08/07/2007
Music News: Simon Cowell's Star Struck, Madonna, Darren Hayes, Spice Girls, Shayne Ward
Please welcome Robbie Daw, who will be penning occasional music posts for us here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own pop music site called Chart Rigger.
It looks as if next year will be your chance to finally judge how much talent Simon Cowell really possesses. The American Idol and X Factor pop mogul told The Hollywood Reporter that he's producing a feature film revolving around the angst of 10 young hopefuls competing on a fictional TV singing contest. Titled Star Struck, it's scheduled for a summer 2008 release.
Simon says: "We want it to be the musical version of Rocky - an underdog story, a feelgood film."
Cowell plans on wrangling the 10 actors the same way the contestants are herded in for Idol auditions. "To enjoy the film, you've got to watch the actors and believe that they are contestants on a reality show. We always believed that a TV show like Idol would be successful. I have the same feeling about doing the movie."
As Madonna continues working on her new album, she's hit a roadblock with the adoption of one-year-old David Banda. "The whole adoption process may crumble and David [may be] sent back to his village," social worker Penstone Kembe told the Reuters news service.
While on an Australian promotional tour last week for his forthcoming album This Delicate Thing We've Made, Darren Hayes spoke candidly with The Sydney Star Observer about the process of coming out of the closet during his Savage Garden days: “My coming out to myself was very reluctant. It was a thorn in my side as it was something I did not want to be and so when I call it a violent reaction, it was one of shame. But I can only admit that now, as I really could get more gay – and be happy about it.”
The Spice Girls announced the lucky location of their "Spice City" contest on their website. The reunited fivesome offered fans a chance to suggest one additional stop on their upcoming world tour, and the chosen city was Toronto. Said the Girls in their spice statement: "We set this up to give all our genuine fans the chance to turn their hometown into a SPICE CITY. This was all about making your own city a SPICE CITY and since we launched there have been literally millions of votes for us to play in hundreds of cities including places like Rio, Chicago, Melbourne, Manchester, Paris, Alice Springs, Baghdad, and Diss (in Norfolk England)! But one city had to win and we are now delighted to announce the winner is... TORONTO. Thanks to everyone in Canada who voted for us to play there - we’ll work out the date over the next few weeks and let you know."
In other reunion news, Rob Thomas recently got together with his Matchbox Twenty bandmates to record a dozen songs. Billboard reported at least six of the tracks will be included on the group's Exile On Mainstream greatest hits compilation, due out October 2.
After winning Britain's X Factor two years ago, Shayne Ward came across as just another scruffy-cute bloke from Manchester. But in the video for his new single, "If That's OK With You," Shayne's kicked up the sex appeal about 25 notches:
"If That's OK With You" is written and produced by Max Martin, who seems to have chucked his Kelly Clarkson and Britney-brand pop sound of the last decade for one more resembling his early work with Ace Of Base.
August is typically a "no man's land" for new releases, but out today is True Colors: The Tour CD
Also out is How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?, the 10th studio album from Public Enemy. It marks the 20th anniversary of the influential hip-hop legends.
A week before the High School Musical 2 soundtrack bombards shelves and digital stores, Disney's Hollywood Records is issuing the self-titled sophomore release from Jonas Brothers
James Blunt's new single, "1973," is available on iTunes, as is the video. Unlike "You're Beautiful," this one actually takes a stab at having a beat...albeit a mid-tempo one.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 11:50 AM EST by Robbie in American Idol, Cyndi Lauper, Darren Hayes, Madonna, Music, Music Recommendations, Music Video, Simon Cowell | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Doesn't Robbie Daw also work for Instinct? It's kind of interesting that Towleroad is more or less moving the (mostly interchangeable) gay mags online, where they've gotten a lot more interesting.
Posted by: MattGaymon | Aug 7, 2007 12:05:33 PM
Madonna's PR has already issued a statement saying the adoption story is false and that everything is going according to plan so far. We'll see.
Posted by: Matthew Rettenmund | Aug 7, 2007 12:16:34 PM
I love Shayne Ward...but not sure about this "Ace of Base" direction. I must admit it is catchy. Hopefully there are some great ballads on the new CD like on the last one. He is a sexy MF.
Posted by: Wayne | Aug 7, 2007 12:21:18 PM
Even when Simon gets interesting performers he tends to make them bland--getting rid of whatever qualities it was that attracted the public to them in the first place and turning them all into dull, overproduced pop product.
Posted by: DB | Aug 7, 2007 12:38:42 PM
Baghdad as Spice City?! That would've been interesting…and who knows? Perhaps Las Chicas Picantes could've brought peace to the Middle East once and for all. After all, SpiceWorld the movie turned a profit, so we know they can work miracles!
Posted by: Johnny | Aug 7, 2007 12:46:18 PM
This is not the typical Ace Of Base sound at all. It's more of early Britney. Anyway, I really like this Shayne track. :)
Posted by: Simeon | Aug 7, 2007 1:58:07 PM
Okay, that Shayne Ward clip was the scariest thing I've seen in a very, very long time. Yeah, he's hot, but the song sucks ("I'm going to thank your mother just for giving you birth."?????!!!!). And are those the chipmunks that are backing him? Pathetic.
No one cares about The Spice Girls. The hordes of fourteen year old girls who were their fan base have now grown up and graduated to, oh, Beyonce and Celine Dion. No one wants to hear them or hear about them. Really.
Furthermore, who cares about Simon Cowell? The only thing he's ever done is produce American Idol, known in my world as 'The Pinnacle of Mediocrity'.
How about covering good music? Here are a couple of names for you: The Decemberists (likely straight but with a VERY queer sensibility), !!! (great dance music), LCD Soundsystems, Hot Chip, Radiohead, etc...
Posted by: peterparker | Aug 7, 2007 2:49:41 PM
Oh, yeah...one more band to watch...a little group out of Portland called menomena...3 gorgeous boys with a nice, experimental sound...you can find a pic of the three of them in a tub together at this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliciajrose/303256479/in/set-72157594386679058/
Posted by: peterparker | Aug 7, 2007 3:33:07 PM
i'd like darren hayes to explain to me how i can get "more gay' ... sounds fun.
Posted by: el polacko | Aug 7, 2007 5:12:05 PM
Peter Parker you have great ears : )
Posted by: Giovanni | Aug 7, 2007 8:29:44 PM
thank you, giovanni! ; )
Posted by: peterparker | Aug 7, 2007 9:29:12 PM
good first post on Towleroad Robbie. ur is a nice addition to the TRoad. isnt that shayne just the cutest ever?
Posted by: Pop Muse | Aug 9, 2007 6:57:46 PM