First Member Of Ringo Starr's 2003 All-Starr Band Set
Ringo Starr has sent out invitations to the musicians he'd like to take part in the 2003 edition of his All-Starr Band. The greatest-hits collective--which has in the past featured the likes of Cream's Jack Bruce, Bad Company's Simon Kirke, Procol Harum's Gary Brooker, and Peter Frampton, among many others--will next summer feature Babys/Bad English frontman John Waite.
Fans will see Waite in an unusual position, however. "I'm gonna go and play bass guitar with Ringo in the summer for a couple of months." "I used to be the bass player in the Babys, before I became the lead singer, so I'm looking forward to hanging with Ringo and playing those songs and being the fifth Beatle, you know? They made the call, and it looks like it's a complete go."
Waite didn't know who else has accepted the offer. He expects his own Number One hit "Missing You" to be included in the tour's setlist.
...here are some plot details behind "Charlie's Angels 2- Full Throttle."
REMEMBER HIM IN YOUR OWN WAY AS WELL
Richard Harris will remembered in a private funeral service in London, before having his ashes scattered near his home in the Bahamas, the actor's agent said Saturday. The two-time Oscar nominee died Friday of Hodgkin's disease at age 72.
NOW WHAT ABOUT HARRY?
Harry Potter filmmakers saying they will reluctantly search for a replacement Professor Dumbledore for the next installment, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. "[Harris] is Dumbledore in many people's eyes. In truth he is irreplaceable," producer David Heyman told Britain's ITV News Saturday. "We will find a new Dumbledore, but there will only be one Richard Harris."
Artists Use TV to Sell New Songs
NEW YORK (AP) - For one week this summer, Bruce Springsteen was the biggest star on television.
There he was in Asbury Park, N.J., where the "Today" show transplanted itself for a day to watch him perform. Ted Koppel interviewed him on "Nightline." Two nights in a row, Springsteen and his E Street Band were featured on David Letterman's "Late Show."
The appearances were timed to coincide with the release of Springsteen's album, "The Rising," and the exposure paid off. The disc sold 526,000 copies its first week, the strongest debut of his career.
Springsteen's small-screen blitz made plain a change that might surprise generations that spent hours cranking the car stereo or hooked up to a Walkman: Television — and not just MTV — has supplanted radio as the chief means of exposing new music, particularly for veteran artists.
"You've just about got to do it for people to know that you have a record out," said singer Tom Petty, who was on "Today" earlier this month. "You've got to spread the word however you can."
Springsteen and Petty's most loyal fans aren't likely to be reading music magazines or visiting music stores every week to see what's new. They have jobs, kids, mortgages to worry about.
But they probably watch TV — perhaps "Today" while gulping their morning coffee, or Letterman just before drifting off to sleep.
At the same time, shrinking radio playlists have less room for new music. Far more radio stations are likely to play James Taylor's "Fire and Rain," for example, than take a chance on his new single.
So Taylor spread his easygoing charm liberally before the cameras — "The View," "Today," "The Charlie Rose Show," "60 Minutes II," on CNN and tabloid entertainment shows. He sang the song, "On the 4th of July," on NBC on a Fourth of July special.
Taylor's new album, "October Road," surprised many in the music industry by debuting at No. 5, his best start ever.
Television networks once synonymous with music — MTV and VH1 — are important for viewers under age 30. But they don't play videos that often anymore, and are less crucial for veteran artists than they were 10 or 15 years ago.
"The video thing has become irrelevant," Petty said. "They really don't play videos that much on the video channels, so it's almost become not worth your while to make one."
Not every artist can command a half hour on "Today" or a handshake from Letterman. Still, TV opportunities abound, especially for good performers, said publicist Marilyn Laverty, the architect of Springsteen's campaign.
"It's become possible for artists who have quality and are well known to have something of a saturation," she said.
David Bowie touted his new disc on A&E's "Live By Request." Bravo has started a musician's version of "Inside the Actor's Studio." PBS' "Austin City Limits" is another popular performance show.
Music marketers know other places to look where people wouldn't expect. CNBC's "Power Lunch" often features musicians in the summer, with a captive audience of Wall Street executives. Emeril Lagasse's cooking show has guest musicians. Local morning shows are grateful to book celebrities.
Prime-time dramas and comedies are eager for music, too. Songs by Norah Jones, whose debut album has sold 1.5 million copies, were in the background on "The West Wing," "Providence," "Crossing Jordan" and "Dawson's Creek."
That may not sell many discs by itself, but it tells viewers that "this girl's everywhere," said Zach Hochkeppel, marketing director at Blue Note Records.
"A lot of these older folks have kind of given up as music consumers," Hochkeppel said. "You have to sneak in there and get in their psyche without them knowing."
Stepping beyond background music, Jakob Dylan's Wallflowers appeared on an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" this season. Aimee Mann performed at a political rally on "The West Wing."
One big factor in Taylor's success was a whimsical advertisement that featured the musician walking into a guitar shop as a young salesman struggles for the chords to "Fire and Rain." Unrecognized, Taylor grabs a guitar and sings a few lines from "October Road."
Many artists are reluctant to make commercials.
"We asked very, very nicely," said Larry Jenkins, senior vice president at Columbia Records. "We just felt it was something that would have a big impact, and James was gracious enough to do it."
Singer Tracy Chapman wouldn't mind a commercial that showed the cover of her album or a performance snippet. But she isn't about to act.
"There was talk of me being in a commercial and that didn't feel very comfortable to me," said Chapman, who released a new disc this month. "We couldn't think of a way of doing it in a dignified manner.
"I feel like that's the record company's job — to sell what I made," she said. Yet recent successes tied to commercial exposure are breaking down barriers. Musicians noticed that Sting's last disc doubled in sales in a few months after the song "Desert Rose" was featured in a Jaguar ad. Moby licensed every one of the songs on his "Play" album for commercial purposes and it boosted sales with little damage to his reputation.
Even Bob Dylan made an ad for his last album that depicted him playing poker.
Sheryl Crow seemingly hasn't turned down a TV opportunity this year. She's sung at the Super Bowl, at a NASCAR race and carried her guitar into the "Big Brother" house on CBS. She also filmed an American Express commercial at the same time she made a video for "Soak Up the Sun."
Some marketers say there's a danger of overexposure on TV. Crow's campaign has raised some eyebrows.
"There is always the issue of how much is too much, and what is crossing the line," said Steve Berman, senior executive at the Interscope Records family. "She's been very gung ho and aggressive. She's very proud of this album and is working very hard behind it. She wants to get it out there, and it's a very challenging environment in which to do that."
All the efforts count for nothing if the product isn't good. But in a business where first impressions are increasingly important, Laverty knows the Springsteen campaign hit its mark.
"Television definitely had a lot to do with the audience's awareness of the record that week," she said.
A Sign That The Apocalypse Is Near
"Jackass" has pulled its craziest stunt yet, debuting in first place at the box office.
Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "Jackass: The Movie," $22.7 million.
2. "The Ring," $18.8 million.
3. "Ghost Ship," $11.7 million.
4. "Sweet Home Alabama," $6.4 million.
5. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," $6.3 million.
6. "Red Dragon," $4.7 million.
7. "Punch-Drunk Love," $3.5 million.
8. "Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie," $2.9 million.
9. "The Transporter," $2.85 million.
10. "Brown Sugar," $2.8 million.
'Failed Artist' Woody Allen Talks Up European Film
ROME (Reuters) - Quirky comedy director Woody Allen dismissed himself as a failed artist on Saturday and described American cinema as a sink-hole of mindless entertainment where everyone was obsessed with money.
"If I had to describe myself in three words, I would say: A Failed Artist," a deadpan Allen told reporters in Rome, where he is promoting his latest film "Hollywood Ending."
"I don't know how to act, I mean, I'm not an actor like Dustin Hoffman is an actor or Jack Nicholson is an actor, and I don't have enough talent to be a jazz musician. I'm very, very mediocre. In fact, I'm less than mediocre."
While characteristically self-deprecating, Allen was also full of criticism for U.S. films, and for Hollywood in particular, a place he had appeared to court in recent months, even making a first-ever appearance at the Oscars in March.
"I've always had a very critical attitude to Hollywood. Essentially, it's a place where people spend a huge amount of money and yet make very few, if any, decent films," he said.
"If I compare U.S. films to the European films I saw as a child, the European ones were so much more original, rich and imaginative, and they really contributed to the development of cinema as an art form.
"I've never really seen the same thing from Hollywood, which always has one eye focused on entertainment and money."
While Hollywood may have produced masterpieces such as Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane," Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" and John Huston's "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," Allen said overall it was small beef next to Europe's output.
"If you look at European films, there's no question that they are deeper works of art. You look at something like "The Bicycle Thief," or "Grand Illusion," or Fellini's "8 1/2" -- there's no comparison."
"JUST SILLY PICTURES"
While Allen's withering criticism may come as no surprise to those familiar with his laments, he seldom heaps scorn on his home country's film-making, and has certainly done so less since DreamWorks started producing and distributing his films.
But he seemed almost indignant on Saturday about American shortcomings.
"You know, it's got to the stage in the States that you struggle to find something to watch on a Saturday night -- it's all just silly pictures.
"Sometimes, like I did last Saturday night, you find a theater showing a European film and it can transform the evening. We watched Pedro Almodovar's movie and it was a great experience. It's an intelligent and very, very fine film."
Asked whether the lack of quality entertainment back home made him want to move to Europe, Allen turned evasive, however.
"Well, it's not easy to just pull up your life and move to Europe. It's something that I have at times considered, but it's not an easy thing to give up your home and your language," said the director, who has lived all his life in New York city.
"I would happily come and make movies in Rome, or Paris, or London, or Berlin if I had an idea that worked in those places, but it's having the idea that's difficult.
In the end, he said he would do whatever his wife, Soon Yi, whom he secretly married in Venice five years ago, decided.
"My wife likes to come to all these places in Europe. Whatever makes her happy makes me happy, so I'll do that."
Angels Win Their First World Series
This is definitely movie material — and the stars are the never-say-die Anaheim Angels.
They came out of nowhere to reach their first World Series, rallying past every team in their way.
Their rookie pitcher wins Game 7.
And the best hitter in the world watches from the losers' dugout, knowing he was once just six outs away from winning the only title he has ever wanted.
John Lackey, Garret Anderson and the Angels made it all come true, beating Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants 4-1 Sunday night for the franchise's first championship in 42 years.
Plus the most amazing thing — the Angels didn't even need to rely on their Rally Monkey. Anaheim third baseman Troy Glaus was voted MVP after hitting .385 with three home runs and eight RBIs.
"I can't believe it, man," Anderson said. "It's been a long year — a testament to the guys who never gave up."
Still, the highest-scoring Series in history came down to pitching, as it always seems to do in October. Behind Lackey and the bullpen, Anaheim had too much to win baseball's first all wild-card matchup.
The Angels became the eighth straight home team to win Game 7 of the World Series. History was on their side from the start and so was an omen — a skywriting plane put a gigantic halo over Edison Field before the first pitch.
A day after it blew a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning, San Francisco never got close to winning its first title. Bonds went 1-for-3 with a walk to close out one of the most dominant Series performances ever, yet it wasn't enough.
When it ended, Bonds walked down the dugout and picked up his glove. He walked back, tapped his son on the back and walked down the runway as the Angels celebrated on the field.
Lackey wasn't even with the Angels, stuck in Triple-A, when they went 6-14 for the worst start in team history. But with both staffs worn down, the 24-year-old righty gave Anaheim exactly what it needed with five innings of one-run ball.
Anderson, finally due to get the recognition he's always deserved, hit a three-run double off Livan Hernandez in the third for a 4-1 lead. The monkey mascot made a brief, early appearance on the video board to celebrate the moment, then sat back and let the sellout crowd of 44,598 bang their ThunderStix like crazy.
"Well, I just wanted to get into a situation where I'd be able to hit my pitch, not do too much," Anderson said.
Brendan Donnelly, Francisco Rodriguez and Troy Percival closed it for manager Mike Scioscia's bunch. Percival escaped a two-on, one-out jam for his third save of the Series.
"Unbelievable for us, for our fans," Percival said. "This team has worked as hard as any team ever. We deserve it."
And when it was over, Southern California, the land of celluloid stars, had just added a whole teamful of them while Hollywood luminaries Pierce Brosnan and John Travolta watched from the stands.
Before this year, the Angels were known mostly for heartbreak. Beloved owner Gene Autry never saw his team get this far before passing away, and it didn't look like these guys would do it, either, especially after finishing 41 games out of first place last season.
Somehow, the Angels pulled it together. They led the majors in hitting, overwhelmed the New York Yankees and Minnesota in the AL playoffs and then knocked out Bonds and Co.
"Somewhere, Gene Autry is smiling right now," commissioner Bud Selig said as he presented the trophy.
Owned by The Walt Disney Co., the Angels are still for sale. Before then, though, they can certainly travel the three miles or so to Disneyland to enjoy this most improbable championship.
Bonds wound up 8-for-17 (.471) with four homers, a .700 on-base percentage and 1.294 slugging percentage.
Anaheim and the Giants combined for a record 85 runs and 21 homers.
The game might have been the last for San Francisco manager Dusty Baker in the Bay. There are growing indications he'll soon leave, possibly to take over the Chicago Cubs or Seattle.
Tears streamed down the face of Darren Baker, the 3-year-old bat boy son of the Giants' manager, as he was carried from the dugout by his father.
Anderson doubled in the third to make it 4-1, and Angels fans went wild. A little too much, maybe.
David Eckstein made up for a rare baserunning mistake in the first by leading off the third with a single and Darin Erstad also singled. Tim Salmon came up and Hernandez cost himself, hitting the Angels star in the right hand.
No outs, bases loaded. The at-bat of a lifetime for Anderson, drafted by the California Angels in 1990 and out of the postseason until this year.
Unsung despite a stellar career, Anderson got the hit that will put him in highlight reels for a long time, sending a line drive into the right-field corner that easily scored all three runners.
As Reggie Sanders tried to corral the ball along the low wall, an Anaheim fan got into the act, bopping the right fielder on the back with a pair of red ThunderStix. There was no interference called, properly, although two security guards were soon standing in the area when Hernandez, who lost for the second time in the Series, was pulled.
Hernandez seemed uncomfortable from the start, constantly pawing at the mound while trying to find his control. He looked nothing like the MVP of the 1997 World Series for Florida and instead resembled the pitcher who tied for the NL lead in losses this season, which he did with 16.
A surprising lapse by Eckstein, who took off Anderson's liner to center field and was doubled off, enabled Hernandez to overcome two walks in the first.
Hernandez was not so lucky the next inning when he walked Scott Spiezio with two outs and Bengie Molina followed with a double that tied it at 1.
Molina added another double, and the hits were his way of honoring his father who was faraway. Earlier Sunday, former amateur outfielder Benjamin Molina Santana was in Puerto Rico, where he was inducted into the island's hall of fame.
The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the second on singles by Benito Santiago and J.T. Snow and a sacrifice fly by Sanders.
Notes: Goodwin's strikeout left Giants pinch-hitters at 0-for-16 in the postseason. ... The last rookie to start Game 7 in the Series was Jaret Wright of Cleveland in 1997. He got a no-decision in the Indians' 3-2 loss in 11 innings at Florida. ... Salmon stayed in the game after being hit, but did not look great in grounding out his next time up.