Original Village People Vocalist Undergoes Surgery

Victor Willis, original lead singer of the Village People, underwent surgery July 8 in San Diego to remove benign nodules from his vocal cords, according to a press release. Willis, who was scheduled to hit the road Aug. 9 as part of the 2008 Disco Dance Tour, is expected to fully recover and return to the stage by October.

According to the press release, Willis' voice originally became hoarse in 2007 after he played several concert dates. His doctors advised vocal rest, forcing the cancellation of European and Canadian tour dates scheduled for March and April of this year.

Willis began rehearsing again in June in preparation for his upcoming US tour but when his voice began to get horse again, surgery was recommended.

Boy George's US tour is cancelled

Boy George has just announced tour dates in South America

Boy George has cancelled his North American solo summer tour days before it was due to start because he has been denied a work visa by US officials.

The former Culture Club frontman had been scheduled to kick off his 24-date tour on 11 July in Las Vegas.

The singer said he has been banned because of a forthcoming false imprisonment trial in London.

Speaking to US news programme The Today Show, the 47-year-old said: "It's a disaster because of the fans."

'Kind people'

He was arrested last year after a 28-year-old male escort from Norway accused the singer/DJ of false imprisonment by chaining him to a wall and assaulting him, claims which the star denies.

The singer - whose real name is George O'Dowd - has promised fans he will return to the US early next year for the tour.

"If I have to wait it'll be even better," he said.

I love America and I am really sad that it appears that I am not allowed to visit a place I have called home at various times in my life

Boy George

In a message posted on his website, George said: "I am getting my life together and was really looking forward to performing in concert for all my loyal fans.

"I love America and I am really sad that it appears that I am not allowed to visit a place I have called home at various times in my life.

"But what has happened to me has nothing to do with the American people - they are kind people with big heart."

Tom Casey, a spokesman for the US State Department, told reporters immigration files are confidential.

He added: "There often are difficulties for individuals who either are currently subject to criminal charges or otherwise may have criminal records."

Meanwhile, George has announced six autumn tour dates in South America, starting in September in Brazil.

Bucks Fizz Back Together Again?

Since their heydey in the early ‘80s, Bucks Fizz has performed in a variety of mystifying incarnations. Jay Aston was the first of the classic line-up to leave (in 1985), to be replaced by Shelley Preston. Various other members came and went in the succeeding years and, for a while, David Van Day (formerly of Dollar) joined. later David left, teamed up with ex-Bucks Fizz singer, Mike Nolan - and suddenly there were two Bucks Fizzes!
The current line up of ‘The Original Bucks Fizz’ http://www.myspace.com/originalbucksfizz is Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Shelly Preston. According to another Bucks Fizz site on MySpace ‘Buck5Fizz recently starred in the Comic Relief video with Peter Kay & Matt Lucas..."It's the first time Cheryl & Jay had been in the same room for 20 years. We are all hoping to put all our differences aside and tour later this year as a five piece. We are all very excited at the prospect" ‘....
Interesting to see if that really happens. In the meantime, your next chance to see the ‘Original BF’ is on the Gay Pride Main stage on 24th May in Birmingham. The group will share a bill with Sonia, Brotherhood of Man and Scooch. Sounds good to me. And here, to get you in the mood, is the ever-popular Making Your Mind Up...

SirGeorge.us

Square Pegs on DVD May 20th 2008

 

In 1982, long before Sex and the City, and before roles in films like Honeymoon in Vegas, Flight of the Navigator and Footloose, Sarah Jessica Parker first came to national attention in the short-lived CBS series Square Pegs. The show co-starred Amy Linker (D.A.R.Y.L.), and the cast also included Jami Gertz (Twister, ER, Still Standing), Tracy Nelson (Father Dowling Mysteries) and Merritt Butrick (Star Trek III: The Search For Spock). The show's theme song was by The Waitresses, who appeared in the first episode.
Other guest stars in the program's 20-episode run included Don Novello (as "Father Guido Sarducci"), disc jockey Richard Blade, John Densmore (the drummer from The Doors), popular '80s music group DEVO, Tony Dow (Leave It To Beaver), Martin Mull (Mr. Mom, Roseanne, Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Bill Murray (Saturday Night Live, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters), Steve Sax...and the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers!
With Sarah Jessica Parker back to theaters soon in Sex and the City: The Movie, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has finally decided that it's time to bring Square Pegs - The Complete Series to DVD! All 20 episodes are coming to a 3-disc set which includes an exclusive new interview with Parker, along with a couple of "minisodes" (3-6 minute super-short versions of regular Sony-owned television episodes from classic primetime shows).
Cost will be $29.95 SRP, and the street date is May 20th (about a week and a half before Sex and the City: The Movie hits the box office). Video is full-frame, audio is English - Stereo, and Subtitles will be in French. Running time is approximately 460 minutes. It's still a few weeks before the folks at Sony formally announce this, so all info is taken from an early heads-up sent to retailers, and is subject to change.

SirGeorge.us

White Lion - Return of the Pride

If you feel that what music needs the most is sappy ballads, screeching guitars and more rock and roll, then Return of the Pride will fill that hole in your heart. In the everything old is new again category is the return of 80’s hair band White Lion.  Yeah, that’s right.  I said White Lion has a new album.  It took seventeen years to get a new album released but the band is back…we’ll Mike Tramp, the lead singer, is back with a new group that carries the same name. The good news is they haven’t gone the pop country way of their contemporary Bon Jovi.  White Lion is here to rock out with their…well you know…on Return of the Pride. Rock music has become neutered over the past decade thanks to bands like Nickelback and Fallout Boy.  To hear an honest to God rock band these days seems like a cool drink of water in the desert. White Lion isn’t going to quench your thirst but they will wet your lips and make you remember what rock music sounds like. There has been some debate over the fact that Mike Tramp is dusting off the White Lion name and parading back out into the market place.  After all, is a band really the same if only one of the original members is still performing…Alex Rose says yes.  White Lion isn’t the first name that jumps to your mind when you think of hard rocking 80’s hair bands.  The two songs (“Wait”, “When The Children Cry”) they’re most known for are more of the ‘anthem’ softer sound that was so popular in the late 80’s.  Surprisingly, White Lion developed a harder sound and bring their A game to their return album. Does that mean you’re going to find the new White Lion trying to redo “Wait” or “When the Children Cry”?  Not really, lead guitarist Jamie Low fills the boots of Vito Bratta with scorching guitar solos (and would hair metal be without guitar solos?).  Return of the Pride opens with the intense “Sangre de Christo”.  It’s an epic song that lasts and full 8-minutes.  It kicks off the album and sets you up for the rest.  “Live Your Life” is a kick in the ass wakeup call that hair metal fans will air guitar to. Then there is the obligatory ballad with “Never Let You Go”.  Tramp waxes poetic about love, of course. Your enjoyment of Return of the Pride will largely depend up on your love of 80’s hair metal.  If you think it’s crap, odds are you’re really not going to enjoy this CD at all.  If you feel that what music needs the most is sappy ballads, screeching guitars and more rock and roll, then Return of the Pride will fill that hole in your heart. 

Whatever Happened To: Dennis Haskins

Dennis Haskins played "Mr. Belding" on the TV shows "Good Morning Miss Bliss," "Saved By The Bell," and "Saved By The Bell: The New Class" between 1987 and 2000. Here's a picture of Dennis Haskins from his early days on Saved By The Bell:

When Saved By The Bell went off the air in 2000 Haskins struggled to find acting work and he undoubtedly felt pigeon-holed in his role as Mr. Belding. In an attempt to change his image Haskins grew a mustache. Haskins eventually shaved his mustache and became a party animal trying to pick up college-age women at bars. He currently enjoys life and eats every piece of greasy and fatty food in sight as shown in the pictures below.

TMZ.com recently posted some pictures of Dennis Haskins partying in Las Vegas with women who appear to be strippers. Apparently Haskins is still a huge (literally) party animal!

Ronson teams up with Duran Duran

Ronson, who recently revealed he was working on a potential Bond theme with Amy Winehouse, is currently in the studio crafting the remixes.

He said Duran Duran "were the only band I ever idolised" and admitted he "used to take a picture of [bassist] John Taylor with me to the barber shop".

The gig will take place at La Cigale in Paris on 2 July.

Ronson will also play a set with his own band, the Version Players, with Simon Le Bon taking a guest vocal slot.

In a statement, Le Bon called Ronson "one of the biggest talents to have emerged in recent years".

"He's taking popular music in a new, exciting and fresh direction," he said. "He also looks great in a well cut suit, and has the blood and voice of an Englishman."

Although the musicians did not reveal which tracks they would be collaborating on, Duran Duran's hits include Save A Prayer, Wild Boys and Rio.

The group, renowned for their trend-setting widescreen promo videos, picked up a lifetime achievement award at the 2004 Brit awards.

Ronson has also been the recipient of a Brit prize - taking home Best British Male at this year's ceremony.

Their collaborative concert is invite-only, but will be filmed and shown around the world, according to sponsor Smirnoff.