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Carol Miller’s Rockin’ “Up All Night” Tells the Great Rock Stories

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Carol Miller had a book party the other night for her memoir, “Up All Night,” at the new Cutting Room on East 32nd St. and Park Ave. The place was filled with New York’s rockingest crowd, from May Pang to Bob Gruen to tons of musicians and deejays. Everyone was there from Jim Kerr to Ken Dashow and lots of people whose voices you’d know but might not recognize right away.

If you haven’t gotten “Up All Night,” flip right now over to amazon or Kindle or iBooks or whatever. Carol was trailblazer for women in rock starting the mid 70s. She followed her idol, the late Alison Steele, onto New York FM radio. Her butterscotch caramel voice has been entertaining New York rock audiences ever since.

“Up All Night” is full of fun–and stories of her relationships with rock stars like Steven Tyler and KISS’s Paul Stanley to name a few. But it’s not like she was seeing them to get ahead. They loved her– and they also wanted to be played on the radio. They knew how influential she was!

There’s a great story in the book about Carol and Bebe Buell duking it over Steven Tyler in the 70s. Bebe was a special guest at the Cutting Room party the other night. The girls hugged and laughed about the old days. It all seems so crazy now!

You can still hear Carol every day on Q104.3 here in NYC and on SiriusXM every night. She’s forever, god bless her. I just hope she’ll write the sequel. By the way, there’s a great story about how “Up All Night” came about–the editors at Harper Collins heard her telling her stories on the radio and just called and asked her to write a book. She did it herself, too–so the the book is full of her sense of humor. I couldn’t put it down!

PS After the party, Bebe, her musician husband Jim Wallerstein and I went over to the Waverly Inn for a late dinner. Graydon Carter was holding court, Tony Hendra was in the house, and Joel Coen and Frances McDormand were dining in the back. There’s a new chef, and the Waverly, I can report, is hotter than ever.

Happy Birthday Sam Moore! R&B Legend Turns 77 Today

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The great R&B legend Sam Moore turns 77 today. The singer of “Soul Man,” “Hold on I’m Coming,” “When Something is Wrong with My Baby” and dozens more hits has performed for all the US presidents, at two inaugurations, and with countless superstars. Recently, a staffer at one of the late night talk shows told me: “I love it when Sam comes to the show. He’s the only one who sings on key.”

Moore’s miraculous voice has been paired on record not only with late partner Dave Prater, but with Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Wynonna Judd, Conway Twitty, Valerie Simpson and Cee Lo Green. And Sam is going strong. He’s got a couple of albums in the works, shows lined up, and may even put in an appearance at this year’s inauguration. (In 2008, he, Sting, and Elvis Costello headlined for the Creative Coalition.)

He and his wife Joyce are tireless advocates for performers rights, for the Performers Royalty Act. Sam, like, so many singers, didn’t write his own material. So he gets not a dime when his hits are played on the radio.

Check him out on Facebook, where Sam is getting a lot of kudos today. Happy Birthday! I’m honored to know you after all these years….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTplny76s7M

 

Streisand Backstage Chatter: Elliott Gould Had No Idea Son Jason Is Now a Performer

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ALL EXCLUSIVE Lots of this and that from the backstage at Barbra Streisand’s return to Brooklyn: first of all, actor Elliott Gould had no idea his son with Barbra, 46 (yes, hard to believe) year old Jason Gould could sing, would sing, did sing on stage and so professionally with Barbra at the show. Elliott looked a little stunned. During the show, Barbra presents a birthday video that Jason made for her 70th with him singing “Nature Boy” backed by an orchestra. He sounds like a pro, with a deep lustrous version of his mom’s vocals.

After the video, he joined Barbra on stage, where they sang together, then he performed “This Masquerade” on his own. He could easily have a career, and an act. Backstage he told me he’s got songs on iTunes. Indeed he has five songs including “Nature Boy” and “How Deep the Ocean.” A surprised Elliott told me: “I didn’t know he could sing like that. But once when he was younger he sang when we were on a trip, and I knew he had it in him.” A proud father, I’d say…

…A big group gathered in a circle and sang “Happy Birthday” to Chris Botti at the backstage party. The youthful looking horn player turned 50 at midnight. Among the group was his manager, Bobby Colomby, an original member of the great Blood, Sweat, & Tears–who are still not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, dammit. Now Chris– who tours constantly–is with Barbra at every show–just wowing the crowd musically and doing double time as an able co-host…Good for him…ex girlfriend Katie Couric stopped by to say hello. She missed the show because of an event with one of her kids, but wanted to see Chris and congratulate him…

…The after-party was hosted, nominally, by Universal Pictures chief Ron Meyer– as a friend, not professionally. He brought his 18 year old daughter and two of her college friends. Meyer is the mensch of the movie business. And he’s about to have a huge, huge hit with Tom Hooper’s “Les Miserables” starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway. Meyers’ guests included former Paramount chief Sherry Lansing and director husband William Friedkin. Also there, the great “Rocky” producer Irwin Winkler…

…Barbra’s manager of half a century Marty Ehrlichmann had a little gathering of his own immediately after the show, and before Barbra was ready to see everyone. She had joked on stage that Marty “spotted me in the neonatal unit at Brooklyn Hospital and knew that I had a voice.” Cantankerous Marty has steered Streisand through mostly ups and presumably downs (I don’t know of any). They’ve had a remarkably successful association. And he’s as feisty as ever, a great guy in a bad business…

…Finally: Barbra’s producer Jay Landers says if “Release Me,” her new album of unreleased tracks is a hit, they have more. And “Release Me” will enter the charts around number 5 on Monday. Not bad.

Talk of the Rolling Stones Is Buzz of the Barclay Arena

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Well, everyone who works at the Barclay Arena in Brooklyn knows the Rolling Stones are coming. They’re just sure when. Everyone I spoke to said the same thing: the dates are not firm. Even with tickets going on sale soon for London and Newark, the Brooklyn arrangements have not been finalized.

So what’s the Barclay like? It’s beautiful. The staff could not be nicer. So nice, too nice. You know you’ve left New York. There’s a great vibe. People are happy to be there. They have excellent free WiFi, and have deals in place with all the major phone carriers. The food is good, too.

You can go there by subway. Many trains arrive underneath the Barclay. I took the B train from 42nd St. and Sixth Avenue. It was a 22 minute ride.

But going home is another story. After the initial rush, the trains back to Planet Earth–aka Manhattan–do not come often. There was a long, long wait. And no guarantee of getting the train that brought you there. The Barclay-Atlantic Ave subway station could also use some more escalators.

All in all, though, the Nets fans will be happy. And the Rolling Stones will find no doom or gloom there. Book it already!

PS Sound was excellent. Bands will be very happy. Even Rush.

Streisand Gets Political in Her Brooklyn Singing Return

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At her Barclays Center return to Brooklyn, Barbra Streisand got a little political tonight. The renowned liberal said, “I hope no one tells Mitt Romney how to get to Sesame Street. Or Pennsylvania Avenue.” She added: “He’s quite an actor. A chameleon really.”

also read http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/10/12/streisand-backstage-chatter-elliott-gould-had-no-idea-son-jason-is-now-a-performer

Quipping and singing her hits, Streisand is utterly charming. She’s also battling a cold and had some chicken broth on stage. The fans are gaga. Among the many stars here are ex husband Elliott Gould, Sting, Trudie Styler, Woody Allen, Barbara Walters, Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds, Gerard Butler, and Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and bff Donna Karan. Barbara’s husband James Brolin was very much in attendance as was his daughter Molly, and Barbara’s sister Roslyn Kind.

Some people have paid hundreds and thousands of dollars for their tickets. They were not disappointed. Streisand is the ultimate pro, whether she’s performing hits like The Way We Were or Enough is Enough, or classics from the Broadway songbook. She’s also extremely adept at delivering a well written, comic show with lots of endearing shtick. The show contains a memorial to Marvin Hamlisch similar to the one Barbra prepared for his recent memorial.

And her voice? Started hoarse, But warmed up. At 70 she still has ‘it’– and lots of it. The show is also meticulously arranged, like a living room. The songs and patter are pieces of really great furniture. And you’re very comfortable.

The show also featured Il Volo, a surprise singing appearance by Streisand’s son Jason Gould (proud and I think a little stunned dad Elliott Gould was in the audience), and several solos and duets with trumpetmeister Chris Botti, who was celebrating his 50th birthday as the clock struck midnight. Botti proved the perfect foil for Streisand, and almost a great co-host. Later, backstage, he met Rosie O’Donnell, who complimented him on his hosting skills. He also blew a mean trumpet.

Streisand finished the show wearing the second of two Donna Karan gowns. They worked beautifully in the arena, where she was backed by about a 40 piece orchestra. She sang “People,” came back for a couple of encores including a sensational rendition of “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Very happy in the audience were Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who wrote the lyrics to several of the songs Barbra sang, as well as famed actress Phyllis Newman, whose legendary late husband Adolph Green wrote some of the songs, and Jule Styne’s widow, Margaret, who also got to hear some familiar songs. “We were just kvelling,” Phyllis trilled.

Mostly, you watch Barbra Streisand run that show for three hours and you get it– the perfectionism, the skill, the instrument. Even though she has a lot of help from five decade old manager Marty Ehrlichman and music producer Jay Landers, it’s always on Barbra to make sure this thing goes right. She’s only done 83 shows in her whole life–this was number 83. Total. Period. For years she didn’t tour or perform live from the 60s til 1994. And now you’re amazed to see her pull it off. It’s like being captain of the QEII.

PS The night ended with a little more political speechifying–no candidate mentioned, just Barbra saying if we want healthcare and jobs and education, we know who to vote for. In Brooklyn, you didn’t have to guess who she was talking about.

Doom and Gloom? Rolling Stones New Single Only Makes Number 76 on iTunes

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Yikes! My Rolling Stones are having some trouble today. They released a new single for downloading on iTunes today. And it’s only made it to number 76. When Adele released “Skyfall” last week it also immediately vaulted to number 1. Same for Taylor Swift’s last four disposable concoctions. But the Stones did things a little strangely. They released “Doom and Gloom” for release at 3:15am Eastern Time with very little advance notice. It’s also not what you’d call a consumer friendly song. It’s not a big ballad, it’s not sentimental, it’s not for a 2012 crowd. It’s rough and raunchy. It has the word ‘fracking’ in it. It has no memorable chorus. The confluence of all these things has meant a blunted impact. But the Rolling Stones will always run counter to expectations. That’s what’s so cool about them. And “Doom and Gloom” is a more interesting, sophisticated take than anything on radio right now. Unfortunately, this is not the generation for interesting and sophisticated.

Source: New ‘Variety’ Not Aiming to Become Gossip-Entertainment Mag

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Well, well. It’s very fluid in the whole Variety-Deadline/Penske story. Yesterday Jay Penske met with the Variety to reassure them no immediate changes would be made except that the ridiculous internet pay wall was coming down. The other big news is that he didn’t allow Dominic Patten, a reporter for Deadline, which Penske owns, into the meeting. Nikki Finke and Patten then reported this on the Deadline site. Wow. Who knows what that’s all about? Also, Nikki only announced a few days ago she was going on vacation. But since no one ever sees her, how would you know?

More: my sources now tell me that the scenario I floated–of Bonnie Fuller taking over as editor of Variety–are off base. As much as Bonnie has made HollywoodLife.com, another Penske site, a success, she’s not in the running for Tim Gray’s job. Neither is Nikki Finke, from what I’m told. “Why does anyone think it would be someone from inside and not an entirely new person?” was the question posed to me. So there.

Frankly, Tim Gray has been a great editor of Variety. The paywall was what was killing him. So maybe without it, and some added resources, Gray will just stay the course. But one thing’s for certain: says my source, “Variety is not going to become a gossip-entertainment magazine.” Got that?

Tom Hanks Officially Starring in Broadway Play by Nora Ephron

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I feel like deja vu all over again. I’ve written this before, but today they sent out the official release about Tom Hanks in the play “Lucky Guy.” This was Nora Ephron’s final play and/or work, and it will be directed by George C. Wolfe. “Lucky Guy” opens April 1st. Hanks plays late New York Post reporter Mike McAlary. The announcement says casting will be announced shortly for the other roles. I told you exclusively already who those characters would be: http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/09/28/nora-ephrons-mike-mcalary-play-stars-tom-hanks-features-lots-of-real-new-york-characters. It’s unclear who will stand in for Nora during rehearsal and rewrites. But you can bet this is the main event of the coming theater season, at least in plays. In musicals, it will be Barry Levinson’s adaptation of his movie, “Diner,” with music by Sheryl Crow. I’m also looking forward to “Hands on a Hard Body.”

Spike Lee’s Michael Jackson Documentary Coming to Theaters This Month

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Spike Lee’s Michael Jackson documentary, “Bad 25,” is getting a short theatrical run before its airing on ABC. “Bad 25” will play for one week in New York beginning October 19th, and one week in Los Angeles starting October 26th. These will be qualifying runs for the Academy Awards. The TV date is Thanksgiving. The New York theater is AMC at 66 Third Avenue. The LA venue is Chinese 6 in Hollywood. The film is another part of the “Bad 25” campaign that already includes the boxed set and the various CD/DVD configurations. If you don’t have the “Bad 25” double CD with the remastered original album and the demos album, you’re really missing something. And then the DVD of the Wembley Stadium show is a rare Jackson live performance. The “Bad25” has been nicely done by the Jackson estate but a little under-marketed by Sony. The demos are particularly great–something Sony has not capitalized on for some reason.

Streisand Returns to Brooklyn Tonight–Some People Paid $22K for Tickets

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Barbra Streisand returns to Brooklyn tonight. She’s playing the first of two shows at the new Barclays Center. Are the shows sold out? Let me put it this way: People who like people who like Barbra have stripped the place to the walls. There are a meager 750 tickets left on Stubhub.com, the secondary ticket seller (aka scalper). Most everything decent is gone. Prices are through the roof. For the front sections, people are paying thousands of dollars. For Saturday night’ shows, Stubhub is selling a few seats in Section Floor 1, right in front of the stage, for $22,000. That’s twenty two thousand dollars per ticket. And they will sell. They sold out for tonight. On Saturday Stubhub does have some cheaper seats for around $10,000.

A note on the secondary market: it is a strange place. Streisand is not doing this, but in some instances acts have been accused of collaborating with the scalpers, and taking kickbacks. There’s a fascinating piece of work done by a Nashville TV correspondent, Phil Williams, about Justin Bieber scalping his own tickets. http://www.newschannel5.com/story/19616981/documents-show-bieber-is-scalping-his-own-tickets. If you take time to read the documents Williams uncovered, it’s mindblowing. I am told there’s a distinct possibility that when the Rolling Stones tickets go on sale, they’re going straight to the secondary market. And the prices will be high.