This morning I heard Simply Mick's new single. A version of The Moody Blues "Go Now" which is simply inferior to the original. Why bother?

See what you think, listen here
http://www.simplyred.com/index.php?id=407

Oh look, all his fans think it's fabulous!

According to the website the release date for Johnny Cash Remixed is January 2009

http://www.johnnycashremixed.com/

It also gives you the opportunity to stream all the tracks in R = Real Player & W = Windows Media Player. Whatever takes your fancy.

Dig the crazy artwork man.

Click on the individual pictures to view in larger format and see which ones are you...in a bygone era..

http://stefanglerum.blogspot.com/2008/07/crate-digging-dont-do-it.html

Eighties pop singer Rick Astley has become the surprise contender for best act ever at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool.

The star, who has never been nominated in the history of the event, is up against U2, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Green Day and Tokio Hotel.

The winner, chosen by fans online, will be unveiled at the show on 6 November.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/entertainment/newsid_7648000/7648163.s...

I like this quote from Rick,

"She just takes it all with a pinch of salt. She's aware of the fact that I had hits in the 80s. She thinks that's highly naff on the one hand like every 16-year-old daughter should do of her Dad. I think she's also a bit proud as well, so that works out."

He has my vote. Go Rick!

So says the BBC, according to a report on an attempt to increase royalty rates.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7645537.stm

A veiled threat by Apple to close its iTunes store has emerged 18 months after it was issued and just a day before royalty rates are to be set.

The Copyright Royalty Board meets on Thursday to rule on a requested 66% increase for sales of digital music from 9 cents to 15 cents a track.

A rise would have to be paid by either Apple, the record company or consumer. Apple opposed the rate hike and has said it is unwilling to raise its 99 cents a song price or absorb a rise.

Piper Jaffray estimates that Apple will sell 2.4 bn songs this year, giving it an 85% share of the digital music market.

and the dark nights are coming in. Let's see what's on TV to keep us amused. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/

Sunday 5th October (episode 1 of 3) BBC 1

Imagine - The Story Of The Guitar
The Story Of The Guitar explores the history and culture surrounding the world's favourite instrument and the personal stories of those who have dedicated their lives to it. The series, presented by Alan Yentob, features interviews with some of the greatest living guitar players, including John Williams, Paco Peña, Les Paul, Pete Townshend and BB King.

Friday 17th October BBC 4

Les Paul
The legendary Les Paul – father of the solid-body electric guitar, inventor of overdubbing and multi-track recording, king of the Fifties pop charts and rock 'n' roll icon – tells his own classic rags-to-riches story in this performance documentary featuring a wall-to-wall soundtrack of greatest hits from How High The Moon to My Generation.

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
This week's guests are Gordon Ramsay; Ricky Gervais; controversial US comedian Sarah Silverman; and there's music from Razorlight performing new single Wire To Wire live in the studio. (Thank god for DVDs - ed.)

Tim Burton is making a live action/CGI/3D version of Alice In Wonderland for Disney. Already announced is Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Matt Lucas as both Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

I’m assuming that means Helena Bonham Carter will be the Queen of Hearts. Who will be the Cheshire Cat? White Rabbit?

Can't wait! (big kid)

P.S. forgot to mention <* whispers *> Tron 2, National Treasure 3, Pirates of the Carribean 4

Jack Benny interviews Isaac Hayes (1973)

Jimmy Page, playing skiffle in 1957. Also whistles.

Noel Gallagher "assaulted" onstage in Toronto. Look how hard Liam is when he cannot get near the assailant!

I posted a reply about the Marillion new CD and it reminded me of a concert in 2006.

Does anyone remember the group England? In 1977 they released an album called Garden Shed on Arista that sank without trace. Very much like Genesis; have mellotron will travel. In the year of punk not a good time for such a release. Fast forward to 2005 and this is re-released on CD and proves to be a hit in Japan.

The band reforms to play in 2 concerts in Tokyo, July 2006, followed by a solitary rare gig in Sheffield in August 2006. I made a round trip of 100+ miles to see the band perform in front of a sparse but polite crowd, made more difficult for the band as their mellotron conked out just prior to showtime.

The dedication of this tale is not mine but of the young couple who travelled all the way over from Japan for this one gig, with hardly any command of the English language and no contacts in the country. Just for the love of a quaint, unknown, outmoded English prog-rock group.

How many here would show such dedication for their favourite artist/band or have you made a similar pilgrimage in the past?

From the Manchester Evening News...

OASIS star Noel Gallagher has offered to play a gig for the prospective new owners of Manchester City. The "staggered" Blues fan heard about the takeover while in Canada at the start of his band's world tour.

And he says he's stunned by the millions Arab businessman Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim is prepared to pay to bring players to the club.

"Well, can I just throw my hat in the ring here and tell him that I'm available for any after-show parties he wants me to play at, if he's throwing that kind of money around," said Noel.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "It'll be nice to know that every gallon of petrol a Man Utd fan buys will be going into City's transfer kitty."

- If Dr Al-Fahim has any sense he will go for the Ting Tings instead.

STOP PRESS: dubbed "Wonderwallet" in today's Daily Mail!

As the autumn TV schedules are announced, the astonished and indifferent British public declare in unison, "Celebrity? Never heard of him/her!" or "I thought he/she was dead!"

Admittedley I have heard of Christine Bleakley, after her appearance on the Michael Stipe Show this week. Plus of few of her fellow Strictly Come Dancing contestants Heather Small & Phil Daniels. But Gillian Taylforth, Jessie Wallace & Gary Rhodes. Don't give up your day jobs, if you have one.

Over on ITV, they have finally scraped their way down to the bottom of the barrel with CelebAir.

http://www.itv.com/Entertainment/reality/CelebAir/Galleries/Meettheceleb...

Warning: do not view these contestants on a full stomach. Dark glasses are also advisable. Who, or what, the flying f*ck is Amy Lame??

It's about time The Word got in on the act and produced an issue where the subjects are written, photographed, interviewed and schmoozed by so-called celebrities. OK it will probably be cack but that's the times we are in now. Either that or let the Massive take over the Word office for a day.

People Power!!

When you type in David Hepworth...

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 34 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Typed in Fraser Lewry...don't quote me on its accuracy.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Now's the time for Simon Cowell to cash in with yet another talent show to find new sportsmen and sportswomen for the 2012 Olympics.

Heading a panel of Sir Steve Redgrave, Dame Kelly Holmes, Jim Davidson and Samantha Fox to find contestants of all ages and abilities who did not realise they had a talent for riding a bike pretty fast or kicking someone in the head. Alternate title; Britain's Got Medal Potential.

Of course, the BBC will fight back with Strictly Gymnastics with Brucie Bonus and some blonde bimbo. Followed by the show Another Opening, Another Games, hosted by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, where a panel of experts (John Barrowman, Pete Waterman and Konnie Huq) select performers from an initial 50,000 entrants down to a final 1,000 to perform at the opening ceremony. The process takes 3 years of Saturday night shows and raises enough money to pay for the fireworks from the viewer's premium-rate phonecalls.

Channel 4 in the meantime kidnap the Olympic flame and hide it in a secret Big Brother house. Viewers have to guess the location to have it released in time for the Games.

How can I copyright these ideas?