Rooted in the campy theatrics of Alice Cooper and the sleazy hard rock of glam rockers the New York Dolls, Kiss became a favorite of American teenagers in the '70s. Most kids were infatuated with the look of Kiss, not their music. Decked out in outrageously flamboyant costumes and makeup, the band fashioned a captivating stage show featuring dry ice, smoke bombs, elaborate lighting, blood spitting, and fire breathing that captured the imaginations of thousands of kids. But Kiss' music shouldn't be dismissed -- it was a commercially potent mix of anthemic, fist-pounding hard rock driven by sleek hooks and ballads powered by loud guitars, cloying melodies, and sweeping strings.
(rhythm guitar, vocals), former members of the New York-based hard rock band responded to an advertisement in The Village Voice. Even at their first Manhattan concert in 1973, the group's approach was quite theatrical; Flipside producer Bill Aucoin offered the band a management deal after the show. Two weeks later, the band was signed to released their self-titled debut in February of 1974; it peaked at number 87 on the U.S. charts. By April of 1975, the group had released three albums and had toured America constantly, building up a sizable fan base. Culled from those numerous concerts, followed it with the release of featured all four members playing together (most tracks were supplemented with session musicians), as the band seemed more interested in flooding the marketplace with merchandise yet again instead of making the music their top priority. With rumors running rampant that the Psycho Circus Tour would be their last, the quartet announced in the spring of 2000 that they would be launching a U.S. farewell tour in the summer, which became one of the year's top concert draws. But on the eve of a Japanese and Australian tour in early 2001, suddenly left the band once again, supposedly discontent with his salary. Taking his place was previous merchandise yet -- the "It was a sound that laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop-metal that dominated rock in the late '80s. Kiss was the brainchild of Gene Simmons (bass, vocals) and Paul StanleyWicked Lester; the duo brought in drummer Peter Criss through his ad in Rolling Stone and guitarist Ace FrehleyNeil Bogart's fledgling record label, Casablanca. 
KissAlive! (released in the fall of 1975) made the band rock & roll superstars; it climbed into the Top Ten and its accompanying single, "Rock 'N' Roll All Nite," made it to number 12. Their follow-up, Destroyer, was released in March of 1976 and became the group's first platinum album; it also featured their first Top Ten single, Peter Criss' power ballad "Beth." A 1977 Gallup poll named Kiss the most popular band in America. Kiss mania was in full swing and thousands of pieces of merchandise hit the marketplace. The group had two comic books released by Marvel, pinball machines, makeup and masks, board games, and a live-action TV movie, Kiss Meet the Phantom of the Park. The group was never seen in public without wearing their makeup and their popularity was growing by leaps and bounds; the membership of the Kiss Army, the band's fan club, was now in the six figures. Even such enormous popularity had its limits, and the band reached them in 1978, when all four members released solo albums on the same day in October. Simmons' record was the most successful, reaching number 22 on the charts, yet all of them made it into the Top 50. Dynasty, released in 1979, continued their streak of platinum albums, yet it was their last recorded with the original lineup -- Criss left in 1980.
Kiss Unmasked, released in the summer of 1980, was recorded with session drummer Anton Fig; Criss' permanent replacement, Eric Carr, joined the band in time for their 1980 world tour. Kiss Unmasked was their first record since Destroyer to fail to go platinum, and 1981's Music From the Elder, their first album recorded with Carr, didn't even go gold -- it couldn't even climb past number 75 on the charts. Ace Frehley left the band after its release; he was replaced by Vinnie Vincent in 1982. Vincent's first album with the group, 1982's Creatures of the Night, fared better than Music From the Elder, yet it couldn't make it past number 45 on the charts. Sensing it was time for a change, Kiss dispensed with their makeup for 1983's Lick It Up. The publicity worked, as the album became their first platinum record in four years. Animalize, released the following year, was just as successful, and the group had recaptured their niche. Vincent left after Animalize and was replaced by Mark St. John; St. John was soon taken ill with Reiter's Syndrome and left the band. Bruce Kulick became Kiss' new lead guitarist in 1984. For the rest of the decade, Kiss turned out a series of best-selling albums, culminating in the early 1990 hit ballad "Forever," which was their biggest single since "Beth."
Kiss was scheduled to record a new album with their old producer, Bob Ezrin, in 1990 when Eric Carr became severely ill with cancer; he died in November of 1991 at the age of 41. Kiss replaced him with Eric Singer and recorded Revenge (1992), their first album since 1989; it was a Top Ten hit and went gold. KissAlive III the following year; it performed respectably, but not up to the standards of their two previous live records. In 1996, the original lineup of Kiss -- featuring Simmons, Stanley, Frehley, and Criss -- reunited to perform an international tour, complete with their notorious makeup and special effects. The tour was one of the most successful of 1996, and in 1998 the reunited group issued Psycho Circus. While the ensuing tour in support of Psycho Circus was a success, sales of Kiss' reunion album weren't as stellar as anticipated. Reminiscent of the band's late-'70s unfocused period, few tracks on Psycho CircusPeter CrissKiss drummer Eric Singer, who in a controversial move among some longtime fans, donned Criss' cat-man makeup (since Simmons and Stanley own both Frehley and Criss' makeup designs, there was no threat of a lawsuit) as the farewell tour continued.
With the band scheduled to call it a day supposedly by late 2001, a mammoth career-encompassing box set was set for later in the year, while the summer saw perhaps the most over-the-top piece of KissKiss Kasket." The group was relatively quiet through the rest of the year, but 2002 started with a bang as Gene Simmons turned in an entertaining and controversial interview on NPR where he criticized the organization and berated host Terry Gross with sexual comments and condescending answers. He was promoting his autobiography at the time, which also caused dissent in the Kiss camp because of the inflammatory remarks made towards Ace Frehley. Frehley was quite angry at the situation, leading to his no-showing of an American Bandstand anniversary show. His place was taken by a wig-wearing Tommy Thayer, but no one was fooled and the band looked especially awful while pretending to play their instruments during the pre-recorded track. The appearance was an embarrassment for the group and for their fans, but Simmons was quick to dismiss the performance as another in a long series of money-oriented decisions. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Kiss Biography
AC/DC
AC/DC's mammoth power-chord roar became one of the most influential hard rock sounds of the '70s. In its own way, it was a reaction against the pompous art rock and lumbering arena rock of the early '70s. AC/DC's rock was minimalist -- no matter how huge and bludgeoning the guitar chords were, there was a clear sense of space and restraint. Combined with Bon Scott's larynx-shredding vocals, the band spawned countless imitators over the next two decades.
AC/DC was formed in 1973 in Australia by guitarist Malcolm Young after his band, the Velvet Underground, collapsed (Young's band has no relation to the seminal American group). With his younger brother Angus as lead guitarist, the band played some gigs around Sydney. Angus was only 15 years old at the time and his sister suggested that he should wear his school uniform on-stage; the look became the band's visual trademark. While still in Sydney, the original lineup (featuring singer Dave Evans) cut a single called "Can I Sit Next to You," with ex-Easybeats Harry Vanda and George Young (Malcolm and Angus' older brother) producing.
The band moved to Melbourne the following year, where drummer Phil Rudd (formerly of the Coloured Balls) and bassist Mark Evans joined the band. The band's chauffeur, Bon Scott, became their lead vocalist when their singer, Dave Evans, refused to go on-stage.
Previously, Scott had been vocalist for the Australian prog rock bands Fraternity and the Valentines. More importantly, he helped cement the group's image as brutes -- he had several convictions on minor criminal offenses and was rejected by the Australian Army for being "socially maladjusted." And AC/DC was socially maladjusted. Throughout their career they favored crude double entendres and violent imagery, all spiked with a mischievous sense of fun.
The group released two albums -- High Voltage and TNT -- in Australia in 1974 and 1975. Material from the two records comprised the 1976 release High Voltage in the U.S. and U.K.; the group also toured both countries. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap followed at the end of the year. Evans left the band at the beginning of 1977, with Cliff Williams taking his place. In the fall of 1977, AC/DCLet There Be Rock, which became their first album to chart in the U.S. released
Powerage, released in spring of 1978, expanded their audience even further, thanks in no small part to their dynamic live shows (which were captured on 1978's live If You Want Blood, You've Got It). What really broke the doors down for the band was the following year's Highway to Hell, which hit number 17 in the U.S. and number eight in the U.K., becoming the group's first million-seller.
AC/DC's train was derailed when Bon Scott died on February 20, 1980. The official coroner's report stated he had "drunk himself to death." In March, the band replaced Scott with Brian Johnson. The following month, the band recorded Back in Black, which would prove to be their biggest album, selling over ten million copies in the U.S. alone. For the next few years, the band was one of the largest rock bands in the world, with For Those About to Rock We Salute You topping the charts in the U.S. In 1982, Rudd left the band; he was replaced by Simon Wright.
After 1983's Flick of the Switch, the band's commercial standing began to slip; they were able to reverse their slide with 1990's The Razor's Edge, which spawned the hit "Thunderstruck." While not the commercial powerhouse they were during the late '70s and early '80s, the '90s saw them maintain their status as a top international concert draw. In the fall of 1995, their 16th album, Ballbreaker, was released. Produced by Rick Rubin, the album received some of the most positive reviews of AC/DC's career. Ballbreaker entered the American charts at number four and sold over a million copies in its first six months of release. Stiff Upper Lip followed in early 2000. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Hillary Hits Beverly Hills
Hilary Duff stocks up on supplies at Rite Aid in Beverly Hills. Hopefully her next stop is the mall; she desperately needs to stock up on new clothes!
Unfortunately, Hilary's gorgeous handbag has to endure the embarrassment of being associated with this fashion faux pas.
Menampilkan kembali icon "Show Desktop" yg hilang
Pgn cerita dikit,...kmaren ada yg sempet kehilangan "Show Desktop" shortcut dari menu Quick Launch ku,...ak bener2 ngerasa bingung,marah,sedih,..huhu (berlebihan 
1. Klik Start , klik Run, ketik notepad, and then klik OK.
2. Di dalam Notepad, ketik teks2 berikut :
[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop
3. Dari menu File, klik Save As, dan simpan file tsb dengan nama "Show Desktop.scf"
Semoga berguna,
94 Hours - As I Lay Dying
Biography:
As a wise band once pointed out, what happens on the road always comes home. Sure, you can read into the darker side of that sentiment, but if you're talking about the San Diego quintet As I Lay Dying, for whom the road literally has been home since day one, the never-ending trail of unfamiliar cities, stages, and faces that comes with touring has only cut a path toward something brighter.
Formed in early 2001 to realize the developing musical vision of ex-Society's Finest guitarist Tim Lambesis, As I Lay Dying first took shape as a trio, with (now-former) guitarist Evan White and drummer Jordan Mancino rounding out the lineup. One month into their lifespan, the group hit the studio to record their first album, Beneath The Encasing Of Ashes, released that June By Pluto Records. As I Lay Dying caught the touring bug shortly afterward, and started what to this day remains a pattern: With each new tour stop came new converts to the group's sound, and as more people caught on, Pluto found a new best-selling release in Beneath The Encasing Of Ashes--which, massive as it was, barely hinted at the material As I Lay Dying still had brewing inside of them.
Released by Pluto in August of 2002, As I Lay Dying's split CD with fellow San Diegans American Tragedy offered the first sign of where the band was headed. Though the chugging breakdowns, growled vocals, and dissonant riffs of Ashes were still present in As I Lay Dying's five tracks, a stronger sense of melody undercut the music's darkness, resulting in songs that not only stuck in your head as easily as they tore it off, but that also started to garner serious attention for the band. So, touring as relentlessly as ever behind their latest effort, As I Lay Dying found themselves landing on the radar of several prominent record labels, with Metal Blade ultimately sealing the deal in March of 2003. The band's Metal Blade debut, Frail Words Collapse, dropped on an unsuspecting public that July.
Long story short: Produced by Lambesis, Frail Words Collapse crystallized everything As I Lay Dying had been working toward into a massive knockout blow. Even though mainstream acceptance still eluded them, it didn't matter; sonically, the band had united the classic "Göthenburg sound"--the punch-press rhythms, snarling vocals and melancholy riffs of seminal Swedish bands like At The Gates--with the chugging heartbeat of modern hardcore, launching themselves into the forefront of a new scene of metal bubbling under in the U.S. Relentless touring, several lineup changes, and a growing fan buzz later, As I Lay Dying found themselves setting records they didn't even know existed: Heavy rotation on FUSE and MTV2'S Headbanger's Ball for their "94 Hours" and "Forever" videos; a No. 1 most-downloaded spot at the now-defunct MP3.com; record sales in the solid six-figure range based heavily on word of mouth; and festival dates and world tours alongside heavyweights such as Killswitch Engage, In Flames, Shadows Fall, Lamb Of God, and Hatebreed. And, of course, with each tour came new fans, who told their friends, who told their friends, who told… Well, you get the idea.
Enter 2005. Strengthened by the road, creatively on fire, and with their lineup both solidified--along with Lambesis and Mancino are guitarists Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa and bassist Clint Norris--and contributing equally to the songwriting process, As I Lay Dying enter Big Fish Studios in Encinitas, California (the same place they'd recorded Frail Words Collapse), at the beginning of January. With Lambesis at the production helm, along with help from Sgrosso, and engineer/co-producer Steve Russell once again behind the boards, the quintet sequestered themselves until spring and emerged with their leanest, meanest, and most focused effort yet, Shadows Are Security.
"All the touring we did off Frail Words Collapse really helped us learn what songs worked in a live setting and which ones didn't, and that helped us focus on the direction of this record," says Lambesis, "There's a slower, ballad-type song ["Repeating Yesterday"], but even it serves a purpose in tying the whole record together. As far as energy goes, I think all these songs are gonna be tremendous live."
Thematically, the record is just as heavy, with Mancino's coffin-tight drumming and the guitarists' melodic, lockstep riffage dropping like exclamation points around Lambesis's lyrics. While he hesitates to call Shadows… a full-blown "concept album," Lambesis admits there's definitely a concept, and a very intentional sequence, guiding songs like the soaring "Confined," the spiritually revealing "Control Is Dead" (featuring Zao's Dan Weyandt on guest vocals), and the album-summarizing "Illusions."
"My lyrics have always come from a very personal perspective, but this record really is a story of the last two years of my life, and everything I've learned since then," says Lambesis. "Lyrically, the record flows in the same way, where I start by questioning what I've been taught, re-evaluating what's meaningful and recognizing what's meaningless."
If all that sounds a little lofty, Lambesis easily brings it back into perspective: "It's really about love, and learning how to love all over again."
With--surprise, surprise--another massive tour schedule ahead of them to support Shadows And Security, including a prominent slot at the annual Cornerstone Festival and one of the headliner slots on the second stage of Ozzfest 2005, As I Lay Dying will have ample opportunities to bring the love—and the pain, and the noise—to audiences worldwide. And while Lambesis acknowledges that it'd be easy to let this sort of massive jump in the band's profile go to his head, he just as quickly shows how grounded in reality As I Lay Dying are. "We all know that metalcore is really popular right now, and sure, it would've been easy for us just to write a straight-up metalcore record to cash in on that popularity," he says. "But I really do feel like we've made a record that, even though it's got slight metalcore elements, is just a timeless, classic metal record.
"Besides," he adds, "with everything I've learned about who we are as a band these past few years, why would I ever want to go back to the way things were?"
Written by Record LabelAngelina's Mellow in Yellow
A pregnant Angelina Jolie steps out in a radiant yellow dress.
Even a giant handbag can't hide Angelina's motherly figure.
K-Fed lawyer: Spears' expanded visits recognize 'progress'
LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears will have expanded visits with her sons following a child-custody hearing that went off without a hitch Tuesday, capping a three-month period of relative calm and stability for the troubled pop star and mother of two.
The longer visits are "recognition of the progress that has been made, a progress in structure and stability," said Mark Vincent Kaplan, lawyer for Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline. At a post-hearing press conference, Kaplan said Federline retains custody of 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James, but that Spears would be allowed to see them for longer periods.
Surrounded by lawyers and her parents, Spears smiled slightly, looked straight ahead and did not respond to questions as she left the hearing, which was closed to reporters. Federline left a few minutes later, smiled at everyone, but also did not comment.
"We are so pleased with Britney's progress and we are very appreciative of the court's recognition of this progress," Spears' parents, Jamie and Lynne Spears, said in a statement read by court spokesman Allan Parachini.
Federline spokesman Elliot Mintz said his client is "extremely pleased with the way things went today."
Kaplan said one of the major changes is that "there are not daily events" to undermine the situation, and that he expected to see further progress from Spears. He said "the children are doing great," adding that Federline hopes they will one day have a more constant relationship with their mother.
"Consistently, we've said that Kevin's goal and hope is that his children will have the benefit sometime in the future of having two parents actively participating in their lives," he said.
A hearing was set for July 15 to get a progress report on the new arrangement.
It was clear from the beginning that Tuesday's hearing would be different from past courthouse spectacles, which included screaming fans with banners, frenzied paparazzi and Spears dressed in cocktail-party attire. The collection of photographers, reporters, sheriff's deputies and prospective jurors who witnessed Spears' arrival in the front of a white Land Rover didn't compare to the circus at a January hearing, when she showed up in a black minidress and gold platform shoes, then bolted before entering the courtroom.
On Tuesday, a somber Spears entered court wearing a brown polka-dot dress and white sweater. Federline arrived about 15 minutes later in a beige pinstriped suit. Moments after Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon swore them in, Spears attorney Stacy Phillips asked that the hearing be closed, and Gordon ordered reporters out.
It's been three months since Spears left a psychiatric ward a week ahead of schedule and stirred up a paparazzi car chase, a scene that looked like the beginning of even more erratic behavior. But in the weeks that followed, she lay low and largely avoided the cameras, spent time with family members and even found success in a cameo appearance on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother."
During that time, the 26-year-old pop star has been under the conservatorship of her father. The court-ordered arrangement put James Spears in control of his daughter's personal and financial affairs.
Federline has had full custody of his two sons by Spears since January, when police were called to Spears' home and taken by ambulance to UCLA Medical Center after she refused to relinquish one of the boys to a Federline bodyguard. Her visitation rights were suspended at the time, but have been gradually restored in recent months.
Spears was a constant media presence before the conservatorship took effect. Photographers captured her every visit to Starbucks and gas stations around Los Angeles, and documented a bout of bizarre behavior that included appearing in public without underwear, shaving her own head and beating a car with an umbrella.
Since James Spears took over her affairs, the pop star has been relatively invisible to photographers, only occasionally snapped shopping or having dinner with her mother, Lynne. A traffic accident last month turned out to be a minor bump in which no one was injured, and for which no one was cited.
Spears' public face has been limited to the "How I Met Your Mother" cameo, which was received well enough that she reprised it during a taping last week. The episode is set to air May 12.
"We're thrilled to have Britney joining us once again," series executive producer and co-creator Craig Thomas said in a statement last month. The show's audience increased by a million viewers the week Spears appeared.
The pop star also made news last month when she took on full-time exercise and nutrition coaches from Bally Total Fitness. Once known for her flawless figure, Spears was widely ridiculed for her flabby form in September during a universally panned performance on the MTV Video Music Awards that was meant to herald her comeback.
London Calling
Pete Wentz and his fiancee Ashlee Simpson arrive at Riverside Studios in London.
The rocker leads his lady love (or is it Sgt. Pepper?) thru a crowd of photographers.
It's a "Bittersweet World" for Ashlee, whose new album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts. Unfortunately, her rumored pregnancy didn't do anything for record sales - only 47,000 copies were sold!
Victoria's Secrets Revealed
It's been a pretty monumental year for band reunions so far: The Police, the Sex Pistols, Crowded House, Rage Against The Machine, Van Halen, the Verve, the Jesus & Mary Chain, and of course Led Zeppelin are only a few of the long-gone acts who buried the hatchet this year. But perhaps one of the most hyped and anticipated reunions of 2007 has been the return of the Spice Girls.
Some people probably thought there was no demand for Posh, Ginger, Scary, Sporty, and Baby these days. They might have assumed that the Spicy circa-'96 message of "Girl Power!" no longer rang true. These people probably laughed at the idea of the Spice Girls embarking on an international arena tour. But clearly the Spice Girls are having the last laugh now--and they're laughing all the way to the bank, as tickets to their reunion concerts have sold out in a matter of minutes. Apparently what pop fans want, what they really really want, is to see the Spice Girls one more time.
So now the Spice Girls are back to spice up our lives, and they're bigger and better than ever. They're looking hotter than they did in their heyday (one look at their slick, lingerie-draped "Headlines" video indicates the ladies have much better access to stylists and personal trainers now); Melanie Brown has gracefully recovered from that Eddie Murphy babydaddy scandal and is now a frontrunner on Dancing With The Stars; Emma Bunton is raking in residuals from her spaghetti sauce commercials; and the highest-profile Spice of all, Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham, is a bona fide fashion icon currently conquering her new home city of Hollywood.
With the Spice Girls' tour less than three weeks away, Victoria recently took time out of her grueling rehearsal schedule to talk with Y! Music managing editor Lyndsey Parker about her new life in L.A., her family, those ubiquitous band infighting rumors, and the Spices' upcoming show of shows. Read on for a little Posh talk...
YAHOO! MUSIC: So how are you enjoying Los Angeles so far?
VICTORIA: I love it. I've got to say, this year's probably the happiest we've ever been as a family. People say to me, "God, it must be really hard to transition," and I'm like, "What's hard? The sun's great, we live in Beverly Hills...let's be realistic, how hard can that be?" We absolutely love it.
YAHOO! MUSIC: You've had no difficulty adjusting?
VICTORIA: Actually, not at all. I did a lot of groundwork, though: I came over, I searched for a house, I bought a house, I enrolled my children in an incredible school. It took a long time of going backwards and forwards to find everything I needed to find because I hadn't been here that much, but it's the most wonderful place. We definitely see ourselves staying here much longer than we initially planned, because we're very, very happy. It's great. We have a lot more privacy here; we go out and do our things. The kids love it; they have a nice circle of friends. We can both work here. It's actually incredible. We're very, very happy.
YAHOO! MUSIC: But you'll be gone from L.A. for a while, huh, when you go on tour?
VICTORIA: I'm going to be away for half of December and the whole of January, in London, and then we come back to America for February. I'm really only going to be gone from L.A. a month and a half. But I'll definitely, definitely miss it, because I feel much freer here in L.A. I'm much calmer. This is the perfect place for me!
YAHOO! MUSIC: Not everyone likes L.A. You either love it or hate it, I guess...
VICTORIA: Well, obviously I love England--that's where I'm from. Fashion-wise, I find London very inspiring. It's lovely to go back and visit. But I'm used to traveling and being away from home, and I think L.A. is a great place. The people are very nice. I haven't been here that long, so hopefully it's not going to change! But we all love it. The kids are so happy.
YAHOO! MUSIC: OK, so about this tour...why now? The Spice Girls reunion has been rumored for so long, and surely you've had many offers before...
VICTORIA: You know, for years we were rumored to be discussion, but we all know what the media's like: When they haven't got anything to write about, they just make up sh*t. Everyone else was talking about a reunion, but we weren't! Geri [Halliwell] basically had a christening for [her daughter] Bluebell, and we were there, and it literally was just really natural. We all started laughing about the things we used to get up to, and how phenomenal our success was. And one thing led to another, and it just seemed like the right thing to do. As soon as we decided we got [19 Management's] Simon Fuller involved, and he started planning things. I think we were all obviously nervous in our own little ways, but for me it was just the fact that I wanted my children to see Mommy was a pop star once! To see what Mommy used to do. That Mommy does more than just moan at the boys and say, "Do your homework!" and "Brush your teeth!" That was my motivation for doing it, and it's not for long. The tour has been planned so that David [Beckham] can come on the tour and the kids can come on the tour, then at the end of February, David goes back for training and the boys will go back to school, and that will be it.
YAHOO! MUSIC: So there are no plans for a full reunion album? A permanent reunion?
VICTORIA: Well, there's the greatest hits album, which is released exclusively through Victoria's Secret. They've made a huge commitment, which is fantastic, and we're performing at their show this Thursday [November 15]. There's two new tracks on the album, "Voodoo" and "Headlines." That will be it. This isn't the Spice Girls getting back together to record loads of new material and do a new film. We're not starting off our careers again; we're literally celebrating the past, celebrating our huge success, saying thank you to our fans, showing our kids what we used to do, and finishing it off the way we should have finished it off.
YAHOO! MUSIC: It seems most bands who reunite these days try to justify the reunion with a whole album of new material, even though the fans at the reunion concerts really just want the old hits...
VICTORIA: But we've never done things the way everyone else does things. We do things the way that suits us and our families. At the end of the day, I'm already dreading it coming to an end, to be honest. I admit I was nervous at the beginning, because I've worked very hard to be accepted in the fashion industry, and I was nervous: Would they accept me if I turned into "Posh Spice" again? There's been a lot of doors opened for me in the fashion industry because of what I've done with the Spice Girls, but then again there's been a lot of doors that have been shut as well, because people do have preconceptions. It's taken me many years to work through that, so I was very nervous how people would think about that. Because fashion, outside of my family, is my passion; I'm not in the music industry anymore. But the Spice Girls reunion has been accepted very well. But after February, the kids will go back to school, David will go back to training, and my family are everything to me. I couldn't commit to doing any longer of a tour or any other stuff with the Girls, because it takes so much time. I'm having so much fun and I'm loving being back with the Girls and I've missed them so, so much--but I have a family now, so I just couldn't commit to any more time.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Why did you decide to sell your album at Victoria's Secret? With all the changes going on in the music industry right now, it seems like a smart business move.
VICTORIA: Simon Fuller is very clever businessman. It was his idea, and we all think Victoria's Secret is great, the perfect place for us to sell our record. We're five women who love Victoria's Secret, and they made a huge, huge, huge commitment, they're a very nice company. It was Simon's idea, and we all think it's a great idea. He's a genius when it comes to coming up with different ways of doing things. We don't play by the rules, we do things are different way, you know.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Are you surprised by how rabidly this reunion has been received? People are going nuts!
VICTORIA: It's great. We have the most incredible, committed fans. They've stuck with us for the last 10 years. I think it's proof that no matter what anybody says, no matter what anybody writes, it really doesn't matter. The fans are what matter. And people WANT the Spice Girls. The press can write whatever the bloody hell they like--PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE SPICE GIRLS! It's been absolutely phenomenal. We didn't know what to expect. We weren't worried about it, but we didn't know if anyone was going to want to come see us after all these years. And it's just been fantastic. Very exciting for us.
YAHOO! MUSIC: What can fans expect to see on your tour?
VICTORIA: The show is just going to be incredible. We have the best people working on this show. We have Jamie King directing it and heading up all the choreography. We have Roberto Cavalli designing all the tour clothes. We have 10 of the best dancers in the world that myself and Melanie B auditioned out here in L.A. The show is going to be one of the best shows people will ever see! The attention to detail is great, and we're going full-out to put on a fantastic show for our fans.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Are you nervous to be back onstage again?
VICTORIA: You know what? I'm not nervous at all, because I've got the other girls. If I was going to do it on my own, I'd be really nervous. But we're just going out there to have fun! I'll be happier once we've done a few shows and I know I have the choreography under my belt, because we have had so much to learn. We've got a month to rehearse all the songs, all new choreography. So there's a lot to do. But I'm not nervous. You know, we're not perfect--so what if someone does a dance move wrong? We're trying very hard, but we're the Spice Girls and we just get up there and have fun. And that's what people want to see.
YAHOO! MUSIC: How are band relations now, after all those infighting rumors over the years?
VICTORIA: Like I said, people write stuff about us all the time. We get on really, really well. Everyone is so much more mature. We've all got kids except for Melanie C, and it's great--my kids come to rehearsal after school and they hang out and they sing with us. All of our kids are getting on really well. We're just so much more mature now. We used to argue, but there hasn't actually, as yet, been any arguments this time. We've all got a lot of work to do, we all have to knuckle down and get into it, and our priorities have changed. Everything changes once you have a family. I've personally really, really missed not being in the group. Not because I missed singing and dancing, even though that is fun. I don't miss the industry. But what I have missed is having four really good friends that have got my back. And I didn't realize until I got back with the girls how much I missed that. Personally, we've all been through so much and had to deal with it on our own, and when you get back and you've got four people...well, it's like unconditional love, to be honest. Whatever you do, whatever you say, they've got your back and they care about you. I am loving every minute of it because of that--because I didn't have that in the years that I wasn't in the group.
YAHOO! MUSIC: Is it true that Melanie C was the one holdout, the one Spice Girl who didn't want to participate in the reunion?
VICTORIA: No, I think we all had our concerns. I was really concerned, like I said. I'm not in the music industry anymore, I'm in fashion, and I was nervous because I've worked very hard and had a huge amount of success with my DVB brand. I was worried that I might be jeopardizing that in any way. We were all nervous in our own little ways, but obviously it's a better story to put one girl aside and say she's the one that is having problems. People are so crazy and need Spice Girls stories all the time, that when they don't have them they just make them up! But that's cool, we accept that. We've been doing this a long time.
YAHOO! MUSIC: When the Spice Girls first came out, they were all about "Girl Power!" Do you think that positive message is missing from female pop stars' music today?
VICTORIA: That's an interesting point, because I think the whole industry has changed. For instance, I used to think fashion and music went hand-in-hand, and now I totally don't think they do. I think there are very few music artists that have any influence on fashion at all nowadays. But I think you're right about the "Girl Power" thing, and I think that's why people liked the Spice Girls--because that's what we stood for. And I think that's what people continue to like about us.
VICTORIA: Do you think that message will resonate with little girls today, who are too young to remember the Spice Girls from the first time around?
YAHOO! MUSIC: Yes, it's been incredible. The people who want tickets aren't just our fans who've grown up, but they're their children, too. There are little kids running around saying they want to go to the Spice Girls show, and they weren't even born when the Spice Girls were around before! But I think as five women that have children, all we're doing is spreading a positive message out there. I think that we're good role models and I think it's positive for women to believe what we believe in, and I think the music industry is definitely in need of that when it comes to girl groups. There's so many girl groups out there, and I'm not saying that we're any better than them, but I do think we're different. And I think the fact that people are going so crazy over our tickets is proof that people need that out there.
Everything's Magic - Angels And Airwaves
With the hiatus of pop-punk superstars blink-182 in full effect by the fall of 2005, singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge revealed the formation of his new band -- one he'd already been working with for six months -- Angels and Airwaves. With the notoriety of his previous group, much hype ensued after the announcement: In interviews with outlets like mtv.com, DeLonge proclaimed (among other things) that the new music would take elements of bands like U2 and Pink Floyd and ultimately be something of a revolution to change the face of rock & roll forever. Rounding out brainchild and songwriter DeLonge were guitarist David Kennedy (Boxcar Racer, Hazen Street), drummer Atom Willard (Rocket from the Crypt, the Offspring), and bassist Ryan Sinn (the Distillers). Angels and Airwaves unveiled themselves live on April 12, 2006, to a sold-out crowd at Pomona, CA's Glass House; their shimmering, arena-ready debut, We Don't Need to Whisper, appeared that May on Geffen. A few U.K. festivals and a monthlong North American headlining tour followed before the band served as openers with Head Automatica for Taking Back Sunday on nationwide arena dates. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
Everything's Magic
by: Angels And Airwaves
As I Lay Dying - Through Struggle
The members of AS I LAY DYING are the kind of musicians that refuse to be measured solely by their most recent accomplishments. The new album, An Ocean Between Us, is evidence of this fact, proving once again that these guys are not afraid to push the limits of their sound and always keep things moving. The music grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the album’s finish. Building upon the foundation that AILD has laid over the past several years, growing from a small San Diego outfit slowly and deliberately into a priority national act, the band has become Metal Blade Records’ biggest sellers with an extremely devoted following. AS I LAY DYING has the goods to take it all the way and stake their claim as the metal band “ you need to know about” in 2007 and beyond.
A brief history lesson: AILD’s Metal Blade debut, 2003’s Frail Words Collapse, effectively introduced this indie band to the world on the strength of the catchy but brutal songs, “94 Hours” and “Forever.” The album went on to be a label best-seller, surpassing 210,000 units sold. The follow up, Shadows Are Security, further spotlighted AILD as one of most influential bands to break out of the underground metal scene. Their high-profile, marathon tour cycle found the band as one of the featured attractions on the Ozzfest 2005 side stage, then as part of the second annual Taste Of Chaos trek in winter 2006 along with Deftones and Thrice, culminating in the headlining slot on the 2006 Sounds Of The Underground tour in front of 3000-5000 people per night. Shadows has sold nearly 275,000 records to date as word of the album and the band’s electrifying live show continues to spread through their ever growing fan base, fans that simply put are in it for the long haul.
Now, with An Ocean Between Us, the stakes have been raised, the ante upped. “It may have been comfortable for us to write a similar sounding record,” admits vocalist and founding member Tim Lambesis. “The basic elements of AS I LAY DYING are there, but on the whole, we took certain songs in a new direction. We can’t always do what’s comfortable or just do more of what our fans expect. We wanted to have more depth.” To achieve the desired depth, the band wrote and recorded as though their very lives depended on it. Lambesis says, “Everything was performed more spot-on than any of our previous records. The biggest focus was the songwriting. It’s more dynamic than previous records, and that helped the production sound bigger because there are ups and downs.” The band recruited noted producer (friend and Killswitch Engage guitarist) Adam Dutkiewicz to man the boards. Colin Richardson’s mixing skills also helped create the album’s bigger, fuller, crisper, and more dynamic sound. On An Ocean Between Us, driving melodic choruses are set to a backdrop of breakdowns, the kind that ignite moshpits to the apex of fury. Richardson named the record among his favorite, telling fans “It is brilliant, people! Amazing songs all over the place. It's a truly special album and Jordan [Mancino] has to be one the THE best drummers in metal. Seriously. It was a real honor to mix this album."
Musically, the core four –Lambesis, drummer and fellow founding member Jordan Mancino, guitarists Nick Hipa and Phil Sgrosso- wrote the album, and recruited bassist Josh Gilbert to record and fill the vacant bass position. Lambesis admits that on this album, the foursome where able to commingle all of their strengths. “From the start of this band Jordan and I were always the solid two members. Together we wrote a majority of the songs and were very passionate about every decision the band made. While we always expected that same passion from other band members, we didn’t always receive it. It wasn’t until Phil and Nick joined the band that we were finally able to find the other solid two.” Lambesis also feels the band played to everyone’s strengths when writing, making the process natural. He says, “We were conscious about focusing in on things. Like if we wanted Phil’s guitar melody style to be the showcase of the song. Or if we wanted to go towards the darker, thrashier songwriting style, we’d focus on that. We focused on separate strengths, so songs came out drastically different and it sounds more diverse.” Another musical step occurred on the song “Nothing Left.” Lambesis says the song was a step forward for him personally, because when demoing the song, he had to sing the clean background vocals to get a feel for how he wanted it to go, not because he particularly wanted to sing that part. He says, “It was my first time singing a chorus, and it’s now one of my favorite choruses, and not because I sing it, but because it has a unique feel.”
While Shadows Are Security was a concept record, Lambesis admits that An Ocean Between Us is more lyrically diverse, something that he did with purpose. “I tried to write about whatever was on my mind,” the singer reveals. “I did not have a certain conceptual direction, but because I tend to focus on certain topics, the album has a bit of a theme,” he reveals. “The title is about the separation we need to have between the expectations of the rest of the world and what our goals are. There are dreams we’re taught are normal, whether it’s money or success or any of those things, but we shouldn’t believe in those things if they are not important to us. There is an ocean between our real lives and what is expected of us.”
One thing that can’t be denied is the devotion and loyalty that AILD constantly receive from their fans. In fact, every time that AILD is up for some award that is voted on by the public, AILD’s fan’s never disappoint. The band has taken home the San Diego Music Award’s 2006 Artist of the Year (beating out Jason Mraz and Switchfoot) as well as being voted 2006’s Metal Gods by MTV2. One of the reasons that fans have latched on to AILD so passionately and fervently is that the band always has something thoughtful and positive to say while still playing a combustible, aggressive style of music. Instead of dwelling on what’s wrong with the world, they’re more interested in putting a positive spin on the obstacles that life throws your way. “For a long time in the metal scene, the lyrics weren’t easy for fans to relate to, on a personal level,” Lambesis says. “If you’ were angry, you listened to metal, but there was no positive advice or lyrics that inspired you to overcome struggles. That didn’t exist until more recently. We’d like to think that we’re a band that many younger people can relate to.”
With a fanbase that continues to grow exponentially, AILD plan to focus on what they know best, hitting the road. With a tour schedule that includes the US, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia, they know that there are always new fans that haven’t been exposed to the music. “We’ll keep pushing forward,” Lambesis says. “There is always a chance for us to do more, even with more people that don’t necessarily listen to metal.” Thanks to their keen sense of melody that allows their songs to continually take up real estate in your brain, AILD is confident about winning over these new fans. Without question An Ocean Between Us is the right record to capture their attention.
Lambesis has always seen AS I LAY DYING as a metal band that still has a great deal of punk and hardcore influence in both their music and ethics, something that also draws different people to the band. “I’ve always appreciated how punk music has such a strong sense of melody, but with really fast beats,” Lambesis says. “Those melodies and tempos can also be found in our songs...just don’t let the double bass fool you. Also a large part of our melody comes from the guitars (as opposed to the vocals), something we have become known for. And beyond the music, I’ve always felt like we come from a punk and hardcore ethic as well, something that is embedded in the way we approach our music careers. As a band, being passionate about what we do and having meaning behind our music, that’s what we’re about. It’s not just mindless, mass marketed pop music. For me personally, within the band, and within my life, I want to stand up for what I believe in. That’s more important than the success or the popularity that comes from being in a band.”
With An Ocean Between Us, AS I LAY DYING are definitely on to something special. And with a touring schedule that would make the circus jealous, you can rest assured that AS I LAY DYING will be leaving an even bigger mark in 2007 and beyond.
Sony VAIO SZ491N/X Laptop Computer
Features:
Processor Brand Intel core 2 Duo
Mobile Technology Intel Centrino Duo
Maximum Memory 2 GB Memory
Technology DDR II SDRAM
Cache Size 4 MB
Processor Core 2 Duo
Processor Technology Intel Centrino Duo
Hard Drive Capacity 200 GB
Included Drives DVD±RW (±R DL)
CD Write Speed 24 X
DVD Write Speed 8x (DVD±R), 4x (DVD±R DL)
Display Type TFT active matrix
Resolution 1280 x 800 pixels
Battery Type Lithium ion
Wireless Technology Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Modem Speed 56 Kbps
Operating system: windows Vista Interface Provided VGA, Phone line, Ethernet
Also known asSony VAIO VGNSZ491N/X, Sony SZ491N/X, Sony VGNSZ491N/X, Sony VAIO, Sony VAIO SZ491N/X
Dimension 1.3 in x 12.5 in x 9.3 in (HxWxD)Laptop yg satu ini Cool banget buat loe yang suka menggunakan laptop, apalagi loe yg menggunakan laptop buat business or internet-an.
Dengan spesifikasi kayak gini loe tenang2 aja kalau buat browsing & internet-an baik dari rumah or di kantor tempat loe kerja. Untuk harga mungkin lebih mahal kale... but, kamu jangan takut buat ngeluarin duit loe buat beli ne laptop karena loe bakal cool & pede di buatnya.
Nokia N95 Cell Phone
Features:
Cell Phone TypeCamera, Digital Player, FM Radio, GPS, Push to Talk, TV, Bluetooth, MP3, Video
Cell Network Technology WCDMA, GSM
Wireless Technology Infrared, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Supported Memory MicroSD
Megapixels 5.0 Megapixels
Talk Time 6.5 hrs.
Standby Time 9.5 days
Operating System Symbian OS 9.2, Series 60 3.1 Edition
Screen Size 2.6 in.
Supported Media Format WMA, AAC, MP3
Connector Types Headset jack, Data port, Pop-Port, Mini-phone 3.5 mm
Digital Camera Yes
Network Technology WCDMA (UMTS), GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Dimension 3.9 in x 2.1 in x 0.8 in (HxWxD)
Nokia N72 Pink Cell Phone
Full Specifications: Nokia N72 Pink
Cell Phone Type Camera, Digital Player, FM Radio, Push to Talk, Bluetooth, MP3, Video
Cell Network Technology EGSM, GSM
Band Dual Band
Wireless Technology Bluetooth
Synchronization Lotus Organizer 6.0, MS Outlook Express, MS Outlook, Lotus Organizer 5.0, Lotus Notes 5.0
Megapixels 2 Megapixels
Talk Time 3.6 hrs.
Standby Time 10.8 days
Operating System Symbian OS 8.1a
Screen Size 2.1 in.
Supported Media Format WMA, AAC, MP3
Key Functions Digital Camera, Digital Player, Radio
Network Technology EGSM 900, GSM 1800/1900 (Tri-Band)
Dimension 4.3 in x 2.1 in x 0.9 in (HxWxD)
Nokia N73 Cell Phone
Full Specifications: Nokia N73
Features:
Cell Phone Type Camera, Digital Player, FM Radio, Bluetooth, MP3, Video
Cell Network Technology WCDMA, GSM
Wireless Technology Bluetooth, Infrared
Synchronization Lotus Organizer 6.0, MS Outlook Express, MS Outlook, Lotus Organizer 5.0, Lotus Notes 5.0
Supported MemoryMini SD
Megapixels 3.2 Megapixels
Talk Time 4.1 hrs.
Standby Time 14.6 days
Operating System Symbian OS 9.1
Screen Size 2.4 in.
Key Functions Digital Camera, Digital Player, Radio
Height 4.3 in
Width 1.9 in
Depth 0.7 in
Weight 3.95 oz
Manufacturer Part No. N73
Dimension 4.3 in x 1.9 in x 0.7 in (HxWxD)
Apple iPod classic 80GB - Silver
Full Specifications: Apple iPod classic 80GB - Silver
Storage Capacity 80 GB
Key Functions Calendar, Games, Photo Viewer
Screen Size 2.5 in.
Storage Type Hard Drive
Supported Media Format Apple Lossless, WAV, AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3, MOV, MPEG-4, H.264, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
Compatible OS Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 or later, Apple MacOS X 10.4.8 or later
Max Battery Life 30 hrs.
Hard Drive Size 80 GB
Audio Format Apple Lossless, WAV, AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3
System Compatibility PC, Mac
Required OS Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 or later, Apple MacOS X 10.4.8 or later
Power Source Player battery - rechargeable - lithium ion
Recharge Time 4 hour(s)
Weight 4.9 oz
Manufacturer Part No. MB029LL/A
Dimension 4.1 in x 2.4 in x 0.4 in (HxWxD)
Apple iPod touch 8GB MP3 Player
Product Details: Apple iPod touch 8GB
Product LineiPod touch
Storage Capacity8 GB
Key Functions Calendar
Screen Size 3.5 in.
Wireless Technology Wi-Fi
Supported Memory Integrated
Storage Type Flash
Supported Media Format Apple Lossless, WAV, AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3, MOV, MPEG-4, H.264, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
Compatible OS Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 or later, Apple MacOS X 10.4.10
Max
Connector TypesIEEE 802.11b/g (Wi-Fi), Docking station, Headphones
Installed Memory 8 GB
Base Warranty 1 year warranty
Warranty Information 1 year warranty
Weight 4.2 oz
Also known as Apple, Apple iPod touch, Apple iPod touch MA623LL/A, Apple MA623LL/A
Manufacturer Part No.MA623LL/A
UPC 885909121472
Dimension 4.3 in x 2.4 in x 0.3 in (HxWxD)
Coldplay announce North American tour
Coldplay announce their 'Viva La Vida' North American Tour in support of their new album of the same name, which will be released on June 12th
The US tour will kick off on June 29th in Philadelphia, PA। Ticket information is available at http://www.coldplay.com. British/European dates will be announced shortly.
Before kicking off the 'Viva La Vida' tour, Coldplay will play free concerts in London (June 16th at Brixton Academy) and New York (June 23rd at Madison Square Garden)। Information on how to win tickets to these shows will be available at http://www.coldplay.com beginning today. The contest will run from May 9th through to June 1st. Winners will receive notification on June 5th.
Viva La Vida, Coldplay’s forthcoming album, will be released by Parlophone on June 12th। Produced by Brian Eno and Markus Dravs, the record is the follow-up to 2005’s X&Y, which debuted at #1 in 32 countries and has sold 10 million copies worldwide to date.
The album’s lead single 'Violet Hill' was downloaded by two million people during the recent one-week period in which the band made the song available to fans for free. It is now for sale at all digital retailers.
Coldplay will perform 'Violet Hill' on the 'TODAY' show on NBC on Friday, June 27th. US fans are encouraged to check out the performance in person. Viewing is on a first-come, first-served basis outside the show’s Window on the World Studio, located at 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. The band will also perform on Comedy Central’s 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' on June 26th.
'[Lead singer Chris] Martin broods over a lost lover with a snarling acidity that makes him sound more human than ever – miles away from the dreamy romantic he was on soaring ballads like 'Speed of Sound,’' said Rolling Stone, naming 'Violet Hill' a must-have in a recent 'Downloads' column। 'Jonny Buckland rips jagged, bluesy riffs that match Martin’s mood while drummer Will Champion and bassist Guy Berryman maintain a stalking beat,primal rock & roll.'
COLDPLAY – 'VIVA LA VIDA' NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Upcoming US tour dates are as follows:
6/29 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center 5/16
7/2 Washington, DC Verizon Center 5/17
7/3 Hartford, CT XL Center 5/17
7/5 Detroit, MI The Palace of Auburn Hills 5/17
7/6 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena 5/17
7/8 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center 5/17
7/9 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center 5/17
7/10 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center 5/16
7/12 Phoenix, AZ Jobbing.com Arena 5/17
7/19 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena 5/17
7/21 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
7/24 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
7/25 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
7/27 Pemberton, BC Pemberton Festival
7/29 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
7/30 Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome
8/1 Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
8/3 Omaha, NE Qwest Center
8/4 Chicago, IL United Center
10/20 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
10/21 Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
10/26 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center
10/29 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
10/30 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
11/3 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
11/7 Orlando, FL Amway Arena
11/8 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
11/11 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
11/18 Houston, TX Toyota Center
11/19 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
11/21 Denver, CO Pepsi Center Arena
11/22 Salt Lake City, UT Energy Solutions Arena
