Britney sweeps at otherwise tame VMAs

Britney sweeps at otherwise tame VMAs

It took a year, but Britney Spears got the comeback she was seeking from the MTV Video Music Awards -- and she didn't even have to sing or dance.
Spears nabbed three VMAs, including video of the year, erasing last year's career-low performance. Her first Moonman trophies came during a 25th anniversary show that otherwise lacked a defining moment, with most of the zaniness coming from host Russell Brand.
"Wow, thank you, I'm in shock right now. I was not expecting this", Spears, looking spectacular in a shimmering silver dress, said as she accepted her third trophy of the evening for "Piece of Me".
Spears kept all three of her acceptance speeches short.
"This is such an honor to have this award right now", she said. "I want to thank my fans, this is dedicated to you".
There was no such honor for Spears last year, when the declining diva -- by then known more for her tabloid exploits and erratic behavior -- kicked off the Las Vegas telecast. Looking haggard and dazed, Spears bumbled her way through a performance of "Gimme More" that gave new meaning to the phrase "Sin City".
Though Spears didn't perform this time, she still opened the show, giving a blink-and-you-missed-it introduction of Rihanna. Still, just being there was enough for a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd long before she opened her mouth to get things rolling.
Spears did provide a few laughs during a pre-taped comedic segment with "Superbad" actor Jonah Hill that preceded the live telecast. There were a few more laughs during comedian Brand's opening monologue, but the celeb audience seemed more nervous than amused, as the frenetic Brit took aim at Madonna, the virginity of teen sensations the Jonas Brothers and President Bush, whom he called "a retarded cowboy fellow".
He clearly got under the skin of one celebrity, however, with his jokes about promise rings, which the Jonas Brothers wear to signify their virginity. Another famous promise-ring wearer, Jordin Sparks, said before giving out one award:
"I just wanna say, it's not bad to wear a promise ring because not every guy and a girl wants to be a slut, OK ?" she quipped.
Afterward, a somewhat contrite Brand apologized to a stone-faced Jonas Brothers, saying, "I didn't mean to take it lightly" before adding, "a little sex once and a while never hurt anybody".
Though the VMAs have been defined by zany, wild moments in the past -- the Michael and Lisa Marie kiss, the Britney-Madonna kiss, Prince's butt-out jeans just to name a few -- there were more head-scratching moments than outrageous ones at the sprawling ‘Paramount’ Studios lot.
The prim and proper Leona Lewis gave a graceful opening performance for a song by... Lil Wayne, who appeared on stage barechested, displaying his tattooed torso as his pants hung below his buttocks (Ralph Lauren's underwear line got a nice plug, however). He performed hits "A Milli" and a song with T-Pain.
The Jonas Brothers performed a version of their song "Lovebug" that was so genteel one might have thought they were doing a tribute to the Osmonds. But the trio then segued to a rocked-out version of the song in the final moments, as a throng of screaming fans surrounded them on one of the movie's many sets.
Pink gave perhaps the show's most rousing performance, a pyrotechnic-fueled performance of her new song, "So What".
T.I.'s performance was also noteworthy, since the last time he was due to perform at an awards show, he was arrested instead. At last year's BET Hip-Hop Awards, he was accused of trying to buy machine guns and silencers (he was sentenced earlier this year to serve about a year in prison after completing at least 1,000 hours of community service).
He performed a new song with Rihanna, who also appeared on last year's show. But the dazzling singer from Barbados is hardly in need of any second chances, coming into the VMAs as one of music's hottest acts thanks to her two No. 1 hits of the summer, "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia".
Closing the night was Kanye West who, like Spears, was hoping for a second chance after a disappointing VMA experience last year. In Las Vegas, he had a Kanye-sized hissy fit backstage and vowed never to appear at the VMAs again after he didn't get a Moonman trophy despite several nominations.This time, he had a stage all to himself, but he still may have reason to be miffed: he won no trophies during the ceremony, and, appearing after Spears accepted her third and final trophy of the evening, may have been more of an afterthought.

by NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, ‘AP’ Music Writer

The Immortals: The Greatest Artists of All Time

The Immortals: The Greatest Artists of All Time

- Demis Roussos -

The Roussos had been in Egypt for two generations and on 15 June 1946 Artemios Venturis Roussos was born in Alexandria. His mother, Olga, and his father, George, both of Greek extraction, had also been born in the country their parents had come to in the 1920s. Following the Greek custom, the baby was named after his paternal grandfather, Demis being a pet name for Artemios. In the heart of an orthodox community, he lived in the middle of a Muslim city. From his early childhood he was immersed in folk music, exposed to Byzantine and Arabic influences. Attracted to singing, he joined the choir of the Greek Byzantine Church with which he sang for five years as a soloist. At the same time he studied musical theory and learnt how to play the guitar and the trumpet. Everything was going well when the Suez crisis blew up in 1961. Residents in Egypt had to leave the country and the Roussos – Mr Roussos was an engineer with a property construction company – returned to their native land, Greece. At the age of 17, with only music in his head and to the great disappointment of his mother who was hoping to send him to the best school in Athens, Demis formed his first band, ‘The Idols’, in which he played guitar and bass. At that time the band members were his cousin Jo, Natis Lalaitis, Nikos Tsiloyan and Anthony. A chance happening meant that one day Demis had to replace the group’s singer for a short time and he sang an Afro-American spiritual, ‘The house of the rising sun’, and another popular success of the time, ‘When a man loves a woman’. The public was immediately won over by his voice. Overcome by a great desire for independence, he began to feel the need to take control of his own life. Henceforth, bands and clubs became part of his daily life. Meeting Lucas Sideras and Argyris Koulouris lead him to play the international successes of the moment in clubs and night-clubs. The great turning point of his musical career was his meeting with Vangelis Papathanassiou in the summer of 1966. One particular song introduced Vangelis to Demis’ unique voice. Within his group he began to sing more and more often, frequently as a soloist. However, a few meetings with Vangelis did take place. These young musicians, cut off from the international music scene, soon realised that an interesting career could only be accomplished outside their country.
Demis left his group and began to practice new songs with Vangelis. At the end of March 1968, Lucas and Demis took the train to London. Vangelis was supposed to join them a few days later. Fate decided otherwise. When they arrived in Dover, at the English border, with no work permits, customs officers discovered photos and tapes in their luggage and quickly realised what their true intentions were. The young musicians cut short their journey. Back in Paris, trapped by the circumstances, their savings melted away day by day. Unable to leave Paris where unrest was brewing, only a recording could get them out of a tight spot. They learnt that ‘Phonogram’ was holding an international conference and, plucking up all the courage they could find, they went to meet with the executives and explained their situation. A draconian contract, which promised exclusivity for six years, was drawn up. Confronted by the necessity to get by, they signed the contract and were able to begin recording. Their dream was at last coming true. It was in the 4m² cellar near the Porte d’Italie where they practised that ‘Rain and tears’, composed by Vangelis, was born. The lyrics were written by Boris Bergman, a young song-writer introduced to them by the record company. The recording of the single took place in extremis in rather unusual circumstances. The following day the studio closed due to the general strike. A few weeks later ‘Rain and Tears’ was number one in the charts. They had made a hit ! They themselves saw very little difference in what they were doing but they began to receive proposals for concerts and they were swept up in success. In June a week of performing at Olympia as Sylvie Vartan’s opening act was a real success. They spent the summer in the clubs of the South of France. Their success continued to grow. Hundreds of thousands of copies of their first album were sold and Demis’ fantastic voice brought them a great many more successes with ‘It’s five o’clock’, ‘I want to live’, ‘End of the world’ and ‘Spring, summer, winter and fall’. These five hit singles were accompanied by two albums, one of which became number one. The group climbed to number one in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France and Italy… ‘Aphrodite’s Child’ lasted for two years. They made 239 television appearances over this period. Demis married Monique with whom he had a daughter, Emilie. Vangelis however was dissatisfied. He wanted a more serious music, more like the music he composed alone. He wished to confront the English and American markets, to stop touring and devote his time to studio work. The recording of the double album ‘666’, based on the texts of Saint John’s Apocalypse, was the materialisation of this desire for change. It was a critical moment for the group: after three months of costly recording, the record company panicked. The break-up of the group became inevitable after a heated argument between Vangelis and Lucas. In the end it was Vangelis alone who, one year later, finished the album which was seen at the time as a classical masterpiece. Supported by the record company ‘Phonogram’, Demis began a solo career.
Inspired by the numerous folk themes in his head and using the sounds and instruments of pop music Demis fulfilled his dream. Two months in the studio were required to complete this first LP. He composed some of the melodies and conceived some of the arrangements. Named ‘Fire and Ice’, love, life and death are its major components. This twelve track album was released in 1971. Demis was already no longer totally unknown, his first single, ‘We shall dance’, having been one of the biggest hits of summer 1971 not only in France, but all over Europe. His international career took off straightaway. 1972 was a year of travelling. Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece and Germany welcomed him. In June ‘My Reason’ was released and for several weeks Demis was once again at the top of the singles’ charts in France. In September he achieved national consecration with a performance at Olympia that revealed his talent. His vocal potential was fantastic and his stage presence extraordinary. In front of 30 000 people he performed ‘Velvet Morning’, a song composed specially for the occasion by Lakis Vlavianos, a Greek born in Athens on 7 July 1947. He composed most of Demis’ songs, ‘My friend the wind’, ‘Someday, somewhere’… Accompanist and conductor, he played the organ, Melotron and Moog Synthesizer. A trip to South America lead to a big tour in 1973, the year which saw the release of his second album, ‘Forever and ever’ comprising songs that would nearly all become great hits just like ‘Forever and ever’, ‘My friend the wind’, ‘Lovely sunny days’, ‘My reason’, ‘When I was a kid’, ‘Goodbye my love, goodbye’… Two million records had already been sold in one year of solo career and the Demis Roussos phenomenon was only just beginning. That year I heard a lot about him on the radio and I often listened to old ‘Aphrodite’s Child’ records and to my great surprise I learnt that he was going to give a recital in my home town as the opening act for Joe Dassin. That was my first meeting with Demis. Until then I had never seen him on stage but he was in my imagination, omnipresent, all-powerful. His entrance was announced by an instrumental from his orchestra, a mixture of Wagnerian and Byzantine music added to by an impressive sound system. Demis appeared on stage. His stature was impressive, his long tousled beard flowing like a prophet’s, lightning in his eyes, his smile confident and satisfied. Demis, the Pope of pop, with the physique, the majestic gestures, the lofty allure, appeared shrouded in a cloud of smoke. That night he mixed a harmonious cocktail of both Greek and Byzantine music with sublime nuances. Steeped in this music, the public was captivated by his technical perfection. Demis Roussos had a musical style without improvisation, full of finesse and beauty. On stage the colours were perfectly matched to the music: tender, gentle, nothing aggressive. One of the songs, the unknown ‘Thousand years of wondering’, lasted six minutes. Composed by Lakis Vlavianos, it fluctuated between Bach, Led Zeppelin and the Yardbirds. This fantastic recital ended with a journey through Greece with ‘My reason’. His music moved the public, stirring in peoples’ hearts the strange charm procured by religious chants and the aggressive rhythm of Arabic chants. People let themselves be overcome by his extraordinary voice. It was at that moment that I personally became a... fan of Demis.
Acquiring here and there all the records already released, from this point in time I collected all the documentation I could about Demis and in this way I learnt a great deal despite being puzzled by certain articles! In 1973 I attempted to visit him in Neuilly-sur-Seine where he had an apartment. Unfortunately he was away and I later learnt that, in fact, he only spent a few nights there each year. During the same year, I had the chance to meet him at a gala, to be present at the sound rehearsal and to get an autograph. It was my first real meeting with Demis Roussos. 1974 saw Demis triumph in Germany, release his new album, ‘My only fascination’, and start up his own newspaper, ‘Demis Roussos News’, intended for his friends all around the world. This first review was a chance for Demis to take stock of the last three years of his career spent as a solo artist. We learn that in 1000 days he gave 380 concerts in 18 countries, flew 400 000 km by plane, travelled 100 000 km by car, took part in 120 television programmes, in 180 radio programmes, in three singing festivals, in M.I.D.E.M. ’73, recorded 40 songs, including 3 albums requiring 600 hours of studio time, received 15 gold discs and sold nearly 9 million records… In their private life, the Roussos wanted to create a real home. They bought a house in Maisons-Laffitte, just outside Paris. Wishing to add his personal touch, Demis ended up having everything renovated. The specialised press got hold of the story. After two years redecoration, the house was at last ready. It was a superb dwelling, all white in 1930’s style inspired by American colonial houses. On the programme for 1975 were five 45 day tours on five continents. The rest of his time was devoted to preparing a double album which he had been thinking about for over a year. It was a two hour show, the first part with famous songs such as ‘My Reason’, ‘Forever and ever’ and ‘Goodbye my love, goodbye’ and the second part inspired by Homer. Certain musical passages were composed by Manos Hadjidakis and the lyrics were written all in English by several different authors, including Constandinos and Boris Bergman. Unfortunately, this work, which should have been released on LP, never saw the light of day. 1975 was also a year marked by a happy event. On Monday 15 September 1975 the little boy so long awaited by Demis and his wife Dominique was born at 3:35 in the morning. The proud father saw in Cyril the continuation of the Roussos’ name. The album ‘Souvenirs’ was released in France followed in 1976 by ‘Happy to be’. 1976 was also the year that Demis toured England and released the LP ‘The Roussos Phenomenon’ followed in 1977 by his first album in French, ‘Ainsi soit-il’. In 1977 the album ‘Demis Roussos Magic’ was also released in France. More than 30 million records had already been sold worldwide. However, keeping up a palace from which he rarely benefited, Demis decided to go to Monaco and his family moved there that same year. On 5 December he began several days of recitals at the Olympia Stadium in Paris. 1978 saw the release of the album entitled ‘Demis Roussos’ which was recorded in America. In June 1979 the Roussos settled near Malibu where they rented a magnificent villa by the sea. The album ‘Universum’, recorded in French, German, Italian, Spanish, was released and became extremely successful in Latin America.
A new album, ‘Man of the world’, was released on 19 May 1980 and took Demis to the top of the charts. It included his new single, ‘Lost in love’, which had been released in England and the Netherlands, and also ‘I need you’, released as a single in France, Italy and Spain. This new album included songs from Barry Mann, Harry Nilsson, Francis Rossi and several other artists from the world of pop. The songs were a success. ‘Lost in love’ was successful in England, the Netherlands and Belgium. ‘Sorry’ was also a hit in England, as was ‘I need you’ in France, Italy and Spain. ‘San Pedro’s Children’, with ‘Sorry’ on the B-side, was released in Germany after ‘Lost in love’. The album ‘Man of the world’ came out in four different versions. Side 1 of the French version comprising ‘Man of the world’, ‘Slacham dance’, ‘Lost in love’, ‘Miss you nights’, ‘Little girl’, ‘I need you’, ‘I’d give my life’. Side 2 comprising ‘Sorry’, ‘Had to run’, ‘San Pedros children’, ‘The wedding song’, ‘Love is away’, ‘We’re over’. In England, idem except that on side 2 ‘How glad I arn yoy oem’ replaces ‘Had to run’. In Spain ‘Sonora’, the Spanish version of ‘I need you’, is to be found on side 1 and ‘Cançion de boda’ instead of ‘Wedding song’ on side 2. In Italy ‘Credo’ replaces ‘I need you’ on side 1 and ‘Nascera’ (‘Highway home’) replaces ‘Had to run’ on side 2. Released in almost every country in the world, the album was produced by David McKay.
In June 1980 Demis weighed in at 147kg. Stop ! He had already tried a diet in 1979 in an attempt to lose weight. At last he found the one that suited him best. In June 1980 he began his diet in earnest. The result surprised more than a few. In ten months he lost 50kg. Meanwhile, in September he gave a few galas in England in the clubs around London followed by a tour in Argentina in October. In Italy he was awarded a gold disc after selling 150 000 copies of his album ‘Universum’. At the end of February 1981, Demis was in France. He took part in the ‘Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale’ in Cannes and appeared in a special televised show, ‘Le Palmarès des chansons’, during which he sang ‘Forever and ever’, ‘My reason’ and numerous other older titles. He concluded with his latest single, ‘Si j’étais roi de la Terre’, produced by Alec Constandinos. In Rouen he participated in an RTL radio show with Michel Drucker. A new single, ‘Race to the end’, was released. It was composed, arranged and produced by Vangelis Papathanassiou using texts by Jon Anderson. It is a vocal adaptation of the film ‘Chariots of fire’. It was released in England on 16 March 1981 but the rest of the world had to wait until the end of March or April. The new album, ‘Race to the end’, was recorded in May and June 1981 and produced in August. With Vangelis, Demis recorded the French version of ‘Race to the end’ and another song which he would produce in France. After a tour of Australia, from 17 June to 16 July 1981, he began a new grand tour of Europe from 16 November to 15 December 1981 with 27 concerts, six in England, the others in Holland, Belgium, France and Switzerland. In France, the French version of the single ‘Race to the end’, entitled ‘La course infinie’, was released as was a Spanish version, ‘Es tu libertad’. Véronique Skawinska, a friend of Demis, wrote a book about the diet he had undertaken. It was published in autumn 1981. In August 1981, Demis took advantage of his holidays to prepare for working on a new album in September and October 1981. In November 1981, Vicky Leandros recorded a duet album with singers such as Johnny Halliday, David Soul and Demis. This duet with his his fellow countrywoman came out as a single in December in Holland and Switzerland. Produced in March 1982, ‘Demis’, a new album in a new musical style reflecting Demis’ altered image, appeared in England, Holland, Germany and numerous other countries around the world. It was comprised of the following titles: ‘Lament’, ‘We’re shining’, ‘Take me sailing’, ‘Song without end’, ‘For the free’, ‘Gypsy lady’, ‘Need to forget’, ‘Race to the end’ and ‘Where are they now’. It came out in France, Italy, and Spain with tracks sung in the language of each country. For France, ‘Lament’ became ‘Au nom de l’amitié’, ‘Song without end’ became ‘Ma chanson qui n’en finit pas’, ‘For the free’ became ‘Les enfants du futur’, ‘Race to the end’ became ‘La course infinie’ and ‘Where are they now?’ became ‘Où est ce temps ?’ For Italy, ‘For the free’ became ‘Ese tu’ and ‘Need to forget’ became ‘Impossible dimenticarti’. For Spain, ‘Take me sailing’ became ‘Una isla an el cielo’, ‘For the free’ became ‘En el nombre de I’amistad’, ‘Need to forget’ became ‘Nessecito Olvidar’ and ‘Race to the end’ became ‘Es tu libertad’. A single was released under the title ‘Lament’. As he had to do numerous television and radio shows to promote his record, Demis decided to move to England where he rented an apartment for six months. In the autumn of 1982 a single, ‘Follow me’, and an album, ‘Attitudes’, were released in France. The European version, released at the end of October or the beginning of November, comprised the following tracks: ‘Follow me’ (long version composed to the second movement of Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez), ‘Pretender’, ‘Planet Earth is blue’, ‘Deepest of all’, ‘Take my hand’, ‘Flaming star’, ‘House of the rising son’. For the English version, ‘Take my hand’ was replaced by a newly remixed version of ‘Lament’. ‘Flaming star’ was also replaced by ‘Race to the end’. An international single, ‘Follow me’ and ‘Song without an end’, was also produced. In 1983 the single ‘Jay’ was released, followed in 1984 by ‘Reflections’, an album produced by his friend Vangelis. It was a collection of well-known songs from numerous different artists. 1985 saw the release of another single, ‘Amis pour la vie’. This was the year in which an exceptional event was to leave a deep and lasting mark on Demis. On June 14 he was the victim of a plane hijacking when he was travelling with his wife Pamela. Shocked by this traumatising experience and having brushed with death, Demis realised just how precious and beautiful life is. He decided to work towards making the world a better place through what he knew best, his music. He planned to start recording again and to appear on stage. In 1986 he released a single, ‘Island of love’, followed in 1987 by another, ‘Quand je t’aime’. The album entitled ‘Le Grec’ and dedicated to his mother was released in 1988. Demis composed two of the tracks, ‘The beauty of your eyes’ and ‘Futureless forever’. ‘Voice and vision’, an album from which the track ‘On écrit sur les murs’ was also released as a single, came out in December 1989.
Two singles came out in 1990, ‘Poésie’ and ‘Même si’. The album ‘Christmas’, recorded at the beginning of the nineties is still considered as the best selling collection of classical Christmas songs. Tours were organised in a number of French churches, home of these timeless songs. ‘Insight’, album on which, amongst other things, we find the poem ‘Spleen’ from Charles Baudelaire’s work ‘Les fleurs du mal’, was released in 1993. Demis is accompanied on this track by Ronnie. The symphonic album ‘In Holland’ and the album ‘Immortel’ were released in 1995. The latter is a collection of quintessential popular French songs such as ‘Les Moulins de mon coeur’ by Michel Legrand, ‘La mer’ and ‘Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?’ by Charles Trénet, ‘Les feuilles mortes’ by Prévert, ‘La vie en rose’ and ‘L’hymne à l’amour’ by Edith Piaf. ‘Serenade’ came out in 1996. It is a collection of classical western opera pieces. A new CD, ‘Mon île’, composed of different ethnic music, was released in 1997. The most famous track remains ‘Dinata’. ‘The phenomenon’, a four CD collection, was released in 1998 and covers the thirty years of Demis Roussos’ career. It includes a song from his early days, ‘Thousand years of wondering’, and also a short rock opera inspired by Homer already planned in 1975. A DVD was also produced. It includes photos and enables us to discover the ‘Aphrodite’s Child’ era, to hear a moving interpretation of ‘Race to the end’ and to enjoy ‘On écrit sur les murs’ where Demis plays the bass. A new CD, recorded in German, ‘Auf Meinen Wegen’, English and Italian, was produced and released in 2000.‘Universal’ has just released a 20 track compilation. This luxurious object includes a biography derived from this site and illustrated with numerous photos.

by romig007

The Immortals: The Greatest Artists of All Time

The Immortals: The Greatest Artists of All Time

- Pussycat Dolls -

"Inside every woman is a Pussycat Doll", says Robin Antin, the innovator behind the singing-and-dancing ensemble that has risen from underground cool to major label hot. "It's about female empowerment, about being confident with who you are. It's about singing and dancing in front of a mirror by yourself and having fun".
With their debut album, PCD, set for release by ‘A&M’ Records on September 13, 2005 (led by the #1 smash "Don't Cha", a duet with Busta Rhymes and produced by Cee-Lo), The Pussycat Dolls go beyond being extraordinarily beautiful. With tremendous voices, and after working with today's top songwriters and producers (including 'Will.I.Am' from the Black Eyed Peas, Timbaland, Rich Harrison, Sean Garrett and Ron Fair), The Pussycat Dolls are ready to stamp their mark on music and on attitudes.
"To me, a Pussycat Doll is fearless but also vulnerable", says lead singer Nicole Scherzinger. "We're strong but we like to play too. The line in 'Don't Cha' -- 'don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me' -- is meant to be empowering. The Pussycat Dolls are not about just being hot but also about saying something with real feeling".
From triple-threat Scherzinger, to Jessica Sutta, the one-time captain of the ‘Miami Heat’ dance troupe; from Carmit Bachar, the "La Vida Loca" girl on Ricky Martin's world tour, to Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt, two of the most talented young dancers in Hollywood, and Melody Thornton, a young powerhouse singer, these Pussycat Dolls represent the next step for the group whose ‘Sunset Strip’ performances became the hippest ticket in Hollywood.
The Pussycat Dolls were born in a tiny dance studio in the L.A. garage of actress Christina Applegate, with whom Antin was rooming in the early '90s. Antin had appeared in commercials, and did choreography for music videos for the likes of Smash Mouth, The Offspring and No Doubt. "But I wanted to do something creative and different", she says.
So Antin invited over a few girlfriends who were also tour/music video dancers and they began to play around with her own choreography, a style endowed with the spirit of famed choreographer Bob Fosse ("Sweet Charity", "Cabaret") but also music from Led Zeppelin to punk rock, Siouxsie and The Banshees to Bjork, and fashion as well. Meanwhile Applegate suggested they perform at the ‘Sunset Strip's renowned ‘Viper Room’. Owner Johnny Depp saw them rehearse and reportedly said, "This is why I opened a club". The Pussycat Dolls, which have seen many members in its evolving lineup since debuting in 1995, became the Thursday night opening act for the next six years.
A turning point came in 2000 when No Doubt's Gwen Stefani came to a show and said she'd love to do a guest spot, not just to dance but to sing. So did Christina Aguilera. In 2002 it was time to take the show to a bigger venue and so The Pussycat Dolls moved to ‘The Roxy’. For two shows a week, for seven weeks, the place was sold out. Other guest performers included Brittany Murphy, Charlize Theron, Nikka Costa, Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson. All of them appeared without pay, just for the fun of it, including emcee Applegate.
That same year, Antin joined forces with Jimmy Iovine, Chairman, Interscope Geffen ‘A&M’, who in turn brought in ‘A&M’ President Ron Fair to executive produce the project and help take the concept to a higher level.
Their "We Went As Far As We Felt Like Going" was heard in 2004's Shark Tale, their cover of the standard "Sway" (helmed by ‘Fair’, also producer for Aguilera and the Black Eyed Peas, among others) was heard in 2004's “Shall We Dance ?” The Pussycat Dolls were also seen in 2003's “Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle” and Pink's "Trouble" video as well as 2005's “Be Cool”. Scherzinger was featured with Will Smith on "If U Can't Dance (Slide)" on his 2005 Lost And Found album.
Today, there is a Pussycat Dolls line of makeup from Stila and The Pussycat Dolls Lounge opened in April 2005 inside Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, featuring a different roster of performers. The future may hold a line of clothing, lingerie, perfume, videogames, TV and movie projects, and other lounges.
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger is what entertainment industry executives call "a triple threat". This free-spirited artist is not just another pretty face; she can sing, act, AND dance. In a business that has been criticized for placing more emphasis on "image" than "ability" she shatters stereotypes with her blend of exotic beauty, charisma, and undeniable talent.
Scherzinger, who is of Hawaiian-Russian-Filipino descent, knew from a young age that she was destined to become an entertainer; performing is in her blood. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, as a child she watched her family of entertainers perform Polynesian shows featuring her mother as the lead hula dancer and her grandmother, Tutu, as the singer. At the age of six her family relocated to Louisville, Kentucky. Transitioning from island life was a new challenge for Nicole. "It was difficult at first because I didn't look like everyone else", she recalls, feeling at times like the ugly duckling.
Growing up, Nicole attended performing arts junior and senior high schools. At 14 her first professional play was at the prestigious Actors Theatre of Louisville. While attending Wright State University in Dayton, OH, she majored in theatre and minored in dance, garnering such lead roles as Velma Kelly in "Chicago" and Julie LaVerne in "Show Boat", supporting herself with local modeling jobs.
Nicole then learned the rock band ‘Days Of The New’ was looking for a female vocalist. Soon after hearing the demos she recorded with lead singer, Travis Meeks, the band's producer Scott Litt called her out to L.A., where she recorded their second album and set out on the road to tour with them.
After touring she returned home to work on her own music. However auditions for ‘WB’'s talent series "Popstars" had her driving to Chicago, joining an audition line at five a.m. but would soon pay off. ‘Eden's Crush’, the girl group that resulted from "Popstars", was a sensation. Its 2001 self-titled debut album went Top 10 and the single "Get Over Yourself" went to #1 on ‘Billboard’'s singles chart. In its year-plus together, the band toured with N*Sync and Jessica Simpson.
After ‘Eden's Crush’, Nicole explored opportunities in the acting world. Back in LA, she landed acting roles in feature films such as "Chasing Papi" and guest-starred in television series such as "My Wife and Kids".
It wasn't long until she heard that The Pussycat Dolls were looking for singers and she landed the coveted spot for PCD. "The Pussycat Dolls have no boundaries", says Scherzinger, who also wrote on the soon to be released album. "We continue to stretch and find ourselves in every performance. We do what is truthful for each of us". While it is obvious she has everything it takes to be a career artist, it is Nicole Scherzinger's unbridled passion to express herself musically that intrigues and inspires her growing legion of fans.
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Bachar, the fire-hot redhead, is as talented as she is beautiful. Her mother is of Dutch/Indonesian descent and her father is Israeli. Being a native of Los Angeles and coming from a family of entertainers has led her down the path of working with some of the most successful artists in music: No Doubt, Beyonce, P. Diddy, Macy Gray and Janet Jackson to name a few. She has numerous feature film and commercial credits - her "bon-bon" was most recognized as Ricky Martin's La Vida Loca girl ! Carmit is one of the most respected dancers and choreographers in the business.
Carmit has been putting her heart and soul into the Dolls since the underground movement began. "Individual personality makes this group sassy", she says, which is where her nickname 'Foxy' comes from. "You have to be comfortable in your skin and exude confidence".
Born with a cleft lip/palate, Carmit's success has given her the desire to give back to children. She is in the process of founding a non-profit organization, ‘Smile With Me’, for the community of cleft children in Los Angeles. Carmit believes in limitless possibility and having overcome her own obstacles, she feels compelled to instill passion and creativity wherever she goes. With her inspirational personality, powerful presence and determination, she is sharing that light with one child at a time.
This ‘Doll’'s enthusiasm, drive and discipline give her the momentum to succeed in this fast paced world.
Ashley Roberts
Phoenix native Roberts started dancing when she was three, singing when she was nine. Her father was a drummer turned car dealer who had played for ‘The Mamas & The Papas’; her mother was a Pilates instructor. Four years ago, just out of high school, she headed for L.A. During previous summers she had come to the West Coast to study modern dance. This time, she was in L.A. for good. Since then she's hooked commercials and appeared in a Counting Crows video. Within six months, she was also a ‘Pussycat Doll’. "I honestly didn't know about them but the word of mouth among dancers was awesome".
Noting that when she sings she has a Marilyn Monroe-type voice, she says her onstage character is "flirtatious but innocent. She's a fun free spirit. I guess I'm 'the blonde' in the group but", she adds with a smile, "it ain't natural".
Jessica Sutta
When she tore the ACL in both knees as a teenager while on stage, Jessica Sutta's dream of being a prima ballerina ended. But her dreams of being a dancer were just beginning.
Born and raised in Miami, of Irish-Russian-Polish, Catholic-Jewish heritage, she went to the New World School of the Arts at age 14 to study dance. After being injured, she switched to theater, but told herself that she'd dance again. And she did, dancing in the ‘Miami Heat’ troupe and being named captain her final year, 2001. As an actress, she was featured as a pill-poppin' Gothic teenager in the drama series "Ocean Ave.", shot in South Florida for audiences from Sweden to South Africa, and in the film “Bully” directed by Larry Clark.
In 2002, she moved to L.A. and three months later met Antin. "She's sweet, always positive, and very sensitive," says Antin, "but on stage she turns it on".
With her pale skin and dark hair, Sutta's persona echoes a Bettie Page pin-up. From the moment she joined ‘The Pussycat Dolls’, she says, "this is where I always wanted to be. I thought The Pussycat Dolls were genius. I am so blessed to be a part of this group".
Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton was a rising young star in hometown Phoenix, singing backup for local artists and performing the National Anthem for the Arizona Diamondbacks while attending college. Her Mexican maternal grandmother had been a singer for mariachi bands; her African-American paternal grandfather was a blues guitarist and her mother was a Mexican folklore dancer. Being the only Latina and African-American in ‘The Pussycat Dolls’ means a great deal to her. "I think a lot of the audience can relate to me", she says, "and that adds to the Dolls".
The first time she saw The Pussycat Dolls was on Christina Aguilera's "MTV Diary." "I loved the concept." She recorded the show and played it back over and over. Studying that tape paid off. Melody was welcomed aboard in December 2003.
Kimberly Wyatt
Down-home Southern girl Kimberly Wyatt also happens to be, according to Antin, "the sexiest dancer I have ever seen in my life". Says Wyatt, "I'm a lot shyer than most of the girls, but my personality onstage is full-out. I really go for it".
Born in Warrensburg, MO, a tiny farm town near the Ozarks, her father is a trucker and her mother goes on the road with him. Having danced since she was seven, by the time Wyatt was 14 she was earning scholarships to study in New York each summer, from the Joffrey Ballet to the Broadway Dance Center. Graduating high school at 17, she promptly flew to Las Vegas to audition for cruise ship and casino shows. Landing a revue on ‘Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas’, then the largest cruise ship in the world, she was able to visit most of Southern Europe.
In 2001, she moved to L.A., despite an offer from the Hubbard St. Dance Co. in Chicago. "All I knew was that L.A. is where dancers got jobs and L.A. was the dot MapQuest led to. My parents thought, 'Oh my God, what is she going to turn into out there ?'"
In 2003, Antin was the choreographer for a video for Nick Lachey's solo album when she met Wyatt. Antin asked her that night to join The Pussycat Dolls. "I had only seen a poster for them", Wyatt recalls. "I remember falling in love with the girls. Not many acts let you be sexy and still be about girl power".
"Small town Middle America is different from the coasts", she says, "and all the girls come from big cities. I have a different perspective. They love my stories about towns where the fancy clothing store is Wal-Mart." –“Interscope Geffen A&M”.Founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995, ‘the Pussycat Dolls’ began as a burlesque dance revue based in Los Angeles, spawned a second revue in Las Vegas, grew into an A-list phenomena with a revolving cast of guest celebrities, and eventually became a recording act with a number one dance hit. It wasn't long after launching its revue that the troupe began attracting actresses and models who wanted to become a ‘Pussycat Doll’ for a night. Christina Aguilera, Pamela Anderson, Kelly Osbourne, Pink, Britney Spears, Carmen Electra, and Gwen Stefani are just some of the names that donned lingerie and pin-up costumes and joined the Dolls for their flirtatious shows. An appearance in the 2003 film “Charlie's Angels”: Full Throttle was followed by numerous television appearances, most with Carmen Electra. Capitalizing on the nationwide attention and the addition of former ‘Eden's Crush’ member Nicole Scherzinger as lead singer, the single "Don't Cha" with special guest Busta Rhymes appeared at the beginning of 2005 and climbed to number two on the pop chart, number one on the dance chart. With help from ‘the Black Eyed Peas' “will.i.am” and producer Timbaland, ‘the Pussycat Dolls’ recorded their full-length debut. The ‘A&M’ label released PCD, a Top Ten hit, in the summer of 2005.

by David Jeffries, ‘All Music Guide’

The Immortals: The Greatest Artists of All Time

The Immortals: The Greatest Artists of All Time

- JON BON JOVI (2) -

Jon Bon Jovi (born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr. on March 2, 1962) is an American musician, songwriter and actor. As lead singer and founder of the rock band ‘Bon Jovi’, he has sold just under 156 million albums worldwide (August 2008). He is also the owner of an Arena Football League team, the ‘Philadelphia Soul’.
Jon Bon Jovi was born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr., in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, the son of two former marines, hairdresser John Francis Bongiovi, Sr. and one-time ‘Playboy’ bunny Carol Sharkey. He is Italian-American: his father was born in Sciacca, near Agrigento in Sicily. He grew up in neighboring Sayreville, New Jersey. Bon Jovi attended St. Joseph High School, in Metuchen, New Jersey during his freshman and sophomore years. He later transferred to Sayreville War Memorial High School in Parlin, New Jersey.
When he was 17, Jon was working sweeping floors at his cousin Tony Bongiovi's recording studio, ‘The Power Station’. In 1980, when Meco was there recording “Christmas in the Stars: The Star Wars Christmas Album”, Tony recommended Jon for the song "R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas". This became his first professional recording (credited as John Bongiovi). He left in 1983 when he got a record deal.
Later, along with Hugh Mcdonald, who would in future, replace Alec John Such as ‘Bon Jovi’'s bass player in 1994, and David Saboe, Jon released a song, “Runaway”, one of a few songs John wrote during his bus travels from Sayreville to ‘The Power Station’. He went several record companies, including ‘Atlantic Records’,and ‘Mercury’ (‘PolyGram’), but they all turned him down. He went (as a last resort) to a Disc Jockey at ‘WAPP-FM’, a Manhattan radio show, and asked for the DJ to listen to “Runaway”; the DJ accepted. The DJ enjoyed “Runaway” and played it; he even put it onto the ‘WAPP’ record. “Runaway” became a hit on the charts. Along the way, ‘Mercury’ (‘PolyGram’) gave Jon a recording contract in 1983, and to promote “Runaway”, Jon called up Richie Sambora, David Bryan, Tico Torres and Alec John Such and formed a band. John later found a man called Doc McGhee, who later became their manager. After John claimed he wanted a group name, one of the group suggested ‘Bon Jovi’. Although Doc McGhee showed distaste to this suggestion, (Claiming it sounded like a French Ice Cream) the name stuck, and the Group emerged as ‘Bon Jovi’, along with John slightly changing his name to suit the band, and emerging as ‘Jon Bon Jovi’.
With the help of their new manager Doc McGhee, the band's debut album, “Bon Jovi”, was released on January 21, 1984. The album went gold in the US (sales of over 500,000) and was also released in the UK. The group found themselves opening for ‘ZZ Top’ at the Madison Square Garden (before their first album had been released), and for ‘Scorpions’ and ‘Kiss’ in Europe. They also made an appearance on Dick Clark's “American Bandstand”.
In 1985, Bon Jovi's second album “7800 Fahrenheit” was released, but the response was poor. The leading British metal magazine ‘Kerrang !’, who had been very positive about the debut record, called the album "a pale imitation of the Bon Jovi we have got to know and learned to love". Jon Bon Jovi himself later said it could have and should have been better. The band members, in interviews, have said they will not perform live any song off that album anymore.
The turning point came when they brought in songwriter Desmond Child for their third album, “Slippery When Wet”. With Child co-writing many of their hits on this and future albums the band shot to super-stardom around the world with songs such as "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' On A Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". The band recorded the album in Vancouver, and frequented many of Vancouver's strip clubs during their time away from the studio. The name of the album is said to be an homage to those very strip clubs.
The album has sold in excess of 29 million copies worldwide since its release in late 1986.
The next album from Bon Jovi was “New Jersey” released in 1988. The album was recorded very shortly after the tour for “Slippery”, because the band wanted to prove that they were not just a one hit wonder. The resulting album is a fan favorite and a mammoth commercial success, with hit songs such as "Bad Medicine", "Lay Your Hands on Me" and "I'll Be There for You", which are still nightly-stalwarts in their live repertoire. “New Jersey” was a commercial smash and became the first hard rock album to spawn five Top Ten singles.
"Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You" both hit number one, and "Born to Be My Baby" (#3), "Lay Your Hands on Me (#7), and "Living in Sin" (#9) rounded out the list. "Blood on Blood" was also popular among fans. “New Jersey” was supported by video releases such as “New Jersey: The Videos” and “Access All Areas”, as well as a massive 18-month tour, originally billed ‘The Jersey Syndicate Tour’. In 1989, the band headlined the Moscow Music Peace Festival. Despite the band achieving massive success, “New Jersey” almost led to the end of the band as they went straight back out on the road so soon after the heavy touring for their previous album. During the New Jersey tour, singer Bon Jovi began having vocal difficulties. The extremely high notes and unrelenting schedule threatened to damage his voice permanently. With the help of a vocal coach, he made it through the tour. Bon Jovi has tended to sing slightly lower pitches since then. This constant living on the road almost destroyed the strong bond between the band members. Sambora is noted on the albums as co-writer for many songs, yet he resented the lack of attention that was heaped on Jon alone. As mentioned in ‘VH1's Behind the Music’, the band members note that at the end of the tour, each band member went their separate way, even departing in separate jets after the tour ended in Guadalajara, Mexico in early 1990. To date, the album New Jersey has sold 18 million copies worldwide.
Between 1990 and 1992, the band members went their separate ways after the very rigorous two year New Jersey Tour, which exceeded 200 shows on 5 continents. This time off also helped them determine where Bon Jovi would fit within the rapidly changing music scene upon their return. Jon Bon Jovi recorded a solo album, a soundtrack to the movie "Young Guns II" (in which he also appeared for less than a second), more commonly known as “Blaze of Glory”. Released in 1990, the album featured high profile guests such as: Elton John, Aldo Nova, Little Richard, and Jeff Beck, among others. The album fared well commercially and received very positive reviews and quickly achieved platinum status. The title track, "Blaze of Glory", hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Jon an Academy Award nomination for Best Song, but he did not win the award. That same year, however, "Blaze of Glory" was awarded a Golden Globe.
The band returned with the album “Keep the Faith” in 1992. The album, which was produced by Bob Rock, featured a more mature sound and lyrical content than any of their previous efforts. Their fans were pleasantly surprised and the album became a moderate hit amidst the rise of grunge. Its most recognizable tunes were the hit singles "Bed of Roses", "Keep the Faith" and "In These Arms", which all hit the Top 40 in the U.S. Some other songs on the album were released as singles in other parts of the world, mainly the fan favorite epic, "Dry County" the hooky "I Believe", and the crowd favorite "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead". This album is also notable for being the first in a string of subsequent albums for Bon Jovi which proved more popular worldwide than in the U.S. The album went double platinum in the U.S., but has sold much more worldwide.
In 1994, Bon Jovi released a "greatest hits" album titled “Cross Road”, which also contained two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as a new, updated rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" entitled "Prayer '94" available only on the U.S. version. The diction of 'prayer' in the new version was altered by a mixing error, and is heard as "'rayer" on some pressings. The song "Always" was originally written for a soundtrack to the film “Romeo Is Bleeding”, but after seeing (and disliking) the movie, the band decided not to lend the song to the producers, and instead released it on "Cross Road". The video for "Always" featured Carla Gugino, an actress known for her roles in several TV shows' and films such as “Son In Law” and actor Jack Noseworthy, best known for his role in the 2000 film “U-571". “Always", spent thirty-two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Bon Jovi's all-time biggest hits. The song peaked at #4 on the US charts and at #1 in countries across Europe, Asia and in Australia. The single sold very well, going platinum in the U.S.
That same year, bassist Alec John Such left the band, the first and only lineup change since Bon Jovi began. Hugh McDonald, who was the bassist on "Runaway", unofficially replaced Such as bassist. To this day, there is still speculation about whether Alec was fired or left on his own accord. Jon has claimed that Such was making too many mistakes onstage as a result of intoxication while performing. Such denied many of these claims in an interview soon after his departure, but later admitted there was some truth to them. Jon has made it public that there has been contact between Such and other band members recently. He even rejoined the band on stage for one song ("Wanted Dead or Alive") during their "homecoming" show at ‘Giants’ Stadium in 2001. While he has not been officially replaced, Hugh McDonald has handled studio and live bass duties since then, with rumors that he had also recorded bass on previous albums. Jon said, regarding the departure of Such: "Of course it hurts. But I learned to accept and respect it. The fact that I'm a workaholic, studio in, studio out, stage on, stage off, want to be dealing with music day and night, doesn't mean everyone else has to adjust to that pace. Alec wanted to quit for a while now, so it didn't come as a complete surprise".
With the 1995 album “These Days”, Bon Jovi took the mature rock sound they had developed on “Keep the Faith” further. The record as a whole was darker and more downbeat than the usual Bon Jovi flare. As a result, “These Days” went Platinum in the U.S. and topped the UK charts. Despite critical kudos, it spun off only one hit single in the U.S., "This Ain't A Love Song". Nevertheless, the other tracks proved sufficiently popular to garner various successful European singles, including "Hey God", "Something for the Pain", "Lie to Me", and the title track "These Days". In 1996, Bon Jovi claimed in an interview with the German ‘Bravo’ magazine that, as a result of the overwhelming success of the "These Days" tour, the album had sold in excess of 10 million copies worldwide.
By 1996, Bon Jovi had established themselves as a "force" in the music industry, proving much more durable (and successful) than most of their 80's glam peers.
Jon had since been bitten by the acting bug. He landed lead roles in movies “Little City” and “The Leading Man”, as well as in “Moonlight and Valentino”, “Tranny Freakout !”, “Homegrown”, and “U-571”, among others. While he was free between filming different movies, Jon wrote what would become his second solo album, 1997's “Destination Anywhere”. The album received very positive reviews and was a success across Europe. It was rumored that the record company was pursuing Jon to name the record "These Days, Part 2", since the album was somewhat of a moody progression from “These Days”. A short movie of the same name was recorded right around the record's release, based entirely on the songs from the record and starring Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon and Whoopi Goldberg. Dave Stewart of ‘Eurythmics’ played guitar on the record, as well as producing some of the tracks.
Bon Jovi reunited in 1999 to record the song "Real Life" for the movie “EdTV”. David Bryan didn't make it to the filming of the video for the song because of a recent hand injury sustained in a home improvement mishap, so the band used a cardboard cutout of him for the shoot. The song was a major success.
After another lengthy hiatus of nearly three years, during which several band members worked on independent projects, Bon Jovi regrouped in 1999 to begin work on their next studio album. Their 2000 release, “Crush”, enjoyed overwhelming success both in the US and overseas, thanks in part to the smash-hit single "It's My Life", co-written by famous Swedish producer Max Martin. “Crush”, which also produced such hits as "Say it isn't so", and helped introduce Bon Jovi to a new, younger fan base. ‘The Crush Tour’, which began that summer, originally encompassed only 60 or so shows and was extended because of Bon Jovi's worldwide popularity, with the band remaining on tour through mid-2001. While on tour, Bon Jovi released a collection of live performances from throughout their career in an album entitled, “One Wild Night: Live 1985-2001”. The Crush tour was notable in that the European 2000 leg included the band headlining two nights at ‘Wembley’ Stadium, these would be the final shows ever at the venue before it was demolished.
Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the band performed as part of the historic star-studded ‘The Concert for New York City benefit’ concert for victims and their families. They performed an acoustic medley of "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" with a stirring finale of "It's My Life".
In late 2002, “Bounce”, the band's follow-up to “Crush”, hit stores. Though “Bounce” did not enjoy the level of success of its predecessor, the album did produce hit singles such as "Everyday" and the title track. The band went on ‘the U.S. Bounce Tour’ for this album, during which they made history as the last band to play ‘Veterans’ Stadium in Philadelphia before it was torn down. The band also released a promotional album through ‘Target’. The album featured eight demo and live tracks.
Following ‘the Bounce Tour’, which wrapped up in August 2003, Bon Jovi embarked on what would become a unique and ambitious project. Originally intending to produce an album consisting of live acoustic performances of various songs, the band ended up rewriting, re-recording and reinventing 12 of their biggest hits in a new and much different light. “This Left Feels Right” was released in November 2003, with the title referring to the "left turn" of sorts that the band took in redoing the songs heard on this record.
The following year the band released a box set entitled “100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong”, the title an homage to Elvis Presley's “50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong”. The set consisted of four CDs packed with 38 unreleased and 12 rare tracks, as well as a DVD. The box set marked the sales of 100 million Bon Jovi albums and also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's first record in 1984.
In November 2004, Bon Jovi was honored with the award for Merit at the American Music Awards, where they performed a sneak preview of an unfinished song, "Have a Nice Day". Bon Jovi also participated in Live 8 on July 2, 2005, where they debuted the full, final version of "Have a Nice Day", alongside the classics, "Livin' on a Prayer" and "It's My Life". On August 20, 2005, the band headlined Miller Brewing Co.'s Big Brew-Ha, celebrating its 150th anniversary. The free stadium concert at ‘Miller’ Park in Milwaukee included one preview song from the band's forthcoming album.
er the release of “Have A Nice Day”, the band started gearing up for the new 2005-2006 worldwide Have A Nice Day Tour. This tour, being shorter than previous ones with only seventy-five shows originally planned, took the band to numerous stadiums and arenas throughout the world. During the tour, Bon Jovi performed as the headlining act ahead of Nascar's Daytona 500 on February 19, 2006. 2006 as B-sides on the single "Who Says You Can't Go Home".
Bon Jovi's long-awaited ninth studio album, “Have a Nice Day”, was released in September 2005. The album topped the charts around the world, giving Bon Jovi a career-best first week, selling over 202,000 albums. "Have A Nice Day" was the first single off the new album, and debuted at radio worldwide on July 18, 2005. The second single, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", was released in the U.S. in the spring of 2006, although internationally it was the third single release after "Welcome to Wherever You Are". In the U.S. a duet version of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with country singer Jennifer Nettles of the band ‘Sugarland’ was released, and in May 2006, Bon Jovi made history by becoming the first Rock & Roll Band to have a #1 hit on ‘Billboard’'s Hot Country Chart. On February 11, 2007, Bon Jovi also finally won the elusive Grammy Award, for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals" for "Who Says You Can't Go Home".
Soon after the release of “Have A Nice Day”, the band started gearing up for the new 2005-2006 worldwide ‘Have A Nice Day Tour’. This tour, being shorter than previous ones with only seventy-five shows originally planned, took the band to numerous stadiums and arenas throughout the world. During the tour, Bon Jovi performed as the headlining act ahead of Nascar's Daytona 500 on February 19, 2006. Originally it was planned for them to be the first act to perform at the new ‘Wembley’ Stadium in London, however, the construction company Multiplex who were behind the stadium's rebuilding project said the completion of the stadium had been delayed until 2007. The concert was therefore moved to the Milton Keynes National Bowl with the same performance dates. Following dates in Japan and Europe, Bon Jovi extended the tour and returned to the US in the summer of 2006 for a few stadium shows, including 3 sold-out shows in the band's native New Jersey at Giants Stadium. Jon Bon Jovi thanked the crowd for their support because the group had now sold out Giants Stadium eight times. On February 7, 2006, a promotional album, Live from the Have a Nice Day Tour, was released through Wal-Mart, which contained six live tracks recorded in December 2005 in Boston. Three of these tracks were released in the U.K. in June 2006 as B-sides on the single "Who Says You Can't Go Home".
On November 14, 2006, Bon Jovi were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame alongside James Brown and Led Zeppelin, joining music legends such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna and Elvis Presley. They will not be eligible for the U.S. equivalent until 2009.
With the end of the ‘Have A Nice Day Tour’, Bon Jovi began to throw around ideas for their next project. Among the potential offerings were going to Nashville to record with country stars (following the success of "Who Says You Can't Go Home"), a second greatest hits CD, a new studio album, and even new movies. In November 2006, Jon Bon Jovi revealed that the band were back in the studio working on a new Nashville-influenced album, and will be touring again.
In June 2007, Bon Jovi released their new tenth studio album, “Lost Highway”. The album debuted at number #1 on the ‘Billboard’ charts, the first time that Bon Jovi have had a number one album on the US charts since the release of “New Jersey” in 1988. Thanks to the band's new country music fanbase, the album sold 292,000 copies in its first week on sale in the U.S., and became Bon Jovi's third US number one album. The first single from the new album was "(You Want to) Make a Memory", which debuted (and peaked) at #27 in the ‘Billboard’ Hot 100, Bon Jovi's highest ever debut in the U.S. charts. The album reached Number #1 in Japan, Canada, Australia and Europe, and reached number #2 in the UK. The single “(You Want to) Make a Memory” was released in the UK following the opening of the O2 arena in the UK, the single debuted low at only #33, it is widely suggested that the performance of the single was hindered by ‘Mercury’ UK, following supply issues and text download redemption problems.
To promote the new album, Bon Jovi appeared at the 6th annual CMT Awards in Nashville on April 16, on ‘American Idol’ on May 2, on ‘MTV Unplugged’ on June 22. They also performed at ‘the Live Earth’ concert at ‘Giants’ Stadium on July 7th. Also to promote the album, the band are performing nine concerts in total in June and July 2007, a mini-tour which has unofficially been called ‘the Lost Highway Tour’ by fans. As part of the 'tour', Bon Jovi were the first group to perform at London's new O2 Arena (formerly the Millennium Dome) when it opened to the public on June 24, 2007. The 23,000 seat stadium sold out within 30 minutes of tickets being released.
In a September 2007 interview for ‘Glamour’ Magazine Jon raised eyebrows with his comments on Pete Doherty ("I've never heard a single one of his songs"), David Beckham ("past his prime"), Robbie Williams ("That guy couldn't even fill a bar") and ‘Oasis’ ("couldn't fill a bar either - and they're full of themselves"). In a subsequent interview he clarified his remarks and claimed to have been quoted out of context.
Bon Jovi recently appeared at the opening of the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. They played a string of 10 shows to mark the opening of the arena.
As a prelude to the 2008 Major League Baseball All Star Game, Bon Jovi played a free concert in Manhattan's Central Park on the Great Lawn. The band will then play at Madison Square Garden from July 14-15.
In the mid 80's, Jon was briefly linked to actress Diane Lane.
During a stop in Los Angeles on the New Jersey tour in 1989, Bon Jovi secretly took a trip to Las Vegas, where he married his high school sweetheart, the former Dorothea Hurley on April 29, 1989 at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Together they have four children: Stephanie Rose (May 31, 1993), Jesse James Louis (February 19, 1995), Jacob Hurley (May 7, 2002), Romeo Jon (March 29, 2004). Despite musical success and demands on personal time, Bon Jovi maintains a strong family foundation to this day.
In 2001, he received an honorary degree at the Monmouth University graduation ceremony at which he also gave the commencement address.
In 2004, he became founder and primary owner of the ‘Philadelphia Soul’ of the Arena Football League with fellow band member Richie Sambora. He appeared in several television commercials for the league, typically with John Elway, Hall of Fame quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Bon Jovi has been a ‘New York Giants’ fan his entire life, and also has a long-standing friendship with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, demonstrated by Belichick often playing Bon Jovi music at Patriots practices.A Democrat, Bon Jovi toured extensively on behalf of Presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, appearing at and playing acoustic sets (with Sambora) at rallies for the Kerry-Edwards ticket throughout the United States. Bon Jovi also played as a part of ‘the Live Earth’ concert at the Meadowlands in 2007, and was introduced by former Vice President Al Gore.

by romig007