Music News: You're Not Supposed To Buy The New Smiths Compilation, Plus David Archuleta, Same Difference, Christina Aguilera, Steps

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

The two-disc "Deluxe Edition" Sound Of The Smiths was released on Tuesday by Sire/Rhino, and I told myself I wouldn't buy it. After all, wasn't it Morrissey who sang, "Best of, most of, satiate the need/ Slip them into diffferent sleeves, buy both and feel deceived," in "Paint A Vulgar Picture" 21 years ago?

Yeah, so I bought it. And the band pictures inside the included booklet are lush and glossy. Most of them I've never even seen before. The booklet itself  even smells like the books you bought as a kid to put all your Scratch-and-Sniff stickers in.

Previously unavailable (in the U.S.) b-sides "Jeane" and "Wonderful Woman," the "New York Vocal" remix of "This Charming Man" and the demo of "Pretty Girls Make Graves" might still evoke some interest from those who are a tad dubious about giving Warner Bros. any more money for yet another Smiths compilation...so it's good that The Sound Of The Smiths is available on iTunes, for single-song picking and choosing.

None of the band's prior albums had ever been put up for download at the online store, possibly because of Morrissey and Johnny Marr's longstanding legal woes with their former bandmates. Also fulfilling the "Paint A Vulgar Picture" lyrical prophecy of "Extra track and a tacky badge," the iTunes edition of the collection contains the rarity "The Draize Train."

It should be stated that in the whole 28-page booklet, there aren't any liner notes. But those photos are really glossy.

  Some music clips for the week:

1. Christina Aguilera, "Keeps Gettin' Better": Title track from her greatest hits set, out this week in Target stores only, and available everywhere next Tuesday.

2. Same Difference, "We R One": Debut U.K. single from the brother-sister duo who were last year's X Factor runner-ups. It's like Grease and High School Musical meets Steps.

3. Steps, "Stomp": In the spirit of Same Difference, the lead single from the now-disbanded pop quintet's third and final album.

4. David Archuleta, "Crush" on the Today Show. Pretty flat, but kudos for actually singing live.

  THE WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

American Idol runner-up David Archuleta's self-titled debut.

Taylor Swift's second studio album Fearless. First day sales totalled 217,000. By comparison, this week's #1 album, the Twilight soundtrack, sold 165,000 over the course of the whole week prior.

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman's Our Bright Future.

Enrique Iglesias' Greatest Hits, containing the new songs "Away" (featuring Sean Garrett) and "Takin' Back My Love" (featuring Ciara).

R&B singer Deborah Cox's The Promise.

Coldplay's "Lost!" EP, containing a stripped-down piano version of the song, a live version and a remix featuring Jay-Z.

T-Pain's third album Thr33 Ringz.

Enya's winter/holiday-themed seventh album And Winter Came... .

Seal's collection of cover versions, Soul.

New singles from Keith Urban ("Sweet Thing"), The Script ("Before The Worst") and Nickelback ("If Today Was Your Last Day").

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Music News: "Greatest" Hits? Plus The Smiths, Sam Taylor-Wood, The Smiths, P!nk, Take That, Lady GaGa

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Holiday season typically sees a slew of "greatest hits" and "best ofs" released by record labels. This year is certainly no exception. By January compilations from the following will have been released: Christina Aguilera, The Smiths, Celine Dion, Hilary Duff, Enrique Iglesias, Anastacia, Sarah McLachlan, Dave Koz, Mariah Carey, Goo Goo Dolls, Rascal Flatts, Celtic Woman, Jump5 and Boyzone, as well as a Best Of Bond theme collection and a 10-disc Motown box set.

And, sure, in the case of Duff, Iglesias and McLachlan, an artist will usually contribute two new songs if they're actually participating in the label's decision to put the collection out. But in the case of Mariah's The Ballads, not only is nothing new included, but thanks to this being slapped together by her previous label Sony, there aren't even selections from her last three albums.

A Mariah Carey ballads compilation with no "We Belong Together"? Hmmm.

Of course, in the digital age, how necessary is a greatest hits set anyway? On the one hand, fans of a band or singer probably own all the tracks already—and can whip up a better playlist in three minutes than any corporate exec could after undergoing five setlist determining marketing meetings. But then there are always newer generations of fans to consider; ones who don't already own every album, single, European B-side and unreleased Sarah McLachlan rarity.

At any rate, two to consider:

The Smiths, The Sound Of The Smiths:  Both Morrissey and Johnny Marr were involved in the song selection and mastering. The single disc edition contains all the singles, while the "Deluxe" edition has a second disc of rarer tunes (on American shores, at least) like "Wonderful Woman," "Jeane," "I Keep Mine Hidden" and "Money Changes Everything." Also included are live versions of "London," "Handsome Devil" and "What's The World." (November 11)

Motown: The Complete No. 1's:  This 10-disc box set is arranged chronologically and goes all the way from the Miracle's "Shop Around" (1961) to Erykah Badu's "Bag Lady" (2000). There are 191 tracks total, and the title is apparently justified by grabbing #1 singles from every major international chart and genre. Incidentally, January marks Motown's 50th anniversary. (December 9)   

  A few music clips for the week:

1. Sam Taylor-Wood, "I'm In Love With A German Film Star": The London-based contemporary artist pairs up with her pals the Pet Shop Boys for a cover of the Passions' lone hit.

2. Take That, "Greatest Day": Shot in L.A., this is the official video—unlike the audio-only clip I posted two weeks ago—for the lead single off the four-piece's upcoming U.K. album The Circus.

3. T.I. featuring Rihanna, "Live Your Life": Recently became Rihanna's fifth chart-topping single in two years.

4. Hilary Duff, "Reach Out": One of two new songs off her upcoming Best Of...

  THE WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

P!nk's fifth album Funhouse, featuring her #1-charting hit "So What," and production from Max Martin, Danja, Billy Man and Tony Kanal.

Lady GaGa's debut The Fame, which was already released in many countries throughout August and September.

The Cure's thirteenth studio album, 4:13 Dream, containing 13 tracks.

Snow Patrol's A Hundred Million Suns.

New singles from David Archuleta ("Angels"), Usher ("Hush"), Sam Taylor-Wood & Pet Shop Boys ("I'm In Love With A German Film Star") and Taylor Swift ("You're Not Sorry").

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Morrissey's Year of Refusal

Morrissey told BBC Radio 2's Janice Long that his new album, Year of Refusal, to be released in February, is his best yet.

The image above is rumored to be the cover photo for that album.

Said the singer: "It's fantastically strong. It's very, very strong and it's interesting for me after all these years, but it's the strongest."

He also told Long he's planning an autobiography to clear up some of the "very annoying" and "silly" stories that have been written about him over the years:

"With every printed interview, there's lots of misquotes...Lots of them are really silly and really extreme, which you have to live with the rest of your life. So it's setting the record straight...So much crap is written about me and it's quite hard to live with sometimes because it all gets burned down in history and becomes part of whatever it is you are, the legacy, and it becomes very annoying."

Morrissey to write autobiography [guardian]
(image source)

Previously
Morrissey Commands Boys to Leap with his Magic Tambourine [tr]

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News: Malaysia, Rafael Nadal, M15, J. Lo, Massachusetts

Same-sex marriage opponents in Massachusetts launch effort for ballot measure to keep out-of-staters from getting married in Massachusetts following the recent repeal of the 1913 law. Meanwhile, Provincetown anticipates a wedding boom.

Michael Phelps: Just how much are 8 gold medals worth?

Generes-De Rossi wedding causing ripples in Australia.

Sydney's Oxford Street declared "homophobia-free zone".

British spy agency M15 recruiting gays and lesbians.

J. Lo is running a triathlon.

California Supreme Court rules that doctors cannot discriminate against gay patients on the basis of their religious beliefs: "The California Supreme Court decision overturned a lower court ruling in favor of two Christian doctors who refused fertility treatment to a lesbian citing religious grounds. The woman, Guadalupe Benitez, successfully filed suit against the doctors and their medical group in 2004 on the basis that their refusal to treat her violated California's anti-discrimination laws. However an appeal court in San Diego ruled against Benitez, a decision that led to the supreme court ruling. In an unanimous decision the justices ruled that Benitez was entitled to be treated like other patients with the same condition, and that constitutional protections for religious liberty do not excuse unlawful discrimination."

Californians Against Hate protests Proposition 8 outside Republican fundraiser: "About 25 enthusiastic protesters held up signs and greeted the 150 or so guests arriving at San Diego trail attorney Charles LiMandri’s Rancho Santa Fe estate yesterday. The $100 per head fund-raiser was sponsored by the San Diego County Republican party and the Yes on 8 Campaign."

In a 1973 U.S. News and Report story, John McCain called his Vietnam captors "homosexual" and "sadistic."

Morrissey postpones new album, urges fans not to buy live album put out by Warner Bros.

Rafael Nadal sheds fashion for New York magazine.

Evangelical Christian defends decision to leak letters by Anglican archbishop Rowan Williams that revealed his true thoughts about same-sex relationships: "As for why I decided to offer [the] letters to the public arena ... I became almost sure for various reasons that the liberals knew far more about Dr Williams’ personal views than the traditionalists did and, if so, the balance should be redressed. Over the years I have shared the letters with only a few; I had no desire to embarrass Dr Williams over his statements, and I hoped his personal views would change. Now the issue of homosexuality in the Anglican Communion has become such a big issue, I judged it was time to override my misgivings about making his views known. Anglicans can make up their own minds what to do with the information."

Gay gold diggers declare Cristiano Ronaldo #1 gay icon.

California school boards pressured to take a stand on same-sex marriage.

Malaysia "transfixed" by rumors of gay sex between a candidate and his aide.

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Music News: Keane Go "Spiralling," Plus The Killers, Chris Brown, James Murphy, Morrissey, Annie Lennox

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

Perhaps taking a cue from Coldplay, Brit trio Keane are offering "Spiralling," the lead single of their upcoming third album Perfect Symmetry, as a free download for one week only on their official website. To these ears, the glammy, uptempo track is reminiscent of Roxy Music's "Let's Stick Together" and David Bowie's "Young Americans."

Stuart Price, Jon Brion and Andy Green are doing production chores on Perfect Symmetry, along with Keane themselves. The album is due out mid-October.

In the meantime, Price—one of the main hands in Madonna's 2005 Confessions On A Dancefloor—is also twiddling knobs on The Killers' forthcoming third studio set, rumored to be titled Day And Age.

Meanwhile, last week The Killers played "Spaceman" and "Neon Tiger" (below), two new tracks likely to be on the new record at a fanclub-only show at New York City's Highline Ballroom.

 

I'll admit that Chris Brown's (pictured right) overly-poppy "Forever" is my not-so-guilty pleasure this summer, and I was hoping for more of the same from him down the line. So it was with a bit of dismay that I first read about the Wrigley's gum jingle deal and saw this. Well, only a slight bit.

   LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy (who signed queer act Hercules And Love Affair to his DFA Records label) is joining drummer Pat Mahoney on the road for the Special Disco Version DJ tour. It kicks off tonight at Mighty in San Francisco: "People hear that word disco, and they see bellbottoms and That '70s Show. No, no, no. This is real liberation music for people who know where to go. This is the real deal. With SDV, I can keep experimenting with remixes that we're working on, I can keep playing new stuff, and I can keep finding old records."

   The release date of Morrissey's new album Years Of Refusal has been pushed back from September to early next year, following producer Jerry Finn's severe brain hemorrhage last month. Finn was the mixer for Green Day's Dookie and Insomniac, and producer of Blink 182's Enema Of The State and Morrissey's You Are The Quarry.

   Does The Annie Lennox Collection get it right?

   Acts such as R.E.M., Pearl Jam, My Morning Jacket, OK Go and Trent Reznor are petitioning to have Barack Obama and John McCain debate in New Orleans about Louisiana coastal wetlands restoration and hurricane recovery. Google and YouTube are organizing the Presidential forum, of which neither candidate has committed to.

   There's at least one girl who won't kiss Katy Perry. Actually, make that two.

   THE WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

Fasciination, the self-released fifth album from The Faint. The band had previously released their albums on fellow Nebraskan Conor Oberst's Saddle Creek label.

Conor Oberst's self-titled solo album.

Brazilian Girls' New York City.

Santogold's "L.E.S. Artistes" remix EP.

New singles from Cassie ("Official Girl"), the Jonas Brothers ("A Little Bit Longer"), Hayden Panettiere ("Wake Up Call"),  The Game & Lil Wayne ("My Life"), Bob Dylan ("Dreamin' Of You") and Raphael Saadiq ("Love That Girl").

 

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Music News: ...Everyone Is Gay

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own site called Chart Rigger.

"Teenage angst has paid off well. Now I'm bored and old." So begins Nirvana's third and final album, 1993's In Utero—the opening lines of "Serve The Servants."

Nirvana. Not the most gay topic of discussion, nor the gayest of music to bring up. So why bring it up at all?

This week is actually the eve of my first year doing a pop music column on Towleroad.

One question I keep coming back to is this: what really constitutes "gay music"? Scissor Sisters, Ari Gold, Elton John, Sam Sparro, Darren Hayes, Pet Shop Boys, The Feeling, George Michael and Andy Bell are mainstream gay artists or groups with gay members—all of which we've talked about here on Towleroad—but is the actual music those folks create gay?

As well, Madonna, Amy Winehouse, The Killers, Britney Spears, Sally Shapiro, Mariah Carey, LCD Soundsystem, Robyn, Kylie Minogue, Frankmusic, Sugababes, Cyndi Lauper, Spice Girls, Girls Aloud and Saint Etienne are music artists who have somewhat of a "gay appeal," though what does that really mean?

Is country music gay enough? Did Mika ever come out? Does Hip hop speak to us? When all was said and done, was Hard Candy any good?

And where do Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus, Duffy, Fall Out Boy, Santogold and Smashing Pumpkins fit in?

The truth is, I don't have the foggiest idea. What I do know is that pop music is subjective. And while I can't answer the question on what gay music truly is, I can say that no two people will probably every see completely eye to eye when it comes to individual taste.

But that's okay. Life would be pretty dull otherwise.

Over the past year, I've pondered my own psychological state after listing to Mariah's "Touch My Body," posed the question to you on whether Katy Perry is truly offensive, let nostalgia get the best of me over the re-release of Michael Jackson's Thriller and offered up Robyn scolding her godchildren in Swedish over the phone from Stockholm here on Towleroad—all in the name of delivering pop music news to the online masses from one guy's gay perspective.

Something about pop, whether it be one song, one artist or a single bar or note, can reach into the heart and send the imagination soaring, or hurtling back to a certain time and place.

Which brings us back to the original topic at hand. This past week NPR ran an interesting "All Things Considered" feature on 17-year-old Los Angeles native Spencer Elden (pictured right), who you may remember best as the baby swimming after the dollar bill on the cover of Nirvana's Nevermind album.

Admittedly, I'm a longtime Nirvana fan from the time when I was 17 myself and Nevermind hit like a grenade. So it's a bit surreal to catch up on what this kid's been up to.

Given that Elden appeared sans clothing on the cover, it's amusing to read him looking back: "Quite a few people in the world have seen my penis. So that's kinda cool. I'm just a normal kid living it up and doing the best I can while I'm here."

As for teenage angst paying off well, he notes that his father was given $200 for letting his son be photographed for the seminal, 26-million-selling record's artwork.

I guess it should be noted that, judging from his comments about "worrying about stupid girls," Spencer is apparently straight—a fact which inevitably calls to mind the opening of "All Apologies," the last track on Nirvana's final album:

"What else should I say? Everyone is gay?"

THE WEEK'S NEW RELEASES:

Josh Kelley's Backwoods. (You know, the guy married to Katherine Heigl.)

British trip hop act UNKLE's End Titles... Stories For Film.

Remixes of Natasha Bedingfield's current hit, "Pocketful Of Sunshine".

The self-titled debut album from alt rock band Scars On Broadway.

Hot Chip's iTunes-only Live:Berlin Festival EP.

New singles from Lindsay Buckingham ("Did You Miss Me"), Jonas Brothers ("Tonight"), T-Pain ("Can't Believe It") and Hinder ("Use Me").

Sphere: Related Content

Morrissey Commands Boys to Leap with his Magic Tambourine

Morrissey just came out with a new video for his single "All You Need is Me" which I find somehow hypnotic. Maybe it's the bright colors and cheerful sunniness that seem so different from his usual gloom, or maybe it's that v-neck he borrowed from Simon Cowell, but I think it's more likely his harem of acrobatic bandmates.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #275

BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT: This time, a dog!

MORRISSEY: Announces an upcoming gig in Tel Aviv on July 29. (source: idolator)

BEARAPALOOZA: Are you part of the Bearapalooza Nation? (source: queerty)

ALAN RITCHSON: Aquaman strips down for N2N Bodywear. More here.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Morrissey Wins Apology in Court for Damaging Article

Music magazine The Word apologized in court to Morrissey for publishing a damaging article following last December's profile of the singer in the New Music Express. As you may remember, Morrissey sued the NME after what he said was a failure to classify his remarks on immigration, in an article which he said amounted to "character assassination."

The Word's piece was a review of Morrissey's album, which said: "For his waving of the flag (for publicity too, it would seem), for his ingrained habit of paying lip service to anti-racism while talking like an old Tory immigration spokesman, and for his abandonment of everything that made The Smiths a band for outsiders, Morrissey should be ashamed of himself."

According to The Guardian, "[Morrissey's] solicitor, John Reid, told Mr Justice Eady that the closing paragraph could have been construed to suggest that he was a racist, held racist opinions or that - as the child of migrant parents - he was a hypocrite. Reid said that The Word's publisher, Development Hell, in which MediaGuardian.co.uk owner Guardian Media Group has a minority stake, and editor Mark Ellen did not intend the article to have the suggested meanings. Reid added that the firm wished to make it 'absolutely clear' that it dissociated itself entirely from any such inferences. Development Hell's solicitor, Caroline Kean, offered the firm's 'sincere apologies' to Morrissey. Morrissey welcomed the news and vowed to continue his libel complaint against the NME."

Said Morrissey: "I am obviously delighted with this victory and the clearing of my name in public, where it is loud and clear for all to hear. The NME have calculatedly tried to damage my integrity and to label me as a racist in order to boost their diminishing circulation. Word magazine made the mistake of repeating those allegations, which they now accept are false and, as a result, have apologised in open court. I will now continue to pursue my legal action against the NME and its editor until they do the same."

Morrissey accepts 'racism' apology [guardian]

Previously
Morrissey to Sue NME for Failing to Clarify Immigration Remarks [tr]

AFTER THE JUMP, the video for "Stop Me".

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Morrissey's Arse One of His Greatest Hits?

Morrissey's Greatest Hits, set to be released in the UK on February 11th, contain an interesting piece of art in the sleevenotes - a photograph of his back end. The photo is credited to Morrissey's companion/PA in the mid-90's, Jake Walters, and features the singer's bare behind inscribed with the words "Your Arse An' All" — a play, of course, on Morrissey's 1992 album Your Arsenal.

Music magazine Mojo writes: "Morrissey’s buttocks – curiously hairless in comparison to what’s 'going on' above and below – appear to be of a mid-’90s vintage...The standard of calligraphy is impressive, but the office is agreed that we wouldn’t have enjoyed doing the apostrophe."

See the shot AFTER THE JUMP (warning NSFW)

In other Moz news, he's been proclaiming his support of Barack Obama in concert, wearing a T-shirt created by a fan featuring his face beside the Democratic candidate's.

Check for the (NSFW) Arse shot AFTER THE JUMP...

“Morrissey’s arse photographed by Jake Walters”

You may have missed...
Morrissey Defends Himself, Explains How NME Manipulated Story [tr]
Morrissey to Sue NME for Failing to Clarify Immigration Remarks [tr]
Morrissey Turns Down $75 Million Offer to Reunite The Smiths [tr]

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Music News: It's Once Again, Plus Natasha Bedingfield, Yaz, Franz Ferdinand, Mariah Carey, Cat Power

Robbie Daw presents a weekly pop music update here on Towleroad! Robbie runs his own pop music site called Chart Rigger.

Thank you, Motion Picture Academy, for not forgetting about last spring's Once when it came time for nominations in the Best Original Song category for this year's Oscars! Once, which grew into being a modest indie hit last year, is an Irish film starring real-life rocker Glen Hansard as "Guy," a street musician -- or, a busker -- who meets Czech immigrant "Girl" (played by Markéta Irglová, also a musician) and enlists her to cut what he hopes will be a career-making demo.

The two wrote the majority flick's songs, including the just-nominated "Falling Slowly". In addition to the music, part of the appeal of Once is that Glen and Markéta enter into what has to be the most chaste coupling since Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation.

"Falling Slowly" is up against three songs from partly-animated fantasy film Enchanted, as well as one from August Rush. But the real fairy tale will be if comparatively unknown Hansard and Irglová end up triumphing over the mighty Disney with their duet from Once, a movie whose budget was $160,000.

Here's "Falling Slowly".

In November I had some fun noting the similarities between the cover art for Alicia Keys' As I Am and current U.K. sensation Leona Lewis' Spirit. Maybe London-based Natasha Bedingfield is hoping some of that success will pay off for her, as well? Her Pocketful Of Sunshine is out today.

Bedingfield released her sophomore album N.B. outside of the U.S last May. For whatever reason, Sony retitled the record Pocketful Of Sunshine, had her cut seven new songs for it and waited till now to put it in the States. (Six of the original tracks from N.B. remain intact, though gone is the U.K. single "I Wanna Have Your Babies.") The tactic seems to have worked so far, as her current single featuring Sean Kingston, "Love Like This", hit #17 on Billboard's Hot 100 and was recently certified gold.

Grammy-nominated Amy Winehouse: crack perhaps not so wack?

I'm not sure anyone could have predicted this one; 25 years after Santa Claus got me the "Don't Go" 12" for Christmas, Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke (pictured right), better known as Yaz -- or Yazoo in Europe -- are back together for the four-disc box set In Your Room (due in May) and the Yazoo Reconnected: Live tour.

Mariah Carey set to be That Chick on April Fool's Day, while Franz Ferdinand are getting down and dirty with Russian synthesizers for their summer release.

If you can't beat controversy, why not embrace it? Morrissey, perhaps in a nose-thumbing nod to the NME, includes "The National Front Disco" in the set for his latest London gig.

TODAY'S NEW RELEASES:

Jukebox, the eighth album from Cat Power. It's all cover versions, as the title alludes to, save for the lone original, "Song For Bobby."

Lisa Loeb's The Purple Tape, a set of her original demos not to be confused with the same-titled original 17-track demo recorded by the Pixies 21 years ago.

A re-recording of Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something" featuring Akon, from the forthcoming special anniversary edition of Thriller.

Rooney's "I Should've Been After You" digital EP.

Hey Venus!, the first studio album from Welsh band Super Furry Animals in 12 years, gets an expanded edition added to iTunes after its initial August release date.

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News: Morrissey, Insects, Calvin Klein, Guam, Hannah Montana

Rasmussen poll: Hillary Clinton's national lead collapsing...

Morrissey negotiating concert date in Tehran?

One half of millionaire gay couple who started major chicken restaurant franchise in Western Australia is found dead in a luxury penthouse and his partner has been charged with the murder.

British Christian registrar makes first legal challenge to the UK's civil partnership laws, refusing to perform the ceremonies: "The woman, a devout Christian, is taking action against Islington Council, saying the civil partnership ceremonies she has been asked to perform are against her religious beliefs...Her stance has escalated into a full-scale dispute with her employers, who she is now taking to an employment tribunal, in the first case of its kind...Last night Islington Council, which is now Lib Dem-dominated, confirmed the tribunal was pending but refused to give any further information. In a statement, it said: 'A claim has been made to an employment tribunal which Islington Council is defending robustly. The council does not intend to comment further.'"

Mrs. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous: Tabs have field day as Britney Spears checks out of hospital after Dr. Phil forces himself on her. Shacks up with paparazzi.

Drag queen attempts to fool crowd, taking over for Hannah Montana in concert stage swap.

Gay Black leader of MassEquality reaches out to African-American community in Massachusetts. David Wilson: "Having grown up in Boston and experiencing all of the discrimination as a young boy growing up in the '60s, and now as a gay man, it was a high priority for me to reach out to my own community."

Gay candidate B.J. Cruz victorious in Guam, the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund reports: "Victory-endorsee B.J. Cruz won a special senatorial election on Saturday, capturing 41 percent of the vote. Cruz, a Democrat, beat Republican Telo Taitague and fellow Democrat Tom Ada, who won 30 and 28 percent of the vote respectively. According to the Pacific News Center, Cruz wants to get to work immediately by taking part in legislative proceedings and confer with other legislators on matters pertaining to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. The election gives the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund its first win this year. The organization has endorsed 34 candidates so far for 2008."

New theory places blame on insects, not meteors, for death of dinosaurs.

WALES: Gay man found lying in pool of blood...

Calvin Klein and friend dish the dirt in Miami.

Shia LaBeouf is smokin'.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a lawsuit over being called drama queen: "An academic is suing a columnist who called him a "drama queen", claiming that in Malaysia's version of English known as 'Manglish' the term is a homosexual slur, a report said on Thursday. Retired lecturer Edward Dorall told a court in Penang state that columnist Thor Kah Hoong had libelled him by calling him a 'drama queen lecturer' in a 2004 article, the New Straits Times reported. Thor said he had no malicious intent and that Dorall had deliberately misinterpreted the word "queen", which on its own is a slang reference to a homosexual man, particularly one who acts in a flamboyant manner."

The One and Only: Graham Norton launches reality competition show based on tribute acts.

Gay rights governor Lee Sherman Dreyfus mourned at Wisconsin vigil.

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Morrissey Defends Himself, Explains How NME Manipulated Story

Morrissey defends himself from racism charges brought on by remarks about immigration from what he says was an NME story that "bears no relation in print to the fleshly conversation that took place." Here's an excerpt from a lengthy, interesting blog post in the Guardian today:

"When my comments are printed in the 'new' NME they are butchered, redesigned, reordered, chopped, snipped and split in order to make me seem racist and unreasonable. [Writer] Tim [Jonze] had told me about his friend who did not like the 1987 song Bengali in Platforms because the friend had thought the song attacked him on a personal level. I explained to Tim that the song was not about his friend. In print, the 'new' NME do not explain this, but attempt to multiply the horror of Tim's friend by attributing "these people" and "those people" quotes to me - terms I would never use, but are useful to the 'new' NME in their Morrissey-is-racist campaign because these terms are only used by people who are cold and indifferent and Thatcherite. All of the people I spoke to Tim about in the interview who are heroes to me and who are Middle Eastern or of other ethnic back grounds were of no interest to either Tim or Conor. Clearly, Tim had been briefed and his agenda was to cook up a sensational story that would give life to the 'new' NME as a must-read national if not global shock-horror story. Recalling how Tim asked me to sign some CD covers, I do not blame him entirely...

...My heart sank as Tim Jonze let slip the tell-all editorial directive behind this interview: "it's Conor's view that Morrissey thinks black people are OK ... but he wouldn't want one living next door to him." It was then that I realized the full extent of the setup, and I felt like Bob Hoskins in the final frame of The Long Good Friday as he sits in the back of the wrong getaway car realizing the extent of the conspiratorial slime that now trapped him."

Morrissey has taken legal action against the publication.

I abhor racism, and apologise - for speaking to NME [morrissey in the guardian]

Recently
Morrissey to Sue NME for Failing to Clarify Immigration Remarks [tr]
Morrissey Shuns England Over "Immigration Explosion" [tr]

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Morrissey to Sue NME for Failing to Clarify Immigration Remarks

Comments by Morrissey on immigration in the most recent issue of NME amount to "character assassination" according to the singer's lawyers, who are reportedly threatening to sue the publication. Additional details of the legal action have not been revealed.

Morrissey's comments, some of which I posted yesterday, read: "With the issue of immigration, it's very difficult because, although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears. If you walk through Knightsbridge on any bland day of the week you won't hear an English accent. You'll hear every accent under the sun apart from the British accent."

Morrissey "expressed concern at how his previous comments could be interpreted" according to the Guardian, and conducted a follow-up interview, in which he said: "I just think that it would be construed that the reason I wouldn't wish to live in England is the immigration explosion. And that's not true at all."

The controversy has sparked a war of words between the former Smiths frontman and the publication, while the article's author Tim Jonze has requested that his byline be removed from everything but the Q&A, claiming dissatisfaction over the magazine's final edit.

Morrissey demands apology from NME [guardian]

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Morrissey Shuns England Over "Immigration Explosion" [tr]

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Morrissey Shuns England Over "Immigration Explosion"

In a new, controversial interview with NME, Morrissey says he shuns England now because of the "immigration explosion" that has happened there, according to the Daily Mail:

"Other countries have held on to their basic identity yet it seems to me that England was thrown away. The change in England is so rapid compared to the change in any other country. If you walk through Knightsbridge on any bland day of the week you won't hear an English accent. You'll hear every accent under the sun apart from the British accent. The British identity is very attractive, I grew up into it and I find it quaint and very amusing."

He now considers Rome his home.

NME also reports today that the singer has signed a solo record deal with Polydor/Decca and has no plans to go the internet route in marketing it (ala Radiohead):

"If they (Radiohead) think that can work that that's a wonderful world. And yes, you can look at record companies and you can easily assess that they've been ripping people off for years and years and years. The whole process is a gigantic rip off. But then there are people like me who need to be institutionalised... and I don't mean in an asylum! Believing that several thousand people are working to get your music heard is more inspiring to me than anything else."

Of the new record, he boasts: "I'm extremely happy about it. I love my band at the moment, and the songs are great, of course. I don't think there's ever been a theme to any of my records. I don't need the chameleon element of trying to entice people with new costumes. I like to think I'm complicated and interesting enough as a human being."

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Following hate crime, Georgetown University finally makes commitment to LGBT community: "At an open forum last night, President John DeGioia commendably announced that Georgetown will have a fully-staffed, fully-funded LGBTQ resource center by next fall. Three working groups will be created to address the creation of the resource center, the development of a better bias-reporting system and plans for LGBTQ diversity training during New Student Orientation."

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Singapore's gay rights debate got ugly: "There were threatening, expletive-laced emails. One parliamentarian had his sexuality questioned. Another academic was flamed in blogs and had her phone number circulated. And the employer of one gay professional was questioned about their hiring him. The ugly turn of events, some may say, is only to be expected given the emotional nature of the subject matter — one that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had warned on Tuesday could polarise society."

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Music News: Can Sugababes Cross Over? Plus Rufus Wainwright, The Smiths, Nas, Buffy, Amy Winehouse, Annie Lennox

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.

This week, pop/rock/electro trio (as they're billing themselves these days) Sugababes celebrate the triumph of having both the #1 single ("About You Now") and #1 album (Change) on the official U.K. charts. It's no small feat, as the 'babes have been around long enough to issue five LPs and the ubiquitous greatest hits, and have surpassed the typical sell-by date that sees most pop acts reduced to subpar reality show stints.

But "About You Now" -- written by Cathy Dennis (yes, that Cathy Dennis, who had the early '90s green-bodysuit solo career and later penned Britney's "Toxic" and Kylie's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head") -- actually marks the Sugababes' sixth British #1. In their home country, they've had more hits than the Spice Girls, and this year they became the first pop act to play the main stage at the Glastonbury Festival.

So where's the love for the curvy threesome in the States? In recent years, urban-heavy American radio has warmed up again to British acts, such as Cold