Music Bender

Avril Lavigne recorded her latest single “Girlfriend” in eight languages, because just one definitely wasn’t enough. Too bad the verses aren’t translated…

And what do you mean the phrase “I’m the motherf***** princess” doesn’t translate?!?

I thought that was common knowledge in Japanese/French/German etc. etc.

Here are some samples. Really, it’s pretty cool stuff.

Chinese

French

Spanish

German

“Hope I die before I get old…”

The oldest and greatest rock band in the world - meet The Zimmers and their amazing cover of The Who’s “My Generation”.

Lead singer Alf is 90 - it’s quite something when he sings “I hope I die before I get old”. And he’s not the oldest - there are 99 and 100-year-olds in the band! The Zimmers will feature in a BBC TV documentary being aired in May 2007. Documentary-maker Tim Samuels has been all over Britain recruiting isolated and lonely old people - those who can’t leave their flats or who are stuck in rubbish care homes. The finale of the show is this group of lonely old people coming together to stick it back to the society that’s cast them aside - by forming a rock troupe and trying to storm into the pop charts.

Some massive names from the pop world have thrown their weight behind The Zimmers… The song is produced by Mike Hedges (U2, Dido, Cure), the video shot by Geoff Wonfor (Band Aid, Beatles Anthology), and it was recorded in the legendary Beatles studio 2 at Abbey Road.
Look out for the single being released from May 21 - with proceeds going to a good cause.

More info available at their Myspace.

What a freakin’ awesome idea. Mad props to whoever thought this up. Seriously.

Why is America addicted to a singing talent show?

Firstly, because of the awesome lack of talent in the beginning. Speaking of which, New York’s lack thereof was hilarious. More on that later.

But then, later in the season, everyone starts listening. Everyone actually sees the hard work that these truly talented people put into the show. And that’s when America gets involved, physically and emotionally.

There will always be naysayers for the show. But this is a reality show that I can actually get behind and say that I enjoy it, because there is something good that comes out of it in the end. Most of the finalists get record deals that they deserve.

Back to the fun stuff though, tonight’s featured artist: Sara Goldberg. Wow. She was insanely bad, and admitted as much. She then proceeded to tell the judges off, because in her opinion, the next American Idol didn’t have to be able to sing.

Uhhh. Ahahahahaha. I laughed.

But anyway folks, stay tuned because more fun and games are yet to come. And how about showing a little more talent next time NBC? (This showing we saw 10 out of 35 contestants who made it through to Hollywood…)

“The Future is Unwritten,” Julien Temple’s new film on the life and career of late Clash frontman Joe Strummer, will have its U.S. premiere in mid-January at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Taking its name from one of Strummer’s favorite phrases, the film includes interviews with such Strummer disciples as Bono, actors Johnny Depp and John Cusack, members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Clash, old friends and those who squatted with him in condemned buildings in London before the Clash took off.

Also featured is unseen footage of Strummer’s early life, as well as unearthed clips of the Clash and the Mescaleros, the band he fronted in the years prior to his 2002 death.

To be in cinemas in the US early summer, with DVD and soundtrack to follow after. Read more and Billboard.com.

• Brooks & Dunn dominate CMA Awards [LiveDaily.com]
• Snow Patrol Oxfam charity video [YouTube]
• Spears sex tape suit dismissed. Oh, and she popped up on Letterman.

It seems two of new media’s big boys are desperate to get their fingers into indie land, and not just the teeny pop crowd.

AOL, in the midst of shifting from an Internet service provider model to an advertising-driven business, aims to expand its audience at the margins by stretching beyond the pop crowd with new programing aimed at hipsters.

Microsoft, meanwhile, is trying to make inroads with its new Zune digital media player by winning over the same group of tastemakers that first embraced Apple Computer’s iPod.

As part of AOL’s indie strategy, the portal on October 26 launched a weekly Web-only video show called “The DL,” hosted by Sara Schaefer of the comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade. It also plans to launch a revived version of its Spinner radio brand with special channels dedicated to indie music. Additionally, the company is already up and running with a new weekly podcast series called “The Interface,” which focuses on acts like Spoon.

Microsoft, on the other hand, is targeting the indie community with heavy promotional activity around music festivals like CMJ, which runs through November 4. CMJ is working with Microsoft to identify as many as 300 music-savvy students ages 18-22 to assist with on-campus and online promotions as well as feedback for the Zune, which is expected to hit stores November 14.

I don’t see either of them making much inroads, although I think Microsoft have a better chance; AOL still has too strong a stigma attached, while Microsoft at least have a certain coolness thanks to the Xbox - whether this helps them market the Zune or not is another matter.

Elton’s all a-tither as he accuses record label Universal of not promoting his latest LP, The Captain and The Kid, to his satisfaction.

Sez Elton:

“Nobody would know the album has been out since September.

“My record label isn’t doing anything to help. F— Universal. Please drop me. I’m 58 and I don’t care anymore.”

Poor boy.

Finally official:

Mega-selling pop trio Genesis is reuniting with Phil Collins for its first tour with him since the summer of 1992. An official announcement will be made Monday (Nov. 7) in London. Genesis hasn’t toured since 1998, during which Ray Wilson replaced Collins on lead vocals alongside principal members Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford.

As Music Bender reported back in October, original vocalist Peter Gabriel will not be taking part. Sniff

• Timberlake in double win at MTV awards. [BBC]
• Rapper who killed producer for ‘disrespect’ jailed for 30 years. Good. {Guardian]
• Iron Maiden’s “Sheriff” leaves Sanctuary. This is actually big news, if you know Maiden’s history and organisation. [Yahoo]
• Shakira wins 4 Latin Grammies. Shake it, baby! [Yahoo]

Man, this is hilarious!

Rap star Kanye West was named Best Hip Hop artist, but still came off as a sore loser at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

West apparently was so disappointed at not winning for Best Video that he crashed the stage Thursday in Copenhagen when the award was being presented to Justice and Simian for “We Are Your Friends.”

In a tirade riddled with expletives, West said he should have won the prize for his video “Touch The Sky,” because it “cost a million dollars, Pamela Anderson was in it. I was jumping across canyons.”

“If I don’t win, the awards show loses credibility,” West said.

From Mercury News. Poor Kanye

• Killers announce Wembley dates. Of interest to UK readers only, really. While their latest LP is a bit… meh, I’d still like to see them, but not at Wembley Arena. Worst. Venue. Ever. [XFM]
• Mick Jagger’s illness forces cancellation of Stones show. [Music-News.com]
• EMI to license Dean Martin’s name, image. Good lord. [Newsday]
• Two arrested in Hank Willians book theft. They’d stolen one of Hank’s notebooks containing notes and unpublished song lyrics. [Mercury News]
• Sonic Youth unveils rarities tracklist. Oooh. [Pitchfork]
• U2 to release 3D concert film. This will either rock, or cause them regret a’la Rattle And Hum. Me? I likes me that Rattle And Hum. [Billboard]

R.E.M., Van Halen, The Stooges, Patti Smith and The Dave Clark Five are among nine acts on the final ballot for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, according to various reports.

Chic, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Joe Tex, and The Ronettes complete this year’s ballot. Five acts of the nine eligible acts will be inducted during a March 12 ceremony at New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, though the inductees will be announced in December.

via LiveDaily.com

Man, the very idea that R.E.M, Van Halen and The Stooges are not yet in the hall of fame is… is sacrilege! What the heck has taken these guys so long?

• Phil Lesh, bassist for the Grateful Dead, says he has prostate cancer. [Yahoo]
• Kylie Minogue talks of her own cancer battle [BBC].
• Grocery store clerk alleges Green Day stole his idea for American Idiot and other songs. It has been thrown out of court. That’s funny. [Undercover]
• Jacko to make appearance at World Music Awards. Exciting.
• Breaking news: smoking weed turns you into an indie rock poseur. I KNEW IT! [Pitchfork]
• U2 goes to church. 150 US churches using the group’s songs in their services. [Much Music]
• Departed: Marijohn Wilkin. [Billboard]

This is brilliant news - hopefully other labels will follow suit to remain competitive, but of course it does depend on the online services following through:

Universal Music is slashing European download prices for some of its older albums, the first broad online cost-cutting move by any of the four major music companies reports Reuters.

The world’s largest seller of recorded music said on Monday that starting November 1 it would reduce the prices it charges online retailers for 1,500 albums ranging from The Who’s “Quadrophenia” to R.E.M.’s “Reckoning”.

The prices ultimately charged consumers will be determined by individual online services, Universal Music said, though a spokesman added that the response has been encouraging.

Broadly speaking, the albums in the programme, including ones from The Cure, Dusty Springfield and Buddy Holly, are expected to sell for about 6.99 euros ($8.89) and 5.49 pounds ($10.43), reduced from 9.99 euros and 7.99 pounds, respectively.

Download pricing of singles, which has been a sticky subject between music companies and Apple Computer Inc. and its market leading iTunes music store, will not be affected.