Who needs bathrooms? ([email protected])
Sun, 01 Nov 1998 10:00:15 -0600
Aerosmith, U2, R.E.M. rocking into legend
Web posted on: Tuesday, October
27, 1998 4:00:15 PM
(CNN) -- They're three
of the most successful
bands of this
generation. And U2, R.E.M., and Aerosmith are still churning out
platinum records for their growing fan base.
This week on Billboard charts, Aerosmith owns the No. 5 hit "I
Don't Want To Miss A Thing," R.E.M. has released a new record
titled "Up," and U2 has given fans a greatest hits album from its
1980s reign.
WorldBeat takes a look at the careers of these three bands this
week. Aerosmith, in particular, reveals how they've survived
since the early 1970s, through plenty of personal problems.
"We took drugs for so long that we forgot what it was like to be
normal," says Aerosmith's frontman, Steven Tyler. "Since we got
sober of our own choice, there's nothing gets you higher and
there's 20,000 people out there hanging on your every
movement."
The WorldBeat interview is available at:
http://cnn.com/video/showbiz/1998/10/26/wb.u2.rm28.ram
------------
(Prarit's note: most of the below, except the title, is incorrect.)
>From Dotmusic:
"U2: The Best Of 1980-1990 (Island CIDU211).
For the first week this 14-track album is available only as a limited
edition double-CD pack featuring a bonus CD featuring 15 B-sides � which
is
a shame because that contains some of their very best tracks.
It�s a rather unchallenging selection, lacking memorable tracks such as
October, but it includes the hits."
------------
>From JAM TV:
Can R.E.M. and U2 Cut it on Rock Radio Today?
Do R.E.M. and U2, two rock bands that defined a generation, still carry
clout
at increasingly finicky modern rock radio? Or have the two powerhouse
bands
morphed into favorites of the more adult-friendly formats?
Both R.E.M and U2, whose blockbuster careers have oddly mirrored one
another
over the last two decades, have new singles at modern rock radio in
preparation of fall album releases. But some programmers report listener
reaction has been lukewarm as increasingly young fans focus on acts such
as
Beck, the Beastie Boys and the Dave Matthews Band.
"We haven't got an overwhelming listener response on either the U2 or
R.E.M
song," says Laurie Gail, music director at WFNX in Boston, who labels
the
songs "passive." Currently, R.E.M.'s "Daysleeper" is in medium rotation
at
'FNX, and U2's "Sweetest Thing" (a re-mixed version of the band's
Eighties B-
side of the same name) is in light. What 'FNX's twentysomething
listeners are
burning up the phone lines for are the new Alanis Morissette, Hole and
Fatboy
Slim singles, she reports. Nonetheless, Gail considers both U2 and R.E.M
to be
"core bands," which mean they've been embraced for years at 'FNX.
Indeed, it was U2 and R.E.M. that helped break the heavy metal
stranglehold of
rock radio back in the Eighties, laid the ground work for alternative
revolution of the early Nineties, and have racked up dozens of radio
hits.
(Four of U2's last five singles have gone Top 10 at modern rock, as have
R.E.M.'s.)
Today though, after three weeks at radio, R.E.M.'s new single
"Daysleeper" is
lodged at No. 22 on Billboard Modern Rock radio chart, while U2's
"Sweetest
Thing" comes in at No. 18 in the same amount of time. Those are good,
but not
great, showings. For instance, the Offspring's "Pretty Fly (For a White
Guy),"
is already at No. 7 after just three weeks on the air.
The good news is that a new generation of laid-back rock stations that
target
thirty and forty year-olds, are embracing the latest by U2 and R.E.M.
"They're
growing older with our audience," reports Scott Arbough, music director
at
KBCO in Denver, a leading Triple A (adult album alternative) station
that
caters to post modern-rock fans who aren't yet ready for the classic
rock
pastures. "I think these U2 and R.E.M songs are more adult-friendly and
easier
to play," he says. "If you're thirty-three today, they're bands you grew
up
with. They're important to you."
According to Billboard's Triple-A chart, both "Daysleeper" and "Sweetest
Thing" are racking up Top 10 status. They just happen to be doing it
alongside
the likes of Hootie & the Blowfish and Bruce Hornsby. Not exactly rock
revolutionaries. "I don't think [U2 or R.E.M.] would want to image
themselves
in that way," says Gail.
R.E.M.'s new album, Up comes out Oct. 27. It follows up the band's
commercially disappointing '96 release, New Adventures in Hi-Fi. U2's
new
greatest hits package, 1980-1990, arrives in stores on Nov. 3. Like
R.E.M.,
U2's last studio effort, Pop, failed to match the band's previous sales
plateaus in America.
------------
Recent band pictures!
There are some pretty cool pics of the band(some with a fan, some
without) at the following site. Check out the Amnesty International
section for a great shot of Adam, The Edge and Bono in front of an
Amnesty poster. IMHO, these pics are a MUST SEE....and the
cartoon will leave you with belly-aches!
http://members.xoom.com/Wims/U2/dub98.htm
------------
>From CNN:
Oldies Strike Gold in UK Pop Charts
Reuters 26-OCT-98
LONDON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - The oldies of the pop world have
struck gold by storming into the top of Britain's charts in an
unprecedented assault on Nineties music.
American singer Cher, 52, has gone straight to the number one
slot with her new single "Believe" released 33 years after she and
Sonny Bono topped the UK charts with "I got you Babe."
British singer George Michael, Irish supergroup U2, and reformed
1980s band Culture Club took the next three slots with new
releases.
It was the first time in British music history that the top five in the
singles charts consisted entirely of new releases. Only Canada's
Alanis Morissette saved the faces of the 1990s generation by
taking fifth position with her new release "Thank U."
"This was the sort of thing that happened five or six years ago
when the charts were always full of really horrific old people," said
Tom Whitwell, of the dance music magazine Ministry.
Two weeks ago the singles' charts were dominated by dance
numbers by the likes of British 16-year-old Billie, and the girl
group Bewitched-- Ireland's answer to The Spice Girls.
Cher said she was "absolutely ecstatic" about securing the
coveted number one spot. "I couldn't have been happier if I had
twins," she said.
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.All rights reserved.
------------
>From CNN:
U2 Back in Charts and Heading for Nobel
World Entertainment News Network
25-OCT-98
(OCT. 25) WENN/P - U2 BACK IN CHARTS AND HEADING FOR
NOBEL PRIZE CONCERT From WENN correspondent HANNAH
BAYMAN in London LATEST: Irish rock sensations U2 are back in
the British charts - and are tipped to headline December's (98)
concert in honour of this year's NOBEL PRIZE winners.
The Irish supergroup entered the UK top 40 at number three today
(25OCT98) with new single THE SWEETEST THING.
And sources say the band have been asked to star in a special
tribute to Northern Irish politicians DAVID TRIMBLE and JOHN
HUME, who were awarded the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE for their
work on the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement on
Friday (16OCT98).
The chief of Norway's NOBEL INSTITUTE confirmed on
Wednesday (21OCT98) that an artist with a "special relationship
to the Northern Ireland peace process" will join PHIL COLLINS,
THE CRANBERRIES and A-HA on the star-studded bill.
And U2 - who appeared onstage with Hume, Trimble and fellow
rockers ASH at a peace gig earlier this year (MAY98) - are top
choice to rock thousands of VIPs at the concert in Oslo on
December 11 (98).
GEIR LUNDESTAD (corr) says, "At least one new name will be
related to this year's Peace Prize and specifically the Irish situation.
"We will also be announcing additions from Africa and Asia.
We want to make this a global concert."
(HLB/WN/HLB/MCM/GS)
------------
>From The Irish Times:
(Prarit's note: The article is about Micheal Flatley and his attempt
at putting on a dancing tour after "Riverdance". The excerpt below
deals with the first ideas about the new show.)
Flatley and his image seem to dance to a different tune
"We just couldn't see how he was going to come up
with a show. To us, it was like a rock band trying to
be another U2. Eventually, though, we could see
that the guy was going to pull it off. He's very driven,
he works so hard at it, from 8 a.m. to midnight. Ego?
I've never seen it off stage. On stage, he has to have
it."
(Prarit's note: The following story deals with Sonia O'Sullivan, an
Irish long distance runner. A funny excerpt follows...)
A season in the life
"I was feeling good. Marcus (O'Sullivan) was down
there, I was running with him a bit. After Melbourne I
knew there was a race in Sydney and I hadn't
decided whether to run it or not. Felt if I win all these
races by 30 seconds, I'd better find something a bit
competitive. Marcus was doubtful, thought I was
getting too greedy too quick. I argued for one more. "
Sydney was a 1,500 metres, with Regina Jacobs in
the field. Jacobs had run an 800 in Melbourne and
ran it well. Sonia and herself hadn't spoken since
almost coming to blows in the stadium in Athens a
year previously. Tasty.
"Everyone was worried for me. Alan (Storey, her
coach) was thinking `you don't need to run, but if it
doesn't hurt you, then do it'. I convinced him I could
run it and that would be the end of it. I was cool
about it. I went off to see U2 the night before."
Sonia blew Jacobs away off the last bend. That was
February 28th. Rolling. Rolling. Rolling.
------------
>From The Hollywood Reporter:
PolyGram tops ASCAP awards
LONDON -- PolyGram/Island Music won the publisher
of the year award Thursday night from the American
Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers at its
annual awards ceremony in London, marking
PolyGram/Island's second win in a row. The company
also saw songwriters Stannard and Rowe honored with
ASCAP's song of the year award for the Spice Girls' "2
Become 1," which was co-written by the duo and the
band. ASCAP honored six songs by PolyGram Music
Publishing's songwriters for being among the most
performed songs in the United States last year: U2's
"Discotheque," "Staring at the Sun" and "Pride (In the
Name of Love)"; the Spice Girls' "2 Become 1" and
"Wannabe"; and Del Amitri's "Roll to Me." Earlier this
month, PolyGram/Island's sister company Unimusica
won the Latin publisher of the year award for the
second time in a row at ASCAP's Latin American
awards.
------------
>From Billboard:
Rock promoter Bill Graham dies in a helicopter crash after a Huey
Lewis concert in Concord, Calif. He was 60. Among the events
produced by Graham were the Live Aid concert, Amnesty
International tour and US Festival. At times he managed the careers
of the Grateful Dead, Van Morrison and Santana.
------------
Thanks to the Brazilian Fan Club for the following:
UK Top 40 Singles
week 43 - 25 October 1998
TW LW WKS TITLE/ARTIST/LABEL
------------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 1 BELIEVE
Cher
WEA
2 - 1 OUTSIDE
George Michael
Epic
3 - 1 SWEETEST THING
U2
Island
------------
-- Prarit....[email protected] U2 news: http://www.members.home.net/u2-news/u2.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b2 on Sun Nov 01 1998 - 09:01:46 PST