New York-based record label TVT Records, home to R&B singers Teedra Moses, Keke Wyatt, Lumidee, producer Lil Jon, and a house full of rappers, has been sold to digital music company The Orchard for $6 million.
Recently TVT Records sparked fears of a complete closure after the label layed-off staff and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February (08).
Under the terms of the purchase, The Orchard will take control of TVT's catalogue and artist contracts.
According to Contactmusic, The Orchard bosses have denied claims they are already on the look out to sign new artists, fuelling reports the firm will focus instead on looking after the disgruntled musicians already on the roster. Rapper Pitbull accused TVT bosses of not doing enough to promote his album The Boatlift earlier this year - and urged his fans not to purchase the LP.
The company was founded by Steve Gottlieb, who launched the label out of his New York City apartment in 1985. At its height, TVT was considered one of the top independent record labels in the United States.
The deal is expected to close next month.
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Monday 30 June 2008
Teedra Moses, Keke Wyatt, and Lil Jon's Record Label Sells for 6 Million
Wednesday 25 June 2008
Giorgio Moroder
Artist: Giorgio Moroder
Genre(s):
Soundtrack
Dance
Dance: Pop
disco
Discography:
Over The Top
Year: 1990
Tracks: 10
Flashdance (Motion Picture)
Year: 1983
Tracks: 10
Cat People
Year: 1982
Tracks: 10
Midnight Express
Year: 1978
Tracks: 8
From Here To Eternity
Year: 1977
Tracks: 8
Knights In White Satin
Year: 1976
Tracks: 6
E=MC2 / The Best
Year:
Tracks: 16
One of the principal architects of the disco sound, manufacturer and composer Giorgio Moroder was born in Ortisei, Italy, on April 26, 1940. Upon relocating to Munich, Germany, he conventional his possess studio, Musicland, and recorded his debut single "Looky, Looky" in 1969; his first LP, Son of My Father, was released in early 1972. Around that time Moroder was introduced to fellow wishful instrumentalist Pete Bellotte, with whom he formed a production partnership; in collaboration with isaac Merrit Singer Donna Summer, the duo was to get unitary of the most powerful forces in '70s-era dance music, their success beginning with the discharge of 1974's Gentlewoman of the Night. Summer's Love to Love You Baby followed in 1975; the title trail, clocking in at conclude to 17 transactions in length, was an international smash, its shimmering sound and animal posture much copied in the age to come after.
At their mid-'70s acme, Moroder, Bellotte, and Summer were inordinately prolific, releasing newfangled albums roughly once every six-spot months. Concept records like 1976's A Love Trilogy and IV Seasons of Love culminated with the acquittance of 1977's I Remember Yesterday, a tripper through clip which climaxed with the smash "I Feel Love." With its galloping bass parentage and futurist, computerized luster, the individual was among the watershed hits of the disco music earned run average, and helped prompt Summer to new extrusion as the regnant diva of the dancefloor.
In 1978, Moroder made his initial foray into film music, victorious an Academy Award for his score to Alan Parker's Midnight Express. Summer's double-LP Bad Girls followed in 1979, becoming a massive hit and spawning such chart-topping singles as "Hot Stuff" and the title cut. After one final studio LP, 1980's The Wanderer, the Moroder/Bellotte/Summer team disbanded, and the disco epoch began draftsmanship to a conclude.
In the other '80s, Moroder focussed in the main on films; after producing the soundtracks for pictures including American Gigolo and Cat People, he off to 1983's Flashdance, earning his second base Oscar for the hit "Flashdance...What a Feeling," performed by Irene Cara. In 1984, Moroder courted disputation from film purists for his modern-day electro-pop scotch to the restored departure of Fritz Lang's silent-era masterpiece Metropolis. After contributive to the soundtrack of the 1986 hit Whirligig Gun, he off progressively away from dance music to stress on stone, producing the album Flaunt It, the debut from the heavily hyped British flash in the pan Sigue Sigue Sputnik. In the long time to accompany, Moroder kept a low profile on the pop charts, although he remained a fixture on film soundtracks. In the 1990s, he as well off to remixing, debuting with a reworking of Eurythmics' "Sweet-flavored Dreams (Ar Made of This)" and expiration on to rig material from Heaven 17 and others.
Wednesday 18 June 2008
Rock: 'South African Killings Down To Poverty'
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Monday 16 June 2008
Missy Elliott hosting a summer 'Block Party'
NEW YORK -- Missy Elliott is eyeing an August release for her next studio album, "Block Party," on which she's presently putting the finishing touches. The oft-delayed set, which was originally slated for May, features production from Souldiggaz, Danjahandz, Pharrell, T-Pain, Pointguard and Timbaland.
Tracks on the album include the Jazmine Sullivan-assisted "Like When You Play the Music"; the drum-heavy "Hip-Hop Don't Die"; the sensual "Milk & Cookies," on which Elliott lightheartedly harmonizes about her capabilities in the bedroom; and "Best Best," the set's first single. A video for "Best Best" is in the works.
Elliott said she chose the album title "because there are a lot of dance joints on there. It's one of those albums you can play out in the streets."
"This album is probably more musical and melodic than my previous ones," she said. "A lot of my albums are really hip-hop-driven, with tinges of other music genres. But this album is hip-hop, with a sort of U.K. hip-hop sound to it."
Timbaland remains one of Elliott's major collaborators, and the artist admits "it's deeper than this music industry thing" for she and the veteran producer.
"There's a chemistry between us that will never leave. Like Janet (Jackson) and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Like Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones -- that kind of chemistry," she said. "Not to say it can't work if you get with someone else. But, just because a producer's hot, it doesn't mean it'll automatically work."
"People always ask if we're still working together, and the answer is we will always work together," Elliott said. "He's always going to be involved, even if it is just on one record. That's my brother. I respect and honor what he says."
Ali Akbar Khan and Mahapurush Misra
Artist: Ali Akbar Khan and Mahapurush Misra
Genre(s):
Other
Discography:
Morning and Evening Ragas
Year: 1966
Tracks: 2
Dreamworks - Kung Fu Panda Smashes Way To Number One At Us Box Office
New animated comedy Kung Fu Panda has topped the US box office charts with the third-highest opening ever for a digital animation.
The Dreamworks film, featuring Jack Black and Angelina Jolie, pulled in $60 million (£30.4 million) in its opening weekend to topple Sex and the City from the number one spot, exceeding its expectations of a $30-$40 million (£15-£20 million) debut.
"It provides a great mix of action, comedy and lots of heart, which appeals to every member of a family," said DreamWorks Animation's worldwide marketing chief Anne Globe.
"It's a great start for us," she told Variety.
Adam Sandler's new action-comedy You Don't Mess With the Zohan earned a commendable $40 million (£20.3 million) to take second in a weekend which saw 30 per cent more business at US cinemas than during the same period in 2007.
While Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the fourth outing for the adventurous archaeologist, had been knocked off the summit by Sex and the City, Harrison Ford has proved a more enduring prospect for moviegoers than Sarah Jessica Parker, with Indy falling one place to third while the HBO spin-off dropped from first to fourth.
The disappointing performance of Speed Racer continued as it fell from the top ten while Iron Man continues to attract more business than The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, with Robert Downey Jr's performance as billionaire Tony Stark having earned a massive $288 million.
The top ten films at the US box office are: (last week's position)
1 Kung Fu Panda - $60 million [£30.4 million] (-)
2 You Don't Mess With the Zohan - $40 million [£20.3 million] (-)
3 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - $22.8 million [£11.6 million] (2)
4 Sex and the City - $21.3 million [£10.8 million] (1)
5 The Strangers - $9.3 million [£4.7 million] (3)
6 Iron Man - $7.5 million [£3.8 million] (4)
7 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - $5.5 million [£2.8 million](5)
8 What Happens in Vegas… - $3.4 million [£1.7 million] (6)
9 Baby Mama - $779,000 [£395,122] (8)
10 Made of Honor - $775,000 [£393,084] (9)
09/06/2008 09:05:51
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Spice Girls - Brown Has The X-factor
SPICE GIRLS star MELANIE BROWN will reportedly replace SHARON OSBOURNE on British reality TV show THE X-FACTOR.
Osbourne quit the show - fronted by Simon Cowell - last week (ends06Jun08) after four seasons.
And now Cowell is keen to sign Brown to his judging panel, reports British newspaper, the News of the World.
A source tells the publication, "Mel's in pole position to join the judging panel. She's ideal and Simon Cowell is eager for her to join the team."
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Angie Vs. Jen: "My movie's Better Than Yours!"
With four kids and twins on the way, Brad Pitt's made it pretty clear that Angelina Jolie is the woman for him. But when it comes to the bigger star, who can still pack a theater --the mother of his children or his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston?
Fans will find out on October 24, when the actresses go head to head with movies opening the same day.
Angie will star in Clint Eastwood's drama Changeling, while Aniston will lead an ensemble cast in the romantic comdey He's Just Not That Into You. The former Friends star will probably win the dollar race because her film debuts in a nationwide release, while Changeling will open in a few select theaters in order to create buzz for a wider opening on October 31.
But Jolie, who won an Oscar for her role in Girl Interrupted, is likely to get more acclaim. Changeling was well received by critics at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and has already put the soon-to-be mother of six in the running for a best-actress Oscar.
Angelina also seems to have the better resume. Forbes ranked her number 3 on its 2007 Celebrity 100 list, which rates stars on their earnings and fame. Aniston came in at number 10.
Jolie's hits include Girl Interrupted, for which she won a Golden Globe and an Oscar. She became an international superstar with Lara Croft Tombraider, a big-budget film that earned $275 million worldwide and launched her career as an action superhero.
In 2005 she made Mr. and Mrs. Smith with current boyfriend Brad Pitt. The film is Jolie's biggest commercial success to date, earning $478 million worldwide.
Aniston has starred in a bevy of girl-next-door films including The Object of My Affection, The Good Girl, Bruce Almighty and Along Came Polly, which did well at the box office, opening in the number one spot when it was released.
Her 2006 film The Breakup, co-starring Vince Vaughn, earned $203 million worldwide.
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What's on at SIFF June 3
Today's schedule
Benaroya Hall
7:30 p.m. — John Waters Live at Benaroya Hall
Egyptian
4:30 p.m. — "Cecil B. DeMented"
7 p.m. — "Mad Detective"
9:15 p.m. — "Mirageman"
Harvard Exit
4:30 p.m. — "FLOW: For Love of Water"
7 p.m. — "Mr. Big"
9:30 p.m. — "Great Speeches From a Dying World"
Pacific Place Cinema
4 p.m. — "Island Etude"
7 p.m. — "Fighter"
9:15 p.m. — "A Lost Man"
SIFF Cinema
4:30 p.m. — "Captain Ahab"
7 p.m. — "Christopher Columbus, the Enigma"
9 p.m. — "Girl Sparks"
Uptown
4:30 p.m. — "The Song of Sparrows"
7 p.m. — "32A"
9:15 p.m. — "Teddy Bear"
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