From left: Stefani, Branigan,
Queen Latifah, Fahey. Janet Jackson
Everybody's favorite California girl, No Doubt's frontwoman Gwen Stefani is readying this fall for the big time. First she will be releasing her solo album in November. Several other artists have branched out from the comfort zone of their bands, some were more successful, like Beyonce and Justin Timberlake, while others got lost in the shuffle like Nick Carter and J.C. Chasez, but with help from the likes of Wendy & Lisa, Nellee Hooper and Dallas Austin on this collection, things look bright for Gwen. Expect dance grooves and feel-good lyrics straight from the sunshine state. Then just in time for the rush of Academy Award-marketed films, Gwen will portray Jean Harlow in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Bringing Down the House again, Queen Latifah is finally doing a full jazz album, naming it Dana Owens—her real name, due out on Interscope Records later this month. Sure she sang the hooks on some of her rap songs, but when she played a cabaret singer in Richard LaGraveneses's 1998 movie Living Out Loud, that's when Queen Latifah revealed another layer of her many talents. Her Oscar-nominated role as Mama Morton in Chicago guaranteed a proper vocal album from the regal one. Highlights here include I 'Put a Spell on You' and 'Lush Life.'
Chaka Khan also is slating a release of a standards collection later this year. Her version of 'My Funny Valentine' from the movie Waiting to Exhale is the best rendition of the song yet, so a cover project featuring 'To Sir With Love' seems natural.
Chicago's hottest and raunchiest band Jinx Titanic just appeared in Out magazine and is readying to perform at SPIN's OctoberFest on Saturday, Sept. 25. Whether it is part of Market Days, in a bar or on a pride float, Jinx Titanic's shows are not to be missed! Lots of great acts all day at Ann Sather's.
Janet Jackson is following suit of the many singers, who also act, by appearing on NBC's Will & Grace. Most notably, Cher and Jennifer Lopez have played themselves, while Madonna was a hippychick living with Megan Mullally's character Karen. Janet's cameo as herself will come right on time, as the Will & Grace soundtrack, Let the Music Out!, is coming out the week before Janet's appearance. Of course Cher and J-lo are on it, luckily so are Sarah McLachlan and Queen. But if the casting director for NBC is open to suggestions, fetch the experienced k.d. lang, Joan Jett or even Dolly Parton.
Glam and goth goddess Siobhan Fahey, the genius behind Shakespear's Sister and formerly of Bananarama, is in the midst of finally releasing an updated version of the long lost third Shakespear's Sister CD, 3. It was produced in part by her then husband Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, but unfortunately her label London Records pulled the album at the last minute back in 1996 and it is now about to come out on Siobhan's own label SFRecords. Her former label will ride the wave of her promotion and will jointly release The Best of Shakespear's Sister, which is packaged as a CD and DVD. Siobhan has another song out now with the band Agent Provocateur, covering Joy Division's 'She's Lost Control' and let's just say the politically inspired video is out of control! It can be viewed from her Web site siobhanfahey.com
In Gloriam ... Thick eye-browed '80s pop singer Laura Branigan passed away in her sleep the last week of August, leaving behind a great collection of music and some classic hits. Although she is best known for her jams 'Self Control' and 'Gloria,' her career was not confined to those two alone. Some of Laura's finer moments are her interpretations of 'Show Me Heaven,' 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,' 'The Winner Takes it All' and 'The Sweet Hello, the Sad Goodbye.' She even credited the gay community for embracing her signature song 'Gloria' before it crossed over into the mainstream. Laura, we will miss you and hope to hear you singing on the big stage in the sky.
At the end of each column, I will write about a slipped disc, an album that went unnoticed or at least didn't receive its fair share in the spotlight. The slipped disc I am going to rave about this time is Amanda Ghost's 2000 debut Ghost Stories on Warner Brothers. Amanda's dark, tormented lyrics and tightly produced songs made her a pedigree of Garbage and Alanis Morisette, while resembling Tina Arena's tomboy kid sister. The first song I heard by her was the ballad 'Numb' and I thought it was Carly Simon, a far cry from the stand-out track, the middle eastern tinged 'Wrong Man,' where Amanda calls the shots and shows no regrets. Boy George remixed her songs 'Filthy Mind' and 'Idol' into more club-friendly cuts. Amanda apparently has her second album nearly completed and recently has collaborated with the break beat and dance outfit Dark Globe, on their singles 'Break My World' and 'Feed.'
— Also contributing: Tony Peregrin
