Top Electronic Albums for the 6/12/2010 issue

Now Last Weeks Peak

1 2 83 1 The Fame – Lady Gaga (/IGA)

2 3 27 1 The Fame Monster (EP) – Lady Gaga (/IGA)

3 1 2 1 This Is Happening – LCD Soundsystem (/Capitol)

4 4 36 4 La Roux – La Roux (/IGA)

5 5 46 1 Ocean Eyes – Owl City (/UMRG)

6 1 6 Rated R: Remixed – Rihanna (/IDJMG)

7 13 5 6 Crystal Castles (II) – Crystal Castles (/UMRG)

8 7 40 3 One Love – David Guetta (/Astralwerks)

9 6 4 3 Cosmogramma – Flying Lotus ()

10 9 20 4 Total Club Hits 4 – DJ Poet Name Life (/IDJMG)

European Top 100 Albums for the 6/12/2010 issue

Now Last Weeks Peak

1 0 The House – Katie Melua (/Dramatico)

2 2 2 Exile On Main Street [Remastered] – The Rolling Stones (/Rolling Stones/Polydor)

3 1 6 Iron Man 2 – AC/DC (/Columbia)

4 3 72 The Fame – Lady Gaga (/Streamline/Konlive/Cherrytree/Interscope)

5 32 32 Crazy Love – Michael Buble (/143/Reprise)

6 8 3 My Cassette Player – Lena Meyer-Landrut (/USFO)

7 0 Immersion – Pendulum (/Warner Bros.)

8 6 51 The E.N.D – The Black Eyed Peas (/Interscope)

9 0 Sido MTV Unplugged Live – Sido (/Universal)

10 14 37 The Resistance – Muse (/A&E/Helium 3/Warner)

Miley Cyrus’ beau defends her pole dancing video

London, May 18 (ANI): Liam Hemsworth has come to the defence of girlfriend Miley Cyrus over a saucy video, insisting that she “has a good head on her shoulders”.

The teenage sensation, who shot to fame with her role in Disney’s Hannah Montana series, was seen in a raunchy video, showing her dirty dancing with a movie producer.

Miley has been dating the Australian actor since they met on the set of their film ‘The Last Song’.

And last week, a video from the movie”s wrap party sparked controversy, with footage of Cyrus showing her grinding up against a 44-year-old producer on the dance floor.

However, Hemsworth has insisted that his girlfriend shouldn”t let the media storm bother her, because the criticism is all part of being a star.

“Everyone gets criticism, it”s kind of what comes with this job… everybody”s trying to bring you down. She”s got a good head on her shoulders. She”s a great girl,” the Daily Express quoted him as telling Hollywoodlife.com. (ANI)

Nepali cyclist attempts to scale Mt Everest on a bike

Kathmandu, May 14 (ANI): Pushkar Shah, who has acquired fame by cycling through 150 countries, has begun his first attempt at scaling Mt Everest by bike.

Calling it the “Peace expedition 2010″, the Nepali cyclist had earlier told the media that he was going on this expedition to pray for world peace.

Accoding to Xinhua, he said his request for financial aid for the undertaking had been turned down by the Nepal Government, forcing him to sell off his belongings, including the cycle on which he rode around the world.

A five-member team led by Shah, which was stationed at the Base Camp situated at an altitude of 5,343 meters, left for the second camp situated at an altitude of 6,900 meters Thursday morning, according to Nepalnews.

The team aims to reach the top of Mt. Qomolangma, the Nepali name for Everest, on May 16. (ANI)

Song explaining how to pronounce Eyjafjallajvkull a YouTube hit

London, May 13 (ANI): A song explaining the pronunciation of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajvkull is fast becoming a rage on YouTube.

The volcano made headlines after it erupted last month leaving passengers stranded across European airports.

And now Icelandic singer Eliza Newman is helping people to pronounce its name.

Her video has racked up more than 200,000 hits on YouTube.

Playing the ukulele, Newman croons:

Eyjafjallajokull is a long, long name

For such a small glacier, with such notorious fame

And Eyjafjallajokull has caused quite a stir

And no-one can fly anywhere except the birds

Please stop it Eyjafjallajokull

“The volcano has caused a lot of problems around the world, not least with people who haven””t been able to say it,” the Sun quoted Newman, as saying.

She added: “Anything I can do to help people get their tongue round the word is fantastic. Little songs and rhymes always help.” (ANI)

Actor Robbie Coltrane’s painting set to fetch £4k

London, May 10 (ANI): Robbie Coltrane of Harry Potter fame is set to put up his painting of a train for auction.

The work is expected to fetch 4,000 pounds when it goes under the hammer at a Glasgow auction this week, reports the Scotsman.

Coltrane completed the painting after receiving commission while studying at Glasgow School of Art in the 1970s.

This was before he shot to fame with ‘Harry Potter’ where he played ‘Hagrid’ and criminal psychologist ‘Fitz’ in the television series ‘Cracker’.

The painting is the first one to be put up by the actor for auction.

McTear”s Scottish Contemporary Art Auction will showcase other artworks on Wednesday including 58 drawings by the Glaswegian artist Gerard Burns. (ANI)

Sir Paul McCartney’s set of “rules” by which he negotiates fame

London, May 7 (ANI): Sir Paul McCartney has revealed the set of “rules” he follows when negotiating fame.

According to Sir Paul, fame is “a weight that I”m happy to carry.”

He said that it is perfectly possible to lead a normal life without being touted as a celebrity, reports The Telegraph.

“I spent so much of my life trying to get famous and it”s a little bit unseemly, once you get famous, to say, ”Oh, I don”t want to be here’,” the 67-year-old singer said.

“So people come up to me in a restaurant and say, ”Can I have your autograph?” and I say, ”I”m really sorry but I don”t do that when I”m eating. I hope you understand,” he added.

“I”ll shake your hand and I”ll talk to you – I”m quite happy to talk to people on a one-to-one, human basis. But the minute they turn me into this celebrity I”m pretending not to be for that minute, I sort of say, ”No, I”m not going to do that”. And most people – in fact, 99.9 per cent of people – are very understanding because they understand privacy,” Sir Paul further said. (ANI)

”Joe the Plumber” wins seat on Ohio GOP committee

Columbus (Ohio, US), May 6 (ANI): Samuel `Joe the Plumber’ Wurzelbacher, who stumped for Senator John McCain during the 2008 presidential campaign, is now a political player in Ohio.

According to the New York Daily News, Wurzelbacher won a seat on the local Republican Party committee in Toledo”s Lucas County.

He nabbed the seat, one of 400, with a 38-24 vote.

The group is responsible for selecting the county chairman and setting the party”s local agenda.

In 2008, Wurzelbacher was thrust into the spotlight when McCain referred to him as “Joe the Plumber” during a debate with then Senator Barack Obama.

Even though his name was not Joe, and he was not technically a plumber, he soon became a popular sound bite.

Wurzelbacher has turned his 15 minutes of fame into a political career.

He has written a book, “Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream,” and speaks at events around the country.

An effort to draft him to run for Congress last year ultimately fizzled out. (ANI)

Brynne “Flash Gordon” Edelsten poised to ‘showing off’ at her first Logie Awards

Melbourne, Apr 28 (ANI): Brynne Edelsten of ‘Flash Gordon’ fame has promised to stand out on the red carpet when she makes her Logies debut on Sunday.

The curvy blonde – whose dare-to-bare fashion sense and unique black-tie style has made her a publicity magnet in the past year – has vowed not to tone it down.

And Edelsten – wife of headline-making tycoon Geoffrey – is having a gown especially created for her appearance.

“I am looking for something fun, a little bit crazy, a little bit different, but definitely with some glamour in it,” News.com.au quoted Edelsten as saying.

“Anything I wear I will be showing it off as best I can.

“I love a red carpet because it is a chance to wear something you would not wear anywhere else.

“It is one of the few times you can get really creative,” she added. (ANI)

Musician releases song to aid pronunciation of Iceland volcano Eyjafjallajokull!

London, Apr 21 (ANI): A musician in Iceland has composed a light-hearted song in a bid to help people with the pronunciation of the name of the volcano, which has caused travel chaos.

Eyjafjallajokull – pronounced roughly ay-uh-fyat-luh-yoe-kuutl – has left many people confused.

The name has been formed through merging three Icelandic words via a process call “agglutination”, where separate ideas are put together to form a composite idea.

In this case, Eyjafjallajokull means “island-mountain-glacier,” reports the Telegraph.

Thus, many people have concluded that it may not refer to the volcano at all but, more accurately, “the glacier on the mountain which looks like an island”.

It is likely the volcano has been called many things that are not its proper name since it threw up vast plumes of ash clouds and forced airspace across Europe to be closed.

Eliza Geirsdottir Newman, the musician in question, performed her song to the broadcaster Al Jazeera to help people remember the correct pronunciation.

Playing a ukulele, she sang: “Eyjafjallajokull is a long, long name/ For such a small glacier, with such notorious fame/ And Eyjafjallajokull has caused quite a stir/ And no-one can fly anywhere except the birds/ Please stop it Eyjafjallajokull.” (ANI)

Usher tops UK singles chart

London, Apr 19 (ANI): Usher has topped the UK singles chart with his song ‘OMG’, featuring Will I Am.

In the chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company, they toppled ‘This Ain”t A Love Song’, by Scouting for Girls, which had been number one for two weeks.

At number three was London rapper Professor Green with ‘I Need You Tonight’—the track, which features Ed Drewett, samples the 1987 INXS hit Need You Tonight.

On the other hand, rapper Plan B, dropped a place to number four with ‘She Said’.

However, US RnB star Kelis was a new entry at number five with A cappella, reports the Telegraph.

In the album chart, Plan B”s ‘The Defamation of Strickland Banks’ went in at number one, while Scouting for Girls” ‘Everybody Wants To Be On TV’ was another new entry at number two.

Lady Gaga”s ‘The Fame’ slipped to number three from number one, while US band MGMT came in at four with ‘Congratulations’.

‘My World’ by Justin Bieber fell from three to five. (ANI)

Top Electronic Albums for the 4/10/2010 issue

Now Last Weeks Peak

1 1 74 1 The Fame – Lady Gaga (/IGA)

2 2 18 1 The Fame Monster (EP) – Lady Gaga (/IGA)

3 1 3 Head First – Goldfrapp ()

4 3 37 1 Ocean Eyes – Owl City (/UMRG)

5 4 9 4 Ultra Dance 11 – DJ Enferno ()

6 7 38 2 Party Rock – LMFAO (/IGA)

7 6 31 3 One Love – David Guetta (/Astralwerks)

8 1 8 Pandemonium: Live, The O2 Arena, London 21 December 2009 – Pet Shop Boys
(/Astralwerks)

9 5 11 4 Total Club Hits 4 – DJ Poet Name Life (/IDJMG)

10 8 7 4 Heligoland – Massive Attack (/Capitol)

European Top 100 Albums for the 4/3/2010 issue

Now Last Weeks Peak

1 3 2 A Curious Thing – Amy MacDonald (/Melodramatic/Mercury)

2 1 2 Plastic Beach – Gorillaz (/Parlophone)

3 4 62 The Fame – Lady Gaga (/Streamline/Konlive/Cherrytree/Interscope)

4 2 6 Soldier Of Love – Sade (/Epic)

5 7 41 The E.N.D – The Black Eyed Peas (/Interscope)

6 5 2 Valleys Of Neptune – Jimi Hendrix (/Legacy/Columbia)

7 6 14 The Element Of Freedom – Alicia Keys (/J)

8 0 Glee:The Music Season One. Vol 2 – Soundtrack (/Columbia)

9 9 2 Brother – Boyzone (/Polydor)

10 10 4 Grosse Freiheit – Unheilig (/Interstar/Fansation)

Megan Fox turns down Lara Croft role to avoid Angelina Jolie comparisons

New York, April 01 (ANI): Hollywood hottie Megan Fox has turned down the chance to be the next Lara Croft to dissuade more comparisons to Angelina Jolie, original star of the film ‘Tomb Raider’.

“The offer has been on the table for Megan for a while but she’s reluctantly turned it down,” the New York Daily News quoted an insider telling the entertainment Web site Showbiz Spy.

“She’s the logical choice to play Lara and she loves the character but the comparison with Angelina [Jolie] is too much,” the insider added.

Fox has been fighting comparisons with Jolie since she rose to fame in 2007 as the star of movie ‘Transformers’. (ANI)

Simon Cowell ‘seeks assurance from Dannii Minogue over X Factor role’

London, Mar 31 (ANI): Pregnant Dannii Minogue is said to have been given two weeks by music mogul Simon Cowell to satisfy his concerns about her returning as a judge on The X Factor.

Cowell, 50, is worried that her baby delivery in July could upset production on the ITV1 show, which starts filming within weeks.

“Simon is genuinely concerned about whether Dannii will be able to cope with the show. It’s hard enough for someone who doesn’t have young kids,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

“As well as the actual show, there is the mentoring and all the backbiting and bitchiness that goes with that.

“It’s not easy keeping sane when you’re surrounded by youngsters desperate for fame who are relying on you to tell them what to do,” the source stated.

Minogue, 38, whose boyfriend is British rugby league ace Kris Smith, showed little sign of cutting back on March 30 as she flew from Melbourne to Perth for auditions for Australia’s Got Talent.

She wants to return to the X Factor, but will miss the early rounds because she wants to have the baby in her native Oz.

If bosses do keep her on, they will have to find stand-in judges, which Cowell knows will look odd.

He is hoping to make a decision in a fortnight. (ANI)

Boyzone album topples Lady Gaga

London, March 29 (ANI): Lady GaGa has hung on to the number one spot in the UK singles chart, with her Beyonce team up ‘Telephone’.

However, the Poker Face hitmaker”s The Fame was toppled from the top of the UK albums chart by Boyzone”s latest, ‘Brother’, reports the Telegraph.

At three in the album chart was Justin Bieber”s ‘My World’, which climbed 30 places. At four was Laura Marling”s I Speak Because I Can, while the top five was rounded out by the Glee cast”s soundtrack, Volume Two.

Behind Lady Gaga and Beyonce in the singles chart was Tinie Tempah with Pass Out at two and Baby by Justin Bieber at three. Rounding out the top five were Rihanna with Rude Boy and Cheryl Cole”s Parachute, at four and five respectively. (ANI)

Robert Pattinson prefers local pub to red carpet!

Washington, March 25 (ANI): Robert Pattinson likes chilling in a local pub more than walking on the red carpet.

The ‘Twilight’ hunk claims that he isn’t too comfortable being famous.

“Although I like meeting fans and love the response from them. I’m far happier going down to my local pub, having a drink and sitting chatting to friends. That’s when I’m most relaxed,” CBS News quoted him as saying.

He added: “I didn’t go into acting because I wanted to be famous, I got into acting because I loved the creation and the making of good credible drama. Fame is just an extra added on.”

The actor also has no desires to indulge in partying or buying expensive things.

He said: “That’s not my scene. I’m more than happy to do the normal things and buy the things I bought before all this madness kicked off.”

The actor was amazed to see his snaps “buying underwear at my local store” on tabloids recently.

Referring to paparazzi, he said: “These guys must be hiding in the rails or something.” (ANI)

”Real Housewives” star Kim Zolciak admits lesbian relationship

New York, March 26 (ANI): Kim Zolciak of Real Housewives of Atlanta fame has admitted being in a lesbian relationship.

The 31-year-old Zolciak has, in fact, revealed she is a bisexual and currently seeing DJ Tracy Young, the woman behind the remix of her debut single, “Tardy for the Party.”

“The first night we met, we just connected on a different level,” the New York Daily News quoted Zolciak, as telling Life & Style.

She went on: “We ended up talking for two hours. After that, we started working in the studio together. We gradually became closer.

“There were sparks, but [physically] it was a gradual situation.

“Tracy made the first move. Our first kiss was passionate and exciting.”

The busty blonde had initially rubbished an Us Weekly report that claimed: “Tracy broke up with her longtime girlfriend to be with Kim.”

However, now that Zolciak has opened up about her sexuality she said: “It hasn”t been an easy road lately, but I feel there are no mistakes in my life.

“Everything happens for a reason. To have the opportunity to speak for myself and to have people understand what I”m going through is really special.

“I myself was confused and scared at first. Being able to speak from my heart and get this all out, it”s a huge relief for me.” (ANI)

Lady Gaga music videos seen billion times online

Wellington, March 25 (ANI): Lady Gaga is a “Fame Monster”, if online views of her music videos are anything to go by.

According to analyst Visible Measures, her music videos have had over a billion online views.

The pop sensation joined the 100 Million Views Club with just her three hits- Poker Face (374m), Bad Romance (360m) and Just Dance (272m).

Analysts expect the views to further rise with her new video Telephone with Beyonce.

Visible Measures regularly comes out with a 100 Million Views Club, reports NZ Herald News.

Hip hop artist Soulja Boy”s Crank Dat has topped the list with 722,438,268 views.

‘Twilight -New Moon’ trailer with 639 million views followed it. (ANI)

Alex Reid turns to spiritual healer to ease pressures of fame

London, Mar 24 (ANI): Katie Price a.k.a. Jordan’s hubby Alex Reid is said to have turned to a spiritual healer as he struggles to cope with the pressures of fame.

Reid, 34, has been seeing Denis Fleming, a self-development and belief specialist, and he says the Emotional Freedom Technique treatment has helped him keep calm when “everyone is attacking us”.

He admitted he and Jordan, 31, have struggled with the negative publicity their relationship and marriage has received.

EFT is a gentle treatment, similar to acupuncture, said to enable the release of trapped emotions.

“Denis’s work has allowed me to not only be myself, but to cultivate my nature and be proud of who I really am,” the Daily Star quoted him as saying.

“I am eternally grateful for that because it’s so easy to get lost in everything that’s going on.

“I’m pacing myself more and have a deeper connection with Kate as I feel more positive influences are rubbing off on her,” he added. (ANI)