BRUCE WILLIS USED TO BARTEND AT KAMIKAZE

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THE WEB GOSSIP
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The guy or girl that writes this column is a very big industry insider who wishes to remain anonymous, but wants to write about all the headlines happening in Hollywood and the Music Industry.
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Lucy Woodward


ABRAHAM’S CUTTING NEW SPOT – When Steve Walter’s much-loved Cutting Room shuttered last year (and, we hope to return very shortly!) his booking partner Peter Abraham told me he was going to attempt a few other shows at different spots. One year later, he’s emerged as a pivotal force in the area music scene with shows at several venues, including B.B. King’s, The Highline Ballroom, and, Le Poisson Rouge at 158 Bleecker Street in NYC. I ventured forth there Monday night and imagine my surprise when I realized that the same address also was home to The Village Gate and another much-love club called Life. Interestingly enough, before that it was the atrium and floor below of a terrifically designed apartment building … with a dazzling inner-glass atrium. I guess the apartments are still there, but this new take on the club space was dazzling. A terrific sound system welcomes you into the main stage area, which is wide open and immediately catches just a terrific vibe. The ambiance immediately recalled all the best things from The Cutting Room. Monday’s night attraction was femme-vocalist Lucy Woodward about to release her first musical release (“Hooked”) via Verve Records. She reminded me immediately of the group Manhattan Transfer, with a bit of Kid Creole And The Coconuts thrown in for good measure. A very determined presence, she immediately won us over with her ribald sense of humor and some terrific songs, including a Peggy Lee re-do that was authentic ally superb and terrific. The album was produced for the most part by our friend Tony Visconti; a shrewd innovator in the music biz for sure; The Moody Blues; Bowie; Clapton; Santana; and, The Singhs. Abraham told is of some upcoming plans and how he'd love to have Micky Dolenz play this venue; Dolenz’ PR-gadfly David Salidor was standing within earshot, no doubt trying to figure out such a scenario. A Dolenz-show at The Cutting Room was in the works … but, never happened. He'd sound terrific here. Abraham’s a savvy raconteur of the music scene in New York and a delight to work with. His next show here is March 19 with the Stay-At-Homes … the Runaways tribute band. Go … you won't be disappointed. We're hoping to get a copy of her new CD and will give it a full on review. She's saucy ... we love her!

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Matt Damon

DAMON DAMMIT --- Matt Damon, whose performance is always terrific and he seems to have just a terrific sense of humor about himself (who can forget his show-arc on HBO’s Entourage where he tried to get Vince to do a PSA … even after he had gotten Bono!) will be headlining a movie about Robert F. Kennedy. Deadline Hollywood’s Nikki Finke said it best, calling Damon an actor with “chops and bankability.” The film will be based on the Evan Thomas biography entitled His Life and will be the actor’s first portrayal of a real figure like Kennedy. True, he just played South African rugby star Francois Pienaar in "Invcitus", and was superlative. The film will cover RFK’s evolution from the younger brother in the shadow of JFK to him becoming a prominent, and polarizing national political figure before he was gunned down in 1968. Watching TV tapes of him from all those years ago, I’m constantly struck by how moving and charismatic a character he was. I'm thinking of the wonderful JFK epic by Oliver Stone, which I truly loved. Hope this one will be as good.

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Regis Philbin

SHEEN IT --- My favorite Charlie Sheen story was several years back, when Regis’ “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” was on every night, and Sheen’s then-publicist Jeff Ballard was one of the contestants. Philbin asked him what he did, and when he said he was Master Charlie’s PR man … Regis without skipping a beat said, “That must be some job … right?” Regis, that’s why we love you! I must admit over the years, I've enjoyed 90% of what Sheen has done on the screen and even when I watch his current TV show, I can’t help but laugh. He seems to have a sense of humor about himself, which I can't find, fault with. I wish him all the best. Don't you?

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Bruce Willis

BRUCE JUICE – Many years ago, I helped put together a magazine called Flash ... yes, I know, no laughter please. We decided to launch the magazine at a hot, NY club at the time called Kamikaze. Imagine my surprise, when during a lull in the evening I decided to chat up one of the bartenders … as he filled my glass every time I took a drink (now wonder I chatted him up!) … the bartender turned out to be a very young Bruce Willis. I found him totally delightful as he told me he was looking for his big break, I really hoped then he'd get it. Guess he did. Willis new movie (“Cop Out”) opens Friday, I'm seeing it tonight and he’s mentioned in several interviews that another Die Hard is in the works … as well as a follow up to Unbreakable … which I really loved. Go get ‘em Bruce!

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Vince Curatola

CURATOLA SPEAKS – Vince Curatola, who so strongly essayed Johnny Sack in David Chase’s ground-breaking show The Sopranos, said of that classic finale, “I would have loved to have seen a long shot of the exterior of the Sopranos house … windows open, drapes blowing … abandoned! The family having disappeared.” Curatola is slated to be at tomorrow's premiere via The Cinema Society) of the new Matt Damon movie The Green Zone ... details to follow!

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Madonna

ROSENBERG & ROSENBERG – We first met Warner Brothers Records’ PR-gal Liz Rosenberg 25 years ago. She’s been the mouthpiece for the label ever since (staring there in 1971), handling everyone from Stevie Nicks to Fleetwood Mac to Rod Stewart, Cher and Prince, but the one artist that she really made her mark with was Madonna. As our colleague Roger Friedman said, “She’s had to turn lemons into lemonade” many times over. From Madonna’s various scandals, to her marriages and divorces. Truth be told, when Madonna’s sex-book came out in 1982, I really thought it might be over for the singer, but La Liz turned it around. The music business has changed so much of late, that there really isn’t even a WB-label anymore. She’ll segue into her own shop and am quite sure she land on her feet. She’s as great gal, certainly hardened by her travails, but a true delight. All the best Liz!

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Lady Gaga

SHORT HITS --- I know the music business isn't in great shape these days, but you'd still think the labels, and especially the people funding these labels, would want to generate any visibility as possible. In the last two weeks, we've attempted to get review copies of the new CD from the terrific group, The Blind Boys of Alabama and a copy of the new Regis & Joy Philbin album; which we raved on about an appearance by the two on a recent David Letterman. The former is on an indie label named Saguaro Road Records, while the Philbin’s opus is on Big Dot Records, actually started by musicians … so you'd think they know. I always wondered if the artists themselves know about practices things like this. Most artists I know would give their right arm for a review … even a decent one. Now, Lisa DiAngelo over at Interscope actually messengered the Lady Gaga and One Republic CDs over to us. Now, that’s classy … and, that’s why Interscope is such a success. I fondly recall an ad in the industry sheet Advertising Age, wherein there was a completely black page … with the words written in white on the bottom, saying simply, this is what happens when you don't advertise … nothing! I also want to give a shout out to one Jim Senetto aka Blackpool Jimmy, one of the best graphic artists we have right now. Some of his work has been shown at The Cutting Room and he’s pone portraits of Chris Noth, Steve Walter, Mark Bego, and, David Salidor, and, countless others. He just did the logo for the group Modern Clockwork we've been telling you about. Outstanding work … I sure hope you fondly recall the name Robbie Robertson … of The Band. Since the members went their separate ways, he’s been involved in a myriad number of projects, working at the original DreamWorks Records; working with Eric Clapton; being the music supervisor on a number of films, most recently “Shutter Island” from Marty Scorsese. We bumped into him on 55th street the other day, fresh from Shutter’s premier Monday night at The Ziegfeld and he couldn't have been nicer. Robbie, a true gem!
Photos By: RD/Dziekan/Kabik/Walter McBride/Sara De Boer/Retna