Joe Kavanagh's Music News

The biggest story in the music world last week was undoubtedly the stiff sentences handed out to the convicted killers of Lebanese pop star, Suzanne Tamin. An Egyptian court recently found mega-rich tycoon, Hisham Talaat Moustafa, guilty of ordering and funding the murder of the popular singer, and convicted ex-cop, Mohsen al-Sukkari, of carrying out the heartless killing. The same court has now given both men the death penalty, for a homicide, which was believed to have been committed because Moustafa was unwilling to accept the end of his relationship with Tamin. While I can't say that I'm a fan of the death penalty, I do somewhat admire the fact that Moustafa was unable to pervert the course of justice, despite his fame, immense wealth and high-standing in Egyptian society. Tamin was found murdered in an apartment in Dubai in July of last year, after fleeing to that city because she feared for her safety, after the break up of her relationship with Moustafa...

America's Got Talent judge, Piers Morgan, launched a blistering attack on former Beatle, Ringo Starr, in the wake of the latter's latest transgression against his fan base. According to news reports, Starr refused to sign an autograph for an elderly lady who approached him at last month's Chelsea Flower Show, prompting Morgan to declare last week: "Ringo was always the least talented, ugliest, jammiest (luckiest) member of The Beatles. We can now add the words 'disgusting', 'selfish', 'greedy' and 'thoughtless' to the list too." I have to concur because Ringo is less like a Beatle and more like a cockroach with every passing day. Starr famously released a video blog on his website some time back, telling fans that he would no longer open their mail, instead preferring to throw it in the garbage. His excuse for this decision was the he is "too busy", though I can't think what is taking up so much of his time because he hasn't been busy in music for some 40 years. Maybe its stamp collecting or something...

Tom Clarke, the diminutive singer for Coventry act The Enemy, has moved to quash a burgeoning feud between his band and Oasis, after he claims that quotes attributed to him were taken out of context. In an interview with UK tabloid The Sun, Clarke was quoted as saying: "I don't think Noel (Gallagher, guitarist) needs to do it (be in Oasis) anymore. He's doing it for the love of it. That's the dream. That's when you can say you've made it." Oasis singer, Liam Gallagher, reminded Clarke that it was Oasis that had given his band their first major break by taking them on as an opening act, and are set to do so again in the coming months, writing on his Twitter account: "Having read an interview with Tom Clarke from The Enemy apparently Oasis are past it? Do you want to go on first (on the tour) or what you little f***er?" Now Clarke has sought to clear the air, announcing last week: "That's complete and utter b**locks! Oasis have been and still are one of my favorite bands ever. It's an absolute honor for them to invite us onto their tour, I can't wait! Oasis past it? Not a f***in' chance!" Such loquacious types, these rock stars...

Far from leaving him disillusioned, Coldplay singer, Chris Martin, says that the recent claims of plagiarism leveled against his band will only make him a better songwriter. In an interview last week, Martin declared: "You think, 'right, if everyone's trying to take away our best song, then we'd better write 25 better ones'. And so just at the point where I was thinking about getting fat and becoming complacent, I've been finding more inspiration." As long as he doesn't look for said inspiration in some other artist's back catalogue, but, truthfully, I find it hard to believe that Chris Martin took his inspiration from a has-been mullet-rocker like Joe Satriani, who is currently suing Coldplay because he claims that their track Viva La Vida, rips off elements of his song, If I Could Fly. Interestingly, Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) has now joined the foray, as he says that the Viva La Vida is eerily similar to his own track, Foreigner Suite, and claims that he will "see how Satriani gets on" before deciding whether to take his own legal action against Coldplay. I'm confused, because if that's the case then surely Islam should be suing Joe Satriani, instead of Coldplay because that's what you call syllogistic logic?...

Echo And The Bunnymen will soon head out into space, in a manner of speaking, after singer Ian McCullough revealed last week that the band was recently contacted by NASA astronaut, Col. Timothy L. Korpa, who asked their permission to bring a copy of the Liverpool act's Ocean Rain album with him when he embarks on a mission to the International Space Station next month, as he wanted to listen to repeatedly during his time in space. Honored by the request, McCullough happily sent him an autographed copy of the album, which contains the seminal track, The Killing Moon. While it's certainly an honor, if any of the other astronauts or cosmonauts see Col. Korpa roaming the halls of the space station, with laser gun in hand and a Herbert Lom-like twitch in his eye, while singing the darkly murderous lyrics of The Killing Moon, I would suggest that they make their way in an orderly fashion to the nearest escape pod...

Amy Winehouse's long awaited UK comeback looks to be on indefinite hold after her management made the decision to cancel her upcoming London concert. The troubled singer was due to perform in the English capital on May 31, but was admitted to hospital last week for the third time in as many months. This all comes in the wake of her father, Mitch's recent statement, which claimed that his daughter has kicked her dependency on heroin and crack cocaine, only to become a raging alcoholic. His words were given substance when Winehouse made an ill-fated appearance at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival a couple of weeks back, where she forgot her own lyrics and appeared drunk, during a mercifully short performance. Things are getting pretty bad when you forget your own lyrics and maybe it's time for people to stop expecting this girl to make another album and just let her concentrate on getting her head on straight, because it seems like the people around her are "going to need a bigger boat", so to speak...

Speaking of confused girls, daughter of Bob Geldof, Peaches Geldof, appears to have changed her opinion of air-headed, heiress, Paris Hilton, after the pair met at Cannes Film Festival last week. Geldof once claimed of Hilton: "Paris is thick and sometimes looks like a transvestite, even though she's better looking than me." Now, however, it appears she has had a change of heart, as Hilton told an interviewer at the French festival that Geldof has even agreed to model some of her clothes, announcing: "Peaches is such a sweetie. I can't wait to bring my bling to London where she'll be just perfect to model it with me." If I live to be 500 years old, I will never understand women. One week it's: "Oh my God, that (fill in name) is such a total bitch" and sometimes, only days later, when you see said person and -in an act of solidarity - recall that she is in fact a bitch, your significant other will likely say: "How can you say that? She's actually quite nice when you get to know her - and I love her shoes. Why can't you get me nice things like that?" But I digress...

While we're on the subject of Cannes, reformed 80s act, Spandau Ballet were reportedly at the festival, attempting to nail down final discussions to shoot a documentary about the band's career. According to guitarist Gary Kemp: "It will be a feature-length documentary with us talking about everything that's happened over the years. We won't shy away from tackling the bad times." Sounds riveting. I'm thinking that story could be told in five minutes. Actually I'll give it a shot. Here goes: Released a song called True, had bad hair and clothes, broke up, acted like asses to each other for the next 20 years, two members attempted acting, one sucked, the other sucked less. Singer thought he was the one with all the talent but it soon transpired that he wasn't even close in his assessment. And that's about it. Turns out I was being overly generous with five minutes...