That’s just music

Famous Australian rock musician Nick Cave is well known for being an author of the “Gladiator” scenario, which turned to be one of his best projects outside of music business. However, his ideas that were implemented into “Gladiator” were not fully opened in the movie itself. As The Guardian says, Cave’s fans have found a text which is continuing general Maximus’s life and generally speaking gives the future to that heroic story. Following Cave’s version after Maximus had died in Colosseum he was resurrected by the Roman gods and received immortality. After he became immortal Maximus had participated in practically every war that came later in history including Crusades and even Vietnam war. Eventually his position in the modern days is to be someone big at the Pentagon. “We tried to go with Cave’s script. Russell didn’t want to let it go, obviously, because it worked very well. When I say ‘worked very well’, I don’t refer to success. I mean, as a piece it works very well”, said “Gladiator’s” director Ridley Scott. In other words, Nick Cave’s scenario appeared to be too large and not very well fitting into the “Gladiator” everyone knows right now. DreamWorks Studios also had decided not to go with such continuation and turned it away.

Developers from Harmonix Music Systems are planning to release new controllers that are specifically designed for the game The Beatles: Rock Band, said Rolling Stone. Music and games, what can be better than that? During the upcoming autumn this game’s release will correlate with the release of these controllers - Rickenbacker 325 guitars, which absolutely copy the original type that belonged to John Lennon and George Harrison. Such guitars will go for 99,99$ (or 99,99 euros for Europeans) a piece. Just imagine how expansive will be the original guitar. Probably everything what was used by these two legendary musicians is already sold out to some private collection or something of that kind. However, in this case the progress in software technologies made it available to practically everyone. Also, these controllers will not be included into the Limited Edition Premium Bundle, which goes for 250$ (or 199 euros). Previously, developers were promising to incorporate Paul McCartney’s Hofner bass guitar and Ringo’s Ludwig drums, but it may not happen. At the same time the Limited Edition Premium Bundle shall include mentioned above The Beatles: Rock Band. The official release of the Rock Band, which is totally dedicated to the legendary band is planned for September 9, 2009. Currently, it’s almost definite that it should contain 45 songs that were recorded by The Beatles between 1962 and 1969.

British performer Yusuf Islam who was previously well known under the name of Cat Stevens said that Coldplay’s song “Viva La Vida” is copied after his 1973’s “Foreigner Suite”, noted NME. Coldplay is getting under such fire all the time, maybe they trully stole something? It’s the third time when Coldplay is being accused of plagiarizing this song which belongs to their 2008 “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends” album. Guys who began to accuse them for the first time was a group from New York called Creaky Boards. They’ve said that “Viva La Vida” was taken from their “The Songs I Didn’t Write”. As that band believes one of the “Viva La Vida” authors Chris Martin could hear it during their concert in October 2007. Martin said that “Viva La Vida’s” demo version was recorded in March 2007 and could not be copied in any shape or form. Another famous American musician Joe Satriani proclaimed that it’s partially his 2004 “If I Could Fly” and started some strange court procedures against Coldplay. Chris Martin was forced to deny everything again, even though he admitted that songs sound similar. In Yusuf Islam’s case there will be no legal action, but just another possibility of the fact that Coldplay could steal some music.

John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono is planning to participate at the concert which was personally organized by her and Plastic Ono Band, said Yoko’s web site. Yoko is surely trying to reinvent the wheel or at least manifest her artistic talent once again – pretty cool idea. This concert is going to take place on June 14 this year at London’s Royal Festival Hall where Plastic Ono Band will perform together with Yoko and her son Sean Lennon. The rest of the band’s lineup is not known yet, but it was already rumoured that a lot of musicians will be invited. Among those is one of the avant-garde jazz pioneers Ornette Coleman who was taking some important part in recording of the 1970’s “Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band” album. “I’m really worried about the upcoming concert because it’s going to be the first Plastic Ono Band’s  performance in Britain and it will be absolutely great if Ornette joins us”, she said. This woman is obviously very powerful, and her abilities seek no end, especially when she goes out there to fulfill the world of art. As Yoko has told the press, lately she had finished working with the new album, which is about to appear in stores by the end of 2009. This record was produced by her and Sean Lennon.

Frontman of the legendary American rock band Aerosmith Steven Tyler had finished working with his new book in which he described his life and told about difficulties of the music career, said Undercover. A book “Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?” will be publicly presented on May 28 at fair event in Connecticut. In 2008 one of the HarperCollins’ branches – Ecco had promised to pay two million dollars for the rights to publish Tyler’s memoires. Surely, this guy has something to say about his life and music, share some precious experience by telling what not to do or what may be better if one wants to start his band nowdays. In this autobiographical work musician tells about his childhood (spent in Bronx, New York) and about his early passion with music, particularly those who have influenced him. Also, Tyler centers upon Aerosmith, it’s history and his relations with the other band members. Singer talks about those episodes of his life when he was dealing with drugs and alcohol, to many it may be the most interesting part of a book. Besides that Aerosmith’s frontman had dedicated some parts of this literary piece to his four children. Mr. Tyler is particularly famous for his turbulent personal life, wifes, kids and reunions he was making with them.

Legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page with a help from the charity foundation created by his wife in 1998 (“Action for Brazil’s Children”) had carried out a charitable auction this week, said AFP. A Forca Da Rua sales event that was set up in London on April 29 had exposed two guitars that were painted by the British and Brazilian graffiti artists. Charity activities made by guys like Page or Bono are extremely good and show that the music is not just sounds or words, but also actions which may literally change something and help somebody. “It’s very important for me to take part in this project. Children of course need not only money, but they definitely play a huge role. We hope that stuff which is being done will help Brazilian children who don’t have a lot in their lives and from the early years they know what is the real difficulty”, said one of the artists who had participated in A Forca Da Rua auction. In March 2009 Page and some of his collegues ex-Cream bass Jack Bruce, ex-The Animals frontman Eric Burdon and Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver singer Slash have already done an auction of this kind. Practically, they’ve been selling their autographed instruments and photographs on eBay.