Saturday, April 21, 2012

Wolverine film to shoot in Sydney

GARRY MADDOX
Hugh Jackman

HOMETOWN SUPERHERO: Hugh Jackman will bear his claws again in Sydney for the new Wolverine movie.

Hugh Jackman has confirmed he will shoot a new Wolverine movie in Sydney later this year.

With filming delayed in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami last year, The Wolverine will start filming for the Hollywood studio 20th Century Fox in August.

It will be the sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which also shot in Sydney four years ago.

While that movie, a spin-off from the X-Men franchise, disappointed many critics, it still took more than US$370 million worldwide three years ago and confirmed Jackman's appeal as the gruff superhero.

Much of the shoot for the first Wolverine movie took place at Fox Studios and Cockatoo Island with exterior scenes around the city and in New Zealand.

Jackman said in a statement: "I couldn't be more excited to return to Australia to film the next chapter in the Wolverine saga, thanks to the significant support from the Federal and NSW Governments ... Not to mention, Deb (wife Deborra-Lee Furness) and I will get to spend some time with the family back in Australia!"

The Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Stoner, said the movie would create almost 2000 jobs for cast, crew and extras, and spend more than US$80 million in the state.

"It is a testament to our screen industry that Hugh Jackman and his team have chosen to come back to NSW, after such a positive experience making X-Men Origins: Wolverine here in 2008," Mr Stoner said.

While the high value of the Australian dollar has been a disincentive for international productions, the state has also attracted The Great Gatsby, Lego and Walking With Dinosaurs 3D.

-Sydney Morning Herald

Unauthorised book spills Simon Cowell secrets

JILL LAWLESS

He gets colonic irrigations, Botox injections and vitamin drips, and insists on black toilet paper in his home.

A revealing new biography offers intimate — some might say too intimate — details about Simon Cowell, along with a portrait of the entertainment mogul's savvy business side.

Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell is written by British journalist and biographer Tom Bower, whose previous subjects include former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, jailed media mogul Conrad Black and ex-Harrods owner Mohammad al-Fayed.

His latest portrait of power centres on the tanned and brush-cut Cowell, 52, who has gained fame in both Britain and North America as producer and an acerbic judge on TV talent shows including The X Factor and America's Got Talent.

Bower says he became fascinated by the story of a middle-aged music producer who struck gold by turning the old-fashioned talent contest into a slick 21st-century phenomenon — and in the process earned a fortune estimated at £200 million (NZ$394 million) by the Sunday Times Rich List.

The book paints a picture of a man who struggled for years in the music business, spurred on to success out of a desire to prove his detractors wrong.

"He had 20 years — more than 20 years — of humiliation," Bower said. "At school he was a total failure and as a music producer he was a total failure.

"But what he did have was charm and an ability to understand the music business because of all this failure."

Sweet Revenge, published in the US by Ballantine Books on Tuesday, is billed as the first book about Cowell written with the mogul's participation — though not his authorisation. Bower spent many hours with Cowell aboard his private jet, at his Los Angeles home and on his yacht in the south of France and the Caribbean.

But he says Cowell told some friends and associates not to talk to him. Writing the book became "a cat and mouse game" between him and his subject.

"He clearly wanted his story told properly, but there are parts he didn't want told and it was up to me to find out about them," Bower said.

Cowell has stressed that the book was not written with his approval, tweeting: "This book is not written by me. It is unauthorised. The writer is Tom Bower."

Cowell can't have enjoyed the revelations in The Sun tabloid, which has been serialising the more salacious bits of Bower's book.

Among the details: Cowell gets regular colonic irrigations because "it's so cleansing — and it makes my eyes shine brighter." He is put on a drip of vitamins and nutrients for a half hour each week.

He's not gay, despite long-standing rumours. The book reveals bedroom secrets including a brief affair with former X Factor judge Danii Minogue. But Bower says that Cowell isn't interested in serious relationships.

"He is only interested in women who are uninhibited and uncomplicated," Bower said. "He is not interested in relationships. He's a schoolboy."

He is, however, generous. Bower says Cowell gave his ex-fiance Mezhgan Hussainy, a makeup artist on American Idol, a $5 million Beverly Hills house as a parting gift. Most of his exes have refrained from spilling the beans in the media.

While Britain's tabloids have focused on Cowell's sex life, Bower is more interested in the story of money and power, of "business rivalry and the skullduggery."

At the heart of the book is Cowell's feud with fellow svengali and former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller. The pair fell out over the 2001 British musical talent-show, Pop Idol, progenitor of American Idol. Fuller was listed as creator of the show despite what Cowell said was a verbal agreement to split the credit.

A legal battle between the two men was settled out of court, with Fuller getting the creator credit for "Idol" — though Bower says he found "overwhelming" evidence that Cowell played a vital role.

Bower said Cowell was "naive and humiliated by Fuller's dexterity."

"He didn't understand the importance of owning a format," Bower said. "He learnt his lesson."

He said Cowell became "incensed" by the "created by Simon Fuller" credit on Pop Idol and American Idol, and vowed to create his own rival show.

The result was singing competition X Factor, which had its debut in Britain in 2004 and in the US last fall. Cowell also created Britain's Got Talent and executive produces its US spinoff, America's got Talent.

Cowell's response to the book, published in Britain on Friday, is so far unknown.

Publicist Max Clifford — who says Cowell pays him hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to keep stories out of the press — said he had advised Cowell not to speak to Bower, because it would undo years of carefully protected privacy.

"He knows it was a mistake," Clifford said.

"For Simon, who has protected his privacy and never, ever spoken about his relationships with anybody, to suddenly be quoted about this, that and the other is to me very damaging.

"Having created an image that's been hugely successful, to see him damage it like that is sad and disappointing," Clifford said.

Bower, though, thinks the book's portrait of Cowell is fairly positive.

While Bower has been openly hostile to some of his previous subjects — he called Gordon Brown a ruthless bully and Conrad Black a crook — he has a soft spot for Cowell.

"He's not a crook," Bower said. "So far he hasn't sued me. And it was good fun.

"He doesn't sit on his laurels. That's what's endearing about him. Although he is vain, he is a perfectionist and a professional — and he understands the business better than most."

- AP

Beyonce fights to lose baby weight

Beyonce Knowles

HAPPY FAMILIES: Beyonce and Jay-Z treated nephew Daniel Smith to front row seats at an NBA game on April 16.

Beyonce Knowles wants to look "even more amazing" following the birth of her daughter Blue Ivy.

The stunning songstress and her husband Jay-Z welcomed their first child into the world in January.

Knowles has since stepped out showing off her impressive shape, and even flaunted her enviable post-pregnancy body in a black one-piece swimsuit in St Barts last week.

However, sources close to the star says she wants to continue on her baby body blitz.

"She's been strict with her diet and says she has to be, as she finds controlling her weight a struggle. She's nearly lost all of the 40lbs [18kg] she gained during pregnancy, but still wants to lose more," an insider told British magazine Closer.

"Beyonce knows she looks great for a new mum but, being a perfectionist, she wants to look even more amazing. With her exercise regime, she's focusing on her stomach and chest, as she feels they were the areas most affected by pregnancy. She's doing 300 crunches a day.

"She's determined to be a [NZ] size 10 all over, which is as slim as she's ever been. She started slowly, a month after the birth and built up to five days a week."

Knowles has reportedly enlisted the help of friend and mother-of-two Gwyneth Paltrow, who is famed for her svelte figure.

The 30-year-old singer has been getting advice on the best beauty products.

"Gwyneth Paltrow has also been advising her about treatments and creams to help her get into the best possible shape," the source added.

Did you struggle to lose weight after giving birth? What worked for you (or didn't)?

- Cover Media

The Bachelor sued over racial bias

ABC has been sued for alleged racial discrimination for featuring only white people in the lead roles on its popular dating shows The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson, a pair of African-Americans and football players who had tried out for The Bachelor, said ABC has intentionally excluded non-whites from the shows during their 10-year run, comprising 16 seasons of The Bachelor and seven of The Bachelorette.

"Defendants are making the calculation that minorities in lead roles and interracial dating is unappealing to the shows' audiences," the complaint said.

"The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are examples of purposeful segregation in the media that perpetuates racial stereotypes and denies persons of colour opportunities in the entertainment industry."

ABC is a unit of Walt Disney Co.. An ABC spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Other defendants include Michael Fleiss, the shows' producer, and several production companies.

The lawsuit filed in Nashville federal court seeks class-action status on behalf of non-whites who applied unsuccessfully to star on the two shows. It seeks an order directing ABC to consider non-whites for those roles, as well as punitive damages and other remedies.

A news conference was scheduled for later Wednesday.

Last year, when asked if the shows would feature non-whites, Fleiss was quoted as saying to Entertainment Weekly: "I think Ashley (the 2011 Bachelorette) is 1/16th Cherokee Indian, but I cannot confirm. But that is my suspicion! We really tried, but sometimes we feel guilty of tokenism. Oh, we have to wedge African-American chicks in there! We always want to cast for ethnic diversity, it's just that for whatever reason, they don't come forward. I wish they would."

The Bachelor made its debut on ABC in 2002. It features a single man who chooses a potential wife from a pool of about 20 women. That pool is narrowed after weekly dates. The Bachelorette began to air the following year.

The case is Claybrooks et al v. American Broadcasting Cos et al, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, No. 12-00388.

- Reuters

Dann leaves Breakfast for Beehive

STACEY KIRK

TVNZ says Breakfast host Corin Dann will take over the reins as political editor of One News, but questions remain over who will co-host the embattled morning news show with Petra Bagust.

Dann and Bagust have been fronting the show since January 17, last year, replacing former hosts Pippa Wetzell and Paul Henry. Henry left after sparking an international outcry over his pronunciation of Sheila Dikshit's last name and Wetzell left ahead of the birth of her third child.

The show has received mixed reviews over the past year.

Social media sites such as Twitter have lit up with discussion over who will take the role, with former US correspondent Tim Wilson an early favourite.

But a TVNZ spokeswoman said they would not be making an announcement on the Breakfast post for another few weeks.

Head of News and Current Affairs Ross Dagan said Dann was an obvious choice for political editor.

"His appointment will secure TVNZ's strong performance in the political arena. This is an important job in any democratic society and Corin's track record and professional skills will be an outstanding asset both to the company and to viewers."

Before starting with TVNZ as the network's business presenter, Dann spent six years in the Beehive press gallery reporting for Radio New Zealand.

Dann said that was where his interests lay.

"I'm extremely proud of what we accomplished in a huge news year, which encompassed the earthquakes in my home town of Christchurch, the Rugby World Cup and the election.

"But politics is my passion and I'm looking forward enormously to getting back to daily journalism in the gallery.  I feel I've still got unfinished business there."

Previous political Guyon Espiner left the post in February when he defected to TV3's 60 Minutes. Espiner had been TVNZ's political editor since 2006 and also hosted the Sunday morning programme Q+A for the state broadcaster.

Dann will begin at parliament  on May 21 ahead of the budget on May 24.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Chris Knox returns to the stage

MARIKA HILL

Almost three years after suffering a debilitating stroke, Kiwi rock legend Chris Knox has stormed the stage to inspire a new generation of rockers.

Knox surprised Auckland punk rock band Rackets by joining them in a performance at Real Groovy Records yesterday.

The band members - Jeremy Goatsman, Oscar Davies-Kay and Vince Nairn - said it was a nerve-racking, but thrilling experience.

Davies-Kay, who shared the microphone with Knox, said singing alongside him was a highlight of his career - and life.

"We didn't expect Chris Knox to perform with us. We were completely in the dark. It was pretty incredible because he's a hero of ours and a song-writing idol of mine," he said.

"His music is so inspiring to lots of bands and so honest. He's just one of those living legends where his music will be timeless."

Knox proved he was every bit still a rock star, leaving more than 100 fans jumping and screaming for more.

"He did really well - better than us. We were just so nervous and in shock," Davies-Kay said.

Knox has been absent from the stage since he suffered a stroke in June 2009.

However, his stage presence yesterday proved doctors were wrong when they initially told Knox he may never walk again.

Although his speech is still limited, Knox still managed to belt out the song Swimming Pool with Rackets.

Afterwards, Knox said he loved performing with Rackets and they had talent.

The performance at Real Groovy on Queen St celebrated the launch of a new album from Knox's former band Toy Love.

The limited-edition vinyl album is a recording of one of Toy Love's last live shows at The Gluepot in Ponsonby in 1980.

Knox started out as a punk star of the 1970s in bands Toy Love and Tall Dwarfs.

He went on to write love song Not Given Lightly, with the catchy chorus "Yeah, it's you that I love and it's true that I love".

The 1990 tune was crowned the 13th-best Kiwi song of all time.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Dad's big gesture all heart

ALEXIA JOHNSTON

Temuka truck driver Barrie Burnett doesn't have the One Direction infection, but that didn't stop the devoted dad from getting a shortened version of the band's name etched on his chest.

His latest tattoo, which features 1D inside a heart, helped his daughter Courtney, 16, win double pass tickets to One Direction and a chance to meet the group backstage.

The British pop group consists of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Courtney's favourite, Niall Horan. They featured on talent show The X Factor and have since been racing up the charts with their hits One Thing and What Makes You Beautiful.

Thanks to Mr Burnett, Courtney will meet them and will attend their Wellington concert on Sunday night.

The prize, offered by The Edge radio station, is one thousands of young girls would have done anything to win.

Entrants were required to tell The Edge what they would do for the chance to be in the draw.

Initially Courtney suggested that she get a tattoo of the band's name, but her mum disapproved. Then Mr Burnett, who already has some tattoos, suggested he get the permanent piece of art instead.

Courtney, referred to by her mother, Robyn, as "Daddy's girl", said she had no idea what her chances were of winning.

She has been a fan of One Direction for a year.

"I was just really happy and couldn't believe I had won, and I was going to get to meet them," Courtney said. "I'm so excited."

However, her father's tattoo will be a constant reminder that it was him who sealed the deal.

Mr Burnett jokingly calls himself an "idiot".

He got the tattoo two weeks ago. So far he has no regrets, and refers to his latest work of art as "a bit of a laugh".

"It doesn't worry me. It's not like it's on my forehead. It's just something – a little thing between me and (Courtney). It was a good day out.

"I don't know how many fathers would do that."

- © Fairfax NZ News

Rose humbled by support on snub

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose said he was "humbled, (and) blown away" by the support he had received from media and fans over his decision to decline his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and snub last weekend's ceremony.

Rose said in a letter on the band's official website that he was relieved at the unexpected "overwhelmingly positive response and public support" for his decision.

Some members of the 6,000-strong audience at Saturday's ceremony in Cleveland booed when Rose's name was mentioned as other members of the Guns N'Roses went up to accept their award.

The mercurial lead singer of the band explained on Tuesday that his refusal to accept his honour was rooted in confusion over the induction process, despite making efforts to inform himself. Rose was the first artist to publicly snub the honour since the surviving members of the Sex Pistols in 2006.

"I still don't know or exactly understand what the Hall is or why it makes money, where the money goes, who chooses the voters and why anyone or this board decides who, out of all the artists in the world that have contributed to this genre, officially 'rock' enough to be in the Hall," he wrote.

Rose had not clarified the motives behind his decision in an open letter released last week, other than to say he did not feel "wanted or respected."

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website says the inductees are selected by the votes of more than 500 rock experts from a list of nominees drawn up annually by the Foundation's committee on the basis of 25 years in the industry and "unquestionable musical excellence."

Guns N' Roses found fame in the 1980s with hits like Appetite for Destruction and Paradise City but the original line-up broke up in the 1990s after a feud between Rose and guitarist Slash.

Rose congratulated the other artists who were inducted on Saturday and apologised to the city of Cleveland, where the Hall of Fame is based, "for not apologising to them beforehand for not attending."

Other musicians inducted on Saturday included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Donovan, Beastie Boys, the late Laura Nyro, and the late Freddie King.

- Reuters


Boy band gear up for Auckland show

Thousands of ticket holding One Direction fans have arrived at Trusts Stadium hours before the concert begins.

They've plunged from the Sky Tower and sampled Auckland's nightlife but One Direction are now gearing up for what they came to do - to sing in front of thousands of screaming girls.

The UK boy band will perform their first ever show in New Zealand this afternoon, followed by another concert tonight at Auckland's Trust Stadium. They will then head to Wellington to perform tomorrow night at the St James Theatre.

The boys, all aged under 20, arrived in New Zealand earlier this week and have been spotted all over the place since.

Harry Styles reportedly met with an old Kiwi flame at Grey Lynn's Gypsy Tea Room before joining the other lads at Britomart bar 1885.

Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne plunged from the Sky Tower yesterday, with Tomlinson saying "you only live once".

Many girls who had camped outside the boy's hotel ran to the Sky Tower to catch a glimpse of their idols.

The boy band has soared to fame since appearing on the UK version of X Factor, where they placed third.

The group has amassed more than 4.6 million Facebook fans and their video for the song What Makes You Beautiful has had more than 103 million YouTube hits.

They sold out 80,000 seats in just 12 minutes in the UK earlier this year and beat Adele to pick up a Brit Award for Best British Single last week. Their album Up All Night debuted in the top 10 in more than 15 countries.

In New Zealand, tickets for the bands three shows sold out in record time - 10,000 tickets in under 10 minutes.

But those that missed out this time have another chance to see the boys perform when they return to New Zealand next year.

The band has confirmed that they will return to New Zealand for three shows next October.

They will play one show at Christchurch's CSB Arena on October 3, before heading to Vector Arena in Auckland for shows on October 5 and 6. 

Tickets go on sale April 28 at 10am from Ticketek for the Christchurch show and Ticketmaster for the Auckland shows.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Boy band delivers at Auckland show

Fans leaving One Direction's first ever New Zealand show tell us the highs and lows of the experience.

They've plunged from the Sky Tower and sampled Auckland's nightlife but One Direction are now doing what they came to do - to sing in front of thousands of screaming girls.

The UK boy band performed their first ever show in New Zealand this afternoon, which will be followed by another concert tonight at Auckland's Trust Stadium. They will then head to Wellington to perform tomorrow night at the St James Theatre.

The boys, all aged under 20, arrived in New Zealand earlier this week and have been spotted all over the place since.

Harry Styles reportedly met with an old Kiwi flame at Grey Lynn's Gypsy Tea Room before joining the other lads at Britomart bar 1885.

Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne plunged from the Sky Tower yesterday, with Tomlinson saying "you only live once".

Many girls who had camped outside the boy's hotel ran to the Sky Tower to catch a glimpse of their idols.

The boy band has soared to fame since appearing on the UK version of X Factor, where they placed third.

The group has amassed more than 4.6 million Facebook fans and their video for the song What Makes You Beautiful has had more than 103 million YouTube hits.

They sold out 80,000 seats in just 12 minutes in the UK earlier this year and beat Adele to pick up a Brit Award for Best British Single last week. Their album Up All Night debuted in the top 10 in more than 15 countries.

In New Zealand, tickets for the bands three shows sold out in record time - 10,000 tickets in under 10 minutes.

But those that missed out this time have another chance to see the boys perform when they return to New Zealand next year.

The band has confirmed that they will return to New Zealand for three shows next October.

They will play one show at Christchurch's CSB Arena on October 3, before heading to Vector Arena in Auckland for shows on October 5 and 6. 

Tickets go on sale April 28 at 10am from Ticketek for the Christchurch show and Ticketmaster for the Auckland shows.

- © Fairfax NZ News

One Direction evades waiting fans

One Direction fans waited at Auckland Airport to get a glimpse of the band.

Boy band One Direction left behind a mob of disappointed fans as they were whisked from Auckland Airport.

The group - comprising Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson - arrived at Auckland Airport at 5.30pm but managed to slip out a back door without being seen.

About 100 eager fans were desperately waiting to catch a glimpse of the teen heartthrobs, some camping out from 5am.

The teenage crowd kept themselves entertained by singing the groups songs and comparing notes on their favourite members.

The girls moved as a pack covering every possible corner of the airport with rumour of every possible sighting.

In the end, the band were driven off the tarmac without being spotted but many of the fans vowed to continue trying to catch a glimpse of them over the next few days.

Screaming teenagers have also stationed themselves outside The Langham hotel in downtown Auckland in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the boy band.

Since coming third on the UK version of X Factor, the group have gone on to amass more than 4.6 million Facebook fans and their video for the song What Makes You Beautiful has had more than 103 million YouTube hits.

One Direction, who are all aged under 20, sold out 80,000 seats in just 12 minutes in the UK earlier this year and beat Adele to pick up a Brit Award for Best British Single last week. Their album Up All Night debuted in the top 10 in more than 15 countries.

One Direction play two shows in Auckland on Saturday before flying to Wellington for a final New Zealand show.

In New Zealand, tickets for the bands three shows sold out in record time - 10,000 tickets in under 10 minutes.

Many fans were distressed as they then saw tickets on Trade Me minutes after going on sale for up to five times their face value.

But to the relief of thousands of girls, the band last week announced a full tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2013. The exact dates or venues of the shows have not been confirmed.

- © Fairfax NZ News


Friday, April 20, 2012

Screams will head in One Direction

The band One Direction are confronted by screaming fans wherever they go.

Get ready for the screams. Teen heartthrobs One Direction hit New Zealand today and pandemonium is expected.

The British group - comprising Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson - are set to land in Auckland about 5.30pm and are looking forward to sheep and earthquakes.

In a YouTube video, they told fans they were heading to New Zealand, "where there's lots of earthquakes".

"And a lot of sheep," Horan said.

"Someone told me, and I don't know how true it is, but in New Zealand there are so many earthquakes a day, but you don't actually feel them.

"I want to see what it feels like in New Zealand," Payne said.

The band is crossing the ditch after four shows in Australia, which they kicked off by stripping off and jumping into Sydney Harbour.

Throngs of screeching Aussie girls crammed the streets and held up traffic, desperate to catch a glimpse of them - and the same is expected here.

Since coming third on the UK's version of the X Factor, the group have gone on to amass more than 4.6 million Facebook fans and their video for the song What Makes You Beautiful has had more than 103 million YouTube hits.

One Direction, who are all aged under 20, sold out 80,000 seats in just 12 minutes in the UK earlier this year and beat Adele to pick up a Brit Award for Best British Single last week. Their album Up All Night debuted in the top 10 in more than 15 countries.

In New Zealand, tickets for the bands three shows sold out in record time - 10,000 tickets in under 10 minutes.

Many fans were distressed as they then saw tickets on Trade Me minutes after going on sale for up to five times their face value.

But to the relief of thousands of girls, the band last week announced a full tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2013. The exact dates or venues of the shows have not been confirmed.

The boys are expected to spend tomorrow giving media interviews, before their shows at the Trust Stadium in Auckland on Saturday.

They then fly to Wellington for their final show at the St James Theatre on Sunday.

- © Fairfax NZ News


Prentice's 'first' in 40 years

MARY WITSEY

The release of Suzanne Prentice's first album in 15 years is bitter-sweet for the Southland performer.

I'll Do It All Over Again was launched yesterday and while Prentice says it's a thrill to be back in the music stores, the achievement is tinged with sadness, with the loss of one of her biggest fans just eight weeks ago.

"Mum has always been there for me – I wouldn't have had a career if it wasn't for her and this album was going to be a gift to her."

Rose Prentice, 86, was thrilled that her daughter was back in the studio making music and had delighted in hearing some of the songs that had been recorded.

Unfortunately, she would never get to enjoy the final product, as she died at the end of February, just weeks before the new album was released.

"There's sadness there that she didn't get to see it released, but I'm just so proud of this album and I know it's going to bring many people so much joy that it makes it all worthwhile."

Recorded in Auckland this year using almost entirely Kiwi talent, she says it was tremendous fun to put the album together, working with greats like Suzanne Lynch on backing vocals.

"There was a real sense of excitement and fun in the studio and I think that spirit has flowed through into the album. It's fresh and it's new and yet it's definitely got that Suzanne Prentice stamp on it."

In a first, Prentice owns the rights to the album, but has licenced it to Sony to distribute.

"It's really neat that after over 40 years in the business, I actually have something that I've done for myself – it's very exciting."

The album has a contemporary feel, with songs like Adele's Rolling in the Deep and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, along with some classics that have been given a modern twist.

"It's really important to take the fan base with you, to encompass all of those years and all of those people. If it weren't for them I wouldn't still be in the business."

These days the nerves that thwarted her performances are gone, she's busier than ever and she's loving what she does.

Prentice will perform a song from her album on TV One's Good Morning Show on Monday.

- © Fairfax NZ News

The essence of Kiwi women

STACEY KIRK

A woman's role can be trying and often thankless, but a New Zealand Portrait Gallery exhibition will shine a spotlight on the essence that drives New Zealand women to overcome any hurdle.

All Woman is Wellington Photographer Bev Short's testament to the fortitude and strength of Kiwi women.

She said it took the better part of three years to sit with all subjects, interview them and find out the essence of their lives that was important to capture in a portrait.

Travelling the length and breadth of New Zealand Short believes she has captured something special in the images of the women who inspire her.

"I wanted to show how diverse the women here are. They are capable, and they still juggle and they have the ability to succeed in some very male-dominated worlds," she said.

From a Carmelite nun to a burlesque champion, some of the faces in her  series are recognisable and some aren't.

She sat with each woman to find out their motivations - sometimes trailing their routines to capture "what made them, them".

"The women I met really opened up to me about their lives which I was so grateful to them for.

"It gives the results more depth and produced images which I hope will in turn inspire those looking at them."

While one image she wasn't able to capture was former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, the series struck a chord with Clark and inspired her to write the forward, which will also be displayed in the exhibition.

"All Woman piqued my interest because it captures the breadth of what women are achieving in the 21st century - a lot more than many would have dreamed a couple of decades ago," Clark wrote.

Short knows something herself of overcoming the odds.

"I started as a commercial photographer - not particularly fulfilled. In the space of a year both my parents died and that really made me evaluate what was important in life. I wasn't  happy doing what I was doing, but at the same time I loved photography.

"I figured I may as well start on my big idea first, because if galleries were going to take it, then it needed to be something big that I could show them first off, rather than going along and asking if I could do this, or I could do that."

A plan which paid off, as the New Zealand Portrait Gallery immediately signed her work to appear for a 10-week exhibition beginning April 27.

The free exhibition will also include a series of 10 female speakers who have excelled in their respective fields, with Short kicking off the first speaking date.

* All Woman will be shown at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, at Shed 11 on Wellington's waterfront. Open to the public from April 27-July 8, entry is free.

- © Fairfax NZ News

A voice of a generation

RACHEL HILLS
Girls

GIRLS: Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Lena Dunham and Zosia Mamet.

Twenty-four year old Hannah thinks she might be the voice of her generation. Or if not the voice, she drowsily tells her parents as they leaf through the first nine pages of her unfinished memoir in a plush New York hotel room, then "at least a voice of a generation".

While Hannah's right to that accolade is yet to be determined, it is a phrase that has been applied liberally to the woman who plays and writes her: Lena Dunham, the 25-year-old writer/director/producer of new series Girls, which piloted on HBO in America on Sunday night.

Since the sardonic half-hour comedy premiered at music/film/tech festival SXSW in March, it has been the subject of literally thousands of breathless reviews, interviews and speculation about what the program reveals about the state of young womanhood today.

So does Girls live up to the hype? In a word, yes. Tracing the fortunes of four twenty-something women in New York City - smart but socially awkward Hannah, level headed Marnie, wealthy world traveller Jessa and unabashedly uncool Shoshanna - the show is dark, funny and keenly observed.

It tackles subjects such as abortion and STIs head on and unflinchingly. It deals with, as Dunham put it in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, "the uncomfortable middle ground where women are ejected from college into a world with neither glamour or structure," that phase of life in which you are trying to make your mark on the world but have no idea of how to make that happen.

Most of the publicity leading up to the show's launch has focused on its dealings with sex. This is understandable: sex sells, and Girls' take on the subject differs from much of what you will see on mainstream television.

But the more interesting story Girls has to tell is about money - or more specifically, the intertwinement of aspiration, economics and entitlement.

Indeed, where relationships with men took centre stage in the lives of the thirty- and forty-something women of Sex & The City, for the mid-twenty-something "girls" of Girls, sex is a more peripheral concern. They have sex, sure - some of it shown graphically on screen - but it is neither the source of their existential worries, nor the focus of their conversations with one another.

It is a scene that is at once alarmingly privileged (they paid all her bills? for two years?) and oddly emblematic of the post-GFC economy, in which employers in many fields pick from the most talented graduates not for entry-level jobs, but for unpaid internships that in many fields are replacing them... and in which who ends up with the holy grail of actual paid employment is less a matter of who has the most talent, than who can sustain themselves for the longest without a pay cheque.

How what Americans now refer to as "the Great Recession" is impacting young adults Dunham and Hannah's age - and how it will impact them in the future - has been a subject of ongoing consternation and commentary.

Yale economist Lisa B. Kahn has found that Americans who graduated from university in the midst of the early 1980s recession earned 30 percent less in their first three years than young people who started their careers in a strong economy. Fifteen years later, they still suffered from an 8 to 10 percent wage gap. In the Netherlands, a group of under 35s calling themselves the G500 are joining major political parties en masse in the pursuit of intergenerational justice - on issues including student debt, social security and renewable energy.

But within that precarious economy, Hannah and her friends occupy a markedly privileged position. Other recent graduates might move back in with their parents while they look for work; Hannah's funded her to live in New York City for two years. Her no-strings-attached sex friend, Adam, receives $800 a month from his grandmother, because "you should never be anybody's slave".

When Jessa, a British-accented bohemian who speaks about poverty with the ease of someone who has never had to worry about, tells Hannah to eschew her parents' suggestion that she get a job and "stick to her guns" as an artist instead ("Tell them it's what Flaubert did! Tell them that Picasso did it!"), Hannah responds by asking her parents to downgrade their financial contribution to $1100 per month for the next two years. She's right that that's not an easy income to live off in New York, but she's missing the point.

Girls has been praised for its anti-aspirational ethos. And indeed, it is decidedly less glossy than most of what we're shown on TV - from its thrift-store clothes, to its no-paying jobs, to its awkward sex scenes. But the "down and out" twenty-somethings of Lena Dunham's New York still have far more resources available to them than most of their contemporaries, middle class or otherwise.

But maybe that is Dunham's intent. After all, no one ever knew how Carrie Bradshaw paid for that apartment and those shoes on one column per week. We know exactly how Hannah and her Girls pay for theirs.

- Daily Life

One Direction meet 'n' greet fans

NICOLA RUSSELL AND BRIDGET JONES

The UK band one direction spoke with Stuff.co.nz ahead of there NZ shows

The only direction was down for the One Direction lads who took the plunge from the Auckland Sky Tower tonight.

Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne bungyed from the 328 metre tower while a group of excited fans cheered below.

Payne, who took the plunge first, gave the doting crowd below a "Woooo" with his arms in the air following the jump.

"It was amazing," he told Fairfax after the leap.

Payne was followed by a member of his crew and then Tomlinson, who had been looking forward to the jump all day.
 
Harry Styles waited with the band's stylist and her baby daughter Lux on the tower below, cheering his mates on, playing with Lux and waving to the dedicated fan base that had been tailing the band all day.

The band, who loved learning to surf in Australia, said they wanted to experience something thrilling in New Zealand to top off the Australasian tour.

"You only live once," said Tomlinson.

Girls stopped traffic at the Sky Tower trying to get a glimpse of the boys on the landing platform. One carload of fans failed to notice the red light had changed twice, until a security guard moved them on.

Many of the girls had run to the Sky Tower from the Langham where they had been camped since this morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy band.

Hundreds of those fans finally got their first glimpse of the teen heartthrobs this afternoon.

Hordes of fans had been camped out outside the band's hotel since their arrival yesterday, but there had been few chances to see the band.

But earlier today One Direction  – comprising Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson – ventured out of their hotel, waving, smiling at and even touching the adoring teenage girls.

The crowd was told the walkabout would only happen if they were well behaved, with hotel and band security out in force, holding up barriers to make sure no one could break through.
 
While they have experienced welcomes like this all around the world, the five boys, all aged under 20, seemed genuinely excited to meet the locals, geeing each other up, giving fans the thumbs up and even breaking through security to high-five a few lucky girls before being pulled back.

Many of the fans, some of whom had camped out overnight hoping to catch a glimpse of the band, were left in tears as the emotion of seeing their heroes up close overcame them.

One Direction play two shows in Auckland on Saturday before flying to Wellington for a final New Zealand show.

Since coming third on the UK version of X Factor, the group have amassed more than 4.6 million Facebook fans and their video for the song What Makes You Beautiful has had more than 103 million YouTube hits.

They sold out 80,000 seats in just 12 minutes in the UK earlier this year and beat Adele to pick up a Brit Award for Best British Single last week. Their album Up All Night debuted in the top 10 in more than 15 countries.

In New Zealand, tickets for the bands three shows sold out in record time - 10,000 tickets in under 10 minutes.

Many fans were distressed as they then saw tickets on Trade Me minutes after going on sale for up to five times their face value.

Thousands of fans who were left in tears after missing out on tickets to One Direction's current New Zealand tour are now to get another bite of the cherry, however, with the boy band confirming that they will return to New Zealand for three shows next October.

They will play one show at Christchurch's CSB Arena on October 3, before heading to Vector Arena in Auckland for shows on October 5 and 6. 

Tickets go on sale April 28 at 10am from Ticketek for the Christchurch show and Ticketmaster for the Auckland shows.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Meldrum opens up about recovery

Molly Meldrum

ON THE MEND: Molly Meldrum is glad to be alive.

Molly Meldrum has opened up about how his life has changed forever following the devastating fall at his Melbourne home in December.

In a personal letter published in News Ltd newspaper, the Herald Sun, Meldrum has spoken about his recovery from the life-threatening accident and of his gratitude for all the support he's received from friends and members of the public.

''As you know, I've been out on the tiles a number of times. But never like this. My life changed forever when I fell off the roof on December 15 last year.

''I can't say my life flashed before my eyes, but I have had plenty of time to reflect in the past few weeks, and I realise just how lucky I am,'' he wrote in the letter.

Meldrum thanks his friend and maintenance man Joe for saving his life on ''that fateful day''.

''Joe rushed to my aid while my PA, Yael Cohn, called the ambulance.''

Meldrum revealed he received a get-well call from Prime Minister Julia Gillard and another from Sir Elton John.

''Lizzie (Meldrum's friend Lizzie Joyce) was a little fazed when she told me: ''There's someone on the phone claiming to be Elton John.''

'''What happened, dear?' Elton asked. 'We were together at my concert in Melbourne and then I hear you're in a critical condition. Are you okay?''' Meldrum recalled.

Meldrum also thanked all of his fans who sent him messages of support.
''I wish I could reply to all the cards and messages, but it's impossible - it would take all year and I'd never get my book finished!'' he wrote.

On his recent induction into the Logies Hall of Fame, Meldrum said it's ''lovely ... it's even better to be alive''.

The letter was penned ahead of Meldrum's first TV interview, which airs on the Australian Seven Network on Wednesday night.

The interview with personal friend and journalist Jennifer Keyte was recorded four months after his accident and will air in full on Today Tonight.

Meldrum fell while putting up Christmas decorations at his Richmond home, suffering a fractured skull, ribs, shoulder blade, vertebrae and collarbone. He was placed in an induced coma

- AAP

Hunger Games star's family pain

Josh Hutcherson has opened up about his two gay uncles who died of AIDS.

The Hunger Games star never got a chance to know his relatives as the disease took their lives when he was a baby. The 19-year-old has been using his rise to fame to support gay rights and wishes his uncles were still around to see his work.

"They were in their early thirties, in great shape, but unfortunately they were taken away from us too soon," he told E! Online. "Both passed away at about the time I was born."

His family has encouraged his work as an advocate for equal rights.

The actor's friends also have his back. Hutcherson works closely with gay rights organisation Straight But Not Narrow (SBNN) founded by his best friend, Victorious star Avan Jogia.

"My mum has always been a big advocate, especially in the gay, lesbian, transsexual and bisexual community so for me it's always been a part of my soul," he said.

Hutcherson recalls a 14-year-old high school student from Florida sending a letter to SBNN. The student's message almost reduced Josh to tears.

"He was in this very right wing and religious sort of area and he sent a letter saying how SBNN changed his life and how he was able to feel more comfortable coming out to his friends," he said. "I was almost bawling reading it. That makes all our work worth it."

He is set to become the youngest recipient of the Vanguard Award at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday.  The awards recognise various branches of the media for their presentations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Past honourees include Elizabeth Taylor, Charlize Theron and Janet Jackson.

"This is what my family is most proud of and the same for me," Hutcherson said. "Acting is one thing, but actually trying to change the world and the way people think to make people's lives better? That's the stuff I'm most proud of."

He likes to think his uncles would be thrilled to see him receive the honour if they were here today. He hopes they are looking down on him.

"I'm not a religious person in that sense," he added. "But at the same time I do believe in some sort of something, just not sure exactly. But yeah, I'd like to think that they see what I'm doing and that they're proud of me."

- Cover Media

Men At Work's Greg Ham dies

It was an upbeat, sunny riff, but the legacy of the flute solo in Men At Work's mega-hit single Down Under had long soured for Greg Ham.

''I'm terribly disappointed that that's the way I'm going to be remembered - for copying something, '' the musician said two years ago when the recording of one of Australia's iconic pop hits, Down Under, was found by a court to have reproduced ''a substantial part'' of the folk song Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.

Ham, who was found dead in his Melbourne home yesterday, had said his reputation had been tarnished. ''It will be the way the song is remembered and I hate that,'' he said in 2010.

The 58-year-old's body was discovered by friends at the modest house he recently moved into after being forced to sell a grand property nearby that he had bought at the height of Men At Work's success.

The cause of death remains unknown, but a close friend of Ham's said last night he believed Ham, who had been on a methadone program, had begun using heroin again ''heavily'' and abusing alcohol after the Kookaburra trial. ''The whole case had undone him,'' the friend.

Ham had recently separated from his wife, Linda Wostry. The couple have two children, aged 17 and 20.

''He was the funniest person I knew,'' the band's frontman, Colin Hay, said in a statement yesterday. ''We shared countless, unbelievably memorable times together.''

''I love him very much. He's a beautiful man ... I'm thinking about his family, and hoping they are receiving the love and support they need and deserve.''

Peter Karpin, the head of Mercury Records in Australia, who signed Men At Work for CBS in 1981, said Ham ''added the colour to the band, both in the recording and stage presence''.

Ham joined the band in 1979 as a multi-instrumentalist, playing keyboards, saxophone and flute. The latter two instruments were key elements in the band's first hits, Who Can It Be Now?, with its prominent saxophone, and Down Under, with its distinctive flute figure.

But Ham's energy and zaniness were tested by the peculiar circumstances of the huge fame achieved by Men At Work, who had the No.1 album and single simultaneously in both the US and Britain, the first and last time an Australian band achieved that. The band had sales of more than 12 million and won a Grammy award for best new artist of 1983.

David Nolte, Ham's friend of 30 years and a Carlton pharmacist, found the musician's body just after noon after friends had become concerned that he was not contactable.

Hay had insisted since the 2010 court verdict that any plagiarism was unintentional.

Larrikin Music Publishing, which owns the copyright for Kookaburra, sued Hay, his fellow songwriter Ron Strykert and EMI Music Publishing, seeking back-dated royalties and a share of future profits.

Larrikin Music sought a 50 per cent royalty cut, but the Federal Court ordered that Hay, Strykert and EMI pay Larrikin 5 per cent of Down Under's future profits, as well as royalties dating back to 2002.

Ham, who received a small percentage of the song's royalties, said at the time that while the decision ''could have been worse'', he was worried that ''at the end of the day, I'll end up selling my house''.

-Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday, April 19, 2012

One Direction sample Auckland nightlife

Scores of fans were camped outside the pop-up store dedicated to them in Wellington.

One Direction might be in Auckland for just a few nights, but it appears the teen heartthrobs are planning to make the most of it.

The UK group - comprising Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson - arrived at Auckland Airport yesterday but managed to slip out a back door without being seen, despite around 100 young girls lining the streets to catch a glimpse.

Some eager fans were rewarded with a quick wave as the famous five arrived at the Langham Hotel last night, and this morning the crowd of girls outside had reached hundreds prompting the need for barricades.

The lads, all aged under 20, were tailed around Auckland last night after Styles was spotted leaving the hotel around 8.30pm to meet up with a Kiwi ex-girlfriend at Grey Lynn's Gypsy Tea Room.

According to eagle-eyed fans, the pair went on to meet up with the rest of the band at Britomart bar 1885 later in the night, before returning to the hotel at around 2am.

Last week a British magazine reported Styles was planning to track down the local lady who captured his heart.

"He still carries a flame for her. It's a secret trip and the lads in the band have agreed to go too," a source told British showbiz magazine Now.

In Wellington, scores of fans lined up outside a pop-up store dedicated to them overnight. Some wore their pyjamas to ensure they were first in line when the store opened at 9am.

The British boy band, launched to super stardom by their turn on the UK version of the X Factor.

They have attracted screaming fans wherever they go, normally teenage girls, and have just completed a short Australian tour.

The group sold out 80,000 seats in just 12 minutes in the UK earlier this year and beat Adele to pick up a Brit Award for Best British Single last week.

Their album Up All Night debuted in the top 10 in more than 15 countries.

One Direction play two shows in Auckland tomorrow before flying to Wellington for a final New Zealand show on Sunday.

In New Zealand, tickets for the bands three shows sold out in record time - 10,000 tickets in under 10 minutes.

Many fans were distressed as they then saw tickets on Trade Me minutes after going on sale for up to five times their face value.

But to the relief of thousands of girls, the band last week announced a full tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2013.

The exact dates or venues of the shows have not been confirmed.

Are you a true One Direction fan?

- © Fairfax NZ News

The Band's Levon Helm dies

Levon Helm

LAST WALTZ: Legendary drummer for The Band, Levon Helm performing with his own band at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. He died April 19, aged 71.

Levon Helm, the drummer for The Band whose twangy vocals brought a poignancy and earthiness to songs like The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and Up on Cripple Creek, died on Thursday at the age of 71 from cancer, his manager said.

The three-time Grammy Award winner had been fighting throat cancer since 1998.

"Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon," Helm's manager Barbara O'Brien said in a statement.

"He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul."

Tributes immediately began pouring in from fans, popping up on Twitter at a fast rate.

Although the cancer silenced Helm's crystal-clear tenor for a while, he strengthened his voice sufficiently to resume singing in 2004. He hosted a regular series of what he called Midnight Ramble concerts that often featured big-name stars at his home-studio in Woodstock, New York.

In addition to singing, Helm played drums, mandolin and other string instruments in The Band, one of the most revered and influential rock groups to emerge from the 1960s. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, it played a brand of rustic rock that drew on country, blues and rhythm and blues and sounded quintessentially American - even though Helm was the only member not from Canada.

Helm's daughter Amy, who sang in his latest band, and wife, Sandy, announced on Tuesday the he was in the final stage of his fight with cancer.

"Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration," they said on Facebook. "He has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage.

BACKED UP DYLAN

Helm was born to cotton farmers in 1940 and grew up near the community of Turkey Scratch, outside Helena, Arkansas, with the intention of being a musician. He was a teenager when he became the drummer for another Arkansas native, rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins.

Hawkins took the group to Canada, where he added guitarist Robbie Robertson, bassist Rick Danko and keyboardists Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson to The Hawks. Eventually the four Canadians and Helm would split off.

In 1965, Bob Dylan recruited them to back him up on his first US "electric" tour, a raucous event strung over September 1965 to May 1966 that marked Dylan's transition from acoustic to rock 'n' roll and outraged his folkie fans.

Helm was dismayed by the hostile reception and returned to Arkansas for a two-year hiatus. Eventually reunited with his bandmates in 1968 and calling themselves simply The Band, they produced the landmark Music From Big Pink, an album named for the house they rented near Woodstock.

That was followed the next year by the "brown album" titled The Band. Viewed by most critics as their masterpiece, the album was steeped in old-time rural Americana and made heavy use of Helm's plaintive Southern drawl.

The Band's greatest success came in the early and mid-1970s and, while they were not a huge commercial success, critics loved them. Up on Cripple Creek, The Weight and the Civil War saga The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, also a hit for Joan Baez, were popular on FM radio stations of the time.

Helm stayed with The Band through its 1976 farewell concert, which Martin Scorsese documented in his film The Last Waltz. While the movie is regarded as perhaps the best rock 'n' roll documentary, Helm derided it and particularly Robertson, who he bitterly accused of preening for the camera, unfairly claiming writing credits and trying to appear the leader of the group in which all had been equals.

The estranged band mates appeared to make peace just days before Helm's death, when Robertson visited Helm in a New York hospital and later described him as "like an older brother" on Facebook.

Following some solo albums, Helm reunited in 1983 with The Band, minus Robertson. Manuel committed suicide while they were on tour in 1986. The remaining members - Helm, Danko and Hudson - released the final Band album in 1998.

Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer that year.

He earned a spot on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 greatest singers of all time. Jim James of the band My Morning Jacket wrote that "there is something about Levon Helm's voice that is contained in all of our voices. It is ageless, timeless and has no race. He can sing with such depth and emotion but he can also convey a good-old fun-time growl."

In 2007, Helm released his first solo studio album in 25 years, Dirt Farmer, which picked up a Grammy award for best traditional folk album. In 2009, he released Electric Dirt, winning another Grammy in the new Americana category. In 2011, he won for Ramble At The Ryman for best Americana album.

Helm also had a successful side career as an actor, using his aura of earthy dignity in movies such as Coal Miner's Daughter, The Right Stuff and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

- Reuters

George Costanza: Original Hipster

KATHLEEN LEE-JOE

George Costanza is as much of an icon in fashion as he is in life. The man who once professed "I would drape myself in velvet if it was socially acceptable" unwittingly paved the path for hipster dressing and we salute him for it.

The Original Accidental Hipster, George Louis Costanza manages to look like he just walked out of Urban Outfitters without ever having been in one.

Though Kramer, with his vintage wardrobe and hipster doofus haircut, was perhaps a more obvious choice for most fashionable cast member, George exudes a certain tossed-together look that in its effortlessness and simplicity, can even out-swagger a lobster shirt.

For every rustling business suit, sable hat and fanny pack George wore, he had some fashion-forward outwear and clever shirting to make up for it.

George's standard attire of plaid button-downs and anoraks (in autumnal shades such as forest green, mustard, burnt orange and brick red) has become a hipster staple, with Stussy, A.P.C. and Adam Kimmell X Carhartt doing their own renditions.

Like today's cool kids, he often pairs his with a cardigan or sweater vest, once even venturing into plaid cardigan territory.

As temperatures drop, George's Gore-Tex coat and pom-pom beanies are no longer laughable options.

Penfield's Summit and Stapleton jackets have been snapped up by style bloggers while brands such as North Face and Patagonia continue to pedal the Gore-Tex trend.

The 90s revival continues with George's Yankees varsity jacket in The Little Kicks, making us nostalgic for our pimply high-school days.

Though he looks far from a bad-ass quarterback, his sartorial hark-back has inspired us to revisit the look with these snazzy versions from Dior's Raf Simons and Alexander McQueen.

We'd also like to point out that George wore his heavy-duty Barbour parka long before Alexa Chung and Peaches Geldof wore theirs to Glastonbury.

Though he may have lived with his parents and styled his hair based on an Andy Sipowicz poster, Old Georgie Boy was undeniably hip - his shiny balding head acting somewhat like a crystal ball for indie clothing trends.

Keeping a wardrobe full of classic separates and Nike Cortez sneakers, Georgie Porgie colour-coded ensembles based on his mood, delivering some truly inspired looks along the way.

There's something so cool about being painfully uncool, and George Costanza is walking, talking, penny-pinching proof of that.

-Daily Life


Kimbra's on top of the pops

Kiwi singer Kimbra, featuring on Gotye's single Somebody That I Used To Know, has made it to the top of the Billboard top 100.

It is the first time a New Zealand singer has captured the top-spot of the US charts since OMC's smash hit How Bizarre in 1997.

Gotye's Somebody That I Used to Know rocketed up to number one overnight and recorded one of the highest ever weekly digital sales totals in the country.

The song by singer/songwriter Gotye, real name Wally De Backer, jumped from number two to one in the all-important Billboard Hot 100 chart, after already claiming glory in 17 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Ireland and Denmark.

Billboard said the duet with Kiwi Kimbra, gained momentum in the US when it was covered on the hit television show Glee on April 10, while just days later Gotye (pronounced "gore-ti-yeah") and Kimbra performed Somebody on NBC's Saturday Night Live.

Although Kimbra didn't write the smash hit and won't benefit hugely financially, it was still a massive boost for her profile.

The track sold 542,000 downloads between April 9 and April 15 in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

That figure is the fourth highest since SoundScan began tracking digital sales in 2003.

In Glee, the break-up song was transformed into a tune about sibling rivalry between characters Blaine Anderson, played by Darren Criss, and his older brother Cooper, played by Matt Bomer.

The song was also covered on the US version of the television talent contest The Voice, while Gotye performed at the US music festival Coachella last weekend and is set to play again this Sunday on the closing night of the two-weekend festival.

On the Billboard chart, Gotye dethroned US indie pop band Fun's We Are Young, which slipped to number two.

Somebody That I Used to Know is taken from Gotye's third album, Making Mirrors, which he recorded entirely at his parent's farm on the Mornington Peninsula.

Despite the song's runaway success, Gotye said he nearly didn't finish the song.

It was one of the final two songs that he penned for the album in November 2010, and Kimbra was not his first choice for the duet.

Another high-profile Australian female singer reportedly walked out in the middle of a recording session.

"At times I was thinking I wouldn't be able to finish it, or that I wasn't going to find a singer like Kimbra to really make the female part something special," De Backer told The Age last year.

"But there was always something about the song that made me think, 'This one's got something worth sticking it out for'."

-with The Age

- © Fairfax NZ News

Review: How To Train Your Dragon

JESSICA ETHERIDGE

Hundreds of children - and their parents - laughed, gasped and looked on in wonder as winged beasts and Vikings took to the skies. Not real ones, but close enough: How To Train Your Dragon - Arena Spectacular has finally arrived in Auckland.

And it was well worth the wait. 

For fans of the 2010 animated DreamWorks film of the same name, the show's premise will be familiar. Those who haven't seen the film need not worry. From the creators of last year's Walking With Dinosaurs, How To Train Your Dragon is an adventure for the entire family and is worth every cent.

The story follows Hiccup, the son of fearsome Viking chieftain Stoick the Vast, who lives in the small but proud village of Berk and is desperate to make his father proud. The only way Hiccup believes he can do this is by capturing and killing a dragon - any kind, it just has to be a scaly, fire-breathing beast with wings.

What Hiccup doesn't anticipate is capturing a Night Fury, one of the 10 different species of dragons featured in the live show. No-one has ever seen one and lived to tell the tale, Gobber, Hiccup's mentor, points out early on. When Hiccup successfully ensnares a Night Fury, no-one in the village believes him, not even his own father, who is more ashamed of Hiccup's "lies". He's then forced into the village's dragon-killing academy to teach him what a "real viking" is all about.

Things get complicated when Hiccup befriends Toothless, the dragon he shot down, and soon the two are inseparable, soaring through the skies and sharing a meal of fresh (uncooked, mind you) fish. Yum.

Along the way we're introduced to several other dragon stars of the show, who each have their own personalities and perform scary but sometimes chuckle-inducing party tricks. One dragon expels glitter from its... You-can-guess-where, which certainly got hundreds of kids in the audience laughing.

The cast and crew have obviously put hundreds of hours into perfecting the show and should be proud, as they have created a first-class production. From lasers and sky-high acrobatics, this show takes you from the high clouds and mountains, to the lowest points of the viking world, including an underwater cavern where the entire arena is speckled with bubbles. Flames shoot out from different parts of the arena, startling many as the fire is so hot you can feel it warming your face, and a slight breeze is felt when Hiccup and Toothless take to the skies.

There are plenty of laughs to be had throughout the show but it has to be said some of the larger dragons are absolutely terrifying, so it's probably not a good idea to take small children, as dozens of parents soon found out.

Dragons is a show with a lot of heart and a great story at the centre of it, with plenty of action to keep the kids entertained these school holidays.

How To Train Your Dragon - Arena Spectacular 

At Vector Arena, Auckland, until April 22.

Tickets from Ticketmaster.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Heart-throb out of his comfort zone

JENNY COONEY CARRILLO

The Lucky One takes a heart-throb out of his comfort zone.

Former teen idol Zac Efron admits he was apprehensive about playing a former US marine in the romantic drama The Lucky One.

''The closest I've been to war is on an Xbox console and, other than reading about it in the news, I felt like I was very removed,'' the 24-year-old actor admits, gesturing around his swank Beverly Hills hotel room as further proof.

''But the fact that it scared me so much meant that it was a good part and a big challenge, so I really wanted to do it!''

The Lucky One, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook), stars Efron as Logan Thibault, a marine who returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive - a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Discovering her name is Beth (newcomer Taylor Schilling), he tracks her down and winds up taking a job at her family-run kennel, hoping she will become more than just a good-luck charm.

''Zac was very eager to play the role and it's unusual for an actor to put himself forward like that,'' Australian director Scott Hicks says of his unlikely choice to play the tormented veteran. ''I told him there was a lot of work he'd have to do because he's not an ex-marine and he said, 'You tell me what to do and I'll do it,' and, true to his word, he did.'' Efron says he was eager to convince Hicks, best known for Shine, Snow Falling on Cedars and The Boys Are Back, that he was ready for the part. ''He had such smart things to say and I realised at any point in my career I'd be lucky to work with a director like this.''

Efron spent months preparing for the shoot, with three hours a day of physical training, intense diet and spending long hours at Camp Pendleton in California with real marines. ''So much of it was the posture and all kinds of mannerisms that set them apart,'' he elaborates. ''There was also no unnecessary humour or banter to make someone else comfortable, so socially they were fascinating.''

Efron ate chicken every two hours for months to get up to 76 kilograms by the end of the film, including seven kilograms of pure muscle.

''At one point I got so sick of chewing the chicken and I knew it tasted like nothing, so I'd put it in the blender with the vegies and drink it,'' he winces.

Combining war scenes and love scenes is new territory for Efron, who became a teen idol thanks to the High School Musical franchise and Hairspray, but he's eager to expand his range and will appear this year in the independent drama The Paperboy alongside Nicole Kidman.

Hicks says admiringly: ''I think Zac was looking for a chance to make the transition ... he showed all the hallmarks of someone who has a long future and I was very impressed with that.''

Producer Denise di Novi (who collaborated on other Sparks adaptations A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe and Message in a Bottle) describes all the director's films as date movies ''because at the end ... you want to look at the person you went with and say, 'I appreciate you, I'm lucky to have you,''' she says.

Efron seems amused when asked about the last date movie he saw, avoiding any reference to reports he is dating Mirror Mirror actress Lily Collins. ''Last time I was on a date, I saw [sci-fi teen drama] Chronicle and then [raunchy comedy] Project X,'' he says sheepishly. ''The date took me and I was like, 'Sure!' so I was super-stoked!''

The Lucky One opens today

Sons of Anarchy heads to a great conclusion

You could make a solid argument that Sons of Anarchy has been the best show on television for the past four or five weeks - a stretch capped off by last night's fantastic episode, which set up the direction the series needs to take as it closes out the fourth season over the next few weeks.

(Warning: Spoilers from last night's episode of Sons of Anarchy follow.)

Perhaps the most surprising and entertaining thing has been the complete turnaround of Clay (Ron Perlman) this season, with the way that creator Kurt Sutter has turned him from hero to villain* - and Clay is definitely a villain at this point, effectively sealing his fate last night by going through with the hit on Tara (Maggie Siff) and beating the crap out of Gemma (Katey Sagal) after it fell through.

20120419What was it Gemma said to Unser at the end of the episode? "Clay can't be saved," repeating Unser's words from last week. "He's not going down by law. He's gonna die by the hand of a son."

While Gemma was referring to "a son", meaning any SAMCRO member, the job of dispatching Clay is surely going to come down to Jax (Charlie Hunnam) - he has the most reason: the hit on Tara and the destruction of his way out of Charming, Gemma's beating, the murder of his best friend's dad, and the murder of his own dad. Also, y'know, Jax is the main character on SOA. Justice is normally handled by the main characters in these situations.

But it is here where an interesting parallel starts to emerge.

Let's say Gemma reveals the truth to Jax about the letters, his father, the beating, everything, and Jax decides to kill Clay because that is what would be in the best interests of himself and the club ... umm, didn't Clay think killing John Teller was in the best interests of himself and the club, too?

For all the talking Jax has done about leaving SAMCRO and getting out of Charming, killing Clay would probably be the one thing that would tie him to the club long-term - and that is why I think Clay lives.

As evil as Clay has been, I think Jax probably knows that killing him would send a message about how committed he is to the criminal lifestyle, which would turn Tara against him and, without Tara, what choice does Jax have that doesn't involve living and dying in Charming as a member of SAMCRO? None. No choice, whatsoever.

No, I think Clay lives (albeit probably not as a member of the club) and Jax manages to preserve his soul, and seeing that play out over the next few episodes will be entertaining as hell.

A couple of other quick thoughts:

- How good have Hunnam, Perlman, Siff and Sagal been this year?! Two fantastic scenes last night - the Clay-Gemma faceoff when she confronts him about everything, and the Jax-Tara scene where she talks about smashing her other hand - were as moving as anything we've seen from this show to date. It seems ridiculous that Sagal is the only SOA cast member to have received an acting award.

- The Clay-Jax stuff has been the driving force of the series, but just as effective has been this season's arc between Juice and devious DA Lincoln Potter. I feel the main story (Jax dealing with Clay) is going to converge with Juice's storyline at some point in the next few weeks. And hopefully Potter gets taken down a peg or two.

Are you enjoying this season of Sons of Anarchy? Do you agree that it might have been the best show on TV over the past month? What have been your favourite moments? Remember: no spoilers from the remainder of the season!

(*) I briefly considered using a quote from The Dark Knight here: at one point, Harvey Dent says "you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain", which I thought applied nicely to Clay ... until I remembered that I made a Dark Knight parallel with Justified, another FX show and, in many ways, similar to SOA.

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Prince William's reign ends in Time's top 100

MICHELLE COOKE

Prince William has been bumped off Time Magazine's list of 100 most influential people to make way for his sister-in-law Pippa Middleton.

Last year William and his new wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, made the list. This time the names of the duchess and her sister appeared instead.

Celebrities, politicians, economists, sportspeople and even controversial figures such as internet hacking group Anonymous and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made the top 100.

"They are the people who inspire us, entertain us, challenge us and change our world," Time said of 2012's most influential people.

Those who made the list included celebrities Kristen Wiig, Adele and Rihanna and politicians Angela Merkel, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama.

Obama nominated businessman and philanthropist Warren Buffett, who also made the list.

"Today Warren is not just one of the world's richest men but also one of the most admired and respected," Obama said.

"He has devoted the vast majority of his wealth to those around the world who are suffering, or sick, or in need of help. And he uses his stature as a leader to press others of great means to do the same."

Singer Pink nominated fellow singer Adele and Time's Europe editor Catherine Mayer nominated the Middleton sisters, saying they had become "avatars of aspiration".

"Latter-day Mona Lisas, they smile mysteriously and keep their mouths closed. In an age of bleating, tweeting, confessional celebrity, the middle-class Middletons show real class," Mayer said.

Times said the list included breakouts, pioneers, moguls, leaders and icons.

"We look for those whose influence is at a tipping point," the magazine's editor Rick Stengel said.

"In Russia, Alexei Navalny is harnessing the growth of internet use to connect protesters via blogging. While there are new types of influence, some are as old as Adam. In Egypt, Samira Ibrahim demonstrated old-fashioned courage by standing up to the military in a court of law over forced "virginity tests".

Stengel said the world was in a "transformative period" in which leadership was emerging in unlikely places, such as in Saudi Arabia where Manal al-Sharif was jailed for nine days after posting a video of herself driving on YouTube. Women are not allowed to drive in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

The list also included "rogues" Kim Jong Un, Syrian President Bashar Assad, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar and Somalia's Islamic militia leader Sheik Moktar Ali Zubeyr.

"Villainy is often in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes the more heinous the crime, the more clinging the adulation," Time's news director Howard G Chua-Eoan said of the rogues.

"It should be no surprise that the four rogues in this year's TIME 100 have supporters. That is a measure of their influence: the willingness to defend partisan ideologies with weaponry."

THE TOP 100:

Jeremy Lin

Christian Marclay

Viola Davis

Salman Khan

Tim Tebow

E.L. James

Louis CK

Rihanna

Marco Rubio

Ali Ferzat

Rene Redzepi

Kristen Wiig

Anthony Kennedy

Novak Djokovic

Ben Rattray

Jessica Chastain

Yani Tseng

Raphael Saadiq

Elinor Ostrom

Samira Ibrahim

Jose Andres

Ann Patchett

Dulce Matuz

Henrik Schadiarfe

Freeman Hrabowski

Maryam Durani

Manal al-Sharif

Anjali Gopalan

Rached Ghannouchi

Barbara Van Dahlen

Ron Fouchier

Donald Sadoway

Hans Rosling

Asghar Farhadi

Sarah Burton

Anonymous

Pete Cashmore

Cami Anderson

Ali Babacan and Ahmet Davutoglu

Ai-jen Poo

Marc Andreessen

Preet Bharara

Robert Grant

Andrew Lo

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Alexei Navalny

Ray Dalio

Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani

Chelsea Handler

Harvey Weinstein

Chen Lihua

Warren Buffett

Alice Walton

Harold Hamm

Sheryl Sandberg

Sara Blakely

Tim Cook

Eike Batista

Daniel Ek

Virginia Rometty

Barack Obama

Goodluck Jonathan

Xi Jinping

Fatou Bensouda

Christine Lagarde

Mario Draghi

U Thein Sein

Ayatullah Ali Khamenei

Mitt Romney

Juan Manuel Santos

Timothy Dolan

Portia Simpson Miller

Mario Monti

Wang Yang

Maria das Graas Silva Foster

Andrew Cuomo

Iftikhar Chaudhry

Mamata Banerjee

Walter Isaacson

Ron Paul

Benjamin Netanyahu

Dilma Rousseff

Erik Martin

Cecile Richards

Angela Merkel

Lionel Messi

Tilda Swinton

Hillary Clinton

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Pippa Middleton

Adele

Matt Lauer

Oscar Pistorius

Claire Danes

Stephen Colbert

Rogues

Kim Jong Un

Mullah Mohammed Omar and Sheik Moktar Ali Zubeyr

Bashar Assad

- © Fairfax NZ News

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

KRS-One prepares for NZ shows

SHANE COWLISHAW

The challenge for hip-hop is not being accepted as a culture, but being understood as a culture.

That's the gospel according to iconic Bronx MC KRS-One, who you could argue is one of the best placed in the world to comment on the topic.

With one of the most instantly recognisable voices in hip-hop, KRS-One - or knowledge reigns supreme over nearly everyone - has seen it all. The 46-year-old has received recognition for not only his tireless contribution musically to the genre (he is about to release his 20th album) but also his staunch promotion and defence of the culture as a whole.

Forming the group Boogie Down Productions in 1987 with friend Scott La Rock, who would later be shot dead, the Bronx duo infamously went on to feud with Queensbridge icons DJ Marley Marl and MC Shan in what would become known as the bridge wars. Playing up to his moniker, the blastmaster, KRS famously ended the feud with a live performance that devastated MC Shan. The legendary performance would later be cited by many as the first time two rappers had attacked each other during a verbal exchange rather than simply hyping up the crowd.

After five albums under the Boogie Down Production name, KRS set out alone, with his first album, Return of the Boom Bap, producing the single Sound of Da Police that remains a crowd favourite today.

But perhaps his most "successful" song in the mainstream charts came in 1997 with the album I Got Next, featuring the single Step into a World (Rapture's Delight). The song, which contained a sample from the pop group Blondie, was released alongside a remix featuring commercial icon Puff Daddy.

This collaboration drew some criticism from KRS's underground fans but he wasn't swayed, going on to appear on one of R.E.M's songs and even having an acoustic song named after him by popular ska/punk band Sublime.

But for such a successful and knowledgeable individual, it has taken a monumental effort to get KRS Down Under for the first time in his decade-spanning career.

The problem? It has nothing to do with the location, he assures us.

In fact, he's loving Australia and is just about to head to Canberra for his last show where he is also hoping to visit the aboriginal tent city which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

All the travel has been done by van in Australia, where he arrived by cruise ship. Yes, cruise ship.

KRS does not fly, or at least he doesn't fly like most of us do.

It's not a fear being high up in the air that spooks the talkative MC, but rather an intense dislike of travelling cattle class.

"I love to fly, I'll fly anywhere. In fact if you've got a private jet that'll get me going." The issue rather is private space. A train with a private booth works, as does a cruise ship. But a commercial plane is a no-go.

He is also the type who prefers to experience and learn while he is in a country. He insists he's not interested in the fly in/fly out scenario. "I want to drive, get on the land, see museums, go to zoos, check out the culture and see what's going on." It's this kind of deep-thinking, introspective attitude that has seen KRS take on the mantle of "The Teacha" in hip-hop culture and seen him invited to countless universities and educational institutes to speak.

A respected philosopher with a focus on metaphysics - a branch of the discipline dedicated to explaining the nature of being and the world - the MC often appears with a panel of other scholars to debate topics.

But he is also in hot demand for his knowledge of hip-hop and where he sees it and its four elements of MCing, DJing, breakdancing and graffiti-writing heading in the future.

Initially struggling for acceptance, KRS says hip-hop's importance is no longer a question that is debated academically.

"Hip-hop is immune to globalisation, it's already a global culture, a global movement ... it's something you can watch on a DVD and go home and see if you can do it to. It's like an ethnicity, hip-hop is an ethnicity in itself."

But the general public's perceptions of what hip-hop is, where it came from and why it still exists are still muddled, not helped by its embrace by mainstream pop culture, he says. "What you turn on and see on TV, that's not hip-hop."

It's these points that KRS hopes to educate New Zealand crowds on and he warns those attending to expect a raw performance rather than an orchestrated one.

"It's going to be savagery, straight savagery. Loincloth and spear. You can expect to leave out of that building, that night, that experience, feeling you should take hip-hop a bit more serious.

"Now, it's going to be really savage because I've got my act together and you guys are like the last show. Oh, this is, you're gonna get it, you're gonna get it, you're gonna get it. I'm so energised, I've worked out all the kinks, I know what I'm doing. It's gonna be good."

The Details

KRS-One with support from Footsouljahs, plays Wellington Town Hall, tomorrow night and Auckland, The Cloud on Saturday.

Dick Clark, 'world's oldest teen', dies

Veteran television personality Dick Clark dies at age 82 from a heart attack.

Dick Clark, the ever-youthful television host and tireless entrepreneur who helped bring rock 'n' roll into the mainstream on American Bandstand, has died. He was 82.

Spokesman Paul Shefrin said Clark had a heart attack Wednesday morning (today, NZT) at Saint John's hospital in Santa Monica, a day after he was admitted for an outpatient procedure.

Clark had continued performing even after he suffered a stroke in 2004 that affected his ability to speak and walk.

Long dubbed "the world's oldest teenager" because of his boyish appearance, Clark bridged the rebellious new music scene and traditional show business.

He was equally comfortable whether chatting about music with Sam Cooke or bantering with Ed McMahon about TV bloopers. He thrived as the founder of Dick Clark Productions, supplying movies, game and music shows, beauty contests and more to TV. Among his credits: The $25,000 Pyramid, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes and the American Music Awards.

For a time in the 1980s, he had shows on all three networks and was listed among the Forbes 400 of wealthiest Americans. Clark also was part of radio as partner in the United Stations Radio Network, which provided programs - including Clark's - to thousands of stations.

"There's hardly any segment of the population that doesn't see what I do," Clark told The Associated Press in a 1985 interview. "It can be embarrassing. People come up to me and say, `I love your show', and I have no idea which one they're talking about."

The original American Bandstand was one of network TV's longest-running series as part of ABC's daytime lineup from 1957 to 1987. It later aired for a year in syndication and briefly on the USA Network. Over the years, it introduced stars ranging from Buddy Holly to Madonna. The show's status as an American cultural institution was solidified when Clark donated Bandstand's original podium and backdrop to the Smithsonian Institution.

Clark joined Bandstand in 1956 after Bob Horn, who'd been the host since its 1952 debut, was fired. Under Clark's guidance, it went from a local Philadelphia show to a national phenomenon.

"I played records, the kids danced, and America watched," was how Clark once described the series' simplicity. In his 1958 hit Sweet Little Sixteen, Chuck Berry sang that "they'll be rocking on Bandstand, Philadelphia, P-A".

As a host, he had the smooth delivery of a seasoned radio announcer. As a producer, he had an ear for a hit record. He also knew how to make wary adults welcome this odd new breed of music in their homes.

Clark endured accusations that he was in with the squares, with critic Lester Bangs defining Bandstand as "a leggily acceptable euphemism of the teenage experience". In a 1985 interview, Clark acknowledged the complaints. "But I knew at the time that if we didn't make the presentation to the older generation palatable, it could kill it."

"So along with Little Richard and Chuck Berry and the Platters and the Crows and the Jayhawks ... the boys wore coats and ties and the girls combed their hair and they all looked like sweet little kids into a high school dance," he said.

But Clark defended pop artists and artistic freedom, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said in an online biography of the 1993 inductee. He helped give black artists their due by playing original R&B recordings instead of cover versions by white performers, and he condemned censorship.

His stroke in December 2004 forced him to miss his annual appearance on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. He returned the following year and, although his speech at times was difficult to understand, many praised his bravery, including other stroke victims.

Still speaking with difficulty, he continued taking part in his New Year's shows, though in a diminished role. Ryan Seacrest became the main host.

"I'm just thankful I'm still able to enjoy this once-a-year treat," he told The Associated Press by e-mail in December 2008 as another New Year's Eve approached.

He was honoured at the Emmy Awards in 2006, telling the crowd: "I have accomplished my childhood dream, to be in show business. Everybody should be so lucky to have their dreams come true. I've been truly blessed."

He was born Richard Wagstaff Clark in Mount Vernon, New York, in 1929. His father, Richard Augustus Clark, was a sales manager who worked in radio.

Clark idolised his athletic older brother, Bradley, who was killed in the Second World War. In his 1976 autobiography, Rock, Roll & Remember, Clark recalled how radio helped ease his loneliness and turned him into a fan of Steve Allen, Arthur Godfrey and other popular hosts.

Clark began his career in the mailroom of a Utica, New York, radio station in 1945. By age 26, he was a broadcasting veteran, with nine years' experience on radio and TV stations in Syracuse and Utica, New York, and Philadelphia. He held a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University. While in Philadelphia, Clark befriended McMahon, who later credited Clark for introducing him to his future "Tonight Show" boss, Johnny Carson.

In the 1960s, American Bandstand moved from black-and-white to colour, from weekday broadcasts to once-a-week Saturday shows and from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. Although its influence started to ebb, it still featured some of the biggest stars of each decade, whether Janis Joplin, the Jackson 5, Talking Heads or Prince. But Clark never did book two of rock's iconic groups, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Elvis Presley also never performed, although Clark managed an on-air telephone interview while Presley was in the Army.

When Michael Jackson died in June 2009, Clark recalled working with him since he was a child, adding, "of all the thousands of entertainers I have worked with, Michael was the most outstanding''.
"Many have tried and will try to copy him, but his talent will never be matched."

In 1974, at ABC's request, Clark created the American Music Awards after the network lost the broadcast rights to the Grammy Awards.

Clark's clean-cut image also survived a music industry scandal. In 1960, during a congressional investigation of "payola" or bribery in the record and radio industry, Clark was called on to testify.

He was cleared of any suspicions but was required by ABC to divest himself of record-company interests to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. The demand cost him US$8 million, Clark once estimated. His holdings included partial ownership of Swan Records, which later released the first US version of the Beatles' smash She Loves You.

In 2004, Clark announced plans for a revamped version of American Bandstand. The show, produced with "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller, was to feature a host other than Clark.

He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1994 and served as spokesman for the American Association of Diabetes Educators.

Clark, twice divorced, had a son, Richard Augustus II, with first wife Barbara Mallery and two children, Duane and Cindy, with second wife Loretta Martin. He married Kari Wigton in 1977.

- AP