TheFunkStore.com RawFunk Gazette !

P-Funky & UnFunky News Weekly ..

Queen Of Funk MALLIA FRANKLIN Passes Away ~

by TFSnewsRoom/Soul-Patrol.com

Also posted at:http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2009/news4/malliafranklin.html

http://www.soul-patrol.net/mallia.ram


Statement from Seth Nesbit (Son of Mallia Franklin)

Rosalind "Mallia" Franklin made her heavenly transition this morning (2/5/2010) at 10:25am PST. She went peacefully. Thank you every one for the love and prayers from all of her P-funk family, friends, fans & funkateers. She will live on this earth forever in all of our hearts.

So play a Mallia song, a Parlet ...song or a P-Funk song today in her memory. She was the love of my life and I miss her forever.

Mallia will be cremated. A private memorial service is being planned and will take place in Los Angeles.

--Seth Nesbit.



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MALLIA FRANKIN (THE QUEEN OF FUNK): A History of the Funk (featuring George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and others). Hosted by "nightrain" & "Dr.Brookenstien"



I Realize That Some of You are Saying: "What's The Big Deal? (She's NOT a Celebrity)"

A few years ago someone says to me; "you sure seem to know a whole lot of celebrities." I said, the Soul-Patrol.com website isn't about "celebrities," it's all about "Great Black Music From The Ancient To The Future." They said to me, "that's right your site is all about Black music celebrities."

I said; "that's not correct. The Soul-Patrol.com website is really about transformational people, places and things that impact Black music, past, present and future."

Well to put it simply; although there is little doubt that Mallia Franklin is the QUEEN OF FUNK," she is about as far from being any sort of "celebrity" as you can get. However Mallia Franklin is indeed one of those "transformational figures" in the history of Black music. As a key member of BOTH the P-Funk and Prince camps, she has had a very large impact on the great music of the past and her influence is still heard in music produced today. She's one of those people who behind the scenes quite literally changed the music that we listened to. She served as a musical mentor to many different artists, famous and not so famous.

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Of course Mallia also appeared on many hit records as a member of the P-Funk Mob, the Prince aggregation, singing with Snoop Dogg, James Brown and host of others and of course as a member of Parlet. You can scroll down further to read a long list of some of her musical accomplishments over the years. IMHO she has NEVER truly gotten her props.

Her iconic voice is how she got the name "QUEEN OF FUNK." However it was her mentorship of people that enabled her to keep it!!!

In addition to being a transformational figure in the history of Black music, Mallia was also a transformational figure in the history of the Black internet. She was among the very first artists to ever get involved with Soul-Patrol.com and she did so right from the beginning. In fact Mallia was the very first artist to ever entrust me with their album and that occurred back in 1997.

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Over the years, seldom did a month go by when I didn't have a telephone conversation with Mallia. She introduced me to a great many of the artists that she was associated with and she always insisted to them that I was someone that they could trust. And trust was something very important to Mallia. She told me once; "baby babba I've been keepin my eye on you and over the years you ain't never sold out, although I know that with what you have built, you could have sold out many times. You are still to this day always straight up with both the artists & the fans. You don't tell people what you think that they they want to hear; you tell them what you think that they need to hear. That's why they respect you and that's why I am proud of you...."

Mallia is one of the people that I have met along the way who have helped me to insure that Soul-Patrol not only "talks the talk, but also walks the walk."

In late 2008 Mallia called me up to tell me that she had been doing some surfing online who were trying to appropriate the title; "QUEEN OF FUNK." She ranted for about an hour or so on the phone to me about this. Finally I suggested to her that she put together a monologue explaining exactly why Mallia Franklin and ONLY Mallia Franklin should EVER be assigned the designation of "QUEEN OF FUNK," that I would take that monologue and make it into an internet radio show. A month & a half later I had in my possession the broadcast bellow entitled: MALLIA FRANKIN (THE QUEEN OF FUNK): A History of the Funk (featuring George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and others). Hosted by "nightrain" & "Dr.Brookenstien"

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As some of yall may recall, we ended up featuring this broadcast last year (2009) during Black History Month. How ironic that Mallia passed away during Black History Month in 2010!!! I strongly suggest that you take a listen to it, if you haven't already and if you have, take another listen, within the context of her passing. It's far more than the original monologue that I had suggested. It is a brilliant "tour de force" from a TRANSFORMATIONAL artist, that unfortunately never became a "celebrity."

In addition to featuring that broadcast once again here in this edition of the Soul-Patrol Newsletter, we also have that detailed timeline of Mallia's career, and we have a special commentary from our good friend SonnyBoy (Sheldon Riser) who was also a good friend of Mallia Franklin.

I dunno how the mainstream media will treat the passing of Mallia Franklin, if at all. What I do know is that here on Soul-Patrol we recognize her greatness and her significant contribution to the evolution of Black music.

--Bob Davis
609-351-0154
earthjuice@prodigy.net



MALLIA FRANKIN (THE QUEEN OF FUNK): A History of the Funk (featuring George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and others). Hosted by "nightrain" & "Dr.Brookenstien"

My Musical Mother (Shel/Sonnyboy)

I was only 19 and living in Minneapolis when I auditioned for Mallia Franklin, she reminded me of my mother and looked like Pam Grier. She looked at me and said "can you play son" at that time I thought I could. I thought I could handle the music she was playing, being a church musician and all. I didn't make it the first time. I when back again determined to play keyboards for her. This time I got the gig but It turned out to be one of the most growling musical experiences of my life. I was in what Mallia called P Funk Boot camp. I was playing with musicians fare beyond my talents at the time. She said "if you want to play with me son you better play my music like you P Funk" and she mint it.
I listened to her yell at me for missing parts, she called me every name you can think of, and then said if you quit , Im going to find yo little skinny azzz and drag you back. Then she went to the kitchen and cooked the hole band something to eat. She could hear wrong notes and rhythms from 3 rooms away, and would yelled " That ant my music, What the hell is that" now play it right so the other musicians can go home.

The first show I played with her was at the River View in north Minneapolis. It was a great show and she walked over to me on stage and said now that's P Funk son. There was never a boring moment with Mallia, in the music or the drama around it. That same night, was when I seen how this lady deals with people in the music business. She paid everyone in the band, then fired half of them for not showing up at rehearsals on time and playing things wrong. The way she handled it, she could given a thug a pointer or 2. I just new I was going to be next, but for some reason she kept me. I played and lived with her for about 3 years. I could see that Mallia was never a female vocalist you wanted to cross.

I moved to NYC and lost contact with her for a couple of years. She had moved to Atlanta and was working the music seen there. Around 2001 I get a call out of no where """Hey Baby boo what you no what you no, you need the Queen on yo show"""That's my Mal LOL... We talked about me recording a album with her but she didn't want to fly after the 911. Soon after that she made her way to LA, where things started picking up for her.
I don't know where Funk or Hip Hop would be with out Mallia Franklyn for many reasons. She is the lady that introduced Bootsy Collins to George Clinton, she gave Snoop Dogg that P Funk swagger on Suited and Booted, she sang background on early Parliament and Funkadelic albums and became an original member of Parlet in 1978, where she recorded Pleasure Principle and she had a cameo in the Prince film'Graffiti Bridge. Mallia Franklin knew or worked with The Gap Band, Sly Stone, Rick James, Lenny Kravitz, James Brown and on and on. I would be at he house and she would stick a CD in of songs she recorded with some of everybody. I would say damm Mal, how the hell do you know and work with all these people. She would just smile and say Im a hustler baby. She was just one of the best rock, soul, funk vocalist I know. How could you not want her on a track?

I have always seen her as very much the female version of George Clinton. There was nothing ever prissy about Mallia when it came to making music. She wanted it raw and Funky. She would roll with the brotha's on a tour bus or van, sleep in crappy motels, and not think twice about it, she lived the life she funked about. As I feel she was not just a incredible vocalist she was a teacher. And in this business those are hard to come by.

The last time I talk to Mallia she asked me to play with her again. I wanted to do it but had to be in Europe. A week later I got a e mail from my friend Bob Davis that Mallia had a stroke, my heart seemed like it stopped. And for the last 6 month I hadn't non anything more then what Her son Seth had written on her MySpace page. It seemed like she was getting better, because she had gone back to LA but yesterday Seth told me that Mallia passed away at 2/5/2010 10:25 AM. This is very heart braking and surreal to me because, I had been waiting for Mallia to call me saying hey I'm ok.

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I hope everyone that the people that new her takes the time to remind other people of how great she was as a artist and what she did to give us great music over the years. Im going to miss you Rosalind "Mallia" Franklin.

My friend is now looking down at us smiling and singing with Michael, James, Teddy, Gerald , Miles, Eddie, Rick, you were one of the best and Ill never let your name be forgotten.....

Your musical son Shel/Sonnyboy.....
New Album - BarFly Theory coming Soon !!!!!
http://www.myspace.com/sonnyboyart



MALLIA FRANKIN (THE QUEEN OF FUNK): A History of the Funk (featuring George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and others). Hosted by "nightrain" & "Dr.Brookenstien"

TIMELINE: Mallia Franklin

Through the years, music and music supporters have greatly grown and diversified. R&B evolved into crossover pop. Disco developed into Alternative and House/Trance. Rap grew into Hip Hop. Soul lives on in Fuunkk!!!!

Mallia "Queen of Funk" Franklin:

2004
Recipient of Platinum Plaque for performance, co-writer and co-production for Snoop Dogg's (Pay da Cost to be da Boss) CD. Recorded with 2004 B.M.I. Award Winner Producer Songwriter, and Musician Dave Stewart. Mallia's poster from her up-coming CD (Malfunction) shown prominently in the recently released John Travolta movie (Be Cool). Performed at the 2004 Grammies with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic.

2003
Appeared in the Nike Funkship Commercial with George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and Snoop Dogg which aired during the 2003 NBA season. Wrote and produced material for up coming music projects. Made numerous live appearances with George Clinton and the P-Funk All-stars.

2002
Recorded and wrote additional lyrics for Movie Soundtrack "Undercover Brother". Performed on the remix of the Sony Records remake of Marvin Gaye's song "What's goin on?"

2001
Recorded with Dallas Austin, Too Short and Organized Noise. Performed during the Gavin Convention at the Funk Jazz Cafe with Lil John and The Chronicle.

1998 to 2000
Toured the Midwest and Southern regions and performed Corporate Dates with her band Anothertime. Mallia performed as a special guest for Black Lilly Productions in conjunction with the Roots, with Shirley Hayden of P-Funk and Kid Rock fame at the world renowned Wetlands Night Club in Greenwich Village, NY

1996
Toured with George Clinton during the 2nd coming of the Mothership Tour. Including performances during the Olympic Games in the House of Blues now available on DVD.

1995
After countless sessions with rappers like The Boogie Boys, Candyman, Ice Cube, the Lynch Mob, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Mallia was responsible for bringing together Producer Rapper Dr. Dre and Rodger Troutman which resulted in the legendary Tupac recording "California Love". Recorded on the John Singleton Movie Soundtrack "Above the Rim"

1995
Mallia produced her first solo effort "Funkentersepter" The album featured members of P-Funk, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Raydio, Was Not Was, The Brides of Funkenstien, Maceo Parker, Richard "Kush" Griffin. Fred Wesley, Godmoma, Five Special, Gary "Starchild" Shider, Belita Woods, Pat Lewis, Gary "Mudbone" Cooper, Sandra Fiva and Parlet. Released in Japan the album also featured songs co-written by former Ohio Player Junie Morrison and legendary guitarist Eddie Hazel.

1993-1994
Performed on Snoop Doggs first multi-platinum album "Doggy Style". Lead and background vocals for numerous Teddy Riley and Dr. Dre projects.

1993
Toured with the Gap Band

1990
Recipient of the Minnesota Black Musicians Artist Awards, "Recognition of Achievements Award"

1988-1993
Recorded with Brown Mark, Mazaratti, and Alexander O'Neil. Mallia formed her own band "Slam", which was a featured band in the Minneapolis night club "Glam Slam". "Slam" toured the Midwest. The Queen also made a cameo appearance in the movie "Graffiti Bridge".

1986-1987
Toured with Capitol recording Artist, Sly Fox. Co-wrote the hit R&B song "Instant Replay" for Bootsy Collins' Protégé Micowave on the CBS Records album entitled "Cookin from the Inside Out".

1981-1985
While performing on the first his first solo album "Computer Games" Mallia was dubbed the Queen of Funk by George Clinton. The only original female member active during the last large scale P-Funk Tour "Greatest Funk on Earth". Worked closely with George Clinton on all Capitol Records and Paisley Park Projects.


1969-1980
As the original member of Parlet, Mallia has recorded over 250 songs during her career. As a member of Parlet she recorded the classic albums Pleasure Principal and The Invasion of the Booty Snatchers. She also participated in recording projects with her sister group "Brides of Funkenstien" on "Funk or Walk" and "Never by Texas". In 1969 Mallia began recording with Thang Incorporated at the age of 16. George Clinton calls Mallia the "P-Funk talent scout". The Queen introduced Bootsy to the P-Funk family in 1971, she is also responsible for bringing in composer and musician Walter "Junie Morrison" of Ohio Players, as well as songwriters Donnie Sterling, David Lee Spradley and Amp Fidler just to name a few.

For this mallennium Mallia is currently working on her upcoming CD "MALFUNKSHUN"

--Mallia "Queen of Funk" Franklin
Mallia on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/queenoffunkthefunkdisciples

Mallia on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Mallia+Franklin&search_type=&aq=f

Mallia on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Official-Mallia-Queen-of-FunkFranklin-Page/199281086088

Mallia Franklin - Queen of Funk
http://www.queenoffunk.com





Posted on Feb 7, 2010, 10:41 AM

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Sly Stone sues ex-manager, claiming millions kept,,,,

by TFSnewswRoom/Ap.com

Sly Stone sues ex-manager, claiming millions kept



[linked image]
AP FILE - In this July 14, 2007 file photo, funk music
pioneer Sly Stone from the group Sly and the Family


LOS ANGELES Sly Stone sued a former business manager and others on Thursday, claiming tens of millions of dollars in royalties were kept from the singer who now depends on Social Security to survive.

Stone, whose real name is Sylvester Stewart, was the frontman of the 1970s funk group Sly and The Family Stone.

He sued former manager Gerald Goldstein and several companies in Los Angeles, alleging they kept 20 years of royalty payments and leveraged Stone's work and rights to accumulate as much as $80 million in assets.

The complaint said Stone has been homeless at times and is dependent on Social Security. Goldstein paid Stone some money until 2007, when the payments stopped, the lawsuit states.

Stone depended on Goldstein to handle his financial affairs, the suit states.

"Some of these artists are being robbed of their intellectual property and the fruits of their genius by unscrupulous people who prey on their trusting nature and lack of business and legal knowledge," Stone's attorney Robert J. Allan wrote in a statement.

Goldstein has produced numerous other artists. Efforts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.

The lawsuit claims nearly 20 causes of action against Goldstein and other defendants, including allegations of fraud, breach of contract, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty.

The legal action claims Goldstein, his longtime companion Claire Levine and attorney Glenn Stone set up several companies to divert royalty payments and borrow against Stone's work.

A working phone number could not be located for Levine. A New York number registered to Glenn Stone and Goldstein's Avenue Records has been disconnected.

Some of Sly Stone's hits include "Dance to the Music," "Everyday People" and "Family Affair."

The lawsuit offered a candid look at the musician's life since his hit-maker days, including tax troubles, bouts with drug addiction and living in poverty.

The suit is seeking a full accounting of royalties due to Stone, and an accounting of several companies the suit claims Goldstein and others used to divert royalties.


Posted on Jan 28, 2010, 7:53 PM

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NY dairy farmer kills 51 cows,commits suicide ...

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

NY dairy farmer kills 51 cows,commits suicide ...


COPAKE, N.Y. — State police in New York say an upstate dairy farmer shot and killed 51 of his milk cows in his barn before turning the rifle on himself.

State police found the body of 59-year-old Dean Pierson in his Copake barn on Thursday. A visitor found a note Pierson had left on the barn door that said not to come in and to call police.

State police would only say that Pierson was having personal issues.

The Columbia County hamlet of Copake is about 115 miles north of New York City.

Local farmers buried the cows outside the barn Friday. They would not discuss Pierson or what had happened, but one of the men said these are hard times to be a farmer.

___

Information from: Register-Star: http://www.registerstar.com/


Posted on Jan 23, 2010, 10:21 AM

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Pot dealer calls cops after being beaten, robbed ..

by TFSnewsRoom/BuffaloNews.com

Pot dealer calls cops after being beaten, robbed

NIAGARA FALLS -- A Wheatfield man was allegedly assaulted and several people were robbed by three men, at least one of whom had a gun, inside a Welch Avenue home early this morning.

The 18-year-old man told police he called another man over to the home, between 24th and 25th streets, to sell him a quarter-pound of marijuana, according to a city police report.

The man arrived with two other men just before 1 a.m. The victim was struck in the face with a gun, then knocked out after he was struck in the back of the head. The other people in the house were ordered to get down on the floor.

The robbers then took several purses, which contained cash and cell phones, as well as the marijuana, according to the report.


Posted on Jan 18, 2010, 1:13 PM

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Singer Teddy Pendergrass dies at 59 ..

by TFSnewsRoom/ApMusic.com

singer Teddy Pendergrass dies at 59
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY


The Associated Press

NEW YORK R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who was one of the most electric and successful figures in music until a car crash 28 years ago left him in a wheelchair, has died of colon cancer. He was 59.


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-- In a July 13, 1985 file photo singers from left, Valerie Simpson, Teddy Pendergrass and Nicholas Ashford perform at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia Pa. during the Live Aid famine relief concert. Pendergrass died Wednesday Jan. 13, 2010 in Philadelphia at age 59. (AP Photo/ Amy Sancetta)

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In an Aug. 1, 2000, file photo Teddy Pendergrass, right, performs at the Good Neighbor Community Outreach Celebration Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2000 in Philadelphia. Pendergrass, who became R&B's reigning sex symbol in the 1970s and '80s with his forceful, masculine voice and passionate love ballads died Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 at age 59. (AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett/file)


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-- In a January 25, 1986 file photo provided by ABC-TV Dick Clark, executive producer of the "American Music Award" telecast, right, goes over production notes with singer Teddy Pendergrass during rehearsal at the Shirne Auditorium in Los Angeles. Pendergrass made his first solo appearance since his near fatal auto accident on the show. Pendergrass died Wednesday Jan. 13, 2010 at age 59. (AP Photo/ABC/FILE)

Pendergrass died Wednesday in suburban Philadelphia, where he had been hospitalized for months.

The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had "a difficult recovery."

Before the crash, Pendergrass established a new era of R&B with an explosive, raw voice that symbolized masculinity, passion and the joys and sorrow of romance in songs such as "Close the Door," ''It Don't Hurt Now," ''Love T.K.O." and other hits that have since become classics.

He was an international superstar and sex symbol. His career was at its apex and still climbing.

Friend and longtime collaborator Kenny Gamble, of the renowned production duo Gamble&Huff, teamed with Pendergrass on his biggest hits and recalled how the singer was even working on a movie.

"He had about 10 platinum albums in a row, so he was a very, very successful recording artist and as a performing artist," Gamble said Thursday. "He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans."

Pendergrass, who was born in Philadelphia in 1950, suffered a spinal cord injury in a 1982 car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down still able to sing but without his signature power. The image of the strong, virile lover was replaced with one that drew sympathy.

But instead of becoming bitter or depressed, Pendergrass created a new identity that as a role model, Gamble said.

"He never showed me that he was angry at all about his accident," Gamble said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "In fact, he was very courageous."

Pendergrass left a remarkable imprint on the music world as he ushered in a new era in R&B with his fiery, sensual and forceful brand of soul and his ladies' man image, burnished by his strikingly handsome looks.

Gamble said Pendergrass was one of a kind as an artist and boasted a powerful voice and "a great magnetism."

"He was a great baritone singer, and he had a real smooth sound, but he had a real rough sound, too, when he wanted to exert power in his voice," Gamble said.

But it wasn't Pendergrass' voice that got him his break in the music business it was his drum playing abilities. He met Harold Melvin, who was looking for replacement members for his group, the Blue Notes, and signed on to be the drummer. Later, he became the lead singer of the group, which became known as Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.

The band started working with Gamble and Leon Huff and had signature hits in the early 1970s with "Wake Up Everybody" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now."

But Pendergrass had creative differences with Melvin and soon left for a solo career, according to his Web site. It was then he would become a sex symbol for the R&B genre, working women into a frenzy with hits such as "Only You" and concerts dedicated for ladies only.

"The females," Gamble said, "loved Teddy Pendergrass. The females were very attracted to him and his music."

Unlike the songs of many of today's male R&B crooners, Pendergrass' music bordered on eroticism without explicit lyrics or coarse language just through the raw emotion in his voice. "Turn Off the Lights" was a tune that perhaps best represented the many moods of Pendergrass tender and coaxing yet strong as the song reaches its climax.

Fans were devastated when, at age 31, Pendergrass was critically injured after his Rolls-Royce hit a tree. He spent six months in a hospital and returned to recording the next year with the album "Love Language."

He continued to sing and recorded several albums, receiving Grammy nominations.

"To all his fans who loved his music, thank you," his son said. "He will live on through his music."

It was 19 years before Pendergrass resumed performing at his own concerts. He made his return on Memorial Day weekend in 2001, with two sold-out shows in Atlantic City, N.J.

Gamble noted Pendergrass' charitable workfor people with spinal cord injuries, his performances despite pain and his focus on the positive in the face of great challenges.

"He used to say something in his act in the wheelchair, 'Don't let the wheelchair fool you,' because he still proclaimed he was a lover," Gamble said.

But his career was never the same. Gamble said it was difficult for Pendergrass to project vocally like he once did: "The breathing aspect of it, he wasn't really able to deal with it."

And while he had albums, he was no longer seen as the sex symbol but more of a sympathetic, tragic figure, even though he still had a strong following among his core female fans.

After the accident, he dedicated much of his life to helping others with spinal cord injuries and founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to do just that. Gamble said he wanted to help others.

"In his quiet moments, he probably did a lot of reflection. But I never saw him pity himself. He stayed busy," Gamble said. "(But) I feel that he's in a better place now. ... He doesn't have to go through that pain or whatever he was going through anymore."



Posted on Jan 14, 2010, 1:17 PM

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George Clinton is Broke: Can't Pay for Mother's Funeral?

by TFSnewsRoom/BvOnMoney.com

Funk Legend George Clinton is Broke: Can't Pay for Mother's Funeral?
By Boyce Watkins, PhD


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One of my favorite rappers in the world is TI. He's not just my favorite rapper because his lyrics are the "dopest" in the industry, but also because he has advocated against youth violence and seems to want something better for himself and the world. More importantly, TI's lyrics reflect a sense of wisdom that you don't necessarily get from Lil Wayne and other artists. He also seems to understand that to get through life as a survivor, you have to be intelligent and educated about the circumstances within which you operate.

The music industry is brutal for anyone who does not understand how it works. If you think that getting by in the business is all about beats and rhymes, then you are asking for a serious beating. Funk legend George Clinton has learned this lesson the hard way, as he is now working at the age of 68 to regain some of the intellectual property rights he lost over the years in a series of very lopsided contracts.

"At a time when he should be able to live off his life's work, Clinton is struggling to provide for his family and give his mother a proper burial," read a statement from ESM, a company that now represents Clinton. Clinton's mother, Julious G. Keaton, died this month in North Carolina. It is alleged that Clinton could not afford to pay for his own mother's funeral.

According to the company, George Clinton "has received little monetary gain over the past three decades from his musical works, such as "Flashlight" and "One Nation Under a Groove." Even Clinton's song "Atomic Dog," one of the most sampled songs in history, does not belong to him.

In spite of all the brilliance Clinton showed as an entertainer, his lack of foresight and understanding of his business led him into bankruptcy in 1984. He is now fighting back against former business managers, Armen Boladian (Bridgeport Music, Inc.) and Nene Montes (Tercer Mundo), who were instructed to act as Clinton's trustees after his bankruptcy.

"There were several documents that appear to have George's signature on them which turns most of his publishing and masters over to Boladian and Montes, which caused Clinton to lose all rights and financial gain to all of his songs," ESM said in the statement. "Clinton asserts that he would not be so careless as to sign over complete rights to his music for a lifetime. This brings to the forefront the ethical relationship between artist and the third parties whom they entrust to take care of their business."

I've been teaching in business schools for the last 16 years, so I've seen this story play itself out more times than you can imagine. It happens in sports, music, and every other form of entertainment. It also happens quite often to African Americans. When it comes to George Clinton and the business of entertainment, here's the bottom line:

1) The industry is not here to help you: Capitalism is a beast that is designed to enslave those who are not protected. While we hope that the government protects us, sometimes it does not. At the end of the day, you protect yourself by being aware of how the system works and how to properly position yourself.

2) Your hard work means nothing if you don't own something: Did you notice that the acronym for the Oprah Winfrey Network is OWN? Do you really think Oprah is worth a billion dollars just because she is a good talk show host? I rest my case.

3) Education is always the key: I don't care if you want to do hair, fix cars, run a law firm, or dribble a basketball, you are always better off when you spend some time studying the fundamentals of business. Any entertainer who is not also a business person has set himself/herself up for failure. As the old saying goes, "A fool and his money will soon part ways." Don't let that person be you.


Posted on Jan 6, 2010, 10:49 AM

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Al Green Producer Willie Mitchell dead at 81..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

Al Green Producer and musician Willie Mitchell dead at 81

[linked image]
AP FILE - This Oct. 3, 2003 file photo shows producer Willie Mitchell posing for a photo at Mitchell's Royal


MEMPHIS, Tenn. Willie Mitchell, a record producer, label head and musician who worked with Al Green and other stars, died Tuesday. He was 81.

Mitchell died at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis at 7:25 a.m., more than two weeks after he suffered cardiac arrest Dec. 19, said his son, Lawrence Mitchell.

Willie Mitchell owned Royal Studio where Buddy Guy, John Mayer and many others recorded their music.

In the 1970s, Mitchell also owned Hi Records of Memphis, the label that produced some of Green's biggest hits. Green, also from Memphis, was flying to Australia and unavailable for comment Tuesday.

At Hi, Mitchell was responsible for several instrumental hits of the 1960s and helped the careers of Green and singer Ann Peebles in the 1970s. Even in later years, Mitchell stayed busy at his studio, working with then-emerging talents like Mayer and Anthony Hamilton.

Most recently, he wrote string and horn arrangements for Rod Stewart's new album of R&B covers, and produced a still-unreleased album from soul kingpin Solomon Burke.

He received a Trustees Award from the Grammy Foundation in 2008.

A trumpeter, Mitchell and his band provided the musical entertainment at several New Year's Eve parties for Elvis Presley at Presley's Graceland home. A Memphis boulevard was named in his honor in 2004.

Mitchell was born and raised in Ashland, Miss.

Family members said funeral arrangements have not been made, but there will likely be private services and a public memorial.

Other survivors include two daughters.


Posted on Jan 6, 2010, 10:45 AM

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Drummer for Avenged Sevenfold found dead at home..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

Drummer for Avenged Sevenfold found dead at home
The Associated Press

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. Police say James Owen Sullivan, a drummer and backup vocalist for the Southern California band Avenged Sevenfold, has been found dead at his home in Southern California.

.Lt. John Domingo says the 28-year-old Sullivan, who went by the stage name The Rev, appears to have died of natural causes on Monday in Huntington Beach.

The Orange County coroner's office is investigating the death.

Avenged Sevenfold formed in Huntington Beach in 1999 and won Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2006. According to their MySpace page, the five-man metalcore band was working on their fifth album.

The band released a statement Monday expressing their sadness and calling Sullivan "one of the world's best drummers," and "our best friend and brother."

[linked image]



Posted on Dec 29, 2009, 1:23 PM

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Would-be robber shot himself in foot ...

by TFSnewsRoom/Ajc.com

Would-be robber shot himself in foot


Police in Athens say a man preparing
to rob a convenience store accidentally shot himself.


Athens-Clarke police Capt. Clarence Holeman says 19-year-old Michael Anthony Randall Jr. of Athens shot himself above the ankle with a sawed-off shotgun when he tried to pull it out from his coveralls as he approached the store Sunday night.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports Holeman says the blast caused extensive damage, and doctors do not think they will be able to save Randall's foot.

Holeman says investigators plan to take out a warrant charging Randall with attempt to commit armed robbery.

Randall was being treated for his injuries at Athens-Regional Medical Center.


Posted on Dec 29, 2009, 10:33 AM

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RUPAUL...Going Vogue !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by TFSnewsRoom/HuffingtonPost.com







[linked image]

Posted on Dec 19, 2009, 5:45 PM

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Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles files for divorce ..

by TFSnewsRoom/ApMusic.com

Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles files for divorce

[linked image]
AP In this July 18, 2008 photo, Mathew Knowles and Tina Knowles arrive at the VH1 Save The Music Foundation

HOUSTON Beyonce's mother, Tina Knowles, has filed for divorce from the pop diva's father and manager, Mathew Knowles. Tina Knowles began legal proceedings Nov. 11, according to documents filed with the Harris County Court Clerk. She launched the House of Dereon clothing line with Beyonce in 2006.

"The decision to end our marriage is an amicable one. We remain friends, parents, and business partners," the couple said in a statement provided to The Associated Press on Friday. "If anyone is expecting an ugly messy fight, they will be sadly disappointed. We ask for your respect of our privacy as we handle this matter."

The divorce filing came about a month after Mathew Knowles was named in a paternity suit. Los Angeles resident Alexsandra Wright claims in the lawsuit that he is the father of her unborn child.

Tina and Mathew Knowles wed in 1980. In addition to 27-year-old Beyonce, they have another daughter, 23-year-old singer Solange


Posted on Dec 19, 2009, 9:37 AM

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Disney Revives Michael Jackson's Captain EO...

by TFSnewsRoom/EonLine.com

Disney Revives Michael Jackson's Captain EO
Fri., Dec. 18, 2009 7:53 PM PST by Natalie Finn

Disney's hoping that it's been sitting on a goldmine.

Seeing as how This Is It exceeded expectations at the global box office and Michael Jackson is back to artistic-hero status after his image spent years in decline, the Mouse House is bringing the 3-D film Captain EO, starring Jackson as a thriller of an intergalactic commander, back into its theme park fold for a limited engagement in February.

The cutting-edge song-and-dance spectacle, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, produced by George Lucas and costarring Angelica Huston as the Witch Queen, premiered at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., in 1986 and became a key attraction in Tomorrowlands around the world.

Alas, Disneyland grounded Captain EO in 1997 amid declining popularity, and all of its sister parks had removed the attraction by the following year.

Disney CEO Robert Iger said in September that there were no plans at the time to bring Captain EO back.

But $252 million later, there are.

________

It seems like years since Michael Jackson died, but it only happened in June.


Posted on Dec 19, 2009, 9:29 AM

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Officials: Pot found on 2 Lil Wayne tour buses ...

by TFSnewsRoom/ApMusic.cpm

Officials: Pot found on 2 Lil Wayne tour busesShareThisPrint E-mail .The Associated Press

FALFURRIAS, Texas — Rapper Lil Wayne and 11 people traveling with him were briefly detained Friday night after U.S. Border Patrol officers found marijuana on two of his tour buses, authorities said.

.Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, and the others were questioned and released, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the case was referred to the Brooks County Sheriff's Office.

A sheriff's spokeswoman told The Associated Press that she could not comment.

The tour buses were stopped in Falfurrias, about 80 miles southwest of Corpus Christi, where the rapper is scheduled to perform Sunday night.

Lil Wayne played in Hidalgo on Thursday. A few minutes before the doors were to open for his show in Laredo on Friday, it was announced that the show was postponed. A marketing manager for the venue told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that it would be rescheduled.

A drug dog initially detected the odor of narcotics on one of the buses, the CBP said in a news release. Marijuana was found during secondary inspections, the agency said.

Lil Wayne's music manager Cortez Bryant and talent agent Cara Lewis did not immediately return phone messages left at their offices.

The rapper pleaded guilty in October to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in a New York case, a charge that stemmed from a 2007 traffic stop of his tour bus. His plea deal calls for a year in jail in that case. He is set to appear for sentencing in February.

___


Posted on Dec 19, 2009, 9:27 AM

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The First Ten Lies from Going Rogue ..

by TFSnewsRoom/HuffingtonPost.com

The First Ten Lies from Going Rogue

[linked image]

Excerpts from Sarah Palin's Going Rogue have been released by several news agencies and other sources who have received advanced copies. Here are the first ten lies from Palin's memoirs:

1.The Cover Byline: Palin didn't write the book by herself. Most books with known ghostwriters list their co-author's name on the cover. In this case it was Lynn Vincent. Going Rogue does not.

2.The Subtitle: An American Life. Aside from her infancy, Palin has really spent very little time outside of Alaska, and according to John McCain's campaign advisors, was shockingly unfamiliar with American geography and American history. "Alaska," as John McPhee noted in his resplendent Coming Into the Country, "is a foreign country...Its nature is its own."

3.Going Rogue features Palin's obsession with Katie Couric and characterizes the CBS anchor as "badgering." Palin refused to prep for the Couric interview because she was more concerned about her popularity in Alaska than about what was best for the campaign. Was it really badgering to ask what books or periodicals Palin read? Palin further claims that Couric suffered from low self-esteem. In fact, according to those close to Palin, it's the former governor who suffers from low self-esteem and frequently projects that onto other women.


4.Palin asserts that there was a "jaded aura" around McCain's political advisors once she entered the campaign. In fact, McCain's aides bent over backwards to protect Palin and to try to get her up to speed on international affairs. In addition to not knowing whether or not Africa was a continent, according to sources in the McCain campaign, Palin also didn't understand the difference between England and Great Britain. And much, much more.


5.Palin contends to have been saddled with legal bills of more than500,000 resulting from what she calls "frivolous" ethics complaints filed against her. The lion's share of those bills resulted from the ethics complaint she filed against herself in a legal maneuver to sidestep the Troopergate charges being brought against her by the bipartisan Alaska Legislative Council.


6.Palin rather astonishingly claims that she was saddled with50,000 in bills for the legal fees associated with her vice-presidential vetting. A) She was not vetted; B) A McCain campaign advisor says this is "categorically untrue."


7.Palin states that she found out only "minutes" before John McCain's concession speech that she would not be allowed to make remarks of her own introducing McCain. In fact, she had been told at least three times that she would not be allowed to give the speech and kept lying about it in the hopes of creating some last-minute chaos that would allow her to assume the dais.


8.Palin asserts that her effort to award a license for a natural gas transmission line was turning a "pipe dream" into a pipeline. Although she claimed otherwise in her speech at the GOP convention, there is no pipeline. It remains a pipe dream.


9.Palin implies that the McCain campaign intentionally bungled the release of information regarding her daughter Bristol's pregnancy and refused to let her rewrite it. In fact, the McCain campaign allowed her to rework the draft, but the original version went out accidentally. Palin reportedly accepted the recalcitrant staff member's apology for the mistake, then when she left, ordered her immediately dismissed of her duties.


10.Palin complains that McCain's senior advisors, most notably Steve Schmidt, forced her to "stick with the script" they provided her. In fact, Schmidt & Co. were encumbered with the task of keeping Palin from lying and misleading people throughout the campaign, from her well-documented lies about the "Bridge to Nowhere" to her duplicities about her husband Todd's assocation with the Alaska Independence Party. Palin's lying to those in the McCain campaign was so troubling to them that they cringed every time she went "off script."

And that's just for starters.


Posted on Nov 13, 2009, 2:16 PM

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Dunn's Piece is A Joke, Only An Idiot Would Buy In

by

Dunn's argument is so stupid he even suggests that Palin is not American
because she has spent most of her life in Alaska which is a like another country.
What an idiot. Huffpo doesn't like dealing with me. I shut their night editor up
when he posted his little out of context video collection of Sarah Palin by posting
this. http://www.hootervillegazette.com/dumbdemocrats.html

Huffpo finally had to ban me under my old name because they
couldn't come up with any truthful facts to refute my argument.

Now I'm sure it's about to happen again as Huffpo wants to protect
Geoffrey Dunn from someone pointing out the BS in his article:

Here is the post Huffpo doesn't have the guts to let through:
http://www.hootervillegazette.com/BS.html

People like Ariana Huffington are only for free speech if you
happen to agree with her.

Posted on Nov 22, 2009, 4:27 PM

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Miley Cyrus tour bus overturns in Va., killing 1..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

Miley Cyrus tour bus overturns in Va., killing 1..


DINWIDDIE, Va. — Virginia State Police say one person was killed when a tour bus belonging to Miley Cyrus overturned, but the 16-year-old "Hannah Montana" star was not on board.

.Sgt. Thomas Molnar says the bus overturned around 8:15 a.m. Friday on Interstate 85 in Dinwiddie, about 40 miles south of Richmond.

One of the other nine passengers had minor injuries. Police would not identify those aboard.

According to Miley Cyrus' Web site, the pop singer is scheduled to perform Sunday in Greensboro, N.C.

Miley Cyrus is the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus, who also appears on the family friendly sitcom "Hannah Montana."


Posted on Nov 20, 2009, 11:05 AM

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Thick dust covers Pedro Bell's closet ...

by TFSnewsRoom/Suntimes.com

BY KARA SPAK Staff Reporter/kspak@suntimes.com
November 9, 2009

'We really believed that if we did this,
we'd be able to support ourselves'

Chicago's Pedro Bell was the artist behind
some of music's most iconic album covers.
Now his life is anything but a pretty picture.

Thick dust covers the gold lame shirt and silver leather coat in Pedro Bell's closet.

The clothes are remnants from a brighter time when Bell, a rainbow Afro wig on his head and platform shoes on his feet, strutted through Chicago as a charter member of the '70s funk revolution whose sound is heavily sampled in rap songs today.

[linked image]
Pedro Bell designed the cover art for more than a
two dozen George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic albums.
(Jean Lachat/Sun-Times)


"It was psychedelic from a black perspective," Bell said.

Bell, 59, designed the cover art for more than two dozen George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic albums. Under the name Sir Lleb (Bell backward), he wrote the albums' liner notes, peppering them with cartoonish drawings, clever puns and names like "Thumpasaurus" and "Funkapus" that remain synonymous with Clinton's music.

"George Clinton gets a lot of credit for the conceptual dimension of P-Funk, but actually Pedro Bell was a big part of that with his texts and imagery," said Pan Wendt, co-curator of a gallery exhibition in Toronto called "Funkaesthetics" which featured Bell's work.

Now, as Bell's art receives increased recognition in the art world, the artist struggles to survive.

Almost totally blind, Bell can't see the dim hallways of the Hyde Park Arms, the shabby SRO he calls home. His ankle is swollen from a wound that won't heal. He receives dialysis three times a week because severe hypertension damaged his kidneys. He recently beat an eviction order on a court technicality.

And despite the commercial success of Clinton's music, Bell said he didn't profit from it.

He's broke.

"He should be well-taken care of," said his younger brother Maillo Tsuru, who has been flying back and forth from his Denver home to help his brother find affordable assisted living. "He has work that is very famous."

Bell first heard George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic on the 1970s underground Chicago radio station Triad, he said.

"I found the record company and sent a letter and said I wanted to do stuff," he said.

He started designing concert posters and playbills for the group's Chicago performances, then branched out into national press kits and promotional material.

Clinton asked him to do the artwork for his 1973 album "Cosmic Slop." During most of his collaboration with Clinton, Bell worked jobs as a postal worker, security guard and for an auto parts manufacturer.

Despite the day jobs, he lived the funk philosophy, popularized in the music of Clinton, Sly Stone and Funkadelic member Bootsy Collins. Their creed was "free your mind and the rest will follow" and "when you're going down you're still up," Bell said.

"We believed where the funk was going to take us," he said. "We've got philosophy to back up the music."

Museum of Contemporary Art curator Dominic Molon featured Bell's work in his traveling exhibit "Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock 'n' Roll since 1967."

"They looked somewhere beyond to find alternatives to the kind of weak realities of African-American life in the '60s and '70s," Molon said of Bell and Clinton's collaboration.

Wendt noted that Bell's creations weren't meant to be "high art."

"They were business, they were funny, part of life, meant to be spread around widely and shared," he said.

He says he thinks Bell's original paintings, stored at a friend's house, are worth "a lot of money for sure."

Bell said he thought his involvement in the funk movement would sustain him beyond a falling-out he had with Clinton more than 15 years ago. Clinton's agents did not respond to requests for comment.

"We really believed that if we [did] this, we'd be able to support ourselves," Bell said.

Bell's financial situation, though, is increasingly bleak.

"We're just looking for collectors at this point," Tsuru said. "There's no reason a world-class artist shouldn't have patrons."


Posted on Nov 9, 2009, 7:48 PM

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Comedian Katt Williams in jail for burglary, trespassing..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ajc.com

Comedian Katt Williams in jail for burglary, trespassing
By Kristi E. Swartz

Atlanta comedian Katt Williams was in jail Monday morning after being arrested and charged with burglary and criminal trespassing, a deputy at the Coweta County jail said.

Williams, whose real name is Micah Williams, was arrested early Monday, the deputy said.

No other details were immediately available.

Williams has hosted the BET awards and appeared in the Tyler Perry comedy "First Sunday." He also had an HBO special, Katt Williams: Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1," which was shot in Atlanta.



Posted on Nov 9, 2009, 8:38 AM

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Voodoo 2009: The Power of P-Funk...

by TFSnewsRoom/Offbeat.com

Voodoo 2009: The Power of P-Funk
01 November 2009 by DJ Soul Sister



[linked image]
Photo by Earl Perry

I saw George Clinton for the first time in 1986 on TV.

It was Late Night with David Letterman and Clinton, sporting his rainbow-colored hair extensions, a shiny pajama-like suit and no shoes at all, showed the world what the funk is all about. He transformed his live performance of Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) into a party, running into the audience, jumping on chairs, screaming and challenging the seated crowd to get up off your ass. He turned that NBC studio inside out, and the crowd ate up every minute.

GC and P-Funk are still the real deal in 2009. It may be 33 years after Parliament- Funkadelic landed its first Mothership (October 27, 1976, at the Municipal Auditorium, to be exact), and 39 years after the first Funkadelic album was released, but P-Funks lasting relevancy is the truth, and its live show is the proof. More than any other band whose success was born out of the 1970s (including former labelmates Kiss), P-Funk continues to thrive in spite of its age. The group honors its tradition by continuing to feature smoking musicians and talented vocalists (including New Orleans-born Mary Griffin) without looking like a nostalgia act with a cheap costume budget. Lets face it; the group could probably afford to make a healthy living touring off its Rock n Roll Hall of Fameinductee status, playing hour-long, greatest hits medleys on the casino circuit. Instead, it constantly turns the audiences notion of what P-Funk is upside-down, the same way Clinton changed the notion of what a talk show musical guest should do at that 86 Letterman visit. They interject hip-hop, jazz, blues, even electronic elements in a show that still boasts the same energetic funk n roll anarchy that has been its trademark since 1970. Some may argue that P-Funk doesnt sound the same way they used to back in 1976. As well they shouldnt. Its a new day, so let a man come in and do the Cosmic Slop.

With that said, when you see P-Funk, youre going to see P-Funk. The groups live sound is consistently funky and always evolving, but the lineup is more classic than youd think. Nine of the bands current cavalcade of 26 (count em) band members have been in the group since 1979. Add an additional seven to that total for members who have been in the group for at least a decade. This sure beats Kool & the Gang, whose recent Gretna Fest performance, awesome as it was, boasted only two veteran members, with the rest looking younger than Lady Gaga.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic today, no matter how long each band member has been in the band, still stands toe to toe with all the great rock bands (yeah, I said rock). One never gets the sense that theyre on a nostalgia trip but, rather, on one of the most interesting, loudest, sometimes strangest and most danceable marathons youll ever witnessboth on and off the stage. Its like going to a Mardi Gras parade, but without the throws. Just in the audience alone youll find everyone from hardcore first-, second- and now third-generation P-Funk fans, leftover Grateful Deadheads whove adopted George as their post-Jerry leader, hip-hop heads who are looking for the source, hard rock n rollers and funk freaks, Atomic Dog-ettes, and the bands growing legion of college kids who have christened P-Funk (with the P standing for party) as their favorite band. Perhaps its the irreverent spirit of playful, funky disobedience the subversive quality from Funkadelics earliest days to its dance-in-the-face-of-the-apocalypse spirit that still attracts soldiers today.

And laying it down on stage is a parade of funk led by Gary Shider, a veteran powerhouse guitarist whose sanctified soul vocals will make you forget hes wearing a diaper. Theres Michael Kidd Funkadelic Hampton, another veteran, with lead guitar workouts that should be required viewing for anyone who thinks they know something about rock guitar. Then theres Clinton, the leader of and reason behind this whole thang. In todays musical landscape where everybodys funkin and dont know how, it is his irreverent, still fun and forever funkin approach to music and lyrics that make his and the bands show as relevant today as 30 years ago, when they claimed to rescue dance music from the blahs.

P-Funk has always been more than a concert; its an experience. Its not guaranteed that youll hear your favorite song, and its not guaranteed that the band is going to sound like what you might expect. In 2009, nothing about the P-Funk show is guaranteed, and that tradition of surprise, suspense and funky good times is what the best rock n roll is all about. Its what Parliament-Funkadelic is all about, keeping true to its promise to do you no harm, like George running around the Letterman show, shouting, jumping and barefoot.

Posted on Nov 5, 2009, 4:48 PM

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Victims, relatives prepare for sniper execution..

by TFSnewsRoom/BuffaloNews.com

Victims, relatives prepare for sniper execution
By DENA POTTER
Associated Press Writer
November 04, 2009, 10:40 PM

For those wounded by the D.C. snipers and for the relatives of those killed, the emotions leading up to the execution of the mastermind behind the 2002 attacks vary as widely as those who found themselves in the cross hairs.

Forty-eight-year-old John Allen Muhammad is set to die by injection in a Virginia prison Nov. 10, seven years after he and his teenage accomplice terrorized the area in and around the nation's capital for three weeks.

Some family members can't wait to see Muhammad take his final breath. Others plan to make the trip to Virginia but never step foot on prison grounds.

And there are those who plan to spend the night at home with their families, satisfied that Muhammad is paying for what he's done.



Posted on Nov 4, 2009, 10:47 PM

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Who Are You Calling a Narcissist, Rush?

by TFSnewsRoom/NyTimes.com

Who Are You Calling a Narcissist, Rush?


[linked image]
Maureen Dowd/The New York Times

I had a four-hour dinner once with Rush Limbaugh at the 21 Club in Manhattan, back in the days when I was still writing profiles as a reporterette, to use a Limbaugh coinage.

He was charming, in a shy, awkward, lonely-guy way. Not a man of the people. He arrived in a chauffeured town car and ordered $70-an-ounce Beluga, Porterhouse and 1990 Corton-Charlemagne.

But he was not a Neanderthal, though he did have a cold and blew his nose in his napkin. He talked about Chopins Polonaise No. 6, C.S. Lewis and how much he loved the end of the movie Love Story.

In those days, he called himself a harmless little fuzzball. Hes a lot less harmless now. I went on to columny, as my pal Bill Safire called it, and Rush went on to calumny.

As he and Sarah Palin conduct their auto-da-fé of moderate Republicans Moderates by definition have no principles, he told his radio audience on Monday Limbaugh is more than ever the face of his party, as Rahm Emanuel said.

Hes also the mouth.

Limbaugh is right that Democrats tend to dither too much. Theyre always wondering if theyre doing the right thing, indulging in on-the-one-hand, on-the-other paralysis by analysis, seeing, as James Carville put it, six sides to the Pentagon.

President Obama will have to step it up on jobs and fixing the deficit if he wants to block conservatives from stoking the anger of Americans who only see a recovery on Wall Street, especially given the Republican sweep in top races on Tuesday night.

But the tactics of Limbaugh, Palin, Cheney & Fille are more cynical: They spin certainty, ignoring their sides screw-ups, and they exploit patriotism, labeling all critics as traitors.

In an interview on Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace, Limbaugh accused the president of trying to destroy the economy yes, the same economy that W. came within a whisker of ruining.

I have to think that it may be on purpose, Limbaugh said, because this is just outrageous, what is happening a denial of liberty, an attack on freedom.

Asked about Afghanistan, another W. cataclysm that has left Obama agonizing, Limbaugh stated, I also dont think he cares much about it. Again suggesting that the president is an unpatriotic fop, the radio ranter averred: He wants to manage this rather than achieve victory.

He told Wallace that throughout the Iraq war, it was Barack Obama and the Democrat Party which actively sought the defeat of the U.S. military. Actually, rigorously examining the governments conduct of a war started on false pretenses is the best sort of patriotism.

Asked about fellow conservative George Wills contention that the United States should get out of Afghanistan, Limbaugh said, I dont have the benefit of knowledge that George Will has, so I trust the experts, and to me theyre the people in the U.S. military.

Even a chickenhawk like Rush should remember how well that worked in Vietnam, or in the early years of Iraq. The founding fathers designated a civilian as commander in chief for a reason.

Military brass have told the White House that this is the first time in eight years that they have gotten the attention and resources that theyve needed in Afghanistan.

If W. had gone to Dover in the middle of the night to salute the war dead, Limbaugh and Liz Cheney would have been gushing about his patriotism.

But since its Obama who at last showed up there to see the brutal cost of war, they simply have to dismiss the moving moment as a publicity stunt.

Years ago, when I dubbed Dubya The Boy Emperor, Limbaugh spewed a stream of personal invective about me that embarrassed even my mother, a Limbaugh fan.

But now Limbaugh calls Obama the man-child president.

The 48-year-old Obama is skinny and getting skinnier, but theres nothing childish about him. He more or less raised himself and came to terms with his Oedipal demons on his own, and he radiates a hard-won maturity.

W., on the other hand, was like a kid who knew that Daddys friends would take care of him; he was always running off to the gym or going biking, leaving the governing to his regents, Cheney and Rummy, or incompetents like Brownie.

At our long-ago dinner, Limbaugh credited his success with being one-dimensional. Im totally concerned with me, he said. And that was way before he got a contract for $400 million, so we can only imagine how one-dimensional he is now.

But on Sunday, he ripped the president for having an out-of-this-world ego, for being very narcissistic, immature, inexperienced, in over his head. (Isnt immaturity scoring OxyContin from your maid?)

It gives new meaning to pot, kettle and black.

Posted on Nov 4, 2009, 7:18 PM

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Heart Disease: A Toothless Paper Tiger That Need Never Exist..

by TFSnewsRoom/Huffingtonpost.com

Heart Disease: A Toothless Paper Tiger That Need Never Exist

"If the truth be known coronary artery disease is a toothless paper tiger that need never, ever exist and if it does exist it need never, ever progress."
So says Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who was a researcher and clinician at the Cleveland Clinic for over 35 years. In 1991, Dr. Esselstyn served as the president of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, and organized the 1st National Conference on the Elimination and Prevention of Heart Disease. In 2005, he became the 1st recipient of the Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine. Dr. Esselstyn is also an Olympic gold medalist in rowing, and he was awarded the Bronze Star as an army surgeon in Vietnam.

In this series of interviews I've conducted with extraordinary nutritional researchers and medical doctors, I've sought to understand the link between diet and the most common and dreaded diseases that are prevalent in our culture. What I'm hearing over and over is that a plant based diet is both preventative and healing, whereas a diet high in animal protein is destructive to our health - this is the case with cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

The great news is that there is very real hope in shifting the course of our health. What is becoming very apparent through various peer reviewed studies is that by changing our diet - eliminating that which causes havoc in the body (animal protein) and adding in plant based proteins and eating lots of vegetables, legumes, beans, and whole grains, we can not only prevent disease, but also heal from it once it is already in motion. Following is a fascinating conversation I had on diet and heart health.

KF: What exactly is coronary heart disease?

CE: Coronary heart disease is the leading killer of women and men in western civilization. It is predicted to become the #1 global disease burden by 2020.

It consists of an inflammatory buildup of blockages in arteries to the heart muscle. These blockages are made of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and inflammatory cells. Blockages can become severe enough to cause symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain (angina). When blockages suddenly become complete, the portion of heart muscle fed by that blocked artery is now deprived of oxygen and nutrients, thus it is injured or now dies. This is a heart attack. The patient may survive or succumb if the event is accompanied by a fatal heart rhythm.

KF: Who develops heart disease?

CE: Everyone eating the typical western diet. In autopsy studies of our GI's who died in the Vietnam and Korean wars almost 80% at an average age of 20 years, had disease that could be seen without a microscope. Forty years later in 1999, a study of young persons between the ages of 16-34 years who have died of accidents, homicides and suicides, finds the disease is now ubiquitous.

KF: What is the cause of the disease?

CE: It is the typical western diet of processed oils, dairy, and meat which destroys the lifejacket of our blood vessels known as our endothelial cells. This cell layer is a one cell thick lining of all of our blood vessels. Endothelial cells manufacture a magical protective molecule of gas called nitric oxide, which protects our blood vessels. It keeps our blood flowing smoothly, it is the strongest dilator (widener), of our blood vessels, it inhibits the formation of blockages (plaques), and it inhibits inflammation.

KF: With such natural protection, why do we ever develop heart disease?

CE: Every western meal of processed vegetable oils, dairy products, and meat (including chicken and fish) injures these endothelial cells. As individuals consume theses damaging products throughout their lives, they have fewer functioning endothelial cells remaining and thus less of the protective nitric oxide. Without enough nitric oxide the plaque blockages build up and grow creating eventually heart disease and strokes.

KF: Can it be stopped or even reversed?

CE: Yes. First we must look at the lessons learned from cultures where there is a virtual absence of coronary artery heart disease such as rural China, the Papua Highlands of New Guinea, Central Africa, and the Tarahumara Indians of Northern Mexico. Their nutrition is plant based without oil.

Beginning in 1985 I initiated a study of seriously ill coronary artery disease patients. Their nutrition became plant based without oil. Their cholesterol levels plummeted. Their angina disappeared. Their weight dropped. I have reported this study at 5 years, 12 years, and 16 years, in the peer reviewed scientific literature and again beyond 20 years in my book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. In some of the patients we had follow up angiograms (x-rays) of previously blocked arteries demonstrating striking disease reversal, which is a testament to my often quoted statement "The truth be known coronary artery disease is a toothless paper tiger that need never exist and if it does exist it need never progress." The greatest gift to these patients is the increasing recognition that they are the locus of control for their disease - not some pill or procedure. They have made themselves heart attack proof and lose the greatest fear of all heart patients and their families - when will the next heart attack occur?

KF: What about drugs, stents, and heart bypass surgery?

CE: Admittedly in the midst of a heart attack a stent or bypass may be live saving, however, for the remaining 90% studies confirm that they do not prevent future heart attacks or prolong life. They are associated with significant complications such as hemorrhage, heart attack, stroke, cognitive decline, depression, and death. The benefits erode with the passage of time as the stents and bypasses may themselves develop blockage.

Some drugs may decrease blood pressure and the heart workload. Others interfere with clotting which helps a stent remain open. Statin drugs lower cholesterol. None of these drugs or interventions addresses the basic causation of disease and not surprisingly the disease progresses with the need for more drugs, stents, and repeat bypasses.

KF: Why aren't physicians using nutrition therapy?

CE: Most physicians have no training or understanding of the power of nutrition. In a busy practice they would not have the time for it. It is my belief that physicians must accord the plant based lifestyle transition its due. Every patient with cardiovascular disease should be referred to a physician or nurse practitioner with the knowledge and expertise in these counseling skills.

KF: But I understand physicians don't believe patients will make this transition. How come?

CE: Nutrition counseling is a skill which physicians don't possess. Of all the encounters a patient with cardiovascular disease experiences, perhaps the least time and lowest priority is nutritional counseling. I see many patients with heart disease who recount that nutrition was never even mentioned. It is therefore unlikely that the patient feels that nutrition is important.

KF: What is that you do differently?

CE: In an intensive 5 hour counseling session for a group of heart patients, my first priority is to eliminate the mystery of what causes their disease. It has not been stress, or genes. It is their western diet of processed oil, dairy, and meat. Hypertension, diabetes, and smoking must be controlled but food trumps all. I spend at least an hour defining the protective role of endothelial cells and nitric oxide functioning as the ultimate guardians of our blood vessels. They quickly understand that their lifetime of ingesting these harmful products has totally overwhelmed and destroyed their endothelium to an extent where it is unable to protect them. They fully grasp that they must forever eliminate ingesting foods that will further destroy their already compromised endothelium. They understand heart disease is a food borne illness.

KF: Where is the good news?

CE: The patients understand that they can halt their disease. They are presented with my scientific articles demonstrating reversal of disease. They learn that anginal chest pain may diminish or disappear within 10-14 days in some patients while others may take longer. We share our data confirming reversal of carotid artery disease to the brain, coronary artery disease of the heart, peripheral vascular disease in the extremities, and the reversal of erectile dysfunction. They are made to appreciate how rapidly and powerfully the endothelial function may be restored. The most significant message in our counseling is patient awareness that they are empowered to be the locus of control of their disease.

KF: What is your take on the present management of heart disease through drug stents and bypass surgery?

CE: It is expensive, dangerous, and ineffective. None of these approaches addresses the factors that cause the disease. A doctor would never treat poison ivy without advising the patient to avoid exposure to poison ivy plants. Sadly the usual treatment of cardiovascular disease almost never includes hours of patient counseling so they may completely eliminate the foods which are injuring their endothelium. Stents may block, bypass veins shut down, drug doses increase, and blood vessel disease worsens. The present cost of this non-treatment of heart disease is unsustainable even in our wealthy nation.

KF: Dr. Esselstyn, are you a threat to the stenting and bypass industry?

CE: Not really. Stents and bypass surgery in an emergency setting are absolutely lifesaving. However, for non-emergency situations an intensive lifestyle trial of 3-6 months would eliminate the need for most interventions. It is of interest that when physicians and some interventional cardiologists themselves develop the disease they come knocking at my door.

KF: Why do you think this information on diet and heart disease is not more widely known? Is someone or something blocking your message?

CE: The government, drug industry, and some of my own profession. The USDA every five years produces a food triangle which promotes the very foods which guarantee that millions of Americans will perish.

The drug industry has a $21 billion dollar income from statin drugs alone. The stent manufacturers make billions more. Neither of these industries would want this epidemic resolved.

Physicians who perform stents and bypass surgery earn millions and are hardly clamoring for fewer patients.

KF: Any final thoughts?

CE: When people learn to eat plant based to eliminate heart disease it could inaugurate a seismic revolution in health. Other diseases that resolve include obesity, hypertension, stroke, heart attacks, gall stones, diverticulitis, asthma, osteoporosis, allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and a marked decrease in the common western cancers of breast, prostate, colon, endometrial, ovarian, and pancreatic.


For more information, go to www.HeartAttackProof.com



Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/heart-disease-a-toothless_b_334285.html

Posted on Oct 27, 2009, 12:48 PM

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Ex-Wife to Jermaine: Yo' Mama Pays My Bills

by TFSnewsRoom/TMZ.com

Ex-Wife to Jermaine: Yo' Mama Pays My Bills


Jermaine Jackson's baby mama claims the singer has left her so dirt poor ... that she's been forced to accept supermarket gift cards from Jermaine's mom just so she can feed the kids.

[linked image]

Alejandra Jackson filed legal documents in L.A. County Superior Court claiming Jermaine is a deadbeat dad who hasn't paid $35,550 in court-ordered child support payments for their two kids, Jermajesty and Jaffar.

In the docs Alejandra says Jermaine's own mother sees how bad the situation is and often bails her out with "gift cards to Ralphs in varying months so that I can pick up food for our children, usually between $300 and $400."

Alejandra also claims Jermaine was lying to the court when he claimed he only made $35k in 2008 -- pointing out that he lives in the same "estate home" in Calabasas, drives the same "luxury vehicles" and has the same "luxury lifestyle" he had before.

The two are due back in court to battle it out -- so far, no date has been set.


Posted on Oct 17, 2009, 9:46 AM

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Michael Jackson's ex-wife seeking $500K in lawsuit..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

Michael Jackson's ex-wife seeking $500K in lawsuit

LOS ANGELES – A Florida woman who told a television interviewer that Michael Jackson's ex-wife was only interested in getting money from the singer's family and wasn't interested in gaining custody of her two children is being sued.

In a filing last week, Deborah Rowe's attorneys said the mother of Jackson's two oldest children should be awarded $490,000 in general and punitive damages.

Rowe sued Rebecca White in July for White's comments to the television show "Extra." White hasn't responded to the lawsuit and Rowe is seeking a default judgment against the Key West, Fla. resident.

Rowe's defamation and invasion-of-privacy lawsuit sought to recoup any money that White may have been paid for the interview, which aired in July. Rowe's attorneys estimated those earnings at $100,000 on a court filing.

They are also seeking $100,000 for emotional distress, $45,000 for medical and attorney's fees and $245,000 in punitive damages.

A hearing on Rowe's petition to issue a default judgment against White is scheduled for November.

Rowe has some visitation rights with the two children under an August agreement with the singer's mother. No money is believed to have changed hands in the arrangement.

Stories aired by "Extra" were based on White's description of e-mails she said were exchanged with Rowe after Jackson's June 25 death. Rowe, 50, denies she sent any recent e-mails to White.

White was described in the segments as a "close friend" who said Rowe had emphatically stated in an e-mail exchange that she didn't want custody of Jackson's children. Rowe's attorneys have denied that White and Rowe are friends.



Posted on Oct 17, 2009, 9:33 AM

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Original KISS drummer celebrates surviving breast cancer..

by TFSnewsRoom/Cnn.com

Original KISS drummer celebrates surviving breast cancer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Madison Park - CNN
(CNN) -- A year after beating breast cancer, Peter Criss, a founding member of the rock band KISS, calls himself "the luckiest man in the planet."

While some men feel embarrassed because of "this macho crap," Criss said surviving breast cancer -- yes, men get it, too -- was actually a blessing. He was treated before the tumor could spread and said he's speaking about male breast cancer now -- during National Breast Cancer Awareness month -- to raise the profile of this rare disease.

Criss, who played drums for KISS and was known as "Catman," offered this advice to men who spot lumps in their breast: "Don't sit around playing Mr. Tough Guy. Don't say 'It's going to go away.' It might not and you might not see life anymore and how beautiful that is."

The 63-year-old musician is now cancer free.

Like many others, Criss wasn't aware men could get breast cancer.

"Even though we don't think of men as having breasts, they have breast tissue and are susceptible to getting breast cancer," said Dr. Sharon Giordano, an associate professor of medicine in the department of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She is not involved in Criss' care.

"All men have some residual degree of breast tissue behind the nipples. It may be very small, but just like any part of the body can get cancer, that part of the body can get cancer," she said.

Male cases are rarer than female breast cancer, making up less than 1 percent of total cases.

According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2009 an estimated 192,370 women in the United States are expected to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer and about 40,170 are expected to die of the disease. Among men, there will be an estimated 1,910 new cases and 440 deaths.

"So many people must die from this," Criss said. "Somebody has to step up to the plate and say something to get them aware of how dangerous this is. Lots of men die: They wait, they don't go in, they put it off."

Criss joins a small group of men who have spoken publicly about having breast cancer. Several years ago, Richard Roundtree, the actor who played the title role in the 1970s "Shaft" films, revealed he had breast cancer.

Experts say men tend to get a diagnosis at a later stage than women, because they don't believe they can get breast cancer, and don't get routine mammograms or breast exams.

Breast cancer is "actually easier to find in men for obvious reasons. They develop an asymmetrical lump in their breast," said Dr. Stanley Waintraub, co-chief of The John Theurer Cancer Center's division of breast oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. Men may ignore symptoms, such as lumps, pain in the breast or discharge from the nipples.

"A man has to know, if he has enlarged breasts, a lump, a discharge, just because he's a man, he is not immune to breast cancer," Waintraub said.

When Criss spotted a painful lump in his left breast after a workout in 2007, he didn't wait.

"I go to the gym; I've been drumming since I was a kid. So I'm very aware of my body," he said. "So when this happened I said, 'Jesus, what's this thing?' "

After consulting with his wife, who was battling a different type of cancer at the time, he sought medical attention. Criss had surgery in February 2008 to remove what the doctors thought was a harmless nodule. Later, he learned the nodule was actually breast cancer.

"I flipped out. I just couldn't believe it. It's a nightmare," he recalled. "I was angry at everything. I couldn't believe I had this. I was a really angry guy for a long time."

Doctors removed the cancer in a March 2008 surgery. Because the cancer had been caught early, Criss did not need breast reconstruction or chemotherapy.

The operation left no scars, so his doctor joked that Criss could still take his shirt off to play the drums. Criss responded with a laugh, "I'm in my 60s. Those days are over."

Criss sang lead vocal and co-wrote one of KISS' most famous songs, "Beth." He left the band in 1980. He rejoined the band for a reunion tour in the mid-1990s and stayed on, eventually leaving again in 2004.

He still plays the drums, and has started working on a record and an autobiography.

For men, "because of the lack of awareness, it can be stigmatizing to feel like they have a female disease when they're a man," Giordano said.

In the sea of pink ribbons, men who have breast cancer may feel isolated. To build a network among them, the John W. Nick Foundation started connecting male breast cancer survivors in 1996.

"They talk with one another," said the founder, Nancy Nick, whose father died of the disease. "It's the greatest thing for healing. They learn they're not alone. Second, they learn about protocol and treatment. They can compare their treatments and the care their doctor is giving them."

Criss credits his wife and his Catholic faith for pulling him through the difficult times.

Every year, he gets a mammogram; he had his checkup two weeks ago. "I left smiling like a Cheshire cat. Now, I'm coming around, I'm just so grateful," he said.

The causes of breast cancer remain unknown. But like women, men's risk of breast cancer increases if they inherit BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations.

Criss said he learned that breast cancer ran in his family, so he called his sisters, nieces, daughter and even his brother about possible risks.

"It's just important -- just go get checked out," said Criss. "It's not like you're going to lose your manhood."

All AboutBreast Cancer • Male Breast Cancer • KISS (Musical Group)



Posted on Oct 17, 2009, 9:31 AM

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Cops: Mass. couple beat man at KFC over slow order ..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

Cops: Mass. couple beat man at KFC over slow order
The Associated Press


NORWELL, Mass. — Authorities say a couple, upset over the slowness of their Kentucky Fried Chicken order, assaulted a man who asked them to stop yelling profanities for the sake of children in line. The couple was arrested Thursday after witnesses told police the couple beat the man as he was leaving the restaurant.

Police say 31-year-old Jared Garfagna of Marshfield punched the man in the head, and then Garfagna's girlfriend, 24-year-old Sara Mohn, kicked the man. The victim had cuts on his eyelid and wrists.

Mohn has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Garfagna has been ordered to appear in court on assault and battery charges. It's unclear whether either has hired an attorney.



Posted on Oct 4, 2009, 9:35 AM

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Jackson fans line up for 'This Is It' tickets ..

by TFSnewsRoom/ApMusic.com

Jackson fans line up for 'This Is It' tickets ..

[linked image]

LOS ANGELES Sally Rubio and dozens of Michael Jackson fans were among the first to line up for "This Is It" tickets.

The winding queue for tickets to the first public screenings of the documentary opened late Thursday afternoon in the courtyard outside the Nokia Theatre at the L.A. Live complex in downtown Los Angeles. The film features a behind-the-scenes look at Jackson preparing for the series of London shows he was rehearsing for before he died June 25.

"I've never done something like this in my life," said Rubio, 53, "but M.J. is worth it."

Tickets for the advance shows aren't scheduled to go on sale until early Sunday morning, meaning Rubio and her fellow devotees may spend days in line. The first 500 fans in line have been promised commemorative lenticular tickets designed by Jackson for the London concerts at the O2 Arena, another reason Rubio was motivated to wait in line for over 48 hours.

"I heard they are very beautiful," she said.

A total of 3,000 movie tickets will be available for the early Oct. 27 shows at L.A. Live's new Regal Cinemas Stadium 14, marking the movie theater's grand opening. It's the only screening location offering the advance shows and commemorative tickets. "This Is It" will begin its limited, two-week run at movie theaters nationwide on Oct. 28.

The Sony Pictures film, crafted from hundred hours of rehearsal footage, is directed by longtime Jackson collaborator Kenny Ortega, the "High School Musical" director who had been working with Jackson on the "This Is It" concerts. The movie will feature Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show as well as interviews with his friends and family.

Several of the fans who arrived when the line opened Friday brought chairs one per person and umbrellas for the long wait ahead of them. AEG, which operates the L.A. Live complex and organized the Jackson concerts, said that no tents, alcohol, cooking or boom boxes were permitted in line. Onsite monitors would issue passes for restroom and food breaks.

"It was a last-minute decision," said Trudy Miles, who was waiting in line with her daughters. "We were getting ready to go to the park, and my daughter texted me and told me the tickets were going on sell today. We were going to see it at the theater near our house, but we thought this would be special, so we loaded up the car with stuff and came down here."



Posted on Sep 25, 2009, 9:06 PM

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Phillip Cardona Interviews DJ Nick Fresh ..

by TFSnewsRoom/MetroJacksonville.com

Phillip Cardona Interviews DJ Nick Fresh

Phillip Cardona well known for his amazing depth and breadth of musical knowledge interviews Nick Puzzo, aka NickFresh, the ubiquitous dejay of the urban core scene


[linked image]


A fresh Thursday dance night has arrived on the club radar. What is this night? It is DOWATCHALIKE (do what cha like) and takes places at the Eclipse on St Johns Avenue, in Avondale. The man behind this new and vibrant night is local Jacksonvillian DJ Nickfresh, who also has a resident spot at club TSI every Friday night for Get Loose (bands play and Nick DJs). In an era when laptop DJs play requests exclusively and individuals selecting tracks on their iPods are considered DJs in certain circles, DOWATCHALIKE provides a breath of fresh air for an otherwise monotonous club scene.


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Many bars and clubs around town cater to song requests as a means to keep patrons interested or resort to playing the same cliché club bangers every week to get a floor moving. Nickfreshs musical savvy absolves him from utilizing such frivolous tactics, he has the ability to light up a dance floor and get a party started by playing the hottest tunes, old and new, obscure or mainstream. His passionate understanding of music represents what it is to be a DJ, which is authenticity. He has the ability of introducing new and old music with from across the musical spectrum. During a Nickfresh set you might hear Michael Jackson followed by a bumping Italo-disco track which might be unfamiliar to most but still grooves in its own 80s euro robotic fashion. As the cosmic musical journey ranging from early 80s Electro-Boogie followed by a four-on-the-floor bass-oriented house track moves forward, Nickfresh will always make sure to slow down it for a hot a minute, and allow the crowd to get down. Utilizing swiftness of the decks youll unexpectedly receive a pleasant dose of hip-hop, which if mainstream can be irresistible to grind to when youve been drinking all night. Let me put it this way, you and your friends asses will be shaking once youve heard him spin.


[linked image]


In addition to mixing different musical genres throughout the entirety of the night, rest assured that each song will be mixed properly; awkward pauses or crude transitions which can damage the energy of the dance floor are absent from DOWATCHALIKE. Nick, just like any DJ should know, understands the importance of beat matching, a technique that matches the kick and snare of two songs to create a smooth transition between tracks that keeps the dance floor alive. Now that summer is approaching its end, fall for many of us brings a time when lifes priorities or obligations can cause anxiety or stress; I can say that dancing all night alleviates these feelings for me, and with NickFresh DJing you shouldnt have any trouble gaining the courage to tear up the floor his warm personality will encourage even the most timid individual to let loose and dance the night away. Nickfresh took time out of his schedule to answer my questions, here they are:


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At what age did you start DJing?

Age Seven.

How did you first begin DJing?

I was around music my entire life as my family is in the radio, television, and music industries. My parents had a serious record/cd/8-track collection that span throughout the house and in the garage. That led to using my Panasonic stereo system (which I got for Christmas in '90.. i was seven) being used as a "radio station" of sorts, and I started making tapes for family members and friends. The next year, I was very curious about mixing records together so it could "flow better" on said tapes. it was my mother, who happened to be the first live on-air mixing DJ in Jacksonville (starting in '82 on WPDQ-AM; Arbitron rated #1 twice -amongst numerous awards-), that taught me the basics of mixing records with the knowledge of finding my own way. I started mixing the record with the cassette, but I wanted tables of my own. within the same year, my grandparents caught wind of how serious I was and decided to buy my first set of turntables, mixer included! (by the time I was 15, I got my first pair of Technics 1200's) After practicing and practicing (and practicing) for a year, I did my first house party. I was 10 (and since it was a party with adults, I had to dj in the other room with the speakers outside of it).


When did you realize you wanted to pursue DJing on the professional level?

Must say I was 12, after that house party, when I had adults coming up to me asking for my autograph and how they could get a tape. haha. But I've always wanted to do music years before the tapes because it really made me happy... self-fulfilled, even. so being that this was apart of music and how I saw the happiness on the faces of the people I mixed for, also in me... I knew at that point that was one of the many activities in music I wanted to do.


Explain your origins as a DJ in the Jacksonville club scene when, where, and how did it start?

I was in a metal band "Deadweight" whom I was with for five years mixing records, playing keyboards, and traveling the world. This led to the interest of doing regular sets at these different clubs, mainly top 40, but the top 40 experience (at that time) didn't necessarily gel with me. Once the band dissolved and I started studying new sounds (at least, new to me), I put out a 18 minute mix called "Musical Advents of NickFRESH." that got the attention of DJ Roy Clark (then of clubTSI discotheque). I was hired, pretty much on the spot, by TSI to work "Channel Wednesdays" back in March of 2008 which then led to GET LOOSE Fridays (TSI) which I'm currently doing alongside DOWHATCHALIKE Thursdays at Eclipse and other shows in and out of town.

How would you describe the type of music you play during your DJ sets?

A melting pot of sounds from Funk to Indie to Italo Disco to Hip-Hop, some Mainstream, Motown (etc.). Start out a little mellow then go all out. Full Throttle! Some of the songs are not as known as the others, but the bottom line is that they are being played to put you into a party state of mind.


[linked image]


Describe a Nickfresh set; what sets you apart from the other DJs in Jacksonville?

I just do my own thing and always give as much as I humanly can and be of high energy with each appearance and set. I'm really thankful that a lot of Jacksonville is appreciating what I'm doing. There's really no party like a NickFRESH party.

Describe your night at DOWHATCHALIKE in what regard is it unique from the other Thursday nights in town?

One thing you can't do in this town is take your audience for granted. That being said: we're all inclusive. It doesn't matter what you consider yourself. the only criteria of the night is to have a fun time and jam. and don't be afraid to dance or sweat.

Is there a renewed interest in dance music on a national level? If so, how does that translate to the local Jacksonville scene?

I feel that the interest in dance music on a national level never really died. Like every genre that fluctuates in popularity and changes its face often, in dance music, the feeling and rhetoric always remains the same. it often provokes positivity and awesome vibrations in the grooves and rhythms and that's what we don't see nor hear in the world much. Jacksonville, of course, is always close to the cusp of what's happening around the country, so that message and good vibe translates nicely here.

Any last words or thoughts?

I'm just very happy to get this opportunity. Thank You. Please note that I'm also in After The Bomb, Baby (as a Keyboardist/Trumpeter/Synthlord) and that I also have a very active Soul Train Fangroup (SoulTrainFans.net.ms) and youtube channel under the name "NickFRESHAlive" where I post mix collages and dance videos.




    
This message has been edited by mbmoonthang on Sep 25, 2009 9:07 PM

Posted on Sep 25, 2009, 9:03 PM

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Jackson lost will to live, confidante says ....

by TFSnewsRoom/Reuters.com

Jackson lost will to live, confidante says

[linked image]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) Michael Jackson lost the will to live in recent years, a former close confidante said on Friday, as scores of fans camped out to be the first to see the singer's final appearance in the "This is It" movie.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, appearing on NBC's "Today" show, unveiled lengthy conversations he taped with Jackson during their 1999-2001 friendship, and said the "Thriller" singer suffered deep emotional pain.

"He lost the will to live," Boteach said. "I think he was just going through the motions of life toward the end."

Boteach also said that Jackson, who had plastic surgery several times, once confessed that he didn't want to appear in public, because he felt that he looked like a "lizard."

Jackson died in Los Angeles on June 25 of a prescription drug overdose, less three weeks before he was due to begin a series of 50 sold-out comeback shows in London.

Back in March, when Jackson visited London to announce the "This Is It" shows, he appeared in a military-style jacket and punched the air.

But the tapes collected by Boteach show Jackson to be a far less confidant man, who feared growing old and had suffered levels of loneliness and pain that the rabbi said "staggers the imagination."

"I would like some way to disappear, where people don't see me anymore at some point," Jackson said in the tapes.

"I don't want to grow old. I never want to look in the mirror and see that," the singer said.

Boteach has turned his conversations with the pop star into a book, published on Friday, called "The Michael Jackson Tapes."

JACKSON FANFARE

Boteach's book comes as Jackson's fans lined up in Los Angeles three days before tickets go on sale on Sunday for the October 28 release worldwide of "This Is It".

The movie is based on footage of Jackson rehearsing for his London shows and demand is expected to be strong for the two week limited release.

Some 200 fans were camped out on Friday, across the street from where Jackson had his final rehearsals, waiting to buy tickets to the movie premiere. The waiting fans will also get commemorative tickets designed by Jackson for the now canceled London shows.

Sunil Kumar, 25, a fashion design student from India, was one of the fans who slept on concrete overnight. Kumar said Jackson had a huge fan base in India.

"He's kind of a god of the dance," Kumar said. "No one ever danced like him in the whole world."

Tony Kirby, 51, wearing a black hat and an open shirt, sat on a lawn chair next to his wife, waiting it out as their 7 year-old daughter bounded around nearby.

"When we got here I wasn't even grey, I've got grey hair now," Tony joked.

The Kirbys said Jackson was a significant figure for African-Americans like themselves, because he showed a black artist could break through racial barriers and become a global star.

The fans camping out in Los Angeles will get their tickets at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday -- the same day global online ticket sales begin for regular showings of movie


Posted on Sep 25, 2009, 9:02 PM

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Iran: An Unlikely Treasure Chest Of Funk..

by TFSnewsRoom/Npr.org

Iran: An Unlikely Treasure Chest Of Funk

by Egon

iranianfunk.jpg


September 17, 2009 - A few months ago, the record dealer who sold me the majority of his Iranian collection told me that his recent finds in Tehran including Mehr Pooya's solitary LP of fuzz-guitar-soaked sitar funk were going to a well-heeled international collector. He'd already sold the heavy psych pieces and the Iranian presses of Led Zeppelin albums and The Beatles' Abba Road [sic] for stacks of euros before I got to dig through his collection.

I couldn't help feeling disappointed, but how could I be upset with him? This man, who insists on remaining nameless (though I'd like to showcase the determination with which he canvasses the streets of his city and brings home never-before-heard '60s garage rock and '70s psych-folk fusion) had provided me with some of my favorite records of recent years. Those albums and 45s, many of which he bought as new releases in the early '70s, gave me endless hours of enjoyment.

Here's some of the most beautiful music from my past purchases. On a recent trip to Texas, I ran into a cab driver in Austin who told me that he'd owned a copy of the Mehr Pooya album back when he lived in Tehran in the '70s. If I had a dime for every Iranian cab driver whose number I've stored in my cell phone on the hunt for records... well, I'd have had enough to buy that Mehr Pooya album in the first place.

Online information on Iranian recordings of the 1970s is limited, but some good resources are available. Try the Progressive Homestead page dedicated to Persian Fusion or Dario Margeli's online catalog.



Posted on Sep 18, 2009, 3:10 PM

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Drudge, Limbaugh, and the sad return of "Racial America" ..

by TFSnewsRoom/HuffingtonPost.com

Drudge, Limbaugh, and the sad return of "Racial America"
digg Huffpost - stumble reddit del.ico.us ShareThis


When I was college a long time ago, I read a book called "Subliminal Seduction," which chronicled how Madison Avenue tricked your sub-consciousness into craving vodka (as if a trick were needed there..) by placing sexy silhouettes inside ice cubes. For some reason that reminds me a lot of Matt Drudge and the ever-popular Drudge Report, except Drudge isn't quite so subliminal in his mind games.



By harnessing the power of the Internet, in the mid-1990s before anyone else thought of it, to reordering the news into the "Holy S---!" headlines that people crave rather than the ear-your-peas stories on trade or budget negotiations that were fed to you by the editors of the New York Times, Drudge became the leading influencer of the news cycle from a laptop in some undisclosed location around South Beach.

Even more remarkably, Drudge has become indispensable in America's newsroom - packed with at least self-described liberals - despite a conservative world view that he promotes not in a heavy-handed way that would push those influential readers in a way, but by using placement, pictures and the well-timed big shot to nudge the nation's news cycle to the right.



Today, Drudge does less and less "original reporting" (if that's what you can call his famed Monica Lewinsky "scoop") and succeed more by serving as a Rorschach test of how the right-wing is trying to subliminally seduce America.

Except that ever since President Obama's largely successful speech to Congress last week, the message from Drudge and from the conservative echo-chorus that is conducted daily by Rush Limbaugh has become increasingly less subliminal and more shrill, and their toxic tone is one that should alarm all Americans:


It can be summed up: "Black people are running amok in Obama's America - emboldened by an African-American in the White House, they are now here to beat up white folks, cheat them out of their hard-earned money, and impose "black nationalism"! White people need to be very afraid."

I don't believe that allegations of racism should be tossed out lightly, and I've cautiously watched this narrative unwind over the past couple of weeks. Today, there can be no doubt.



The lead story on the Drudge Report for the entire day until about 2:30 p.m. - on a day in which two tabloid evergreen stories, the murder of a beautiful young Ivy League college student and a round-up of terrorists in New York City just after the 9/11 anniversary, were in the news - is about a fight on a school bus. A non-fatal (thankfully) fight on a bus, that happened to involve black kids beating up a white kid, and was captured of course on video.

Drudge's typically sedate headline: "White Student Beaten On School Bus: Crowd Cheers."

Now, I noted that the story was removed as a lead item right around 2:30 - coincidentally, the story also changed from an originally version in which the police declared that the fight was racially motivated.



It's still a fluid situation, but right now, the world of America's newsrooms has been "ruled" (in the famous words of ex-ABC/Time's Mark Halperin) for most of today by a kids' fight on a school bus. The article also gets into racial history of Belleville, Ill., which is probably not the part of the story that Drudge was interested in hyping:



Belleville has had a long history of racial turmoil, with a past that includes police harassment of black motorists, cross burnings and discrimination in city hiring.

The divide began a century ago, in 1903, when a black man was lynched by a mob of 5,000 people in the town square, set on fire and dismembered.



No matter -- let's not let history interfere with Drudge's "Blacks Gone Wild" narrative for the day, his layout of stories and photos that might seem willy-nilly but in fact usually has all the deliberate care of a $10,000 wedding planner.



Thus, right below the screen shot of punching black students, we see the headline "POLITICO: So far, Obama's failing miserably," which is in fact an opinion piece, which it would have to be since the actual news of the day (not linked on Drudge) is that the president's approval rating is climbing again. But as you ponder Obama's alleged failure, it is the photo of rampaging young blacks that you see.

On the left. we have medley that includes a campus rape (the suspects are black), mixed in with a story about a principal in trouble for not showing Obama's speech, leading up to a photo of a black man, Kanye West, disrespecting a white woman, Taylor Swift, brought full circle by Obama again calling West "a jackass" (which he in fact was...).

Drift back to the center for a series of increasingly hysterical headlines about the ACORN scandal, which involves a few rotten employees of a community organizing group (Obama was a community organizer, remember?) caught giving tax-cheating scam advice -- did I mention the ACORN workers were predominantly black?



Do you remember all the fuss in the right-wing media about million-dollar white collar tax-cheating advice-givers at banks like UBS? Me neither.) Clearly, today's Drudge Report is a narrative, and that narrative is all about race, and a social fabric that Drudge and his readers are convinced (based, of course, on a series of scare headlines) is coming apart.

Think I'm a little paranoid. I still probably wouldn't be reading about this if I hadn't spent a little time in the car this afternoon, enough time for Rush Limbaugh, the de facto leader of the Republican Party who has worked tirelessly to infuse race into discussions about Obama, playing tag team with Drudge, As he so often does. As I started the engine, the radio host and his caller were prattling on about the all-important school bus assault, and Limbaugh said the story is a perfect illustration of what he called "Obama's America."

That alone would be beyond outrageous, the allegation that the mere presence of a black president -- who just last week spoke to students urging them to study and act responsibly -- is encouraging kids to fight on a school bus. But that was just a small part of Limbaugh's show today, which was all about race. He harped on a Newsweek article that he claims shows that racism is pre-determined (just as liberals always argue that homosexuality is pre-determined,


don't you see....so...I guess racism is OK, after all -- all-righty, then), and of course the massive left-wing conspiracy that is ACORN, the corn-rowed people who are the real ones trying to rob the middle class, and not the Wall Street types who so rarely get even a mild rebuke from Limbaugh, except when they vote for Obama. I thought he was done -- but then Limbaugh said "remember how I asked earlier today if Obama's brother is still in the hut" (not making this up) and read all of a lengthy article about Obama's relatives in Kenya.

Look, there's a lot to talk about with a new president such as Obama, who has a lot of policy proposals on complicated issues like health care or climate change, and so there's a lot there for a thoughtful conservative critique. But that's not where the conversation is going right now -- it's all about the shiny black object. Fox News and its out-of-control Howard Beale, the seriously unanchored Glenn Beck, have spent most of the last several weeks focused on two issues:




ACORN, and mid-level Obama officials like now-departed so-called "green jobs czar" Van Jones. Jones -- did I mention that he is black -- and ACORN have both shared a common mission, bringing a dose of political power to poor, mostly urban people who have not had power. And make no mistake, what really scares Beck, Fox News and the vast right-wing media is not really the petty fraud of some ACORN employees or a few nutty things that Jones said in his more radical past, but the fact that they will succeed in their legitimate mission of empowering American citizens.

There's something else that the right-wing finds alarming, and that is Obama's relative success in speaking to the American public in a calm and persuasive manner, as he did last week. I think it is this frustration, the worry that while it's mostly a vast work in progress that the president may not be "failing miserably" as Drudge and some Politico op-ed writer allege but showing signs of success.


that have led to the new more overtly racial tone, dragging the current discourse to a low level that didn't seem possible. And so -- like Maureen Dowd concluded, also reluctantly -- I can't help but feel there was a racial edge to ex-Strom Thurmond acolyte Joe Wilson and his exasperated "You Lie" at the president. It plays right into the toxic narrative that is building on Drudge and talk radio and Fox like a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico.

Obama's post-racial America? Good grief, were we really that naive, and so recently? I can honestly say that America right now, on the ides of September 2009, feels more racial, at least to me, today than it has any time in a generation, now since I was living in New York City in the era of "Do the Right Thing." And the "Racial America" of Matt Drudge, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and far too many of their millions of "dittoheads" is going to keep getting even more racial -- if we don't call them out.

Posted on Sep 15, 2009, 10:36 PM

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Whitney Houston says husband painted evil eyes in house..

by TFSnewsRoom/Reuters.com

Whitney Houston says husband painted evil eyes in house

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Singer Whitney Houston said in an interview aired on Monday that life with former husband Bobby Brown descended into a nightmare of drugs and fights, and that at one point he painted "evil" eyes on the walls of their home.

Houston, 46, making a music comeback after seven years, told chat show host Oprah Winfrey in the interview broadcast on Monday that her and Brown's drug-of-choice was marijuana mixed with cocaine. The pair divorced in April 2007 after a 15-year marriage.

Houston said that during the couple's narcotics-filled days, Brown would break glass objects in their home, and at one point he began painting eyes in their bedroom.

"Evil eyes that were looking at every point in the room," Houston said. She added that Brown, a singer who had a hit with the song "My Perogative," would paint on rugs, walls and closet doors, and that he used spray-paint.

"I'm looking at it and going, 'Lord, what's really going on here?'" Houston told Winfrey. "Because I was getting scared, because I felt something was going to blow, something was going to give."

Houston told Winfrey her addiction got so bad that her mother, soul singer Cissy Houston, turned up at her home one day with a court injunction and enlisted the help of police to force her into rehab.

"She said, 'I'm not losing you to the world. I'm not losing you to Satan. ... I want my daughter back,' " Houston recalled. "She said, 'Either you do it my way or we'll go on TV and (say) you're gonna retire."

She said she tried to play down her fame during the marriage, which took place as her career exploded with the box-office hit movie "The Bodyguard" in 1992 and the hit single "I will Always Love You."

"Something happens to a man when a woman has that much fame... I tried to play down all the time. I used to say' I'm Mrs. Brown, don't call me Houston."

Houston recalled a time when Brown spat on her when he had been drinking.

Brown, in an interview with celebrity TV show "The Insider" conducted before Winfrey's interview with Houston aired on TV, said he and Houston "corrupted each other."

"I don't think she hurt me or I hurt her," he said. "I just think we had a ... marriage that had its ups and downs and not many people understood it."

Houston's interview with Winfrey follows the release two weeks ago of the singer's first studio album in seven years -- "I Look To You" -- which entered the U.S. Billboard 200 chart at No. 1. Houston's record label Arista said the album also debuted at No.1 in Canada, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.




Posted on Sep 15, 2009, 1:06 AM

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http://glennbeckrapedandmurderedayounggirlin1990.com/

by TFSnewsRoom/DailyKos.com

http://glennbeckrapedandmurderedayounggirlin1990.com/

Posted on Sep 11, 2009, 10:28 AM

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Coroner Rules Jackson's Death Homicide...

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

Coroner Rules Jackson's Death Homicide



[linked image]


LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, a finding that makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died.

The coroner determined a fatal combination of drugs was given to Jackson hours before he died June 25 in his rented Los Angeles mansion, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released. Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson's death, the official said.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a Las Vegas cardiologist who became Jackson's personal physician weeks before his death, is the target of a manslaughter investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. According to a search warrant affidavit unsealed Monday in Houston, Murray told investigators he administered a 25 mg dose of propofol around 10:40 a.m. after spending the night injecting Jackson with two sedatives in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to sleep.

The warrant, dated July 23, states that lethal levels of propofol were found in Jackson's system. Besides the propofol and two sedatives, the coroner's toxicology report found other substances in Jackson's system but they were not believed to have been a factor in the singer's death, the official said.

Murray has spoken to police and last week released a video saying he "told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail." His attorney, Edward Chernoff, had no immediate comment but has previously said Murray never administered anything that "should have" killed Jackson.

A call to the coroner's office was not returned Monday.

Murray did not say anything about the drugs he gave to Jackson.


Posted on Aug 24, 2009, 10:18 PM

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Concert Review: Mothers Finest ...

by TFSnewsRoom/Soul-Patrol.com

Concert Review: Mother Finest, Derek McKeith & Alyson Williams @ Fort Dupont Park, Washington DC August 15th

One thing I will say about DC is that it really is "Chocolate City." I don't know of another place that so fully embraces BLACK MUSIC/CULTURE in it's entirety. All 360 degrees of it!!! (sorry NYC & Philly......LOL)

And I am really glad that we apparently had so many folks from Soul-Patrol who felt compelled to submit a written review of the show. What does that say?

Just try & tell the thousands of people who were out this past Saturday night in Ft Dupont Park, that "Rock n' Roll isn't BLACK MUSIC?"

This review comes from our friend Skip Kelley....
----------

On a clear and comfortable evening last Saturday night in the nation's capital, a memorable concert took place for those, including your very own Bob Davis, who have been part of the Black rock movement.

The concert was headlined by Mother's Finest, carrying the Black rock torch for over 30 years, and also featuring Derek McKeith, the new Black rock talent. It was held at Fort Dupont Park, an outdoor summer concert area in a working class Black community in Southeast DC. The park draws huge festival style crowds for free concerts, where thousands of Black folks party like back in the day with whistles, tambourines and glowing lights everywhere. Earlier concerts this summer have featured such popular acts as the Original P, Blue Magic and Rose Royce. On a mid-August evening with unusually mild weather, the crowd seemed to be about ten thousand strong. If you wanted to find out whether Black folks can really get into some rock music, this was ground zero.

[linked image]


Alyson Williams opened at sundown with a short set and then introduced Derek, causing a stir in the crowd when she compared him to Prince. After that hype, Derek came out crankin' his guitar on "Loving Love" and then kept rockin' with "Only You." The crowd was intrigued by this young brother playing some serious rock 'n soul, and I heard people asking "What's his name again?" He then lauched into his BETJ hit "Can't Get Enough", which he mixed with covers of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" and Taste of Honey's "Boogie Oogie Oogie", just to emphasize his musical versatility. The crowd loved it and proceeded to get down and boogie just like the song says. He followed with "Teacher, Teacher", an ode to teenage lust for a hot teacher. He ended his set with a rockin' cover of the Jackson's "Heartbreak Hotel", using his vocal range and energetic dance moves to get the crowd moving and singing a full throated refrain of "Hearrrrrrtbreak Hotel!!!" Derek got much love as he exited the stage.

The crowd was now warmed up for Mother's Finest and erupted when they hit the stage. Joyce Kennedy got a big ovation when she came out wearing a tight black leather outfit and her hair died blond and pulled up. When she sang her first note, you knew her powerhouse voice was in fine form. The band was as good as ever, performing their repertoire of funk rock and straight up rock 'n roll. Excitement built during an extended, kick ass version of "Don't Wanna Come Back", with Joyce leading a strong vocal hook. It continued with a "Give You All The Love (Inside of Me)", which allowed the band to stretch out instrumentally. Joyce got a tremendous reception when she slowed things down with the much covered slow jam classic "Love Changes", a major radio hit on the "Quiet Storm" back in the day. Lead male vocalist Glen Murdock then took over with an inspired "Mickey's Monkey", combining Smokey Robinson vocals with a serious rock 'n roll workout.

[linked image]


This was followed by a solo from the original funk rock anthem "Who Knows" by Jimi Hendrix and the Band of Gypsys. Lead guitarist Gary Moore showed off his outstanding licks, much to the delight of the many Hendrix fans in the crowd. The show reached its peak with a strong performance of the funk rock classic "Baby Love." Joyce let it all hang out and the band cut loose with some powerful riffs, as thousands sang and danced as one to every note. The show closed with "Piece of the Rock", a straight up rock 'n roll jam that climaxed with band members jumping up and down to the beat. When it was over, everybody cheered heartily for Mother's Finest.

Backstage after the concert, I saw many friends that I only see at really special concerts. We were buzzing about the tremendous rock show that we had just witnessed. I got a chance to meet Joyce, who came out of the trailer to greet fans like the true rock star that she is, but also down to earth at the same time. I also met actress Sheila Frazier, Derek's mom, who is still looking good by the way. I talked to Derek about how great it would be if he could tour as the opening act for Mother's Finest, because their audiences would certainly appreciate him. We also talked about how both of their audiences have been mostly white, and that this night was such a revelation because a large crowd of Black folks was really into their music. Maybe DC is unique because we've always been big fans of funk rock, showing mad love for Funkadelic and Mandrill mixing rock guitar with their funk.

As I stated, this was a truly a memorable evening for Black rock. Let it be known that on this night, thousands of regular Black folks in the heart of Chocolate City were jammin' at a rock show, that they really got down to some rock music. And Mother's Finest and Derek McKeith were proud to wave their freak flags high, proclaiming that they were here to
rock!


--Bob Davis
609-351-0154
earthjuice@prodigy.net






    
This message has been edited by mbmoonthang on Aug 24, 2009 10:19 PM

Posted on Aug 20, 2009, 10:51 AM

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Motown arranger Van De Pitte dies ...

by TFSnewsRToom/DetroitNews.com

Motown arranger Van De Pitte dies

Susan Whitall / Detroit News Music Writer

David Van De Pitte, the arranger who helped Marvin Gaye take jazz, soul and the rumblings of the counter-culture and turn it into the genius of "What's Going On," died on Aug. 9 of cancer. The arranger, composer and music director, a longtime Metro Detroiter, was 68.

He is survived by Carolyn Barnett-Goldstein, his partner of 26 years, two daughters by a previous marriage, a brother and a sister.

The work of an arranger isn't always understood by the general public; they often take a creative but unfinished idea and translate it into musical language, spelling out what each musician is supposed to play.



While early Motown music was simpler, by the time Van De Pitte arrived arrangements were complex and that unseen structure of the Motown sound was part of its appeal.

When an arranger tweaks and advances the music, it's considered co-writing, and Van De Pitte did that on "What's Going On." He was nominated for a Grammy for best arranger for the album in 1971.

"We worked on that album for six, maybe eight months," Van De Pitte told The News in 2008. "I'd go to the house and Marvin wouldn't show. He was playing basketball. Or he was trying out for the Lions!"

Van De Pitte was born in Detroit on Oct. 28, 1941. He studied music at the Westlake College of Music in Los Angeles, was proficient in classical, jazz and pop music and played the bass, among other instruments.

The musician got to know famed Motown bassist James Jamerson back in Detroit, long before they both worked at "the Factory," as they called Motown, and Jamerson would sub for Van De Pitte playing bass in Johnny Trudell's orchestra at the Roostertail.

Jamerson was known as a creative bass player, but Van De Pitte was one of the few he trusted to write bass parts for him.

"He played note for note everything I wrote for him on 'What's Going On,'" Van De Pitte said. "He may have gotten a little inspired here and there...but he played what I wrote out of respect for me."

As a Motown staff arranger from 1968-72, and as a freelance arranger after that, Van De Pitte arranged some of soul music, and Motown's most memorable works.

Along with the "What's Going On" album, he arranged Gaye's "Let's Get it On" album, as well as the songs "Still Waters (Run Deep)" by the Four Tops, "Ball of Confusion" and "Psychedelic Shack" by the Temptations, "Darling Dear" by the Jackson 5, "I Hear the Bells" by the Originals, "Keep on Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks, "Indiana Wants Me" by R. Dean Taylor, "If I Were Your Woman" by Gladys Knight, and "If You Really Love Me" by Stevie Wonder, among many others.

He also arranged music for Martha and the Vandellas, Michael Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, David Ruffin, Chuck Jackson, Paul Anka, Denise LaSalle, Millie Jackson and many more.

As a music director Van De Pitte was responsible for the live music performed on Gaye's appearances on the "Ed Sullivan Show," as well as live appearances by the Temptations, Four Tops, Diana Ross' Las Vegas shows and Paul Anka's concert tours.

He also composed "How About You" recorded by Diana Ross, "Please Be There" recorded by Gloria Gaynor, and a raft of classical compositions.

As a contractor, he wrote music for ads and live shows for many corporations, including Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.

Van De Pitte was also an adjunct professor in the Jazz Studies program at Wayne State University from 1979-83.

He explained the difference between Motown and other soul music labels like Stax to The News in 2008.

"The jazz thing, I think, really influenced the whole Motown thing," he said. "When we tried to do something a little out of the pocket, out of the norm, we could usually get away with it because Berry's ears were tuned to the way the guys played, so it swung a little jazzy."

Van De Pitte was cremated privately, but friends and loved ones say a memorial concert is in the works.



Posted on Aug 18, 2009, 11:28 AM

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Giant rat-eating nepenthes plant ...

by TFSnewsRToom/TimesOnline.co.uk

Giant rat-eating nepenthes plant named after David AttenboroughChris Smyth

[linked image]

Nepenthes attenboroughii is so big that small rodents could be trapped inside and dissolved by flesh-eating enzymes
He may be best known for his mellifluous tones and gentle manner, but for one group of botanists Sir David Attenborough clearly conjures up different associations. Explorers who discovered a new species of giant rodent-eating carnivorous plant have named it after the TV naturalist.

Nepenthes attenboroughii, a previously unknown variety of pitcher plant discovered on a remote mountain in the Philippines, is so big that small rodents could be trapped inside and slowly dissolved by flesh-eating enzymes.

It is thought that only a few hundred of the plants exist, growing only on one mountain on the island of Palawan. The species was discovered by a team of scientists who had heard reports from missionaries who got lost in the dense jungle.

Stewart McPherson, Alastair Robinson and Volker Heinrich decided to name the plant after Sir David as an expression of gratitude for his decades of work celebrating the natural world.


Pure Attenborough the nations favourite wildlife broadcaster has a change of habitat
News Review interview: David Attenborough
Attenborough receives Bafta for reptile series
He has inspired a generation into protecting the world and developing greater understanding diversity of the planet, Mr McPherson said.

We really wanted to name this particular plant after him as an expression of gratitude. This is a very special one because its so big, theres really been nothing found like it for a long time.

Sir David told The Times that it was a great honour to have the species named after him. He said that the nepenthes family were very dramatic plants. Ive always thought they are remarkable things, very elegant and charming.

Mr McPherson said it was likely that the new species occasionally digested rats and mice. It is without a shadow of a doubt big enough, he said. I found a species in Borneo with pitchers half the size with dead mice in it.

Nepenthes rajah, the only species of pitcher plant bigger than N. attenboroughii, has been known to digest rodents since the British naturalist Spencer St John was astonished to discover a drowned rat in a specimen in Borneo in 1862.

Sir David featured that species in his early TV series Zoo Quest and also The Private Life of Plants in 1995. Ive seen them in the wild a bit, mostly in Borneo. Theyre lovely things, he said.

The naturalist already has several species named after him, including a spiny anteater in New Guinea, a rare tree in Ecuador and a marine reptile, the Attenborosaurus, that lived during the Jurassic period.

But he downplayed the scientific significance of such names. You have to have names for things and and you run out after a bit, he said. Its just a compliment, but its very nice to receive compliments."

Mr McPherson has spent the past three years cataloguing the 120 known nepenthes species. N. attenboroughii was discovered in 2007 but formally described only this year.

Mr McPherson mounted an expedition after hearing about missionaries who tried to climb the mountain on Palawan in 2000 to install a radio relay station. They got lost in the uncharted jungle and had to be flown out after 13 days without food.

They reported seeing giant pitcher plants on the mountain and Mr McPherson said he was trying to follow up on that lead.

He believes that the expedition discovered about 30 new species, only a few of which have been published.


Posted on Aug 18, 2009, 11:06 AM

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Electric guitar innovator Les Paul dies..

by TFSnewsRoom/Telegraph.co.uk

Electric guitar innovator Les Paul dies
Les Paul, the US musician and electric guitar designer, has died aged 94.

By Our Foreign Staff
Published: 5:40PM BST 13 Aug 2009

As an inventor and musician, Paul spent his life 'chasing the perfect sound' Photo: AP
The announcement by a representative of the musician, who was still performing regularly in Manhattan not long before his death, said he had died of complications relating to pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in New York.

His family and friends were by his side.


[linked image]
Les Paul As an inventor and musician, Paul spent his life "chasing the perfect sound". He helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll and multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the "tracks" in the finished recording.

He was responsible for the Gibson Les Paul, one of first solid-body electric guitars whose prototype was made in the 1940s and which is still in production today.

As a musician he had a string of hits, many with wife Mary Ford. His sound was influenced by Django Reinhardt but he went on to have a profound effect on the music of many stars, from Elvis to Paul McCartney and many rock guitarists.

Posted on Aug 13, 2009, 11:00 PM

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Michael Jackson tribute planned in Vienna palace ..

by

Michael Jackson tribute planned in Vienna palace


[linked image]

VIENNA (Reuters) Vienna's Schoenbrunn Palace is planned to provide the stage for a high-profile tribute to the "King of Pop," Michael Jackson, at the end of September, organizers of the concert said on Tuesday.

Michael Jackson's older brother Jermaine is inviting artists to perform in front of Schoenbrunn, once home of Austria-Hungary's last Emperor Franz Josef, where the show's producers expect an audience of at least 85,000.

Schoenbrunn is regularly used as a venue for the annual summer concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

"The concept of The Tribute is that some of the world's leading artists will perform Michael Jackson's greatest hits live on stage in an imperial setting, befitting the King of Pop," producers World Awards Media said on its website.

Jermaine Jackson announced in CNN's Larry King talk show last week that the concert will take place in Vienna, not in London as has been expected. He will also present the show, provisionally scheduled to take place between September 22 and 27.

"I have invited many of the most acclaimed talents of our time," Jermaine Jackson said on the website promoting the concert, "and many have already confirmed to perform in honor of my beloved brother."

Jermaine Jackson added that he expected the tribute to be the first of an annual series of charity concerts that keep his brother's "humanitarian legacy" alive.

"I want to make people aware of the humanitarian side of Michael," Jermaine Jackson said.

"I want to show them how his true emphasis wasn't music, or performing; it was improving the world. Understand this, and you begin to understand the essence of who my brother was."

World Awards Media said that "a substantial portion of the proceeds" will be donated to three charities. Both the date and the artist line-up will be announced shortly, after finishing talks with the city of Vienna about the concert's settings.

Tickets go on sale August 20


Posted on Aug 11, 2009, 11:06 PM

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Rapper 'C-Murder' convicted of 2002 fan shooting ..

by

Rapper 'C-Murder' convicted of 2002 fan shooting
By MARY FOSTER

GRETNA, La. Rapper Corey "C-Murder" Miller was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder for the 2002 shooting of a fan during a nightclub brawl, capping tumultuous jury deliberations at his second trial in the killing.

[linked image]
FILE - This Aug. 16 file photo shows Rapper Corey Miller, who once went by the stage name of C-Murder, in New Orleans. Attorneys are set to deliver closing arguments in the murder trial of Corey Miller on Monday, Aug. 10, 2009, who is accused of shooting a 16-year-old fan during a brawl in a nightclub. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)


The Louisiana jury reached the 10-2 verdict around 1:30 p.m. in its second day of deliberations. Jurors had reached the same verdict earlier in the day, but District Judge Hans Liljeberg ordered them back to the jury room for more deliberation because of a questionable vote. Ten votes are required for a second-degree murder conviction.

Liljeberg said after the verdict's initial reading that one juror had apparently changed her vote just to end deliberations rendering the verdict invalid. Three jurors had been seen crying in the courtroom Tuesday morning, and the day before they sent a note that they were having trouble reaching a consensus.

The invalid verdict prompted defense attorney Ron Rakosky to move for a mistrial saying that the judge had pressured the jury into reaching a verdict. Liljeberg denied the motion.

"I don't think I pressured them at all," Liljeberg said. "I told them if they could not reach a verdict to let me know."

The courtroom was completely silent when the verdict was given for the second time. More than a dozen law enforcement officers filled the center aisle, and the judge had warned that anyone who so much as gasped would be arrested.

The victim's family left in tears.

"I'm not rejoicing. I feel bad for (Miller's) family. But at least they can see him. What have we got but a gravesite and a photograph," said George Thomas, whose 16-year-old son, Steve Thomas, was shot to death during the Jan. 12, 2002, brawl in a now-closed Harvey, La., nightclub.

Miller's family and friends also cried outside the courtroom. His sister, Germaine Miller, shouted and accused the prosecutors of corruption.

"This isn't over," said Marie Miller, Corey Miller's aunt. "This verdict is wrong. We will not let this rest."

The defense attorney for the 38-year-old rapper, who faces life in prison, declined comment after the hearing.

Prosecutor David Wolff said he thought the verdict would stand up on appeal.

"The judge ran a very clean trial. Deliberating on a homicide case is difficult," he said.

Miller was previously found guilty of killing Thomas, but a judge overturned the 2003 conviction, siding with defense attorneys who said prosecutors improperly withheld criminal background information on three key witnesses.

Miller has been in jail after pleading no contest to two countsof attempted murder in a separate altercation at a nightclub in Baton Rouge in 2001. He faces sentencing later this month in that case.

Attorneys for both sides return Friday morning to Liljeberg's court at which time a date will be set for the sentencing hearing in the latest conviction.

Miller and his brothers Percy "Master P" Miller and Vyshonn "Silkk The Shocker" Miller used to rap on the now-defunct No Limit record label, a popular producer of Southern rap through the 1990s that was founded by Percy Miller.

___

August 11, 2009 05:46 PM EDT


Posted on Aug 11, 2009, 11:00 PM

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Sarah Palin's Canadian Birth Certificate?

by TFSnewsRoom/DailyKos.com

Sarah Palin's Canadian Birth Certificate?
by Ed in Michigan

Sarah Palin's Canadian Birth Certificate? Wed Aug 05, 2009 at 05:33:40 PM PDT

Like most of America, I've grown very tired of the birthers and their ranting. I've grown especially tired of their defense of an obviously faked Kenyan birth certificate. So I decided to fight fire with some fire...

[linked image]


Ed in Michigan's diary :: ::
How could I use satire to battle the brithers?

Let's see... Select a prominent Republican, and give the wingnuts a sense--through a bit of mockery--of what they've created. So last night I decided to create Sarah Palin's Canadian birth certificate.

Some Google research, a bit of design, and presto! An authentic document. I can't claim it'll do any good in the battle the birthers have created, but I must admit, it was immensely satisfying to create.



Posted on Aug 5, 2009, 10:21 PM

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Reverend Ike dies at 74; preached gospel of prosperity..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap/LaTimes.com

Reverend Ike dies at 74; preached gospel of prosperity

[linked image]
Reverend Ike, also
known as Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter, delivers a sermon in 1977.


The Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II was among the first evangelists to reach an audience of millions through TV. His unorthodox philosophy did not sit well with some ministers and civil rights leaders.


The minister known as Reverend Ike, who preached the gospel of material prosperity to millions nationwide, has died. He was 74.

The Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II died Tuesday, according to a statement on his website. The cause of death was not given.


Reverend Ike preached the power of what he called "positive self-image psychology" to his 5,000 parishioners at the United Church Science of Living Institute in New York.

In the 1970s, Reverend Ike was one of the first evangelists to reach an audience of millions through television.

"This is the do-it-yourself church," he proclaimed. "The only savior in this philosophy is God in you."


Reverend Ike stretched Christian tenets, relocating the idea of God to the interior of the self, with the power to bring the believer anything he or she desired in the way of health, wealth and peace of mind.

The philosophy did not sit well with traditional Christian ministers and civil rights leaders who felt that black churches should focus on social reform rather than self-fulfillment.

His critics said he preyed on the poor and conned the faithful into giving him donations that he spent on cars, clothes and homes. The IRS and the Postal Service investigated his businesses.

Others defended his philosophy of mind over matter, which appealed to middle-class believers who felt their hard work should be rewarded in this life.

"If it's that difficult for a rich man to get into heaven," he said, riffing on the famous verse from the book of Matthew, "think how terrible it must be for a poor man to get in. He doesn't even have a bribe for the gatekeeper."

Reverend Ike was born June 1, 1935, in Ridgeland, S.C., to an elementary school teacher and a Baptist minister from Dutch Indonesia.

He became an assistant pastor in his father's church at age 14. He attended the American Bible College in Chicago and spent two years in the Air Force as a chaplain. He founded his first church in Boston and moved to New York City two years later.

He moved his church into a Harlem movie theater with a narrow marquee that forced him to shorten his name to "Rev. Ike."

In the 1970s, Reverend Ike toured the country and preached over some 1,770 radio and television stations in major markets.

He is survived by his wife, Eula May Dent, and his son, Xavier F. Eikerenkoetter, who took over the ministry when his father retired.


Posted on Jul 31, 2009, 8:55 PM

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Two-Headed Baby Born In Philippines...

by TFSnewsRoom/HuffingtonPost.com

Two-Headed Baby Born In Philippines

[linked image]

an extremely rare instance, a baby girl born at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in the Philippines Tuesday night has two heads, CBS News reports. Named "Baby Girl Arciaga," the infant has two spines, two brains and two hearts, encased in one cavity, but she shares everything else, including lungs and kidneys, according to the CBS report.

"This is a very rare case. It's new even to us," Dr. Ruben Flores, FMH's director, said in a television interview.

The condition is called dicephaly monozygotic conjoined birth, and it occurs in only one out of 80,000 live births.


The sharing of vital organs for the two heads poses a danger, for which the baby is now under observation, AFP reports.

"The rate of survival will depend on the shared organ. If they only have one heart, they will not survive," [an] unidentified spokeswoman told local radio.
...
Officials at the hospital said the extra head appeared to be a twin of the girl who failed to fully separate during the development stage in early pregnancy.


Posted on Jul 30, 2009, 8:51 PM

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Funeral Set for Boxer Vernon Forrest ...

by TFSnewsRoom/AJC.com

Funeral Set for Boxer Vernon Forrest
Forrest Was Shot During A Robbery

ATLANTA -- A funeral service is set for Monday for former boxing champion Vernon Forrest, who was killed in an attempted robbery over the weekend.

Forrest's manager Charles Watson says the service will take place at 1 p.m. at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, just east of Atlanta. The funeral will be open to the public.

Watson says some of Forrest's closest friends, including Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley and gospel singer Frankie Beverly, are expected to attend.

The 38-year-old Forrest was found shot to death Saturday night. Police say he exchanged gunfire with at least two robbery suspects before being shot multiple times in the back.

[linked image]
Forrest was a two-division champion, who
gained notoriety when he became the first boxer to defeat Mosley.

Posted on Jul 29, 2009, 11:37 AM

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Jackson chef recalls doctor's role, final days ..

by TFSnewsRoom/Ap.com

Jackson chef recalls doctor's role, final days


[linked image]
AP Kai Chase, Michael Jackson's personal chef,
is photographed in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Tuesday, July 28, 2009



ABC News By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch, Ap Special Correspondent 1 hr 3 mins ago
LOS ANGELES On the day Michael Jackson died, his personal chef says her first hint of something amiss was when his doctor didn't come downstairs to get the juices and granola he routinely brought the King of Pop for breakfast each morning.

Kai Chase, a professionally trained chef hired by Jackson to maintain a healthy food regimen, recalled the singer's final days in an interview with The Associated Press. She also spoke about the role of his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who is now the focus of a manslaughter investigation.

Chase said Tuesday that she had gotten used to seeing Murray coming and going from the mansion. The doctor usually arrived about 9 or 9:30 p.m. and would go upstairs to Jackson's room, and she said she would not see him again before she left sometimes late in the evening but understood he was staying the night.

In the morning, when she arrived for work, Chase said she would see the doctor coming down the steps carrying oxygen tanks. When Murray didn't come downstairs the morning of June 25, "I thought maybe Mr. Jackson is sleeping late," Chase said.

"I started preparing the lunch and then I looked at my cell phone and it was noon. About 12:05 or 12:10 Dr. Murray runs down the steps and screams, 'Go get Prince!' He's screaming very loud. I run into the den where the kids are playing. Prince (Jackson's oldest son) runs to meet Dr. Murray and from that point on you could feel the energy in the house change.

"I walked into the hall and I saw the children there. The daughter was crying. I saw paramedics running up the stairs."

At that point, Chase said, the small group that was gathered the children, their nanny, a housekeeper and Chase held hands and began to pray. As paramedics raced up to the room, Chase recalls, "We were all praying, 'Help Mr. Jackson be O.K.'

"Then everyone was very quiet."

At about 1:30 p.m. she said security guards told her and other staff to leave the property because "Mr. Jackson was being taken to the hospital."

When she came outside, she said, ambulances were in the courtyard and a crowd had gathered.

Chase, 37, who has cooked for other celebrities and comes from a show-business family, was hired by Jackson in March, let go in May, then returned on June 2. She said the pop star's focus was on fresh, healthy food for him and the children.

She said she prepared meals for the family and occasionally for Murray. She said Jackson was in training for his upcoming shows in London and told her: "You have to take care of me."

On most days, she said, Murray would bring Jackson the special fruit juice drinks Chase prepared for him, followed by granola with almond milk. For lunch, Jackson would eat with the children from a menu that included such things as spinach salad and chicken.

Murray sometimes joined them for dinner, which might be a seared ahi tuna. She said the doctor conferred with her about the 50-year-old pop singer's food and made sure that he ate.

The only oddity was the oxygen tanks. Chase said she never asked about the purpose of the oxygen and she saw no sign that Jackson was on drugs or was in failing health.

"Normally in the morning, he would bring oxygen tanks from upstairs downstairs, one in each hand," she said.

Authorities searched Murray's Las Vegas home and medical office Tuesday as part of an investigation that included raids last week of his clinic and storage in Houston.

With toxicology reports pending, investigators are working under the theory that the powerful anesthetic propofol caused Jackson's heart to stop, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Murray told investigators he regularly administered the drug to help Jackson sleep, and had done so sometime in the early morning of June 25, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Propofol is supposed to be administered only in monitored medical settings by trained personnel; the official told AP that Murray left the bedroom and returned to find the star unresponsive. Police have said Murray is cooperating and have not labeled him a suspect, and his lawyer, Edward Chernoff, has said the doctor "didn't prescribe or administer anything that should have killed Michael Jackson."

Like Murray, Chase said she was hired to accompany Jackson to London for his comeback concerts and the request was personally made to her by his 12-year-old son, Prince Michael II.

"Prince said, 'Daddy wants me to tell you he wants you to go to London with us,'" she recalled. "I said, 'Tell your daddy that I'm pleased and honored."

She said she had already filled out paperwork and submitted a copy of her passport to the Jackson staff and expected to leave for London on July 3.

On June 23, she said Jackson told her: "I'm packed and I'm ready to go." Two days later, he was dead.

It was the end of her dream job and an idyllic time in Chase's life, a time that had begun in March with a call from Jackson's assistant, Michael Williams. She was told that "a client" wanted her services as personal chef but she was not told the client was Jackson until she was hired.

"I couldn't believe it," she said. "I asked him if I was on 'Candid Camera.' I said, 'Am I being punked?'"

She said Jackson had seen her resume which included jobs cooking for Macy Gray and Jamie Fox as well as catering a fund raiser for President Barack Obama. She said he also knew she was from a multiracial background and her godfather was Redd Foxx.

But before she started she had to pass muster with three other people: the Jackson children.

"I came to the house and the first people I met were the kids. They started interviewing me," she said. "They told me: 'We're into healthy eating.'"

When they approved her, she went to work and "we developed a really great bond."

Most days, she said, Jackson made a point of having both lunch and dinner with the children, Prince, 11-year-old Paris and 7-year-old Prince Michael II, known as Blanket, and each meal was preceded by Paris saying grace. After weeks of healthy food, she said she wrote Jackson a note with a suggestion:

"I said, 'What about doing comfort-food Saturdays? We could do barbecued chicken and corn on the cob, maybe Mexican food or soul food.'" She said he loved the idea, but as the concerts approached, healthy eating returned full time.

"He said, 'I'm a dancer,' and he wanted food that would not make him cramp up while he was dancing."

She now treasures little notes she received from the children and from Jackson and a present he gave her.

"One day he handed me a little gift bag and said, 'This is for you from me and the children.' He had given me an iPod Touch because the children told him I still had a Walkman. It had the 25th anniversary 'Thriller' album loaded on it."

She said she has visited with the children since Jackson's death and they are doing well. "They have so many cousins to play with."

As for Chase's future, she said Jackson encouraged her to write a cookbook and she has written one tentatively titled, "Fit for a King." It includes recipes she cooked for Jackson and the story of the time she worked for him.

"He was an inspiration to me," she said.

___

On the Net:

http/http://www.kaichase.com


Posted on Jul 29, 2009, 11:28 AM

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Obama Backtracks Calling Police Action Stupid:

by TFSnewsRoom/HuffingtonPost.com

Michael RussnowProfessional TV/Screenwriter, former Member Writers Guild west Board of Directors and former U.S. Senate aide
Posted: July 25, 2009 06:29 AM


Obama Backtracks Calling Police Action Stupid: Was It Moderation or Is Obama Becoming the First Wimp?
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Read More: 2012 Primaries, Abc, Anderson Cooper, Barack Obama, Brian Williams, Cambridge Police Department, Cbs, Charlie Gibson, Cnn, David Gergen, Democratic Convention, Don't Ask Don't Tell, First Amendment, Fox News, Harvard, Harvard Law Review, Henry Louis Gates, Katie Couric, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson Toxicology Reports, Michael Russnow, Msnbc, Nbc, Presidential Election, Ram Productions, Russnow, Sgt. James Crowley, Sgt. Leon Lashley, Twitter, Youtube, Politics News



Share Print CommentsAfter watching the president's rambling press conference Wednesday, I was jolted out of a near snooze when he made a sharp comment, saying the Cambridge, Massachusetts police had behaved stupidly. I was excited, because Barack Obama usually plays to the middle ground. Not because he's a political centrist -- he's not -- but because it often appears he believes the best chance for achieving success is to offend the least many people possible.

That's why he wasn't my first choice last year in the primaries -- he was actually my fourth. I viewed him as the sort of guy who becomes frat president -- not so much to get the girls, but to be everyone's pal. A glad hander with an even temperament, a winning smile, soft-spoken, articulate and smart. A great trait to become president of the Harvard Law Review, but not the leader of the free world.

And so, because Obama measures his words about almost everything, I was intrigued when he finally said something direct and from his heart after someone asked him at the end of the press conference what he thought about the case of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, who'd been arrested in his home.



I liked the way Obama laid it out carefully, saying the initial stages seemed fine to him, when someone saw Gates in the dark from a distance trying to jimmy open the door of his Cambridge home. He said he didn't mind at all that the police were called to investigate and found Gates, who was already inside his home.

But at that point he said it should have ended, as the professor showed the officer his ID, indicating he actually lived there, and Obama earned a big hurray from me when he said that the police department acted "stupidly" when they arrested Gates.

He was right. The policeman, Sgt. James Crowley, was wrong. Yet, though Gates was released without being charged after four hours of what must have been a humiliating experience for a distinguished professor -- or any decent American -- mug shots, fingerprinting and the like -- Sgt. Crowley said he had done nothing for which to apologize, though the mayor of Cambridge did just that.



When the case became controversial -- lead stories by Brian Williams on NBC, Katie Couric on CBS, Charlie Gibson on ABC and reports on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC -- not to mention the inevitable replays on YouTube -- Obama suddenly softened his tone. It was as if he said, "Oh, my God, it doesn't matter that I was right, but this will take media space away from my health care issue, and I don't want to make people think I was playing favorites with people tied to my race."

Then, when the tweets on Twitter became deafening he almost completely backtracked during a surprise appearance before the White House Press Corps. He said he was wrong for what he'd said about the Cambridge Police department and Sgt. Crowley, insisted that Crowley was an "outstanding police officer" and blamed himself for ratcheting up the incident by his comment. He further told the press he'd called Gates and Crowley and invited them both to the White House to have a beer for a kumbaya moment. Instead of this mealy-mouthed reversal, why couldn't the president man up and say, "You know, I don't have to explain myself. I said what I meant and I stand by what I said."

Even though the facts of this case are still as mysterious as the Michael Jackson toxicological reports, it's clear that had Professor Gates done anything truly illegal the police would have been champing at the bit to get the info to us. If Professor Gates had pulled out a gun or brandished a cane or slugged Sgt. Crowley in the mouth it would have been assault and grounds for arrest. No such charge has been made.

So since it is just conjecture as to what happened, I'll explore the most vile possibility. Perhaps Professor Gates is a hothead and quick tempered. Perhaps he was so repulsed by the thought that he was being questioned in an accusatory manner -- after having given the officer proof that he lived in the house -- that he -- hold onto your hats -- said something nasty. Maybe it was more than nasty -- a vulgar epithet -- maybe even used the "F" word or combined it with the word honkie.

When I was a kid I was taught, "Sticks and stones can break your bones, but names can never harm you." Was Sgt. Crowley never taught that? Not even in training for the Cambridge police force? How gutless of our president in his zeal to be neutral and not make waves to say that both Sgt. Crowley and Professor Gates overreacted. It doesn't matter whether Professor Gates overreacted. Such an overreaction is within his legal rights. It is not within Sgt. Crowley's legal rights to take advantage of the situation.

There was no reason for Professor Gates to be led off in handcuffs, whatever unpleasant thing he might have said to irritate Sgt. Crowley. The officer should have taken a deep breath and walked away. His powers as a policeman, which include being armed with a gun and a stick to beat someone back, do not entitle him to use the threat of physical force under color of authority when someone is exercising freedom of speech in his own home.

Even Sgt. Leon Lashley, an African American Cambridge police department colleague of Sgt. Crowley's, admitted that, while he supported Crowley's action (big surprise), it probably would have played out differently had he been the officer to arrive on the scene. When CNN's Anderson Cooper pressed Lashley as to why Gates was taken in -- whatever he'd said, it was in his house -- Lashley lamely responded that they were able to do so because Gates had walked outside the house. Cooper pressed further, saying Gates was on his porch and it was still his property. Lashley insisted that once out of the house, a hot exchange of words could then be viewed as disturbing the peace. That's a big stretch.

There is nothing about this case that doesn't smell phony, and the fact that our president won't stand behind his words when they become controversial makes me quite concerned about his future. It's still too early in his administration to point the finger of failure as partisan Republicans have done. But whether it's the timetable on our involvement in Iraq on which he's waffled, his health care deadline, on which he caved in to congressional forces wanting a delay or his still unfulfilled promise to gay Americans that he will eliminate the preposterous "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy -- that even many distinguished members of our military have lobbied against -- Obama just doesn't have the cojones to follow through unless he has a clear consensus. He is so afraid to offend and risk losing support that he refuses in fact to lead by setting the proper example.

The president says he has to be careful about what he says, because when he says something it gets a sizable reaction, and that's true. But in this case it deserved the media attention and exposed an outrageous happenstance that shouldn't be pooh-poohed and dispensed with over a couple of Miller Lites. The president shouldn't be so concerned about offending conservative elements of our society that he somehow compared Gates and Crowley's behavior as a simple case of two men overreacting. Even CNN's David Gergen said he was distressed about Obama's conclusion giving equal status to the men's wrongdoing.

I'll say it again. Gates has a right to scream at a policeman and tell him to get out of his house. You might not like it if he called Crowley a pig (and I'm not saying he did), but even if he had it's covered under the First Amendment. Crowley's "overreaction" went a lot farther than harmless name calling, forcibly taking Gates from his house like a common criminal. His deed was a helluva lot more consequential and an overreaching of the public trust invested in him as a police officer.

So, if this is another sizable sign of how our president is more concerned about his television "Q" rating than making meaningful change for the American people, Obama may well be a one-term president. My only hope is that if Obama can't get his act together by next year there will be a strong Democrat standing in the wings to go head to head with him in the 2012 primaries rather than the party giving him token support and in the process handing the country back to the Republicans.

In case you can't tell, I'm thoroughly disgusted with his actions today.

Michael Russnow's website is www.ramproductionsinternational.com


Posted on Jul 25, 2009, 6:14 PM

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Kiddie PORN Criminal @ Fox News...

by TFSnewsRoom/NewsHounds.org

What’s Not On Fox News (Part II) – Hypocrisy Or Unintentional Omission?

Reported by Priscilla - Wed 1:07 PM
Can you imagine the outrage on the part of the Fox News righteous resident demagogues if a producer at any of the so called librul networks were sentenced to 10 years of hard time for possessing child pornography?! But when it happens to one of their own – crickets!!! Former Fox News producer, Aaron Bruns, a kiddie porn fan and a repeat offender, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography and not only aren’t we hearing about it on Fox News; but there is nothing now on the Fox News website.

(Maybe I'm just not googling correctly - you try!) Not surprisingly, Fox appeared to have ignored Bruns’ arrest in February. If that had happened to someone at one of those evil commie/socialist networks or media outlets, Jesse T Watters would have been on the stalk. And when Brian Doyle, a Homeland Security spokesman, was arrested for "sexually preying on a detective posing as a 14-year-old girl," the Fox News article mentioned that he had previously worked, as a reporter, for Time Magazine. What say you Bill O’Reilly? Aaron Bruns – anybody????



Posted on Jul 22, 2009, 5:45 PM

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Tyler Perry lets his inner Madea loose on Philly swim club .,.

by TFSnewsRoom/AccessAtlanta.com

Tyler Perry lets his inner Madea loose on Philly swim club
10:32 am July 21, 2009, by Richard Eldredge

[linked image]
Atlanta filmmaker Tyler Perry.


Atlanta director Tyler Perry has taken time away from the local shoot of gWhy Did I Get Married Too?h to donate a trip to Disney World to the Philadelphia day camp Creative Steps Inc.

Youfll recall the black and Hispanic children from the camp made headlines this month after officials at the suburban Philadelphia Valley Swim Club denied them entrance to the private pool and publicly worried the water wings-sporting small fry would gchange the complexionh of the facility.

This week, the folks at Creative Steps announced that 65 kid campers will be going to Disney World, thanks to a donation from Perry.

gThis made me so angry,h Perry writes on his website. hI saw a little boy on the news crying his eyes out. Here is this kid talking about being kicked out of the Valley Swim Club outside Philadelphia because he was black. Did you hear me? I said, eNo way, this canft be! Itfs 2009. I donft believe this!f But, I know it happens even in this year of Obama. . . I went from being mad to being furious.h

Perry contacted the day camp and spoke with director Alethea Wright about making the donated trip to Florida. Wright in turn tells the Associated Press shefs thrilled by Perryfs generosity, especially given that the director gcomes from humble beginnings.h

The owner of Tyler Perry Studios in southwest Atlanta (who is currently listed at No. 30 on Forbes magazinefs gCelebrity 100 list and, according to the biz mag, earned an estimated $75 million in 2008) went on to explain to fans:

gSince you all have put me in the position to be able to do something I feel like by me doing this we are all doing it together. So on Aug 1 through 3, Ifm sending these kids to Disney World, and then to a Disney water park. I want them to know that for every act of evil that a few people will throw at you, there are millions more who will do something kind for them. This is all about the kids. So, thank you for letting me do this.


And do me a favor please. When you see these kids coming through the airport, (Ifm sure you wonft be able to miss them. I imagine they are going to be super excited) letfs show them a whole lot of love and respect. Show them that they are just as good as anyone else. And show them that they can do or be anything they want to be no matter what any one says!h


Posted on Jul 21, 2009, 11:34 AM

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Chris Brown: "What I Did Was Inexcusable" ..

by TFSnewsRoom/Eonline.com

Chris Brown: "What I Did Was Inexcusable"
Today 4:30 PM PDT by Breanne L. Heldman


More than five months after his alleged assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna, Chris Brown is finally speaking out.

"Since February, my attorney has advised me not to speak out, even though, ever since the incident, I wanted to publicly express my deepest regret and accept full responsibility," he says in a video posted on his YouTube page. "I felt it was time that you heard directly from me that I am sorry."

The 20-year-old star, who scored a plea deal last month and avoided jail time for the pre-Grammys incident, admits he will be speaking about that fateful evening further, but wanted to express his sorrows now.

"I wish I had the chance to live those few moments again, but unfortunately I can't," he says. "What I did was inexcusable. I am very sad and very ashamed at what I've done. My mother and my spiritual leaders taught me better than that…No one is more disappointed in me than I am."

Apparently, he has a plan of action to mend his ways.

"I have sought and I am continuing to seek help to ensure that what occurred in February can never happen again," he says. "What I did was unacceptable. 100 percent. I can only ask and pray that you forgive me please. I hope that others learn from my mistake. I intend to live my life so that I am truly worthy of the term role model."

What say you—is Brown worthy of a second chance, or is it too little, too late?



Posted on Jul 20, 2009, 8:40 PM

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Update On P-Funk Legend MALLIA FRANKLIN ~

by TFSnewsRoom..

Fmr. Parlet Singer & Funk Legend had a stroke
and a heart attack.She's paralyzed on her left side
But Was able to move Some Of her Lower Extremities
& Did Some Talking..
She Has A Rough & Lengthy Road Ahead Of Her
& Is NOT Out Of The Woods Yet..

Continue Your Thoughts & Prayers..

Ps: Thanx Dawn Silva~

[linked image]

Posted on Jul 19, 2009, 11:34 PM

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New This Week At TFS...

by TFSnewsRoom..

New This Week At TFS...
P-FUNK GUITARIST CITRUS' U.S. PIPE , P-FUNK's KIM MANNING,
P-FUNK's DANNY BEDROSIAN'S SECRET ARMY , The Return
Of The DRUGS CD , MICHAEL JACKSON ,Steve Boyd's FIVE SPECIAL & MUCH MORE..

plus New T-SHIRTS , DVDs & Books !


http://www.TheFunkStore.com

http://www.TheFunkStore.com/NewRelease/A-01.htm


TheFunkStore.com : Your RareFunk Collectibles Authority!

www.TheFunkStore.com

Posted on Jul 19, 2009, 2:26 PM

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