Beyonce to finally perform in Malaysia next month

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 19 (ANI): Beyonce Knowles is all set to perform in Kuala Lumpur next month, two years after cancelling her Malaysian concert.

Kuala Lumpur is one of her destinations in the ‘I Am…’ world tour which spans North America, Europe and Asia.

The ‘Baby boy’ singer is scheduled to stage her first concert in Malaysia at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, at 8pm on Oct 25, reports the Star Online.

The singer was originally slated to perform in Malaysia in 2007, but cancelled her concert following protests from PAS Youth and she headed for Jakarta instead.

The world tour comes with the release of her third studio album, ‘I Am… Sasha Fierce’, which features hits like ‘If I Were a Boy’, ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)’, ‘Halo’, ‘Sweet Dreams’ and ‘Broken-Hearted Girl’.

Beyonce, along with Black Eyed Peas and Jacky Cheung, will also perform at F1 ROCKS Singapore with LG on Sept 26. (ANI)

Jay-Z to break Elvis Presley’s album record

London, September 17 (ANI): Jay-Z may soon become the solo artist with the most chart-toppers in US chart history beating King of Rock ‘n’ Roll Elvis Presley.

The rap star’s new album ‘Blueprint 3′ might as well be his 11th American number one album, which will take him past the late ‘Jailhouse Rock’ hitmaker’s record of 10 number ones.

Billboard said the 39-year-old had so far shifted 476,000 copies of the LP, the BBC News reports.

Meanwhile, the Beatles still retain their position as the most successful act on the US chart, with 19 US number one albums. (ANI)

Jonathan Ross secures exclusive interview with Barbra Streisand

London, Sep 10 (ANI): American singer Barbra Streisand is to be interviewed by Brit film critic Jonathan Ross for an episode of his BBC One chat show.

An entire show, which has been branded as ‘Friday Night With Streisand and Ross’, will be dedicated to 67-year-old Streisand, reports the BBC.

The singer/actress will be discussing her career and also perform some of her classic hits and material from her new album, ‘Love Is The Answer’, on the programme which will be broadcast on October 2.

A spokeswoman for Streisand said the BBC One show would be the star’s first studio interview in the UK since she spoke with Des O’Connor in the 1980s.

Streisand’s new album is set for release in the UK on September 28.

It has a collection of jazz standards, which will show the singer performing tracks including ‘Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’ and ‘In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning’. (ANI)

Boy George plans comeback after prison release

Washington, September 8 (ANI): Former Culture Club frontman Boy George is drawing plans to head back to the studio and resurrect his career just fourth months after he walked free from jail.

The fallen pop star, real name George O’Dowd, was jailed in January for falsely imprisoning a male escort in his flat and beating the 29-year-old after a drug-fuelled nude photo shoot in 2007.

The 48-year-old was granted early release in May for his good behaviour, but was let off with a curfew and an ankle monitoring tag that was recently removed.

And now, the singer has revealed that he is preparing material for a new album of cover songs.

“I’m choosing songs that speak to me and have lyrics that reflect my personal journey and experiences,” Contactmusic quoted him as telling British newspaper The People. (ANI)

MJ set to become world’s top earning celebrity

London, September 7 (ANI): Michael Jackson has been predicted to become the world’s top earning celebrity next year.

The late King of Pop’s estate is expected to amass up to 150 million pounds from beyond the grave, thanks to merchandising contracts, album sales, and other royalties.

The top 1,000 licensing and merchandising experts across Europe, participating in the Brand Licensing trade event in London, made the predictions.

“Michael Jackson’s image and legacy is licensed on anything from coins and clothes, to coffee table books and singing, stuffed animals,” the Daily Express quoted Ciaran Coyle, The Beanstalk Group chief, as saying.

Other high profilers to feature among the top 20 stars, dead or alive, include Elvis Presley, Heath Ledger and Jade Goody. (ANI)

Lady GaGa says she’s happy being single with her vibrator!

London, Sept 5 (ANI): Popstar Lady Gaga has revealed that her hectic schedule might give her little chance of finding a new man.

However, ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker admits she is finding other ways to relieve the tension of being a single girl.

“I am single and a workaholic and very lonely,” the Sun quoted her as saying.

“But I’m good. Me and my vibrator are very happy,” she added.

Meanwhile, Michael Bolton has teamed up with the 23-year-old singer as she helped pen songs for his forthcoming new album. (ANI)

50 things that are being killed by the Internet

London, Sep 4 (ANI): The Internet has been touted as one of the most useful tool for the last two decades, and has had a huge impact on our lives, but along with its benefits, the World Wide Web has also had some negative impacts on people.

While tasks that once took days can be completed in seconds, traditions and skills that emerged over centuries have become redundant.

The Telegraph has compiled a list of 50 things that are in the process of being killed off by the web and other tools of modern communication, from products and business models to life experiences and habits.

These things are:

1. The art of polite disagreement

2. Fear that you are the only person unmoved by a celebrity’s death

3. Listening to an album all the way through

4. Sarah Palin

5. Punctuality

6. Ceefax/Teletext

7. Adolescent nerves at first porn purchase

8. Telephone directories

9. The myth of cat intelligence

10. Watches

11. Music stores

12. Letter writing/pen pals

13. Memory

14. Dead time

15. Photo albums and slide shows

16. Hoaxes and conspiracy theories

17. Watching television together

18. Authoritative reference works

19. The Innovations catalogue

20. Order forms in the back pages of books

21. Delayed knowledge of sporting results

22. Enforceable copyright

23. Reading telegrams at weddings

24. Dogging

25. Aren’t they dead? Aren’t they gay?

26. Holiday news ignorance

27. Knowing telephone numbers off by heart

28. Respect for doctors and other professionals

29. The mystery of foreign languages

30. Geographical knowledge

31. Privacy

32. Chuck Norris’s reputation

33. Pencil cricket

34. Mainstream media

35. Concentration

36. Mr Alifi

37. Personal reinvention

38. Viktor Yanukovych

39. The insurance ring-round

40. Undiscovered artists

41. The usefulness of reference pages at the front of diaries

42. The nervous thrill of the reunion

43. Solitaire

44. Trust in Nigerian businessmen and princes

45. Prostitute calling cards/ kerb crawling

46. Staggered product/film releases

47. Footnotes

48. Grand National trips to the bookmaker

49. Fanzines

50. Your lunchbreak (ANI)

Macca says The Beatles became victims of success

Washington, Sep 2 (ANI): Brit singer Sir Paul McCartney has in an exclusive interview spoken out about the final days of ‘The Beatles’, and insisted that the group became victims of their own success when businessman Allen Klein took over their financial affairs.

According to music magazine Mojo, McCartney said that he and his bandmates struggled to come to terms with all the business decisions they were suddenly forced to make as they were recording their final album ‘Abbey Road’.

The fight between them over cash and contracts really became a huge burden.

“We were musicians, we were kids from Liverpool, we’d gone to grammar schools, we’d done Hamburg – we kind of knew all that,” Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

“But the idea that you were going to get this money and someone was going to take it off you…

“I think we all just thought, ‘You get the money, you put it in a bank, and it gradually gets bigger,’ and you say, ‘Thank you very much, and you live happily ever after.’ Then you suddenly get with accountants and they say, ‘No, you can’t just sit there’.

“Then there’s tax, and some business person is on a raid – it was a huge upheaval,” he said.

McCartney also admitted that the group’s business woes were poured into their new songs.

“George (Harrison) would write Piggies, and I knew exactly what he was talking about, and he wrote Taxman when we first found out about the tax system,” he said.

The rift between the group eventually led to a court battle before the band broke up, with many fans blaming Klein for contributing to the group’s split.

McCartney refused to be drawn into talking about Klein, but hinted that he still had not forgiven the businessman for things that would remain unspoken.

“I don’t want to speak ill of the dead,” he added.

Klein passed away in New York earlier this summer, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. (ANI)

Murray takes a tennis break to perform a rap song

London, Sep.1 (ANI): British tennis champion Andy Murray, who is hoping to be World Number One, soon, took a break from the game to do a rap number for an album.

But he admits he is unlikely to be a top 10 success in the music charts.

The British star has been fine-tuning his US Open plans and is looking to go one step further than last year when Roger Federer beat him in the final.

Yet second-seed Murray, who takes on Ernests Gulbis in the first round at Flushing Meadows today, took a break from practice to record a rap verse for an album written and produced by tennis twins Mike and Bob Bryan.

According to The Sun, the album, called Let It Rip, is being released today.

Murray admitted: “It was the first time I had done that – it was good fun.”

“I think that was the whole point of it. It definitely wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t particularly good,” he added. (ANI)

Britney went on tour to avoid $100m loss: Book

London, Aug 30 (ANI): Britney Spears was forced to hit the road just months after a public breakdown because she faced financial ruin, says the author of a new book.

Best-selling author and journalist Steven Dennis claims in a new book, ‘Britney: Inside The Dream’, that she stood to lose as much as 100 million dollars if she failed to honor the tour commitments that she made prior to her meltdown.

Dennis spent six months writing and researching the book, reports the Daily Express.

Robert Baker, the studio director at the Millenium Dance Complex where Britney regularly trains, told him: “If Britney didn’t go on tour she could have been hit for 100 million dollars because she was contractually obliged for another album and another tour and there was a deadline.

“The whole contract was set up and a timetable was in place before Britney had her meltdown.

“Had she quit and walked away then the recouped advances, penalties and accrued interest would have been near the 100-million-dollar mark – for someone estimated to be worth just 60 million dollars to 65 million dollars.”

Since announcing her world tour, critics have voiced their concerns that Britney was taking part in a gruelling nine-month world tour at a time when she remained mentally vulnerable.

Legally, she has been under the control of her father since February because of her mental problems.

Dennis adds, however: “I think the chief reason behind her tour was to protect Britney – firstly, to return her to an identity and routine in which she felt safe and secondly to safeguard her financially.” (ANI)

Himesh Reshammiya seeks divine blessings for his forthcoming film

Mumbai, Aug 30 (ANI): Deviating from the usual glitz and glamour associated with any Bollywood event, the movie unit of the forthcoming film ‘Radio’ led by singer-composer-actor Himesh Reshammiya, released the music album of their production amid religious fervour in Mumbai.

The music album was released during the ongoing festival at the ‘Lalbaug Ka Raja’, as the film crew sought divine blessings of Lord Ganesha, for the success of their film.

‘Radio’ is a modern day love story that deals with the issue of incompatibility between couples today.

The film revolves around the life of a radio jockey Vivan Shah, played by Himesh.

Vivan is undergoing a bitter divorce when he meets Shanaya, who hosts a show with him. The show becomes popular and sends across wrong signal that they are married.

Later the saga relates how Vivan’s estranged wife realises her mistake and wants to reconcile with him.

Himesh admitted that he had to prepare a lot to get into the role of a radio jockey.

“I’m playing the role of a radio jockey working at Radio Mirchi. I had to train with the radio jockeys. I used to observe these radio jockeys and how a radio jockey keeps his reflexes. I want all of you to pray for the success of my film,” he said.

‘Radio’ is slated to hit the screen worldwide on December 11. (ANI)

Shakira goes wild, ‘unorthodox’ in her new music video

Washington, Aug 28 (ANI): Shakira is all set to go wild in the video of her upcoming music album.

The video will feature the 32-year-old throwing kicks and angry glances at the camera.

Fox News quoted Shakira as saying: “I’m less shy now that I hit my 30′s. After that happens you feel a little bit more free, you accept yourself in many different ways and your more comfortable in your own flesh.”

However, the Colombian lass will continue to set the screen ablaze by her sexy dance moves.he said: “I’m not a trained dancer. I did a little bit of gymnastic when I was 12; everything else it’s just me feeling the music. But I do have an unorthodox ways to approve my music or test it.”

“When I’m in the studio and I’m producing my own music, [I've got to] make sure I connect to it at a physical level. My body has to move and my hips have to move and if I don’t see that kind of reaction, that physical reaction, then I know that something is not working,” she added. (ANI)

Shakira goes wild, ‘unorthodox’ in her new music video

Washington, Aug 28 (ANI): Shakira is all set to go wild in the video of her upcoming music album.

The video will feature the 32-year-old throwing kicks and angry glances at the camera.

Fox News quoted Shakira as saying: “I’m less shy now that I hit my 30′s. After that happens you feel a little bit more free, you accept yourself in many different ways and your more comfortable in your own flesh.”

However, the Colombian lass will continue to set the screen ablaze by her sexy dance moves.he said: “I’m not a trained dancer. I did a little bit of gymnastic when I was 12; everything else it’s just me feeling the music. But I do have an unorthodox ways to approve my music or test it.”

“When I’m in the studio and I’m producing my own music, [I've got to] make sure I connect to it at a physical level. My body has to move and my hips have to move and if I don’t see that kind of reaction, that physical reaction, then I know that something is not working,” she added. (ANI)

McCartney says death rumours led people to think he was an impostor

London, Aug 27 (ANI): Sir Paul McCartney has disclosed that people often checked him over to make sure he wasn’t an impostor after the circulation of a conspiracy theory which claimed he had died in the 1960s.

About 40 years ago rumours about the former Beatle’s death in a 1966 accident had gained currency and conspiracy theorists proved the death with clues appearing on the cover of The Beatles’ last recorded album Abbey Road.

The Telegraph quoted McCartney as saying: “I think the worst thing that happened was that I could see people sort of looking at me more closely – ‘were his ears always like that?”"

The story, which still remains a popular Google search, circulated in October 1969 after a Detroit DJ claimed the Beatles had recruited a McCartney look-alike William Campbell, after the bass player’s death.

The cover of Abbey Road featured a bare footed McCartney and many believed this to hint dropped by the Beatles that the fourth member of the band was not alive.

The act was said to be the representation of a funeral procession and a car’s number plate with ’28IF’ was believed to refer to McCartney’s age had he been alive.

McCartney told the October edition of Mojo magazine: “It was funny really, but ridiculous. It’s an occupational hazard – people make up a story, and then you find yourself having to deal with this fictitious stuff.”

The star even explained the clues: “I knew why I’d had bare feet – ‘cos I’d kicked off my sandals. I knew the car that said ’28IF’ was a completely random car that had just been parked. It was madness.”

The Beatles’ original studio albums and Abbey Road are scheduled to be re-released in a remastered version on September 9. (ANI)

Natalie Imbruglia had ‘semi-nervous breakdown’ while working with Chris Martin

Melbourne, Aug 25 (ANI): Aussie singer Natalie Imbruglia has revealed that she had a ‘semi-nervous breakdown’ while working with ‘Coldplay’ frontman Chris Martin on her new album.

Imbruglia, 34, said that collaborating with Martin, 31, was difficult because of his directness.

“When I worked with Chris Martin he was very honest and brutal with me,” News.com.au quoted her as telling NME.

“He helped me with my tracklisting and we got rid of riff-raff. Sometimes we agreed, sometimes we disagreed.

“The hard bit is him saying which songs he doesn’t like, but it’s refreshing to have someone of that calibre with you.

“So yes – I had a semi-nervous breakdown,” she added.

Imbruglia’s new album ‘Come To Life’ is to be released on October 5. (ANI)

Calvin Harris knocks MJ off the top spot in UK album chart

London, Aug 25 (ANI): Late King of Pop Michael Jackson has finally been knocked from the top of the UK album chart.

Calvin Harris has leapt straight to the top of the UK album chart with new release ‘Ready For The Weekend, knocking Jackson’s album ‘The Essential’ from the perch, where it had been for seven weeks, reports the BBC.

Meanwhile, French DJ David Guetta has hit the top spot in the UK singles chart – his new track with Akon has shot to number one.

Guetta’s latest collaboration, ‘Sexy Bitch’, has reached the highest position.

The Black Eyed Peas were knocked to number two with ‘I Gotta Feeling’, while British rapper Tinchy Stryder’s duet with Sugababe star Amelle Berrabah, ‘Never Leave You’, is at number three.

Scottish DJ Calvin Harris is at number four with ‘Ready for the Weekend’, while Beyonce’s ‘Sweet Dreams’ rounds out the top five.

The top five in the UK singles chart are:

1. Sexy Chick – David Guetta featuring Akon

2. Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling

3. Tinchy Stryder – Never Leave You

4. Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend

5. Beyonce – Sweet Dreams (ANI)

Bon Jovi ‘to go for world tour next year’

Washington, Aug 22 (ANI): Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora has revealed that the band may go for a world tour next year to promote their upcoming album ‘The Circle.’

“Next year. 2010, probably spring time we’ll get going. And we’re going to go for a long time. It’s going to be a big one,” Contactmusic quoted him as telling Rolling Stone magazine.

The rocker said that Jon Bon Jovi and him were planning to first release greatest hits collection before working on a new album, but as they started they couldn’t stop themselves from making new music.

He said: “We started having so much fun making this record, that we decided we would do a studio album first. It sounds fresh – I think we reinvented ourselves again.

“Jon and I had a wonderful time making it. We’re very proud of it – just getting down to mixing it right now. We hit a very prolific period in our songwriting.”

The long-awaited album will be out in November. (ANI)

Robbie Williams asks girlfriend’s mum to share his home

London, Aug 21 (ANI): Brit singer Robbie Williams is said to be so taken with his girlfriend’s mum that he has invited her to move in with them.

Williams, 35, is currently dating 30-year-old Turkish American actress Ayda Field, and he wants her mum Gwen to live in his country pile near Swindon for months at a time.

The actor apparently bonded with Gwen over a shared love of poker, and he has been flying her over to the UK from her California home regularly since getting the keys to his 8.5million pounds Wilts mansion in January.

“Robbie has really hit it off with Ayda’s mum. One of his hobbies is playing poker with a small group of pals including his mate Jonathan Wilkes,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

“Gwen has joined in a few times, and on a couple of occasions Robbie and Gwen have carried on playing into the wee small hours after everyone else went to bed,” the source said.

With Williams and Field moving back to the UK full-time ahead of his new album release, he’s keen for Gwen to come, too.

“Robbie’s new house is massive and it would be a lonely place to rattle about in on your own,” the source said.

“But Ayda and Gwen will have a lot of fun together. There are tennis courts and a gym and some nice countryside.

“Plus there is completely separate accommodation so Gwen can have her privacy,” the source added. (ANI)

Liam Gallagher approves brother’s solo album plans

London, August 20 (ANI): Liam Gallagher has given the green signal to his brother and fellow Oasis member Noel’s plans to begin work on a solo album.

Noel recently confessed having penned “lots of songs” that did not suit the group, though he insisted having no plans to head for a solo project.

But the rocker’s brother said he has no qualms if Noel decided to pursue his own musical journey.

“Who knows, man, maybe he needs to go and do his solo record? f**king hell, I don’t know, I really don’t know,” the Daily Star quoted Liam telling NME.com.

“If it (recording a solo album) makes him happy, yeah, if it makes him happy.

“It would sound very civilised I reckon? (that’s) a f**king awful thing – but maybe it’s a good thing for him,” he added. (ANI)

Mel Gibson provides guest vocals for girlfriend’s new album

Washington, Aug 15 (ANI): Mel Gibson has swapped the big screen for a recording studio, as he has provided guest vocals for his girlfriend Russian singer Oksana Grigorieva’s new album.

The ‘Lethal Weapon’ star has provided guest vocals for two songs for Grigorieva’s latest LP, ‘Beautiful Heartache’, and directed videos to accompany four of the tracks.

“Mel is an incredible artist. He has a great voice. He is a visionary. He enabled me to produce this… for my music to live,” Contactmusic quoted Oksana as saying.

“The videos are like dramatic miniature films – a whirlpool of different, exciting, bright images,” she added. (ANI)