The Telegraph slams the Rolling Stones with the headline “The Rolling Stones: the greatest rock and roll band in the world? That’s a bit rich. Their latest shows prove the Rolling Stones can still work a crowd, but their music is of a time long gone”
“On Sunday night, while the Rolling Stones were performing for 20,000 people at the O2 in London – the first of five concerts they will be playing in London and New York to mark their 50th anniversary – one of their early heroes was also making an appearance a few miles across town, in the somewhat shabbier surroundings of the Kentish Town Forum.
Bobby Womack is the veteran soul singer who wrote, and with his group The Valentinos recorded, the original version of It’s All Over Now, which gave the Stones their first number one hit in Britain in 1964. Womack once recalled his chagrin at his mentor Sam Cooke giving the Stones his song, and depriving him of having the hit himself. “I was still screaming and hollering right up until I got my first royalty cheque. Man, the amount of money rolling in shut me right up.” Read more here…
“Hundreds of tickets for the Rolling Stones 50th anniversary gigs remained unsold on Sunday night as touts were accused of pricing fans out of the market.
Just hours before the band took to the stage at London’s O2 Arena, scores of tickets for the veteran rockers’ first performance in five years were still available online for up to £1,300.
Agencies and individual touts hoping to profit by snapping up the tickets at face value before selling them at vastly inflated prices found that fans simply refused to pay, leaving the band facing the prospect of playing to a far from sell-out crowd.
A Rolling Stones spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: “It’s a real shame that fans have been prevented from buying tickets at the original price and that secondary marketing agencies are attempting to profit. The band does not participate in anything of this nature.” Read more here.
“The American Music Awards pulled in its lowest ever TV audience on Sunday, despite the presence of teen heart-throb Justin Bieber and Korean “Gangnam Style” sensation Psy.
According to ratings data issued on Monday, Sunday’s ceremony and performance show broadcast live on Walt Disney Co’s ABC television was watched by an average 9.5 million viewers – down from 12 million in 2011.
The annual show also dropped 21 percent of its viewers compared to last year in the key 18-49 demographic most prized by advertisers.
The American Music Awards was up against stiff competition this year from football, but ABC said the telecast was the top TV show of the night with women and teens.
But big stars like Katy Perry, Rihanna, Adele and Beyonce did not turn up for the show as it celebrated its 40th anniversary as an alternative to the Grammys.
Bieber, 18, was the top draw on Sunday, winning three awards including artist of the year and performing live twice. Read more here
Justin Bieber started the American Music Awards off on bratty note.
“Justin Bieber took home the first award of the night at the 40th annual American Music Awards–Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist–but instead of his usual positivity, he set a rather bratty tone for the remainder of the evening.
Instead of leading off with the usual accolades (you know: God, parents, hard-working staff, that sort of thing), Bieber chose the rubbing-in route for his thank-you speech. “This is for all the haters who thought I’d be around for 1, 2 years,” he announced, adding, “I feel like I’m gonna be here for a very long time.”
In all fairness, Bieber was already under scrutiny upon arrival to the show, due to the fact that his breakup with Selena Gomez had just become public only a week ago, and they’ve been bouncing back and forth from off to on to off again. So, it stands to reason that he might be feeling a little prickly.
At any rate, Bieber, who was left dateless after his separation, rose to the occasion by bringing his mom, Pattie Mallette, as his date to the awards show instead. Read more here
“Some of music’s most notable names including Billy Joel, Rihanna and Missy Elliott have signed an open letter to Pandora Media Inc opposing the online music company’s push to change how artists are compensated.
Pandora is currently lobbying lawmakers in U.S. Congress to pass the “Internet Radio Fairness Act,” which would change regulation of how royalties are paid to artists.
A group of 125 musicians who say they are fans of Pandora argue the bill would cut by 85 percent the amount of money an artist receives when his or her songs are played over the Internet. “Read more here
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