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NY’s Downtown Restaurant Wars: Lion in Winter

Roger Friedman
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The New York Observer has a great piece today on New York’s downtown restaurant war between Graydon Carter and the Waverly Inn vs. pretender to the throne The Lion, invested in by Dan Abrams and Dave Zinczenko. Here’s the truth: The Lion is the most pretentious, awful place that’s ever come to the central part of Greenwich Village.

http://www.observer.com/2011/media/lions-catty-boys

Strangely enough, I can see right into their front windows and entrance from my perch above them. Still, after a year, they place a henchman on their front steps who obnoxiously grills potential clients. Do you have a reservation? What do you want? Etc. This little drama takes place not in some cool out of the way spot in the city, but across the street from the big PATH train entrance on 9th Street and Sixth Avenue, next to a Korean grocer.

The Observer story chronicles the disharmony among the various investors. It could have gone farther to detail how much its neighbors loathe the Lion. Limos double park on both sides of narrow West 9th St., idling for–not celebrities, but visitors from that other planet, New Jersey. It’s a hoot. Inside the Lion said patrons are four deep at the bar, banging into diners who’ve been forced to consume a $150 meal at crowded, cacaphonous “inn” tables. It’s a bar. The back room? I don’t know. I saw it once: it’s got a medieval setting.

Dan Abrams and Dave Zinczenko were patrons of both Elaine’s and the Waverly Inn when they started their own place. I don’t know about Graydon Carter, but Elaine Kaufman was furious with them when they started The Lion. She didn’t want to hear about. Zinczenko had made a lot of his connections at Elaine’s and used it as a watering hole. To Elaine, and I’m sure to Graydon, their move was an act of disloyalty.

These days I hear nothing about The Lion that would make me want to return. It is not a spontaneous drop in spot for the A list, the way Elaine’s was and the Waverly is. On New Year’s Eve, Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt, Scarlett Johannson, Bryan Lourd, Ellen Barkin and Sam Levinson were among those who dined at The Waverly. That should tell you everything. Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker are often in the house. Where the Lion grabs “celebrities” by booking corporate parties, The Waverly remains an organic hot spot. Case closed.

PS John deLucie, the affable chef at the Waverly, left with Abrams and Zinczenko to start The Lion. But first deLucie opened Charles restaurant around the corner, while he was at the Waverly. Charles was hot for three months. It is now closed.

Sting, Trudie Styler Make “Spirits” Fly in LA Theater Premiere

Roger Friedman
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Sting was back in Los Angeles last night, fresh from a wildly successful symphony tour of Australia, Japan and New Zealand. He’s on his way to Cleveland, Newark, and Lima, Peru, but managed to make a stop at the Mark Taper Forum to co-star in a one off night with wife Trudie Styler in “Twin Spirits,” a dramatic program performed with classical musicans based on the letters of Robert and Clara Schumann. The evening was a charity fundraiser for the Culture Project, and drew the likes of actress Maria Bello, Chad Lowe, and dozens of media types to the sold out theater to see the couple and John Lithgow–who pitched in on an off night from his neighboring one man show–and violinist Joshua Bell.

Sting and Trudie have filmed “Twin Spirits” for video (you can get the DVD on www.twinspirits.com) but the more they perform it live, the better it gets. The Schumanns’s love story has humor and pathos, and is quite romantic. Styler especially underscores their doomed relationship, as Schumann died young. (And Clara– a gifted concert pianist–went on to become the paramour of Brahms–a whole other story!) Styler got rave reviews from the audience–the former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company should be acting more!

After the show, Sting–who’s been halfway around the world since the beginning of January–did ask me to catch him up on a few things, like Ricky Gervais on the Golden Globes, and Lady GaGa. He thought Ricky was great, by the way, but went over the line with his attack on Robert Downey, Jr. “It wasn’t funny because it was an old story, it wasn’t topical,” Sting observed. How true!

Next up for  Sting: work on the Broadway musical version of “The Soul Cages.” It will not, he promised, feature any flying or aerial acrobatics! What a relief.

Michael Jackson Song Catalog Will Moonwalk to Sony/ATV Publishing

Roger Friedman
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19

Exclusive: Michael Jackson, even in death, remains in the middle of the current musical chairs deals in the declining record industry.

For all these years, Michael’s MiJac Publishing has been administered by Warner Chappell, part of what is now Warner Music Group. MiJac includes not only Michael’s hits that he wrote, like “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” but a vast number of other hits including those of Ray Charles, Curtis Mayfield, and Sly and the Family Stone.

Warner Chappell doesn’t own MiJac but it administers the rights to it and collects hefty fees. With WMG for sale, and talk of Warner Chappell being sold off, MiJac would seem like an integral part of their story.

But there’s a hitch that I can reveal to you: MiJac is leaving Warner Chappell and going to become part of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the company that Michael Jackson’s estate co-owns with Sony and contains the Beatles catalog.

According to sources, this arrangement was written into the MiJac contract with Warner Chappell years ago. It would be triggered by the release of the next Jackson album–in this case, the recent “Michael”–and the repayment of loans.

The move by MiJac to Sony/ATV is a big deal for many reasons. With both WMG and EMI Music for sale, Sony

Sony/ATV could be kicking the tires of each company’s publishing divisions for purchase. But Warner Chappell might be less interesting to Sony ATV considering they’re already getting Mi Jac. And without MiJac, Warner Chappell–which just had a down quarter–might not look so good to other potential buyers.

What may happen now: the newer, and very hot, BMG Music Rights will likely make a play for EMI Music Publishing. EMI Music–the record company, which has the Beatles albums in its catalog–the physical albums and box sets–could then be merged with another record company like Sony Music or, more horrifyingly, Warner Music. Stay tuned.

Nicole Kidman Loves Being Grammy Backstage Wife

Roger Friedman
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For the second year in a row, I got to sit and chat with Nicole Kidman backstage at the Grammy Awards. Why is an Oscar winner, and Best Actress nominee- for “Rabbit Hole”–hanging out at the Staples Center on Grammy night? Well, because her husband, and now father of two of her children, is Keith Urban, winner of the Best Country Performance by a Male Singer.

And while Keith is on stage or doing press, Nicole is backstage having dinner, and meeting music people. For a few hours, she isn’t the focus of everyone’s attention, which is nice. Backstage she ran into another “rock widow”–Heidi Klum, married to Seal.

Between Heidi’s German accent and Nicole’s Aussie ear, they almost needed a translator! Said Heidi: “I just went tenting.” Nicole: “Tinting?” “No, tenting.” Klum explained she’d just pitched a $50 tent in the Grand Canyon with the crew of her new TV show. “I loved it!” Heidi exclaimed.

Kidman is waiting for the February 27th Oscar ceremony by shooting a highly anticipated HBO movie about Ernest Hemingway and his famous writer wife, Martha Gellhorn. “It’s a terrific role,” Nicole told me, “but very demanding. I have to get up there to San Francisco and get my head into it.”

She’s got her two small daughters, Sunday Rose, and newborn Faith Margaret, with her. Sunday Rose, 2, is already fielding all of Faith’s baby presents. “Faith Margaret cannot fight back yet,” Nicole agreed with a laugh. “She’s sleeping.” And Sunday Rose is determined to pick Nicole’s Oscar dress. “I did say she might put me in a tutu. And she might!” Kidman beams when she talks about these little girls, and also is full of pride about her two older kids, Isabella and Conor.

PS Nicole also heaps praise on Gwyneth Paltrow. “She’s really become a singer,” Kidman said. “You can see how much she enjoys it. And she’s very, very good.” Couldn’t Nicole make the same transition, I asked? After all, she sang in “Moulin Rouge” and made a video of “Something Stupid” with Ewan McGregor?

“Nooooo,” she said fast.

Grammy Bold Choices: Arcade Fire, Esperanza Spalding

Roger Friedman
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The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has really kicked up a tempest in a teapot. The fans–maybe thinking this was a bogus award show like the People’s Choice for American Music Awards–wanted a passing fad like Justin Bieber. It wasn’t going to happen. The award is for Best New Artist.  It’s probably the fault of the mass market celebrity machine that anyone would categorize Bieber as an ‘artists.’  He is a construct of a marketing campaign. That he got the nomination is an achievement in and of itself.

The other nominees–Drake, Mumford, Florence and the Machine–have a temporary quality to them. Spalding, who’s an educated, serious musician, no doubt seemed like the choice who would have a long career. She was a bold choice, and should be applauded.

The rest of the Grammy winners are debatable, but that’s always been the case. Pop music is totally subjective. I would have thought the Record of the Year was Alicia Keys’s “Empire State of Mind” or Train’s “Hey Soul Sister.” Cee Lo Green’s “F You” was simply not going to be rewarded with that title, even though it’s a great single.

Album of the year went to Arcade Fire. Considering how little respect rock has gotten in recent years, choosing Arcade Fire was a cool move.Here’s the problem: the Album of the Year category included Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, who are singles artists. Lady Antebellum received Best Record and Best Song, improbably, since they deserved neither. Album of the Year would have been a farce. Eminem is considered a rap artist. He’s masterful in that category. But it’s unlikely the Grammys are going to bestow their highest honor on a recording full of four letter words. (See Cee Lo Green.) There are legacies at stake here.

And still, this was a highly rated Grammy broadcast. All kinds of music and artists were showcased. And that’s what the Grammy Awards are about: diversity.

Today Show Advice on Bad Neighbor: “I Would Get a Gun and Kill the Guy”

Roger Friedman
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Finally, some useful advice on a morning show! Al Roken interviewed New York real estate queen Barbara Corcoran today. They took a call from Marsha in Barlett, New Hampshire who has a problem with her neighbor: there are several junked cars on the property causing an eyesore. Corcoran, who resembles chipper actress Sandy Duncan, had a great solution: “I would get a gun and kill the guy,” she advised Marsha. Al Roker almost had a stroke and started shouting: “She’s just kidding!” The Today show may have taken down the video, but just in case. it’s at www.today.msn.com/id/2618489/vp/41578728#41578728

Warner Music, For Sale, Deep in Losses, Throws Lavish Grammy Party

Roger Friedman
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5

I guess Warner Music Group wants to go out with a bang. Steeped in losses, with few hit records and a reputation for being almost out of business, the struggling record company decided to celebrate the Grammys in style. Their second in command, Lyor Cohen, threw a lavish, expensive party after the Grammy Awards on Sunday night at Soho House on the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. And I do mean expensive: Cohen and Warner Music rented out the entire facility, not just a small part of it.

And what did they get for their money? Just about no celebrities. Publicists checking names at the curb said their biggest “get” was WMG recording artist Bruno Mars. There was mention of an appearance by Beyonce and Jay Z. That was it. Overheard outside, the checker discussed the lack of almost any staff in Los Angeles, and the expected sale of the company now that Cohen and owner Edgar Bronfman Jr. had driven it into the ground.

Warner Music was once home to James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, Little Feat, The Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, Randy Newman,the B52s, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Madonna, America, Rod Stewart, and dozens upon dozens of acts on Atlantic Records, Sire, Elektra, etc. Now it’s all boiled down to Bruno Mars.

By contrast, Sony Music–very successful, with hits–had a smallish cocktail gathering at the bar in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Tony Bennett and Clive Davis were seen, but mostly it was for execs and nominees. “It was fairly boring,” said a guest. Mostly attendees discussed the imminent departure of Rolf Schmidt Holtz, exiting leader of Sony Music. He won’t be replaced until July 1st by Doug Morris. “The company is a mess,” observed one insider.

Universal Music, the industry leader, had no official party. But Jimmy Iovine, head of UMG’s Interscope Records, had a 25th anniversary party for the company in a tent erected on the roof of the Hotel L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills. Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Emimen were expected. So were hundreds of people who planned to fill a limited space. Iovine, who is now an advisor to “American Idol,” has been giving parties at his Holmby Hills mansion all week.

EMI Music, also for sale, and in play, with perilous financial outlook, tossed a massive get together at Milk Studios in Hollywood. The gala was low on celebs but thick with guests who received $200 earbuds from Ultimate Ears (one of my favorite products–I bought a pair a couple of years ago), as well as mountains of food from various specialty trucks. I did run into Tara Reid, the actress, who was sober and fun. She has a lot of projects in the works, but made no mention of “The Big Lebowski 2.” Reid often gets lampooned in the New York press, but she’s actually smart and funny. She needs someone to write a good sitcom for her.

The best post Grammy party was right in the Staples Center, thrown by AEG Live and hosted by their leader, Randy Phillips. The only singer I ran into was R&B star Anthony Hamilton. But there were lots of execs, the deejay was great, and the food was tasty but not over the top. It was nice to see Jerry Greenberg, who worked at Atlantic Records in its heyday with Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler, then ran Michael Jackson’s MJJ Records in the 80s and 90s. He reminisced with Frank DiLeo, Jackson’s manager, and Joyce Moore, who worked for the Jacksons in the late 70s and early 80s.

Also seen at the Staples Center during the Grammys, in the Chairmen’s Room: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Heidi Klum, Seth Rogen, Pauley Perrette, Joel Katz, Greg Phillinganes, Paul and Jane Schindler, Tom Corson. The subject of conversation from everyone literally: Lady Gaga ripping off Madonna. And how great Mick Jagger was in the Grammy show. More to come…

PS I dedicated my whole Grammy week coverage to the late great Michael Klenfner. I really missed Michael’s wit and biting insight about the business this weekend. He was a sweet giant, and I sure hope no one ever forgets him.

Mary J. Blige Joins Tom Cruise for “Rock of Ages”

Roger Friedman
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8

“Rock of Ages,” the Broadway musical about pop and rock music from the 1980s, is getting a surprise addition to its cast. Of course, you’ve read about Tom Cruise taking the lead role–and it’s true. I’m told Cruise has signed off on the project. And while there’s been speculation that Gwyneth Paltrow is joining Cruise, that still has not materialized. In the meantime, I can tell you exclusively that the Queen of Hip Hop, Miss Mary J. Blige has signed on to play Justice, the bartender and mother of the character named Sherrie. One of Justice’s main songs is the 80s chestnut, “Harden My Heart.” Mary J is absolutely perfect casting.

Blige, who has a huge following from her music career, has been trying to move into film for some time. She’s trying to put together a film bio the legendary singer, Nina Simone, which sources say may be coming together soon. But “Rock of Ages” will give her a chance to make a supporting splash and not have to carry the film on her back. Cruise, by the way, despite all the noise around his possible participation, only agreed finally to do the film on Friday.

Mary J is certainly busy these days. She also just filmed a video remix of Sean Diddy Combs’s “Someone to Love” with Combs and Lil Wayne that’s said to be amazing. On Saturday night, she sang Joni Mitchell’s “Free Man in Paris” as part of a tribute to David Geffen at Clive Davis’s pre Grammy gala.

“The King’s Speech” Sweeps British Academy Awards

Roger Friedman
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0

“The King’s Speech” swept the BAFTA Awards–given by the British Film Academy–tonight in London. The film–heavily tipped to sweep the Oscars next week–picked up Best Picture, Best Actor for Colin Firth, Best Supporting Actress for Helena Bonham Carter, and Best Supporting Actor for Geoffrey Rush, as well as Best Original Screenplay for David Seidler. Best Actress went to Natalie Portman, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay went to “The Social Network.”  There were also awards for “Toy Story 3” and “Inception.”

Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick Head Clive Davis’s A Plus List Party

Roger Friedman
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Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick  showed Clive Davis’s A list party crowd how superstars make history last night. In front of a double A list crowd in the Beverly Hilton grand ballroom, the two cousins (their mothers are sisters) brought down the house with “That’s What Friends Are For” in a tribute to Warwick’s 50 years in showbiz. It was the culmination of  a magic night that included performances by Jennifer Hudson–who was amazing in her own tribute to Aretha Franklin— as well as Mumford & Son, Mary J. Blige, R Kelly, Janelle Monae, Cee Lo Green, and “Glee” star Matthew Morrison.

And the room was jammed with celebrities, from Cher (who came to honor David Geffen as an Industry Icon), to Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda, Quincy Jones, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher, Jon Voight, Neil Young, David Crosby, Usher, Monica, Brandy, Jackie Collins, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, Randy Jackson, socialite Barbara Davis, Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly, David Foster, Leona Lewis, Toni Braxton, Verdine White (of Earth Wind and Fire), Jane Lynch, Suzanne de Passe, Penny Marshall, Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg, Tracy Ullman, Gayle King, Ari Emanuel, Barry Manilow, Dave Grohl, Martina McBride, Bill Maher, Sharon Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Nick Lachey, songwriters Diane Warren and Desmond Child, Narada Michael Walden, Sam Moore, George Schlatter, Kathy Griffin, Nick Jonas, Les Moonves and Julie Chen.

Note to Justin Bieber: both Nick Jonas and Miley Cyrus were in the room and there was not a bit of commotion.

Also–so many legends of the record biz-Mo Ostin, Lou Adler, Doug Morris (who’s taking over Sony Music July 1st, as I exclusively reported), Berry Gordy, Marty Bandier, Evan Lamberg, Michael Lippman, Larry Jackson, Barry Weiss, LA Reid, Arnold Stiefel, Guy Oseary, Elliot Roberts, Richard Palmese, Tom Corson, Randy Phillips, Joel Katz, and so on.

And a stealth guest at the People magazine table: Facebook co-creator Sean Parker, who also invented Napster, the downloading service that brought down the music business. Parker confirmed for me he’s bought the big townhouse he’s been renting in Greenwich Village for a tidy sum of 20 –that’s twenty–million dollars. Welcome, neighbor!

The funniest line of the night about the music business, from Clive: “We had to do the place cards in pencil.”

And Cher, of course, at the podium, introducing one time lover Geffen, who now has a male partner: “I don’t even know what this f—– award is.”

And Clive, at the very end of the show, as Whitney and Dionne finished up, and Whitney had no stage direction: “I found you when you were 19 and I’m still your boss,” he said lovingly, and pulled her to his side.

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