On posts from Murdoc published via Twitter, an announcement was made on January 15th saying, “Album almost finished. Drinks being mastered. Isolation kicking in. Bucket of Propofol to help me sleep. Happy 2010!!!”

Damon Alburn told The Guardian last year that it’s the most pop record he’s ever made, meaning it combines pop sensibility and central meloncholy of a ready-made, plastic package.

Guest appearances are all over the map, and supposedly include Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Barry Gibb, Mos Def, Posdnuos of De La Soul and The Horrors

019-6966778 / 019-6966770

Lily/Elda

Sila confirmkan maklumat diri anda sebelum 8 NOVEMBER 2009..Pengambilan PESERTA adalah TERHAD!!!!!

In a convenient marketing coincidence, the unreleased song is also called This Is It – the same name as the documentary, not to mention Jackson’s doomed O2 residency. The track includes backing vocals by Jackson’s brothers, according to Rolling Stone, and runs over the film’s credits. It will be released as a posthumous single on 12 October.

This Is It’s double-album soundtrack will be released the same day as the movie hits cinemas, opening for a two-week engagement around the world. The first disc includes the original album masters of various Jackson classics, while disc two features unreleased versions. It’s not clear what the “two versions” of the This Is It song consist of – whether they are a radio and extended edit, a remix, or a Bavarian polka version.

“The song [This Is It] only defines, once again, what the world already knows – that Michael is one of God’s greatest gifts,” said John McClain, film/soundtrack co-producer and one of the Jackson estate’s co-executors.

The set’s other gem is a spoken word cut called Planet Earth, featuring a poem written by Jackson. The poem first appeared on the inside album sleeve of Jackson’s Dangerous album, released in 1991. It is a lyrical treasure – or at least it, er, rhymes – describing Earth as “a minor globe, about to bust / a piece of metal bound to rust / a speck of matter in a mindless void / a lonely spaceship, a large asteroid”.

The This Is It documentary, directed by Kenny Ortega, will include previously unseen footage of Jackson’s 2009 rehearsals. In the week since it was released, the film’s trailer has already attracted almost 2.5m views on YouTube.

Last month, they made history for having the longest successive stay at the top the Billboard Hot 100 charts with their singles “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling” – 22 weeks and counting. The previous record was held by Usher who spent a total of 19 weeks at No 1 in 2004.

“To beat Elvis’ record, Michael Jackson’s record, The Beatles’ record, The Rolling Stones’ record – that’s crazy, dude,” said the Peas’ obviously pleased founding member Will.i.am at the time.

“We didn’t expect that kind of success,” said fellow founding member Apl.de.ap over the phone from Los Angeles. “You know, when we made ‘Boom Boom Pow’ for the clubs, we didn’t expect it to be such a big hit. It’s a blessing and it’s pretty overwhelming at the same time.”

The parent album ‘The E.N.D.’ (aka The Energy Never Dies) has been sitting in the Top 10 since its release in June; and when we spoke, Apl and the rest of the Peas – Will, Taboo and Fergie – were in the middle of shooting the video for the next single “Meet Me Halfway”, which he said was “dope”.

“This is a very different type of video … ‘Boom Boom Pow’ was very futuristic and ‘I Gotta Feeling’ had a party vibe, but this is more artistic video. It’s very arty.”

Keeping The Peas In Asia

Speaking of things different, Apl said their upcoming F1 Rocks concert in Singapore will be very different from anything seen so far.

“This time round, we’ve got a big production with our show,” he said. “The stage is incredible: We have crazy visuals and lasers, and we’re actually doing routines this time around! It’s very exciting for us! This is the first time we’re doing something like this. It’s going to be our biggest show.”

For the record, Apl said Singapore is a must when the Black Eyed Peas tour Asia. “When we do Asia, we always go there first,” he said. “Singapore is a great place! It’s a melting pot of ethnicity and you guys rock out! You guys love the music and the culture, and everybody is so nice.

“But we have to remember to be careful not to throw any trash on the ground!” he laughed.

When asked about his most memorable show, though, Apl said without hesitation: “Not to be biased, but first the show in the Philippines! The first time we went back to the Philippines to do a show, the President was there in the front row with the army!”

He added: “You’d never see that anywhere else! It’s not like Obama would come to a Black Eyed Peas concert in the US!”

It was also an emotional moment for Apl. Born Allan Pineda Lindo in the Philippines in 1974, he travelled to America and was adopted by a sponsor when he was 14. He’s been living there since, but Apl said his home country still has a special place in his heart.

“I didn’t get to see my family for a decade and when I came back, my family was there and it was … too much. It was an unbelieveable moment.”

And, yes, they’ll be going there this time round, too. “I’ll be mad if we don’t go! I might have to throw a fit!” he laughed.

“But in Asia, I feel at home. It’s funny because in every Asian country they’d sing along to the songs, and it’s like – wow!”

Senior Citizens Keeping Active

It’s this support that drives the group on, said Apl.

“That’s what keeps your sanity going! It’s tiring when you work in the studio, preparing and travelling everyday. But when you do a show, you forget all that tiredness. It’s like, ‘This is why I was doing all that work’. It’s just fun. And it’s also a good workout, jumping around on stage – that’s your cardio for the day!”

And the energy isn’t dying for the Peas, even though the industry might not be working as well as it used to. “People are being discouraged instead of riding the waves of the technology,” he explained. “(But) you’ve got to use those tools around you: Connecting with the fans through websites or sometimes giving free songs. That’s how you keep the energy going.”

If they could, said Apl, the Peas want to keep the energy going for a long time. “We like doing shows and touring – that’s what gave us longevity in the game so I would never give that up.”

Even when he’s 64 and less agile? “Yeah, I won’t be doing that much dance moves, I guess! But, like, with a cane, I’ll be like, ‘I still got it!’ It could just be one dope move, but I’m still going to try to do some s**t!”

The only downside? “I might be too old to get on stage and you might not want to watch me no more! Or that Singapore won’t want us back!”

We highly doubt that, Apl. We respect our elders here in Asia.

The album won’t be released until November but Susan Boyle, the Scottish singer discovered on “Britain’s Got Talent” who went on to become a YouTube sensation, is already number one on Amazon.com.

Boyle’s upcoming CD, “I Dreamed a Dream,” has claimed the top spot on Amazon.com’s list of bestselling CDs, beating out Whitney Houston’s “I Look to You” and a remastered release of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road.”

Boyle’s album, which is available for pre-order for 9.99 dollars on Amazon.com, is set for release on November 24.

Boyle sang “I Dreamed A Dream,” from musical Les Miserables, on the talent show that made her famous. A clip of her performance is one of the most watched ever on YouTube.

Digital sales now make up 98 percent of the singles market.

The New York singer, 23, known for her outlandish dress sense, topped the all-time chart, with US band Kings of Leon also among the most downloaded artists.

“Poker Face” notched up 779,000 sales on downloads, while “Just Dance”, her first single release in Britain, came third in the chart with 700,000 sales.

“Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon came second, while the Tennessee family were also fourth with “Use Somebody”. British electropop duo La Roux’s “In For The Kill” — the most recent release in the top 10 — was at number five.

The top five were all released within the past 12 months, indicating the importance of download sales to the music industry.

The Official Download Chart was launched in September 2004 to reflect the most popular tracks within the new legitimate download business.

“This is a fabulous achievement from Lady Gaga, to come from nowhere in January to dominating the all-time downloads list with two in the top three,” said charts company managing director Martin Talbot.

“Her success — and that of Kings Of Leon and Leona Lewis, too — reflect the resurgent success of the singles market in the era of the download and highlights that mass appeal pop music is alive and well in 2009.”

Lady Gaga said: “I am honoured to be the songwriter and performer behind the number one and number three all-time most downloaded songs in history in the UK.”

All-time British official downloads top 10:

1 “Poker Face” — Lady Gaga

2 “Sex On Fire” — Kings Of Leon

3 “Just Dance” — Lady Gaga

4 “Use Somebody” — Kings Of Leon

5 “In For The Kill” — La Roux

6 “Run” — Leona Lewis

7 “Hallelujah” — Alexandra Burke

8 “Bleeding Love” — Leona Lewis

9 “Chasing Cars” — Snow Patrol

10 “Rockstar” — Nickelback

Ooo, I love you
Don’t you know it’s true
When you believe in something good
It always comes through
Always comes true

Last year was harder
Think I’ll settle down for a while
And the peaks of the mountains are glowing
ANd the canyons echo your smile

Ooo I love you
Don’t you know it’s true?
When you believe in something good
It aways comes through
Always comes true

You are there to catch each tear
Every time I fail
How can I give back each year
Tell you I… I….
I believe

Ooo I love you
Don’t you know it’s true
When you believe in something good
It always comes through
ooo I love you
Don’t you know it’s true
When you believe in something good
It always comes through
Always comes true

It always comes true.

little girl talking

(I think about the generations
and they say they want to make it
a better place for our children and our children’s children
so that they they they know it’s a better world for them
and I think they can make it a better place)

There’s A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You’ll Find There’s No Need
To Cry
In This Place You’ll Feel
There’s No Hurt Or Sorrow

There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

If You Want To Know Why
There’s A Love That
Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For
Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And
Start Living

Then It Feels That Always
Love’s Enough For
Us Growing
So Make A Better World
Make A Better World…

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It’s Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God’s Glow

We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We’ll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares

We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place…

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

You And For Me

You And For Me
Make A Better Place
You And For Me
Make A Better Place
You And For Me
Make A Better Place
You And For Me
heal the world we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children
You And For Me
heal the world we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children
You And For Me
heal the world we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children
You And For Me
heal the world we live in
You And For Me
save it for our children

Can you hear me cry
Across the great divide?
Do you hear me callin’
Or are my tears just fallin’?

In an ocean of regret
Words left unsaid
I wish that I could hold you
I wish that I could have that chance again

But when I close my eyes
I can see you there
Reachin’ out your hand to me
And I follow you through every dream
How I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you

Somehow over mountains
Somehow overseas
Love will break the silence
And bring you back to me
Love will bring you back to me
Somehow break the silence

Give me wings to fly
Across the great divide
I’m tryin’ to see tomorrow
I wish that I could borrow

Just a glimpse of what will be
Just to hear you speak
These nights are getting longer
My love for you is growing stronger

As long as there is hope
I will send a prayer
As far as the winds will blow
And I hope somehow you will know
How I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you

Somehow over mountains
Somehow overseas
Love will break the silence
And bring you back to me
Somehow there’s an answer
Somehow I believe

Love will break, love will break the silence
Love will break, love will break the silence
Love will break, love will break the silence
Love will break, love will break the silence

And when I close my eyes
I can see you
Reachin’ out your hand to me
I hope somehow you will see
How I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you

Somehow over mountains
Somehow overseas
Love will break the silence
And bring you back to me
Somehow there’s an answer
Somehow I believe

Love will break the silence
Love will bring you back to me

Somehow over mountains
Somehow overseas
Love will break the silence
And bring you back to me
Somehow there’s an answer
Somehow I believe

Love will break the silence
Love will bring you back to me

Somehow over mountains
Somehow overseas
Love will break the silence

A year later, I was at a cocktail party, and a publicist from that same studio introduced me to a man in an expensive suit.

The man looked a little confused, and the person who had introduced us encouraged him to look at me very carefully.

After a few seconds, the man’s eyes opened wide and he smiled.

“You’re the guy from my wall,” he said.

Now I was confused.

He handed me his business card, which identified him as the studio’s worldwide president of marketing.

I was impressed, but still confused.

He explained that he had a framed copy of one of my columns on his wall. He said he was very excited to finally meet me.

I thanked him, but then asked which column he had framed.

It was the column that attacked him. As the head of worldwide marketing, he personally approved the upbeat campaign on that downbeat film.

I hate these moments. Columnists prefer never to meet the people they attack. That’s the fun of being a columnist.

My face turned red, and I apologized. I wasn’t sorry about what I had written, but I was so embarrassed by the awkward moment that the apology was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

But he laughed, and clutched my shoulder in a friendly way.

“Don’t apologize,” he insisted. “I loved that column.”

“Are we talking about the same column?” I asked. “The one in which I called you the scum of the Earth?”

“Yes, the same column,” he said with a smile.

“How could you have liked it?” I asked incredulously.

“You were complimenting us,” he said. “You were saying that we did our job.”

“I did?”

“Yes, we saw it as a pat on the back for a job well done.”

I learned a lot about movie marketing that night.

And that brings me to “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Marley & Me.”

I loved the former when it was released in 2008, but didn’t care for the latter.

In 2009, both movies are annoying me.

Well, not so much the movies themselves, but the marketing of the movies.

If you’ve watched any television in the last few weeks, you probably are well aware that the DVDs of those popular movies were available on March 31. TV has been inundated with commercials for the DVDs, which is understandable because the home video market is extremely profitable.

But I have a problem with how they are selling these movies.

Both films are being sold as feel-good romps, and that is a little misleading.

“Slumdog Millionaire” is a terrific movie, worthy of its best picture Oscar, but it is at times brutal, depressing and shocking. The commercials for the DVD focuses on a Bollywood-type dance number that comes at the end of the movie. And, when I say the end of the movie, I mean after the story has concluded. It was a credit-rolling homage to Indian musicals, but it had nothing in common with the tone of the movie.

If you rent or buy this DVD with the idea that you and the family are going to dance around your living room, you are in for a big surprise.

As I said, it is a movie that should be seen, but understand what you’re getting. Why doesn’t the concept of truth in advertising apply to movie marketing?

“Marley & Me” had a despicably dishonest promotional campaign when it was released last year, and I wasn’t alone in pointing that out. I would have thought that the criticism the studio received at the time would have altered the subsequent DVD campaign, but I clearly underestimated the studio’s marketing department.

They are promoting “Marley & Me” as a harmless family film about an adorable puppy, and you should be forewarned before you watch this film with your young children that it doesn’t remain a harmless family film about a puppy.

Does “Bambi” ring a bell? How about “The Yearling?” “Old Yeller”? Never trust movies about animals.

One wonders how these marketing people would have promoted “The Silence of the Lambs?”

Would we have seen shots of Jodie Foster running through the woods at the FBI training facility while a disembodied voice says: “Run, don’t walk to see the movie that has critics raving … bring your appetite for fava beans and a nice Chianti.”

Imagine what these marketers would have done with “Titanic.”

We’d see scenes of Jack and Rose frolicking in the ship’s dining room while an announcer intones “Join these young people on the romantic cruise of a lifetime.”

And don’t even get me started on “No Country for Old Men.” Javier Bardem’s haircut doesn’t make it a comedy.

Lucky sods, two Top 100 Bags of 2008 posts for today! Ok, it’s because I’ve been lazy the past few days and haven’t put any up, very sorry! You may remember these Dior ‘Rebel’ bags from June this year, they’ve been really quite popular since their launch, and even inspired a Matalan bag later on