BY David Byrne
Does 1984 really seem like it was 20 years ago? It must have been, since a 20-year anniversary version of Band-Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas' is about to be released. Like the original, some of the top British pop stars are joining forces with Bob Geldof to benefit the hunger epidemic in Africa through the release and sales of this holiday evergreen. U2's Bono will be singing the same lines he did 20 years ago, but the rest of the line up has changed. We now have the likes of Dido, Robbie Williams, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Joss Stone, the girl group the Sugarbabes, the campy rock band Darkness and openly gay crooner, Will Young. Honorary Brit Madonna even presents the video, alerting the viewers to how change was needed then and how it is in demand still. All of this makes me want to wear my Frankie Says t-shirt real bad.
Speaking of Robbie Williams, the hunky British singer is trying to land a spot on Desperate Housewives as an object of affection. This could be the American crossover that the former Take That boy band member has been waiting for, since he is a household name everywhere but here.
Some New Yorkers will have a familiar face kick starting their heart. Van Halen singer David Lee Roth has been studying to become a paramedic and riding in the ambulance with the EMT crew. Keeping his ego grounded and the purpose of the calls are not an issue for the rocker, David Lee Roth told USA Today, 'not once has anybody recognized me, which is perfect for me.' David Lee Roth just recorded two new songs with Van Halen for an upcoming greatest-hits package.
The latest to join the legion of young pop singers is Brooke Hogan and she is ready to bodyslam the competition. The statuesque blonde singer is the daughter of professional wrestler and actor Hulk Hogan. Brooke is readying the release of her debut album, This Voice with no holds barred.
This is surely the year of the multi-talented actor, the race for best actor should be fierce. With Jamie Foxx mastering Ray Charles and Kevin Kline channeling Cole Porter, we have yet to see Kevin Spacey as Bobby Darin in Beyond the Sea. Spacey actually does his own singing on top of starring and directing and he really considers this project his labor of love. The two-time Oscar winner will be doing a concert tour this December to promote the movie, which opens in New York and L.A. on Dec. 17 and in select cities Dec. 29. Now if only these three gents would collaborate on a piece about the Rat Pack ... .
A couple of summers ago a friend went to a Moby concert only to get into a knockout and drag-out fight with a 13-year-old girl over Moby's sweaty the truth.com t-shirt that he threw into the crowd. Since he lost, my friend can be relieved to know that the bald techno guru is selling t-shirts with his signature cartoon artwork on it via the Web site thelittleidiot.com . Moby's artwork has appeared on some of his single covers, including Bring Back My Happiness, Natural Blues and Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad.
Recently, when asked what her one wish was, Madonna said, 'To have George Bush study the kaballah.' Despite his tantrums and tiaras, Madonna has no anger toward Elton John for his short remarks about her lip-synching after winning best live act at the Q Music Awards. Madonna said, 'the press made a bigger deal out of it than I did. I don't really care, I don't read the press.' Sound familiar? Play her song 'Nobody Knows Me' from her recent album American Life, 'I don't want no lies/ I don't watch TV/ I don't waste my time / won't read a magazine.' With an olive branch in hand, Madonna even proposed having Elton John inducting her into the U.K. Hall of Fame, but he was not available.
Leave it to Vanessa Daou to turn the themes from a children's book into a sexual space traveling odyssey. On her 1998 slipped disc, Plutonium Glow, Vanessa Daou was inspired by de St. Exupery's classic The Little Prince and used her breathy sensuality to reinterpret the well-loved story. Being the groundbreaking artist that she is, Vanessa was one of the first artists to sell merchandise through her Web site, where this spectacular was initially available. Also she beat Madonna and Kylie Minogue to the electronic break-through punch with this collection. Daou collaborated with French hunk Etienne Daho reworking 'Make Believe' on his album Corps et Arms, making her a sensation in France. Although her album never took off, but with gems like 'How Far,' 'Zero G,' and 'Alive' this is the most electronic work she has done as a solo artist. If you are a fan of her other material, this is one slipped disc not to pass up.
