnie Tyler has been busy in the studio recording new material for an
album due out in 2009. Until then, her cover of Andrew Lloyd
Webber's "I Don't Know How To Love Him," appears on the recent Over The
Rainbow compilation.
The Pet Shop Boys have announced that their new studio album will be
titled Yes when released in March. The first single off the
set will be "Love, Etc."
Wendy and Lisa have released their new 9-track album, White Flags Of
Winter Chimneys, at WendyAndLisa.com in a digital version, CD + digital
and deluxe package.
U2's upcoming album, No Line On The Horizon, will come in 5 different
versions (standard CD, double vinyl, digi-pack, magazine and box set)
when released on Mar. 3rd. The more expensive limited edition
versions will include a new film from Anton Corbijn featuring the music
of U2.
According to recent reports, The Time have been in the studio putting
the final touches on their new studio album containing all the original
members. Their last album with all the original members was
released 18 years ago.
According to Real Life's David Sterry, he has finished the recording of
an as-yet-untitled covers album that will be released via Cleopatra in
the new year.
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band will see an exclusive
12-track collection, Greatest Hits, released at Wal-Mart on Jan. 13th
(just 2 weeks before his new album, Working On A Dream.)
Clan Of Xymox were forced to take legal action recently when a band
calling themselves Xymox (a name they also have released albums under
during different phases of their career) released a single called
"Hypnotized" on iTunes. The band have finished their tour
dates for the year and expect to release their new album in the spring.
Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp has written a song with Jimmy Nail that will
be the theme song to the new BBC1 comedy series, Parents Of The Band,
which stars Nail.
The Pointer Sisters' 1981 album, Black & White, will be
reissued via Wounded Bird Records in early 2009. Earlier this
year the trio re-recorded their hits for a limited edition CD,
Favorites, that can be purchased at ThePointerSisters.com or at select
concert venues. The current line-up is comprised of Ruth,
Anita and Issa Pointer.
Eric Woolfson of the Alan Parsons Project is planning to release his
new 17-track album, Edgar Allan Poe, in January. The songs
come from the new musical of the same title that will make its world
premiere in March in Berlin, Germany.
Despite the announcement that his former Stone Roses bandmates are
working to lure him into a reunion, Ian Brown will release his next
studio album in August.
John Lydon's 1994 autobiography, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs,
was recently re-published in the U.S. with a new cover by Picador Books.
John Spinks and Tony Lewis of The Outfield have almost finished up work
on tracks that would be part of their next album. Meanwhile,
John's recovery has been heading in the right direction.
Judie Tzuke has released her new studio album, Songs 2, via iTunes,
Rhapsody, Napster and AmazonMP3. It can also be purchased at
her Tzuke.com shop.
Expect a new solo album by Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band.
He took a short break from the Kid Rock Revival Tour just to add the
final touches to the album.
According to a family spokesman, Emmy award-winning
singer/dancer/actress Eartha Kitt, 81, lost her battle with colon
cancer on Christmas Day. Best known to television audiences
as Catwoman on the Batman series from 1967-1968, she recorded the song
"Santa Baby" (later to be covered by Madonna) in 1954. In
1984, she scored a #7 hit on the U.S. Billboard Dance chart with "Where
Is My Man?" (which also went to #36 on the U.K. Singles
chart.) Her 1989 follow-up single, "Cha-Cha Heels" featured
Bronski Beat and went to #32 on the U.K. Singles chart.