Elton John News from Crazy Water

That's why they call it the blues in Sudbury: Elton ticket flap angers some fans

18 minutes ago

SUDBURY, Ont. - Sorry seems to be the hardest word, after an Elton John ticket flap in Sudbury.

Local hoopla over an upcoming concert by the pop music legend turned to scandal when it was revealed that city councillors got first crack at buying tickets, resulting in an apology from the mayor. Local media coverage prompted accusations of unfairness, with some citizens vowing revenge at the polls.

"They raise our taxes, do almost half of the meetings in camera," one anonymous poster griped on the Sudbury Star website.

"These people have been voted in with our trust and when that trust is broken it's time to go. Where would you draw the line?"

John's hotly anticipated March 2 show - one of just two Canadian stops on a greatest hits tour - saw 6,000 seats sell out in less than an hour in the city of roughly 85,000.

But disappointment turned to anger for some empty-handed fans when the Sudbury Star reported that 100 advance tickets were made available to city councillors.

The ruckus forced Mayor John Rodriguez to issue an apology last week before a city council meeting.

"My decision to offer so many advance purchase tickets to council was rushed and not given sufficient consideration. For that I apologize," Rodriguez said in his address, adding that the practice was not so unusual.

"These tickets are not free: the cost is paid in full by the councillor. This same practice occurs in the City of Kitchener, where Elton John is also playing next month."

Rodriguez did not immediately return calls for comment Tuesday.

A spokesman for concert promoter Live Nation says it's common practice among most venues to let city officials have first dibs at tickets.

"Their practices are no different from all the other arenas I deal with in this country, whether it's privately owned or city owned," Riley O'Connor, chairman of Live Nation Canada, said from his Toronto office.

"I don't even know what the big deal is."

O'Connor said the Sudbury arena has sold an extra 1,200 seats for the pop star's show, including those located behind the stage and at the extreme sides. A typical front-of-stage set-up offers only 4,800 seats, he said.

"In fact there was more tickets available for this concert than any concert in the history of that arena, probably since 1978, April Wine," he said.

The manager of the Kitchener Auditorium says 61 advance tickets were sold to councillors in that city, plus another 382 advance tickets were made available to other city staff, venue suppliers, concert sponsors, and arena tenants like the minor hockey team.

"When somebody doesn't get access to something, I'm sure they're upset," manager Kim Kugler said from Kitchener.

"It does limit people's access but we try to make it as open and as available to people via (sales on the) Internet, phone, and in person."

Just over 6,500 tickets were sold in Kitchener, but Kugler said ongoing renovations to the auditorium could make more seats available for the March 3 concert.

John, whose hits include "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," "Bennie and the Jets," "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" and "Rocket Man," follows up the Ontario shows with a string of dates in Las Vegas.

-By Cassandra Szklarski in Toronto

Maybe...

Elton John concert in jeopardy over ticket grab

Posted By Denis St. Pierre

The raging controversy over city council's self-awarded "perk" of scores of Elton John concert tickets is now jeopardizing the concert's fate, according to city officials.

The Star has learned that city officials fear the public uproar over the ticket fiasco is causing so much concern for the event promoter, the March 2 Elton John concert could be cancelled.

Furthermore, city management also fears the controversy will damage Sudbury's chances at securing major acts in the future, The Star has learned.

Thousands of Elton John fans came away empty-handed earlier this month when tickets available to the public sold out within 45 minutes. The city's website received one million hits during that brief period from would-be ticket buyers.

One week later, The Star reported city council had jumped the queue and given itself first crack at more than 100 tickets, which prompted a deluge of public protest and anger. While councillors took an average of eight tickets, the actual numbers ranged from as few as two tickets to a whopping 22 purchased by one councillor, sources have told The Star.

The public furore has continued virtually unabated over the last week as several city councillors refuse to disclose how many concert tickets they obtained, while the municipal administration steadfastly refuses to divulge precisely how many tickets were available to the public.

All city council members were contacted Friday with regard to the latest startling revelation uncovered by The Star - that the controversy may be jeopardizing the Elton John concert as well as other major events in the future.

In an e-mail message sent to the mayor and councillors, the politicians were asked if they shared the concern that the ticket controversy is jeopardizing the Elton John concert and future events.

They also were asked if the disconcerting news might compel them to disclose how many concert tickets they purchased and what they have done with those tickets.

As of press time Friday night, none of the councillors responded to The Star's invitation for comment. There was one response sent from the city, indicating Ward 8 Coun. Ted Callaghan is away and not available for comment.

To date, the following council members have disclosed how many tickets they purchased: Mayor John Rodriguez (10), Ward 4 Coun. Evelyn Dutrisac (13), Ward 7 Coun. Russ Thompson (eight), Ward 8 Coun. Ted Callaghan (eight), Ward 3 Coun. Claude Berthiaume (seven), Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann (three), Ward 6 Coun. Andr‚ Rivest (two).

Well...they are about to release a Guitar Hero for Aerosmith so how long before a piano version is released?

New Guitar Hero gives sweet emotion to Aerosmith fans

By Scott Hillis 30 minutes ago

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Activision Inc on Friday unveiled a new "Guitar Hero" video game focusing on the rock band Aerosmith, taking the billion-dollar franchise in a new direction.
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Called "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith," the new game will arrive in stores this summer, a surprise to many analysts and fans who had expected the next title to come out closer to the year-end holiday shopping season.

Aerosmith, known for hits such as "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion," is the top-selling American rock band of all time, with sales of 66.5 million albums in the United States alone.

The game will feature about 30 Aerosmith songs as well as others from various acts that have opened for the band. The price has not yet been set.

"The premise is that it's going to cover the 30-plus years of the band, from high school all the way through the rock superstardom of today," Kai Huang, head of Activision's RedOctane unit, which guides development of the franchise, told Reuters in an interview.

In the "Guitar Hero" games, players try to press colored buttons on a guitar-shaped controller in time with notes cascading down the screen. If the notes are hit, the song plays properly, and the player earns points.

Since the original "Guitar Hero" was released in late 2005, the series has gone on to sell more than $1 billion. Depending on the version, a bundle including the game and a controller costs from $80-$100, while the stand-alone game costs $40-$60.

When Activision reported quarterly earnings last week, analysts grilled the company on its plans for the franchise, expressing concern that sales would slow this year because many players who bought earlier versions with guitars would opt to buy the lower-price stand-alone game disks.

Huang said Activision had not yet decided whether it would offer a special controller with the Aerosmith game.

NEW DIRECTION

The focus on a single band marks a new twist for the franchise, whose three main titles featured dozens of artists spanning classic rock, grunge, metal, punk and other rock subgenres. Last year, Activision also released "Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s" with songs from that decade.

"It's just a completely new way to interact with this music and with Aerosmith, and we think there's more opportunity to do that in the future," Huang said.

By spotlighting a single band, the company has also come up with a way to counter rival music game "Rock Band" from Viacom Inc unit MTV and Electronic Arts Inc, Activision's top competitor.

"Rock Band," which includes drums and a microphone as well as a guitar, each week has offered new songs that can be downloaded to consoles like Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 and Sony Corp's PlayStation 3.

The music industry is eyeing "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" as a way to revive flagging sales. "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero 3," both launched last fall, have together sold millions of songs at about $2 each via download.

Speaking of Aerosmith's willingness to work on the project, Huang said: "They recognize that it can deliver their music in an innovative and new way. It's a new distribution platform for them."

To recreate the sense of attending an Aerosmith concert, developers held motion-capture sessions with band members, including energetic frontman Steven Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry.

"As you play," Huang said, "you're going to be seeing Joe and Steven doing their moves onstage."

(Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

Elton John announces second WSU show

The Daily Evergreen

Beasley Coliseum announced today that Elton John will be performing a second show for Mom's Weekend. John was originally slated to perform on Saturday, April 12, but a second performance was added for April 13, after an enormous volume of phone calls and e-mails were sent to Beasley, according to the news release.

In contrast to the first time tickets were sold, a certain number for the second show have been reserved for students, according to an e-mail from Beasley Coliseum director Leo Udy. Students will be allowed to line up starting Sunday at 6 a.m. in front of the Beasley Coliseum ticket office. Randomly numbered wristbands will be distributed to the students in line from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tickets will go on sale on Monday at 10 a.m., in the order of the numbers on the wristband. Tickets will be limited to four per student.

Councillor bought up to 22 Elton John tickets

Posted By Denis St. Pierre

Greater Sudbury Ward 11 Coun. Janet Gasparini purchased between 16 and 22 tickets to next month's Elton John concert, making her the largest buyer in city council's Ticket Gate controversy.

Sources say Gasparini reserved 22 tickets for the once-in-a-lifetime concert, but may have ended up with as few as 16 tickets after providing as many as six to council colleagues.

Before the concert tickets went on sale to the public, councillors were allowed to jump the queue and buy eight tickets each. After some councillors opted not to purchase eight tickets, the leftovers were offered to the remaining politicians and Gasparini was the biggest buyer, sources say.

Gasparini, one of six councillors who have refused to disclose how many tickets they purchased, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Meanwhile, Mayor John Rodriguez says city council's ticket grab for the March 2 concert did not violate council's code of conduct. Nor does the raging controversy signal a need for a stricter rules, adds Rodriguez.

Several angry citizens have contacted The Star to suggest the ticket grab by the mayor and councillors does indeed violate the code of conduct, which is entrenched in a municipal bylaw. As a result, these critics say, the politicians should be forced to return the tickets.

Furthermore, some outraged citizens suggest council should adopt a stricter code of conduct - similar to what is in place in other cities - that would unequivocally prohibit the preferred ticket access council has given itself.

Council's code of conduct includes a section titled "acceptance of gifts," which dictates that the mayor and councillors "shall ... not accept a fee, gift or other benefit that is connected directly or indirectly with the performance of the duties of his/her office."

The mayor and councillors have emphasized that, although they were given first crack at scores of Elton John concert tickets, they had to buy the tickets, therefore they were not gifts.

This is quite the controversy up in Canada;

Mayor sorry for handling of Elton John concert tickets

Posted By Denis St. Pierre

Mayor John Rodriguez has taken responsibility for allowing city councillors to buy "so many" tickets for next month's Elton John concert.

"My decision to offer so many advance purchase tickets to council was rushed and not given sufficient consideration. For that I apologize," the mayor said at the outset of Wednesday night's city council meeting.

In a rare departure from normal procedure, the mayor read a prepared statement before beginning regular council business Wednesday.

The 365-word statement was a response to the public furore over the preferential treatment that allowed council first dibs on more than 100 tickets for the March 2 Elton John concert.

"I want to speak directly to the people of Greater Sudbury," Rodriguez said.

While he stated that council must learn from its "mistakes," the mayor also reiterated some of his positions on the controversy that have offended many city residents.

In particular, Rodriguez emphasized that councillors did not get any freebies, nor is council the only such group in the province to get first choice on tickets to exclusive events at municipal facilities. "These tickets are not free: the cost is paid in full by the councillor. This same practice occurs in the City of Kitchener, where Elton John is also playing next month," he said.

The mayor also maintained that "the practice of making tickets available to councillors and staff is a longstanding one" at the city. That assertion, particularly with regard to the actions taken by council with Elton John tickets, has been disputed by a former councillor, by a current councillor (in an off-the-record admission) and by a former advisor in the mayor's office.

In fact, Rodriguez noted last week that the opportunity provided to council for Elton John tickets was not offered to the politicians for the two recent, sold-out performances of Michael Buble.

The mayor also said in his statement Wednesday that he has directed city staff to prepare "an open and transparent policy to ensure that this type of debacle never happens again."

The Elton John concert should be a "very positive event for our city and our citizens," Rodriguez said.

The current tour schedule from LiveDaily.com;

February 2008
28 - Portland, ME - Cumberland County Civic Center

March 2008
2 - Sudbury, Ontario - Sudbury Arena
3 - Kitchener, Ontario - Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex
6 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena
10 - Newark, DE - Bob Carpenter Center
12 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Civic Center
14 - Pensacola, FL - Pensacola Civic Center
15 - Tallahassee, FL - Tallahassee Civic Center
16 - Gainesville, FL - Stephen O’Connell Center
19 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
21-22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
24-26 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
28-29 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
31 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

April 2008
1-2 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
4-6 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
11 - Missoula, MT - Adams Center
12 - Pullman, WA - Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum

June 2008
3-4 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
6-7 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
9-11 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
13-14 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
16-18 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
20-22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

Frankly I though the same thing when Beyonce said that Tina Turner was "the queen" during her intro on the Grammys;

Franklin slams Beyonce Grammy intro

Tue Feb 12, 11:52 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - When Aretha Franklin is unhappy, she does not mince words. On Tuesday, the longtime Queen of Soul slammed Beyonce Knowles' intro to Tina Turner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, in which Knowles called Turner, not Franklin, "the queen."
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"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce," Franklin said in a statement issued by her publicist. "However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

E-mails to Knowles' publicist Yvette Noel-Schure and calls and e-mails to Recording Academy spokeswomen Jaime Sarachit and Barb Deghan were not immediately returned.

In the first few seconds of Knowles' intro to Turner's performance, she name-dropped Franklin and a long list of famed female singers. Then the "Crazy in Love" chanteuse focused on Turner.

"There is one legend who has the essence of all of those things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent," said Knowles, strutting in hot pants. "Ladies and gentlemen. Stand on your feet and give it up for the queen."

At a party later that night, Knowles called Turner her "ultimate icon."

Still, Franklin ended her brief criticism on a gracious note, thanking the Grammys and the voting academy and saying, "love to Beyonce anyway."

Known for such hits as "Respect" and "Chain of Fools," Franklin tied with the Clark Sisters for best gospel performance trophy for her duet "Never Gonna Break My Faith" with Mary J. Blige.

An Elton John fan in Canada is devastated that she could not get tickets to see Elton on March 2 in Subury;

Elton John fan 'devastated'

Posted -59 sec ago

The entire sequence of events involving the Elton John ticket sales has become an atrocity of colossal proportions, frustrating many of his life long fans in the Northern Ontario area. The manner in which the tickets were sold was questionable to say the least and now, to learn that there were tickets sold to the mayor and city councillors before the website opened ... well, I shouldn't be surprised, but I am dismayed, as I'm sure many other fans are with this miscarriage.

I am a huge, life-long fan who stood in line at nine years old (1973) to buy an Elton John album on the day it was released. I have to wonder if these politicians knew as children that they would be politicians, and that they would never have to stand in line for anything. Ever. If they did think that, I guess they would have been right.

Not that being a huge fan for my entire life makes me any more privileged than anybody else to purchase tickets, but what is the reason behind the councillors and mayor buying tickets before they went on sale? There should be an even playing field for all of us, whether we are politicians or just the common voting public.

I am sure Sir Elton would be truly disappointed to learn exactly what happened here with the ticket sales. I have found tickets being scalped by so many people that had no intention of attending the concert, they only bought them to make a profit. If Elton John wanted anybody to make money off of his concerts, it would most certainly be a charity that helps children with AIDS, not scalpers' blatant profiteering for whatever personal expenses they may have. This is just one more thing about Elton John that any fan would know.

This entire ticket fiasco has been devastating to me and to think I will be sitting at home the night that Elton is playing the Sudbury arena is absolutely incomprehensible to me. Oh, yes, I could buy tickets for upwards of $600 apiece, but some of us cannot afford that. I am a single mom and I could never justify such an expense.

I have a feeling that when our mayor and city councillors are down at the Sudbury Arena on March 2 doing the Crocodile Rock, they really won't give a damn about those of us who aren't.

Janet Derks

Sudbury

It's now been over a year since The Captain and the Kid was released and 2 years since Elton and Bernie wrote and recorded the album. Some people over at The Crazy Water Forum are asking for news on what Elton is currently working on or what his plans are for his next release.

I wish I knew. If I find out anything I will be sure to post the info.

However I do have a few ideas for projects I personally would like to see Elton undertake. So for whatever it's worth here they are.

An All-Star Instrumental Rock-n-Roll Album

One project I've always thought would be interesting is Elton putting together an all-star line-up of rock-n-roll veterans as well as his current band and recording an album of instrumental rock songs, covers and originals. Sort of like the tune Rockestra as performed by Paul McCartney on his album Back To The Egg. Each track could feature one performer, for example have a track or two featuring blistering guitar work from Eric Clapton or Slash. Maybe Billy Joel or Bruce Hornsby on piano with Elton on a few tracks. I think something like this could be a fun project if the right tracks are chosen.

Release an EP of new material recorded before a live audience

This one would either be a brilliant idea or it would crash-n-burn. I think the trick to making this work would be to record it before a small studio audience similar to how 11-17-70 was recorded. Make it an intimate setting with Elton talking to the audience about the tracks before performing them and perhaps answering questions. Sort of like the VH1 Storytellers series. And since it would be an EP (that means Extended Play as opposed to LP) it would only have to be five or six new songs and sold at a reduced price.

Record a Smooth Jazz album

The only style of jazz I like is called Smooth Jazz. I've always liked the breezy feel of smooth jazz and think that Elton could easily pull off a smooth jazz album. It really fits his style of music and could be quite a enjoyable listen. Some tracks could be instrumental and other he can add vocals too.

Of course Elton could always go back in the studio and record another "Elton John" album that will receive critical acclaim from critics and fans. It will then tank on the charts and all of us fans will be furious.

Then there is that rap album idea.....just kidding.

Slash lists Davey Johnstone as one his musical favorites;

Artist: Davey Johnstone

Backstory: The longtime lead guitarist in Elton John's band, Johnstone plays with equal taste and fire. He has also worked with Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Joan Armatrading and others. Some of his most memorable playing with Elton John includes the riff-happy “Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting” and the epic ballad “Candle in the Wind.”

Slash: “This will probably be the first time I've been prompted to say this in an interview, but when I think of '70s rock guitar – which I was hugely influenced by – one of the major guitar players I was attracted to was definitely Davey. His playing is very melodic and always appropriate for the song.”

Elton John's annual post-Oscar party plans still moving forward
The Associated Press

02/06/2008 05:02:54 PM PST

LOS ANGELES—Vanity Fair's post-Oscar party is off, but Elton John's is on.

The singer and AIDS activist is moving forward with plans for his 16th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party, the foundation announced Wednesday.

"This event is our most important fundraiser of the year," it said in a statement. "Last year, we raised over $4.3 million and we expect to exceed that record this year."

John will also play a special concert set at the party, backed by his full band.

Vanity Fair canceled its party in support of striking Hollywood writers and others affected by the labor action.

John's viewing party, held at the Pacific Design Center, is always lavish and star-studded, boasting past guests such as Denzel Washington, Sting, Sharon Stone, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Spacey and Halle Berry. Among the expected guests at the Feb. 24 soiree are Victoria and David Beckham, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, Donatella Versace and Elizabeth Taylor.

Back in 2005 we heard the stories that Elton was going to record a sequel to the 1975 classic album "Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy" as suggested by his manager Merck Mercuriadis. At the time the idea was enthusiastically received and fans were buzzing about the album. As tracks lyrics and snippets of the songs began to leak out it was clear that this album was sure to be something special and some of Elton's best work since the mid 1970s. Eventually full tracks began to appear all over the internet and they were roundly praised. It appeared that Elton had done what few thought possible and that was to match his creativity from his hey-day. Music critics agreed with rave reviews, even Rolling Stone magazine, not the most Elton friendly music magazine, awarded 4 stars;

The Captain and the Kid is the third album in a career-resurrecting run that began in 2001, when Elton John took the novel approach of sitting down at a piano and writing songs that sound a lot like Elton John. The album is a sequel to 1975's chart-topping Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, and it has moments that rival the original: The songs are precision instruments, from the honky-tonk pop of "Just Like Noah's Ark" to pristine ballads like the title track. With lyricist Bernie Taupin in tow, The Kid traces thirty-odd years' worth of ups and downs that befall the duo. The story line gets a little murky and the album cheeses out on songs like "The Bridge." But more than just a gift to fans, it shows Elton's gifts haven't deserted him. And that's more than good enough.

And then Universal stepped in.

Of all the wonderful songs on "The Captain and The Kid" the absolute worst choice was made as the lead single. Instead of going with any of the terrific mid-tempo songs from the album such as "Just Like Noah's Ark" or "Tinderbox" or even the self-promoting title cut Universal made the safe choice and released to radio-only (another mistake) "The Bridge." A piano only track with up-front vocals from Elton and a beautiful vocal bridge, nonetheless it was not radio-friendly nor was it memorable. Quite frankly it was a boring track and did not fairly represent the overall outstanding quality of the rest of the album. It did reasonably well at AC radio where Elton has become a staple. However it did not generate much buzz for the album and Universal decided not to release a second track to radio effectively killing the album. Curiously a wonderful video was produced for "Tinderbox" reminiscent of the Beatles "Free As A Bird" video which interspersed archival footage of Elton, Bernie and the boys into colorful nostalgic scenes of Elton in the 1970s. And another odd note was that one of the promotional placements for this video was on MLB.com, the Major League Baseball official website.

As a result of the poor choice for the lead single and no then follow-up the album tanked on the charts and Universal essentially abandoned it. Elton was not happy. He publicly ridiculed Universal and begged them to drop him from their label.

“Nobody would know the album has been out since September.

“My record label isn’t doing anything to help. F— Universal. Please drop me. I’m 58 and I don’t care anymore.”

Quite frankly I think Elton is exactly correct. He needs to get away from the traditional record labels like Universal and go in a new direction in regards to promoting his new music. He has nothing left to prove and can probably do a much better job of getting his music out in front of a new audience as well as his core fan base. He has several options available to him in my opinion;

One option is to take the Paul McCartney route and sign with a label like Starbucks "Hear Music" which will enthusiastically and aggressively promote his new material. They have their own XM Radio channel which can feature the music as well as selling the CDs in the coffee shops.

Another option is to strike a deal similar to what Madonna did when she signed with Live Nation. The Madonna deal includes "new studio efforts, tours, merchandise, DVD releases, sponsorships, licensing agreements, fan club, Web site, and TV and film projects." The problem here is Elton has never shown the least bit of interest in the internet, in fact he hates the internet and wishes it were non-existent. This is a foolish position to take. The internet can open up Elton to an unlimited number of new fans if he would embrace it and use it to his advantage.

Elton could also just market his new music on his own website eltonjohn.com along with other exclusive merchandise. But that hating-the-internet problem gets in the way again.

As I said, Elton has nothing to prove to anyone and could easily not release another album ever again. His position as a rock legend is well established. But his creative juices are still flowing and I don't see him just disappearing off the music scene. He loves to write music, tour and perform so while he is still has the desire he will continue to record new music. However, Elton clearly needs took go in a new direction getting his new music out in front of the new music fans in order to avoid the disaster of "The Captain and The Kid" from happening again.

Thanks goodness....now get those Lost writers back to working on the best show on TV!

Hollywood on verge of deal to end writers strike

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Negotiators for Hollywood studios and striking writers have agreed to terms of a new contract that could be presented to union leaders in days and, if approved, end their three-month-old labor clash later this week, two sources told Reuters on Monday.

While the outlines of an accord were reached over the weekend, the two sides still need to hammer out contract language before a deal is submitted for approval to the governing boards the East and West Coast branches of the Writers Guild of America, they said.

Those sources, who were briefed on the status of talks but were not authorized to speak publicly about them under a media blackout, said negotiators hoped action by the WGA boards on a deal could come as early as Friday.

An endorsement by WGA leaders presumably would be accompanied by a decision to call off the strike, but if the WGA boards were divided, the walkout might continue pending a ratification vote by rank-and-file members.

One source said the big breakthrough in the latest round of talks, which began Jan. 23, came on the key sticking point of how much writers should be paid for advertising-supported Internet "streaming" of television shows.

Elton John expands North American run
February 5, 2008 06:02 AM
By Kym Kilgore

Elton John [ tickets ] has squeezed several more secondary-market appearances in between his "Red Piano" dates in Las Vegas.

The superstar will start back up in North America Feb. 28 with shows in Portland, ME; Manchester, NH; and Sudbury and Kitchener, Ontario. After his next run of Vegas gigs from mid-March to early April, he'll play Missoula, MT, and Pullman, WA. Then it's back to Vegas in June and off to Europe for a two-week stint that wraps in mid-July. North American shows are listed below and those overseas can be found at John's website.

The Grammy-winning singer signed on to keep his "Red Piano" residency at Sin City's Colosseum at Caesars Palace through this year. He's put in about 50 annual performances at the venue since 2004.

John, who is celebrating his fourth decade of touring, launched 2008 with a short trek through South Africa, during which he visited projects funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation and oversaw the opening of three more "cluster homes," which offer a safe refuge and care for children.

Last year, John played his record-breaking 60th show at New York City's Madison Square Garden to celebrate his 60th birthday. He marked the occasion in March with the release of "Rocket Man - Number Ones," an 18-song hits collection covering the first 35 years of his career. The concert itself was captured on a two-disc DVD, "Elton John 60: Live at Madison Square Garden," which also includes rare footage from a variety of television shows and concert segments.

"The Captain & the Kid," John's latest set of new material with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, surfaced in 2006 and peaked at No. 18 on The Billboard 200. The album is billed as a sequel to 1975's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy."

Apparently their is a reality show in the UK called "The One and Only" where contestants impersonate musicians. One contestant was Elton John and was voted off the show;

MUSIC teacher Ed Hintze has returned home to Weymouth after being voted off reality show The One and Only.

He ventured out from behind the piano to perform Elton John's I'm Still Standing, but lost out after a sing-off with the show's Cher impersonator.

Mr Hintze, 34, had survived the initial vote on the BBC1 show on Saturday night, when the Kylie Minogue tribute act was sent home.

Although two other acts wanted to keep him in the contest, four supported Cher in the 'superstar' vote after the sing-off.

Mr Hintze is a music shop boss and music teacher at All Saints' School in Weymouth.

Sounds like a good title for a song..."Lilies in the Room"

Sir Elton John is still the Queen of Divas!

February 4th, 2008 - 5:50 pm

London , Feb 4 (ANI): When it comes to luxurious and wayward demands made by the stars, no one can be Sir Elton John.

The legendary singer, known for his lavish ways, still rules the roost when it comes to spending on luxurious essentials.

The Candle in the wind singer dished out a whopping 1,475 pounds on just a night at the Dorchester in London and fired off an impressive list of demands.

The 60-year-old veteran stars demands included fat-free and sugar-free cookies, a tray of raw veg, lilies in the room and tulips in the hall.

He even made it a point that the temperature didnt exceed 68C and his tissues had to be normal, and that too without balm.

Sir John also specified furniture he required, that included two buckets. (ANI)

Never saw this before...and after watching it once I can see why. And how is this still available on YouTube? You'll know what I mean after watching it...

Elton John tickets sell out in record breaking time

Offering ticket sales to the public helped all 10,885 tickets sell in less than four hours.

By Mike Feigen
The Daily Evergreen Published: 01/28/2008 00:00:00

This Mom's Weekend, thousands of students and their parents will have to find something else to do with their Saturday night. The April 12 Elton John concert sold out in a Beasley Coliseum-record 3 hours and 40 minutes, with students experiencing long lines, computer server crashes and busy signals at TicketsWest call centers. When it was all said and done 10,885 tickets were sold, with 700 distributed to students at Beasley. With lines wrapping more than halfway around the concourse and frustrations mounting, the scene was more reminiscent of the lead-up to a Saturday night basketball game than a lazy Friday morning on the WSU campus. The difference between this and Cougar basketball, however, was that in the end the majority of the people left dissatisfied. Chris Concienne, a senior turf management major, was one of those turned away just feet from the ticket window after waiting in line for more than three hours. "My mom was really looking forward to this," he said. "It's not fair for moms to get shut out." In the words of Elton John, sorry seems to be the hardest word.

That's the first I heard of the tour being referred to as the "Rocket Man - Number Ones" tour...

It's true! Elton John to perform

Posted By Rachel Punch

Sir Elton John's "Rocket Man - Number Ones" tour will touch down in Sudbury on March 2, the city's arenas manager confirmed Monday.

"Everyone is in awe," said Ray Mensour.

"This is probably the biggest concert in Sudbury's history, so everyone is excited ... It's quite the accomplishment and it's a great attribute for the city."

Those who want tickets to see the five-time Grammy award winner should not plan on camping out before tickets go on sale at the arena box office on Friday at 10 a.m.

"The best way to get tickets is at www.greatersudbury.ca at 10 a.m.," Mensour said.

He expects the 6,386 tickets could be sold out in a matter of minutes, and those waiting in a line up will be turned away.

"Unfortunately, not everyone is going to get tickets," Mensour said. "We don't want to turn back a lot of people so we're encouraging people to go online. That's your best odds of getting tickets."

He said seating will be set up in a bowl shape around the stage. Tickets will be sold in two-tiers. Those with an obstructed view will pay $98 and those without will pay $140. Mensour said the arena has been working on getting this show since December.

The pop legend is set to perform in Sudbury on March 2 and Kitchener on March 3. Live Nation said there are no plans to announce additional Canadian dates.

John has sold more than 200 million records and continues to add to his personal repertoire of 29 consecutive Top 40 hits, 35 gold and 25 platinum albums.

He is known for hits such as "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," and "Candle in the Wind."

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Riley O'Connor, chairman of promoter Live Nation Canada, said John likes to play markets he has never played before.

"Elton John has a touring history of playing markets that are non-traditional," O'Connor said in an e-mail response.

The reason Sudbury was able to secure the music giant is threefold, Mensour said.

First off, the artist has to want to play the venue.

"Elton John loves to play venues he's never played before, so obviously Sudbury was prime for that," Mensour said.

Second on the list in securing a big act is the relationship with the promoter.

"Over the last few years, we've developed an excellent relationship with Live Nation, which is formally House of Blues," Mensour said. "They've been bringing us the big shows, like the Nickelback, Hilary Duff, Michael Buble, Def Leppard and Three Days Grace."

The third key to lining up a major act is providing the venue.

"You have to be able to deliver the service and we've been doing that because of the staff here at the Sudbury arena," Mensour said. rpunch@thesudburystar.com

SIR ELTON

What: Elton John concert

Where: Sudbury Community Arena

When: March 2, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.

Tickets: On sale Friday at 10 a.m., available online at www.greatersudbury.ca, at Sudbury Arena Box Office or charge by phone at 671-3000

Cost: $98 and $140

Excellent article in the Rocky Muntain News about the legendary studio Caribou Ranch where Elton recorded several of his 70s classics including 1974's "Caribou" album.

A space heater ended an astonishing era at Caribou Ranch outside Nederland.

The 1985 fire caused by the overheated appliance closed a studio that was home to many of the biggest pop music recordings of the '70s and early '80s. From Elton John to Joe Walsh, Chicago to Earth, Wind & Fire, U2 to John Lennon, the ranch hosted and recorded a who's who that generated sales well in excess of 100 million albums. Along the way, everyone had a lot of fun.

Now owner James Guercio has swung the ranch’s gates open for the first time since the fire to tell the story of the legendary studio that got its start after a missed flight. Pop music writer Mark Brown, videographer Laressa Bachelor and photographer Javier Manzano created this report.

Elton John 'red' piano on display in FL

Wednesday, 23 January 2008

The Music Connection in Forest Lake will be among only a handful of piano dealers nationwide to offer a performance by Elton John like you’ve never seen or heard before—with the limited edition Elton John Signature Series Red Piano. At the touch of a button, the high-tech Yamaha Disklavier player piano’s keys and pedals come to life, recreating note-for-note performances recorded earlier by Elton himself, as he “sings” such classics as “Tiny Dancer,” “Your Song,” “Rocket Man,” “Candle in the Wind” and “Take Me to the Pilot.” Embodying the spirit of the legendary performer, the piano’s striking “Chinese Red” color represents the same distinctive hue chosen by Elton for his Yamaha instrument featured in his Las Vegas show.

This marks the first time Yamaha has honored an artist by naming a piano after him. No more than 20 of this new edition of the Elton John Signature Series Red Piano, featuring the newest leading-edge technology, will be made, all of which will be signed by the artist. The piano will be on display at the store, 77 SW 8th Ave. from Thursday, Jan. 24 through Wednesday, Jan. 30. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 to 7 on Friday and 10 to 5 on Saturday. The store is closed Sunday.

(Photo Courtesy of The Music Connection)

Elton John rides to rescue for Lesotho doctors

MASERU (AFP) — Veteran British pop star Elton John has donated 120 motorbikes to help doctors and nurses do their rounds in the mountainous southern African kingdom of Lesotho.

John, accompanied by his partner David Furnish, took time out on Saturday from a tour of South Africa to visit Lesotho for the handover ceremony just outside the capital Maseru.

The donation forms part of the Riders for Health Programme funded by the singer's own AIDS foundation.

"We want to improve the transport system by bringing health care to millions of people living in the most rural areas and thus making a difference in their lives," said John in comments reported by local media.

from Elton John News

A post on another Elton John news blog has info on purchasing the platinum record award for Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Music Luminaries Gather To Honor Aretha Franklin As 2008 Musicares Person Of The Year

GRAMMY-winning recording artist Aretha Franklin will be honored as the 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year at a special event celebrating her extraordinary musical achievements and her philanthropic commitments to children's and healthcare organizations and various churches and food banks in the Detroit metropolitan area.

Here are the track listings for the Elton John-Deluxe Edition and Tumbleweed Connection Deluxe Editions that online CD retailers are listing;

Tumbleweed Connection

Disc 1
1 Ballad Of A Well Known Gun
2 Come Down In Time
3 Country Comfort
4 Son Of Your Father
5 My Father's Gun
6 Where To Now St. Peter
7 Love Song
8 Amoreena
9 Talking Old Soldiers
10 Burn Down The Mission

Disc 2
1 There Goes A Well Known Gun previously unreleased
2 Come Down In Time piano demo/previously unreleased
3 Country Comfort piano demo/previously unreleased
4 Son Of Your Father previously unreleased
5 Talking Old Soldiers piano demo/previously unreleased
6 Into The Old Man's Shoes piano demo/previously unreleased
7 Sisters Of The Cross piano demo/previously unreleased
8 Madman Across The Water original version
9 Into The Old Man's Shoes
10 My Father's Gun BBC session
11 Ballad Of A Well Known Gun BBC session
12 Burn Down The Mission BBC session
13 Amoreena BBC session
(Mercury distributed by Universal Music)

Elton John

Disc 1
1 Your Song
2 I Need You To Turn To
3 Take Me To The Pilot
4 No Shoe Strings On Louise
5 First Episode At Hienton
6 Sixty Years On
7 Border Song
8 Greatest Discovery
9 Cage
10 King Must Die
11 Your Song demo version
12 I Need You To Turn To piano demo
13 Take Me To The Pilot piano demo
14 No Shoe Strings On Louise piano demo
15 Sixty Years On piano demo
16 Greatest Discovery piano demo
17 Cage demo
18 King Must Die piano demo

Disc 2
1 Rock 'n' Roll Madonna piano demo
2 Thank You Mama piano demo
3 All The Way Down To El Paso piano demo
4 I'm Going Home piano demo
5 Grey Seal piano demo
6 Rock 'n' Roll Madonna incomplete band demo
7 Bad Side Of The Moon
8 Grey Seal
9 Rock 'n' Roll Madonna
10 Border Song BBC session
11 Your Song BBC session
12 Take Me To The Pilot BBC session
2CD
(Mercury distributed by Universal Music)

There are two new Deluxe Editions scheduled for release on February 18. The new 2-CD editions of Elton John-Deluxe Edition and "Tumbleweed Connection" have been packed with piano demos and live performances that are sure to excite Elton fans yearning for some new Elton product. And with no news of any new music on the horizon these two releases are sure to quench die-hard fans thirst.

At this point these are only scheduled to be released in the UK but I am sure that there will be a US release as well.

Elton 07: lots of hits, great hair

Acer Arena, November 28

AS LAST weekend showed, you could reach your use-by date with the public after 60. Elton John turned 60 this year but he's hardly slowed down. His one-man show last night was a little under three hours long in a sold-out room of some 15,000 people.

Clearly generational change is less urgent when after two decades of rubbish you are seven years into a career resurgence based on writing the kind of songs which remind people why they loved you 30 to 35 years ago.

The breadth of Elton's appeal was evident all around. Behind me were four 50-somethings and a 30-something daughter and her teenage son. Along the road, dressed in black and with heavy kohl around the eyes was a couple looking like they arrived a week early for My Chemical Romance.

But everyone of them knew the words to the opening number, Your Song and recognised its aptness at a concert John dedicated to an old friend who died at the weekend, Ken East. It's been a week of goodbyes after all.

Not that John, in black tails festooned with flowers, a french blue shirt and diamond encrusted crucifix looking like it had been borrowed from the Crown jewels, not to mention the best head of hair he's ever had, looked in a hurry to say goodbye. There's no musical Maxine on this horizon, only Mona Lisas and mad hatters.

Now what are you going to do to fix this?

Music boss: we were wrong to go to war with consumers

1:50PM, Wednesday 14th November 2007

The boss of Warner Music has made a rare public confession that the music industry has to take some of the blame for the rise of p2p file sharing.

Speaking at the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress in Macau, Edgar Bronfman told mobile operators that they must not make the same mistake that the music industry made.

"We used to fool ourselves,' he said. "We used to think our content was perfect just exactly as it was. We expected our business would remain blissfully unaffected even as the world of interactivity, constant connection and file sharing was exploding. And of course we were wrong. How were we wrong? By standing still or moving at a glacial pace, we inadvertently went to war with consumers by denying them what they wanted and could otherwise find and as a result of course, consumers won."

Mobile operators risk the same, he said. Fewer than 10% of mobile owners buy music on their handset, the vast majority of which is ringtones.

"The sad truth is that most of what consumers are being offered today on the mobile platform is boring, banal and basic," he said. "People want a more interesting form of mobile music content. They want it to be easy to buy with a single click - yes, a single click, not a dozen. And they want access to it, quickly and easily, wherever they are. 24/7. Any player in the mobile value chain who thinks they can provide less than a great experience for consumers and remain competitive is fooling themselves."

Bronfman suggested that mobile companies have much to learn from Apple, despite being critical of and iTunes in the past.

"For years now, Warner Music has been offering a choice to consumers at Apple's iTunes store the option to purchase something more than just single tracks, which constitute the mainstay of that store's sales," he explained. "By packaging a full album into a bundle of music with ringtones, videos and other combinations and variation we found products that consumers demonstrably valued and were willing to purchase at premium prices. And guess what? We've sold tons of them. And with Apple's co-operation to make discovering, accessing and purchasing these products even more seamless and intuitive, we'll be offering many, many more of these products going forward."

And the iPhone and iPod touch shows that approach can be made to work on mobile platforms, he said,

"You need to look no further than Apple's iPhone to see how fast brilliantly written software presented on a beautifully designed device with a spectacular user interface will throw all the accepted notions about pricing, billing platforms and brand loyalty right out the window. And let me remind you, the genesis of the iPhone is the iPod and iTunes - a music device and music service that consumers love."

Bronfman appears to be experiencing an epiphany when it comes to digital music. From threatening to withdraw from iTunes and suggesting that to drop DRM would be "without logic or merit", he is now heaping praising on Apple and recently opened a DRM-free section on Warner's own Classics and Jazz music store.
Simon Aughton

The Eagles first album in 28 years "The Long Road Out Of Eden" has landed at #1 after Walmart agreed to report their sales numbers and Billboard changed their chart policy. The album moved 711,000 units easily besting Britney Spears new album "Blackout" which moved 290,000 units.

Revised Chart Policy Lands Eagles At No. 1

November 06, 2007, 8:30 PM ET
Mitchell Peters, L.A.

The Eagles' first new studio album in 28 years, "Long Road Out of Eden," takes a short route to No. 1 on The Billboard 200 after Billboard revised a significant chart policy today (Nov. 7).

In consultation with Nielsen SoundScan, Billboard will now allow exclusive album titles that are only available through one retailer to appear on The Billboard 200 and other charts, effective with this week's charts. Prior to this, proprietary titles were not eligible to appear on most Billboard charts.

Early SoundScan numbers have the Eagles taking the top perch on The Billboard 200 with 711,000 copies sold, with most sales moved by Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores. For now, the only other U.S. outlets carrying "Eden" are walmart.com, where both physical copies and downloads are sold, and the Eagles' own Web site.

"Eden" became available at the mass-market chain Oct. 30. Aside from two compilations, this is the Eagles' first album since the mostly live "Hell Freezes Over," which led The Billboard 200 for two weeks in 1994.

Britney Spears' new Jive album, "Blackout," which would have been No. 1 had the Eagles' data not been reported, will open at No. 2 with first-week sales of 290,000 copies.

"We know that some retailers will be uncomfortable with this policy, but it was inevitable that Billboard's charts would ultimately widen the parameters to reflect changes that are unfolding in music distribution," says Geoff Mayfield, Billboard's director of charts. "We would have preferred to make this decision earlier, but only became aware within the last 24 hours that Wal-Mart would be willing to share the data for this title with Nielsen SoundScan."

The revised policy initially impacts The Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums, where "Eden" will also bow at No. 1. Criteria for the remainder of Billboard's albums charts will be formulated later this week. A handful of other titles will debut this week on The Billboard 200 as a consequence of the policy revision.

Previously, titles that were not generally available at retail were not eligible to appear on The Billboard 200, but were entitled to chart on Billboard's Top Comprehensive Albums, which includes catalog titles and proprietary albums from retailers willing to report those sales.

The comprehensive chart will continue to appear on Billboard.biz, to show how catalog titles compete with the overall market. However, once parameters for the remainder of the album charts are determined, Top Comprehensive Music Videos will be discontinued, as exclusive titles will then be eligible for the Nielsen SoundScan-fed Top Music Videos.

Beyonce, Elton, Fergie Set For 'Movies Rock'

October 24, 2007, 11:15 AM ET
Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

A star-studded music roster is on board for the first Movies Rock concert, to be taped Dec. 2 at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre for broadcast five days later on CBS. Performers such as Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Elton John, Fergie, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson will perform notable songs from classic films at the event.

Beyonce will sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz," while Underwood will tackle the title number from "The Sound of Music." Other pairings on tap include Hudson on "Goldfinger," Fergie on "Live and Let Die," Blige and John Legend on "As Time Goes By" and John on music from animated films.

Proceeds from the event, which mirrors the annual Fashion Rocks event in New York, will benefit the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

As with Fashion Rocks, a supplemental magazine dubbed "Movies Rock" will be included with 14 Conde Nast titles, beginning Nov. 1.

Set list from KC show;

Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
The Bitch is Back
Madman Across the Water
Tiny Dancer
Levon
Believe
Take Me to the Pilot
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Daniel
Rocket Man
Honky Cat
Someone Saved My Life Tonight
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues
Burn Down the Mission
The Bridge
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Candle in the Wind
Bennie and the Jets
Philadelphia Freedom
Sad Songs Say So Much
I’m Still Standing
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)

Encore:
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me
Your Song

Some posters over at The Crazy Water Community are reporting that the Amazon exclusive Elton 60 box set is missing the laminated backstage pass which is part of what was suppose to make it exclusive, including mine.

I have emailed eltonjohn.com and am awaiting a response. I will post any useful info I get back.

Madonna joins Radiohead and The Eagles as the latest artist to dump their record label. She is rumored to be signing a deal with promoter Live Nation for her next three albums, exclusive promotion of her concerts and merchandise. Artists are continuing to move away from the dinosaur record labels who stifle growth and who refuse to take advantage of the new media.

Elton?

Madonna Nears Deal to Leave Record Label

By JEFF LEEDS
Published: October 11, 2007

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10 — Madonna is about to become the latest music superstar to defy the music industry’s traditional structure by exiting her longtime record label, Warner Brothers Records, for a lucrative deal that relies heavily on her longevity as a live-concert attraction.

Madonna is nearing an agreement with Live Nation, the concert promoter, that would pay her more than $100 million in exchange for three albums and the exclusive rights to promote her concerts and to market her merchandise in a wide-ranging partnership, according to people briefed on the talks.

The deal, which includes cash and stock, would pay her about half the total upfront, said these people, who requested anonymity because the agreement had not been completed.

The deal, which was first reported yesterday on The Wall Street Journal’s Web site, is the latest example of how tough times for record labels and concert promoters have set off a free-for-all over the rights to the various revenue streams created when a musician becomes a star. Instead of sharing in only one piece of the income — say, CD sales — companies are angling to share in all of an artist’s business lines, like publishing, merchandise sales and endorsement fees.

It also comes as the major record companies are reeling from the loss of historically reliable brand-name acts. Word of Madonna’s likely exit from Warner Brothers, a unit of the publicly held Warner Music Group, came the same day that one of rock’s biggest free agent acts, the acclaimed British band Radiohead, started delivering digital copies of its new album directly to fans, in a big break with industry convention. Another influential free agent band, the Eagles, is selling its new album directly to Wal-Mart Stores.

Madonna’s move particularly underscores the determination of Live Nation to encompass a wider swath of the music business. The publicly held company, based in Beverly Hills, Calif., made an earlier foray into so-called all-rights or 360 deals with artists when it made a small investment to share in the earnings of Korn, the hard-rock act.

But it is making a much bigger leap — and taking a bigger risk — with Madonna, who turns 50 next year, and who, the company expects, will continue her live-concert success for years to come. Madonna’s “Confessions” tour last year ranked as the highest-grossing tour ever by a female artist, according to Billboard magazine. The tour generated roughly $195 million from 60 shows and drew more than 1.2 million fans.

Her last album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” sold an estimated 1.6 million copies in the United States.

It is not clear how many copies Live Nation expects her future albums to sell, but it may be some time before the company has a chance to release Madonna’s music. Madonna owes one more studio album to Warner under her contract there; that album is expected to be released next year.

Warner also owns the rights to Madonna’s catalog of earlier recordings. Under the deal with Live Nation, according to people briefed on the arrangement, ownership of her new recordings would eventually revert to her.

Representatives for Live Nation and Warner Music declined to comment. Madonna’s manager, Guy Oseary, could not be reached for comment.

Amazon has the 2 DVD/1 CD box set exclusively.

To pre-order the Elton 60 Collectors Edition click the image below or in the side bar.

Elton John Slams George Bush Over AIDS

Elton John has attacked the U.S. Government's AIDS effort, dubbing it a waste of time and money. The campaigning rocker - and head of the Elton John Aids Foundation - is astounded George W. Bush's regime has concentrated all its efforts promoting abstinence, rather than developing treatments.

Speaking at his Aids gala in New York on Wednesday, John says, "They've made a grave error in giving millions to abstinence programs. They don't work. They were told in the beginning that it wouldn't work. It's a tragic waste of money. Please don't listen to those idiots. God almighty."

The Rocket Man also took the opportunity to hit out at South African President Thabo Mbeki, who claims garlic, beetroots, lemon and olive oil are more effective in fighting Aids than antiretroviral medicines.

He tells the New York Daily News, "There are some weird people in the world - what can I say? I would just tell them, 'Don't let the AIDS crisis get lost.'"

God forbid people suggest one way to protect yourself from exposure to AIDS is to refrain from sexual activity!
And what about the US commitment to fighting AIDS;

2008 AIDS Relief Budget Request Tops Original Commitment

United States remains global leader in fight against AIDS, official says

By Cheryl Pellerin
USINFO Staff Writer

Washington – President Bush has asked the U.S. Congress to approve $5.4 billion for his President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for fiscal year 2008 (2008-2009), the last year of the five-year effort to fight HIV/AIDS around the world.

If that funding is approved, the PEPFAR program – the largest commitment by a single nation to an international health initiative – would be on track to exceed the original $15 billion pledge and bring to $18.3 billion the amount of money the United States has invested in the fight against AIDS.

“By working with host nations to build quality health care networks and increase capacity,” U.S. global AIDS coordinator Ambassador Mark Dybul testified March 1 before the House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, “we are laying the foundation for nations and communities to sustain their efforts against HIV/AIDS and other diseases long after the initial five years of the Emergency Plan.”

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has killed at least 20 million of the more than 60 million people it has infected so far, leaving 14 million orphans worldwide. On the continent of Africa, nearly 30 million people have the AIDS virus – including 3 million children under age 15, according to the White House.

Bush announced the PEPFAR program in 2003 to support treatment for 2 million HIV-infected people, help prevent 7 million new infections and help care for 10 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS by 2008 in 15 focus countries – Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia. (See related fact sheet.)

It seems no matter what the US does its never good enough for some group or individual;

US to spend extra $30bn to fight HIV/Aids, pledges Bush

· Washington becomes campaign's biggest backer
· Critics praise president's commitment to fight

Ewen MacAskill in Washington
Thursday May 31, 2007
The Guardian

The following correction was printed in the Guardian's Corrections and clarifications column, Friday June 1 2007

Terri Bartlett of Population Action International was quoted in the article below as hoping the move offered an opportunity to make the programme "more effective by correcting policies based on evidence, not ideology". This could be misinterpreted. What she said was " ... correcting policies on the basis of evidence, not ideology". This has been corrected.

Article continues
George Bush announced yesterday that the US plans to spend $30bn (£15bn) over five years in Africa and elsewhere to combat HIV/Aids.

This would make the US by far the biggest single donor to the campaign against HIV/Aids and is in addition to the $15bn Washington has been spending since 2003. Parts of Mr Bush's policy are opposed by international health organisations, academics, women's groups, European governments and even the administration's financial watchdog. In line with domestic Christian right orthodoxy, a significant proportion of the funds are channelled to religious groups advocating abstinence until marriage and refusing to distribute condoms, an approach regarded as counter-productive and costing lives.

Elton John was in attendance at the service for Princess Diana today. And of course the media continues to push the idea that Elton could possibly perform "Candle In The Wind 1997" when he has repeatedly said he will never perform that version of the song again.

Sir Elton John was invited, but he won't reprise his reworking of Candle in the Wind, which he performed at the funeral.

It's just incredible how they continue to push the idea of Elton performing CITW97. It's not gonna happen, ever!

DVD Celebrates Elton's 60th B-Day Show

Don't like the sun? Suit yourself, Sir Elton | Showbiz | This is London

Elton John's 60th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden is coming to DVD on September 24(UK)/25(US). Called "Elton 60: Live at Madison Square Garden" the DVD will be issued in two configurations, a 2-DVD set featuring the entire concert, all 33 songs, and also rare tracks;

The DVD set will also be loaded with special extra features, including a healthy helping of "Live, Rare and Unseen" concert tracks, such as a 1970 version of "Border Song" from Swiss television, BBC renditions of "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from 1971, and a mini-set of selected "New York Stories" performances culled from Elton's seemingly endless catalogue of live performances in Gotham and album tracks that mention the Big Apple.

There will also be a collectors box set that will include a CD of rare live performances over the years, a 72 page booklet, a poster and more.

Princess Diana rules over NBC's weekend schedule
Lauer broadcasts live from London; concert on Sunday

Matt Lauer isn't exactly in the inner circle at Buckingham Palace.

"I'm not a royal-watcher," Lauer said. "I'm probably the least royal-watcher of any of my friends."

But he might seem like one over the next few days.
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This morning, he'll do his portion of "Today" from London. On Sunday, NBC reruns his interview with princes William and Harry, then has him hosting the hosting the American telecast of the "Concert for Diana."

The latter will be quick and condensed. The actual concert is likely to run more than six hours in London's Wembley Stadium, Lauer said; NBC plans to carry only an hour.

The concert is on what would have been the 46th birthday of Princess Diana, the late mother of William and Harry.

At first, it was described as a collection of her favorite performers. Elton John and Duran Duran top the bill.

Still, the princes also chose people from their generation. "They really wanted it to be a healthy mix," Lauer said.

At the time of Diana's death (almost a decade ago), Kanye West was 20, Nelly Furtado was 18, Natasha Bedingfield was 15, Lily Allen was 12 and Joss Stone was 10. All are expected to perform Sunday, plus Diddy, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Bryan Ferry, Pharrell and more.

The princes are only scheduled to introduce Furtado, Lauer said. He's betting that the introduction will be included in NBC's abridged version.

Critics have argued that when NBC paid $2.5 million for the concert rights, it was also buying the interview. Lauer disputes that. "What it got was the concert," he said. "Then there were a lot of discussions."

He dealt with Palace officials. "It was a little like an audition. ... I sent some tapes of high-profile interviews."

The result was a 36-minute interview, he said, and he used virtually all of it in the "Dateline" hour and on "Today." For all of the details, however, he said the princes were pleasant.

"I thought they'd be stiff- upper-lip, cautious, guarded. But they kidded each other and kidded me. ... I just liked the guys."

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According to Yahoo Movies, "Just Like Noah's Ark" is featured in the new movie Evan Almighty

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A jazz tribute album;

Tonolo/ Goldstein/ Swallow/ Motian, Your Songs: The Music of Elton John\

*** (Obliq Sound)

John Fordham

Friday May 18, 2007

The Guardian

This tribute to Elton John will probably enhance the songwriter's standing among jazzers as his romantic melodic tunes and poignantly soulful harmonies turn out to be ideal material for improvisation. The velvety sound and dark bell-notes from Italian lassical-violinist-turned-jazz-saxist Pietro Tonolo contrast with Steve Swallow's graceful bass guitar lines over drum visionary Paul Motian's restless brushwork on a haunting account of Blue Eyes. Gil Goldstein's deft, Jarrettish piano lines and Motian's imperious cymbal beat illuminate Rocket Man, and Tonolo's fragile soprano sax sound against Goldstein's accordion catches the vulnerability of Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word without adding schmaltz.Tonolo's two originals have a little less impact, but it's a fine example of jazz musicians remaking famous songs in their own likenesses.

Tracks;

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Blue Eyes

Your Song

The One

Rocket Man

Tiny Dancer

2 original compositions

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Happy 57th Birthday Bernie Taupin!!!!!!!

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The April 5 prime-time airing on MyNetworkTV of the Elton John birthday concert from New York’s Madison Square Garden earned a household 1.8/3 overnight rating, the highest in the network’s history, according to Nielsen Media Research data.

In 13 of the top 20 markets, the telecast produced ratings of 2.0 or higher, including a 3.1 rating in Miami and a 3.3 rating in Cleveland. In the New York market, the telecast earned a 2.6, in Atlanta, a 2.7, in Chicago, a 2.3, and in Philadelphia, a 2.4.

Among women 25-54, Atlanta produced the highest ratings with a 2.7, while New York recorded a 1.7. Among women 18-49, the Atlanta market recorded a 2.1, while New York earned a 1.8.
MNTV, which went on the air in September 2006, recently announced that it was scrapping its prime-time soap opera format, and moving to mini-series-, reality- and other entertainment specials-type programming.

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According to Adam Chester there will be a convert DVD coming out of the entire concert;

Phil Ramone will be putting the finishing touches on a DVD of the entire concert to be released in the very near future!

Excellent news! Finally some correct decisions are being made.

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From Billboard magazine, break out the champagne!

Elton John earns his 16th top 10 album with the retrospective "Rocket Man: Number Ones" (Rocket/Island), which enters at No. 9 with 49,000. The British songwriter's last set to reach the top 10 was "The Big Picture," which also hit No. 9 back in the fall of 1997. This is also John's seventh hits compilation (including 1990's four-disc "To Be Continued...") to enter the chart.

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Finally….

In all my years of going to Elton John concerts this was probably the most satisfying concert I have seen, and I’ve seen quite a few Elton shows.

Obviously the reason is the set list. As Elton fans we are constantly complaining that Elton does not dig deep enough into is back catalog and pull out the album gems that we all love so much. Lately at his shows he has treated us to 2 or 3 nuggets but ultimately he would fall back into the hits. And how can you blame him. People do not pay hundreds of dollars to go to an Elton John show only to hear songs they do not recognize. They expect the hits and that’s what Elton gives them. I’ve argued many times that to expect Elton to play more of his lesser known music is unreasonable. Elton must cater to all fans, not just the die-hards and stick to what the people want. The hits!

However, lately Elton has been embracing his pas and trying to please his die-hard fans as well as the newer and younger fans that are not as familiar with the “classic years.” In 2005 Elton gave us the “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” 30th Anniversary concert where he played the entire album from start to finish, well except for one song. In addition to that Elton had been giving concert goers more than half of each of his previous albums, Songs From The West Coast and Peachtree Road. So it seemed he has been trying to do something different at his shows to counter the “same old set list” complaint.

So that brings us to March 25, 2007, Elton’s 60th Birthday Concert. What a show! And the reason is the set list he treated us too. I never thought I would hear Elton play “Ballad Of A Well-Known Gun” live. To get that along with “High Flying Bird” and “Where To Now St. Peter” would have been more than enough for me. But then Elton gave us “Hercules” “Madman Across The Water” “Roy Rogers” “Empty Garden” “Holiday Inn” “Burn Down The Mission” and starting off the show with “Sixty Years On” made this an incredible concert.

I felt that this was the perfect mix of songs, all of the right choices were made. The obscure tracks flowed perfectly from one to the other and fit in perfectly with the hits. Some fans expressed worry that loading up the show at the beginning with the lesser known songs could set the wrong tone. That was not the case as the show seemed to flow along at just the right speed. I even noticed from where I was sitting that there was not the usual mass exodus to concessions and bathrooms during these songs as there usually is. Everyone seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this stroll down memory lane.

What can Elton do to top this? I am sure some of his fans will find something but for me I am completely satisfied with this show.

Now lets get the complete show out on DVD, pronto!

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Check it out! A huge improvement!

EltonJohn.com

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Excellent review, but me thinks this guy is not familiar with Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding when he refers to the first half as a "dramatic piano intro"...oh well, it's still a positive review.

Elton Dazzles in Hartford
March 21, 2007

By ERIC R. DANTON, Courant Rock Critic

Las Vegas it's not, but Elton John made his own glitz and glamour Wednesday night at the Hartford Civic Center. That other piano man ventured away from his long-running gig in Sin City to rehearse songs for his 60th birthday party, which he's holding Sunday in New York. It meant a set full of vintage Elton John tunes for the Hartford crowd, as the singer dug deep into his catalog for a few less-heard numbers, some of which were by request.

"In choosing some of the songs, we've taken into account people going to the website and asking to hear a song," he said early in the show.

Dressed in a dark blue shirt and black tails adorned on the back with a glittery likeness of himself from 35 years ago, John's voice sounded thick at times, as if maybe he drank too much Dr. Pepper before the show and was having trouble clearing his throat.

His slick, virtuosic band helped with the high parts on a few tunes, including the gorgeous narrative ballad "High Flying Bird," and John didn't even try to reach the falsetto parts on "Rocket Man." He was still able to belt, though, which he did on a robust version of "Honky Cat."

Whatever vocal difficulties he had didn't affect John's skill on piano. He played dazzling, speedy fills on "Burning Down the Mission" and thumped the keys with authority on the stutter-step rock of "Bennie and the Jets."

John turned the middle of the 2 ½ hour show into a tour through some of his ballads, which was a study in contrasts. Despite its now-or-never message, "The Bridge" from last year's "The Captain & the Kid" was mired in light-rock treacle. "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters," on the other hand, provided some of the most stirring moments of the evening when the expository verses resolved into the clean, soaring melody of the chorus.

The best-known songs, of course, brought the biggest cheers, and the crowd all but let out a collective "awww" when John played the opening notes to "Tiny Dancer." He let the audience sing the refrain on the juiced-up boogie of "Crocodile Rock," and seemed to delight in the five-letter word flashing in huge letters on the screen behind him on a rowdy version of "The Bitch is Back."

John ended the regular set with "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" and then returned for a two-song encore. After the first number, a version of "Love Lies Bleeding" with a dramatic piano intro, he thanked the United States for having welcomed him "from the word go." He dedicated his final tune, "Your Song," to the crowd for its support over the years.

Sixty Years On
Madman Across The Water
Where to Now St Peter
Hercules
High Flying Bird
Holiday Inn
Burn Down the Mission
Take Me to The Pilot
Daniel
Honky Cat
Rocket Man
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
The Bridge
Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Bennie And The Jets
All The Young Girls Love Alice
Tiny Dancer
Something About The Way You Look Tonight
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
I'm Still Standing
The Bitch Is Back
Crocodile Rock
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Your Song

Elton finally moves into the 21st century, technologically speaking;

iTunes scoops Sir Elton John catalogue exclusive
Sir Elton John will release his entire catalogue through iTunes next week

Jonny Evans

Sir Elton John this morning revealed plans to make his entire catalogue of releases available exclusively through iTunes starting next week.

The entire catalogue of 400 tracks will be made available through the store starting 26 March, his artist management agents explained. The music will be available exclusively there until 30 April, when it will be made available through other music services.

The artist explained: "I've wanted my music to be available for digital download worldwide for some time, but I knew that the entire catalogue not just the hits needed care and attention to be released in this way. Now that it's happening, I'm pleased for the fans' sake. The world has certainly changed since Philips Records issued my first single on seven-inch vinyl 39 years ago this month."

While some albums are already available through iTunes, the artist will now make over 30 albums available online.

The move coincides with the global release in physical and digital formats of a new, 18-track compilation of his work, Rocket Man The Definitive Hits, from Universal's Mercury Records imprint.

A selection of Sir Elton's biggest hits will also be made available as mobile-phone realtones for the first time, while a selection of his music videos will also be made available online.

Sir Elton celebrates his 60th birthday this weekend with a concert performance at New York's Madison Square Garden.

The artist has sold over 200 million albums worldwide since 1970, and is one of the most successful touring performers and top-selling recording artists of all time.

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Elton John's 60th Birthday Concert from Madison Square Garden on March 25 (his birthday!) is going to be webcast live on MSN.

Here is the link to view the show;

Elton John's 60th Birthday Concert Live from MSG

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According to the UK Independent;

As he hits 60 next Sunday, he will be at one of three ostentatious celebrations to mark the milestone. This one will be a little more public than the other two, with 19,500 fans watching him at New York's Madison Square Garden, opening the show with a fitting rendition of his 1970 song "Sixty Years On".

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Paul McCartney set to sign on with Starbucks Records. Could Elton be next? The answer should be YES! But what does Elton want to do. If Elton is looking to breakaway from the pack and get some much needed exposure of his music to a new audience than this sounds like the way to go to me!

So how about Elton? Follow Paul's lead!

LET IT BEAN

STARBUCKS TO START MUSIC LABEL, EYES MCCARTNEY

By PETER LAURIA

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March 11, 2007 -- Having already proven that it can sell other companies' music, coffee giant Starbucks is planning to launch its own record label and is close to a deal for the next album from former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney to be its first release, according to sources familiar with the plans.

The formation of Starbucks Records, as the unit is expected to be called, could be announced as soon as this week, according to these sources.

Launching a record label is something "that has been bandied about for quite a while," said one source. "They think they are empowered enough to do that."

Said another: "They have a very targeted, efficient distribution channel that allows them to be profitable in a limited way with music."

Starbusks could also take on a partner in the venture.

Unlike its Hear Music operation, which releases the Artists Choice compilation series that features musicians such as Sheryl Crow or The Rolling Stones selecting songs that influenced them, Starbucks Records is expected sign, record and produce its own artists rather than licensing songs from other labels.

That's where Sir Paul comes in. The wrinkly rocker not only fits with the Starbucks demographic, but also is a free agent not signed to any label, sources said.

A spokesman for McCartney could not be reached.

Up until now, Starbucks has only distributed music though its retail coffee shops. But it is believed that Starbucks Records will seek to secure distribution for its releases in other retail outlets.

Starbucks Hear Music had its greatest success with the release of Ray Charles' "Genius Loves Company," a co-production with Concord Records that went on to win eight Grammy awards including Album of the Year.

The caffeine pusher has enough licensing deals in place with major and independent record labels to build its own digital-music store a la Apple's iTunes, or it could bring in a partner to help build the digital infrastructure.

There have been talks about putting kiosks in its shops so that customers can shop for music and create their own compilations while waiting for their $5 cup of joe.

"We are constantly in discussions with potential partners to create innovative ways to help our customers discover quality entertainment offerings," Starbucks said in a statement issued to The Post. "We have no announcement regarding any new partnership at this time."

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