Imbruglia 'Days' Away From Third Album
Australian vocalist Natalie Imbruglia will release her third album, "Counting Down the Days," April 4 internationally via Sony/BMG's new Brightside imprint. According to a spokesperson for RCA, which issued Imbruglia's previous two albums here in North America, the set is not yet on the release schedule here.
The 12-track "Counting Down the Days" will be led by the single "Shiver," which will be released commercially on March 21. An accompanying video, shot in Kiev by director Jake Nava, can be streamed from Imbruglia's official Web site.
Among the contributors were producer Ben Hillier (Doves, Blur), Imbruglia's husband, Silverchair's Daniel Johns, as well as Faultline's David Kosten, who co-wrote the closing track "Honeycomb Child."
The album is the follow-up to 2001's "White Lilies Island," which debuted at No. 35 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 171,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The single "Wrong Impression" peaked at No. 7 on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart.
Imbruglia will make a series of U.K. TV appearances next month, including performances on March 16 on "CDUK" and March 26 on "Top of the Pops."
Here is the track list for "Counting Down the Days":
"Starting Over"
"Shiver"
"Satisfied"
"Counting Down the Days"
"I Won't Be Lost"
"Slow Down"
"Sanctuary"
"Perfectly"
"On the Run"
"Come Home"
"While You're Sleeping"
"Honeycomb Child"
SHOW TIME
Prince, who won the Oscar in 1984 for his Purple Rain score, set to make his first appearance as an presenter at this Sunday's 77th Academy Awards. Last year's Best Actor winner, Sean Penn, has also been tapped as a presenter.
Springsteen Returning Favor to Bono
NEW YORK - Bruce Springsteen is returning the favor to Bono. U2's talkative frontman, who gave memorable stream-of-consciousness speeches inducting Bob Marley and Springsteen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will be saluted by Springsteen when the Boss inducts U2 next month.
Springsteen's no slouch in the induction speech department himself: He slyly noted last year how inductee Jackson Browne's audience always seemed to be filled with women.
Justin Timberlake will board the "Love Train" to pay tribute to the O'Jays in this year's ceremony. B.B. King and Eric Clapton will team to induct bluesman Buddy Guy, Rod Stewart will speak about "When a Man Loves a Woman" singer Percy Sledge and Neil Young will honor the Pretenders.
The 20th annual ceremony will be held March 14 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Highlights will be televised March 19 on VH1.
Explore The Life Aquatic
The latest Wes Anderson outing The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou will be getting two releases on DVD later this spring.
A single disc version will be available from Buena Vista with an audio commentary and deleted scenes along with the film in anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1. A second Criterion version of the film will also be available with a second disc including a video journal, musical performances of Seu Jorge, a featurette and interviews.
Both versions arrive on May 10th and will be priced at $29.99 and $32.99 respectively.
The Couch Potato Report
The Report will appear this week on Thursday and it will contain Dan's Oscar prediction.
Apple releases cheaper photo IPods, more roomy IPod mini
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) - Apple Computer Inc. on Wednesday released new versions of its popular IPod digital music player, cutting prices and expanding memory capacities.
The price of the four-gigabyte IPod mini was cut $50 to $199 US. A new six-gigabyte version will sell for $249.
The 60-gigabyte IPod Photo, which can display photos on its small colour screen or when connected to a TV set, was cut from $599 to $449. A new 30-gigabyte model for $349 replaces a 40-gigabyte version for $499.
Apple also said it expects to start selling a cable that allows the transfer of photos straight from a digital camera to an IPod photo, eliminating the need for a computer. The IPod Camera Connector is expected to be available in late March for $29.
Razzies Still Knocking Hollywood Down
LOS ANGELES (AP) — They started as an Oscar night joke. A quarter-century later, they're still a joke, but they come a night before the Oscars.
On Saturday the Golden Raspberry Awards, better known as the Razzies, will deliver their 25th annual spanking of all things bad in Hollywood.
"Catwoman," "Alexander" and "Surviving Christmas" among contenders for 2004's worst picture.
Normally a modest affair at a Santa Monica magic shop, the Razzies ceremony this time will be held in a 300-seat theater in the heart of Hollywood to mark the 25th year.
Razzies founder John Wilson also recently published "The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood's Worst," his take on the 100 most awful — yet perversely fun — movies to watch. Among his picks: "Mommie Dearest," "Showgirls," "Jaws: The Revenge" and "Rambo: First Blood, Part II."
The Razzies started in 1981, after Wilson had suffered through a double feature of the musicals "Can't Stop the Music" and "Xanadu." That gave him the idea for an Oscar-night potluck gathering in his living room, with Wilson handing out ballots beforehand for friends to choose the worst of Hollywood for the previous year.
Standing at a cardboard podium in the tackiest secondhand tuxedo he could find, Wilson bestowed the first of the Razzies' worst upon "Can't Stop the Music."
The joke became an annual tradition, which Wilson later moved to the day before the Oscars. Today's Razzies are chosen by about 675 voters from around the world.
Last year's big winner was "Gigli," which took the Razzies for worst picture, plus lead actor, actress and worst screen couple prizes for Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.
Sylvester Stallone is the all-time Razzies champ, receiving a record 10 awards, including worst actor of the century. Madonna is close behind with nine Razzies.
"It's so hard to find anything to laugh about these days," Wilson said. "I don't think it's a bad thing to take dreck and turn it into laughter. And when it's at the expense of somebody like Sylvester Stallone, too bad, Sly."
Thompson Probably Planned Suicide
DENVER - Journalist Hunter S. Thompson did not take his life "in a moment of haste or anger or despondency" and probably planned his suicide well in advance because of his declining health, the family's spokesman said Wednesday.
Douglas Brinkley, a historian and author who has edited some of Thompson's work, said the founder of "gonzo" journalism shot himself Sunday night after weeks of pain from a host of physical problems that included a broken leg and a hip replacement.
"I think he made a conscious decision that he had an incredible run of 67 years, lived the way he wanted to, and wasn't going to suffer the indignities of old age," Brinkley said in a telephone interview from Aspen. "He was not going to let anybody dictate how he was going to die."
Thompson, famous for "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and other works of New Journalism, spent an intimate weekend with his son, Juan, daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and young grandson, William, the spokesman said.
"He was trying to really bond and be close to the family" before his suicide, Brinkley said. "This was not just an act of irrationality. It was a very pre-planned act."
The family is looking into whether Thompson's cremated remains can be blasted out of a cannon, a wish the gun-loving writer often expressed, Brinkley said.
"The optimal, best-case scenario is the ashes will be shot out of a cannon," he said.
Other arrangements were pending.