Get well soon Robbie!!!

Sad news for Asia with Robbie Williams canceling his shows there citing exhaustion as the cause…it has since been revealed that he is receiving treatment for depression in London. Of course all my love goes out to Robbie, I hope he has a speedy recovery. Hopefully he will still feel up to his Australian dates (fingers crossed), although your health does have to come first…so whilst I would be very disappointed if he didn’t make it here, it is far more upsetting to know that he isn’t well.

I must admit that after watching the ‘Close Encounters’ tour on television the other week, I was not overly surprised by the news that he is struggling. He just didn’t seem himself on stage, there was a spark missing, and a strong sense that he was going through the motions, while wishing he was somewhere else…

Meanwhile, I am wondering what all the Beyonce-hating is about at the moment??? Read about it in this article from The Bosh:

http://thebosh.com/archives/2006/09/beyonce_knowles_sparks_controversy.php

Is it just me, or have her comments been taken completely out of context??? I didn’t get the impression that she was saying her music is only for black people; more that she wasn’t making music specifically to cater to white people (being that she is black, so she does black music, and is staying true to herself, etc.). Am I wrong? IS there a hidden message I am missing? A 70% drop in sales for 'B'Day'? Maybe becasue it has been out for a few weeks now and it is a time of strong releases???

So, the ARIA nominees has been announced…Interesting to see that despite his un-deniable chart success, Shannon Noll has missed out again on a nomination for Best Male…What gives?

My picks feature a *, likely winners feature a #

Album of the Year
Augie March: Moo, You Bloody Choir
Bernard Fanning: Tea and Sympathy
Eskimo Joe: Black Fingernails, Red Wine
Wolfmother: Wolfmother *#

Single of the Year
Augie March: One Crowded Hour
Bernard Fanning: Watch Over Me
Wolfmother: Mind's Eye #
Youth Group: Forever Young*

Best Group
Augie March
Eskimo Joe*
Rogue Traders
The Living End*
Wolfmother #

Best Male Artist
Bernard Fanning #
Ben Lee
Bob Evans *
Dan Kelly
Pete Murray

Best Female Artist
Clare Bowditch
Holly Throsby
Jade MacRae
Jen Cloher
Kasey Chambers *#

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Bob Evans: Suburban Songbook *
Human Nature: Reach Out - The Motown Record #
Tex, Don and Charlie: All is Forgiven
The Whitlams: Little Cloud
Various Artists: She Will Have Her Way - The Songs of Tim and Neil Finn *

Best Blues and Roots Album
Bernard Fanning: Tea and Sympathy #
Lior: Doorways of my Mind
The Audreys: Between Last Night and Us
The Flood: The Late Late Show
Xavier Rudd: Food in the Belly*

Best Children's Album
Hi-5: Wish Upon A Star*
Justine Clarke: I Like To Sing!
The Fairies: Fairy Magic
The Hooley Dooleys: Smile
The Wiggles: Racing To The Rainbow #

Best Comedy Release
Carl Barron: Carl Barron, Whatever Comes Next DVD
Lano and Woodley: Sing Songs
Matt Tilley: Cereal Pest*#
The Shambles: The Shambles, Best of Series One and Two

Best Country Album
Adam Brand: What A Life
Anne Kirkpatrick: Showman's Daughter
Catherine Britt: Too Far Gone
Lee Kernaghan: The New Bush #
Troy Casser-Daley: Brighter Day*

Best Dance Release
Dirty South: Dirty South EP
Paul Mac: Panic Room*
Sneaky Sound System: I Love It
The Presets: Beams
TV Rock featuring Seany B: Flaunt It #

Best Independent Release
Ben Lee: We're All In This Together
Gotye: Like Drawing Blood
Hilltop Hoods: The Hard Road*#
John Butler Trio: Live at St Gallen
Lior: Doorways to my Mind

Best Music DVD
Hilltop Hoods: The Calling Live
Eskimo Joe: Eskimo Joe - The DVD
Kylie Minogue: Showgirl - The Greatest Hits Tour #
Missy Higgins: If You Tell Me Yours, I'll Tell You Mine *
The Go-Betweens: That Striped Sunlight Sound

Best Pop Release
Ben Lee: Into the Dark
Josh Pyke: Feeding the Wolves
Rogue Traders: Here Come the Drums
Shannon Noll: Lift*
The Veronicas: The Secret Life Of ...#

Best Rock Album
Augie March: Moo, You Bloody Choir
Eskimo Joe: Black Fingernails, Red Wine
The Living End: State of Emergency *
Wolfmother: Wolfmother #
You Am I: Convicts

Best Urban Release
Bliss N Eso: Up Jumped The Boogie
Hilltop Hoods: The Hard Road #
Jade MacRae: Jade MacRae
Phrase: Talk With Force*
Weapon X and Ken Hell: Sneakerpimpin Ain't Easy

Breakthrough Artist - Album
Hilltop Hoods: The Hard Road
Rogue Traders: Here Come the Drums*
The Grates: Gravity Won't Get You High
The Veronicas: The Secret Life Of ...
Wolfmother: Wolfmother #

Breakthrough Artist - Single
Gyroscope: Fast Girl
Hilltop Hoods: Clown Prince
Sneaky Sound System: I Love It
TV Rock featuring Seany B: Flaunt it #
Starky: Hey Bang Bang*

Highest Selling Australian Album
Bernard Fanning: Tea and Sympathy #
Human Nature: Reach Out - The Motown Album
Pete Murray: See the Sun
Rogue Traders: Here Come the Drums

Bring on Keith Urban's performance!!!

Luv Pop Princess xo
The Veronicas: The Secret Life Of ...*

More gigs!

Ok, so once again I have found myself in a midst of a heap of awesome gigs, which I am only just now having time to write to you all about. Is it just me, or is everybody flat out at work at the moment, and really tired? I don’t know if it is the weather or what, but everyone I speak to is really busy and exhausted. Thankfully I love my job, and being tired doesn’t make me love it any less. I know not everyone is that lucky…

So first “cab off the rank” in my week of fantastic live music is the one and only Sleepy Jackson. I could rave about this band until the cows come home, but that would be very boring for the readers, and I think it is pretty clear from past posts how much love and respect I have for this band. Nothing to do with the fact that I have a crush on Luke Steele…really :o) No, all jokes aside though, the thing I love most about this band is when I am talking to someone who hasn’t heard them before and they ask “who are they like”? My answer? “There is no-one like The Sleepy Jackson, they do not sound like anyone” It is true.

I went to see this sublimely unique band at The Corner, which is one of my favourite venues to see live music, but this was not the place to see this band. Having only seen them a few months ago at Ormond Hall, The Corner lacked the atmosphere to compliment this bands complicated musical arrangements. The Corner is the perfect place to see a rock band, but the Sleepies are not a mere rock band. You could feel, or even become part of their music at Ormond Hall, and this was not the case at The Corner. Perhaps the Ormond Hall gig was just so good that I will not be satisfied seeing them play anywhere without the grandeur of that particular venue?

The following night I returned to The Corner to see a band that is perfect to play there. This is a band I have seen many times live, and who have never particularly blown me away. To paint a picture, I was wildly hung over from the night before and the thought of returning to the same venue to hear a band I have found to bearable (at best) in a live show, while trying to fight the urge to vomit because my head was throbbing so much was not the most appealing of prospects, when all I wanted to do was go to bed and have a longggg sleep until I felt human again. After much inner turmoil, I decided to go along for the first couple of songs and then make a quiet escape early.

As The Vines took the stage there was an energy I have not seen from them before. From word go this band was tight, loud, excited and sounding better than they have ever sounded before. Craig Nicholls was actually interacting with the crowd, and seemed to be very much enjoying doing so. This was not the same band I saw stumble blindly through their own tracks at The Forum a while back. This was a confident band, enjoying what they were doing, and enjoying doing it with each other. And the crowd? Wow, they were appreciative! This is a band that has been on top, lost everything, and appears to have come out fighting with a new found contentment with what they are doing. It was a beautiful thing to see. Needless to say, I didn’t sneak out after a couple of songs…I stayed for the entire gig. Granted, I didn’t feel quite up to another drink, but I enjoyed the gig so much my headache went away and I was singing and rocking with the rest of the crowd.

Wednesday night saw me, once again return to The Corner. I am sure the bar tenders now recognize me and think I am homeless and head there at nights because I have nothing else to do! There are very few similarities between The Sleepy Jackson and Luke’s sisters band Little Birdy. One major similarity that is undeniable is that both Luke and Katy are amazing front persons for their bands, and they leave you mesmerized when you are watching them on stage. I loved Little Birdy’s debut ‘Big Big Love’ and was thrilled to be able to come and see the band perform some of their new material from their album ‘Hollywood’ (in stores October 14 people, go and get it!). My fave tracks are ‘Come On, Come On’ and ‘Bodies’, but they were all fantastic live. I can’t wait to sit down and have a few good listens to the album. I was hoping that my favourite Little Birdy song ‘Baby Blue’ may have featured on this album, but unfortunately it didn’t, they didn’t sing it live either :o( However their version of ‘Six Months on a Leaky Boat’ went down a treat with the audience, and this track is a B-side on the ‘Come On, Come On’ single.

Does anyone else find Brian Molko really attractive in some sort of odd way? Or is that just a strange me thing? He is sexy on stage; no really I think he is! Loving the shaved head, suits him heaps. Now, enough of what he looked like the band and their performance… Placebo played brilliantly and the crowd loved it. My problem? They made some really odd set list decisions, in my opinion. There was nothing wrong with their performance, but there where a few too many of the new songs. Don’t get me wrong, the tour is to promote ‘Meds’, the latest album but fans still want to hear their favourite songs from previous albums. Sure, ‘Every You Every Me’, ‘Special K’ and ‘The Bitter End’ featured, but the absence of such important songs like ‘This Picture’, ‘Taste In Men’ and in particular ‘Pure Morning’, where devastating. Perhaps they are sick of playing them? Perhaps because they played them last time they didn’t feel the need? Whatever the reason, no matter how well the band played, without those songs I left the venue feeling ripped off. Again, maybe my problem is that last time I saw the band (at The Palace a couple of years ago) it was in my top 10 gigs of all time. Maybe when you see a band and they are that good, you shouldn’t go and see them next time, as they are unlikely to be able to live up to your expectations a second time around?

Nah...that can’t be right. There are performers and bands I have seen more times than I can remember, and they always blow me away. Examples? The Living End, Live, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters and the master himself.

Speaking of the master, Aussie readers don’t forget Robbie Williams ‘Close Encounters’ is on Channel 10 at 9:00 pm tonight. Bring it on baby!!!

Pop Princess xoxoxo

P.S. Be my friend on My Space! http://www.myspace.com/i_luv_pop

RIP Steve Irwin

It has been a really sad week in Australia. First, the loss of the amazingly Australian and inspirational Steve Irwin; then today’s shock death of racing champion Peter Brock. Both deaths will be felt immensely, both in Australia, and around the world. Both of these men were an inspiration to millions.

People are only just coming to terms with the loss of Steve Irwin. The Peter Brock news is so new that people are still in shock...I know nothing about motorsports, but everyone (even those of us who HATE the sport) knows who Peter Brock is, and what he has meant to the sport. Much love to their families.

On to happier things. Can I just say that Christina’s ‘Back to Basics’ is easily the best album I have heard this year? I love it. “Understand” is my fave. You go girl! Can’t wait to read reviews about the new tour…and perhaps get to witness it for myself if she return to our shores.

So, I got Outkast’s ‘Idlewild’, and am a little unsure about it (however,I wasunsure about Justin’s ‘Sexy Back’ when I first heard it too. Now I have lived with it for awhile I think it is killer). I am thinking that maybe you might need to see the film to appreciate the songs??? No idea when (or if) it is being released in Australia. Would love to see the film though…their clips are always sensational, so I doubt the movie would be anything but. Plus, I can think of worse things to look at for two hours than Andre 3000 :o)

New releases I am yet to hear…but am excited about hearing are: Beyonce, Audioslave, Jet, Little Birdy, Scissor Sisters, The Killers. Oh…and of course Mr. Robbie Williams! We are in for a very musical Christmas!

My recommendation for this month is to listen to La Rocca’s ‘The Truth’ album. “Sketches of a Twenty-something life” is reason enough to buy it! It is not surprising they got to tour with the likes of Jet, The Vines & Death In Vegas overseas. Bring them here for Big Day Out someone!!!!

Bad news, the PCD’s are looking for a new member…which means there will be another album. Which, in turn, means another catchy song that I can’t get out of my head, that at first I love, but after a few weeks despise, because I can’t go 2 seconds without hearing it. Good news? They are going to have a TV show to find’s replacement. Should make for some good reality TV viewing…

How good is the Ok Go ‘Here it Goes Again’ clip?!? Check it out here….

http://www.musichead.com.au/site/artist.asp?actID=134288

Does anyone else HATE Fergie’s ‘London Bridge’?

Pop Princess xo