Almost Here...

The new Gloria Estefan album is released in the US tomorrow. Sadly, it is only released via Target (who dont see it fit to ship outside of the States), so I will have to try and get a copy via good old e-bay.

1. "Miss Little Havana"
2. "I Can't Believe"
3. "Heat
4. "Wepa"
5. "Say Ay"
6. "So Good"
7. "Right Away"
8. "Make Me Say Yes"
9. "Time Is Ticking"
10. "Hotel Nacional"
11. "On" (Deluxe Edition)
12. "Make My Heart Go"
13. "Medicine" (Deluxe Edition)
14. "Lets Get Loud" (Deluxe Edition)
15. "Wepa" featuring Pitbull (Deluxe Edition)

Anyways, to celebrate, here is a video of the one and only queen of latin pop with the world premiere performance of "Wepa". This is from the 2011 ALMA Awards, which were held this month. The track is currently at #3 on the US club play chart. Look out for Miss Estefan apperaing on Dancing With The Stars in the near future to promote the album...

50 - Yes, 50 years ago!...

For the first time ever, on the occasion of the group's 50th anniversary, every single from the legendary Diana Ross & the Supremes is now in one package--the 3-CD box set 50th Anniversary: The Complete Singles 1961-1969, featuring every A- and B- side, from the very beginning to their triumphant farewell, when lead singer Diana Ross left for a solo career.

Included are the group's 14 No. 1 Pop and R&B hits, from "Where Did Our Love Go" to "Someday We'll Be Together," and the smashes in-between--the iconic "Baby Love" and "Stop! In The Name Of Love," the controversial "Love Child," "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," a duet with the Temptations. With these hits, the Supremes--Ms. Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, who was replaced in 1967 by Cindy Birdsong--broke down social barriers and became cultural icons. They were the first American group to have five consecutive No.1 pop hits, representing Motown as a classic American success story, and were a beacon of beauty and class during a tumultuous decade.
 
Because it's "Complete," the beautifully packaged 3-CD box set also includes the early, though beloved, flops, when the "girls" were known around Motown as the "no-hit Supremes"--among them the rarities "Buttered Popcorn," featuring Flo, and "Your Heart Belongs To Me," a thinly veiled love letter to a boyfriend in Vietnam issued in 1962, well before the topic was reflected in popular music. It also includes rare alternate pressings, promotional releases including a group interview and a theme to a cult film, and much more. Also included: the much sought-after foreign language singles.
 
Diana Ross & the Supremes - 50th Anniversary: The Complete Singles 1961-1969 is housed in packaging similar to the acclaimed series The Complete Motown Singles, accompanied by a booklet filled with detailed information about each single, reproductions of spectacular-looking picture sleeves from around the world, and classic and rare photos of the world's greatest female group of all time.

Release date: 24 October 2011

Tracklist

Disc 1:
1. I Want A Guy The Supremes 3:05

2. Never Again The Supremes 3:02

3. Buttered Popcorn (First Version) The Supremes 2:56

4. Who's Lovin' You The Supremes 2:50

5. Buttered Popcorn (Second Version) The Supremes 2:32

6. Your Heart Belongs To Me (First Version) The Supremes 2:36

7. (He's) Seventeen The Supremes 2:40

8. Your Heart Belongs To Me (Second Version) The Supremes 2:36

9. Let Me Go The Right Way The Supremes 2:33

10. Time Changes Things The Supremes 2:27

11. My Heart Can't Take It No More The Supremes 2:58

12. You Bring Back Memories The Supremes 2:37

13. A Breathtaking Guy The Supremes 2:25

14. (The Man With The) Rock And Roll Banjo Band The Supremes 3:04

15. When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes The Supremes 3:06

16. Standing At The Crossroads Of Love The Supremes 2:30

17. Run, Run, Run The Supremes 2:22

18. I'm Giving You Your Freedom The Supremes 2:34

19. Where Did Our Love Go The Supremes 2:33

20. He Means The World To Me The Supremes 1:51

21. Baby Love The Supremes 2:36

22. Ask Any Girl The Supremes 3:02

23. Come See About Me The Supremes 2:41

24. You're Gone (But Always In My Heart) The Supremes 2:27

25. Moonlight And Kisses The Supremes 2:44

26. Baby, Baby, Wo Ist Unsere Liebe (Where Did Our Love Go) The Supremes 2:39

27. Thank You Darling The Supremes 2:44

28. Jonny Und Joe (Come See About Me) The Supremes 2:38

Disc 2:
1. Stop! In The Name Of Love The Supremes 2:53

2. I'm In Love Again The Supremes 2:20

3. Back In My Arms Again The Supremes 2:57

4. Whisper You Love Me Boy The Supremes 2:40

5. The Only Time I'm Happy The Supremes 2:29

6. Nothing But Heartaches The Supremes 2:43

7. He Holds His Own The Supremes 2:31

8. Things Are Changing The Supremes 2:58

9. Dr. Goldfoot And The Bikini Machine The Supremes 2:23

10. I Hear A Symphony The Supremes 2:42

11. Who Could Ever Doubt My Love The Supremes 2:36

12. Children's Christmas Song The Supremes 2:46

13. Twinkle Twinkle Little Me The Supremes 3:03

14. My World Is Empty Without You The Supremes 2:35

15. Everything Is Good About You The Supremes 3:12

16. Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart The Supremes 2:54

17. He's All I Got The Supremes 2:44

18. You Can't Hurry Love The Supremes 2:54

19. Put Yourself In My Place The Supremes 2:16

20. You Keep Me Hangin' On The Supremes 2:47

21. Remove This Doubt The Supremes 2:54

22. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone The Supremes 2:49

23. There's No Stopping Us Now The Supremes 3:02

24. The Happening The Supremes 2:52

25. All I Know About You The Supremes 1:56

26. L'Amore Verra' (You Can't Hurry Love) The Supremes 2:51

27. Se Il Filo Spezzerai (You Keep Me Hangin' On) The Supremes 2:44

28. Supremes Interview The Supremes 5:42

Disc 3:
1. Reflections Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:52

2. Going Down For The Third Time Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:32

3. In And Out Of Love Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:39

4. I Guess I'll Always Love You Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:45

5. Forever Came Today Diana Ross & The Supremes 3:19

6. Some Things You Never Get Used To Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:24

7. You've Been So Wonderful To Me Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:32

8. Love Child Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:59

9. Will This Be The Day Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:49

10. Love Child (Alternate Version) Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:53

11. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations 3:07

12. A Place In The Sun Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations 3:29

13. I'm Livin' In Shame Diana Ross & The Supremes 3:08

14. I'm So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around) Diana Ross & The Supremes 3:38

15. I'm Livin' In Shame (Second Version) Diana Ross & The Supremes 3:04

16. I'll Try Something New Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations 2:25

17. The Way You Do The Things You Do Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations 1:43

18. The Composer Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:54

19. The Beginning Of The End Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:29

20. No Matter What Sign You Are (First Version) Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:55

21. The Young Folks Diana Ross & The Supremes 3:15

22. No Matter What Sign You Are (Second Version) Diana Ross & The Supremes 2:58

23. The Weight Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations 3:02

24. For Better Or Worse Diana Ross & The Supremes with The Temptations 2:38

25. Someday We'll Be Together Diana Ross & The Supremes 3:26

26. He's My Sunny Boy



Also just released:

The Best Of The Supremes on The Ed Sullivan Show collects 22 of the Supremes' greatest performances, including ones never before available on DVD. Included is the Supremes' very first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in December 1964, showcasing their No. 1 hit "Come See About Me," plus other timeless performances including "You Can't Hurry Love," "Love Child" and "The Happening." And, for the first time on DVD, this collection includes "Up the Ladder to the Roof" which is the only appearance by the "New Supremes" after Diana Ross went on to a solo career. This collection of performances truly showcases why The Supremes are one of Motown's biggest and most beloved acts.

Tracks:
 
1.Come See About Me
2.You Can't Hurry Love
3.Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart
4.My Favorite Things
5.The Happening
6.More
7. Love Child
8.Always
9.You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
10.No Matter What Sign You Are
11.Medley: Baby Love, Stop! In The Name of Love, Come See About Me, My World Is Empty Without You, You Can't Hurry Love, The Happening, You Keep Me Hanging On, Reflections, Love Child, I Hear A Symphony
12. Forever Came Today
 
13. BONUS Up The Ladder To The Roof

FINALLY!...

Kylie Minogue will release her live concert “Aphrodite les Folies Live in London” on DVD, CD and Blue Ray Blu-ray on November 28th via Parlophone. The concert, which was recorded over two nights at London’s 02 Arena in April, is directed by Kylie’s longtime friend and collaborator William Baker and Marcus Viner.

The release will be available in the following formats:
1. DVD containing bonus double-CD set of the live concert and a free theatrical release poster (3 disks).
2. Special Limited Edition DVD boxed-set containing bonus double-CD set of the live concert and an exclusive 12-page booklet (3 disks).
3. Blu-ray DVD containing a bonus 3D DVD (2 disks).

The first two are obviously a must!

Tracklist:

The Birth of Aphrodite intro
Aphrodite
The One
Wow
llusion
I Believe In You
Cupid Boy
Spinning Around
Get Outta My Way
What Do I Have to Do
Beautiful
Slow
Confide In Me
Can’t Get You Out Of My Head
In My Arms
Looking for an Angel
Closer
There Must Be An Angel
Love At First Sight
If You Don’t Love Me
Better The Devil You Know
Better than Today
Put Your Hands Up
Million Dollar Intro
On A Night Like This
All The Lovers

Art+Tracks...

Gloria Estefan has just unveiled the cover of her new album Miss Little Havana. It will sadly only be available at Target in the US (with 4 exclusive bonus tracks), but there should be a widely available CD release in other parts of the world. The album is expected at the end of the month.

Tracklist:

1. "Miss Little Havana"
2. "I Can't Believe"
3. "Heat"
4. "Wepa"
5. "Say Ay"
6. "So Good"
7. "Right Away"
8. "Make Me Say Yes"
9. "Time Is Ticking"
10. "Hotel Nacional"
11. "Make My Heart Go"
12. "On" (Deluxe Edition)
13. "Medicine" (Deluxe Edition)
14. "Lets Get Loud" (Deluxe Edition)
15. "Wepa" featuring Pitbull (Deluxe Edition)

In addition to the tracks above, the Deluxe Edition from Target will feature downloadable content including a 25th anniversary remix of the 1985 single "Conga."

Classics Revisited...

In a brand new interview with Billboard, Tori Amos has mentioned she is re-working some of her old songs:

“We’re recording different songs from my whole catalog over the last 20 years with the Metropole Orchestra in Holland some time in 2012-things from Little Earthquakes and things up through recent times. We’ll make a release out of that.”

Amazingly, it has been 20 years since her astonishing debut solo album Little Earthquakes was released. It remains one of my favourite albums of all times. It will be fun to see what she does with those classics!

Her latest album, Night Of Hunters, has been receiving excellent reviews, with many critics calling it a true return to form. Cant wait to get my copy!

SOTD...

It's almost weekend - and what better way to celebrate then queen Diana Ross giving us a VERY camp performance. Love her comment at the end ;) Have a great weekend!

Another One...

A new radio interview with the queen of everything: Madonna!

M In Toronto..

Madonna is currently at the Toronto Film Festival to promote her latest movie. Yesterday she said she doesn’t mind any criticism of her filmmaking abilities, so long as it is directed at her movie and not at herself.
She told reporters…

“I had the same kind of pressure when I began my music career.
I was nervous, and I didn’t know what to expect, and people didn’t know what to expect.
I can tell when people are reviewing my film and when they’re reviewing me personally.
I welcome criticism of my film when it’s viewed as an artistic form and not when people are mentioning things about my personal life or my achievements in any other [areas] — because they’re irrelevant to the film.
So when they stick to the film, then I do care.”

Before the film started (a half hour late) Madonna told the crowd at the North American premiere of the film:

 “As you know I grew up in Detroit Michigan so I almost feel Canadian.
Even when I have been arrested here I had a heck of a time.”

Following the screening, the crowd gave Madonna a standing ovation!
The Toronto reviews aren’t all unanymous, but once again, the public loved the movie!

Full video of the press conferance:

http://www.fileserve.com/file/EvYvDWu

Hollywood Reporter interview

This afternoon, I had the great and — if not unique — rare pleasure of spending about 15 minutes one-on-one with Madonna, who is indisputably one of the world’s most famous and influential people and one of its most successful and ambitious artists.

Madonna has conquered the world of music — singing, dancing, music videos, concerts, you name it — and would be well within her rights, at the age of 53, to sit back and rest on her considerable laurels. But, ever the risk-taker and provocateur, she decided to make a film. Not just any film, but a film about King Edward VIII, whom much of history has dismissed as a Nazi sympathizer, and Wallis Simpson, the American divorcée for whom he abdicated the throne, and whom much of history has derided as a trollop and floozy. They were both depicted, as you may recall, in The King’s Speech, last year’s best picture Oscar-winner, and not in a particularly flattering way.

Madonna, however, saw something different — a woman that she could relate to, and a love story that she felt she had to share. So, with the complete understanding that her critics (who are outnumbered only by her loyal fans) would be sharpening their knives for her, she set to work.
After an arduous 52-day shoot, the finished film W.E (as in Wallis and Edward) — which she says might be her proudest accomplishment — had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival last week, screened for the press at the Toronto International Film Festival this morning, and will have its North American premiere in Toronto tonight.

It’s not a perfect film (pacing is a bit of an issue, and the Julie portion of its Julie & Julia structure is, as in that film itself, weaker than the Julia portion) and it’s not going to be an easy sell (“It’s not Hangover 2,” Madonna joked during our chat), but the truth is that it’s well acted (particularly by Andrea Riseborough as Simpson); visually beautiful (with terrific costumes, makeup, and cinematography) and aurally pleasing (its score sticks in your mind); and considerably better than I had been led to believe by its early reviews.
Anyway, when Madonna welcomed me to her hotel suite for our interview, I half-jokingly confessed to her — as you can hear for yourself below — that I was uncertain of how to address her: I didn’t feel right calling her by her first name, but I haven’t ever heard anyone call her by her last name (Ciccone, for the record), so I was at a loss. “Everyone calls me ‘M,’” she said, and we were off.



Her childhood heroes/idols

“I was a dancer, so Martha Graham was a big hero to me, because she basically took classical dance and turned it on its head — took the foundation garments off of everybody, and toe shoes. She was considered a provocateur and a rebel because women were dancing in their bare feet. What a scandal! Not wearing bras? What a scandal! She single-handedly, kind of, created the modern dance movement.”

How her other work has served her as a filmmaker

“Being a dancer has given me a background with a lot of discipline… All the shows that I’ve done — I’ve put together — I’ve worked with a director, but I’ve collaborated very closely with the costume designer, with the lighting designer, with the set designer, with the choreographer, and been very involved in every aspect and all the minutiae of putting on a show, so I think that’s also helped prepare me for directing a film. And then, of course, being an actress, I’ve watched, and observed, and learned, you know, whether it’s understanding about cameras, and lenses, or, you know, how directors talk to actors — all of that stuff. I’ve had a good education.”

How she came to know the story of Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII

“I first heard of the story when I was in high school — I was just reading about history. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting: an American woman from Baltimore… the King of England, you know, leaves the throne for her?’ But I didn’t focus on it. And then, when I moved to England — when I first got married and moved there — I found myself feeling like a foreigner; like, I needed to educate myself and get to know about English history. So, through lots of book reading, and trying to understand the monarchy, and English culture, and the class system — which is non-existent in America — I, you know, came across the story, and I was really intrigued by it.”

On strange connections that convinced her to make the movie

“It was a combination of not just the story of the Duke and Duchess, but also understanding the auction — the Sotheby’s auction — and how, curiously, the house [in which Wallis and Edward lived after he abdicated the throne] in the Bois de Boulogne [Paris] had been bought by Mohamed Al-Fayed, who is, sort of, a cultural figure in England, and his son [Dodi Fayed] was killed in a car accident with Princess Diana, who was, you know, the Princess of Wales, you know? So there’s all these strange, connecting stories, and it just kept weaving its web around me, and finally I decided that I wanted to tell that story.”

On the personal bond that she feels with Wallis Simpson

“I don’t think it was so conscious when I first was attracted to the story, but after I shot the film and as I watching it. For instance, in the letter scene — when Abbie’s character goes to the Bois de Boulogne, and she’s reading the letters, I thought, you know, ‘I could have written that letter!’ You know? Like, when she’s talking about the press, and people being unfair, and things like that, and not being able to defend herself, and feeling helpless in that way. You know, I’ve had those moments in my life.”

Whether she ever considered starring in the film herself

“Absolutely not. I do not resemble Wallis Simpson in any way, shape, or form.”

On the 52-day shoot for W.E

“I needed about 70… It was a gnarly shoot, I have to say. We worked really long days; we went into overtime every day. My crew in England was extremely generous with me. I slept very little. You know, it was a big challenge and a very ambitious shoot because, you know, we moved around a lot — it was not just shot in England; we went to France (I shot in Paris and the south of France); New York (Manhattan, Brooklyn).”

On working with Abbie Cornish and Andrea Riseborough

“Very pleasant. I got along really well with all my actors. And I like to create a family environment — I’ve always done that with my shows and my tours. I like to spend time with the actors, giving them as much information as possible to help them with their characters; rehearsing; you know? Yeah, it’s really important, spending time with them, and feeling a connection to them, and making them feel safe with me so that they can be free to ask questions, or, you know, express themselves in any way, shape, or form. You know, both of the women had to play a lot of very emotional scenes, and they needed to feel safe.”

On taking on new challenges, even at this point in her career

“The idea isn’t that once I do something well I have to move on and do something else. I mean, I’d like to make more films. I really enjoy the process. As exhausting and daunting as it was — physically, emotionally, in every way you could imagine — I did — I do — love the art of film, and I would love to have the ability and the chance to make another one. The same goes with music and everything I do. I don’t ever look at what I have done and say, ‘Okay, I’ve done enough’ or ‘I’ve done it all and I have nothing else to say.’ You know, as a human being, I continue to change and grow, so I always have new things to say.”

Whether she thinks her movie would be judged differently if people didn’t know she was its director

“Absolutely. They would just focus on the film and not the filmmaker, which is what they do with everyone else’s movies.”

On the onset of fame/celebrity and how she dealt with it

“I think it’s shocking to everyone. I don’t think anyone can be prepared for it… In the grand scheme of things, it’s [a burden and a plus] in equal measures, I would say. It’s as great as it is not great.”

On the loss of anonymity and the ability to live a typical life if/when she wishes

“I mean, I walk around my neighborhood in Manhattan and people don’t bother me; go to local restaurants and have dinner. I was on holiday in the south of France, and managed to sneak out with my friends, and just drive around the Riviera, and get a little place on the beach with a baseball cap on — nobody bothered me — and ate an ice cream, and read a book, and felt like everybody else.”

On what she — like Edward VIII — would be willing to give up everything for

“I would do anything for my children. For sure. Except have a marmite sandwich — my daughter’s insistent that I eat one, but I won’t! Vile…”

On whether she might ever stop working/retire

“I don’t know. I don’t have a crystal ball. I think I’ll always be productive, in one way or another, but I don’t know in which way. I mean, I might not be still working in the entertainment business, but I’ll always want to be productive in some way.”

On her proudest artistic accomplishment

“Well, I’m extremely proud of this film — I put a lot into it and I’m proud of it — and I’m proud of my performance in the film Evita (1996). Just to name two… I can’t say which record I like better or which song I think is better… that’s not fair.”