The Girl Is BACK!...

Bette Midler confirms UK 2015 tour! Birmingham, London, Leeds, Glasgow dates

Bette Midler has confirmed that she will return to British stages for the first time in 35 years. Her new tour, The Divine Miss M will see tickets going on sale this Friday, 21-November and fans who purchase their tickets online may also able to add a copy of Bette Midler’s new album “It’s The Girls!” to their transaction.

The tour follows Bette Midler’s previously announced North American tour and will feature material from her iconic career and material from her new album, “It’s The Girls!” – a glorious tribute to girl groups through the ages. “It’s The Girls!” features the swinging sounds of WWII-era Andrews Sisters, to 60’s super-groups like the Supremes and the Shirelles, to 90’s hit makers TLC.The album is out now on Warner Music UK.

“It’s The Girls!” reunites Bette Midler with long-time collaborator and Award-winning composer Marc Shaiman who produced the album, along with Scott M. Riesett. The album effortlessly showcases Midler’s distinctive and versatile vocal range while honoring timeless classic melodic harmonies.

One of the world’s best-loved and most versatile entertainers, Bette Midler has garnered accolades in all quarters of show business. She’s earned four Grammy Awards including Song of the Year (1989: Wind Beneath My Wings; 1990: From A Distance) and Record of the Year (1989: Wind Beneath My Wings); two Academy Award nominations, three Emmy Awards, one Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and nine American Comedy Awards. Bette Midler has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

Tickets for Bette Midler’s UK performances will go on sale Friday, 21-November at 9:00 am. Tickets starting at £50 (£56 in London) will be available from www.livenation.co.uk or www.ticketmaster.co.uk. Fans who purchase their tickets online may also able to add a copy of Bette Midler’s new album “It’s The Girls!” to their transaction.

Bette Midler – July 2015

Thursday 9th Barclaycard Arena Birmingham

Saturday 11th Manchester Arena

Monday 13th The SSE Hydro Glasgow

Wednesday 15th first direct arena Leeds

Saturday 18th The O2 London

With her new album IT’S THE GIRLS debuting at No. 3, Bette Midler can now mark her fifth consecutive decade of top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. According to Billboard, she is only the second woman to do so, after Barbra Streisand.

IT’S THE GIRLS is Midler’s second-highest charting album ever; the 1989 soundtrack to BEACHES (with all-Midler tunes, including “Wind Beneath My Wings“) reached No. 2.

Before that, her 1972 debut album THE DIVINE MISS M hit No. 9, followed by her No. 6 self-titled album in 1974 and SOME PEOPLE’S LIVES in 1991, and finally BETTE MIDLER SINGS THE PEGGY LEE SONGBOOK, which peaked at No. 10 in 2005.

Midler’s tribute to girl groups — which features covers of such tunes as TLC’s “Waterfalls” and The Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love” — bows with 40,000 sold. The Warner Bros. Records release is Midler’s highest debut ever. It’s the Girls is Midler’s first album since 2008’s greatest hits set Jackpot! The Best Bette, and first album of new material since the 2006 Christmas effort Cool Yule.

Midler also recently announced on her official site that she will be touring the country beginning May 2015 in support of the new solo recording.

The actress finished her Broadway run of I’LL EAT YOU LAST this spring, starring as the legendary Hollywood agent Mengers in her first Broadway appearance in almost 40 years. Written by John Logan, I’LL EAT YOU LAST was directed on Broadway by Joe Mantello.

Midler began her legendary career as an entertainer in 1965, in New York, where she developed the trademark act that would make her one of the most renowned talents of her generation. Her debut album, 1972’s The Divine Miss M set her on the path that has led her to earn Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes and Academy Award nominations in a career that has spanned over 40 years. She has toured the world, sold millions of albums, published two books and appeared in over two dozen films, including The Rose, Beaches, Ruthless People, Hocus Pocus, First Wives Club and For The Boys.

It's The Girls was released yesterday in the UK on both CD and LP (note that the US Target version of the CD has two bonus tracks, which is of course the version I bought). And there is also this lovely 7" single:



Here are her recent/upcoming UK promo apperances:

*The Divine Miss M - documentary (watch here)

* One Night Only: Bette Midler TV Special (Filmed November 16th…to air in December on ITV)

* The One Show – Tuesday, November 17th

* Loose Women – November 19, 2014

* Alan Carr-Chatty Man – November 21, 2014

* Moira Stuart ‘But Beautiful’ Radio Show, November 23rd

She will also appear on the Royal Variety Show in December, singing "Be My Baby".

Here are some of her recent US TV apperances:

Divine Intervention: Bette Midler Talks Early Gay Support, ‘Diva’ Degradation & Twerking (‘Girls, Please’)

‘If Your Panties Fall Down … Step Out Of Them & Keep On Singing’

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

Originally printed 11/13/2014 (Issue 2246 – Between The Lines News)

Before the whole world knew her as “The Divine Miss M,” Bette Milder was ours. In the early ’70s, bawdy, belt-y Bette was performing for the NYC bathhouse boys, and don’t think she’s forgotten it, either. “I mean, if I had a nickel for everybody that said they saw me at the baths,” says Midler in our recent interview, “I would be Joe Billionaire by now!”

Midler would go on to global fame, reaching beyond music to become a celebrated name in film, television and on the stage, winning Grammys, Golden Globes, Emmys and a special Tony Award. And now, the eagerly awaited return of one of show business’s most versatile performers has arrived with the release of her first album in eight years, “It’s the Girls,” a tribute to some of the greatest female harmonies in history.

Midler talked about the anticipated tour she’s about to launch in support of this latest effort – and the truck full of hairpieces she’s schlepping along (“Cher has 55 wigs; why can’t I?!”). She also touched on her early support of the LGBT community, the degradation of the word “diva” and her plan to avenge Mae West for sending her a cease and desist.

You know how much we gays love our girls. How much do you keep your gay following in mind when you make music, particularly with “It’s The Girls”?

To tell you the truth, it really didn’t cross my mind. The music I chose is music I had a lot of affection for. Some of these songs I’ve known since I was a little girl. I feel like if I have a strong feeling for this music, people will also have a strong feeling for it. The truth is, you cannot pander. You have to go with your gut and your heart and be true to yourself, and hope that people like it. They generally do.

You were welcoming to the gay community at a time when many weren’t. When you look back at your early support for the LGBT community, what do you recall as being the moment that galvanized you to stand up as an ally?

I had been in the theater for a long time, from the time I was a young person, and I’d always known gay people – and they were just, like, gay people! Just ordinary friends. People that you knew, and that you never thought twice about. You didn’t think of them as being different, although looking back on my high school years, I think there were a lot of people in my high school – this is so many years ago; this is 50 years ago – who probably were gay and didn’t ever talk about it. As a matter of fact, one of the kids that I went to school with, an enormously popular guy – really funny, really wonderful – who was in my Latin class, wrote me before he passed away from AIDS to tell me that he had been gay and that he had contracted AIDS.

So, I mean, what was the moment when I said that it was time to stand up? Oh my god – it never occurred to me not to. These were friends of mine – people that I had worked with, people that I had danced with, people I had broken bread with my whole life – so it never occurred to me not to. You do what you do because there’s nothing else to do. There’s no other option.

But to stand up for people who were seen as pariahs – that was taboo then. Did you experience any backlash for supporting gay people at the time?

You know, I might have, but I was very well-protected in those days. I actually did not feel it. I remember the first big benefit that anyone had done for gay rights (“A Star Spangled Night for Rights” in 1977). I remember the poster, and it was at the Hollywood Bowl. Lily (Tomlin), Richard Pryor and Tom Waits were on the program, but nobody ever said LGBT then. That didn’t exist.

So that night, Tom Waits sang “Standin’ on the Corner” and then Richard Pryor came out and Richard Pryor started off great. I don’t even know if this is in your history books or anything, but he started off great and then worked himself up into a real frenzy as only he could. He said that the gay community had never supported civil rights and, “Where were you when we were riding and they were kicking us to the curb and we were being fire hosed?” Then he said, “You all can kiss my rich, black ass!” and he stomped off the stage. And I had to follow him! I mean, I’m just stripping it bare, but imagine what happened. So I went out and said, “You all can kiss my rich, white ass,” and of course then everything was much better, but it was such a curious evening.

I think Stonewall, in the middle ’60s, was the first time (the gay community) fought back, but, you know, in history everyone says “I was there.” I mean, if I had a nickel for everybody that said they saw me at the baths, I would be Joe Billionaire by now! I would be playing at Madison Square Garden instead of a rickety-tickety little bathhouse on 73rd Street! OK, let’s move on. I really do think that this big fundraiser in the late ’70s was a little shot across the bow too, and then not long after that, in the middle ’80s, AIDS came down and it was so horrible and, even though he knew so many gay people, Ronald Reagan did nothing. Nothing!

Right – he wouldn’t even publicly acknowledge it was an issue until years later. And hey, Bette, I don’t mean to cut you off, but we’re on a time limit.

Oh! I’m sorry. I’m waxing poetic. Anyway, enough about you; let’s talk about me.

If a gay fan approaches you, which of your projects would they most likely mention?

You wanna know the truth? “Hocus Pocus.” Honestly, I cannot believe what happened with “Hocus Pocus.” I’m just dumbfounded by the number of people who mention “Hocus Pocus” – and they’re young people!

Was your Halloween costume from this year – when you went as your “Hocus Pocus” character, Winifred Sanderson – the closest we’ll ever get to a sequel?

I tell them all you must write the Walt Disney Company because I don’t have anything to say about it – but they do! (To contact Walt Disney, head here.)

But you’d be up for it?

Oh yeah. The girls and I have talked about it, and we all laugh and say, “Yeah, we’ll wait for that phone call.” But sure, we would all do it. We had a wonderful time.

“It’s the Girls” celebrates and honors female performers who branded a very particular image. I mean, they definitely were not twerking.

Ugh. I don’t know what to tell you. I just saw that Jennifer Lopez video with Iggy Azalea – “Booty booty booty…” – and oh, girls, please! What can you say? Girls… please.

How do you compare the girl groups from the era you’re channeling to what you’re seeing now?

It was a really wholesome era in retrospect. It was sexy, but it was not blatant. It was intriguing and it was mysterious because it wasn’t flat out in your face. It was also supremely elegant. You know, I talk about this with my girlfriend Toni Basil, another gay icon: Those voices, the black voices, were not familiar to white ears. They simply never heard those voices singing harmony before. You never really heard those really strong, vibrant black girls singing until The Shirelles, The Crystals, The Chiffons, and then the Motown girls, and the girls who came after: Sister Sledge, the Emotions and down the line. The Honeycombs? Is there a group called The Honeycombs? I personally wanted to cover (the Weather Girls‘) “Two Tons o’ Fun” but everyone said, “No, no, you can’t cut that,” so I didn’t.

You cover TLC’s ’90s pop hit “Waterfalls,” which famously dealt with HIV/AIDS and safe sex. What significance does that song have for you?

The first time I heard it I was really struck by it because it seemed like such an important song. To me, it was one of the saddest songs I’d ever heard on pop radio. So, I wanted to do a stripped-down version of it because I really wanted the story to be clear. I had thought about it for a long time, and when I first heard it, I was so moved by it. I shed a tear myself, and I always use that as a kind of litmus test. If it really moves me, I can bring something to it; I can make it my own.

What about the song in particular hit you? Did you know the original song was inspired by the AIDS-stricken and promoted safe sex?

I do remember that, but it was a dance song. It was for the dance halls. It was for the discos, and yet it really is a song about the mother who can’t do anything, who’s completely helpless in the face of this. I felt that, and that’s the way I wanted to interpret it. I think it worked out wonderfully.

You’ve been a self-proclaimed diva. In fact, your 1997 HBO special was called “Diva Las Vegas,” and during your Las Vegas spectacle at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, “The Showgirl Must Go On,” you said you were the “People’s Diva.” At this point, has the meaning of the word “diva” changed so much that you no longer identify with it?

It’s a word that is just so overused that it’s really lost all currency. It no longer has any meaning at all. Any old slob on the Internet can say, “Well, I’m a ‘diva,'” and have some people believing it, but not me. In the old, old, old, old days – you know, during the Civil War when I was just a child – it meant “the star.” It was an opera term, and it meant a female opera singer who really could carry the whole opera, and it has been so degraded now. It’s a shame because it really was a wonderful word.

What does “diva” mean to you now?

It means nothing. It has absolutely no meaning at all. “Divine” still has meaning because there’s still a church, but “diva” has absolutely no meaning at all.

When you hit the road for your first tour in 10 years, how many wigs are you bringing along with you?

Oh my god – I have a truck! I have a whole truck. Well, Cher always does. Cher has 55 wigs; why can’t I? To tell you the truth, I have been wearing wigs since, let’s see, the very, very old days. Since I first started making motion pictures – movies! – I’ve always worn wigs. Always, always, always. It really does spare you. It really is a time-saver, and I really enjoy them. And I love makeup and hair. I just love it, love it, love it! I love becoming somebody that I’m not. As they used to say about Mae West: “A little old lady used to come in onto the set and go into the trailer, and four hours later Mae West would come out.” It’s really kind of like that.

A lot of drag queens would agree with you and Mae. What advice do you have for a guy who wants to dress in Bette drag?

A good pair of shoes – a really good pair of shoes – because you’ll really hurt yourself. You’ll hurt your joints. And a serious undergarment. And if your panties fall down all around your feet, step out of them and keep on singing.

That’s good advice even if you’re not a drag queen.

(Laughs) Well, I’ve been accused of (being a drag queen) many times! But I take it with a grain of salt. To me, it’s a supreme compliment.

Any chance you’ll revisit songs by The Sanderson Sisters or the ladies of “The First Wives Club”? They are, after all, girl groups.

I really do have to think about this. If I go out around Halloween, I’ll have to put some effort into it. I’ve got some surprises up my sleeve.

You mentioned Mae West, and it was announced in late 2013 that you were cast as Mae in an upcoming HBO biopic. How’s that project coming along?

I’ll tell you something: The script just came in, but I haven’t seen it. I’m waiting for the director, Billy Friedkin (director of “The Exorcist”), to make his notes, and then he’s gonna hand it off to me and we’ll see what happens.

I’m really looking forward to it because I’ve been reading and doing my due diligence. She’s such a fabulous – she’s so fucking nuts! I mean, she was so insane. And you know, when I started my career all those many moons ago, I used to do an impersonation of Mae West, and I did it on “The Johnny Carson Show” – my very first “Johnny Carson Show” – and she sent me a letter telling me to cease and desist, which I swear to god I still have.

I didn’t understand it at the time. I thought, “What’s wrong with her?” Now that I’ve done all the reading and am of a certain age, I totally get it. She was protecting what she had made. She was protecting her creation. That was practically a trademark and she didn’t want anyone to mishandle her creation. Ultimately, she was right. So I bowed to her wishes; I ceased and desisted. And I think it’s so amusing. (Laughs) After all that, if the script actually comes to the point of doing it, it certainly would be revenge. Take that, Mae!

Special...

Bette Midler will appear in her first ever UK television special later this year. Bette Midler: One Night Only has been commissioned by ITV, and will be presented by Joanna Lumley.

The singer and actress will perform a selection of her biggest hits, as well as songs from her new album It's The Girls!, which sees her covering hits from some of the world's biggest girl groups.

Midler - who will also sit down for an interview with Lumley - said: "I can't believe this is really my first special in the UK. What have we been waiting for all these years? We're going to have a ball.

"I'm looking forward to performing some of my favourite songs and also introducing some wonderful new songs that celebrate iconic girl groups. I love the music these women made. They say behind every great man, there's a great woman. Well, I think that behind every great woman, there should be at least two other women singing and dancing in perfect unison."

Peter Davey, commissioning editor for entertainment at ITV, said: "Legends don't come any bigger than Bette Midler and everyone at ITV is delighted that she has chosen to make her first UK special with us."

It's The Girls!...

New Bette Midler album, It’s The Girls! coming out in November!

As most of you know, I have an absolute mania for harmony and vocal groups – I'm mad for the melodies, I’m cuckoo for the chords! I have been a rabid fan of these groups since I was a mere sprout, (which was so long ago I’m practically a beanstalk now!) and although I have jumped feet first into this kind of music many times, I decided to devote an entire record to some of the girl group music that I have loved since I was a kid. Yes, Virginia, I MADE A NEW ALBUM!! It’s my 25th album, which I really can’t believe. How did I manage that? Have I been recording albums I didn’t know about in my sleep?

My old friend Marc Shaiman and I went into the studio last spring. We started out by choosing nearly 50 of our favorite songs and then went through the agonizing process of editing the list down to only 17; I swear, making some of those decisions, I felt like Meryl in Sophie’s Choice! We then invited some of our favorite people in to play. A great album is like a fine wine, it’s not half as good unless you're sharing it with good friends. While I did a lot of the background chores myself, we also had some great backing singers in as well. It’s always been a particular thrill for me to watch and listen to background singers work their magic; the great ones are great artists. The experience was a thrill and the result is overwhelmingly happy, except for a couple of ballad surprises, because what’s a Bette Midler record without little kleenex, right? Hey! It worked for Piaf! We’ve stuffed so many glorious girl groups into this album - it’s an exquisite explosion of estrogen! You’ll croon, you’ll cry, and you’ll walk away craving more.

Yes, I love the music these women made, but I also love the world of the groups themselves. The legends, the rumors, the hair!! How many movies and books have come out of that world? Not enough, if you ask me!! Some of the groups were formed and trained at home, like the Boswells and the Andrews Sisters, some were put together by the labels themselves, and some met on street corners or subway staircases, looking for an echo. But whether they were sister acts or musical arranged marriages, they all had one thing in common – that SOUND! Well, the fantastic outfits didn’t hurt either. Or the synchronized dances. Okay, so maybe three things in common.

The 50s and 60’s were their heyday, when girl groups really came into their own, putting their stamp on pop music, and having a huge influence on the music that came long after they had left the stage, especially in Great Britain, where they were lionized, imitated and covered to death...

Some girl groups survived, some didn’t; some were taken advantage of, some wrote their own rules, many went through fire just for the chance to sing. There is no denying that much of what they went through, just as women, was difficult, but there is also no denying that what they gave to the world is still relevant, and still necessary; joy, attitude, and the golden dream of a youth that will never fade.

They say behind every great man, there’s a great woman. Well I think that behind every great woman, there should be at least two other women singing and dancing in perfect unison. I hope “It’s The Girls” gives you the impulse to dig deeper into the music and the lives of the women who made it. You won’t regret a moment…

UPDATE:

Track list:

1. BE MY BABY

Originally performed by The Ronettes

2. ONE FINE DAY

Originally performed by The Chiffons

3. BEI MIR BIST DU SCHÖN

Originally performed by The Andrews Sisters

All Vocals by Bette Midler

4. BABY IT’S YOU

Originally performed by The Shirelles

All Vocals by Bette Midler

5. TELL HIM

Originally performed by The Exciters

6. HE’S SURE THE BOY I LOVE (duet with Darlene Love)

Originally performed by The Crystals

7. MR. SANDMAN

Originally performed by The Chordettes

8. COME AND GET THESE MEMORIES

Originally performed by Martha & The Vandellas

9. TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA

Originally performed by The Marvelettes

10. TEACH ME TONIGHT

Originally performed by The DeCastro Sisters

11. WATERFALLS

Originally performed by TLC

12. YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE

Originally performed by The Supremes

13. GIVE HIM A GREAT BIG KISS

Originally performed by The Shangri-Las

14. WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW

Originally performed by The Shirelles

15. IT’S THE GIRL

Originally performed by The Boswell Sisters

All Vocals by Bette Midler

A View From A Broad...

 A new Bette Midler book is on the way!

With her brassy voice and bold performances making the world finally pay attention, she needs no introduction. Grammy award–winning singer, Academy Award–nominee, Broadway star of her critically acclaimed one-woman show and beloved actress in The Rose, Beaches and Down and Out in Beverly Hills—Bette Midler is a household name whose career and fans span generations.

In A View from a Broad, originally published in 1980, Bette relives her career through memories of endless rehearsals, her fear of flying, crazy schedules and wisdom she learned from Thai Gondoliers, with the trademark razor-blade wit that her fans have grown to know, love and expect.

Filled with photographs, a new introduction and heartwarming stories that highlight only a portion of a brilliant career, A View from a Broad is the perfect gift for anyone who loves music, theater or just plain fun—and will be cherished by the fans of Divine Miss M for years to come.

The book will be published on April 1st and you can get it here

SOTD...

Hurrah! The weekend is finally here - and what better way to celebrate than with this fabulous little number!

Bette Midler released one of her best albums in 1979. Thighs And Whispers may not have been a success, but it is one of her most solid albums - and it's great fun too!

One of the singles from the album was this very, very camp and tacky number. Sadly there was no music video made for it, but here is Miss Midler working it on German TV show Musikladen. We recently got the 12" of this and the extended version is, well, divine!

Enjoy your weekend - and boogie!

It Must Have Been Cold There In Her Shadow...

Another year, another Oscars. Nothing much to get excited about, as usual - except that this year, the legend that is Bette Midler performed her classic hit "Wind Beneath My Wings" as a tribute to the film industry people that have passed away since last year's ceremony. What a welcomed return to the spotlight - now, go make a new album!

Madonna once again hosted her annual private Oscars after party at manager Guy Oseary's mansion. The Gucci-sponsored event lures in top celebs annually with the promise of luxury brand goods from the Italian fashion house and plenty of booze.

Security detail was tight at the coveted after party. "There was tons of security and tons of staff checking people in," an insider told US magazine. Paparazzi is not allowed inside with the promise of privacy for famous guests attending the event. Madonna wore 1,000 carats of diamonds at the party, which attracted all the A-list celebrites (the rest apparently went to Elton John's party). Academy Award winners past and present let loose and dined on dishes such as Caesar salad, penne pasta with red sauce, rice and chicken in a curry sauce and potato knishes, served buffet style.

Guests included Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Pink, Jamie Fox, Lupita Nyong’o, Julia Roberts, Jared Leto, Miley Cyrus, Bette Midler, Charlize Theron, Madonna’s ex Sean Penn and spouses-to-be Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher - and Madonna's kids!

“Brad and Angie were talking to Julia and hanging out with Lupita, who was walking around with her Oscar telling everyone it was the best night ever,” a source told E! And then there was the dance floor.

“Miley was dancing with Madonna, and Julia was dancing with her friend,” the source said. (Although not confirmed, we imagine it was Roberts’ best friend from high school, who she brought as her date because hubby Danny Moder had to work.)

And continuing their PDA tour, “Sean and Charlize were making out on the dance floor,” the source said.

Kunis and Kutcher (his ex-wife, Demi Moore, used to cohost the soiree with Madonna) were also spotted at the Gucci-sponsored bash, as were Leonardo DiCaprio and his model girlfriend Toni Garrn. Jennifer Lawrence was palling around with some girlfriends.

Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres was there with wife Portia De Rossi, as was Bradley Cooper with his first-time Academy Awards attendee girlfriend Suki Waterhouse. Cooper’s American Hustle costars Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams also joined in on the fun. Meryl Streep brought along her husband, Don Gummer.

The bash went on until 4AM - and the hostess changed outfits at least twice, dripping with diamonds the whole evening.

Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It...

The Divine Miss M. is taking on the great Mae West!

HBO Films has put in development Mae West, a movie about the true Hollywood original, with Bette Midler attached to star and executive produce. The project is the brainchild of William Friedkin (The Exorcist), who will direct and executive produce. Broadway heavyweight Harvey Fierstein, who recently penned the book for Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots, is writing the script. Also executive producing is Jerry Weintraub, who executive produced HBO Films’ Emmy-winning Behind The Candelabra.




Mae West, based on West’s autobiography Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It, chronicles West’s rise friedkinto stardom when she takes New York by storm after writing and starring in her scandalous Broadway show Sex and battles authorities over obscenity charges. Instead of taking the road of a wide-eyed Hollywood ingenue, West forged her own path, writing and starring in her own risqué plays, including her breakthrough Sex, which had her prosecuted and sentenced to 10 days in prison for “corrupting the morals of youth.” The notoriety fueled her career and didn’t stop her from tackling taboo subjects in her next plays, including 1928 hit Diamond Lil, about a racy 1890s woman, which opened the doors to Hollywood for her.



West was a late arrival, signing her first movie deal with Paramount at 39, but went on to make a string of hits, becoming one of the highest-grossing stars of the 1930s while still finding ways to push the envelope and keeping studio censors busy. Midler’s career path resembles that of West — she too made a name for herself onstage in New York (she made her Broadway debut in the chorus of Fiddler On The Roof) before segueing to features in her 30s for a successful movie career, which has earned her two Oscar nominations. Midler just started a three-week engagement at the Geffen Playhouse of I’ll Eat You Last after a successful Broadway run. Midler has been earning strong reviews for her portrayal of larger-than-life Hollywood agent Sue Mengers in the one-person play written by John Logan and directed by Joe Mantello.

Lost Shows...

I always find it very annoying when visual music material (such as live concerts and music videos) are not made available to buy on physical formats. Thankfully, a large part of concerts and clips by the artists I collect have been made available in some formats through the years.




That said, many concerts that came out on VHS or LD way back in the day remain on that format only. There are several excellent concerts that have never seen any official DVD/BR releases, which really is a shame. Here is a small selection...



Hopefully some of these will be released officially on a more up to date format! The Kylie and Diana shows have been "officially" released on DVD (meaning that some dubious companies were able to release them through loopholes - the quality tends to be below average on those releases). I have been waiting for the Pet Shop Boys concert for 15 years now, not to mention Madonna's legendary Blond Ambition show which has only been officially released on laserdisc - more than 20 years ago!

Music DVD's (like music in general) don´t sell nearly as well as they used to, "thanks" to the internet. The shows above can be watched in full on-line, and I know that there are many people that are happy doing just that. But I rarely watch things on-line, and of course the quality can't be compared to a well done DVD or Blu-Ray. Why not give us a remastered special edition of Kylie's Let's Get To It album, complete with b-sides, remixes, music videos and the concert tour? And how about some Janet Jackson special editions? She has a couple of tours that were filmed but never released and her albums are way overdue to get remastered and expanded editions.

Some artist have been doing this right - Erasure for example, who have released their early albums in a 2CD/1DVD box sets, including full length concerts. And especially for big names, releasing their concerts this way is the perfect way for fans to get remastered and rare material along with visuals. Packages like these will draw in some new audience, every big fan of the artist will buy the new release and the record companies make money on old albums and footage that otherwise just sits in the vaults. If it is possible to give artists (I use the term loosely) like La Toya Jackson special editions of their albums, then why on earth not do this for artists that actually sell???

The effort put into music releases has been on the down slide in recent years. Deluxe editions of new albums look exactly like the regular ones, physical singles have almost disappeared and very little effort is put into promotional materials. The vinyl comeback does make a little up for this but overall very little is being done to attract buyers to actually pay for their music. It seems to be the re-issue market that is offering buyers the most attractive packages (the recent Bananarama re-issues are a good example). Hopefully we will see more in the future, including ones with live DVD's being a part of the package.

I am off to warm up my fax machine - those silly record companies need a a piece of my mind ;)

Why Bother?...

The always fabulous Bette Midler:

SOTD...

Just hilarious, as always!

Still Making Noise...

A new Bette Midler interview will be shown on US TV on November 11th. Sadly it's with Oprah, but it should still be a fun watch!

After four decades in show business and 30 million albums sold, legendary performer Bette Midler tells Oprah she's still settling into herself. Find out why Bette says a part of her still wants to make noise. Plus, Bette reveals the single greatest decision she ever made. For more from Oprah's interview with Bette, tune in Sunday, November 11, at 9/8c.

Nothing Ordinary...

A&E biography on the divine miss M:

Divine...

Here is an excellent documentary from 2005 about the one and only Divine Miss M: Bette Midler.

This is the TV version - an extended version is available on DVD, and highly recommended by yours truly. Enjoy!

Singing Telegrams...

A couple of singing telegrams for 'ya

 (BTW: I HATE the new Blogger - why on earth do people always feel the need to change things every other month, just for the hell of it. It rarely makes things any better, just worse!)

BTM#8...

A wonderful episode about the Divine Miss M: Bette Midler

Box...

Need any of the old Bette Midler albums? Well, a new boxset is coming out next week in the UK which includes four of her 70s albums, along with the soundtrack from The Rose. These will be released as 5 discs in cardboard sleeves. I have all the originals of course, but it would be nice if these were remastered (I wont hold my breath, but you never know...).

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Do You Want To Dance (LP Version)
2. Chapel Of Love (LP Version)
3. Superstar (LP Version)
4. Daytime Hustler (LP Version)
5. Am I Blue (LP Version)
6. Friends (LP Version)
7. Hello In There (LP Version)
8. Leader Of The Pack (LP Version)
9. Delta Dawn (LP Version)
10. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (LP Version)
11. Friends (LP Version)

Disc 2:

1. Skylark (LP Version)
2. Drinkin' Again (LP Version)
3. Breaking Up Somebody's Home (LP Version)
4. Surabaya Johnny (LP Version)
5. I Shall Be Released (LP Version)
6. Optimistic Voices/Lullaby Of Broadway (LP Version)
7. In The Mood (LP Version)
8. Uptown/Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)/Da Doo Run Run(LP Version)
9. Twisted (LP Version)
10. Higher & Higher (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) (LP Version)

Disc 3:

1. Strangers In The Night (LP Version)
2. I Don't Want The Night To End (LP Version)
3. Mr. Rockefeller (LP Version)
4. Old Cape Cod (LP Version)
5. Buckets Of Rain (LP Version)
6. Love Says It's Waiting (LP Version)
7. Shiver Me Timbers/Samedi Et Vendredi (LP Version)
8. No Jestering (LP Version)
9. Tragedy (LP Version)
10. Marahuana (LP Version)
11. Let Me Just Follow Behind (LP Version)

Disc 4:

1. Make Yourself Comfortable (LP Version)
2. You Don't Know Me (LP Version)
3. Say Goodbye To Hollywood (LP version)
4. I Never Talk To Strangers (LP Version)
5. Storybook Children (LP Version)
6. Red (LP Version)
7. Empty Bed Blues (LP Version)
8. A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (LP Version)
9. Paradise (LP Version)
10. Yellow Beach Umbrella (LP Version)
11. La Vie En Rose (LP Version)

Disc 5:

1. Whose Side Are You On (LP Version)
2. Midnight In Memphis (LP Version)
3. Concert Monologue (LP Version)
4. When A Man Loves A Woman (LP Version)
5. Sold My Soul To Rock 'N' Roll (LP Version)
6. Keep On Rockin' (LP Version)
7. Love Me With A Feeling (LP Version)
8. Camilla (LP Version)
9. Homecoming Monologue (LP Version)
10. Stay With Me (LP Version)
11. Let Me Call You Sweetheart (LP Version)
12. The Rose (LP Version)

In other Bette news, the DVD from her Vegas show has now been released. And sadly, it is in fact the HBO version! That mean that more then 20 minutes are missing from the show (it is missing the Delores Delago, The Toast Of Chicago part of the show. Jon will be furious - and so am I!)

Showgirl...

Bette Midler will release a new live concert video, Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On on DVD (and BR) on October 4th.

The show, which which marked the Divine Miss M’s triumphant return to Las Vegas, was taped in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the 70-minute cavalcade features many of Ms. Midler’s colorful and classic stage and screen characters.

Bette, who produced the video herself with Seanne Farmer, performs many of her best known tracks during the show, including “The Rose,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “From a Distance,” “Hello in There” and “Wind Beneath My Wings.” The $10 million extravaganza played over 300 performances in a nearly three-year run at the famed Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace.

DVD!...

Image Entertainment Brings “BETTE MIDLER: THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON” From the Vegas Stage into Homes

CHATSWORTH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Image Entertainment, Inc. (OTCQB: DISK) has acquired the home entertainment and digital rights to BETTE MIDLER: THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON, the legendary star’s triumphant return to Las Vegas. The New York Times exults, “Like all great showgirls, she [Midler] may wear sequins like a second skin, but the woman underneath is all flesh and blood, humor and heart.” The $10 million extravaganza played over 100 performances in a two-year run at the famed Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The announcement was made by Image Entertainment’s Chief Acquisitions Officer, Bill Bromiley.



“Few performers can entrance an audience like Bette Midler,” Bromiley explained. “In ‘Showgirl’ she grabs the audience by the hand and takes them on a bawdy and bewitching trip through her storied career. It’s an exhilarating tour de force, and we’re delighted to bring it to the home viewing audience.”

Taped before a packed house at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the 70-minute cavalcade features some of Ms. Midler’s colorful and classic stage characters. Joining her is an entourage of talented performers, including the staggering Harlettes, twenty dazzling dancers she calls The Caesar Salad Girls and a 13-piece band. Ms. Midler’s superstar power shines in renditions of her immortal songs including “The Rose,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “From a Distance,” “Hello in There” and “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON was produced by Midler and Seanne Farmer; directed by Midler; executive produced by Midler; choreographed by Toni Basil with original stage production conceived and directed by Midler.



No release date has been announced yet - but are they seriously going to release the 70 minute broadcast version, instead of the full uncut version??? And BTW: Lady Gaga has been performing live lately in a mermaid outfit, in a wheelchair!! Sounds familiar? It does to Bette! Here is what the Divine Miss M had to say about it:

Dear Lady Gaga if you think a mermaid in a wheelchair seems familiar-it's because it is!You can see it on youtube 24/7-with ME performing it

A Welcomed Return!...

Bette Midler has signed on for a lead role on HBO Films' in-development Phil Spector film, which stars Al Pacino and is being written and directed by David Mamet.

Jeffrey Tambor has also joined the cast of the film, which will explore the relationship between music producer Spector and defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden (Midler), who represented Spector during his first trial for murder. Tambor will play Bruce Cutler, also an attorney on Spector's defense team.



And in other divine news: it now looks like that her Vegas show may be released on DVD after all - rumours are going around saying that it might be released around October this year. Fingers crossed...

Diva Report...

Damn it! It has been confirmed that the Vegas show from Bette Midler will NOT receive a DVD release. What is the point of filming concerts like this one, only to have a butchered down version shown on TV - and nothing else?!? Grrrrr - and there has been no word yet about a DVD release (or a TV broadcast for that matter) from Cher either (her Vegas show finished a few weeks ago). I do know however that there had not been any recording made from that show when there were only a few weeks left of it... Instead, the diva is busy working on a new album!



Reports spread like wildfire after an interview with country music producer Mark Bright surfaced, reporting that the music icon was in the process of recording a country-pop album.
"Cher knows that her listeners also listen to country music," Mark told Silk & Denim Music back in January, regarding Cher's decision to dabble with her inner cowgirl. "So she felt it was a natural thing to develop a country music relationship."

She was indeed in the beginning stages of a country project, but has since shifted her artistic focus on the release of a "a dance-oriented album," her spokesperson tells HITFIX.
What made her change her mind? Maybe it was the success of her current single, 'You Haven't Seen the Last of Me,' which recently topped Billboard's Dance Club chart. Her latest No. 1 gave the living legend the honor of having a Billboard chart-topper for the last six decades. The track appeared on the 'Burlesque' soundtrack and won a Golden Globe.

No other details have been released, but no matter the genre, Cher fans can expect new music sometime later this year.