What’s new, good people? It’s time to celebrate the arrival
of the weekend as we think on the moving memorial for Michael Jackson,
speculation involving Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s surprise announcement that
she’s resigning from office at the end of the month, the death of former
Tennessee Titans quarterback at the hands of his troubled mistress and
President Obama interacting with playboy Italian Prime Minister Silvio
Berusconi while visiting Italy.
Thoughts and prayers go out to the McNair family as well as
fans and friends of the star athlete. Shout out to iconic radio host Casey
Kasem, who signed off the air permanently after 39 years of counting down the
hits on American Top 40, all the media, speakers, performers and fans who made
the MJ memorial a peaceful and respectful event without turning it into a
circus and the sounding boards, who just continue to do what they do best.
OK. Ring the Bell. Let it begin. Bring on…the Last Word for
the week ending July 10, 2009.
1. Former 3LW/Cheetah Girl Member Inducts Joe into the
He-Man Woman Beaters Club
Just when you think you know an artist, there’s always
something that comes up to prove how much you really don’t. Case in point: former
3LW/Cheetah Girls member Kiely Williams, who has decided to weigh in on the hot
topic of domestic abuse.
In a recent interview with EURWeb, the singer confessed to
seeing her mother become an abuse victim at the hands of someone who many
wouldn’t peg as a member of the Chris Brown beatdown society. The guilty party,
according to Williams, is none other than R&B hitmaker Joe as she recalled
how bad the crooner treated her mother.
“I have had my own personal experience with domestic abuse
with my mother having been in an emotionally and physically abusive
relationship with the R&B singer JOE for several years,” she shared. “I saw
the toll it took on her and how difficult her recovery was. I wish Rihanna the
best and hope that she gets through what I know is a terrible ordeal.”
As if the whole Chris Brown situation isn’t enough, now we
got this. Makes you think. Who will be the next singer to have his domestic
abuse situation revealed?
2. Living Colour Rocks On With Their Chair in the Doorway
For those who go beyond the realm of Hip-Hop and R&B for
a musical fix, here’s some news for all the rock heads.
According to Billboard.com, the ‘80s/’90s hard funk rock
band Living Colour is releasing its first album of new material nearly six years,
The Chair in the Doorway. Although group members Vernon Reid, Will Calhoun and
Doug Wimbish haven’t recorded collectively in a long time – Living Colour
front man Corey Glover is quick to say that the new project doesn’t mark a
reunion.
“Everyone sees the video and thinks we’re a band from the
eighties or we broke up or we’re not together,” he said about the clip to
collective’s Grammy-winning hit “Cult of Personality.” “But it’s not a reunion
thing. In some form or another, all of us have been playing with each other.
Will and Doug have a band that I would sit in every now and then. Vernon had a
band that I’d come in and do some stuff. Even in those times when we weren’t
together we were still playing together.”
And while it’s good to have Corey and the boys back on the
scene, they realize that times have changed and they’ve matured into veterans
of the music game.
“Because we are older, we got kids – that’s the
impetus for the name of the album, The Chair In The Doorway,” Glover said about the 11-song project, which was
recorded in various locations over the last few years. “Sometimes it’s the most
ridiculous things are the most obvious. The most obvious thing to me is ‘Yeh we
are older. Yeah we live in a post-9/11 world.’ We do have these things. But we
still got to eat. I can’t let the world stop me from being me.”
Look for Living Colour’s The Chair In The Doorway to arrive in stores on September 15.
3. En Vogue Thinks of Reality Show Exposure
They may have been gone for a while, but En Vogue has
definitely not been forgotten as they contemplate catching up with fans via a
new reality TV show.
According to group member Dawn Robinson, the move would
serve as “another venue to get our music out there.”
“The industry has changed,” she told Singersroom.com. “It’s
not just about getting a record deal anymore. It’s about exposure.”
En Vogue’s reality TV show dreams come as the quartet reunites
for its 20th anniversary. And while they’ve had much success with classic hits
like “Hold On,” “Don’t Let Go,” “Free Your Mind” “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna
Get It)”and “Whatta Man,” Terry Ellis admits it didn’t come without a downside.
“Twenty years in the business is a long time and we’ve had a
lot of fun in the process, but there’s also been some ups and downs and we’d
like to share some of that,” she said.
As of now, no network hasn’t been confirmed for the
potential reality series. But don’t worry. Plans call for En Vogue to release
their first album in more than five years in late 2009/early 2010.
4. Soul Train Enters DVD World; Michael Jackson Footage
Possibly Included
If you’re like me and still mourning Michael Jackson, a
little help may be on the way, courtesy of Soul Train.
Variety reports that
DVDs of the long-running dance show are coming to a store near you and will be
released under the Time Life label. Among the performances captured will be
concerts by Al Green, Aretha Franklin and the Temptations. The deal to release
the Soul Train DVDs was underway before the music legend’s unexpected death on
June 25.
Although there aren’t any specific Soul Train DVD titles
planned, various live footage of Michael Jackson performing “I Want You Back,” “Dancing
Machine” and “Don’t Say Goodbye Again” with the Jackson 5 and “Whatever You Got
I Want,” “What You Don’t Know Won’t Hurt You” and “If I Don’t Love You This Way”
from his days as an emerging solo act can be pieced together for releases. In
addition, extensive footage of music icon accepting various Soul Train Music
Awards through the 1990s as well as his induction into the Soul Train Hall of
Fame are along with a performance of “Dangerous” at the ceremony are also in
the possession of Time Life’s parent company, Direct Holdings Americas.
The company, which acquired DVD distribution rights to the
entire Soul Train catalog, plans to license clips from the series for other
outside uses.
Now this is something I can get with. Don Cornelius in his
prime introducing and interviewing performers as only he can. Not too mention
all the memorable dancers that have gone through that Soul Train line. Classic
material, indeed. Can’t wait.
In Other Words…
* Justin Timberlake is setting the wheels in motion to bring
his love for the game of golf to the masses.
Sources tell The New York Observer the former boy band member’s literary agent, David
Vigliano, sent editors a short proposal by Timberlake last month. Despite
Vigliano and Timberlake’s publicist not commenting on the project, The
Observer
says the book will be “somethingof a memoir, consisting of stories of rounds he has played and people he has
played with.”
The page-turner is the latest chapter in Justin’s
relationship with golf. The crooner, who started playing the game as a boy,
regularly competes in charity tournaments, in addition to owning an
environmentally friendly golf course in his hometown of Millington, Tennessee.
* The road back to musical prominence has gotten a bit
closer for Whitney Houston. The songbird will put on a free concert in
September for fans. The early morning comeback show, which will kick off Good
Morning America
‘s autumn concert series,will feature Houston performing her hits as well as songs from her
early-awaited new album. At this time, no exact date or location has been
confirmed for the performance.
* If she has her way, Shakira will add ‘mother’ to her
resume as she plans on taking time out to start a family. In an interview with
the El Tiempo newspaper, Shakira
mentioned that she will focus on a family after the October release of her
as-yet-unnamed album. Although she confessed to wanting two kids, her boyfriend
Antonio de la Rua would like three.
Shakira’s forthcoming album is the follow-up to her previous
effort, Oral Fixation. The songstress’
new single is “Loba,” which is Spanish for She-Wolf.
