Who needs bathrooms? ([email protected])
Sun, 06 Dec 1998 10:00:45 -0700
Lone Justice Revisited On 'This Is Not My Home'
(12/3/98 1 a.m. PST) - Lone Justice, the
critically-acclaimed but short-lived Los Angeles-based
country rock group, will be the subject of a 17-song
compilation album, This is Not My Home, due Jan. 12
on Geffen Records.
The compilation features the group's best-known track,
"Ways To Be Wicked," which was written by Tom
Petty and his Heartbreakers cohort Mike Campbell.
The song originally appeared on Lone Justice, the
band's 1985 debut album.
This Is Not My Home also contains "Go Away Little
Boy," a song Bob Dylan penned for Lone Justice. The
band recorded the track in 1984 with Dylan, with Ron
Wood of the Rolling Stones adding additional guitar
parts on the song.
Another rarity is a live cover version of the Velvet
Underground's "Sweet Jane," featuring U2's Bono on
vocals; the track was recorded during Lone Justice's
1985 tour with U2.
-- Katherine Yeske, Atlanta
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Canadian Chart Info:
Muchmusic Video Charts: ST is #3
Soundscan Single: ST-1 is #4, ST-2 is #7
Soundscan Album: Best of(2CD) is #11, Best of(1CD) is #8.
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>From The Irish Times:
Tracks of our tears
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Various Artists: "Across The Bridge Of Hope" (White Records)
Music has the strength to move people to tears, and
the power to heal wounds, but even the greatest
music is impotent before the evil of those who
orchestrated the Omagh bombing. There's no
question that this album is in a good cause, and the
sincerity of the contributing artists is beyond doubt.
But though Across The Bridge Of Hope will raise
funds for the victims of the North's worst atrocity,
much of the music contained within may offer only a
slight salve for the mental and emotional scars.
Actor Liam Neeson sets a sombre but hopeful tone
with a reading from Seamus Heaney's The Cure At
Troy, while Sin�ad O'Connor takes an ABBA tune,
Chiquitita, and turns it into a wistful, childlike,
comforting embrace. Van Morrison gets up close
and personal with an alternative acoustic version of
The Healing Game, helped along by Brian Kennedy,
Paddy Moloney and Phil Coulter, while U2
contribute Please, one of the more resonant songs
from their Pop album.
Boyzone and The Corrs are stymied by their limited
powers of expression: the twee cover of The Bee
Gees' Words and the anodyne What Can I Do seem
completely inadequate.
Daniel O'Donnell manages to rise a little above this
level with Beyond The Great Divide, but it's The
Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon who really reaches
the heights with the stirring, angry and ultimately
cathartic, Sunrise. Listen to it, think of Omagh, and
weep. Kevin Courtney
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>From The Belfast Telegraph:
Omagh tribute touches chord
By Ciaran McGuigan
THE Omagh tribute CD, Across the Bridge of
Hope, has surged to the top of the charts only
days after it was released, it emerged today.
The album, featuring leading names in Irish
music, was only released on Monday.
But in less than 48 hours it has blitzed the sales
figures for all other artists.
Albums from some of the music industry's
biggest stars, including new releases from U2,
REM and George Michael, have been left in the
shade by the trailblazing benefit CD.
The news came as Dublin mega-band Boyzone
announced they would play a one-off benefit
concert for the Omagh Fund in the town early in
the new year.
The band is set to play in Omagh Leisure Centre
the building used as co- ordination centre on the
day of the bomb on January 2.
Tickets for the concert, which is certain to be an
immediate sell-out, will go on sale this Saturday
at 9am from only one outlet Route 66 in Omagh
priced �10.
Boyzone will not be taking a fee for the concert.
A spokesman for the band said that any excess
money after production costs "will be donated to
the Omagh Fund".
Meanwhile, Virgin Megastore's assistant
manager Damien Adair said demand for the
Omagh album has been so great they had to
re-write their charts at the last minute.
"Our chart is usually based on the previous
week's sales and there's rarely any change
come Monday," he said.
"But the demand for Across the Bridge of Hope
was so great that it eclipsed last week's sales
figures in only one day.
"Some big names have their albums out for
Christmas but their sales pale in comparison to
the Omagh CD."Official sales figures are
'confidential' but, according to Mr Adair,
"hundreds of people have been queuing up to
help the fund."And in Omagh shops selling the
CD have revealed that they have already had to
re-order large quantities.
Robert Clarke, proprietor of Route 66, said:
"There has been a phenomenal demand. One
Belfast wholesaler was completely sold out this
week. Hopefully, sales are going as well
nationwide."Monica Baxter, proprietor of the
Mews Record Shop, said some of the people
seriously hurt in the blast were among the first
customers to buy the album.
"A few just stood and cried while the music
played," added Ms Baxter.
Across the Bridge of Hope takes its name from
a poem written by 12-year- old Shaun
McLaughlin shortly before his life was taken by
the bomb.
It features tracks from a host of stars including
U2, The Corrs and Daniel O'Donnell.
It also includes a spoken track by Hollywood
heart- throb Liam Neeson and the powerful
ballad Broken Things, sung by Omagh-born
Juliet Turner in front of 50,000 mourners at an
Omagh memorial service.
The 14-track album is available from all good
music outlets and costs �12.99, with proceeds
going towards the Omagh Fund.
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The Waikato Times review of the Best of has been added to the
review file available at:
http://www.members.home.net/u2-news/gh_reviews.html
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There's a huge U2 Billboard in New York City at the following
location:
Lafayette and Great Jones St
Subways: N,R,6,B,D,F,Q NYC
Thanks to David for the above.
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>From Pierluigi:
Current Italian Charts:
Albums:
1. The Best & The B-sides... - U2 [was at 1]
2. Bluesugar - Zucchero [was at 2]
3. The Best Of... - George Michael [was at 7]
The 1CD version of U2 Best Of is #8 (up from #10).
Singles:
1. Iris - Goo Goo Dolls [was at 1]
2. I Don't Want... - Aerosmith [was at 2]
3. Sweetest Thing - U2 [was at 3]
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>From My(Prarit's) Launch:
U2, Spice Girls Offer Video Previews
(12/2/98, 1 a.m. PST) - Two of the biggest acts in pop music--U2
and the Spice Girls--are offering new videos on the Web.
Beginning today, Spice Girls fans can find the video clip for the
group's new single, "Goodbye," available at
www.virginrecords.com/spicevideo. The video is being presented in
Windows Media, Microsoft's streaming software.
Aside from the "Goodbye" video clip, visitors to the site can also
view clips from the Spice Girls' new Live At Wembley home video.
Video performance clips include highlights from "Wannabe," "Who
Do You Think You Are?," "Stop," and "2 Become 1," as well as
backstage footage and interview segments.
The "Goodbye" single, which is due in stores on Dec. 8, also
includes the Spice's versions of "Christmas Wrapping," "We
Are Family," and "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves"
(myLAUNCH, 10/15).
U2, meanwhile, has with RealNetworks to offer what
is being billed as a "made-for-net music documentary." The clip,
which is available through the Internet using RealNetworks
RealSystem G2 player, features video highlights from the band's
recently released greatest-hits album, The Best Of 1980-1990,
including footage from the band's latest video, the Kevin Godley
-directed "Sweetest Thing." The U2 clip is available at
www.real.com.
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Thanks to David Comay for the following:
The new December 1998 CMJ New Music Monthly (with Marilyn
Manson on the cover) has Sweetest Thing (The Single Mix) on the
enclosed CD. The track listing can be found at:
http://www.cmj.com/NewMM/
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>From Yahoo:
Irish stars sing for Omagh bomb victims
LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Ireland's top pop stars have united to
make a charity album for the victims of Northern Ireland's worst
bomb atrocity.
U2, Van Morrison and Sinead O'Connor have combined their talents
to raise money for those caught in the Irish republican guerrilla
bomb blast in Omagh which killed 29 people in August.
The title track -- ``Across The Bridge of Hope'' -- was written by
songwriter B.A. Robertson and inspired by a poem by 12-year-old
Shaun McLaughlin, who was killed in the blast.
The album was given the blessing of Britain's Northern Ireland
minister Mo Mowlam, who also delivered a message of support
from Prime Minister Tony Blair.
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(Prarit's note: The most IMPORTANT thing here is that,
technically, U2 will still be with PolyGram, but just under
Interscope records, headed by Jimmy Iovine.)
>From Yahoo:
More turmoil ahead at Seagram as PolyGramdeal nears
By Sue Zeidler
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When Seagram Co. Ltd. completes its
$10.2 billion acquisition of PolyGram NV (NYSE:PLG - news), which
could be as soon as next week, it is likely to trigger not only the
most massive restructuring in music history but also more turmoil
at the entertainment giant.
Seagram Chief Executive Edgar Bronfman Jr.'s foray into the
entertainment industry so far has been hit by box-office
disappointments, but the music lover and sometime songwriter
has been doggedly working on plans to make his purchase of the
music giant PolyGram sing.
``The pressure's really on Bronfman to boost results after the
PolyGram deal,'' said Steve Cesinger, managing director of Greif
& Co.
On Monday, Universal Pictures chief Casey Silver got the ax --
becoming the second high-level head to roll in as many weeks
at the troubled studio -- following a dismal year at the box office
and a particularly bad debut for the ``Babe'' sequel.
At the time, Bronfman, 43, announced a restructuring to give him
more control over operations as the company nears the completion
of the PolyGram deal, which will create the world's biggest music
company.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Seagram plans
to consolidate its U.S. music division into four large groups, two on
the East Coast and two on the West Coast.
Each of the U.S. units would be pared to about 100 acts and 175
employees and would be targeted to generate at least $200 million
a year in album sales.
The combined music company, commonly referred to as Unigram
in music circles, is expected to rely heavily on PolyGram overseas,
where it has led the industry for a decade.
Interscope co-founder Jimmy Iovine would be in charge of the new
[West Coast] group. Sources said Universal plans to buy the half of
Interscope it does not own. Universal bought 50 percent of Interscope
three years ago for $200 million.
The Interscope/Geffen/A&M unit will be the largest of the U.S. groups,
with expected yearly sales topping $300 million.
-------------
Thanks to Dominique for the following:
Page/Plant Join Amnesty Bill On Dec. 10
As if the lineup weren't impressive enough, the
Amnesty International Concert for Human Rights
Defenders in Paris on Dec. 10 has landed yet another
superstar act, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.
Page/Plant join Radiohead (in their only European
concert this year), Alanis Morissette, Peter Gabriel,
Tracy Chapman, Youssou N'Dour, Shania Twain, Asian Dub
Foundation, and Kassavi.
The concert, which is sponsored by the Body Shop and
is expected to attract 17,000 fans, will take place at
the Bercy Stadium and will celebrate the 50th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
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Real Player has a "Exclusive U2 World Premiere" at it's site.
If there was never a reason for you to download REALPLAYER G2,
there is now:
http://www.real.com/realguide/music/index.html
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>From CNN:
Bono in Talks with Computer Billionaire
World Entertainment News Network
30-NOV-98
(NOV. 30) WENN/P - BONO IN TALKS WITH COMPUTER
BILLIONAIRE LATEST: Rock megastar BONO is trying to persuade
the second richest man in the world to join in his bid for
Scottish soccer club CELTIC. The U2 frontman has had talks
with the co-founder of MICROSOFT, PAUL ALLEN. He is estimated
to be worth $25 billion (=9C15.5 billion) - the world's second richest
man after his Microsoft pal BILL GATES. Allen, who recently
ploughed millions into STEVEN SPIELBERG's DREAMWORKS
film company, believes pay TV is the future for football. A close
friend of the rock star confirms Bono has signed up with Scottish
football hero, KENNY DALGLISH and SIMPLE MINDS star, JIM
KERR, to put together a dream team bid for a majority shareholding
of Celtic. The friend says, "There will one day be a global football
league and Bono wants Celtic to represent everyone of Irish and
Scottish descent around the world. "He is interested in the whole
story of Celtic and wants to promote the club's heritage around the
world." (WNTRE/MA/VC)
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>From The Irish Times:
Bono part of Celtic bid
Soccer: U2 singer Bono has been revealed as the third high-profile
member of the consortium aiming to take over Celtic football club.
Former Scottish international and Celtic great Kenny Dalglish
and Jim Kerr, of rock group Simple Minds, are heading the group
which is preparing to attempt to buy out club chairman Fergus
McCann. Now Bono has been confirmed as a member of that
consortium by sources close to the star here. The singer is a
close friend of Kerr and it is likely that he will invest some of
the vast fortune he has accumulated during his rock career into
the club if the bid succeeds.
The consortium, which is backed by City financiers, is hoping
to take control of Celtic with a takeover that could cost them
more than �100 million.
McCann, who plans to leave the club by the end of this season
after a highly controversial and increasingly unpopular five-year
reign, must decide whether to accept their bid amid growing
pressure from many Celtic fans.
However, he has already indicated that he would prefer to sell
his 51 per cent shareholding to existing shareholders and
does not want a powerful consortium to dominate the club.
Irish businessman Dermot Desmond is a significant shareholder.
The consortium, though, is planning to invest a considerable sum
of money, believed to be more than �10 million, into new signings
at the club, which has so far failed to build on last season's title
success. Nobody was available to comment at Celtic, while a
spokesman for the consortium said he was unable to say whether
Bono was involved or not due to legal reasons at this stage of the
bid process.
-------------
(Prarit's note: Bono has also written an introduction for one
of these small pocketbooks)
>From Nando Times:
A serialized Bible is a stormy British hit
Copyright � 1998 Nando Media
Copyright � 1998 The Christian Science Monitor
EDINBURGH, Scotland (November 30, 1998 12:27 p.m.
EST http://www.nandotimes.com) -- The slim, pocket-size
paperback, its elegantly austere cover depicting a bent
shadowy figure, appears to be a book of hip, post-modern poetry.
But it is Job, one of 12 books of the Bible that a tiny Edinburgh
publishing house brought out last month with enormous success -
900,000 in print - and in a nationwide storm of controversy.
The furor is over the contemporary introduction, in which a best-
selling British author, Louis de Bernieres, argues that God
comes out of the tale "looking like an unpleasantly sarcastic
megalomaniac."
Each book has commentary by a well-known personality. Rights
have been sold around the world. For an American edition next
spring Grove/Atlantic is known to have approached writers such
as Kurt Vonnegut and Annie Proulx to write introductions.
In Britain only two commentators describe themselves as
Christians.
"Printing a contemporary commentary alongside the text of the
King James Authorized Version is an exciting mix of the sacred
and the secular," says Jamie Byng, head of Canongate Books,
the publisher.
In the United States, the marketing concept of a repackaged,
rebranded Bible will be the same: attractively designed, attractively
priced ($1.60 in Britain, cheap enough for an impulse buyer),
and typeset for readability, with the 1611 text laid out across the full
page in paragraphs, providing a coherent, modern narrative in
bite-sized chunks.
The intention will be the same too: "We are going to stir things up,"
says one editor at Grove/Atlantic, predicting a brouhaha over
the introductions to the American editions.
In Britain, the commentaries, including one by the bad boy of
British letters, former heroin addict Will Self, have angered some
Christian groups.
"I fail to see the point of people not sympathetic to the text of
the Bible commenting on it to people outside the church," says
Canon Jack McGinley, a parish priest in Nottinghamshire. "They
could have chosen people who would have taken an
enlightening approach."
But a bid by fundamentalist Christians to persuade the Scottish
Bible Board to revoke Canongate's license to print the King
James Version failed.
"The Church is very broad," says Andrew Kerr, clerk to the board.
"And there is also a view that the initiative (to publish the Bible
this way) was a welcome one."
Praise from priests
Indeed some Anglican priests have praised Canongate.
"It gives the opportunity to nonbelievers to look carefully at the text
of Scripture," says the Rev. Willem Zwalf, a vicar from Cambridgeshire.
"It is certainly one way of getting some people who would never ever
have picked up a Bible to read the Scriptures."
Such as Prof. Steven Rose, "an ex-Orthodox Jew, an atheist and a
biologist to boot," as he describes himself in his introduction
to Genesis. Yet this behavioral scientist found that the message of
Genesis still "underlie(s) many of the presuppositions of our
assumedly post-religious, rationalist and reductionist modern science."
The modern arguments among evolutionary psychologists, for example,
as to whether human behavior is fixed by "selfish genes" or whether we
can transcend them, goes back to the debate over free will and
predestination that began with the story of the fall of man in the second
chapter of Genesis.
Other agnostics, such as the novelist A.N. Wilson, who introduces the
Gospel according to St. Matthew, also urge readers to think outside their
rational boxes when they read about the miracles of Jesus.
"By rejecting this Gospel, you will reject one of the most disturbing and
extraordinary books ever written," he warns; "not, as you might think, on
intelligent grounds, but because you (and I, alas) are too hemmed in by
our imaginative limitations to see the sort of things this book is doing."
Most of the introductions are by noted authors, underscoring Canongate's
presentation of the works as literature.
The magnificent King James Version "possibly more than any other work
in history, has had an influence in shaping the language we speak and
write today," says the introduction to each work, encouraging the reader
"to approach them as literary works in their own right."
There can be no doubt as to the quality of the language, even if most
churches in Britain no longer use the King James Version,
having switched to more easily comprehensible translations.
As Doris Lessing writes in her introduction to the incomparable verse
of Ecclesiastes, "We are very much the poorer because the Bible is no
longer a book to be found in every home, and heard every week."
Spiritual interpretation too
But "by approaching the Bible primarily as a work of literature you do
not deny the spiritual interpretation," insists the publisher, Byng.
He is marketing his editions mainly to non-Christians because "in this
day and age there are an increasing number of secular people who
have strong moral beliefs nonetheless."
Next year, Canongate intends to bring out another 12 books. Given the
spectacular marketing success the first ones have enjoyed, Byng
boasts that "we will be bringing the Bible to more new readers than
any other version this century."
By PETER FORD, The Christian Science Monitor
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-- Prarit....[email protected] U2 news: http://www.members.home.net/u2-news/u2.html
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