Fricke’s Picks: Everyone Sings Newman

After releasing Randy Newman’s 1968 debut album, Randy Newman, to great acclaim and near-zero sales, the singer-songwriter’s label, Reprise, ran a pair of comically desperate ads in this magazine — first all but apologizing for Newman’s froggy, unsteady singing (”Once you get used to it, his voice is really something”), then offering to send readers a copy for the low, low price of nothing (”Can’t sell ‘em, so we’re giving ‘em away”). Ironically, Newman was already selling a lot of records as one of the most covered songwriters of the Sixties. On Vine Street: The Early Songs of Randy Newman (Ace) collects 26 singles and LP tracks by technically better singers and (at the time) more famous faces, including Dusty Springfield, Gene Pitney, Fats Domino, Scott Walker and even Fifties crooner Frankie Laine. Newman doesn’t sing a note here and contributes only a few arrangements. But his gently sour romanticism, the angular melancholy in his melodies and the Louisiana-boogie roll of his piano figures bloom in these voices and productions: the mod vaudeville of “Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear” by ex-Animal Alan Price; the Beau Brummels‘ authentic Southern longing in “Old Kentucky Home”; the torrid hurt in “Love Is Blind,” recorded by Erma Franklin (Aretha’s younger sister) in 1963, when Newman was just 20. The kitsch overfloweth in the Tokens‘ 1965 single of “Just One Smile” (there are better versions by Pitney and Blood, Sweat and Tears), and Eric Burdon should have cut “Mama Told Me Not to Come” with a real band of Animals, not the floppy, falsely billed session cats on this ‘67 take. On Vine includes “So Long Dad,” from Harry Nilsson’s fine full-length salute, Nilsson Sings Newman, released in 1970 — the same year Newman made his classic second LP, 12 Songs, finally proving no

Publicado: 2008-05-21 Proveedor: Rolling Stone Etiquetas: Rock News, Fricke's Picks

In The Vines by Castanets

This is the third album for the San Diego-based band led by Ray Raposa. [Rock, Indie]

Publicado: 2007-11-05 Proveedor: Metacritic

In the Studio: The Vines

The Vines caught their break with 2002’s platinum Highly Evolved, but singer Craig Nicholls nearly killed their momentum with his freakouts, from trashing dressing rooms to berating fans. Since getting diagnosed in 2005 with Asperger’s syndrome, a mild form of autism, Nicholls has been focusing with his band on their fourth disc, helmed by Evolved producer Rob Schnapf. “Nothing can hold us back now,” says Nicholls. “Unless I die in a plane crash.” The fourteen new cuts include the string-laden “True as the Night” and the heavy-pop tune “Merry Go Round.” Says Nicholls of the Vines’ return, “We’re coming back, and it’s gonna be madness.” [Photo: Getty]

Publicado: 2008-03-07 Proveedor: Rolling Stone Etiquetas: Rock News, In the Studio, The Vines

MTV2 Presents 2$Bill Concert Series In New Orleans House of Blues

NEW ORLEANS - MARCH 12: VIP Winners pose with members of The Vines and Jet after the MTV2 2$Bill Concert Series at the New Orleans House of Blues March 12, 2004 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Scheduled to air on March 22nd on MTV2. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Publicado: 2004-03-13 Proveedor: ViewImages Etiquetas: Full Length, USA, City Of Los Angeles, New Orleans, Large Group Of People, Plane, Band, People, Musician, Smiling, Music, Backstage, Artist, Posing, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Celebrities,

MTV2 Presents 2$Bill Concert Series In New Orleans House of Blues

NEW ORLEANS - MARCH 12: VIP Winners pose with members of The Vines and Jet after the MTV2 2$Bill Concert Series at the New Orleans House of Blues March 12, 2004 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Scheduled to air on March 22nd on MTV2. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Publicado: 2004-03-13 Proveedor: ViewImages Etiquetas: Full Length, USA, City Of Los Angeles, New Orleans, Large Group Of People, Plane, Band, People, Musician, Gesturing, Smiling, Music, Backstage, Artist, Posing, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Celebrities,

MTV2 Presents 2$Bill Concert Series In New Orleans House of Blues

NEW ORLEANS - MARCH 12: VIP Winners pose with members of The Vines and Jet after the MTV2 2$Bill Concert Series at the New Orleans House of Blues March 12, 2004 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Scheduled to air on March 22nd on MTV2. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Publicado: 2004-03-13 Proveedor: ViewImages Etiquetas: Full Length, USA, City Of Los Angeles, New Orleans, Large Group Of People, Plane, Band, People, Musician, Gesturing, Smiling, Music, Backstage, Portrait, Artist, Posing, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Celebrities,

Bob Hope Square Dedication Ceremony In Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD - MAY 29: Honorary Mayor of Hollywood Johnny Grant gives the thumbs up as the United States Marine Band arrives at the dedication ceremony of Bob Hope Square in honor of the actor/comedian's 100th birthday on May 29, 2003 at the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Publicado: 2003-05-29 Proveedor: ViewImages Etiquetas: Dedication, Arrival, USA, California, Hollywood, Grant County, Ceremony, Birthday, Giving, Vine, Actor, Human Thumb, Comedian, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Hollywood Johnny Grant, Johnny, Celebrities, Honorary Mayor, Bob Hope Square, United States Marine Band,

Bob Hope Square Dedication Ceremony In Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD - MAY 29: A member of the United States Marine Band marches under a banner showing a caricature of Bob Hope at the dedication ceremony of Bob Hope Square in honor of the actor/comedian's 100th birthday on May 29, 2003 at the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Publicado: 2003-05-29 Proveedor: ViewImages Etiquetas: Pride, Dedication, USA, Marches, California, Hollywood, Band, People, Ceremony, Birthday, Vine, Actor, Caricature, Comedian, Banner, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Celebrities, Bob Hope Square, United States Marine Band, Bob Hope,

Model Joran And Actor Gary Lucey At Nightclub Opening In Dublin

DUBLIN, IRELAND - APRIL 1: Irish Girl Band D-Vine attend the opening of the "Il Mundo" nightclub April 1, 2003 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Getty Images)

Publicado: 2003-04-02 Proveedor: ViewImages Etiquetas: Dublin, Concert, Irish Culture, Nightclub, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Attending, Celebrities,

Richard Crystal Debuts New Album

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 23: Emmy-winning composer and musician Harvey Cohen performs with the Vine Street Swingers at the debut of singer Richard Crystal's new jazz/big band album "Nearer" at the Friars Club on August 23, 2002 in Beverly Hills, California. Actor Billy Crystal hosted his brother's event.(Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Publicado: 2002-08-24 Proveedor: ViewImages Etiquetas: Humor, Performance, USA, California, Beverly Hills, Band, Musician, Singer, Jazz, Composer, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Celebrities,

Lohan's Latest Conquest

She's a maneater!! But we wouldn't mind having a nibble of this one!!! Multiple sources reveals exclusively to PerezHilton.com that Lindsay Lohan was spotted slutting it up getting "very cozy" with Scott Thomas (pictured above), lead singer of the band Ringside, backstage at their Saturday night concert in Hollywood's Vine Street Lounge. Men are just captivated by the powers of the Firecrotch!

Publicado: 2006-11-27 Proveedor: PerezHilton

What An Interesting Night

Pretzel and Queen Coco. P-Nasty with Cyndi Lauper and Dan & Martina from Dragonette. The Queen of All Media with the Princess of Wisteria Lane, Eva Longoria. Summer in the city....what a glorious thing! Tuesday night was popping, babies. We began the evening at the one-year anniversary party for the Ben Sherman store in SoHo, where we got to introduce one of our favoritest bands, Dragonette, who killed it, flipped it and sauteed it. We also got to meet Miz Cyndi Lauper, who seemed to still be celebrating April 20th. Sources tell us she's a bit of a stoner, though she doesn't smoke it - she eats it raw. Hardcore! After the rollicking Ben Sherman soiree, put on by our friend Dana Dynamite, we headed over to The Box for the Entertainment Weekly upfronts party. And, one of the first people we see before even entering the EW shindig is the one and only Coco, aka Mrs. Ice T, aka the reigning Queen of Hip Hop Wives. Sadly Coco kept her camel toe under wraps, but we did get to have some fun and chat with the buxom blonde, whose writing a book about life and love with Ice. The party was littered with tons of New York media and Hollywood actors, who were enjoying the burlesque spectacle that goes on almost nightly at The Box. Such a cool space it is, and Raven O was the master of ceremonies. The fabulous show - featuring acrobatics, nakednes and much much more - made us teary eyed for the good ol' days, back when Raven used to host her weekly shows at Bar D'o with Joey Arias and Sherry Vine. The EW party got REALLY INTERESTING when Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo came up and introduced herself to Perez. We were a bit scared, thinking the conversation was going to go one way - but were pleasantly surprised when it went in the complete opposite direction. Yes, we talked about the whole Isaiah Washington / T.R. Knight controversy and it was really wonderful to hear Pompeo's take on things and our role in that whole affair. Let's just say that things on the set of the hit ABC

Publicado: 2007-05-16 Proveedor: PerezHilton