Van Tango

Nicole Richie insists the media is reading too much into her split from former friend Paris Hilton, and reports she staged a viewing party for her ex-pal's infamous sex tape are not true. Richie, daughter of Lionel Richie, admits they grew up and grew apart. She said, "Today, we're no longer friends. There's nothing that really happened. We've just grown apart." But she's upset by claims the friendship soured after she hosted a party, at which she aired the infamous One Night In Paris sex tape. Richie added : "I would never do that. I'm sure it stirs up controversy, which I'm sure that she (Paris) loves but I really have nothing bad to say." Another Beyond Belief episode. Fact or Fiction?

Kylie Minogue is celebrating after doctors gave her permission to fly to her native Australia this Christmas. Diagnosed with the disease in May this year, Kylie feared she would be forced to spend the festive season away from home. And younger sister Dannii is planning a special celebration: "She's doing really well and is getting stronger every day. We're all looking forward to Christmas and I'm determined to beat her at charades." Cause I believe in you, I believe in..

The Vines have announced that they have overcome their much publicised problems and have just completed their third album. Following a four-week stint in Sydney's BJB Studios with producer Wayne Connerly, the band say that the new record is "edgier and wilder".
"There's a bunch of different styles on this record," producer Wayne Connerly said. "He's kind of got a little bit of that space rock stuff but he's also got some really intense wild punk rock, there something very primal about it."
He added: "Then he's got a couple of great Beatles kind of punk rock songs, a bit of sixties beat garage stuff, a couple of really good indie slacker tracks and a bit of soaring pop stuff like that. A few strings. He's always been a really big fan of that lush production, whether it's been obvious in the past." The record is set to be released early next year. Some Nirvana + Beatles = The Vines. More winning days to come?

Green Day will release their epic 9-minute track 'Jesus Of Suburbia' on Nov 14. Has some cool early GD nimrod sounds in some parts.

Charlotte Church regrets attacking pop star James Blunt's singing skills, because she was recently forced to sit next to him at an awards ceremony. The Crazy Chick was horrified when organisers introduced her to the soldier-turned-singer at the Q Awards in London last month.
She said: "I had to meet James Blunt because we were sitting at the same table, which was awkward. I've recently said some pretty uncomplimentary things about him in the press - but I'm sorry, his voice is so whiny." Church had previously ranted: "I don't like James Blunt. His song You're Beautiful is so annoying. The way he says 'angel' really gets me." Was she afraid that he might respond to her comments in an aggressive manner or the possibility of experiencing the nightmare where Mr Whiny would repeat 'You're beaaauuteeefuuuul.. You're beaaauuteeefuuuul..' to her throughout the event?

Robbie Williams is the UK's biggest-selling artist of the 21st century. He has sold a staggering 6.3 million albums since 2000. Robbie has topped the charts again with Intensive Care. Coldplay follow closely behind with 6.2 million and Dido is in third place.
The figures, taken on Oct 11 this year, are based on sales of albums released since Jan 2000 but exclude greatest hits, live albums and downloads. (What is this Anastacia doing there?)

1 Robbie Williams 6.3
2 Coldplay 6.2
3 Dido 5.7
4 Eminem 4.7
5 Westlife 4.2
6 Norah Jones 3.3
7 Blue 3.3
8 Anastacia 3.1
9 Stereophonics 2.8
10 Oasis 2.6

Gwyneth Paltrow is to replace Elizabeth Hurley as the face of a luxury perfume. The actress has been unveiled as the face of Estee Lauder Pleasures for an advertising campaign to mark its tenth birthday. She has signed up with the brand indefinitely for an undisclosed sum. Aerin Lauder, senior vice president at the company, said: "Gwyneth is a true beauty who is a perfect fit with the Pleasures concept. She's approachable, and casual and also has the elegance and style that is inherent to the heritage of Estee Lauder." A spokeswoman for the company said the change had been made because it wanted "a fresh impact" for the perfume's tenth birthday. An advertising campaign will appear in fashion and beauty magazines next month. To launch the advertising campaign, Paltrow will appear at Selfridges in London's Oxford Street this week. That cosmetics company made a good choice. Eliz can now solely concentrate on her intended wedding.

Oasis will round off a triumphant year with the release of the third single from Don't Believe The Truth, on Nov 28. Let There Be Love video stream. Sounds cheesy the first time round. After watching the video, it had a lot more impact.

The Libertines have not split, but are on an "hiatus" according to member Carl Barat. Barat, who has put together a new band with his former Libertines bandmates, hopes of one day renewing his friendship with Pete Doherty and reforming the iconic band. He told Doherty that he couldn't stay in The Libertines whilst Pete had so many drug issues, and the band later disbanded. Barat said, "Dust settles and as long as it's left alone then anything's possible. We're not ready to work together again right now, and I don't know what Pete would say.
"But there's someone in there I love very much as a friend and will do until my dying day, I'd quite like to think that it's reciprocated." The debut Babyshambles album Down in Albion is released on Nov 14th. Carl Barat has his own band - Dirty Pretty Things, still in their early touring days without an official album.

Interesting quotes about this talented & bohemian singer called Pete Doherty

• "I don't think he shies away from media attention, but I don't think he strives for it either - which is really the point. I don't think he punched a photographer with the intention of appearing on the front page of the Sun or whatever."
• "Anyone see the similarity between pete and sid vicious, I love sid but even i would have to concede that pete has more talent. Fair enough he does drugs, but when it becomes detrimental to your health you really have to question what hes doing to himself."
• "the libertines are what got me back into current music... everything was so crap around the time they came out and they just blew me away. up the bracket is imo the best album in the last fifteen years or so. fucking fantastic. pete has loads of talent, especially in songwriting. and though he's not the best singer i love his voice.... its honest and open"
  

Removal vans were spotted outside Kate Moss's home just recently, adding to speculation that the supermodel is seeking a quiet life in the countryside. Moss, 31, checked out of an Arizona rehabilitation clinic two weeks ago following controversy over photographs of her allegedly taking cocaine. The Croydon-born model is set to move to her 2 million pounds Cotswold hideaway with Lila Grace, her daughter. Furniture, as well as children's toys, a mattress and mirror were all loaded into the van outside her St John's Wood, north west London home. Moss has spent most of the time in the US since leaving the Meadows Clinic, but recently took her daughter with her on a working break to Ibiza. Moss, who missed Lila's third birthday because she was in the clinic, said she had "various personal issues" that she needed to address. She is expected to be interrogated by both police and social services when she returns to the UK in December. Aaah, seeking a much needed break..

Stereoboard.com is still looking for indie music writers.

Well-toned hips and a trim waist - not just the pounds you carry - appear to be one of the best protections against heart attacks, according to a study of thousands of people in different countries. Researchers reported that a hip-to-waist ratio is a better predictor of the risk of heart attack for a variety of ethnic groups than body-mass index, the current standard.
Based on weight and height, the body-mass index takes no notice of where fat is or how muscular a person is, said Dr. Arya Sharma, professor of medicine at McMaster University and co-author of the study. An athlete and a couch potato could have similar BMI scores, he noted.
"Irrespective of your BMI, your waist-hip ratio is important."
Previous research has shown that having a potbelly is a better predictor of heart trouble than weight, but most of those studies focused on Europeans or North Americans. The Interheart study drew on data from 27,098 people in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, including 12,461 who had suffered a heart attack. In the new study, the risk of heart attack rose progressively as the ratio of waist size increased in proportion to hip circumference. The 20 percent of the survey who had the highest ratio were 2.5 times more at risk than the 20 percent with the lowest ratio, the study found. That finding, researchers said, suggested a two-part strategy: trimming the abdomen, and possibly increasing hip size by increasing muscle mass or redistributing fat.
Overall, waist measurements recorded by the researchers were about 90 percent of the hip measurements. People in China scored best at 88 percent, followed by 89 percent in southeast Asia, 90 percent in North America, 92 percent in Africa, 93 percent in the Middle East and 94 percent in South America. A 30-inch waist and 36-inch hips, for instance, works out to a favorable 83 percent. The study said the protective mechanism still isn't clear. The authors speculated that hormones may influence waist and hip size, or that there may be important differences in the fat composition in the two areas. (Must. dig. out. running shoes..)