Van Tango

Paul Weller has ruled out any chance of ever reuniting The Jam. The band's former frontman says he will never reform the three-piece where he initially made his name. "Nah that would never happen. Why would I want to go back? For nostalgic reasons? That's never good enough," he said. "My philosophy is to embrace the new day and get on with it. If The Jam reformed now it'd just be a sad cabaret and that's not what I'm about at all."
Weller also added that recent reports that he is worth 165 million pounds were wide of the mark. "Noel Gallagher called me up when he read that and said, 'You've been holding out on me, you tight bastard - lend us a tenner," he said. "But 165 million is way, way off what I'm worth. If anyone knows where all those missing millions have gone, please give me a call." The Jam legacy is better off being remembered as it was and not going through the rolling stones path. No need for a rein-carnation.

Rufus Wainwright credits classical music with saving him from a life of drug abuse. The 32 year old musician hails the genre as the key to his successful rehab ordeal from a crystal meth addiction, and insists it should be an inspiration to every artist, regardless of their age or lifestyle. He said, "The greatest asset during my rehab process has been the influence of classical music, which saved my life. Unlike rock 'n' roll, where drugs, sex and debauchery are the norm, you can write your most interesting music when you're old, fat and ugly." Hmmm..has he just looked through the magical crystal ball? Maybe he can recommend this interesting therapy to Pete who has just..

Pete Doherty is out of rehab just over a week after he checked himself into a drugs treatment centre in Arizona. Under pressure from his on/off girlfriend Kate Moss, Doherty checked into the Meadows Clinic on 19 Nov in an attempt to beat his addiction to narcotics. But last night (28 Nov) Doherty watched The Bravery perform a gig at London's Brixton Academy. I suspect he might not thoroughly enjoy the new yorkers gig.. An insider said, "Kate is bound to be disappointed. Pete knows he can never be around her until he sorts himself out." Now that's not cool. He himself checked in, but was surprisingly seen in London. Not too sure whether Sam Endicott actually noticed the shambles singer. Even if he did, don't think he was 'fearless' enough to make a 'public service' annoncement to the crowd telling Pete to go back to Arizona. Oh well..

Kristanna Loken (that T3 stunner) has now developed such a great fascination with blood, she now enjoys tasting her own whenever the opportunity arises. The star, who plays a half-human, half-vampire creature in her latest movie BLOODRAYNE ears her gruesome obsession is getting out of control. She said, "I have a fascination with it... Personally, I like the taste of my own blood: I'll taste that any day before that awful fake blood they use in the movies. It has this disgusting, faux-minty taste." But Loken draws the line at tasting other people's blood - although she does enjoy occasionally biting their flesh. She adds, "I've been known to give love bites. I wouldn't say they're my go-to move, but love bites are nice." Nice indeed..
Kristanna has warned her pal Michelle Rodriguez never to start a fight with her - because she certainly would win. While Rodriguez is often regarded as one of Hollywood's tough girls, her BLOODRAYNE co-star insists she could easily defeat her in a brawl. The actress said : "I love Michelle, but she's little; it wouldn't be much of a fight. She is quick but I'm bigger. I'd be pretty confident that it wouldn't last long." What do you expect? Prior to T3, Loken mastered this Israeli form of martial arts called Krav Maga that they teach the military. 007 might also become 00mouse in a sparring session with her.

Juicebox live performance on Top Of The Pops(TOTP)!
~ Ch-ch-ch-darling you're so cold.

Roughtrade's top 100 albums for 2005.

Have Arctic Monkeys gone and ruined it for everyone else? This issue is highly debatable.

Video Footage from Kylie's Showgirl DVD
- Especially For You [ Real low / hi ]
- Hand On Your Heart [ Real low / hi ]

We Are Scientists have confirmed that their new single will be 'It's A Hit'. The follow-up to 'The Great Escape' will hit the shelves early next year. Speaking about the video for the single, the band said through their official site: "This new video, it'll be trudging through the post-production muck for a while. We're going over to Akivia's place... to see a rough cut and try our damnest to polish this chopped turd." Sounds great. Their group photo pics philosophy is somehow similar to The Beastie Boys.

The Simple Life series will make a return. E! Networks have purchased 10 episodes of the fourth installment entitled The Simple Life: Til Death Do Us Part. They will air the new episodes next year. The new format will show Nicole and Paris with a different family each week, taking turns to play 'wife' to various different families who will decide who does the best job sort of like Trading Spouses. They will do stuff like tending to children, putting dinner on the table and otherwise playing house in order to, in the words of E!, "put the girls to the matrimonial test." The company have also bought the rights to the first three series which will no doubt be re-run and re-run and re-run again and again...

This is quite funny. Jessy Simpson was actually thrilled by the failure of her '03 single Sweetest Sin, because she felt pushed into recording the "stupid" song. The singer released the track from her album In This Skin, but it failed to chart anywhere on the top 100 - leaving her elated. She said, "On In This Skin, I didn't think Sweetest Sin represented who I was as an artist. It was stupid and I loved that it completely tanked. I've been told what to do and was looked at as a product for so long, and everything was put into perspective at that moment." Errr..there is actually an action called 'refusing'? As a result, Simpson insisted on taking the reins on her upcoming album And The Band Plays On, which is set to be released in the spring '06.
She added, "This is the first album that I've approached with confidence. I finally believe that people like me for me. On this album, I wasn't doing what other people told me to." Bring back the Irresistable & A Little Bit tunes please. No DD crap or 'with you, with you' cheesy stuff.

Anyways, Jessica refused to sign a prenup back in Oct 02, even though Nick asked her to. Under California law, since the couple did not sign a prenup, earnings during the marriage are divided 50/50. If the couple doesn't settle out of court, Nick would be entitled to tens of millions of Jessica's earnings during their three years of wedlock. Ah hah! That is definitely the sweetest sin.

Levy is a four-piece band from New York who have been together for almost two years. Proving their status as one of the most exciting 'up and coming' bands, Levy is out with a new and improved video for their fantastic track 'On The Dance Floor' ...No ArcticMonkey dancing stuff...more in the vein of Interpol's NYC & Snow Patrol's How To Be Dead.

An E-Card to celebrate the invasion of Juicebox / First Impressions Of Earth.

David Blaine's magic tricks revealed.

Some interesting vending machines in Japan. Incredibly weird ideas on show.

Goldfrapp's next single will be 'Ride a White Horse'. It will be released on 13th feb. Wonder if that shiny horse from Ooh La La appears again this time. Actually I would have preferred Satin Chic. A personal fav. There's always a slot for the fourth single so maybe they had already booked for it. For now, i wanna ride..on..a white horse. Fantastic song.

Possibly getting ideas from seeing 40-50 year old aunts on videos working it out, Charlotte Church is shaping up for a new fitness video. She has reportedly been going through her fitness regime with Gavin Henson. Now she wants to combine a healthy diet with gym sessions and has been getting Gavin's advice. A friend said: "Its not about losing weight. It's about feeling healthy and good about herself." Apparently she wants to show people that you can stay healthy and look good without dieting or doing crazy workouts. Hope she remembers that it is a fitness video, and not a tissues & issues music video.

Soooo..after just two weeks into marriage, Christina Aguilera wants the genie in a bottle to grant her a pair of tiny feet in her Malibu mansion. A pal revealed : "She's been saying that once the world tour she's planning for next year is over she wants to concentrate on starting a family." Xtina will make a good mum. But those diiiirty music videos must be kept away..

Fancy a Wham reunion to make you go-go? Following Duran Duran, Tears For Fears and Depeche Mode comebacks, there were some speculation that Wham could breathe out some old careless whispers. BUT, that gay dude George Michael has laughed off rumours of a Wham comeback tour, insisting his former bandmate Andrew Ridgeley would never agree to perform again. They split in 1986 and Michael went onto to launch a successful solo career. Despite the recent reunions of fellow 80s bands, Michael insists Wham won't be returning to the stage. He said: "Oh please... there's nothing big planned on that just yet. Even if I wanted to do it, Andrew would never do it. I'm afraid I can't get into those small tennis shorts anymore." Viewers are MORE afraid of seeing you in those shorts again. So now, we all just have to endure rubbish wham renditions on American Idol..

Speaking of which, I've witnessed shocking scenes of the top five worst auditions of A.I from the new season! The famous trio judges must have got nightmares after experiencing these (%()$^*%#*&^$&(%*&()*(^*)$^%@#* audition no-hopers.

The world premiere of the film Memoirs Of A Geisha, based on the best-selling novel, has taken place in Tokyo. Starring Ziyi Zhang, it tells the story of the transformation of a penniless child into an accomplished geisha. Directed by Academy Award winner Rob Marshall, it is based on Arthur Golden's 1997 romantic epic, which sold more than four million copies in English and was translated into 32 languages. The lavish, 85 million dollar production features exquisite kimonos and a magical set which captures the atmosphere of pre-war Japan. The film's story follows fisherman's daughter Chiyo, who is taken from her home at the age of nine and sold to an okiya, or geisha house, in Kyoto. As she blossoms into the geisha Sayuri she encounters intimidation from rival Hatsumomo, played by Chinese star Li Gong, and help from her mentor Mameha, played by Michelle Yeoh. Though her beauty enchants many powerful men, she secretly yearns for the Chairman, played by The Last Samurai's Ken Watanabe.
The world of the geisha remains shrouded in mystery to this day. Often confused with prostitutes, geishas are accomplished artists, rigorously trained in music and dance. The word "gei" means art in Japanese. With their elaborate kimonos, bright red lips and jet-black hair, they are an emblem of a fast-disappearing world. The film will be released in the UK on January 13.