A very smart move by the Michael Jackson’s clan to take all the rehearsal footage during his preparation for his This is It Tour — and then some – to create a documentary depicting Jackson’s extraordinary and multi-level talent. The Sony release grossed an estimated $101 million at the worldwide box office, including a U.S. take of $21.3 million over the Halloween weekend.
Apparently the whole Rock Band / Guitar Hero / I think I’m a real musician because I got three stars on a video game trend is carrying on wildly unabated and is now producing movies.
Sure, South Park went for Guitar Hero a couple seasons back or so, but now, we’re getting movies out of it. Fake musicians are becoming part of the movie landscape, and I’m horrified.
First off, we’ve got Adventures of Power, which is all about–get this–AIR DRUMMING. Some guy who works in a mine with his dad packs up and goes to New Jersey to compete in an air drumming tournament. I’ve got the trailer below just in case you doubt me.
Now that I’ve reinforced my credibility by showing you the trailer, I can also point you toward one that’s so new it doesn’t have a trailer I can find yet–Air Guitar: The Movie. This is about the, and frankly, this’ll kill you–world of competitive air guitar.
I’m horrified. I’m horrified that Hollywood clearly thinks so little of us that these are actually considered commercially viable.
I popped Al Jarreau’s latest album The Very Best of: An Excellent Adventurein my DVD player and loved every minute of hearing is instrumental voice. What a jazz singer! Although at times I thought it I was in an elevator or in Macy’s shopping. But still his music lives on and on. I would love to shop to Jarreau’s music any time and ride an elevator, too, with his music in the background.
The album even includes the theme from the late TV Show “Moonlighting” with other notables such as “Boogie Dance”, “Round, Round, Round” and the live recording of “Take Five”.
Celebrating his musical achievements legendary jazz singer Al Jarreau with Rhino presents The Very Best of: an Excellent Adventure, a 16-song compilation spanning Jarreau’s most notable recordings from the past through the present. Al Jarreau has spent decades bending genres with his stunning range and voice, earning him the rare distinction of being awarded a Grammy in three different categories: Pop, Jazz and R&B. Al Jarreau’s The Very Best Of: An Excellent Adventure is out now, in both digital and physical formats, and features a brand-new song, “Excellent Adventure,” recorded especially for this release. “Excellent Adventure” is no elevator music. It’s upbeat and fun and makes my day lively and fun. His voice is an instrument – jazzy and hip with a strong message to boot.
Screenhead has a copy of The Very Best of: An Excellent Adventure to give away. Simply post your name and we will pick the winner Monday, November 16, 2009.
Check out the The Very Best Of: An Excellent Adventure Listening Party here.
Foreigner, one of the world’s most popular and enduring rock bands, released a new three-disc collection, including a CD album of all new music, a CD album of the band’s original hit recordings, and a DVD of the band in concert and beyond. Can’t Slow Down is the name of the album available from Rhino Entertainment, exclusively through Wal-Mart.
The title track, Can’t Slow Down, was written by Mick Jones, Kelly Hansen, and Marti Frederiksen as a tribute to NASCAR in celebration of Foreigner’s appearance at the Samsung 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year. NASCAR fans bought so many CDs that day that Foreigner’s 2008 release No End In Sight: The Very Best Of Foreigner was propelled back into the Billboard Top 200.
The collection’s second disc contains 10 remixes by Marti Frederiksen and Anthony Focx of some of the band’s most well known songs, including “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” “Urgent,” “Hot Blooded,” and “I Want To Know What Love Is.” The remixes bring a new energy and sound definition to these classic songs.
Happily, I was able to talk with Tom Gimbel, who plays rhythm guitar, keyboards, sax, and flute. Tom hits those high-notes during “Urgent” when he performs his solo with the sax.
Tom is a very, cool upbeat guy who’s been with Foreigner for over 17 years, ‘longest band member other than the original guys.” Tom has seen the group change and grow while still being its “vibrant force.”
I asked Tom about the remixing of the older rock songs for the second disc, and he stressed that it’s really remastering, “cleaning up the sound, so it jumps out of the speakers.”
I couldn’t image these great-old songs jumping out of the speakers anymore than they do now, but I listened to the new sounds…yes, the songs jump out even more and sound fantastic! Even my nine-year old daughter loves their music.
Tom and I talked a little bit about Foreigner’s music being played in movies, of course, we knew it had been done, but couldn’t name any movies until my daughter mentioned “I Want to Know What Love Is” plays on Alvin and the Chipmunks Squeakquel teaser trailer. Then…yes of course.
What was life like for this rock and roll star growing up? Tom got his ear for music by listening to Broadway show tunes instead of watching television. He’s mother would take a big stack of LPs, place them on the console to play and all four children, including Tom would sing and dance the afternoon away.
So, after I talked with Tom, my daughter and I sat down and watched the DVD. It captures the band performing many of its hits live in 5.1 surround sound. The DVD also contains performances filmed during the band’s recently completed European tour. We were amazed at how vibrant the band could be, even though some of them look a little older – I am being kind, but it’s obvious, they are not slowing down. The performances were fantastic!
Also featured is a behind-the-scenes, but we didn’t look at that part of the DVD. But it contains the creation of Can’t Slow Down, from writing sessions in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles to the Wal-Mart shareholders meeting where the exclusive partnership behind this project was finalized.
Screenhead has the 3-disc collection Can’t Slow Down available for giveaway. Please post your name and we will pick the winner Wednesday, October 28, 2009.
Man, when you actually hear this chunk of news, chances are you’ll nod your head in agreement, convinced that you’ve already heard it somewhere, but no. You heard it here, folks–there’s going to be a special appearance in Tron: Legacy by vaguely electronica group Daft Punk.
No, seriously. Daft Punk. You know, that club band everyone was listening to back in the late nineties, early two thousands or so? They’re not just appearing in it, either, they’re also scoring it.
Just for reference’s sake, I’ve attached a video directly below courtesy of YouTube to give you a better idea who these guys are and why it’s actually terribly appropriate that they show up in a movie like Tron. Like I said, this is actually a pretty good idea; so much so that you’d almost be convinced you heard it already, it’s just that rational a fit.
Tron: Legacy hits theaters this Christmas where it will likely pound holy hell out of its competition.
You ever hear voice actor Robert Axelrod talk? I have, after attending the anime convention Kuzuricon in Battle Creek, Michigan, over the weekend. It was actually a pretty awesome convention, even if I spent most of my time there feeling like the creepy old guy in the room. I swear, if it weren’t for my press pass they would’ve wound up putting me up for Carousel.
Anyway, Robert Axelrod. You might not recognize the name, but you’ll know his work a whole lot more. He’s the guy who voiced Lord Zedd, among a great many others, and if you don’t remember Lord Zedd then I don’t know where you were in the 1990s.
He delivered a pretty sweet panel, in which he gave the history of his voice acting career, and how it extended upward through years of work. Interesting points:
1. Robert Axelrod owns a thirty-year-old chunk of his own hair. It’s a huge ponytail from his musical days.
2. The band “John Castle and the Junkyard Angels” had only one Junkyard Angel. It was Robert Axelrod.
3. There are actually several ways to get into the Screen Actors Guild. None of them are simple.
All of these interesting facts and more were part of a terrific panel, so kudos to Robert Axelrod for putting on a great and deeply informative show. And there’s actually a fair chance he’s reading this since I gave him the link to us, so if you are reading, sir, hello again and don’t we all wish you could’ve stuck around for the Rumble Roses tournament. It might have even gone off that way.
Screenhead has the opportunity to give away 10copies of Barney: Jungle Friends, which is available as a special DVD/CD set on September 15th, from Lionsgate Family Entertainment.
Grab your safari hat and get ready for a one-of-a-kind musical Jungle adventure! Join your best friends Barney, BJ, and Baby Bop as they laugh, dance, and sing through an enchanted rainforest and learn about all of the amazing plants, animals, and insects that call the rainforest their home. Watch and learn as kids play with monkeys, collect butterflies, and search for the legendary Higgledy Piggledy Pear Tree in this super-dee-duper tale of friendship and fun!
Post your name and Screenhead will pick the winners Friday, September 25, 2009.
Scarlett Johansson movies range from comedy to drama, but she is also a successful recording artist. That is why acclaim singer and song writer Pete Yorn contacted Johansson with the idea to record a duets album in the spirit of Serge Gainsbourg’s 1960s recordings with Brigitte Bardot.
“I was having a strange week of insomnia and when I finally passed out, it came to me in a dream,” says Yorn. “I woke up and the whole thing was in my head, fully formed.” Johansson was intrigued by Yorn’s out-of-the-blue invitation. “It sounded like an interesting little adventure,” she explains. “The idea of two people vocalizing their relationship through duets, I always thought of it as just a small project between friends. I’ve loved the album ever since I heard it completed. It perfectly captured where I was in my life at the time.”
On September 15, Atco Records, an imprint of Rhino Entertainment, presents the resulting work, Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson Break Up, a deeply emotive yet hook-filled song cycle about a tempestuous relationship. Yorn was as protective of Break Up as a father of his daughter, playing it for no one until last year. When those close to him finally heard Break Up, the overwhelming response convinced Yorn that it was simply too strong a work to remain under lock and key.
Break Up
Track Listing
1. Relator
2. Wear And Tear
3. I Don’t Know What To Do
4. Search Your Heart
5. Blackie’s Dead
6. I Am The Cosmos
7. Shampoo
8. Clean
9. Someday
Screenhead has one vinyl copy of Break Up to give away. Post your name and we will pick the winner Sunday, September 6, 2009.
Fromingénue darling to legendary star of stage and screen, beloved songbird Judy Garland was at the height of her fame and popularity during the television run of The Judy Garland Show. Nowvolume one, the first in a special collector’s set of 13 volumes coming to DVD, will be in stores July 28, 2009.
The Emmy-nominated variety program ended its critically-acclaimed CBS-TV run after just one season (1963-64). Today, those 26 shows are revered by many as the entertainment icon’s finest work. Singing then-new material as well as the classics expected of her, this is the legendary Judy at her peak. Also featured in volume one of this 13-volume collector’s set is daughter Liza Minnelli, now a legend in her own right.
Then just 17, Liza sings her off-Broadway hit “You Are for Loving” and displays her renowned ability as a dancer on “Put on a Happy Face.” Liza and Judy shine in the duets “Together,” “We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together,” “The Best is Yet to Come,” “Bye, Bye, Baby” and “Bob White”; and revive the “We’re a Couple of Swells” tramp characters from Easter Parade.
Also featured in a dazzling display of song, dance and comedy are jazz greats Count Basie and his band and Mel Tormé, who perform solo and join the great Garland on such stunners as “I Hear Music,” “The Sweetest Sounds,” “Strike Up the Band,” “April in Paris” and “Memories of You”; folk singer Judy Henske; and series regular Jerry Van Dyke who trades quips with Soupy Sales.
Judy also sings “A Cottage for Sale,” “Hey, Look Me Over,” “Liza,” “As Long as He Needs Me,” and “Come Rain or Come Shine,” a highlight of Judy’s 45-year career.
Restored and digitally remastered from the original masters, this dynamic diva will move you like no one else! Look for all 13 volumes, each featuring two hour-long shows.
Screenhead has 5 The Judy Garland Show: Volume One DVDs to give away. Post your name and we will pick the lucky winners Monday, August 3, 2009.
Internationally-renowned singer and actress Vanessa Williams released her thirteenth album this week appropriately called THE REAL THING. The collection marks a return to her love for the rhythms of jazz and Latin music, a key part of her musical roots.
THE REAL THING delves into the sophisticated pop and R&B that have been the hallmark of her dynamic musical career. Her sound is angelica and passionate. I love playing the Williams CD while I work at my computer – I am taken to another fanciful place, its endearing.
THE REAL THINGis a passionate song cycle about relationships, and Williams hand-picked each song on the record as it relates to a phase of the modern-day love affair seen from a woman’s perspective. From the two new songs penned for the CD by Babyface (”Loving You” and “Just Friends”) to “Hello Like Before” by Bill Withers (Williams’ late father’s favorite artist) to Stevie Wonder’s “The Real Thing” to Bebel Gilberto’s “Close To You,” THE REAL THING taps into the wide breadth of Williams’ musicality and artistry.
You’ll find THE REAL THING a soulful journey to serenity.
Screenhead has available one copy of Vanessa Williams THE REAL THING for a giveaway. Post your name and we will pick the winner Thursday, June 18, 2009.
A very smart move by the Michael Jackson’s clan to take all the rehearsal footage during his preparation for his This is It Tour — and then some – to create a documentary depicting Jackson’s extraordinary and multi-level talent. The Sony release grossed an estimated $101 million at the worldwide box office, including a U.S. take of $21.3 million over the Halloween weekend.
“You’re as Cold as Ice…”
You ever hear voice actor Robert Axelrod talk? I have, after attending the 
