dumb flag scum

Exclusive Interview with Depeche Mode

2010-04-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

How the trio escaped THEIR demons to make a great album

In their 29-year career, Depeche Mode have sold 75 million albums, scaled the peaks of electro and goth pop heaven, and tasted the bitter fruits of rock hell.

That they are still together at all, let alone on the form captured on new album, Sounds Of The Universe, is a remarkable achievement.

The group were feared to be a spent force when founder member and major songwriter Vince Clarke left back in 1981. But they went on to even greater glories, conquering the world with their melodic, perverted and compulsive sound.

Dave Gahan, 46, has been drug-free for several years, but up close his lean, wrinkled and unshaven face has the mark of a man who took his leather-clad rock god role too far.

In 1995, he was the most obviously smacked-out musician I have interviewed. Later, he apparently attempted suicide, and was declared clinically dead on at least two further occasions.

"It was the cliché of being the rock star, indulging it, having fun but losing track of everything else," admits Gahan today.

"I should have listened more carefully to what all the people like Bowie, who I grew up listening to, said about it. There was something about the isolation and weirdness of going into that utopian world that was attractive. But like any other story in that department, you get lost."

The other band members - Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher, both 47 - also had periods of addiction, depression and mental instability.

While Gahan breaks smoking regulations in the basement suite of a London members' club, Gore and Fletcher are talking in a room two floors above. The tensions in the band are well known. "The last tour, performance-wise, was one of the best we have ever done. It was really focused," says Gahan puffing on his cheroot.

"We had our moments offstage, but you spend a year on the road and it's like brothers together. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes it's, 'Get the f*** out of my room'. A dysfunctional family? Of course we are. What family isn't?"

Speaking of which, when I enter, Gahan's arranging lunch with his son Jack on the phone. It's a relationship he has done much to try to repair.

"I think I'm getting to be a better dad," he admits. "It's the toughest job. Jack's 22 this year, a young man, but I still think of him as a little kid.

"I live in New York and he's here in England so I don't see him all the time, but we do talk every other day. I have two other kids in New York who are nine and 16. The 16-year-old is going into the 'I hate you' phase. It's brutal, especially on his mum."

He laughs knowingly. Gahan himself was a teenage delinquent and quite a handful for his single-parent mum. Even now when he comes off tour he's restless.

"There's a lot of fighting with the missus, trying to interfere with how she's running the home," he grimaces. "That kind of stuff happens."

Upstairs, Gore, with his curly corn-coloured locks, and the dour Fletcher consider their singer as objectively as they can.

"There was a bit of bravado from Dave when he did his first solo album," offers Gore. "He said a few things then, but it was important for him to succeed. His writing songs has made Depeche much closer, because he's much more confident within the band now." There's been some debate about Fletcher's creative input in the band. So how does Martin view that?

"I see Andy as the voice of the man on the street," he smiles. "He pulls us back if we ever go off in a direction that's too arty. He'll say, 'You can't do that', or 'What will my mum say?'"

But the voice of the man in the street has had his troubles too, suffering a nervous breakdown on one tour. "Yes, but I don't want to go into it," says Fletcher. Gore suffered from panic attacks and medicated with alcohol, but he's been teetotal for three years. "I'm one of the weird people who gave up drinking halfway through a tour," he laughs. "I realised the amount I was drinking was far too much for too long.On tour everything doubles. If you add up the number of units you are consuming it's frightening."

The newly settled Depeche family have made it through to record another career landmark. But unlike on a previous tour, just after Gahan began his recovery, the Sounds Of The Universe live travelling party will not include a therapist.

"That was meant to be for Dave," laughs Fletcher, "but he never spoke to him once. We ended up using him a lot, sorting our own problems out."

"But we never used him correctly," reflects Gore. "We used to talk to him on our way to the airport."

GAVIN MARTIN 2009

Personal Jesus

2010-04-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who cares

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who's there

Feeling unknown

And you're all alone

Flesh and bone

By the telephone

Lift up the receiver

I'll make you a believer

Take second best

Put me to the test

Things on your chest

You need to confess

I will deliver

You know I'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who cares

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who's there

Feeling unknown

And you're all alone

Flesh and bone

By the telephone

Lift up the receiver

I'll make you a believer

I will deliver

You know I'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Reach out and touch faith

Songwriter: Martin L. Gore 1989

DEPECHE MODE NEWS!!!

2008-10-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

THE-ABYSS

Depeche Mode sign worldwide exclusive deal with EMI Music - to include the US for the first time

Depeche Mode to release new album in April 2009, followed by first-ever stadium tour in May

LONDON, 7 OCTOBER 2009 -- EMI Music is thrilled to announce that it has signed an exclusive worldwide deal with multi-platinum recording artists Depeche Mode. EMI Music's Mute label has been the best-selling British trio’s international home since 1981 when the label released the group’s debut single Dreaming of Me in the U.K. The new deal means that EMI Music will now release Depeche Mode’s music in the US for the first time, as well as in the rest of the world.

Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode said: "We are so pleased to be continuing our relationship with Mute, and we feel very positive about the new team and set-up at EMI. This is going to be an exciting new chapter."

Nick Gatfield, EMI Music's president - A&R Labels, North America, the UK and Ireland, said: "We are delighted to be extending our relationship with Depeche Mode, and to be supporting them in the US for the first time. They are one of the world's most innovative and successful bands who continuously push boundaries and excite fans with their recording and live work."

Daniel Miller, chairman, Mute, said: "I am really happy to be continuing to work with the band. They have been reaching new creative heights in the studio and they have one of the most devoted fanbases of any band in the world today. I believe that the Mute and EMI teams are extremely well positioned to help Depeche Mode build on their success."

The first release under Depeche Mode’s worldwide agreement with EMI Music is a new studio album, the band’s twelfth, due outside the U.S. on April 20th, 2009, and in the US on April 21st. Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, and Andy Fletcher are currently in New York working on the album, which will be the follow-up to Depeche Mode’s 2005 release Playing the Angel, which reached No. 1 in 18 countries.

In addition, Depeche Mode has announced dates for the European leg of its "Tour of the Universe 2009" — the group’s first-ever stadium tour in which they will perform in 28 cities across 21 countries. The tour, which kicks off in Israel on May 10th, is the band’s first since 2005’s "Touring the Angel" trek, which smashed European sales records with 1.8 million tickets sold across 87 shows.

Formed in Basildon, England, in 1980, Depeche are considered the founding fathers of the ’80s synthpop movement and have become one of the most influential pop groups of the last 25 years by inspiring generations of new artists with their sublime, superlative electronica. The group has racked up multiple hit singles, including Just Can’t Get Enough, Everything Counts, Enjoy the Silence, People Are People, Master and Servant, Personal Jesus, Policy of Truth and Precious. Their 11 studio albums — 1981’s Speak & Spell, 1982’s A Broken Frame, 1983’s Construction Time Again, 1984’s Some Great Reward, 1986’s Black Celebration, 1987’s Music for the Masses, 1990’s Violator, 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion, 1997’s Ultra, 2001’s Exciter, and 2005’s Playing the Angel — have collectively sold more than 75 million copies worldwide.

'The Dark Knight'

2008-07-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

A gifted actor goes out in a fireball of glory.

KURT LODER

There's an electrifying moment early on in "The Dark Knight" that involves a demented villain, a troublesome thug and an everyday writing device. It's over in an instant — a passing jolt — but from that point on, the Joker, as alarmingly incarnated by the late Heath Ledger, has our undivided attention.

This is a considerable feat, given how crowded the movie is with Other Stuff: a love triangle, a second super villain (third, if you count the brief encore by Cillian Murphy's Scarecrow — out on a day pass from Arkham Asylum, presumably), angry mobsters, doomed clowns, an intricate financial rip-off, a side trip to Hong Kong, and, of course, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling, sea-to-shining-sea pyro-automotive mayhem.

"The Dark Knight" is even more blazingly ambitious than its predecessor, the 2005 "Batman Begins." Director Christopher Nolan lingers over roaring flames and flying rubble as if he had only lately discovered them. (Maybe he figured they'd seem fresh down at the tender end of the movie's target demographic.) The rest of the picture is briskly edited, but Nolan's delight in nonstop detonation helps push it up to the two-and-a-half-hour mark, and then over it. Fortunately, whenever the Joker appears, with his crumbling pancaked face, seaweed hair and giddy malevolence, things start perking up.

As the movie begins, Batman (Christian Bale) is in ill repute among the citizens of Gotham, who now revile him as an out-of-control vigilante. Meanwhile, the municipal criminal element, led by Salvatore Maroni (Eric Roberts, an even less-likely Italian mob boss than Tom Wilkinson was in the last picture), has problems of its own: Somebody has hoovered millions in ill-gotten gains out of the syndicate's secret bank accounts. Then there's the crusading new district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), a straight arrow who's just as committed to thug-busting as Batman is, but equally opposed to the hooded crime-fighter's corner-cutting butt-kickery. Batman, for his part, welcomes Dent's arrival on the scene — what with all the burgher bad-mouthing lately, he's seriously considering retirement. On the other hand, Bruce Wayne, the man hidden beneath those bat ears, can't help noticing that Harvey is also making moves on the girl of his dreams, Assistant DA Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal in for Katie Holmes, thank you, God).

The would-be mastermind who's ripping off the mob is a rogue mogul named Lau (Chin Han), who's inconveniently located in Hong Kong. Batman and the Joker both want this guy (the mobsters, idiots all, think the Joker is working for them); but it's Batman who goes the extra 10,000 miles to make the collar. Was this trip worth the sizable chunk of production budget it undoubtedly cost? Maybe. There's a glorious shot of the globetrotting superhero perched high above the gleaming city, and when he dives down into the night and his cape-wings snap open and he begins sailing around among the skyscrapers, you have to smile at the simple beauty of the image. Then, following a ferocious bullet ballet at Lau's corporate headquarters, there's a spectacular airborne getaway that justifies whatever amount it cost to stage.

In fact, few directors can whip up action with as much mad gusto as Nolan. His set-piece 18-wheeler truck somersault, already familiar from the trailer, may be a first; but the smaller-scaled shot in which Batman guns his armored motorcycle (OK, "Bat-Pod") halfway up a wall and flips it to reverse his direction is pretty slick, too. I won't go into the very long chase scene through Chicago's multilevel streets — a riot of careening trucks, plummeting helicopters and thundering bazookas — except to say that it's a virtuoso demonstration of choreographed pandemonium.

Amid all this photogenic chaos, however, the story of Harvey Dent — one of the more complex characters in the Batman universe — feels oddly truncated. As anyone who's likely to see "The Dark Knight" will probably know, Dent suffers a gruesome injury that leaves half of his face looking like something you might find hanging from a hook in a meat locker. It also cleaves his personality, turning him into the tragically conflicted Two-Face, a semi-villain who determines his every significant action — for good or for evil — with an amoral flip of a coin. Aaron Eckhart's heroic jaw and beaming blondness make for an appealing pre-disaster Dent, and he navigates the character's slide into madness with careful emotional shifts. But in the comics, Two-Face, who's been around almost from the beginning, keeps coming back to inflict further worry on his costumed adversary (in fact, he's still around today). In this re-tooled film franchise, however ... well, let's say that probably won't be happening.

As in the first movie, Bale does his most personable work as Bruce Wayne. Bantering with his suave armorer, Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), and his loyal butler, Alfred (Michael Caine), or languidly disporting himself on a yacht filled with twittering ballerinas, Bale the actor seems actually to be having the fun that the troubled Wayne character can only pretend to. Once he slips into Batman's cape and cowl and trademark glower, though, he's boxed in; and the choked, staccato growl with which he voices his lines seems weirder than ever — he sounds as if he's speaking from the bottom of a frog pond.

This allows Ledger to take over the movie — which he probably would have done in any event. His performance as the Joker glimmers with unexpected tones and edges, and it lightens the movie's thick, operatic texture. The character as written has an odd flaw: Although he's supposed to be an improvisational maniac ("Do I look like a man with a plan?"), his murderous schemes — especially one involving two ferries filled with terrified passengers — are in fact intricately worked out in advance. But Ledger plays him as a wild card anyway, and he's scary and funny and completely convincing. Whatever the movie's shortcomings (an attempt to raise FISA-style objections to an altogether nifty eavesdropping stunt is pretty lame), Ledger barrels past them. Eerily, at the end of this film, his Joker seems to have been set up for a return engagement in the next one. "I think you and I will be doing this forever," he tells Batman. If only.

Ledger's talent lives on as The Joker in 'Dark Knight'

2008-07-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY
The Joker is more than wild.

It's a tribute to the power of Heath Ledger's transcendent performance in The Dark Knight (* * * * out of four) that we can watch him, transfixed and deeply unsettled by the character's creepiness, laugh at his comic menace, and still manage to block out thoughts of the actor's tragic and untimely death. This is a career-making performance if ever there was one. Too bad it was a career-ending one as well.

Actors are sometimes described as "disappearing into a role." Never was that term more fitting than in the case of Ledger. To go from the taciturn ranch hand in Brokeback Mountain to the randy philanderer in Casanova to the mid-career Bob Dylan in I'm Not There to the embodiment of comic book evil is a stunning trajectory.

With his cracked white pancake makeup, black-rimmed eyes, smeared lipstick and greasy, greenish-tinged hair, The Joker bears no resemblance to the strikingly handsome actor who played him. In fact, the character is like nothing we've seen or heard before.

Sure, there's a whiff of Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange in the performance, but Ledger has made this anarchic maniac a singular and supremely unhinged villain. From the clumsily repellant way he flips his tongue around to his sneering, nasal voice, he is a peerless eccentric.

He has the movie's best lines, of course: "What doesn't kill you makes you stranger." And the much-quoted "Why so serious?" He even pays homage to a classic movie line, in a truly twisted way. In addition to his malicious wit, this self-described "agent of chaos" also has dialogue that gives us a window into his diabolical soul.

But as much as this is Ledger's movie, that should not diminish the notable accomplishments of other key cast members. Just as he was in Batman Begins, Christian Bale is a suavely perfect Bruce Wayne and a consummately heroic Caped Crusader. Gary Oldman hits all the right notes in his returning role as police lieutenant Jim Gordon. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are excellent in their reprised roles. Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes and adds depth to the role. Aaron Eckhart is superb as Harvey Dent, the principled district attorney, dubbed "Gotham's White Knight."

Accolades must also go to director and co-screenwriter Christopher Nolan. The Dark Knight is a more thrilling, intelligent, morally complex and masterfully crafted film than any summer blockbuster in recent years. It's probably the best superhero movie to date. Despite its comic-book origins and fantasy setting, the story poses timely and compelling ethical dilemmas, demonstrating that popcorn thrillers need not be mindless nor disposable.

A scene involving hacking into the Gotham citizenry's cellphones has echoes of real-life wiretapping controversies. When a hospital is blown to bits, the image looks frighteningly like a bombing in Iraq, rather than a remarkable feat of computer generation.

Though it clocks in at 2 1/2, hours, the film has a notable economy of storytelling and is tautly edited. The thrill-ride action footage can be jaw-dropping, especially when seen on IMAX. Nolan shot six major action sequences with IMAX cameras, and the movie is even more compelling in this format.

Unlike other movies in this genre, the violence is not cartoonish, but bone-crunchingly visceral. Parents should be cautioned to take the PG-13 rating seriously. An R-rating might have been more appropriate given the level of mayhem, darkness and destruction.

When was the last time you saw a blockbuster that was impeccably executed and simultaneously thought-provoking, audacious and unnerving while consistently being fun and entertaining? Dark Knight has all the requisite breathtaking explosiveness and suspenseful jolts.

But it surprises the audience in more profound ways by busting up the genre and giving us a terrifying and humorous villain who will remain etched in our memories.

(Running time: 2 hours, 32 minutes. Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace. Opens Thursday in select theaters and Friday nationwide.)

Death Spiral

2008-02-12T18:45:00.001-08:00

Death Spiral
Actor Brad Renfro's sad death, despite efforts to lift him from substance abuse, was saddening but not surprising in a town that calls to the troubled as well as the talented.
By Rachel Abramowitz
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

February 10, 2008

BRAD RENFRO had insisted over the phone that he was clean. That's what the teen actor, hot from his performances as a troubled youth with sad eyes in such films as "The Client" and "Sleepers," told director Larry Clark. Clark, one of America's foremost chroniclers of teenage desperation, had just cast Renfro as the lead in "Bully," his true-life tale of a bunch of pot-smoking Florida teenagers who murder the local bully.

But then Clark met his 18-year-old star.

The director, who'd once battled heroin addiction himself, stopped by Renfro's Knoxville, Tenn., home on the way to the film's Florida location. It was the summer of 2000, and Renfro emerged from the house that he shared with his grandmother with blood streaming down his arms. He was bloated and looked 35. And so continued a painful, downward spiral -- one of the most excruciating Hollywood has seen of late.

"I said, 'What the [hell] are you doing?' " recalls Clark. "He'd been banging coke. He has tracks running down both arms. He looks horrible. I just saw the whole movie going down the drain." (Financing was contingent on Renfro's participation.)

Clark spent the next three days with Renfro. They talked. The young actor cried a lot, and continued to shoot up cocaine. Clark hatched a plan to get him clean for production.

"I kidnapped him," says the director. The pair jumped in the car one day, on the director's pretense of going somewhere, and Clark just "gunned it" for Florida. "He kicked in the car. He had a seizure. There's nothing you can do. It doesn't last that long."

In Florida, the production hired a trainer and a minder for Renfro. Clark took Renfro to 12-step meetings. Still, in the evenings, Renfro would manage to finagle alcohol.

Clark adds, "I've been around a lot of addicts and alcoholics, and I remember thinking at the time, this is one of the worst cases I've ever seen."

Brad Renfro died Jan. 15, 2008. He was 25.

A week later, 28-year-old Heath Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment. He died of a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs -- among them medications that go by the brand names OxyContin, Vicodin, Valium, Xanax, Restoril and Unisom.

Saddening, not surprising

THE cycle of destructiveness seems to have accelerated. It was shocking in 1993 when River Phoenix overdosed from heroin and cocaine at age 23, shocking because of his youth. Now we live in a time when the Associated Press is pre-writing Britney Spears' obituary. Has Hollywood become an incubator of abuse or a mirror of society? Or are we all just more aware of its troubled denizens because of the hyper 24/7 coverage?

Renfro's death saddened those who knew him, but did not surprise them. Many in Hollywood had tried to help him, but his addiction torpedoed relationships and his career. There were small obits, much smaller than his last high-profile appearance in the press, a photograph of Renfro in handcuffs on the front of The Times, arrested during a 2005 raid of skid row for trying to buy heroin.

In contrast, Ledger's passing provoked an outpouring of public grief about talent cut short before its full blossoming. The fiercely talented Ledger certainly did not seem like a man in self-destruction's grip. Yet after his death, tabloids ran stories of the Oscar nominee's supposed double life. Unnamed sources talked about his use of cocaine, heroin and other drugs, which were said to have contributed to the dissolution of his relationship with girlfriend Michelle Williams and subsequent despair.

Still, unlike Renfro, Ledger had spent the last year of his life working frantically, hurling himself into a multi-continent shoot as the crazed Joker in "The Dark Knight," and then plunging into Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus."

All through January, Ledger worked despite having a bad cold that turned into pneumonia. He told the New York Times in November, "Last week, I probably slept an average of two hours a night. I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted and my mind was still going."

In his professional drive, Ledger was different from the members of young Hollywood who usually end up in the tabloids and the police blotters. Paparazzi have been bolstering their bottom lines with an endless array of women in distress -- pretty twentysomethings such as Lindsay Lohan and Spears. Who knows whether women are actually suffering more than men? It's just that the tabloid-fashion-restaurant industries depend on pretty girls to sell magazines, clothes and trendy clubs.

"Drug abuse is so much more underreported than anyone realizes," says one former studio chief, who declined to be named, adding, "I think they [actors] all take a lot of drugs."

Just in recent days, which included Spears' midnight motorcade to the hospital, starlet Eva Mendes checked into rehab. The hit list of young actors with onetime substance abuse problems includes Balthazar Getty, Ben Affleck and Juliette Lewis.

"I just think what we see in young Hollywood is reflective in what we see happening in young America -- the pandemic of drug addiction," says Dr. Drew Pinsky, who appears in VH1's "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew." "Where we're losing ground is pharmaceuticals drug addiction."

According to a 2006 survey by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, while illegal drug use remains steady, pharmaceutical drug abuse is going up among young adults. Pinsky reels off some popular culprits: Valium, Ambien, Vicodin, OxyContin, Ritalin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdoses kill more people than guns, second only after car accidents. In the most recent data, accidental poisoning deaths (primarily from prescription drugs) rose 62.5% from 1999 to 2004. Indeed, the New York medical examiner declared Ledger's death an accident, caused by the "abuse of prescription medications."

Pinsky sees a higher incidence of drug use among celebrities because Hollywood is a magnet for the troubled: "People who come from traumatic backgrounds gravitate toward the solution of becoming a celebrity."

And the environment doesn't help. "A lot of people who get into trouble with drugs are also people who feel emptiness in their day-to-day lives. They seek drama," says Southern California psychotherapist and addiction specialist Jim Conway. "For actors who do features, they have this huge circus environment for a few weeks. Then it's over and they're empty."

It's notoriously hard to control an addicted celebrity and sometimes the only reliable checks seem to be the insurance companies and the police. The insurance companies can refuse to insure substance abusers. A representative for Fireman's Fund Insurance, which covers most studio films, says about 10% of productions have actors with these issues.

Once an actor has a brush with the law, it can become much harder to get insured. In the recently published "Conversations With Woody Allen," the director bemoans how he'd wanted to cast Robert Downey Jr. and Winona Ryder in "Melinda and Melinda" but couldn't get them covered. Downey had spent a stint in jail on drug charges; when authorities busted Ryder for shoplifting in 2001, they found eight different painkillers in her purse. "We were heartbroken because I had worked with Winona before and thought she was perfect for this."

Yet one lawyer who deals frequently with insurance issues points out that all kinds of deals can be made for a superstar, like daily drug testing or furnishing a sober companion, but "as someone's star begins to fall, there's a lot less will to justify the hoops."

A key break

BRAD RENFRO'S whole career started, improbably enough, because as an 11-year-old fifth-grader he'd been difficult in a Drug Abuse Resistance Education class taught by a retired policeman. "He was absolutely your problem child," says Dennis Bowman. "The very first day, I kicked him out of class." Bowman grew to like Renfro, but "he was still a piece of work as far as being out of control."

By many accounts, he came from a troubled background. His dad, a factory worker, and his mom split up when he was a toddler, and his mom deposited him on the Knoxville inner-city steps of his paternal grandmother. Says Bowman, "The grandmother was trying her best to raise a kid who was taking advantage of the situation and creating a lot of stress on her."

At the time, the late casting director Mali Finn was conducting a search for a kid to star in "The Client," the movie version of the John Grisham legal thriller about a Southern trailer-park kid who winds up embroiled in a Mafia hit. "We wanted that kid in the principal's office. That endearing, mischievous boy that may be lying to you, may not be telling you the truth, but you're still charmed by him," says casting director Emily Schweber, Finn's associate at the time. When one of Finn's letters describing their search arrived at the Knoxville Police Department, Bowman immediately thought of Renfro.

After auditioning him in her hotel room, Finn called Schweber and said, "I found him." Renfro and his grandmother later flew to California to screen-test. They'd never been on a plane or stayed in a hotel.

"He was really fun, really charming, a little bit wild, and amazing in the scenes. Where he learned how to do this, I don't know. Some kids really enjoy role-playing and acting," says Schweber. "He had a lot of energy but sometimes he did have dark moods."

Both Finn and Joel Schumacher later called J.J. Harris, who now manages such stars as Charlize Theron, to check out their child lead. Harris flew to the North Carolina set to watch Renfro work and was charmed. "You just wanted to take care of this boy. He was a gorgeous little boy. Rough-and-tumble. Very self-aware," she says. "He'd say things like 'Nobody can put up with me 'cause I'm too hot to handle.' " Adds Harris, "He was just obviously screaming for someone to establish some kind of boundaries for him, something that never happened in his life."

When Bowman finally saw "The Client," he thought Renfro "wasn't acting. Brad played himself. He had these street smarts and the swagger of a 19- or 20-year-old. If you met somebody like that now, your first reaction would be, 'What a punk.' But you scrape away all these layers, you think this is a 12-year-old trying to act tough."

Launching a career

EVEN back then there were signs of addiction issues. Renfro could be sneaky. As one who knew him well noted, any bottles of booze would invariably disappear when Renfro was around. Still, he managed to launch his career, flying from Knoxville to Los Angeles, often by himself, for auditions. The assistants at his agency, United Talent Agency, would drive him to meetings with casting directors, and the rest of the time he'd mostly cruise the agency halls and flirt with all the women. "This wasn't a bad kid -- this was a really emotionally abandoned person," says Harris.

His vulnerability combined with a tough persona entranced Hollywood. He was cast as a compassionate roughneck who befriends a kid suffering from AIDS in "The Cure," and as Huck Finn in "Tom and Huck." "He was exactly what you would expect -- a brooding, intense, rebellious fellow," says "Tom and Huck" producer Larry Mark. "He got a kick out of not going the straight and narrow."

In "Sleepers," Barry Levinson's drama about four neighborhood kids who are abused by sadistic guards in juvenile prison, he played the younger version of Brad Pitt's character. Knowing of his wildness, Levinson mandated that Renfro be accompanied by a minder 24 hours a day. Levinson later told a reporter, "He was fraught with demons and needed help."

Harris admits that initially she didn't realize the depth of Renfro's problems -- in part because so many child actors she dealt with came from chaotic families. Indeed, bouncing around UTA at the same time were both Drew Barrymore and Bijou Phillips, very young actresses who've both gone public about their teenage problems with substance abuse. "I just tried to have a sense of humor and be there for them," she recalls.

In "Apt Pupil," Renfro's last major studio movie, he played a compassionless A-student entranced by a former Nazi commandant -- played by Ian McKellen -- living incognito in the suburbs. "I knew he'd been wrestling for years with different problems," says director Bryan Singer. "But on workdays, he was always focused and into it. Quite professional." And good, particularly in his mad tango with the British pro McKellen. "You could see moment by moment them learning from each other and a lot of mutual respect."

But off-screen, there could be a manic energy and a radiating neediness. "You could tell he didn't have any sort of adult guidance. People couldn't help themselves but become unofficial guardians of him. There were a lot of people on the crew -- everyone from costumers to electricians -- always trying to support him," says producer Don Murphy.

Through the legal system

IN 1998, the year "Apt Pupil" was released, Renfro was busted for cocaine and marijuana, and began what became a long odyssey through the legal system, with a half-dozen arrests.

Although Clark had a minder staying with Renfro during the "Bully" production in the summer of 2000, the actor climbed out a second-story window and stole down to a nearby marina. According to Clark, Renfro "met some coke dealer and got [messed] up." He hot-wired a yacht and gunned it -- except he forgot to untie the boat. Renfro was arrested and charged with grand theft. He ultimately pleaded out and was sentenced to a fine and two years' probation.

"Bully" had to shut down for a day, and when the young actor got out of jail, he had to go straight to shooting a scene in which he emerges from the ocean and impresses a raft of girls with his youthful charisma. "He's all dehydrated and feels terrible," recalls Clark. "But he could just do stuff like that and he was young. He was a very natural actor. He didn't study his lines. I doubt he read the whole script, but when you turned on the camera, he was magic.

"He was so good you would kind of forgive him for being a [screw]-up." He pauses. "For a minute."

Yet, after causing a delay on "Bully," it became hard for Renfro to get insurance, says Harris, and hence harder for him to land parts. "It got to a place where I ran out of options," says the agent, who'd seen him through two stints at rehab and numerous futile conversations about staying clean. "He'd either get really angry, laugh it off or change the subject," she says, remembering how Renfro used to come into her office, lie on the couch and complain about what seemed like alcohol poisoning. " 'I'm nauseous. I can't see straight. I feel like my heart is palpitating,' and then he'd usually fall asleep.' "

To those in Hollywood, he inevitably seemed worse when he returned from his home in Knoxville. Or when he wasn't working, and there wasn't a Hollywood-designated minder watching over him.

"He wasn't good at that going-home bit, going back to his life" after the social activity of a movie set, adds Guy Ferland. As an associate producer on "The Client," Ferland would help keep Renfro healthily occupied in off hours with activities like trips to an amusement park. He later helped get him into a Knoxville Montessori school (Renfro dropped out within weeks) and directed him in "Telling Lies in America." "I'm not sure Brad really liked being alone. There was always some party, whatever he needed to do to keep the energy going."

Renfro quit J.J. Harris around 2001 and never spoke to her again, although he continued to work on smaller films, little seen, sometimes low-rent indies such as "Deuces Wild" and "The Job."

In 2006, he spent 10 days in jail for DUI and heroin possession. "He was very conscious that he was alone in the world and didn't have the kind of family and support system that others had," says his former lawyer Blair Berk.

As recently as last June, a judge declared he'd violated his probation by not enrolling in a long-term drug-treatment program, which he subsequently did. "We thought he turned the corner over the last six months. He'd been clean," says another of his lawyers, Richard Kaplan.

What caused Renfro's death is still unknown. The police have not released autopsy results. Apparently, Renfro had been drinking heavily the night before, and a Los Angeles roommate found him dead in his bed. Two days earlier, he'd had an obscene tattoo applied to his chest.

Even when plunging into the darkness, Renfro always tried to maintain his bad-boy bravado. On his MySpace page, on which he last posted in 2005, he described his career highlights and wrote, "When I started I didn't have any experience but now I would say I'm your typical Marlon Brando. . . . My friends sometimes say that I have the attitude of Eminem on Prozac but at the same time I also have a caring but loving side 2 me as well. . . ."

Bowman, who still lives in Knoxville, remembers telling his wife when Renfro landed "The Client," "This will be either the best thing that happened to Brad Renfro or the worst." In retrospect, Bowman's not sure that Hollywood made any difference in Renfro's fate. Neither is anyone else. "I think he was troubled before he got to Hollywood," says Singer, who went on to launch the "X-Men" franchise. "I think that when there's enough drugs involved it has less to do with the pressures of Hollywood and more to do with the pressures of life."

rachel.abramowitz@latimes.com

Times staff writer Christopher Goffard contributed reporting.

Amy confessed: ‘I’m addicted to heroin’

2007-08-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

Amy confessed: ‘I’m addicted to heroin’

Sobbing Amy Winehouse sipped Ovaltine and tucked into chocolate cake as she confessed to her mum-in-law that she was a heroin addict.

The troubled singer held husband Blake Fielder-Civil's hand while she poured out her heart to Georgette Civil and Blake's stepfather Giles.

Then Georgette took Amy out on to a hotel balcony where the star revealed that she and Blake could not live without drugs.

Amy, 23, made her confession just days after she collapsed and was rushed to hospital following a three-day booze and drugs bender.

Now she and Blake, 25, are being treated together for heroin and cocaine addiction at a secret location in America.

Hair salon boss Georgette, 42, said last night: "You can't blame Amy and you can't blame Blake. They are both as bad as each other.

"It's the hardest thing in the world for me to say in public that my son and his wife have a drug problem.

"They've admitted it. It's not a crime to admit this and they must not feel ashamed."

But soon after confessing what friends and family had feared for months, Amy and Blake were back indulging in their habit.

They smoked heroin delivered by a pal to their £3,000-a-night suite at the luxury country hotel.

The Mirror revealed how Amy and Blake agreed to treatment after seeing a top Harley Street GP recommended to them by Kelly Osbourne.

Ironically, the devoted couple only decided to seek help after a feud between their families.

They held a summit at the four star Four Seasons Hotel in Hook, Hants, last Friday called by Amy's dad Mitch and paid for by the star's record company.

Georgette revealed that before a blazing family row with Mitch, she heard Amy's confession.

Georgette said: "Amy looked fabulous. She had earlier been for a spa sauna and massage and was relaxing in a big white gown.

"She was very bouncy and giggly and sat there with a huge tray of Ovaltine and cakes."

Georgette went on: "Blake and Amy feel at ease with us because we treat them as adults not naughty children and don't dictate to them.

"We can't force them to give up drugs, it has to come from them, but we can encourage them to get help. I know my son's had a drug problem ever since he was 20 and moved down to London.

"I needed to know about Amy's problems and we had a chat - just the two of us - on the balcony.

"She told me she was addicted to heroin and cocaine.

"She admitted 'It's silly, but you just get carried away'."

The confession was not a total shock to Georgette and she went to bed proud that her daughter-in-law had been so open with her.

But shortly afterwards, Blake and Amy collected some heroin from a dealer and smoked it until the early hours.

It was over breakfast the next morning that Amy's best friend Juliette Ashby dropped the bombshell on both Blake and Amy's families.

She said she had gone into Amy's suite and spotted charred pieces of foil she suspected Amy had used to smoke heroin the night before.

Georgette revealed: "Mitch was very upset and angry. Amy denied it to her dad but later said she had taken heroin in her room with Blake.

"Mitch blamed Amy's husband and blew his top when Giles tried to defend him."

Primary school head teacher Giles added: "I didn't say anything back to him and didn't retaliate.

"He was getting highly emotional and kept blaming Blake for Amy's problems."

Georgette said: "Later Giles phoned him then he apologised unreservedly." She added: "Ironically Mitch losing his temper at Giles has helped Amy and Blake.

"It has brought home the seriousness of their problems and they are now tackling them."

Amy, who was left in tears by the spectacle, then confessed to both families that she and Blake were badly addicted to drugs.

Georgette said: "There was lots of emotion."

Georgette rang the Harley Street GP who rushed to the hotel and arranged for them to have urgent treatment in the US. She went on: "Both families are just very pleased and proud for them to recognize they have a problem and that they are making steps to cure it.

"They couldn't have done it separately - it's something they had to do together.

It's very reassuring to know they are getting the help they need.

"They're both lost but we are going to get them back. They have to take control of their lives."

Amy in Rehab for Heroin

2007-08-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

EXCLUSIVE
Amy admits coke and heroin addiction. She strips to prove she's not injecting. Couple fly to US for rehab together.

By Tracey Kandhola 14/08/2007

Amy Winehouse and husband Blake Fielder-Civil agreed to go into drugs rehab after seeing their dads nearly come to blows, friends said last night.

Amy was in tears after the row during a showdown with their families over their heroin and cocaine addiction.

A source close to the family told the Mirror: "It broke Amy's heart to see her parents and in-laws fighting.

"That was the point when she realised all the drink and drugs were causing huge problems for everybody."

The party-loving couple flew to the US for intensive counselling and detox treatment after also seeing a leading Harley Street doctor recommended by former wild child Kelly Osbourne.

Jazz diva Amy's drink and drug problems came to a head on Wednesday when she collapsed following a three-day bender with 25-year-old Blake.

To read original click HERE.

A-Z of 1977: Pop's Jubilee Year

2006-02-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

From Amazorblades to the Zeros - via the Clash and the Sex Pistols - this was the year punk was in its prime. Jonathan Brown reports on a new book that tells the story

Published: 27 February 2006

Just two months in, 2006 may already be on course to become a vintage year for pop. The unpolished genius of the Arctic Monkeys, whose debut album became the fastest selling in history, and the success of the triple-Brit winning Kaiser Chiefs has prompted grand claims to be made on behalf of this year.

But for anyone the far side of 40, the artistic seeds of the two trailblazers of British music clearly sprouted long ago. Examine the DNA of the abrasive sound of the Arctic Monkeys and it can be traced back 29 years - a decade before they were born - to 1977.

It was the year when Britain celebrated the Queen's silver jubilee with street parties and pageantry. Virginia Wade won the ladies' finals on the Centre Court at Wimbledon and the world mourned the passing of Elvis Presley and Charlie Chaplin.

But for a large slice of the nation's youth, 1977 meant only one thing - and it came with a safety pin through its pugnacious nose. That thing was punk rock.

Those who climbed aboard the punk rollercoaster were to enjoy a white-knuckle ride through the most exciting 12 months in the history of popular music. From Penzance to Aberdeen, groups of young men and women were pulling on bondage trousers, spiking up their hair and forming groups, regardless of whether they could play an instrument or not. Many of them were terrible. But a significant number were raw and exciting - the perfect antidote to the preening giants of prog-rock, and over-produced stadium super groups that ruled the pop world at that time.

In what has proved an extraordinary four-year labour of love, Henrik Poulsen, a Danish record company owner now living in Texas, has chronicled every punk band to have cut a record in Britain in that watershed year. The result is77: The Year of Punk and New Wave, published in Britain next month. Mr Poulsen records the young men and women on the scene, where they came from and what happened to them after punk exploded in 1978 - creating dozens of new genres from goth to ska. Beside the big five acts that dominated the year - the Sex Pistols, the Damned, the Clash, the Buzzcocks and the Jam, he includes a wealth of obscure bands which pogoed briefly yet brilliantly in the mosh pit that was punk's short tenure on the dance floor of popular culture.

His A-Z ranges from the frankly obscure - Acme Sewage Company, for example, whose "two note guitar solos" and rather brutal vocals earned them a diehard following in their native Kettering - to the totally forgotten: Zhain, a short-lived combo that contributed a single track to the Raw Deal! compilation, one of the first LPs on one of the first independent punk labels.

Every band to leave its stamp on vinyl is lovingly recorded. For Mr Poulsen, who grew up in a Copenhagen suburb and turned 13 in 1977, punk washed up on his shores in an unlikely way. "I was in the boy scouts and we had an exchange with a group from Glasgow. They played us their punk tapes and taught us how to do the pogo. From that moment I was hooked," he recalls. Denmark's only punk band at the time was an outfit called the Sods.

Mr Poulsen believes that while there is a definitive "77 sound" none of the major punk bands sounded or looked the same. Many unlikely groups and artists found themselves part of the broader new-wave movement, he argues. Ian Dury, Graham Parker, Dr Feelgood and Nick Lowe, were already established on the pub rock scene, but their energy and dynamism made them natural bedfellows with punk. Others, like the Police, the Jam and Ultravox went on to change their sound radically and become hugely successful after riding the punk wave.

But there was a common theme, he says. "The 1977 punk bands took their multiple influences and merged them with one or more of the following attitudes: 'Let's be loud; let's be obnoxious; let's give the finger to society; let's follow our own rules'. The seeds of these attitudes were clearly sown in the turgid, self-indulgent and bloated rock scene as well as the social and economic recession of the mid-70s," he argues.

Both political and popular musical elites were reaching the end of the line in Britain. The government of James Callaghan was to soldier on for two more troubled years amid industrial strife and economic decline. In the charts, Pink Floyd, Elton John and Queen dominated, but had run out of credibility with the new breed of nihilistic and angry young men and women.

In April 1976, Joe Strummer quit the 101'ers and joined the Clash, the Damned released "New Rose" and the Sex Pistols produced their debut single, "Anarchy in the UK", courtesy of that most establishment of labels, EMI.

In December, their foul mouthed appearance on Bill Grundy's Today show created something approaching a moral panic, as well as costing them their recording deal. But punk didn't flower until the following year. On 1 January, Andrew Czezowski opened the doors to The Roxy club, a former gay gangster club in Neal Street, Covent Garden. It gave the movement a physical base. John Peel provided a similar facility on the nation's airwaves with his live Peel Sessions. As luck would have it, the silver jubilee celebrations provided the perfect target for bands like the Sex Pistols, which knew how to generate headlines as well as compelling pop tunes.

Today's angry young pop heroes continue to pay their debt to that astonishing year - even if, like the Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner, they were not born for a further nine years.

A IS FOR AMAZORBLADES Brighton-based quintet made their debut with "Common Truth" on Chiswick Records.

B IS FOR THE BOOMTOWN RATS Formed in Ireland in 1975, with Bob Geldof on vocals. After opening for the Ramones tour in 1977, Melody Maker proclaimed: "1978 is theirs for the taking."

C IS FOR THE CLASH The biggest and most influential punk band.Joe Strummer and Nicky Headon fed the media's appetite for "filth and fury" headlines when they were twice arrested in the summer of 1977.

D IS FOR THE DAMNED Their debut album, Damned Damned Damned, is considered the first punk album. It attacked conventional hits such as the Beatles' Help, which they played at double speed.

E IS FOR THE EAST COAST ANGELS The Dublin band made their name across rural Ireland playing church halls.

F IS FOR FUSS The full line-up of Fuss is still a complete mystery and "Our Way Must Be Better", released in 1977, remains their only hit.

G IS FOR GAFFA The Nottingham-based five-piece produced hand-made sleeves for their debut single, "Normal Service Will Never Be Resumed" in 1977.

H IS FOR HEAVY METAL KIDS Formed in 1973, the band incorporated metal, glam and rock'n'roll into their sound. Gary Holton's routine involved blowing himself up.

I IS FOR IAN DURY Dury had been around for years under the name Kilburn and the High Roads. In 1977, he released seminal new wave album New Boots and Panties.

J IS FOR THE JAM The Trio originally formed in 1973. Fronted by Paul Weller, they became the first punk band to appear on Top of the Pops and releasing their debut album, In the City in 1977.

K IS FOR KURSAAL FLYERS Taking their name from a ride at the Southend Kursaal amusement park, the band were always more pub than punk. Had a top-20 hit with their single, "Little Does She Know".

L IS FOR LONDON Formed in late 1976 they had released three records by the end of 1977. Reports that they were Paul McCartney's daughter's favourite band did little for their credibility.

M IS FOR THE MODELS Formed from the ashes of the Beastly Cads, they band started off covering Lou Reed and David Bowie but released a single, "Freeze", in 1977.

N IS FOR THE NOSEBLEEDS The group, featuring Ed Banger on vocals, changed their name from Wild Ram when punk took off. They released a single, "Ain't Bin To No Music School", in July 1977.

O IS FOR THE OUTSIDERS Wimbledon line-up's first release was the LP Calling On Youth on the band's own label, Raw Edge.

P IS FOR THE PIRATES Originally formed in 1962, the Pirates re-formed in 1976, 10 years after the death of vocalist Johnny Kidd. The band caught on to the energy and attitude of the punk era but still played their own rock 'n' roll sound.

R IS FOR RIKKI & THE LAST DAYS OF EARTH Forerunner to the gothic music movement, with broody and atmospheric sounds. The band's first 7 inch, Oundle Rocsoc, was released in mid-1977.

S IS FOR SEX PISTOLS Malcolm McLaren brilliantly exploited the disillusion of the nation's youth to create the definitive punk outfit. Their album, Never Mind the Bollocks, was cynical, controversial and utterly compelling.

T IS FOR THE TAKEAWAYS One-hit wonders, their only song to make it on to vinyl was "Food" and appeared on the 1977 compilation, A Bunch of Stiffs.

U IS FOR ULTRAVOX! Previously Tiger Lily, Ultravox! it was one of the few new wave bands to appear at the 1977 Reading Festival. Produced by Brian Eno, with John Foxx on vocals.

V IS FOR THE VALVE The Edinburgh band, billed released their "Robot Love/For Adolfs' Only" single in September 1977, hailed by New Wave bible Sounds as "vital and undiluted".

W IS FOR WRECKLESS ERIC Born Eric Goulden, he is said to have acquired his name because he often fell off stages. His first single, "Whole Wide World", was released in August 1977.

X IS FOR X-RAY SPEX Having seen the Sex Pistols live in concert, Marianne Elliot-Said changed her name to Poly Styrene and formed X-Ray Spex. 1977 saw the release of "Oh Bondage Up Yours!"

Y IS FOR THE YOBS Formed in 1977, the band set about causing a stir by covering Christmas songs and provocatively changing the lyrics. Their first single, "Run Rudolph Run", a cover of the Chuck Berry classic, arrived in November 1977.

Z IS FOR THE ZEROS The band's first single, "Hungry", was released in November 1977 revealing their R&B and rock roots. They went on to release two more singles.

To read original click HERE.

Billy Corgan News on Yahoo! Music

2005-06-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Billy Corgan News on Yahoo! Music: Billy Corgan Comes Clean on Past, Present

06/22/2005 12:59 PM, AP Nekesa Mumbi Moody

All things being perfect, Billy Corgan would never have released a solo album.

All things being perfect, Billy Corgan still would have been churning out hits as part of the seminal '90s angst-rock band he founded, the Smashing Pumpkins — or at the very least, would have been readying a follow-up album with the band that followed it, Zwan.

But things have never been perfect for Corgan, the brainchild behind both groups and one of the more mercurial figures in the rock world. He famously smashed the Pumpkins into pieces in 2000 after the band had sold more than 20 million records worldwide with their pathos-laden songs; the relationship between the foursome had disintegrated and Corgan's artistic path for the band was not replicating past pop success. In 2003, he formed Zwan, but that band lasted only a year.

This week, Corgan has decided to step away from the band format with his solo debut, 'TheFutureEmbrace.' But it's not his only individual project. Besides a book of poetry that he released last year, 'Blinking with Fists,' Corgan has been writing about his life on his Web site — detailing everything from the childhood abuse he says suffered at the hands of his father and stepmother to his very adult battles with depression and other demons.

Corgan — a tall and striking figure with his shaved head, pale skin and piercing blue eyes — spoke about putting his life story on the Web, his new album and why a Smashing Pumpkins reunion wouldn't be what you expect in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
___

AP: When did you decide to start writing your autobiography and put it on the Internet?

Corgan: It's something I thought about for two years as far as writing my life story. I went through various scenarios — should I put out a book? You're first thought is conventional thought ... like, this is how it's done, and how much, and what's it for, and what can I say, what can't I say and all that. So after thinking about it like that, every time, I would come up to what can I say, what can't I say, I would get bummed out.

AP: Why?

Corgan: Anytime you take money for something, then it opens the door to another whole range of topics. Like when Jose Canseco put out the steroids book, the first thing they did was to attack him and say that he's lying because he's making money; he's saying these bad things because he's going to make more money. So that gets into a credibility issue. But to me, it you take away the money, then what's the credibility issue? Then it's personal motivation. Is it malice, is it truthful — what is it? I don't have justify it in any way, shape or form. There's no justification, there's no catch all.

AP: What's been the feedback?

Corgan: Amazingly positive. The only ones who seem to have a problem with it are males. No negative feedback from women at all. Zero. Only guys.

AP: Why do you think guys have a problem?

Corgan: Because they get uncomfortable with guys being sensitive. They get really uncomfortable. Guys are brutalized in a certain way, even if they're not brutalized physically. They're sort of pummeled on the feeling end. I faced the same thing in the beginning of the Pumpkins, because the Pumpkins was so far ahead of the sensitive curve ... talking about child abuse, things like that. People were very uncomfortable with that.

AP: When the Smashing Pumpkins broke up, instead of doing a solo album, you formed Zwan, which was short-lived. Why not do the solo album then?

Corgan: I wanted to do a solo album and actually started one, and then the Zwan thing kind of came together, and it was like a fun thing. It was sort of like a welcome relief after the Pumpkins ... I never didn't want to be in a band. I didn't want to leave the Pumpkins. It wasn't my choice, I always thought of being a solo artist in the context of being in the band. Like, you're in a band and you do a solo record. I never thought that I would have to leave my band to go solo.

AP: Do you ever wish the Smashing Pumpkins could reunite?

Corgan: You can't recreate what was.

AP: A lot of bands try, though.

Corgan: That's because they try and go back to what was. I showed it already. I didn't think the Smashing Pumpkins could stay where they were for two years. So I have no desire to go back to a sentimental position to the band. If I ever did go back to the band, it wouldn't be the same thing, it wouldn't be for those reasons. It wouldn't be a reunion to cash in. I have no interest in that. My goals are always artistic, and they were even in the context of the Smashing Pumpkins. If you ever see Smashing Pumpkins on the marquee, it won't be what you think it would be. The Pumpkins was a progressive art concept, it wasn't a normal band. It was meant to sort of disrupt, cause problems, and it did. And we were successful in doing that. But we would never go back ... and on top of that, some of the relationships are totally destroyed. It would take some serious divine intervention to see.

AP: Since you always wanted to be in a band, why not put together another band after Zwan?

Corgan: (Laughs) Not after the last experience, no. I came to the conclusion that trying to start another band was completely naive. It was kind of like trying to start a relationship when you're in love with someone else. It just ain't gonna work. I'm in love with the Smashing Pumpkins ... there would be no other third band. I realize all that now. Everything in Zwan was pretty cool up until we made the album and they started to show their colors ... They were in it for fame and money.

AP: You've talked a lot about depression in your life — are you at a point where you're happy?

Corgan: That's a set up question (laughs). I don't know how to answer that. There are some things that are worse and some things that are better. I feel like for a lack of a better word, empowered. ... I feel completely free to do whatever I want and how I want to do it. I feel unburdened by my past.
___
On the Net:
http://www.billycorgan.com

DEPECHE MODE IN THE STUDIO

2005-06-23T17:06:00.000-07:00

depeche mode dot com: Depeche Mode In The Studio

DEPECHE MODE IN THE STUDIO; NEW ALBUM SCHEDULED FOR AUTUMN

Depeche Mode are currently in Santa Barbara, California recording their first studio album since 2001's, 'Exciter', due for release this Autumn.

2004 ended on a high for Depeche Mode, generated largely by the success of their remix album, 'Depeche Mode Remixes 81-04' which sold over 1 million copies worldwide and produced the top 10 single, 'Enjoy The Silence' remixed by Mike Shinoda.

The new album is being co-produced by Depeche Mode and Ben Hillier, whose credits include Elbow's 'Cast Of Thousands' album, the current acclaimed Doves release, 'Some Cities' and Blur's classic, 'Think Tank'.

'It's a great feeling to be back together in the studio again and we are very excited about the new material', says Dave Gahan. 'We are all feeling incredibly positive about the album. Ben Hillier has brought a whole new dynamic to the group which is quite inspiring.'"

Ticket Prices

2005-06-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

depeche mode dot com: Ticket Prices
post date: June 21st, 2005

It has come to our attention that some ticket sellers are charging a rather steep price for 'shipping' concert tickets purchased online. We set the prices for the concert tickets at a low price, and we are sorry to the fans that are having to pay the high shipping price. While we regret some of our fans are experiencing this high charge, the 'shipping charge' is something that is set by the ticket companies, and is out of our control."

I have to admit that this is pretty ignorant but to be expected - remember Pearl Jam???

Depeche Mode World Tour

2005-06-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

depeche mode dot com: Depeche Mode World Tour
(Dusseldorf, Germany, June 16th)

Depeche Mode today announce their 2005 - 2006 World Tour, their first in almost five years. The band will be showcasing tracks from their eagerly anticipated new album (produced by Ben Hillier), as well as performing some of their greatest hits.

One of the biggest bands in the world today, and renowned for their groundbreaking live performances, this Depeche Mode concert series will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of touring.

Prior to their European tour, Depeche Mode will undertake a six week American tour this autumn, before heading to Europe in 2006.

Depeche Mode last toured in 2001 with 'Exciter'. The band played an incredible 85 shows to sellout audiences of nearly two million people."

Remixes 81-04

2005-06-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

Remixed Remixes Liner notes from "Remixes 81-04"

In the beginning, which for the sake of this sleeve note is the beginning of the 1980s, there was the 12" single. It was a new thing, and no one really knew what it was - it was like a maxi single, but the size of an album, and it included, as well as a b side track and the original version of the song that was the single, a version of the single that was like the single, but that was something else. It was longer, probably harder, possibly dancier, often stranger. It resembled the song, but was half instrumental, half vocal, or there was an instrumental intro, then the song, which might be split in two by another instrumental section, and then there was an instrumental outro. The song had been extended, made over, made other. It was the remix.

There are many who claim they invented the remix - P.Diddy only the latest and silliest in a long line stretching right back into the computer dreams of the early 80s, the disco clouds of the 70s, the reggae spaces of the 60s, the Joe Meek from a London on the dark side of the moon - but no one person or group as such invented the remix. It was in the air, it was always going to happen. But you can easily assign to Depeche Mode a certain amount of credit for being there when the idea of the remix became a considerable commercial and creative factor, and also still being there nearly a quarter of a century later when you simply cannot imagine popular music without the remix. They have watched over the idea of the remix, gone along with it, changed with it, used it, from when the remix was a sort of vinyl marketing novelty extending the shelf life of a single, to when it was at the heart of the pop and dance culture, to when it was a kind of innovative art form of its own. The remix story of Depeche Mode can be viewed as a history of the remix.

With Depeche Mode, there is the reality of the influential electro-pop group that emerged in the early 1980s and seems part of a history of pop music where you would also mention the Human League, Ultravox, OMD, Gary Numan and Soft Cell. They were the Basildon Kraftwerk, the teenage Roxy, the Essex beat boys. This was the original reality of the group, Cabaret Voltaire as a doo wop boy band, and then the other alternative Depeche Modes spun off from there - the remixes of the image of Depeche Mode started to happen, the idea of the group was reworked, remodelled, reformed. Dream versions of Depeche Mode developed - the electro-acoustic stadium rock band that bridged the culture gap between Kraftwerk and U2, the electro-goth cult group that beat up space and time between The Cure and Nine Inch Nails, the avant garde disco fantasy that crept and crawled a thin tense black line between techno-trance and latent-house, the remix pioneers that charted a doomy, glamorous route between the rave and the grave.

Their songs told stories about fear, force, sex, love, hate, desire, control, pressure, obsession, pain, action, obedience, like the best pop songs often do. Their remixes shadowed their songs, suggesting greater depth to the group, more muscle, shadows, pulse, a certain shape shifting energy.

There were always the Depeche Mode songs, and in the corner, outside the room, over the border, way out in space, there were the dreams and the shadows, the other realities that were the remixes. There was never just one Depeche Mode. There were a random number, interacting, changing place, holding hands, looking forward. Inside a Depeche Mode remix, whether one that alters everything, adds graffiti to the songs, fucks it up, loves it, builds up the quasi-heroic ambition, hollows it out, escapes completely the reality of the original song, and dreams everything up, whether one that hovers just outside the original, whether one that fights with the original, creates competitive drama, or whether one that uses the original to discover new dreamspace, you can hear what it is that makes Depeche Mode what they are. You can hear where the group have been, where they are now, and where they are going.

The idea of the remix, the idea of something that tampers with fixed states, and one-track minds, and set grooves, has been ever present in the travelling story of Depeche Mode.

If you want to monitor the progress of the remix, from the tentative primitive early days when a pop remix was often just a small re-emphasised extension to the original song, with perhaps a sketchy little deviant introduction, to the late 20th century idea of the remix, where a remixed song would often be a completely different piece of music, then this collection is a definitive guide. Hear the avant-garde become pop become disco become house become techno become sleaze become abstract become infinitely reversible.

You can also spot changes in fashion, in the fashions of beats, in the styles of rhythm, as the remixers take on Depeche Mode, and give us their version, their Depeche, in return. Time passes in many different ways in this collection - the beats per minute that take us slowly, or quickly, through the time we spend listening or dancing to a track, the rhythms that take us through the 80s and the 90s into the 21st century as the studio remix comprehensively regenerates funk music, electronic music, pop, disco, house, techno, ambient, into a variety of new styles that slip around and stick to and pass through the idea of Depeche Mode. There is the reality of Depeche Mode, the reality of a Depeche Mode song, and then there are the numerous realities spilling out into the future created by the remixers as they produce dreams inspired by the group, and their songs.

It is noticeable in this collection that whether it is Danny Tenaglia riding Depeche hard into the hiding places of hedonism or Headcleaner tossing up the rasp metal that lurks within Depeche, whoever it is attacking or defending the interior theatricality of the group, all the mixers retain a faith, however satirical or sensational, in Depeche Mode's calm, infinite, measured strength.

Pop music is to be sold. It's a commercial enterprise. The remix adds the lustre of a commercial brand name: Depeche Mode can be multiplied by Mike Shinoda, Sony can be tied with Coke, sales can be tripled, associations can be juicy. The remix can be a commercial tactic, but twisted around an experimental idea that has everything to do with changing things around and making the world new.

In the remix world that Depeche Mode have helped create, you get a sinful, conceptually diabolical chance to hear Depeche Mode duet with Underworld, with Air, with Portishead, with Mike Shinoda, with Cypress Hill, with Timo Mass, with Adrian Sherwood, with DJ Shadow, with Goldfrapp, with Kruder and Dorfmeister.

Perhaps this portfolio presents Depeche Mode as curators, as talent spotters, even as music critics. The choice they make about who should enter their world of sound is always exemplary. They've kept themselves up to date by observing and absorbing the contemporary moves of others, often way before anyone else. Depeche Mode have never settled lifelessly into the 80s, like some of their peers, because of the way their music has been remixed. It is always remixed ahead of the game, the game being, as it always it, time. There is the model of Depeche Mode releasing songs and albums, and then there is the Depeche Mode playing with, and being played with by, sonic extremists like Adrian Sherwood, DJ Shadow, Rex The Dog and Underworld.

It gets even more deliciously complicated, because as well as playing around with avant pop musicians and experimental dj's, they are also working with and being worked over by dance masters, at the moment when the dance masters are at their most masterful. Depeche remixes are examples of how the remix is an act of experimentation, and how the remix is also a way of getting people to dance to music that wasn't necessarily danceable in the first place. So Depeche, not that avant-garde, not that disco touchy, have the edge of appearing avant garde and dancey, as well as great songwriters. Depeche Mode have exploited the potential of the remix like no other group - the potential to always being one, two, three beats ahead, always mixing with the newcomers, the strangers, the oddballs, the cavaliers, even as they maintain the mysterious quality of mainstream power. (And so they never quite fit into the company of those dispensing the official mode of knowledge.)

It's amazing that there is still a fixed idea of Depeche Mode when so many remixers have operated on the group, and offered up their idea of what the group is - a strange pop group, a dark rock group, a concealed metal band, a disordered disco experience, an experimental ambient group, a menacing dance group, a spiritualised hip hop adventure, an iconic moody electronic outfit from somewhere in the past near the coast of England, a legendary deep pop group from somewhere in the future off the edge of Saturn, a group whose songs coat the imagination with dread and danger and desperation, with nearness and absence, a group whose songs fire the imagination with hope against hope and the exact opposite. Whatever they are turned into by these aural fantasists, these sonic stylists, whatever new thing they become because of the way they have been treated and mistreated, Depeche Mode always emerge as Depeche Mode. Somehow, however much they are beaten and erased, however far they are stretched and smashed, they always end the adventure in one piece.

Here they are in pieces, still in one piece. After all the break ups, the breakdowns, the make-ups, the tragedies, the triumphs, the scares, the years, the songs, here they are, as new as ever. With the protective help of the remixes and the remixers, Depeche Mode stand, as they did back in the days of the 12 inch single, back in the vinyl age, on the edge of tomorrow. Looking forward, listening forward.

(Paul Morley London 24 08 04)

:: rogerebert.com :: reviews

2005-05-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

:: rogerebert.com :: reviews: "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

BY ROGER EBERT / May 19, 2005

20th Century Fox presents a film written and directed by George Lucas. Running time: 140 minutes. Rated PG-13 (for sci-fi violence and some intense images). Opening Thursday at local theaters (midnight screenings Wednesday at select locations).

George Lucas comes full circle in more ways than one in 'Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith,' which is the sixth -- and allegedly but not necessarily the last -- of the 'Star Wars' movies. After 'Episode II' got so bogged down in politics that it played like the Republic covered by C-Span, 'Episode III' is a return to the classic space opera style that launched the series. Because the story leads up to where the original 'Star Wars' began, we get to use the immemorial movie phrase, 'This is where we came in.'

That Anakin Skywalker abandoned the Jedi and went over to the dark side is known to all students of 'Star Wars.' That his twins Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia would redeem the family name is also known. What we discover in 'Episode III' is how and why Anakin lost his way -- how a pleasant and brave young man was transformed into a dark, cloaked figure with a fearsome black metal face. As Yoda sadly puts it in his inimitable word order: 'The boy you trained, gone he is, consumed by Darth Vader.'

As 'Episode III' opens, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and his friend Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are piloting fighter craft, staging a daring two-man raid to rescue Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). He has been captured by the rebel Gen. Grievous (whose voice, by Matthew Woods, sounds curiously wheezy considering the general seems to use replacement parts). In the spirit of all the "Star Wars" movies, this rescue sequence flies in the face of logic, since the two pilots are able to board Grievous' command ship and proceed without much trouble to the ship's observation tower, where the chancellor is being held. There is a close call in an elevator shaft, but where are the guards and the security systems? And why, for that matter, does a deep space cruiser need an observation tower, when every porthole opens on to the universe? But never mind.

Back within the sphere of the Jedi Council, Anakin finds that despite his heroism, he will not yet be named a Jedi Master. The council distrusts Palpatine and wants Anakin to spy on him; Palpatine wants Anakin to spy on the council. Who to choose? McDiarmid has the most complex role in the movie as he plays on Anakin's wounded ego. Anakin is tempted to go over to what is not yet clearly the dark side; in a movie not distinguished for its dialogue, Palpatine is insidiously snaky in his persuasiveness.

The way Anakin approaches his choice, however, has a certain poignancy. Anakin has a rendezvous with Padme (Natalie Portman); they were secretly married in the previous film, and now she reveals she is pregnant. His reaction is that of a nice kid in a teenage comedy, trying to seem pleased while wondering how this will affect the other neat stuff he gets to do. To say that George Lucas cannot write a love scene is an understatement; greeting cards have expressed more passion.

The dialogue throughout the movie is once again its weakest point: The characters talk in what sounds like Basic English, without color, wit or verbal delight, as if they were channeling Berlitz. The exceptions are Palpatine and of course Yoda, whose speech (voiced by Frank Oz) reminds me of Wolcott Gibbs' famous line about the early style of Time magazine: "Backward ran sentences until reeled the mind."

In many cases the actors are being filmed in front of blue screens, with effects to be added later, and sometimes their readings are so flat, they don't seem to believe they're really in the middle of amazing events. How can you stand in front of exploding star fleets and sound as if you're talking on a cell phone at Starbucks?

"He's worried about you," Anakin is told at one point. "You've been under a lot of stress." Sometimes the emphasis in sentences is misplaced. During the elevator adventure in the opening rescue, we hear "Did I miss something?" when it should be "Did I miss something?"

The dialogue is not the point, however; Lucas' characters engage in sturdy oratorical pronunciamentos and then leap into adventure. "Episode III" has more action per square minute, I'd guess, than any of the previous five movies, and it is spectacular. The special effects are more sophisticated than in the earlier movies, of course, but not necessarily more effective.

The dogfight between fighters in the original "Star Wars" and the dogfight that opens this one differ in their complexity (many more ships this time, more planes of action, more detailed backgrounds) but not in their excitement. And although Lucas has his characters attend a futuristic opera that looks like a cross between Cirque de Soleil and an ultrasound scan of an unborn baby, if you regard the opera hall simply as a place, it's not as engaging as the saloon on Tatooine in the first movie.

The lesson, I think, is that special effects should be judged not by their complexity but by the degree that they stimulate the imagination, and "Episode III" is distinguished not by how well the effects are done, but by how amazingly they are imagined. A climactic duel on a blazing volcanic planet is as impressive, in its line, as anything in "Lord of the Rings." And Yoda, who began life as a Muppet but is now completely animated (like about 70 percent of what we see onscreen), was to begin with and still is the most lifelike of the non-humanoid "Star Wars" characters.

A word, however, about the duels fought with lightsabers. When they flashed into life with a mighty whizzing thunk in the first "Star Wars" and whooshed through their deadly parabolas, that was exciting. But the thrill is gone.

The duelists are so well-matched that saber fights go on forever before anyone is wounded, and I am still not sure how the sabers seem able to shield their bearers from attack. When it comes to great movie sword fights, Liam Neeson and Tim Roth took home the gold medal in "Rob Roy" (1995), and the lightsaber battles in "Episode III" are more like isometrics.

These are all, however, more observations than criticisms. George Lucas has achieved what few artists do; he has created and populated a world of his own. His "Star Wars" movies are among the most influential, both technically and commercially, ever made. And they are fun. If he got bogged down in solemnity and theory in "Episode II: Attack of the Clones," the Force is in a jollier mood this time, and "Revenge of the Sith" is a great entertainment.

Note: I said this is not necessarily the last of the "Star Wars" movies. Although Lucas has absolutely said he is finished with the series, it is inconceivable to me that 20th Century-Fox will willingly abandon the franchise, especially as Lucas has hinted that parts VII, VIII and IX exist at least in his mind. There will be enormous pressure for them to be made, if not by him, then by his deputies.

Episode III-Revenge of the Sith

2005-05-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

Episode III-Revenge of the Sith:
This review was written by noted Star Wars aficionado Jason Vasquez and is exclusive to Pardon My English.

Whether you are an adult or child, businessman or sci-fi geek, the day of May 19th, 2005 was long anticipated for most of the world’s population or at least those in the age 5-50 demographic. “Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith” had finally been released to all those hungry for the last epic in one of the greatest film series ever. I was one of the many who couldn’t wait and went to see it at the stroke of midnight.

George Lucas did not disappoint the legions of faithful fans. “Sith”, I believe, ranks up there with the original “Star Wars” and along with the best of the series, “The Empire Strikes Back”. With the familiar opening story scroll, it begins with the exclamation of “WAR!.” Wasting no time, “Sith” opens with a 22 minute space battle, which seen in the right theater (digital projection and sound) is stunning. The thunderous sound of battle destroyers reverberates throughout the theater and the swarm of fighters “dogfighting” through scattered laser fire is visually insane. We are introduced to one of the new villains in the very beginning of the film, General Grievous, leader of the separatist droid army and also, Count Dooku makes a return appearance. The conclusion of this battle sequence sets the tone for the rest of the movie. As noted in the media storm leading up to the opening, “Sith” is a dark movie. Whether it deserved the PG-13 rating it received is, I believe, debatable.

As “Sith” continues, the romance between Anakin and Padme evolves, these scenes being the slower parts of the movie. Mercifully, we are not subjected to as many of these scenes as we were in “Attack of the Clones”. We see the conflicts rising in young Anakin due to his treatment by the Jedi Council and Chancellor Palpatine, which eventually lead him to the Dark Side and in turn he becomes Darth Vader.

We explore new worlds such as Kashykk (where we get to see the familiar Chewbacca), and Mustaafar, which is where the climatic battle between Obi Wan and Anakin takes place. Some may be surprised to finally learn the reason Darth Vader has to wear the well known black life support suit that he dons.

The conclusion of Episode III ties up loose ends while at the same time laying the groundwork for and leading us into the 1977 classic that started it all. Most fans should be very content that what was expected out of this latest installment has indeed been delivered.

FutureMovies.co.uk - The Birth of Darth Vader! MAJOR SPOILERS

2005-05-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

FutureMovies.co.uk - The Birth of Darth Vader!:
"The Birth of Darth Vader!
Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

The Birth of Darth Vader!Well, this is it. This is the Star Wars films that the fans are waiting for. In May the bearded god of sci-fi George Lucas unleashes Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, the last and final part of the most famous space opera ever committed to film. Ok, so while it is roundly considered (although not by this writer) that The Phantom Menace was a pile of poo and Attack Of The Clones was far better but still had its problems, any Star Wars geek worth his overweight, lonely salt would have to agree that they’re getting excited about ROTS. Besides, Lucas would have to be monumentally inept to balls this one up. It’s the birth of Darth Vader, for God’s sake!

Everything cool happens here. On paper, it is by far the darkest of all six films. The old republic falls, the Empire rises, all the Jedi are wiped out, save for Obi Wan and Yoda, who are forced to live the rest of their days in a hermit-like existence in a vast desert and a massive pond, respectively. Central to the story of course is the tragic and senseless death of Padme Amidala shortly after secretly giving birth to twins Luke and Leia and the betrayal and fall of her true love Anakin Skywalker, who loses the mother of all lightsabre duals, gets frazzled in lava and is reborn as the best villain ever created, Darth Vader! I’m getting excited just writing this!

According to all the rumblings from those in the know i.e. the cast, Fox executives and big fat Harry Knowles, this should restore everyone’s faith in Lucas to create breathtaking imagery and simple, powerful storytelling. The fact that everyone knows what is going to happen in this film and yet are chomping at the bit to see it speaks volumes for the power of his saga to entertain and enthral the young and the old alike. Except for my granny, who’s never heard of Star Wars at all.

The truly unique position that ROTS holds is that it is the bridge between the prequels and the original trilogy, so fans worldwide are intrigued to see how everything fits together. Producer Rick McCallum has officially gone on the record to state that they have worked very hard to ensure absolutely EVERYTHING from this film seamlessly ties in with the original Star Wars, or Episode IV: A New Hope, as it is now known.

Fanboys and geeks can be the most stern and pedantic critics, and Lucas and his own production empire on Skywalker Ranch know this and have been very astute by using this to their advantage; they went into fan websites, waded through forums and in some cases enlisted the counsel of the millions of fans to make sure the continuity is perfect, not a stone is left unturned and everything locks into place to form one epic story, including an explanation of how the lush, magisterial feel of Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones can segue into the rather budget and mechanical vistas that were created a long, long time ago, way back in 1977.

So what can we expect from this final burst into hyperspace? Well, for those who wish to go into THE FINAL STAR WARS FILM EVER without knowing too much, we'll keep this relatively spoiler-free; that said, here are a few reasons why we at Future Movies think this film will be chuffing brilliant:

Episode III takes place three years after the events of Attack Of The Clones, with the Clone Wars just coming to an end. Anakin is now a fully-fledged Jedi and has become a bit of a war hero, allbeit a very angry one. Actor Hayden Christensen bulked up for the role to give his character a hard-as-nails edge; He is the man who will, after all, become Darth Vader, played in the original films by yokel bodybuilder Dave Prowse.

The film had more sets built and exterior shots filmed than both Episodes I and II combined, thus allaying the fear of many that this will be another CGI-fest. Of course, there will be CGI in this, but that’s not always a bad thing, as without its help, we wouldn’t have had the Yoda lightsabre battle in the last one!

This film cannot be anything other than dark. The Empire rises, the good fail. All Jedi, including Samuel L. Jackson’s Mace Windu, as well as all the children or ‘younglings’ in training will be brutally slain. Lucas has had trouble editing this film down to a respectable, family-friendly certificate in line with the other films, but even then expect this to be rated 12A, unlike any other Star Wars film. Hopefully, somewhere in all the carnage Jar Jar Binks will be caught in the crossfire…

this film has the most lightsabre action out of all the previous films. Not only does Yoda get another chance to kick bottom, but so also does the Emperor, who makes his first proper appearance of the trilogy. Now we’ll get a chance to see how handy the old crinkly despot is with a blade! Also, the final duel between Anakin and Obi Wan is supposedly the longest, most impressive lightsabre fight yet.

Ewen McGregor has repeated in the press that he is really please with this film and says both the writing and the acting is far improved on the last two prequels. Of course, anyone involved in a film bigs it up before release, but McGregor has in the past been very vocal and honest about how bad he thought The Phantom Menace was and how Attack Of The Clones was better, but had a stupid title and is far from perfect. Ultimately time will tell but you kind of trust him when he talks about projects he's involved with!

As has been hinted by the teaser trailer that appeared online and in cinemas at the end of last year, Darth Vader will appear at the end of the film, although it's top secret as to how much screen time the Dark Lord of the Sith will receive as well as whether or not he’ll actually wield his famous red sabre.

Chewbacca and a load of wookies are in this one!!

Point is, acting and dialogue is not why millions adore Star Wars. The films frequently pop up first in the various lists of 'greatest films ever made' because they are, as mentioned earlier, classic examples of simple storytelling and grand spectacle. That is what you pay for and by the looks of how Revenge Of The Sith is shaping up, that is what you’ll get!

The Holy Bible

2005-05-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Manic's 'The Holy Bible' Turns 10

Published: 2004-12-10

They recently released their seventh studio album, but fans of British trio Manic Street Preachers will soon be able to revisit the band’s past too. The band’s classic 1994 album ‘The Holy Bible’ is set to be expanded and reissued on February 8th. The occasion for this revisit of MSP music past is to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the album’s release.

Now you may say to yourself, February is in 2005, and that would be the 11th year of ‘The Holy Bible’s existence, but the reissue is actually hitting British shores this month (which is still 2004, you see). North Americans though, are being forced to wait a bit longer (unless it’s purchased as an import that is). The revamped package of ‘The Holy Bible’ is set to include three discs: a re-mastered version of the original audio, the US mix of the album, and a DVD.

In addition to the original audio, there are also demo and live tracks included on the CDs. The 80-minute DVD is set to include television clips, videos, live performances, and an interview with the band members. ‘The Holy Bible’ was the Manic Street Preachers last album as a quartet, as after its creation, guitarist/songwriter Richey Edwards mysteriously disappeared.

The track-listing of ‘The Holy Bible’ 10th Anniversary Edition:

Disc 1 (original):
’Yes’
’Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart’
’Of Walking Abortion’
’She Is Suffering’
’Archives of Pain’
’Revol’
’4st 7lb’
’Mausoleum’
’Faster’
’This Is Yesterday’
’Die In The Summertime’
’The Intense Humming Of Evil’
’P.C.P.’
’The Intense Humming of Evil’ (Live)
’4st 7lb’ (Live)
’Yes’ (Live)
’Of Walking Abortion’ (Live)

Disc 2 (U.S. mix):
’Yes’
’Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart’
’Of Walking Abortion’
’She Is Suffering’
’Archives of Pain’
’Revol’
’4st 7lb’
’Mausoleum’
’Faster’
’This Is Yesterday
’Die In The Summertime’
’The Intense Humming Of Evil’
’P.C.P.’
’Die In The Summertime’ (Demo)
’Mausoleum’ (Demo)
’Of Walking Abortion’ (Radio 1 Evening Session)
’She Is Suffering’ (Radio 1 Evening Session)
’Yes’ (Radio 1 Evening Session)

DVD:
’Faster’ (Top of the Pops)
’Faster’ (Butt Naked)
’P.C.P.’ (Butt Naked)
’She Is Suffering’ (Butt Naked)
’4st 7lb’ (MTV Most Wanted)
’She Is Suffering’ (MTV Most Wanted)
’Faster’ (Glastonbury '94)
’P.C.P.’ (Glastonbury '94)
’Yes’ (Glastonbury '94)
’Revol’ (Reading '94)
’Faster’ (US Video)
’Judge Yr'self’ (Video)
’Yes’ (New Film)
’Band Interview’ (30 Mins)
’Faster’ (Hidden Video Extra)
’Revol’ (Hidden Video Extra)
’She Is Suffering ‘(Hidden Video Extra)

Writer: Jaclyn Arndt

A fan of the franchise's take on the dark new Star Wars - The Triangle - Entertainment

2005-05-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

A fan of the franchise's take on the dark new Star Wars - The Triangle - Entertainment:

"A fan of the franchise's take on the dark new Star Wars
By James Mack, Jr.
Published: Friday, May 13, 2005

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is one of the best Star Wars movies made. Let me repeat that: It is one of the best Star Wars movies made. It comes in a very close second to the Empire Strikes Back. Sith embodies all that is a Star Wars movie, and more. It is well made, balanced, and best of all, all of its scenes are completely and utterly necessary. George Lucas has done it �- he has honored the tradition of Star Wars in this final installment.

The past six years have been a surreal ride. We all grew up, at the very least, knowing what the hell Star Wars was. Some of us (His Dorkiness Mack included) fell in love with this science fiction epic. But when it was announced in the late 1990s that George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, was making the 'prequel' trilogy, Star Wars fans everywhere blew a load. We collectively soiled ourselves. The six years that followed were filled with wonderment, awe, and a little disappointment all ending with one hell of a bang.

Something I found lacking in episodes I and II was that some content seemed commercialized. It was as if sensational movie making overpowered the Star Wars universe. The Yoda fight scene in Episode II was ridiculous and redundant. It was made for people to say 'Wow, Yoda fighting, look at the little bugger go!' Episode III had none of that nonsense. Every stroke of the light saber was calculated and referenced, but didn't copy, Episode I's light saber fight scene which, coincidentally, was the greatest fight scene of any Star Wars installment. The action was incredible, and more importantly, meaningful. Meaningful to the plot, the fan"

While we're on the topic of characters, Lucas' casting for young Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) years ago was proven to be the best choice. Ewan was absolutely the best actor in this movie, bar none. He is simply amazing. He is part of what makes this film memorable, if not for the Star Wars quality, but for the acting itself. He completes so much of what we fans desire, and that is properly remembering and honoring Sir Alec Guinness. McGregor does him proud, I would bet.

It is unfortunate the running time is two hours and ten minutes. It was the first time in over two years I did not check my watch for the entirety of a film, and it could have been longer. You get the impression that Lucas was trying his damnest to put stuff in, and he couldn't do everything he wanted. Regardless, what he did put in was great. Sure, I would have liked to see a more smooth transition between three and four, but beggars can't be choosers and I am not ungrateful. What they did use to transition between three and four was good, and it elicited a lot of emotion out of me (and Steven Spielberg, who cried at the premiere). It was like watching everything in a series of epic novels come together. If they made it two hours and 40 minutes I would have been none the wiser. But two hours and ten minutes is still very much worth it.

Get to the theater as soon as possible to see it (once it comes out, of course). Star Wars fans will be in awe at the pure greatness that is Episode III. They will not be disappointed. Non-Star Wars fans will also see this as a great movie. It is worth it, and a part of movie history. This is, without a doubt, one of the best films of the past three years even without the Star Wars title.

MSP - The Holy Bible Re-release

2005-02-08T06:12:00.000-08:00

Plenty More Manics For Your Money

If you’re a fan of the Manic Street Preachers you’ll already know that it’s ten years since the band released their last Richie-era record, ‘The Holy Bible’. To mark the anniversary, the band have confirmed they will be re-releasing the album as a 10th Anniversary Edition complete with alternate versions, DVD extras, interviews and plenty more Manics-related extras.

The re-release of the album has been rumoured for some time, however the special edition pack is confirmed to hit the shops on December 6 and will feature more than fifty tracks, videos, interviews and special features.

The album was the last to feature the talents of Richie James, the lyricist/guitarist who in early 1995 disappeared, leaving no trace of his whereabouts. Recorded in a red-light district in Wales, ‘The Holy Bible’ is both a bleak and disillusioned record, and received much critical acclaim upon its release.

The special edition features both a digitally remastered version of the original album, and the remixed American version. The set also includes a number of live versions, demos and radio sessions of album tracks, alongside a bonus DVD of live footage, TV appearances and a thirty-minute interview with the band.

The tracklisting for the set is as follows:

Disc 1: The Holy Bible (Digitally Remastered)

‘Yes’
'Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit’sworldwouldfallapart’
‘Of Walking Abortion’
‘She Is Suffering’
‘Archives Of Pain’
‘Revol’
‘4st 7lb’
‘Mausoleum’
‘Faster‘
‘This Is Yesterday‘
'Die In The Summertime’
‘The Intense Humming Of Evil’
‘P.C.P.’
‘The Intense Humming Of Evil’ – Live
‘4st 7lb’ - Live
‘Yes’ – Live
‘Of Walking Abortion’ - Live

Disc 2: The Holy Bible (US Mix)

'Yes’
'Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit’sworldwouldfallapart’
‘Of Walking Abortion’
‘She Is Suffering’
‘Archives Of Pain’
‘Revol’
‘4st 7lb‘
‘Mausoleum’
‘Faster’
‘This Is Yesterday’
‘Die In The Summertime’
‘The Intense Humming Of Evil’
‘P.C.P.‘
'Die In The Summertime’ – Demo
‘Mausoleum’ - Demo
‘Of Walking Abortion’ - Radio 1 Evening Session
‘She Is Suffering’ - Radio 1 Evening Session
‘Yes’ - Radio 1 Evening Session

Disc 3: The Holy Bible (Bonus DVD)

'Faster’ - Top Of The Pops
‘Faster’ - Butt Naked
‘P.C.P.’ - Butt Naked
‘She Is Suffering’ - Butt Naked
‘4st 7lb’ - MTV Most Wanted
‘She Is Suffering’ - MTV Most Wanted
‘Faster’ - Glastonbury ‘94
’Yes’ - Glastonbury ‘94
’Revol’ - Reading 94'
’Faster’ - US Video
’Judge Yr’self’ – Video
’Yes’ - New Film
Band Interviews (30 mins)
‘Faster’ – Hidden Extra Video
’Revol’ – Hidden Extra Video
’She Is Suffering’ – Hidden Extra Video

Rebel, rebel (Filed: 23/01/2005)

2005-02-08T05:53:00.000-08:00

Telegraph | Opinion | Rebel, rebel: "

Profile: Kate Moss and Pete Doherty

When Pete Doherty, a baby-faced Army major's son from Nuneaton, joined a rock band, he thought he knew the ropes: take drugs, avoid sleep, date supermodels. The band prospered but poor Pete got it in the neck, and last year, shocked by his unwholesome living, the chart-topping Libertines fired him.

Having Kate Moss to keep you company is, presumably, some kind of compensation. Maybe even a reason for staying alive. A 5ft 8in one-woman walking tobacco pyre Kate might be, but in her time she has overcome sufficient demons to set even the hardest cases an example.

These two might have been made for each other. One, a survivor of the fash-and-trash era of supermodel Babylon, the other a zonked-out, self-contrived melange of Sid Vicious and Lord Byron. Last week they found each other at Kate's 31st birthday party, and now, in the honourable tradition of celebrity lovers, are reported to be inseparable.

Don't even ask what they talk about. Rehab? Pete can easily trump Kate's de rigueur stretch in the Priory with an account of the three days he lasted in a remote Thai monastery, which – until his hurried departure for a Bangkok dope den – claimed to be able to clean up anybody. Lateness? "I think it's in my blood," says Kate. "My mum's always late. But I'll be, like, an hour late. Naomi [Campbell] is late, late." Pete can top that, too. For his last few concerts he failed to turn up at all, provoking riots among his inconsolable fans.

He made it to Kate's place in the Cotswolds in time, though, and his birthday present to her was a framed copy of one of his best songs, What Katie Did. According to the pop chatter, the number tells the story of a girl lost to drug addiction, although you might not guess so from the lyrics:

Shoop shoop, shoop de-lang-a-lang
(repeat eight times).
Oh whatcha gonna do, Katie?
You're a sweet, sweet girl
But it's a cruel, cruel world
A cruel, cruel world.

It's a crazy world, too. One in which a bandy-legged girl from Croydon can amass a £14 million fortune by wearing clothes, and a rock star can be kicked out of his band by doing what most of us assume rock stars are supposed to do. Pete's downfall came when Carl Barat, his co-star in The Libertines took him aside and said: "Don't come to the show we're doing in Paris, because you're not well. You haven't been to bed for days, and days, and days. You've smashed up cars, you've stolen loads of stuff. You've been doing all sorts of terrible things, and you are a danger to other people."

It would be hard to argue that Carl didn't have a point. Among the terrible things that Pete was accused of doing was trying to sell the band's passports in order to buy new curtains for their tour bus. They sent him on his way, but imploded anyway. It was curtains, too, for The Libertines.

As rock epitaphs go, all this may be something short of Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie, but it has a poignancy. For in their short time together The Libertines had turned themselves from baghead geezers playing drugged-up garage rock to become potentially the most era-shaping British band since Oasis.

The music press raved about them, and their two albums were smashes. The ex-Clash member Mick Jones, who produced the second one, Up The Bracket, says: "They just got it. Once in a while a band comes along that's like that, and they're the ones, and everybody sort of knew it." Pete was the face of the band. But it was a pallid face, drained of vigour and, sometimes, of hope. A writer with the rock magazine Rolling Stone saw him rise weakly from the interview table, and return with a can of Coke and 15 Crunchie bars. Can love put the energy back into him?

It isn't so much that Kate Moss has some experience of rock star boyfriends as that her list of exes reads like the line up for Knebworth. It includes Jesse Wood (son of Ronnie), Spacehog drummer Antony Langdon, Lemonhead singer Evan Dando, and Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja. Even the father of her two-year-old daughter, Lila, the magazine publisher Jefferson Hack, was named by his hippy parents after the 1960s San Francisco band Jefferson Airplane.

The pair have much else in common. Both were born into lower middle class families, both entered their professions largely by accident, each has a toddler by an estranged partner, and both are exceptionally close to their mothers.

Kate's even travels with her, while Pete's mother, Jacqueline, apprehensive about what her boy might say during a recent appearance on Newsnight, wrote in advance to tell the programme: "Peter is a gifted poet, writer and thinker. Please be considerate with him. He is a sensitive soul and has many good points." Let us hope Kate checks the points out thoroughly for she has found lasting love elusive. She fell hard and disastrously for the actor Johnny Depp, who dumped her for the sulphurous French chanteuse Vanessa Paradis, and last year she split from Hack. She says she dreams of a quieter life, but it is hard to achieve when you are out on the toot six nights a week.

She was spotted, at the age of 14, by a model agency scout while passing through JFK airport in New York. An appearance on the cover of The Face magazine in 1990 shot her to superwaifdom, and she has remained Britain's foremost model, along with Naomi Campbell, ever since. This longevity is no accident, for Kate, unlike many in her trade, knows and cares about what she is wearing. "Kate loves clothes," says fashion writer Lisa Armstrong. "Some models can take them or leave them."

For a girl born in 1974 into deepest suburban anonymity, the daughter of a travel agent, she has faced some serious accusations; promoting anorexia, paedophilia and the "heroin chic" look among them. "I was getting on a plane once," she says, "and the lady behind the desk said: `My daughter is starving herself to death because of you'. And I was like: `Hello? Do I eat?'"

Pete should save her a Crunchie. He is generous in that way, and those who know him portray him as weak and pseudish rather than stupid. "I miss him, " says Barat. "I live in hope. I want him to stop embracing this death and darkness crap and start embracing life."

Doherty's upbringing was peripatetic. He remembers "moving every five minutes", with his father's Army postings. At 17 he went to live with his grandmother in Kilburn, where, out of boredom, he learned to play the guitar, and worked as a gravedigger at Willesden Green cemetery. He says he was offered a place to read English at the University of London, but turned it down, and instead began writing poetry and fell into a young bohemian set that revolved around Filthy McNasty's Whiskey Cafe near King's Cross, where he met Barat.

It was while he was searching for what he calls "freedom and truth" that his drug addiction began. Every attempt at a cure has failed. "It's like you are in love with someone," he says of the craving. "You never stop loving them." Once, while shot full of heroin, he burgled Barat's flat, and was jailed for two months. Last September he was given a four-month suspended sentence for possessing a flick knife.

Kate needs reining in, and Pete needs straightening out. Behind the artifice and the media hype there is a core of seriousness in both of them. He's no Sid Vicious, and if you wanted to take a wild bet on his prospects, wager that he'll be back in the band. She's no Dorothy Stratton, and from what you can see through the tobacco fog, she looks like a woman gradually wearying of the life she leads. These two might even be good for each other, but only if they look upon their meeting as tomorrow's beginning rather than last night' s party."

10th Anniversary

2005-02-02T05:45:00.000-08:00

Fans keep hopes alive for missing Manic

Ten years on, remaining band members still pay royalties into an account for guitarist who vanished on eve of US tour

Richard Jinman
Tuesday February 1, 2005
The Guardian

There were several sightings of the Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards yesterday, and there will probably be more as fans mark the 10th anniversary of rock's most baffling disappearing act.

"People genuinely believe they've seen Richard on a bus or outside a tube station," said a spokesperson for the National Missing Persons Helpline. "We had a couple of calls today and I'm sure we'll carry on getting sightings because of the anniversary."

The Welsh-born Edwards was 27 when he walked out of his London hotel on the morning of February 1 1995. He and the band were due to fly to America the following day for a promotional tour.

The musician drove his silver Vauxhall Cavalier to his Cardiff flat, where he left his passport, credit card and Prozac. On February 17, the car was found at a motorway service station near the Severn Bridge. Its battery was flat and there was no trace of Edwards.

Many people assumed he had jumped to his death from the bridge. After all, the pale, waif-thin musician had battled anorexia, alcoholism and depression and was renowned for his self-destructive urges. In 1991, he used a razor blade to carve the slogan "4 Real" into his arm in front of a horrified journalist, and he gashed his chest with a knife before a 1994 gig in Thailand.

But Edwards's body has never been found and the mystery surrounding his disappearance has deepened with the passing years.

He has become the indie rock generation's Elvis - "sighted" in locations including Scotland, Germany, India and the Canary Islands, where a man answering his description sprinted from a bar after being accosted by a British woman who thought she recognised "Richey".

Edwards's family have refused to declare him legally dead. Avon and Somerset police consider the case "unsolved, but still open" and say they will consider any information that comes to light.

It is an optimism shared by the Manic Street Preachers, who continued as a trio and have become one of Britain's most successful bands. They continue to pay royalties into a bank account for the missing guitarist and his presence has informed songs such as Cardiff Afterlife.

The band's bass player, Nicky Wire, has ruled out any public commemoration of Edwards's disappearance, describing the 10th anniversary as a "personal thing between the three of us and his mum, dad and sister".

"We'll [the band members] talk to each other on the day and we'll remember some thing funny or stupid or sad," Wire told the NME.

Simon Price, the author of the 1999 book Everything (A Book about Manic Street Preachers), does not believe Edwards jumped to his death. He says there is evidence suggesting the guitarist wanted to "get away", not kill himself. It includes the substantial withdrawal Edwards made from an automatic cash machine, food wrappers that suggest he lived in his car for a while, and the individual presents he left for his bandmates at their hotel.

"I feel the facts do support the theory that he just wanted to get away," said Price. "It wasn't about suicide, but escape."

Price believes it is Edwards's poetic but frighteningly honest lyrics - used to greatest effect on the band's third album, The Holy Bible - that justify the fans' enduring adulation. "He was a truly remarkable lyricist," said Price. "He was also the aesthetic driving force behind the band. He couldn't play instruments, but in terms of the vision of the band he was increasingly taking charge."

Is it possible that Edwards is still alive?

"The longer someone is away, the chances diminish that they will turn up," said the spokesperson for the National Missing Persons Hotline. "But a man who went missing in 1987 at the age of 22 has just turned up recently and he's slowly rebuilding a relationship with his family. That reminded all of us here that there is always hope."

Depeche Mode

2005-02-01T14:36:00.000-08:00

depeche mode dot com

2005-01-31T10:13:00.000-08:00

I am so excited...about the new album and the MOJO/Q magazine coverage. Oh it is going to be a good year indeed!

depeche mode dot com

GIGWISE.com | Pearl - The Pearly Queen

2005-01-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

GIGWISE.com | Pearl - The Pearly Queen

Long Lost Brother Records | Pearl

2005-01-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

Long Lost Brother Records | Pearl