BLOC PARTY were forced to scrap an performance in Miami after Kele Okereke fell ill with a throat virus. The singer contracted viral pharyngitis - an inflammation of the throat as they were due to play at the Ultra Music Festival on Saturday. The group apologised for the cancellation and assured fans they will return to Miami to play in the near future. A statement on their website said: “Kele has contracted viral pharyngitis and is unable to perform today at the Ultra Music Festival in beautiful Miami, FL. “We send our heartfelt apologies to all our fans and the Ultra Music Festival organisers. We hope to return to Miami, FL, at our earliest opportunity.”

Equally inspired by Sonic Youth, Joy Division, Gang of Four, and the Cure, East London art punkers Bloc Party mix angular sonics with pop structures. Consisting of singer/guitarist Kele Okereke, guitarist Russell Lissack, bassist/singer Gordon Moakes, and drummer Matt Tong, the band was formerly known as Angel Range and Union before settling on Bloc Party. Okereke and Lissack met each other through mutual friends at the Reading Festival, and discovered that they had musical tastes as well as friends in common. Tong and Moakes soon joined their collaboration, and under the name Union, the quartet issued a demo in early 2003; later that year, they switched their name to Bloc Party.

The group’s demo and concerts began to attract attention from both the press and their peers; Okereke sent a copy of the demo to Franz Ferdinand, who invited them to play at the Domino tenth anniversary bash in fall 2003. Early the following year, the band released one of the demo’s tracks, “She’s Hearing Voices,” as a single on Trash Aesthetics. A few months later, Banquet/Staying Fat arrived on Moshi Moshi. That spring, Bloc Party signed to Wichita to release their full-length album in the U.K., and to Dim Mak for U.S. distribution. The band spent summer 2004 recording and touring. Late that summer, Bloc Party, which collected the band’s first two singles, arrived in the States. Their debut album, Silent Alarm, appeared early in 2005 and was released by Vice Records in the States to widespread acclaim. Later that year, Silent Alarm Remixed capitalized on the band’s burgeoning popularity, as did the 2006 EP Helicopter. A Weekend in the City, Bloc Party’s second proper album, followed in 2007. A Weekend in the City leaked onto the Internet months before the album’s street date, which inspired Bloc Party to issue their third album, Intimacy, online in late summer 2008; the album was released on compact disc that fall

Arnel Pineda – The beginning
We are four in a brood and Arnel heads the crew, being the eldest. As in his earlier testaments, life indeed was tough but it was bit manageable when our Ima (mama in capampangan) was still around. Mother was headstrong, feisty, straight-forward and a strong resolve.
I can say that our mother still wields a greater influence on Arnel compared to any other personality that he had encountered. He takes after her resiliency and courage; the traits that guide him to this day. Her ability to blend well with people was also instilled on him, in preparation for his future dealings with people of mixed culture and orientation. I marvel at his disarming humility, which erases any more reason not to like him. And all these good things about him were not learned easily; Arnel travelled a long way prior to his long-delayed arrival.

The formative years
Despite our difficulties, Ima still decided to send Arnel to a Catholic school, as she was convinced that the church is still the best source of education in the Philippines. She wanted the best for her children and it was not far-fetched as Arnel is an academic performer during his elementary years. We attended the same primary school and teachers who had guided him before cannot help but to cross-reference us. Yet o me it was a welcome comparison. He was everywhere; singing for school glee club, joining the rondalla troupe and performing during school programs. I think I was in first grade when I first saw him singing live a Karen Carpenter song and it struck me then why he would sing a lady’s song. Must be that Ima was so fond of the Carpenters that she listened and sung them routinely, that the songs were impressed on him, and back then Arnel is already shaping into a versatile artist. His first crowning glory came prior to finishing elementary; Arnel represented our school in a national quiz tilt. He did not actually join the contest as another schoolmate did and won; he sung instead Celeste Legaspi’s Gaano Kita Kamahal. He was on national television for the first time and it won’t be the last.

The hard years
During Arnel’s secondary junior years, Ima finally succumbed to a long, losing fight with rheumatic heart. That episode started a domino effect of misfortunes on our family. We were left bankrupt by Ima’s hospital bills and ensuing funeral expenditures. We never recovered but Arnel rose to the challenge.
We all had to quit school and then we lost our rented apartment. The younger ones were distributed among relatives and it was not easy. For years, we hardly saw each other except for some occasional visits from Arnel.
Every time he drops by on my auntie’s place, he always wore his faded green corduroy. I was not sure where he lived that time. All I know, he was all hard up and barely surviving, and still able to share some pesos from his shallow pocket. How he earned them, God knows. I later learned he had to do odd jobs to fend off hunger. So bent on fighting on, he must be anticipating of something big to happen.

The break
Then one day our father fetched me and broke the good news that Arnel now sings for a band. And he had asked me to live with him.
His place was like a bodega (small warehouse) turned into a makeshift room. There, we had as room-mates roaches, rats and mosquitoes. But it was better. Some months after, he convinced me to return to school with assurance that he’ll take care of the bills. Prior to that, I almost gave up school and his prodding changed my life thereafter.
On the other hand, his singing career seemed to head for a click. I never had the chance to watch him live back then but apparently his band was good. I heard them winning numerous contests and then landing some TV gigs. They were on the way up and then they hit a snag. In between, his band assumed the role of music journeymen hitting stages in Olongapo, Makati, Singapore and Hong Kong. I reckon it was a colourful journey and his personal life is taking a parallel course.

Personal travails
At 20, Arnel became a father but did not marry until years after then became a father anew. Sadly those 2 previous relationships didn’t work. Along the way, he dabbled on singing solo but the time was not yet his. He soldiered on, shuttling between Hong Kong and Manila and on the side compiling numerous original materials.
As I used to live with him, he would share his penned songs to me regularly. Rushing down the stairs and lugging his guitar, he would sing his latest compositions to me. I never imagined that I am in the middle of a history in the making – why these materials may now end up as rock classics for the days to come.
Personally it was a wonder to realize how a great talent can be in hiding. And so I began frequenting his gigs. Seeing that many foreigners are responding positively to his acts – covering James Brown, Robert Plant and Journey – I was convinced that his skills will somehow be appreciated in a different place. The hometown boy will have to spell his name somewhere else.

The breakthrough
It turned out that what was slow to come will be expedited by the magic of the internet. A fan uploaded his live video performances on YouTube and the posting came at a right time. A legendary rock band is in search for a singer and in their own words, they were desperate. Arnel Pineda is on YouTube singing their songs. And Journey stumbled upon an uncanny cover and more. As guitarist Neal Schon had mused, “he had to step away from the computer and let what he heard sink in his mind.” Few email exchanges and some phone calls ensued and Arnel boarded a plane en route to San Francisco. And he got the plum gig.
Moreover, fate seems to have played a crucial role. As securing a visa entry to the United States is next to impossible in the Philippines, but the man who issued Arnel’s visa is also the same guy he wowed on a previous gig. Like a smooth movie plot, everything fitted into their proper places and his amazing journey has just begun.

The new journey
For Arnel, his whole life has just been given a reboot. Everything reloads into a new start. He now embarks on a journey that will take him physically to different countries, theatres and arenas. The task ahead can both be mentally taxing and physically exhausting; yet there lies the challenge and excitement. As he has intimated before, he is out there to enjoy the fellowship, the celebration and the legacy of a life he has embraced and has embraced him in return. His uphill climb was a tough one but it had proved to be a worthy one.
Twenty five years of performing and this single year could well be the defining moment for Arnel. I have seen my brother pulled through really tough times. While there may be hordes of unforeseen revelations. I can sense that he is up to the call of showcasing his talent and proving his worth. I believe 25 years are sufficient enough badge of achievements and proof. And the next 25 to come may just well be moments of validation.
http://arnelpineda.ning.com

U.K pop act Take That has become one of the fastest million-sellers of all time with their new set “The Circus” (Polydor), according to the Official Charts Company.

The revived boy band will have sold their millionth copy in the U.K. early today (Dec. 19), it’s 19th day in stores. The OCC tally was 990,000 by the end of Dec. 18.

Its rapid sale makes “The Circus” the second fastest seller ever, behind only Oasis’ “Be Here Now” (Big Brother), which took 11 days to hit a million sales in 1997. Take That’s previous 2006 set (more…)

Mel B thinks celebrities who don’t give to charity are “disgusting”.

The former Spice Girl believes everyone in the public eye should use their fame to help others and can’t understand why some refuse.

She blasted: “Do you know what, I think it’s disgusting when a celebrity isn’t doing something for charity.

“It feels so good and it’s so easy - when you’ve got the money and you’ve got the exposure - to give something back.”

Mel, 33, insists her involvement with numerous good causes has made her become a tougher parent to daughters, Phoenix, nine, and 20-month-old Angel.

She added: “If Phoenix starts crying because she wants something, I say, ‘What’s the matter? Are you hungry? In pain? No, well stop right now because there are a lot of children in the world a lot worse off than you.

“And the good thing is I can actually come out with the facts which I know now because I support a few charities like Oxfam.”

Biography: Robert Kardashian: birth name: Robert Arthur Kardashian, Jr., born on March 17, 1987, height: 5 ft 10 1/2 (179 cm), Zodiac Sign: Pisces. Rob is a TV personality. He is best known for his appearances on the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians and being the younger brother of Kim Kardashian.

Robert was born in Los Angeles, the son of late attorney Robert Kardashian and Kris Jenner (née Houghton). Robert Kardashian, best known for being O. J. Simpson’s lawyer during his murder trial, died on September 30, 2003. Her mother, Kris, divorced Robert in 1989, and married former Olympian Bruce Jenner in 1991.

Robert has three sisters, Kim, Kourtney and Khloe. He also has stepbrothers Burton Jenner; Brandon Jenner; and reality TV star Brody Jenner; stepsister Casey Jenner; and half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner.

The Pretenders’ latest album, Break Up the Concrete hits stores tomorrow, but we’ve got the whole record for you to hear right now. Click below to listen to each of the record’s 11 tracks, and check out our Q&A with Chrissie Hynde and behind-the-scenes footage of the band’s “Boots of Chinese Plastic” music video.

PRETENDERS ANNOUNCE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINING TOUR SINCE 2003; TOUR IN SUPPORT OF WIDELY ACCLAIMED ALBUM BREAKUP THE CONCRETE
The Pretenders announced a tour through North American starting January 29 at the Palace Theatre in Albany, NY with the final show taking place on March 14 in Reno, Nevada. The tour is the band’s first extensive headlining tour since 2003.

The Pretenders touring line up of Chrissie Hynde, (more…)