Don’t miss out on discounted prices on Amazon.com this Thursday 12/17/09 from 9am – 12pm.
Rihanna: Rated R – To order from Amazon, click here.
Mariah Carey: Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel – To order from Amazon, click here.
Rihanna’s much awaited CD Rated R is here.
To order your copy, CLICK HERE.
3 Word Review: Repetitive, okay, rushed
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Writing music for video games seem to be second nature for you. How did you get into this field?
I got into the videogame field by being offered two projects simultaneously – the music supervisor for Sony Computer Entertainment America brought me in to write music for God of War, and at the same time I was hired to score the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory game, which was a tie-in to the movie directed by Tim Burton. Before those two games, my background had been mostly in music composition for a music/drama series on National Public Radio and XM Satellite Radio, called Radio Tales. The Radio Tales series presented classics of science fiction, fantasy and horror each week; I wrote a wall-to-wall musical score for every half-hour program, and there were over one hundred programs in the series. I worked on the series with my long-time music producer Winnie Waldron, who now works with me producing my music for the videogame industry. After God of War and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I was offered another big project – The Da Vinci Code videogame tie-in to the Ron Howard/Tom Hanks film – and my schedule of videogame scoring work hasn’t let up since. I’ve been privileged to create music for a lot of exciting projects, and that definitely fuels my enthusiasm for my work.
What inspires your music compositions?
It helps when the source material is inspiring. For instance, working on the Shrek the Third videogame was a lot of fun, mostly because of all the creative stimulation that comes from working with characters like Shrek and all his fairy-tale pals. In the same vein, I had a great time creating music for the Speed Racer videogame tie-in to the Wachowski brothers film, because of that terrific ‘James Bond’ flavor that was written into the original manga. I’ve also worked on projects that were based on ideas created by the game developers themselves, like SimAnimals and Spore Hero. For those sorts of projects, my music producer Winnie Waldron and I rely on the developers to involve us in their creative process and show us as much as possible, from concept art and design documents to finished gameplay. That way, as a composer I can be inspired not only by the game that the developers are creating, but also by the enthusiasm they have for their work, and as a producer Winnie can guide the creation of the music in a way that best serves the developer’s vision for their game.
How do you feel when you see the finished product–your music with the animation of the video games?
I’m always very excited to play the completed game. In many cases, the finished product takes a different direction than the one I’d been shown during development, and I’m always surprised and intrigued by how my music complements these sorts of changes. I also enjoy watching other people playing a game I’ve worked on. It’s great watching someone who is really enjoying a game that I scored.
What has been your most difficult project to date?
I can’t really think of any project that I could call ‘most difficult’. No project is ever easy. Some projects posed unique challenges, though. Both God of War and The Da Vinci Code called for choral writing in archaic languages, so I worked with ancient Greek for God of War and Latin for The Da Vinci Code. For the Speed Racer project I wrote some aggressive Electronica with strong funk influences, and that was something I hadn’t had the opportunity to do in my previous projects. Working in new creative territory is always a little daunting, but I tend to welcome the chances to learn something new. For instance, a recent project for Xbox Live Arcade, The Maw, called for my music producer Winnie Waldron and myself to step in and design the music interactivity for the score I had composed. We closely guided the interactive design and music implementation, which was an invaluable experience.
What advice would you give anyone looking to get into the gaming industry?
I’ve been asked this question quite a few times: it’s a difficult one to answer. I can’t offer advice for other subfields within the interactive entertainment field, but I can speak in a very limited way regarding my own. All composers have their own unique gifts, and those divergent talents will take them down radically different career paths. Advice I might give someone with a symphonic mind-set would be completely inappropriate for a DJ-style9 composer, and vice versa. All I can say at this point is that the technical and artistic standards are very high. Without the necessary skills or the highest-quality equipment, a composer is going to have a very hard time breaking in. Unlike other performers or creators, a modern-day composer has to be considered a full-scale company, offering not only a pool of talents and a set of skills, but a dedicated production facility and the technical wherewithal to exploit that technology to its fullest.
Be sure to check out Winifred Phillips’ albums online:
And learn more about Winifred Phillips at http://www.winifredphillips.com
Leona Lewis is back with a new CD.
To order your copy, CLICK HERE.
Official Leona Lewis website: www.leonalewismusic.com
Track-listing for ECHO:
“Happy”
“I Got You”
“Love Letter”
“Can’t Breathe”
“You Don’t Care”
“Outta My Head”
“Brave”
“My Hands”
“Alive”
“Don’t Let Me Down”
“Fly Here Now”
“Broken”
“Lost Then Found” (with One Republic)
3 Word Review: Songbird, powerful, nice
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
On Friday November 13, Warner Home Video staged their own Flash Mob, this time with a Southern Twist. Time was suspended as 70 couples in period costumes celebrated the 70th Anniversary of America’s #1 Movie of All Time by dancing “The World’s Largest Virginia Reel” in the historic Marietta Georgia Town Square.
In addition, four original cast members attended: Ann Rutherford (“Carreen O’Hara”), Mickey Kuhn (“Beau Wilkes” at age 7), Patrick Curtis (“Baby Beau Wilkes”) and Greg Geise (infant “Bonnie Blue Butler” & infant “Beau Wilkes”), along with Gina Miller who was an extra. Bill Dunaway, the Mayor of Marietta (the town celebrates its 175th anniversary) hosted the event with special guest Robert Osborne, Turner Classic Movies’ primetime host.
The event was topped off with the unveiling of a giant anniversary cake which was a replica of Tara for everyone to share.
The event heralded Warner Home Video’s highly anticipated November 17 Blu-ray/DVD release of Gone with the Wind 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition and Turner Classic Movies’ December 15 screening of the film on the actual anniversary of the film’s original premiere in Atlanta.
From The Hut, To The Projects To The Mansion
Order your copy: CLICK HERE
Wyclef Jean fans should enjoy this CD.
3 Word Review: Different, refreshing, enjoyed
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Four Christmases
Get it on Blu-ray, DVD, on Demand & Digital Download NOW
Official release date: 11/24/09
Official Movie site: www.fourchristmasesmovie.com
About the movie:
Every Christmas happily unmarried Brad and Kate escape divorced parents and exasperating relatives by getting on a plane. This year the airport shuts down and the couple is forced to celebrate four family Christmases in one hectic, hilarious day. Can Brad and Kate?s relationship survive Four Christmases?
To order your copy, CLICK HERE.
Watch new video:
Leona Lewis Says Animals Matter To Her in A New Charity Film for the World Society For the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
Q & A with Leona Lewis
1. Do you have any animals?
We have a family dog called Misty. My brother rescued her from an owner who was mistreating her and didn’t want her any more. We’ve had her for about four years and she is a lovely, loyal dog and a great companion – such a happy dog now.
2. Why do you support the World Society for the Protection of Animals?
I’m a big animal lover and I think the work that WSPA does is amazing. I’ve always been a huge advocate for charities that protect animals, particularly WSPA because I agree with the way that they approach things.
I wanted to get involved with them because they run great campaigns; trying to push animal welfare laws and change things permanently, for the better, which I think is amazing. I’m looking forward to helping them build as much awareness for animals as possible.
5. Tell us about this WSPA campaign you are supporting?
I’m showing my support for WSPA’s campaign to get a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare. Right now, there are no international laws to protect animals and they are working to change that.
All you have to do is sign a petition – I’ve done it and I’m encouraging people to sign it and send it to a friend as well. The Universal Declaration will mean so much worldwide; it could be the start of tougher laws to protect animals around the world. So please, go to www.animalsmatter.org and add your message of support today.
3. How did you first hear about WSPA?
I heard about WSPA a few years ago and since then I’ve become a huge supporter. I’m signed up to their newsletters and I sign their petitions, which I forward on to my friends to sign. I also donate to their appeals, which could be anything from building bear sanctuaries to sending in teams to save animals after a disaster. I heard that WSPA had teams in Samoa, Indonesia and the Philippines, working to save all kinds of animals after the recent tsunami and earthquakes.
4. Which animal welfare issue (that WSPA works on) affects you the most?
I think that all of their work is important, but I really feel the laws they are trying to put into place will help animals around the world, which is what needs to happen. That’s why I’m supporting the Universal Declaration – it has massive potential to make so many bad situations better for animals. But WSPA has so many projects from bear dancing to the orangutan sanctuary they fund in Borneo – what WSPA does for animals is amazing.
5. Have you ever witnessed animal suffering/cruelty on your travels or in the UK? If so, what did you do about it?
I‘ve seen things that I would definitely consider to be neglect. One place I visited, I thought the horses looked malnourished – I’m very into horses so I know what a healthy horse should look like. Basic things weren’t taken care of, like the fact the horses didn’t have any water to drink in their field. I’ve also seen so many stray dogs in some countries and it just breaks my heart.
But having being a WSPA supporter for years, I knew what to do about it. I reported it to the authorities and if I saw something like that again, I would probably write to my government to say that I wouldn’t visit that country again if I saw acts of animal cruelty. As a tourist, refusing to spend our money in a particular country for ethical reasons is one of the most powerful things we can do.
6. If you could change one thing for animals now, what would that be?
If I could change anything for animals it would be that they could get the same consideration and respect that we do, which is what the international declaration is working towards
More Info from press release:
Leona pledged her support for the charity’s Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare campaign at a video and photo shoot at the Sony Music Entertainment offices in Kensington, England. She was joined by her family dog Misty for the photo shoot.
Speaking about her support for WSPA Leona said: “I wanted to get involved with the World Society for the Protection of Animals because I think they are doing great campaigns. I’ve always been a huge advocate for any charities that are trying to help animals, because they are trying to change laws to protect animals – which I think is amazing.”
“I support the World Society for the Protection of Animals – WSPA – because they are trying to end some of the most appalling acts of animal cruelty in the world.”
“One reason animals are so vulnerable to cruelty is because there is no universal agreement between nations that animals can suffer and feel pain… The campaign for a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare could be the beginning of the end for animal cruelty across the world.”
“It’s up to us to give these animals a voice, and put a stop to cruelty and neglect, right now.”
Leona calls on her supporters to join her in backing the Animals Matter campaign. Go to wspa-usa.org/leonalewis to join in and pledge your support.
Fans of the singer can also see a behind the scenes film of the charity video shoot, and hear news about her new album, her career and lifestyle on the WSPA UK website.
WSPA has built the world’s largest alliance – over 1,000 animal welfare groups in 150 countries – dedicated to alleviating animal suffering. WSPA U.S. partner organizations include the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Through its pioneering programs and unique partnerships, WSPA addresses animal welfare concerns on a truly unprecedented global scale. WSPA supports a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the United Nations. If adopted, it will be the first international agreement recognizing that animals are capable of experiencing pain and suffering and that their welfare should be respected. More at www.wspa-usa.org/leonalewis
Leona Lewis’ new album ECHO will be in stores November 17th on J Records/Syco Music. www.leonalewismusic.com
The FIRST and Only 2-CD Motown Christmas Set! The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection unwraps 35 sparkling Motown renditions of seasonal favorites from just about every great Motown artist including The Supremes, The Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men and more! The album set includes more than a dozen “Season’s Greetings” messages from Motown greats like Smokey, The Temptations, The Commodores, Martha & The Vandellas and more. Listen to select snippets below, album available now on Amazon!
AUDIO: Season’s Greetings from the Commodores
http://ume.edgeboss.net/wmedia/ume/motown/christmas/commodores_seasons_greetings.wax
AUDIO: Stevie Wonder – What Christmas Means To Me
http://ume.edgeboss.net/wmedia/ume/motown/christmas/stevie_wonder_thats_what_christmas_means.wax
TRACKLIST
Disc 1
1. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Jackson 5
2. What Christmas Means To Me – Stevie Wonder
3. Season’s Greetings From Eddie Kendricks
4. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer – Temptations
5. Season’s Greetings From The Supremes
6. My Favorite Things – The Supremes
7. Deck The Halls/Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella – Smokey Robinson
8. Ave Maria – Stevie Wonder
9. Season’s Greetings From Thelma Houston
10. Joy To The World – The Supremes
11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Smokey Robinson
12. Silver Bells – The Supremes
13. Someday At Christmas – Stevie Wonder
14. Season’s Greetings From Jr. Walker
15. Winter Wonderland – The Funk Brothers
16. Jingle Bells – Smokey Robinson
17. Season’s Greetings From The Commodores
18. My Christmas Tree – Temptations
19. White Christmas – The Supremes
20. Season’s Greetings From The Velvelettes
21. Merry Christmas Baby – Four Tops
22. Give Love On Christmas Day – Johnny Gill
23. Christmas In The City Marvin Gaye
24. Season’s Greetings From The Temptations
25. Silent Night – Temptations
Disc 2
1. Season’s Greetings From Smokey Robinson
2. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) – Smokey Robinson & The Temptations
3. Children’s Christmas Song – The Supremes
4. Season’s Greetings From David Ruffin
5. The Little Drummer Boy – Temptations
6. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Jackson 5
7. Season’s Greetings From Four Tops
8. Christmas Here With You – Four Tops
9. This Christmas – Diana Ross
10. Season’s Greetings From Willie Hutch
11. Christmas Cheer – Boys
12. Let It Snow – Boyz II Men
13. Season’s Greetings From The Spinners
14. Christmas Everyday – Smokey Robinson
15. One Little Christmas Tree – Stevie Wonder
16. Season’s Greetings From Martha & The Vandellas
17. Noel – Smokey Robinson
18. Purple Snowflakes – Marvin Gaye
19. Season’s Greetings From The Elgins
20. Wish You A Merry Christmas – Kim Weston
21. It’s Christmas Time – Smokey Robinson
22. Season’s Greetings From Shorty Long
23. Xmas Twist – The Twistin’ Kings
24. I Want To Come Home For Christmas – Marvin Gaye
25. Season’s Greetings From Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
26. A Child Is Waiting – Smokey Robinson
