VINCENT D'ONOFRIO'S LAW & ORDER RETURN

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THE WEB GOSSIP
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Vincent D'Onofrio

D'ONOFRIO SCORES --- Credit actor Vincent D'Onofrio for hitting it our of the ballpark again with his return to the rather irascible Detective Robert Goren on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Last week's episode, his first back after skipping a season, produced a 48% increase from the last time the show ran with Jeff Goldblum. If you recall, D'Onofrio along with onscreen partner Kathryn Erbe were unceremoniously dropped, replaced with Goldblum and there became a rather fervent backlash from the viewers; not too mention many media persons who predicted they be back ... very soon. The shows with Goldblum were all pretty good, but what D'Onofrio created was pretty hard to follow. So, they returned last week, with nary a mention of the absence, and together they were as striking as ever. Last night's show, The Consoler, with guest-star Neil McDonough was a great script, great acting and very enjoyable. This season was billed as the last one with a nail-biting 9 episodes promised; however, I wouldn't be surprised if it came back for one more season. Just stellar acting from the two.


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JJ Abrams

FRINGED AGAIN --- Fringe wrapped up a somewhat chaotic and challenging season three last Friday, with a terrific episode called The Day We Died. The show, co-written by the wonderful Akiva Goldsman was sensational; successfully wrapping up all the season's red herrings and unloading even more for their next season. I love the fact that this show does make you consider what if. It's from the terrifically talented JJ Abrams, who we will always love for Alias and Lost. The show's is drenched in mythic sci-fy which already slices off some viewers, but if you want to believe … this show is tailor-made for you Its The X Files and Millennium all rolled into one. This episode even wove in time-travel and the very real possibility that what seems to be … may not be. Terrifically enjoyable. Well done all.


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Micky Dolenz

HEY HEY HEY --- The Monkees 45th anniversary tour starts this Thursday in London; at the Liverpool Echo Arena. After some initial reports, later debunked, that the three members were not getting along and going through a third-party, our source reports that is a go. However, we are getting mixed messages regarding ticket sales. In fact, no one wants to go on the record as to how they're moving … which is never a good sign. As of Friday, their two shows here, at The Beacon and the NYCB Theatre in Westbury, tickets were readily available … and, a wide range of seats as well. Music's legendary mogul Irving Azoff (The Eagles) who is the mastermind behind the tour (along with his aide Andy Gould), was said to have called certain promoters saying that if they ever wanted The Eagles again; they'd better get on the gun with The Monkees. What with the way tours are put together today, the three certainly will have a lucrative payday to look forward to; but, it's ironic that after all these years, maybe their fan base is not what it once was; when you think about it, how could it really be? Interestingly enough, many of the venues that have booked shows are venues the three of them have performed at with their own bands. Not the huge venues the band could have commanded even 5 years ago; and, with many bands re-grouping like never before (Buffalo Springfield; Yes; Styx) I guess you can't go home again! I know for a fact that in January of this year, there were 3 updated books (biographies) on the band ready to go … and, now, not one has made it to print. To tell you the truth, this writer would have thought there would have more of an emphasis on the tour; I hear they've already taped an interview for The Today Show … but, I think it's going to take a lot more.


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Billy Joel

CAN YOU GO HOME AGAIN --- We found ourselves this past weekend in Roslyn, Long Island (26 miles from NYC) and drove by the legendary Bryant Avenue where back in the 70's the legendary My Father's Place venue was located and operated; presided over by one Michael 'Eppy' Epstein. In those days, as the music business was gearing up for untold riches and untold successes, this was the club to play; Aerosmith; Billy Joel; Dave Mason; Hall & Oates; Toots & The Maytals; John MacLaughlin; The Brecker Brothers; Chick Corea; Cindy Lauper; and, even Madonna,on her rise to super stardom, performed there. WLIR radio was the progressive radio station out there and this writer was attending college out there too. In retrospect, I don't think a young man could be in a better spot during those halcyon times. Of course, all that was soon to change, but driving by all these years later was certainly a revelation. 19 Bryant Avenue is now two re-built modern buildings housing a bakery (!) and there seemed to be more restaurants than ever and many new apartment complexes. We also drove down to Summit Avenue where Epstein lived and was the scene of many a raucous night back then … again, all quiet. I remember more than once all those years back of driving around and wondering if the general populace … let alone the world, knew, of the amazing changes that were taking place right there in their own backyard. Epstein released a photo book (last October) detailing some of the events at the much-missed club. I haven't seen it, but would love to. It was a magical emporium of dreams. When you played at My Father's Place; that was a sign you were on your way.


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Prince

WELCOME BACK MR. MUNDI --- When we saw Prince at Madison Square Garden in January, there was no question that we were seeing one of the best shows ever … but, we couldn't help but think of the best moments from the band Kid Creole & The Coconuts; this was the band that was birthed from the ashes of the legendary Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, whose song “Chercehez la femme/C'est si bon" (1976) was a monster international disco hit. The song is a still played today and I challenge you not to stop and tap your foot when you hear it. The band was formed in the Bronx, by August Darnell, Stoney Browder and Coati Mundi and just put out some of the best music ... ever! August and Coati went on to form Kid Creole and enjoyed critical, though middling commercial success. They had a fairly big commercial hit with "Annie (I'm Not Your Daddy"), though never the slam-dunk commercial success they truly deserved. I well recall being on their first major tour, opening for The B-52's, which was just tremendous. A truly great band if there ever was one. In Europe, the group went on to more success and headlined several huge tours. The band was then signed to the fledgling indie-label Z and it was not really until the forged a pact with Seymour Stein's Sire Records, that things began to click. He also worked on many of the Kid Creole offshoot projects, including Gichy Dan & Beachwood #9; Cristina; and, Don Armando's 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band which produced the #1 dance hit "Deputy Of Love." Coati transitioned from the band several years later and has released a number of significant albums and singles, including the terrific "Me No Pop I." Now, he's back on the music scene with his first solo release in over a decade called Dancing for the Cabana Code in the Land of Boo-Hoo (Rong). With a terrific album graphic (by Douglass Lee) that immediately recalls the cover of the long-ago-released Savannah Band album, it's a terrifically inspiring set. We loved "I Love My Dog (Do Do Do)" and "No More Blues." It's terrific to have Coati back on the music scene and I hope his new partnership with Rong will do him well. The album is a collaboration with the British-artist/producer E-Love and it's crystal clear it's a perfect fit. Welcome back Mr. Mundi!

Photos By: RD/Leon/Kim/Orchon/Walter McBride/Retna