Billy Joel-Elton John Oklahoma City concert rescheduled for Feb. 25
Elton John and Billy Joel
The Billy Joel and Elton John Face 2 Face concert originally scheduled for Nov. 25 at Oklahoma City’s Ford Center has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25.
All tickets currently held for the originally scheduled Face 2 Face concert on Nov. 25 at the Ford Center will be valid for the rescheduled Feb. 25 concert. If necessary, refunds are available at point of purchase.
For more information, go to www.okfordcenter.com.
- BAM
Jack White talks working with Wanda Jackson on “wild record”
Jack White (Associated Press photo)
Rocker Jack White talked this week to MTV.com about producing a recent recording session for Oklahoma’s own Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson. He said the sessions have already been completed.
“I just finished recording with Wanda Jackson in Nashville. It was just supposed to be a seven-inch (single), but we did a lot more songs, so maybe it will be something bigger,” White told MTV.com. “There was a lot of good stuff. It’s a wild record.”
Jackson (pictured left), a 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, told The Oklahoman’s Gene Triplett last week that she was working with the rocker on a project that she likened to his Loretta Lynn’s 2004 album “Van Lear Rose,” which White produced.
“They had a super album, but he didn’t have her do anything different, you know,” Jackson told Gene. “She just did her little Loretta Lynn songs. But he told me he’s gonna stretch me some, so we’ll see.”
White fronts three alternative rock bands – the White Stripes, the Dead Weather and the Raconteurs – so he remains perpetually busy, even if you don’t count the producing tasks. White told MTV.com that new Dead Weather and White Stripes albums are in progress.
“It’s gonna take as long as it takes … if it takes three months to do a Dead Weather record, we’ll take that long,” White told MTV.com. “The White Stripes record is going to be these two guys (Dead Weather bassist Jack Lawrence and guitarist/keyboardist Dean Fertita) dressed as me and Meg (White, his duo partner and ex-wife), so we’ll see if something interesting comes out of that.”
But the busy White won’t be doing one project – performing on guitarist Slash’s solo album.
“I don’t even remember that request, but I love Slash — ‘Appetite (for Destruction)’ is one of the best rock albums of the past 20-30 years,” White told MTV.com. “I don’t remember exactly what that request was, but, you know, I don’t really like those albums where every song is a different person — that Santana thing, that’s not interesting to me. But I think he’s a really interesting guitar player.”
Catching up with White is always interesting, but I’m most intrigued by the idea of him working with Oklahoma City’s “sweet lady with the nasty voice,” Wanda Jackson.
-BAM
Photo gallery: “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” L.A. premiere
“The Twilight: New Moon” star Kristen Stewart wore a long, pale, glamourous gown at Monday’s premiere in Westwood, Calif. (Associated Press photos)
“The Twilight Saga: New Moon” Week continues here on BAM’s Blog with a photo gallery of moments from Monday night’s glitzy premiere in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
“Twilight” star Kristen Stewart eshewed her usual mini-dresses and Converse shoes for a long, gray-stitched gown, though she kept her a few of signature grunge-goth flourishes, including her dark eyeliner and disheveled updo. According to MTV.com, Stewart’s gown was by Oscar De La Renta.
Robert Pattinson lived up to his heartthrob title in a black Gucci suit with his usual stubble and mussed hair. And 17-year-old Taylor Lautner also looked quite the movie star in his blue Calvin Klein suit and spiked locks.
Check out these Associated Press photos of the cast and other celebrities at the premiere:
Robert Pattinson smiles on the red carpet.
Taylor Lautner grins at the hordes of “Twihard” fans thronging the red carpet.
Lautner and Stewart show off their red carpet finery.
Dakota Fanning, who plays mean vampire Jane, wore a short lacy Valentino dress.
Ashley Greene, who plays Alice Cullen, signs autographs for fans. She wore a long red Prabal Gurung gown.
See more photos after the break.
New releases for Nov. 17, 2009: “Star Trek,” American Idols and Coolio’s cookbook
J.J. Abrams’ hit reboot “Star Trek” warps onto DVD and Blu-ray today, just in time for Christmas shopping.
In honor of its 70th anniversary, the film classic “Gone with the Wind” gets an “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” release on DVD and Blu-ray.
Several recording artists are releasing CDs today, again to coincide with the holiday gift-buying season. Among those releases are the self-titled first album from 2009 “American Idol” winner Kris Allen and an expanded re-release of runner-up Adam Lambert’s pre-”Idol” debut record. (Lambert will put out his new album “For Your Entertainment” on Monday.)
In books, most everyone knows that politician Sarah Palin is releasing this week her memoir “Going Rogue.” But did you know that Coolio has a new cookbook out this week? In “Cookin’ With Coolio,” the rapper guides people through his own brand of cuisine: Ghetto Gourmet.
Here is a list of the new CDs, DVDs and books from Amazon.com, VideoETA.com and BarnesandNoble.com:
CDs
Kris Allen, “Kris Allen.”
Adam Lambert, “Take One.”
John Mayer, “Battle Studies.”
Leona Lewis, “ECHO.”
Paul McCartney, “Good Evening New York City” (CD/DVD set).
Janet Jackson, “Number Ones.”
Casting Crowns, “Until The Whole World Hears.”
The Doors, “Live in New York” (Box set).
Rush, “Working Men” (Live).
DVDs
Andy Barker, P.I.: The Complete Series
Bruno
Dane Cook: Isolated Incident
Franklyn
Gone With The Wind
How to Be
Is Anybody There?
It’s A Very Sunny Christmas
My Sister’s Keeper
The Open Road
Star Trek
Thirst
Wild Child
Books
“Going Rogue” by Sarah Palin.
“Art of Living” by Barbel Miebach.
“Cookin’ with Coolio: 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price” by Coolio.
“Crocodile Tears” by Anthony Horowitz.
“How to Be Famous: Our Guide to Looking the Part, Playing the Press, and Becoming a Tabloid Fixture” by Heidi Montag.
“I, Alex Cross” by James Patterson.
“The Original of Laura” by Vladimir Nabokov.
“Shadowland (The Immortals Series No. 3)” by Alyson Noel.
“Too Much Happiness” by Alice Munro.
“The Wrecker” by Clive Cussler.
-BAM
BAM Column: “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” actor Michael Sheen enters vampires vs. werewolves debate
Michael Sheen plays the vampire Aro in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” opening Friday.
From Tuesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
Vampires get nod … by a fang
Perhaps no one is better equipped the answer the age-old question ‘Which is better vampires or werewolves?’ than Michael Sheen.
“The tailoring is so much better as a vampire,” he quipped during a Los Angeles press conference for promoting the highly anticipated film “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” “I’ve been observing vampires for some time now and I finally got to give my own fang, although we don’t have fangs, do we? But no, it was great to be on the other side for a bit.”
The British actor first became familiar to American movie audiences as Lucian, a rebellious werewolf enslaved by vampires in the “Underworld” trilogy. He joins the “Twilight” phenomenon in the second film, “New Moon,” opening Friday.
Sheen, whose other credits include the acclaimed dramas “The Queen,” “Blood Diamond” and “Frost/Nixon,” plays Aro, a leader of the Volturi coven. The Volturi act as a sort of royal law enforcement squad for the vampire world, and they play a pivotal role as “The Twilight Saga” moves forward.
“My power is to be able to read people’s thoughts by touching them, and in real life, I would like to have the power to always look like I’m 3 centimeters to the right of where I actually am,” he said with a roguish grin.
To play the ancient bloodsucker, Sheen, 40, developed a soft, high-pitched tone to match author Stephenie Meyer’s description of Aro’s voice as “like feathers.” As he experimented, he realized the voice reminded him of the chief Blue Meanie of the animated Beatles film “Yellow Submarine.”
“I was also thinking about characters from when I was a kid watching stuff that really freaked me out, and the Blue Meanie really freaked me out. The Child Catcher from ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ — you know, ‘Lollipops’ and all that,” he said. “I liked the idea of a character who on the surface appears to be very friendly and thinks of himself as just being a sentimental old fool, a romantic at heart, and then he wants to eat your eyes.”
Sheen already has experienced one weird encounter with an exuberant “Twihard” fan,” and the buzz has found its way into his home.
“Also, going into my daughter’s bedroom and seeing she’s just got pictures from ‘Twilight’ and ‘New Moon’ everywhere and seeing my own little picture, which I think she did out of pity. ‘Have Dad up there as well,’” he said.
He also looks forward to adding an Aro action figure to his collection.
“I lose days just with my Lucian figure and my Aro figure fighting,” he joked. “They have their tea parties together. They like to fight and then they come back. I’m losing jobs because of it.”
-BAM
Jack White of White Stripes to produce Oklahoma rockabilly star Wanda Jackson’s new album
Wanda Jackson performs in Bricktown earlier this year. (Photo by Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman Archives)
Jack White (Associated Press photo)
Wanda Jackson, the “Queen of Rockabilly” and “First Lady of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” was en route to Nashville, Tenn., on Friday to meet in a recording studio with alternative rock star Jack White.
The Oklahoman’s Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett spoke with Jackson by phone as she was waiting for a flight connection at Denver International Airport.
Jackson is set to record a new album with White as the producer. They first will record a single for digital release before completing an album.
“One of the biggest stars on the planet I guess right now,” she said of White during her phone interview with Gene.
A singer-songwriter, pianist, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, White is one-half of the garage rock revivalist duo The White Stripes, which he founded in 1997 with then-wife Meg White. He also leads two other alternative rock bands, the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather.
White produced country legend Loretta Lynn’s critically lauded 2004 album “Van Lear Rose.”
“They had a super album, but he didn’t have her do anything different, you know,” Jackson told Gene. “She just did her little Loretta Lynn songs. But he told me he’s gonna stretch me some, so we’ll see. We’ll talk later.”
Jackson may be 72, but this isn’t her first time to work with new-generation musical talents; she has previously worked with Dave Alvin, The Cramps, Rosie Flores, Lee Rocker, the Cadillac Angels and Elvis Costello.
A Maud native and Oklahoma City resident, Jackson was inducted earlier this year into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her next OKC show will be at 8 p.m. Nov. 21 at 66 Bowl, 6810 NW 39, at a 50th anniversary celebration for the Route 66 landmark.
Click here to read the rest of Gene’s interesting scoop.
-BAM
Them Crooked Vultures streaming new album following leak
In response to the leak of Them Crooked Vultures’ hotly anticipated debut album, the supergroup has decided to stream the record in its entirety beginning with first track “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I.”
Them Crooked Vultures consists of drummer Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Probot), vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal) and bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin). And the music is as good as you’d expect considering the pedigree.
You can stream the band’s self-titled album here. It will begin to play automatically when you bring up BAM’s Blog, so if your computer starts rocking for no immediately apparent reason, well, you’re welcome.
-BAM
Steven Tyler appears at Joe Perry concert to insist he’s not leaving Aerosmith
Apparently, Steven Tyler is staying with Aerosmith after all.
In an effort to clarify his position with the venerable rock band, frontman Steven Tyler took the stage Tuesday night with the group’s lead guitarist, Joe Perry, to declare he wasn’t departing the band.
According to MTV.com, Tyler made a surprise appearance at a performance by Perry’s side project, the Joe Perry Project, at the Fillmore New York in Irving Plaza.
“New York, I want you to know I’m not leaving Aerosmith,” Tyler said. “Joe Perry, you are a man of many colors. But I, mother—-er, am the rainbow.”
After the announcement, Perry and the Project launched into a rollicking version of “Walk This Way,” with Tyler on lead vocals, that drove the crowd crazy.
Both Perry and Tyler gave quick interviews to TMZ.com following the show.
When Perry was asked if Tyler had just joined him onstage, he joked, “Yeah, he did. … He just couldn’t stay away,” then said that the reports of Aerosmith’s breakup were definitely not true.
This apparently puts to rest the rampant speculation that Tyler planned to leave Aerosmith — the band he formed nearly 40 years ago — for a solo career, with Perry launching a search to find a new lead singer.
The rumor mill started grinding over the summer, when Tyler sustained a tour-ending injury after falling from the stage during a show. Perry was outspoken in his frustration after the accident brought the band’s long-awaited tour to a halt and said that Tyler had broken off contact with the rest of the group.
-BAM
Wednesday Video Spotlight: Classic “Sesame Street” musical performances
Big Bird reads to children during a taping of “Sesame Street.” (Associated Press photo)
To celebrate this week’s 40th anniversary of the venerable children’s TV series “Sesame Street,” today’s Video Spotlight focuses on some of the show’s wonderful musical performances. These classic performances feature celebrities ranging from the late Madeline Kahn to Stevie Wonder, along with the “Sesame Street” Muppets.
And of course …
-BAM
Aerosmith looking for a new singer, says guitarist Joe Perry
From left, Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith perform at a June concert. (Associated Press photo)
Aerosmith’s lead guitarist Joe Perry says the venerable rock band isn’t breaking up but may be searching for a new lead singer.
Perry said on the micro-blogging site Twitter late Monday that Aerosmith is “not splitting up” but “looking for a new singer to work with.”
Speculation has been growing about front man Steven Tyler’s future with the group since the 61-year-old vocalist was injured when he fell off stage during an Aug. 5 performance in South Dakota. The band canceled the remainder of its summer tour, and Perry, who recently released his own side project album, wasn’t exactly silent about his frustration with the situation.
Tyler has been quoted as saying he is considering a solo career, according to the Associated Press.
According to the AP, Perry said Monday on WKXL, a radio station in Concord, N.H., that Tyler hasn’t communicated his intentions with anyone in the band and that he found out about Tyler’s solo wishes after going online.
Tyler couldn’t be reached for immediate comment, the AP reported.
The band has been through numerous ups and downs over the years, and it will be interesting to see if Tyler continues to “Walk This Way” or decides to get “Back in the Saddle” with Aerosmith. (I apologize, readers, but I just couldn’t help it.)
-BAM
