The musical world has once again gone "cover" mad and I, for one, am all for it. For starters, Kelly Clarkson paid tribute to Janet Jackson's awesome hit "If" during an intimate gig at the PC Richard and Son in New York. Observe...
Not to be outdone, the Jonas Brothers had a crack at Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" during the Washington leg of their tour. Observe...
On top of all that, Coldplay gave a nod to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, with yet another cover of "Billie Jean" while they were in Washington... which I would be more excited about if Chris Martin - who, don't get me wrong, I love - would look like he was playing a gig in front of zillions of people instead of jamming in his loungeroom. I know it's the bit of the concert where they go into the audience but I still wanted him to do a bit more performerering. Observe...
Who's next to cover what song? I can't wait to find out!
Carolyn Stewart I'm still scarred by the MJ Pepsi fire footage o'clock, July 16, 2009
We're sorry to report that The 'Brain are officially tired and broken. Shells of our former selves. So we apologise for our uncharacteristically lax performance.
You see, MJ died. Did you hear?
Ahem.
Anyway, we decided to let a photo do all the talking (word on the street is that they tell approximately 1000 words, right?? Here's hoping!) and finally settled on this classic that was sent to us by our happenin' Melbourne correspondent Kashia, which she seems to have swiped from Peter Robinson's - the real name of '80s D-List pop star Marilyn - interview with InTouch mag earlier in the year.
The pic is of Gwen Stefani's currently-straight-but-allegedly-rumoured-then-gay-lover-of-Marilyn-according-to-Marilyn-and-also-Marilyn's-other-ex-Boy-George, ie. it's Lleyton Hewitt's tennis pal Gavin Rossdale!
.... a-ha-ha-nd he's wearing mesh.
While Marilyn has stated that former Bush frontman Gav was the "love of my life" and Boy George reported on the topic in his book, Take It Like A Man, Gavin has been noticably less chatty on the topic and repeatedly denied, well, everything.
Not that we necessarily always believe what Boy George has to say, however he *did* teach us all that "loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream" so he certainly knows stuff. And that.
In closing, here is yet another pic of Gav and Maz back in the day (because I found it just then) for you to peruse...
Yes, I allegedly think they are allegedly wearing matching lipstick too.
-- Carolyn Stewart I'll Tumble 4 Ya o'clock, July 15, 2009
There have been plenty of Michael Jackson tributes and covers since the sudden death of King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, but this one has The 'Brain offices in a bit of a frenzy. So, check out the amazing acoustic cover of The Jackson 5 song "I Want You Back" by talented Aussie singer BJ Brady as his tribute to MJ. Observe...
If you like what you hear, check out other covers from the same artist here: CLICK ON ME!
-- Carolyn Stewart Oh baby, give me one more chance o'clock, June 10, 2009
Here at The 'Brain, we love Jason Bateman (and sister Justine) and have been a big fan of him, well, forever. Now, former child star Jase has spoken of his drug-fueled wild past many times before but he goes into a lot more detail in the August issue of Details magazine... but you're forgiven if you don't read the quotes for a while and prefer to take in his hotness on the cover first. Jase says...
On going off the rails:"It was like Risky Business for 10 years. My parents were out of town, they left me a bunch of money, the car, and the house, and I didn't know when they were coming home. I'd worked so hard that by the time I was 20, I wanted to play hard. And I did that really well."
On how his wife's (Amanda Anka) ultimatum saved his marriage: "I was never at a place where rehab would have been appropriate. Booze was what would make me want to stay out all night and do some blow or smoke a joint or whatever, so shutting that off was key. It's like ketchup and French fries — I don't want one without the other. So that's the moment: Do you want to continue being great at being in your twenties, or do you want to step up and graduate into adulthood?"
The BastercostarJennifer Anistonalso commented on Jason's "freakish youthfulness" saying: "Maybe it was all the drugs. What have the rest of us been doing wrong?"
Jen on Jason's wild days: “Even though he was pretty wild in those days, something about those dimples and that sweet face made you go, ‘Oh, it’s okay that you just drove up the street backwards in a Range Rover with the door wide open.’ I don’t know what was happening there. You feel instantly safe in his company.”
And the most important news of all - further confirmation fo the Arrested Developmentmovie!
"We're gonna make the movie. Mitch Hurwitz is just starting to write it. It'll be out in a year and a half," confirms Jase. Allow me to speak for us all when I say: WOOT!
--
From the vault
From yesteryear: Once in a Lifetime - Kermit the frog
Speaking of things we love... on a short break from our stream of MJ-related clips, correspondent Annie reminded us of this freaking awesome clip of Muppets cutie Kermit the frog singing the Talking Heads song "Once In A Lifetime". It's soooooooooo good that you may have to watch it at least 14 times to truly appreciate it. Observe:
Fact:Muppets Tonight host Kermit performed the number to fill in for Giganticus, who was unable to make it for the show. The suit worn by Kermit in the number was made for Giganticus, which parodies the suit Talking Heads band member, David Byrne, wore on stage and in music videos.
-- Carolyn Stewart Same as it ever was... same as it ever was... o'clock, July 10, 2009
More shrines! London still mad for Michael Jackson
The Brain's trusty-yet-unpaid-UK-correspondent Fiddy just never rests, does she? Last week, she was first to report on the growing shrine outside the planned spot of Jacko's comeback tour, O2 arena (CLICK ON ME!).
Now she's outdone herself yet again by sending yet another trés modern MMS with the above pic of how many Londoners are expressing their grief over the death of the King of Pop. Her accompanying message reported, "Just one wall outside hmv at picadilly circus!" Wow! So many notes, photos, flowers and well-wishes. MJ woulda loved that.
-- Carolyn Stewart Got to be a joker he just do what he please o'clock, July 8, 2009
What was The 'Brain's highlight amongst the touching and well-meaning tributes throughout Michael Jackson's memorial? Jennifer Hudson singing "Will You Be There"? Brooke Shield's story of running around with MJ the night before Liz Taylor's wedding? The tear-inducing words from little Paris Michael? No. It has to be the unexpected and unintentional big laughs that came from seeing former MJ pal Corey Feldman arrive dressed as... Michael Jackson.
HAHAHAHAHAHA. Are you serious, dude? From memory, in every interview in recent times, you've done nothing but correctly say how embarrassing it was that you dressed as Michael throughout the entire '80s! And, more importantly, did you ever resolve your dispute with MJ cos you sounded mighty dubious during your appearance on Larry King the other week?
We've gotta say, here at The 'Brain, we thought we'd only cry a river of tears during Jacko's memorial. Belly laughs were never on the cards. Thank you, Feldog.
-- Carolyn Stewart You rocked my world, you know you did o'clock, July 9, 2009
The Jacko Memorial (buh-bye... sniffle) ... But will it kill the interweb?
Today the world will watch on as friends, family and lottery-winning-fans squish into the Staples Center in downtown LA to bid a final farewell to Michael Jackson. While Liz Taylor has made it clear via her Twitter account (how very modern, Lizzie!) that she's not down with the circus-like proceedings, plenty of other celebrity friends will be on hand including Brooke Shields, John Mayer, Lionel Ritchie, Usher and Jennifer Hudson. In other words, it's going to be pretty awesome... you know, except for the part where Michael had to die for it to happen.
Of course, you don't have to be there in person to pay tribute to MJ's memory. So, if you missed out on being related to MJ, befriending him or didn't pick up a ticket in the worldwide sweepstakes then no doubt you'll be able to catch the moving live coverage on a TV screen near you.
If SOMEHOW you can't find a station covering it - and I really don't know how that could be - you can easily check out the live streams on the internets.
But the big question is: will the memorial kill the internet? I have to say that my money is on so many millions of people trying to watch what could be the hugest live event in the history of the web, that the internet may indeed need a little lie down in the corner in the middle of it. This is especially a possibility because on the day the King of Pop died, he almost managed to take the internet with him when many major sites such as CNN and TMZ buckled under the pressure. Given the non-stop grief and hysterical media coverage since that sad day, you'd have to think there would be an even higher interest in the memorial. Let's put it this way: expect delays.
RIP MJ from everyone at The 'Brain.
-- Carolyn Stewart As I turn up the collar on my favourite winter coat/This wind is blowing my mind o'clock, July 8, 2009
The first footage from Madonna's tribute to Michael Jackson has emerged. During golden oldie "Holiday" on her Sticky & Sweet concert at o2 arena, she paid homage to his hits "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Something". The vision and sound is a bit dodge but it's still worth a look until we get something better! Observe...
-- FROM THE VAULT
Madonna's tribute reminded me what good pals Mads and MJ were. Remember when they used to hang out together? Back in the day, it really was squeal-worthy big news when you saw a pic of the reigning Queen and King of pop together. Oooh, how do they know each other? Are they gonna do a duet of awesomeness? Will they get married and have children with musical superpowers?? Hmmm, well... no. Anyway, check out this super-cool footage of them attending the 1990 Academy Awards together. It really was one of the most awesome things to ever happen...
-- UPDATE!!!
... and here's that better footage of Madonna's MJ tribute:
-- Carolyn Stewart You've been hit by a smooth criminal o'clock, July 4, 2009
THOSE SWEET MEMORIES... Smash Hits returns for Michael Jackson tribute issue!
The 'Brain offices erupted in high-pitched squeals as we read our good pal Colleen's Twitter that said - and I quote - "Smash Hits returns for Jackson tribute, thankfully with the classic logo RT @media_guardian: Smash Hits is back! http://tinyurl.com/lpwmce."
O
M
G
The much-loved, iconic and poptastic UK teen mag closed in 2006 but is putting out this MJ one-shot that will feature the usual posters, Jacko memories and... "the definitive story of Bubbles". Really? That's freaking AWEsome. The 'Brain bows down.
Oh Smash, how you've been missed.
-- Carolyn Stewart We were young and innocent then o'clock, July 3, 2009
Earlier today The 'Brain's unpaid-yet-potentially-intoxicated-UK-correspondent Fiddy was celebrating her birthday with the Kings of Leon when she sent us the above snapshot via MMS (fancy!) of one way Londoners are remembering MJ. "A photo of the Michael Jackson shrine at the O2," said Fiddy via email. "Apparently there was a guy there in a MJ t-shirt crying, but I missed him."
-- Carolyn Stewart What about elephants? o'clock, July 1, 2007
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