Studios ratchet up pressure on SAG & other

Little Britain star reunited with tortoise

2008-09-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

'Little Britain' star Ruth Jones has thanked recycling plant workers for saving her pet tortoise, Tom, after he appeared on a conveyer belt.

The award-winning 'Gavin and Stacey' headliner and her family bear been looking for the 55-year-old reptilian since he climbed into their recycling bag five weeks ago.

The tortoise was seconds from death when he was rescued at the Cardiff Council adeptness in Wales.

Jones, who rosiness to fame playing Myfanwy in 'Little Britain', and her husband had put up posters appealing for the reelect of their pet as well as alerting Cardiff Council.

Plant doer Paul Cowling said: "It was a huge surprisal to escort a tortoise on the line, we get some incorrect materials coming through here, simply it is the number one time for a tortoise."

He added: "We are all pleased Tom survived and the fact that the tortoise belongs to Ruth Jones is something else."

Voicing her appreciation, Jones said: "I would like to thank all of the staff at the recycling depot at Lamby Way for economy Tom.

"We really thought we had lost him and the family is relieved to have him back home."

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The Feeling cover a-ha and Buggles at V Festival

2008-08-22T18:31:00.001-07:00

The Feeling called upon classic pop hitmakers a-ha and Buggles for their V Stage performance at the Staffordshire leg of V Festival this afternoon (August 16).

Along with playing a selection of their own songs that got the crowd going, the band borrowed to

The Church

2008-08-12T18:25:00.001-07:00

Artist: The Church

   Genre(s):
Rock
   Indie
   Other

Discography:


Starfish 2CD

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 22


Gold Afternoon Fix

   Year: 2005
Tracks: 13


Forget Yourself

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 14


After Everything Now This

   Year: 2002
Tracks: 10


The Blurred Crusade

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 10


Quick Smoke at Spot's

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 16


Of Skins and Heart

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 9


Hindsight CD2

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 12


Hindsight CD1

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 12


A Box of Birds

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 10


Hologram of Baal

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 10


Magician Among the Spirits

   Year: 1996
Tracks: 10


Sometime Anywhere

   Year: 1994
Tracks: 13


Priest = Aura

   Year: 1992
Tracks: 14


Starfish

   Year: 1990
Tracks: 10


Seance

   Year: 1990
Tracks: 10


Remote Luxury

   Year: 1990
Tracks: 10


Heyday

   Year: 1986
Tracks: 13


Under The Milky Way

   Year:
Tracks: 18

NASA Space Sound Recordings

Michael Jackson to release new album

2008-08-06T18:43:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson will handout a young album to celebrate his 50th natal day, with British fans compiling the tracklisting.

'King Of Pop', out on August 25, will feature 18 tracks chosen from a 50-strong list that includes 'Billie Jean',' Off The Wall', 'Bad' and 'Thriller'.

Fans have until Sunday (August 10) to right to vote for the tracks, and can make their selection on either The Sun or GMTV websites.

The full list of tracks

Slow Train Soul

2008-08-06T01:12:00.001-07:00

Artist: Slow Train Soul

   Genre(s):
Other

Discography:

Illegal Cargo

Year: 2004
Tracks: 12

Allied Vision

Jarboe

2008-08-06T00:59:00.001-07:00

Artist: Jarboe

   Genre(s):
Industrial
   Pop: Pop-Rock

Discography:


Sacrificial Cake

   Year: 1995
Tracks: 16


Thirteen Masks

   Year: 1992
Tracks: 14

Coming to rock and data-based music from a coordination combine, engrossing prime (both her parents were FBI agents; her raise in the South included such elements of extreme American spiritual faith as snake-handling ceremonies; and earlier her lead intimacy in medicine she participated in "irregular sexual activity work," to use her have lyric, in sundry U.S. cities), Jarboe, world Health Organization has always preferable to be known by her sole name, has long been known as one of the fiercest gospel According to John Barleycorn in new medical specialty. She is an intelligent and aggressive artist obsessed of hit musical attainment world Health Organization has rejected the music industry's all-too-easy stereotyping and development to create shockingly knock down visions. Helping powerfully in this is her one-of-a-kind vocal talent, ranging from emotive blues/gospel tones to wild scream, coordinated resplendently with her wide-ranging predilection in melodious styles. Joining the dance band Swans deuce age subsequently it came into being, Jarboe soon became the co-leader of the banding with fall in Michael Gira, world Health Organization has too remained her personal cooperator always since; together the iI released some of the to the highest level impinging, musically extreme recordings of recent years, both as Swans and as the face propose ring Skin. Jarboe's solo career began in heartfelt in 1992 with the liberation of Thirteen Masks, followed a duo of years later by a collaborative crusade released under the bring up Beautiful People with Larry Seven, wHO also worked on Thirteen Masks and various Swans tracks before that time. The succeeding official firing was 1995's Sacrificial Cake, described as a "Swans Related Product," and released in concert with Gira's have solo debut, Drainland. After this, Swans took precedency as she and Gira ruined the group's leave-taking albums and tours; her first post-Swans release, Anhedoniac, appeared in 1998. Shortly thenceforth she made a trip to Israel for artistic aspiration for a planned follow-up, Disburdeen Disciple. However, she contracted an unwellness patch visiting on that point, preeminent to hospital care on return to America. A sampler for Disciple has appeared as a puzzle, just the main record album itself was not realised or ready for tone ending. A coaction with Telecognac, highborn Over, appeared in 2000.

Charlatans headlining Sundae On The Common

Grammer 'Feeling Great' After Hospital

2008-08-06T00:31:00.001-07:00

(Alex Wong / Getty Images)

Kelsey Grammer is returning home after being hospitalized in New York.

The 53-year-old actor, who suffered a heart attack in June, had checked himself into an undisclosed hospital the last weekend in July as a precaution when he felt faint.

Grammer is now "out of the hospital, feeling great and about to resume normal activities at home," his publicist Stan Rosenfield said in a statement Tuesday. "He and his wife Camille want to thank everyone who expressed concern."

Rosenfield said last week that it was possible Grammer's medication led to his symptoms. Grammer had been in town to promote his new film, "Swing Vote," co-starring Kevin Costner, Paula Patton and Stanley Tucci.

Two months ago, the former "Cheers" and "Frasier" star suffered a mild heart attack in Hawaii, where he lives, while paddle-boating with his wife.

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'Friends' big screen adaptation planned

2008-07-09T19:10:00.001-07:00

A file photo of 'Friends' cast, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc. Photo Credit: PR Photos

July 2, 2008 () - Friends Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry are set to reprise their roles for a big screen adaptation of the multiple Emmy Award winning television sitcom that ran from September 1994 to May 2004.

The film, to be produced by Warner Bros, has been inspired by the recent success of Sex And The City.

In the past, Jennifer Aniston hasn't been enthused by attempts to bring the Friends stars together again. However, the $300 million box office collections of Sex And The City have made her more amenable to the idea now.

The success of Sex And The City exceeds pre-release expectations and made Warner Bros sit up to the idea of more such movie adaptations of TV hits. Friends tops the list of programs they identified for movie treatment, not only because of its popularity but also because its six lead stars continue to be active in showbiz.

Fierce Girl

2008-07-09T19:03:00.001-07:00

Artist: Fierce Girl

   Genre(s):
Other

Discography:

Double Drop

Year: 2004
Tracks: 5

SAG to respond to producers' deal Thursday

2008-07-09T19:00:00.001-07:00

'Last, best and final offer' made last week

SAG has made a date with the studios on Thursday to respond to the $250 million last, best and final offer it received more than a week ago.

The decision by the union to with the studio's negotiating arm, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, at 2 p.m. Thursday comes a day after SAG ran ads in the trades with the message "Let's Keep Talking."

In a statement, SAG continued its mantra, indicating that the "national negotiating committee remains dedicated to achieving a fair TV/theatrical contract for SAG members as soon as possible. The SAG national negotiating committee anticipates an equal effort and commitment by the employers and their representatives to achieve this goal."

The AMPTP made its final offer to SAG on June 30, just hours before the actors' union contract expired. The offer ended formal negotiations between the two groups.

Both sides did meet last Wednesday for a question and answer session on the offer.

The AMPTP said SAG indicated it needed more time to prepare a response to the offer.

"The producers remain hopeful that SAG will accept our final offer," the AMPTP stated.

SAG's members have been working on an expired since June 30. Its sister union, AFTRA, is expected to announce results of its new primetime/TV contract later today or early tomorrow.

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Frankie Knuckles; David Morales; Little Louie Veg

2008-07-09T18:57:00.001-07:00

Artist: Frankie Knuckles; David Morales; Little Louie Veg

   Genre(s):
Dance

Discography:

Angels of Love

Year:
Tracks: 1

Gescom vs Ad Vanz

Oates' Stache -- Hall of a Weapon!

2008-07-09T18:54:00.001-07:00

With any luck, John Oates won't ever play second banana to Daryl Hall again -- but he'll have to lose his boom-chicka-boom-boom moustache in the process.

Well, sort of: Primary Wave, the publisher that owns most of the Hall & Oates catalog is shopping around a cartoon called "J-Stache" in which John's upper-lip hair is used as a weapon to fell such evil stache-wearing villains as Tom Selleck and David Crosby. (If you're sensing irony in all this, you win!)

John Oates doesn't think the plan is hair-brained at all. In fact, he loves it: "Just as I'm represented as the John Oates of today, the mustache is the John Oates of yesterday."

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Silvio Rodriguez

2008-07-09T18:53:00.001-07:00

Artist: Silvio Rodriguez

   Genre(s):
Other
   Latin
   Classical
   Pop

Discography:


Erase Que Se Era (CD2)

   Year: 2006
Tracks: 12


Erase Que Se Era (CD1)

   Year: 2006
Tracks: 13


Triptico II

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 8


Triptico I

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 8


Silvio

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 12


En la habana

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 10


Dominguez

   Year: 2004
Tracks: 12


Cita con Angeles

   Year: 2003
Tracks: 11


Expedicion

   Year: 2002
Tracks: 12


Unicornio

   Year: 2001
Tracks: 10


En Vivo en Argentina

   Year: 2001
Tracks: 17


Arboles

   Year: 2000
Tracks: 8


Mariposas

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 14


Causas Y Azares

   Year: 1999
Tracks: 14


Oh Melancolia

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 17


En Chile (Vol.2)

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 12


En Chile (Vol.1)

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 10


Descartes

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 15


Cuando Digo Futuro

   Year: 1998
Tracks: 10


Rodriguez

   Year: 1995
Tracks: 11


Rabo de Nube

   Year: 1995
Tracks: 9


Mano A Mano (CD2)

   Year: 1993
Tracks: 10


Mano A Mano (CD1)

   Year: 1993
Tracks: 14


Auto Biografico

   Year: 1992
Tracks: 12


Canciones Urgentes

   Year: 1991
Tracks: 12


Triptico III

   Year: 1985
Tracks: 9


Mujeres

   Year: 1979
Tracks: 12


Al Final De Este Viaje

   Year: 1978
Tracks: 10


Te Doy Una Cancion

   Year: 1975
Tracks: 13


Dias Y Flores

   Year:
Tracks: 11

The tender balladry offsets the hard-edged, politically one-sided lyrics of Silvio Rodriguez. A spearhead of the nueva trova (new lay) manner of nueva cancion (new song), Rodriguez masterfully blends amorous tunes with protestation material condemning colonisation and the stalinism that swept through Latin America in the late '60s and early '70s. Inspired by French chanson, Rodriguez recorded his debut album in 1976. Although his early albums showcased his solo acoustic guitar playing and silklike vocals, Rodriguez progressively incorporated the musical accompaniment of electric instrumentation. His 1992 record album, Silvio marked his first all-acoustic album in 14 geezerhood. On his album, Causas y Azares, Rodriguez was accompanied by the heavily rhythmical sounds of Afro-Cuban jazz.

Val Kilmer, Xzibit join 'Bad' update

2008-07-09T18:49:00.001-07:00

Join Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendez in Herzog's cop drama

NEW YORK -- Val Kilmer and Xzibit are about to have a "Bad" trip.

They're set to join Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendez in Werner Herzog's cop drama "Bad Lieutenant," an update of Abel Ferrara's cult classic.

The original followed the depraved adventures of a corrupt policeman (Harvey Keitel) investigating the rape of a nun. The new film will feature Kilmer as the partner of Cage's crooked cop and Xzibit as a villain.

"Lieutenant" will likely capture the spirit of the original, with the protagonist's drug intake, his accepting sexual favors as bribes and other elements that endeared so many to the 1992 version.

The original's producer, Edward R. Pressman, will produce the new version with Stephen Belafonte, Alan Polsky and Gabe Polsky. Randall Emmett and Cage's Saturn Films also produce. Billy Finkelstein wrote the screenplay, loosely based on Ferrara and Zoe Lund's script. Filming is set to begin later in the summer.

Kilmer is repped by ICM and Affirmative. Xzibit is repped by Paradigm and Management 360.

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Studios ratchet up pressure on SAG

2008-07-09T18:48:00.001-07:00

AMPTP scolds union for delaying AFTRA deal

Related Content

Complete SAG/AFTRA coverage

Key issues in the dispute

Questions & Answers

One day after AFTRA ratified its pact and left SAG as the only Hollywood guild without a new labor contract, the studios ratcheted up the pressure.

The AMPTP sent letters to city, county and state elected officials, scolding SAG for delaying AFTRA's deal and warning of the economic consequences if the guild fails to make an agreement. Additionally, the studios called attention to one of the proposals in its 43-page "final offer," which would provide wage increases retroactively only if SAG accepts the deal before Aug. 15. If the deadline passes before the union ratifies a contract, the studios said, the actors could lose more than $200,000 a day in increases dating to July 1, the day the new contract would take effect.

"Under the final offer, if the new agreement is not ratified by Aug. 15, all changes in terms and conditions would become effective in the first payroll period after ratification," the AMPTP said. "The producers have included this traditional incentive in the final offer in order to get everyone back to work and end the de facto strike."

The AMPTP's roughly 120 letters went to members of the California Legislature, the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

"SAG's anti-AFTRA campaign has served to stall SAG's negotiations with us, and the result is a de facto work stoppage throughout much of the entertainment industry," AMPTP chief negotiator Nick Counter wrote. "Each day that production grinds to a halt causes more and more dislocation to the economy of Los Angeles in particular and California in general."

In response to the letter, SAG's national executive director Pamm Fair said, "We don't think any legislators will be surprised that multibillion-dollar global companies engaged in negotiations with a union have resorted to rhetoric and mischaracterizations regarding union workers.

"While we have not yet seen evidence of a slowdown in production, any decrease in film and television production would be a result of the studios and networks that control the industry, not the actors they hire. Screen Actors Guild remains committed to bargaining a fair contract and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she added. "If anyone is stalling, it's the AMPTP by suggesting that bargaining is over, when we clearly haven't achieved an agreement that is fair for actors and the industry."

SAG may be willing to negotiate 24/7, but the studios have said the bargaining is over and that today's afternoon session at the AMPTP headquarters is strictly an opportunity for SAG to ask questions about the offer, which the studios claim provides $250 million in additional compensation over three years.

Faced with the studios' stonewall, SAG insiders have focused on semantics, maintaining that while the AMPTP presented a final offer, it's not a "last offer" or "best offer" or "last, best and final offer," all of which the actors union's leaders believe are possible.

The studios have virtually shuttered movie and TV production because of the potential for an actors strike. And though SAG's ability to call a strike was diminished greatly by the ratification of AFTRA's contract, the studios are likely to continue the production slowdown rather that start back up.

"They do not want to be in the position where they can be in the middle of a major production and suddenly find out they have a strike and have to shut down in the middle of production," said one veteran transactional attorney familiar with the talks.

If SAG does not accept the offer, the studios are most likely to wait it out until Aug. 15 rather than lock out actors, according to an entertainment labor attorney who represents producers.

"I think the AMPTP's motivation is to get people back to work," he said. "I don't know if they're going to lock people out because that runs counter to what their desire is."

Another attorney agreed, saying, "There won't be a lockout because that will infuriate SAG members, and that could be the one thing that would bring a strike vote. I think we're just going to be in Never-Never-Land."

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