Monthly Archives: August 2002

Blazin’ Squad Are At The Crossroads

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Predictions are coming in that seem to hint that the North London collective, Blazin’ Squad are likely to score one of the biggest hits of the year.

The ten member outfit, who are all awaiting their GCSE results, are known as MC Freek, Melo-d, Strider, Reepa, Krazy, Spike-e, Flava, Rocky B, Kenzie and DJ Tommy B. They are all products of the Highams Park school and have been together for two years.

So what’s their story? Well, their story is one to put world leaders to shame, having formed from two rival freestyling gangs who put their play-fights to one side and united together. Evenings and weekends spent at the centre of explosive under-18 “raves” and pirate radio communities gave them the skills to put their stylings to productive use. And they didn’t have to wait long for a record deal to come their way.

Their first single, ‘Crossroads’ is a reworking of the Bone, Thugs-N-Harmony classic of 1996, which was itself a huge international hit and one of the biggest-selling singles in the history of the US chart.

Given Bone, Thugs-N-Harmony’s superlative vocal skills, the decision to cover this tune might seem like a strange one. As DJ Tommy explains “I heard the track on MTV and took it to the boys. They thought it was heavy. It’s such a great track.”

Hear Cornershop’s Fantastic And Catchy Second Single

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‘Staging The Plaguing Of The Raised Platform’ is the second single to be taken from Cornershop’s fifth album ‘Handcream For A Generation’ and you can listen to the catchy single at the link below http://www.cissme.com/bgroup/rm/wiiija/corne/audio/wij130cd-01-ra.ram

The single in concern brings together music box chimes, boogie guitar, and the captivating presence of a children’s choir, before capping the whole thing off with some mouth-watering swirling strings.

Cornershop’s Tjinder Singh and Ben Ayres are pretty satisfied with the material what they’ve come up with, ever since the smash hit ‘Brimful Of Asha’.The numbers you find on ‘Handcream For A Generation’ is a dense, more straightforward rock party, featuring Noel Gallagher, children’s choir and all. Their LP’s a superior buy and a must-have because it delivers a whole lot more than expected.

NME described the album as lifting “the soul with a joyful infusion of psychedelic thinking and cross-genre thinking … it keenly explores more musical avenues and makes more telling social comment than any of Cornershop’s contemporaries have managed in the four and a half years since the pair’s last outing … this is happy music for hard times, a ray of warm and righteous sunshine just when it’s needed most.”

Uncut made it their album of the month and said “Wonderfully bold … puts fun back on the agenda”.

‘Staging The Plaguing Of The Raised Platform’ should either be out in shops right now or out next week.

Spiritualized Rocked By Cancer Diagnosis

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Spiritualized have been rocked by the news that one of their members has blood cancer.

According to nme.com, Spiritualized were forced to cancel a show in Norway at the eleventh hour last week after a percussionist, thought to be Tom Edwards, was diagnosed with the condition.

Jason Pierce and gang were set to play the Oya-Festival in Oslo when their percussionist was diagnosed as ill. Although a spokesperson for Spiritualized has said the band member’s condition is serious, as-of-yet, no additional details have been made available.

It hasn’t yet been decided if the band will go ahead with their Reading and Leeds Carling Weekend gigs on 23rd – 25th August.

Kylie To Release Single Penned By Madonna

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Kylie Minogue is set to release her new single ‘Alone Again’, a song penned by pop queen Madonna.

The track, which is expected to be released as a double a-side with ‘Come Into My World’, will be the last single from her million-selling ‘Fever’ album.

“I don’t think she’s ever given a song of hers to another artist” Kylie said. “It’s quite rare.”

Kylie, who is currently finishing her world tour in Australia, plans to take a short break before she starts work on another album.

“I wouldn’t do another tour at least for another year” she said. “I’m glad I’m finishing this tour and I’m not suffering exhaustion like last time” she said.

“I’ve taken better care of myself. I want to have a break, but I’m not so good at taking a break. I really have to make myself take some time off.”

Kylie will appear on a string of radio shows in the US after her tour and she is preparing to release a Fever DVD and pictorial book, ‘La La La’.

For Kylie’s official website click to http://www.kylie.com

Toni says “I am not broke”

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After filing for bankruptcy in 1998, TONI BRAXTON is back in the black. But the singer had a recent scare that made her worry that her money troubles had cropped up again. “I had this credit card that I hardly ever used, and I charged some home-furnishing things that were probably $8,000,” says Braxton, 35, who plays the wife of a rap star in VH1’s original movie PLAY’D : A HIP HOP STORY, which premiered on June 26. “The salesperson was like, ‘Sorry, your credit card is not working.’ I wanted to melt. So I said, “You know what, why don’t we try another one?’ I thought, ‘Oh my God, is it going to work?’ It did,” says Braxton, laughing. “But they are going to think I am still broke.”

Put Dannii Minogue On The Record

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Dannii Minogue is to follow-up her smash hit single ‘Who Do You Love Now’ with ‘Put The Needle On The Record’.

The track is produced by DJ Roger Sanchez and will be released on the 7th of October. It’s expected to appear on her fourth studio album, which is due out later in the year.

Although she signed a six album deal with London Records earlier this year, Dannii has had a pretty successful career, occasionally out-performing her sister Kylie in the charts.

Dannii’s last album, called ‘Girl’, which was released 1997, contained the hits ‘All I Wanna Do’ which went up to a No. 4 slot on the UK charts, ‘Everything I Wanted’ and ‘Disremberance’.

Click your way to her official cyberpage http://www.dannii.com

Barenaked Jennifer Love Hewitt

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The star of ‘Party Of Five’ and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ will release her debut Jive Records release, ‘Barenaked’ come 24th of September. The title cut will be the first single, playing in all good radio outlets in the States right now.

Jive Records said Jennifer co-wrote the single with singer Meredith Brooks, best known for her hit ‘Bitch’. Meredith also helped produce the LP.

Jennifer has three earlier albums to her credit, the 1992 Japan-only release ‘Love Songs’, the Atlantic Records release ‘Let’s Go Band’, and the self-titled ‘Jennifer Love Hewitt’.

Here’s the track listing for “Barenaked”:

Can I Go Now
Barenaked
Where You Gonna Run To?
You
Just Try
Hey Everybody
Avenue Of The Stars
Stand In Your Way
I Know You Will
Rock The Roll
Stronger
First Time

Sum 41’s Dave Baksh Likes Lovely Mandy Moore A Lot

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Sum 41’s guitarist Dave Baksh gave a run-down of several women on a 1 to 10 scale.

On Britney Spears, he commented “Great ass” but she only chalked up a respectable 6 scores.

Kelly Osbourne rated an 8, although no reason was given why.

On fellow Canadian, Avril Lavigne, he said “I am afraid to rate her because the authorities may come after me”.

As for Shakira, he gave her a 6 and said “I’m not impressed by her, but I like her caveman gear in that video, ‘Whenever, Wherever'”.

And finally, clocking up the most marks is the lovely Mandy Moore who scored 9 marks. Dave said “She’s very very very gorgeous, striking and elegant, although she’s a tiny wee bit wholesome”.

B2K’s Sisters, TG4 Encourage Girls To Be Virgins

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Members of the girl group TG4 are breaking new ground with their single ‘Virginity’. It encourages young girls to wait to have sex.

The quartet, comprising of Ambee, Keisha, Ashley and Davida, is the sister group to B2K. TG4 is on tour with B2K, Bow Wow and IMX.

The music video to ‘Virginity’ has already premiered on MTV, and there’s some concern that its message will be seen as out of step with the normal “Do It!” lyrics of other popular music aimed at young people.

TG4’s Davida admits that the group was concerned about how their peers would react to a song telling them to wait to have sex.

Davida says a lot of teenage girls would rather wait but feel pressured to be sexually active. She says the group decided to address the issue.

Visit the girls at their authorized webpage http://www.tg4luvsu.com

Sarah Whatmore – The Girl Whom Impressed Simon Cowell

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She impressed Simon Cowell so much so that he straight away gave her a record deal. And she didn’t even make it to the final rounds of Pop Idol. Just who is she?

Her name’s Sarah Whatmore and on the 2nd of September, the Manchester lady will be releasing her debut single, named ‘When I Lost You’. ‘When I Lost You’, a fresh and catchy pop tune that’ll grow on you, sounds like a track that’s actually meant for Kylie Minogue or Holly Valance.

On her new and pristine fame, Sarah said, speaking to the press the other day “Things are happening really quickly. I recently spent some time in America where I performed for 200 record company executives. Then I flew onto La Paz, Mexico to shoot my first video. That was totally awesome.”

Putting the finishing touches to her first solo full-length release is Sarah who is back in the UK. The album’s scheduled to drop into shops later this year.

For more on all things Sarah Whatmore, then be sure to click on to her official website, proudly displayed at the URL http://www.sarahwhatmore.com