THE INDUCTIES FOR SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME
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THE GLORIOUS CORNER
Story By: G. H. HARDING
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| Cyndi Lauper |
FOR A SONG --- The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced the five artists and writers to be inducted on June 12.
Making the cut are: Ray Davies (The Kinks - "Lola," "Waterloo Sunset," "You Really Got Me"); Donovan ("Hurdy Gurdy Man," "Catch The Wind"); Graham Gouldman ("For Your Love," "Bus Stop"); Jim Weatherly ("Midnight Train To Georgia") and, Mark James ("Hooked On A Feeling," "Suspicious Minds").
Jimmy Webb, chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, said "Each of our 2014 inductees has been responsible for captivating the world with their creativity for decades, serving up a rich variety of songs for our global soundtrack. We are looking forward to celebrating their contributions at our Annual Awards Gala."
The gala will be held on Thursday, June 12 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.
The artists who did were nominated for induction but did not make the cut were Harry Wayne Casey, Vince Gill, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, John Mellencamp, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Linda Perry, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, Sade, Cat Stevens, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Bill Anderson, Bobby Braddock, Hugo and Luigi, Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, Tony MacAulay, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldman, Don Robertson and William "Mickey" Stevens.
ELTON --- Sir Elton John puts electronic music on in the mornings. The legendary musician has collaborated with a number of acts in the past, including rock band Queens of the Stone Age.
"I adore electronic music. I get up in the morning and put on electronic music," he gushed to Clash magazine. "I did a track with Timbaland. I hope to do something with Pharrell (Williams). I've done a track with Bright Light Bright Light, a guy called Rod Thomas, and it's brilliant. I like exploring other avenues."
Pharrell's son Rocket was rumored to be named after Elton's hit Rocket Man and the 40-year-old has also expressed an interest in teaming up with Elton; however, it looks like the 66-year-old could use a few lessons in electronic music before he signs up to anything.
"I don't know how to record electronic music," he admitted. "As a piano player I tend to overdo things, and electronic music is about simplicity. I had lunch with James Blake the other day, and listening to his album is so simple and beautiful.”
"I would be tempted to do so much more, and he has the ability to be so minimalistic and I love it. They're like paintings, not songs."
Other collaborations included a turn with rapper Kanye West.
"Playing on the Kanye West record, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which is genius from start to finish, was a f**king honor. It was like: 'Wow, I'm on this f**king record!' And it was different. You can always learn," Elton said.
"By pooh-poohing dance music, rap or anything, you just lose so much, because if you get into the studio with these guys you realize they're onto something completely different to what you do.
"By you saying its rubbish it's completely wrong, because what they do is something you don't understand but it's completely relevant and it's very exciting."
CLOSING NOTES --- Designer Cynthia Rowley’s Wednesday night show at the Diamond Horseshoe club was terrifically splendid. The designer felt, that rather than a runway show this year, she’d just have a fabulous event. The club, located under the regal Paramount Hotel in midtown NY was last used for Andy Warhol’s funeral years back. An amazing space. Seen among the crowd, actors Alan Cumming and Jess Weixler, from The Good Wife; Law & Order’s Jill Hennessey; pr-pasha David Salidor and Zosia Mamet …
How about TV’s Al Roker getting into a twitter-war with new Mayor Bill DeBlasio. Roker, in a lather over the snow and DeBlasio not closing his daughter’s school said, My prediction: one term! Nasty! For the record: Roker did an on-air apology this morning …
Excellent interview in the new Hollywood Reporter, by Hal Espen, on U2 and their new in-the-works album. Says Bono,"We don't want to ever be a heritage act ... it might happen, but we'll go kicking and screaming into that mode. We feel the place for us to be is part of the conversation and contemporary culture of music and film and everything else, and we don't see the reason we can't." Espen also relates how manager Paul McGuinness persuaded U2 to embrace an even four-way split from the start of their careers. Says Espen, "The philosophy and values he devised in collaboration with U2 systematically subtracted the pressures that tend to break up acts and impede emotional intelligent growth."
It obviously worked as the band in worth something in the neighborhood of $852 million. Great reading for sure. The group will perform their Mandela song ("Ordinary Love") once only - at next month's Academy Awards show ...
Deposed-WPLJ morning man Scott Shannon, in an interview with The Daily News' David Hinckley, reports he could be back on the air very shortly. That would be very nice indeed ...
Are you a Bob Dylan fan ... and, really, who isn't? Check out this clip from the forthcoming DVD of the famed Dylan 30th Anniversary show, recorded back in October of 1992. Classic indeed and look at that band!
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