Eurythmics

Eurythmics, Lou Reed, The Pope For Jubilee

11 Apr 2000 12:30:00 EDT

The Eurythmics (file)
Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Eurythmics, Lou Reed, Andrea Bocelli, and Pope John Paul II will all take the stage for a concert next month in Rome to reduce world debt, according to the entertainment trade publication "Variety."

The Great Jubilee Concert is scheduled to take place at Rome University on May 1 and will open with a speech by The Pope, who will address efforts at reducing debt in the poorer nations of the world. Following the speech, which will be broadcast on television worldwide, Andrea Bocelli will sing a tribute to The Pope.

"Variety" reports that organizers of the free outdoor concert are already expecting more than a half million people and are hoping that Vatican involvement will boost attendance.

There may yet be additions to the lineup, as invitations have reportedly been extended to several other artists.

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CEO of BMG Predicts Death Of The CD

4 Feb 2000 10:00:00 EST

BMG artist Annie Lennox

In a high-tech conference held February 3, BMG CEO Strauss Zelnick predicted the death of the CD and the rise of digital downloading, according to "Variety." "Digital downloading is the holy grail," quipped the CEO during the Variety Interactive Summit's keynote address.

The CEO also predicted that the consolidation of the music business would continue due to cost-saving concerns and the aging CD business. He also predicted that there would not be a standard format for Internet music downloading and storage.

History has proved otherwise, as the market did not support both Beta and VHS videocassette formats; did not support mini (3") CDs and standard-sized CD formats; and in the computer industry, the attempt at bringing the price down on Macintosh computers by licensing the chip resulted in a slew of imperfect clones that never functioned as efficiently as the original, sizing the Mac market back down to domination by one company.

Zelnick believes that digital downloading will revitalize the music industry, much as the VCR did for the film industry. BMG promised heavier promotion of its artists, digital downloads online, and new e-commerce initiatives.

BMG distributes Arista, RCA, and Jive, among others, and artists under the BMG umbrella include Puff Daddy, Whitney Houston, 'NSYNC, Sarah McLachlan, and Annie Lennox.

-- Lola Rephann

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Eurythmics Tap Meredith Brooks To Open U.S. Shows

3 Nov 1999 12:30:00 EST

Eurythmics' Annie LEnnox

Talk about your last-minute additions.

The '80s synth-pop group Eurythmics has just named Meredith Brooks as the opening act for its two U.S. concert dates: November 4 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and on November 9 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The New York and L.A. shows are the only American dates the recently reunited group currently plans to play in support of its new album, "Peace," which will hold onto the number 47 spot in next week's "Billboard" album chart, according to SoundScan sales figures released Wednesday.

Eurythmics, fronted by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, was considered one of the highlights of last month's NetAid benefit show at Wembley Stadium in London, during which the group played alongside the likes of Stereophonics, Robbie Williams, George Michael, and David Bowie.

Brooks won't be trailing Eurythmics to the U.K. for the continuation of the "Peace" tour. She'll be turning up on the Bill Maher-hosted late night show "Politically Incorrect," and she's also still slated to play a special concert at Young Circle Park in Hollywood, Florida on November 7 with 98 Degrees, Deborah Cox, Jordan Knight, LFO, and Michael Fredo.

-- David Basham

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Eurythmics To Team With Greenpeace, Amnesty International For Tour

6 Jul 1999 10:00:00 EDT

Annie Lennox

The Eurythmics announced more details about its upcoming reunion album and world tour during a special performance held yesterday on board a Greenpeace ship anchored in the River Thames in London.

Band co-founders Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart played five songs for the special set, which included such past hits as "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" and "There Must Be An Angel."

During a press conference held in conjunction with the short concert, the Eurythmics indicated that it planned to kick off a world tour in Germany in September and that all proceeds from the outing would be donated to Greenpeace and Amnesty International.

The environmental and human rights organizations are hoping to recruit a million new members during the Eurythmics tour, which will mark the first group's first road dates in ten years (see "Eurythmics Reforming For New Album, World Tour").

A new Eurythmics record, tentatively titled "Peace," is expected out this fall.

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Eurythmics Reforming For New Album, World Tour

15 Jun 1999 12:00:00 EDT

Dave Stewart

Sweet dreams are indeed made of this.

After years of rumors and speculations, Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics have announced that they have reformed the seminal synthpop '80s group for a new album, the duo's first since 1989's "We Too Are One."

In a statement issued by the Eurythmics' label, Arista Records, the band indicated that it hoped to have a new studio album out this fall, with an extensive world tour to follow.

A full-fledged Eurythmics reunion seems to have been building up for the last two years, as Stewart and Lennox have made a series of concert appearances together, the most recent coming at the 1999 Brit Awards in London in February (see "Eurythmics Back For Brit Awards").

Before the recent announcement, representatives for Arista had repeatedly balked at the notion that the performances might lead into a new Eurythmics album, saying only that they were both at work on solo projects, including Lennox's long-awaited follow-up 1992's "Diva" LP. (In 1995, Lennox cut an album of covers, "Medusa.")

Since the split, Stewart has worked as a songwriter and producer for the likes of Tom Petty, Imogen Heap, Bryan Ferry, and Natalie Imbruglia. Stewart has also released several solo albums in his own right, including last year's "Sly-Fi," and recently scored Robert Altman's latest film, "Cookie's Fortune."

Stewart hinted at a potential Eurythmics reunion last year when he talked with MTV News about his newest album and Internet project, "Sly-Fi TV."

"Yeah, we've been getting along really well, Annie and I," Stewart said. "We're now both really into arts and visuals.... It's been several years since we last worked on a record together, so we're always sort of bemused at how many people are still interested [in the group]... but I know that sometime in the next two or three years, there'll be something that'll come out. Something unique and new."

During the Eurythmics almost ten year run from 1980-1989, the group scored a series of Top 20 hits, including "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," "Here Comes the Rain Again," "Would I Lie to You," and "Missionary Man."

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Trio Of All Saints To Star In Dave Stewart Flick

10 Mar 1999 04:00:00 EST

All Saints

While All Saints leader Shaznay Lewis hones songs for the band's sophomore album, the remaining members of the British quartet will spend their time working on a new film, entitled "Honest," to be directed by former Eurythmic Dave Stewart.

The trio of Saints -- Melanie Blatt and sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton -- will make their feature film debut in "Honest," a movie which tells the story of three sisters who rob banks in London's West End during the 1960s while dressing as men, according to a report in "Variety."

The All Saints aren't expected to contribute any new material to the film or its soundtrack, but members of the group may end-up lending their individual voices to separate songs.

The screenplay for "Honest" was penned by the duo of Dick Clement and Ian LaFrenais, the team responsible for "The Commitments," "Still Crazy" and the upcoming sequel to "Bad Boys." "Honest" is still considered to be in the pre-production stage, and actual on-location shooting isn't expected to get underway for several months.

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Eurythmics Back For Brit Awards

22 Dec 1998 05:00:00 EST

Annie Lennox

The Eurythmics will be back together for their first major public performance since 1991 when they play the Brit Awards on February 16 in London.

The brilliant duo of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart are set to receive special recognition at the event, which is Britain's equivalent of the Grammy Awards. According to Billboard, the band will be presented with a Special Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to the British Music Industry.

The duo hasn't recorded a studio album together since 1989's "We Too Are One." They never did announce they were breaking up, only that they would be launching solo careers. Both have remained very active.

The Brit appearance is being touted as a one-off event, but rumors of a more lengthy pairing have been circulating all year, fueled by two very small appearances. Last February Lennox and Stewart performed at a private function honoring a music executive, and then in May, they performed before 300 people at a breast cancer benefit. Their record company at that time, however, denied a full scale reunion was in the works.

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Dave Stewart Discusses Writing With Natalie Imbruglia

24 Aug 1998 04:00:00 EDT

Dave Stewart

While preparing for the September 15 Internet launch of his "Sly-Fi" project, former Eurythmic and Spiritual Cowboy Dave Stewart finds himself up to his ears in various projects -- including scoring Robert Altman's new film, readying to make his own big-screen directorial debut, and writing and recording songs with Bryan Ferry and Natalie Imbruglia.

Working with a music legend such as Ferry, the ex-Roxy Music frontman, is nothing new for Stewart, who has recorded and toured with the likes of Tom Petty, Bootsy Collins and Bob Dylan. According to Stewart, however, his collaboration with current pop sensation Imbruglia came about by chance, after the singer happened to hear one of Stewart's demos while she was cruising in a car in Germany.

"[Natalie] was actually driving around Germany," Stewart said, "with a German record company guy, and he was playing a tape of mine that nobody really had, which had some really strange music I had made because he was a fan of mine. And she heard it and started asking about who it was. So he gave her one of my solo albums and he gave her this tape."

"Not long after that," he continued, "I was in a restaurant and she sat next to me. She was at the other table and went, 'Oh wow! I heard this tape ... blah blah blah.' Anyway, we ended up back at my apartment, which was just round the corner from the restaurant. I was playing acoustic guitar and she was singing and it sounded really great. Natalie and I have written about six songs, and I'll probably finish them in the studio when we both have time."

Imbruglia is just one of the music celebrities who turn up on Stewart's "Sly-Fi" program (see "Dave Stewart Signs Multi-Media Deal For Record, Online Show"), which will also feature cameos from Sinead O'Connor, Lou Reed, Jon Bon Jovi, the Edge and Bob Dylan, as well as from such non-music personas as Timothy O'Leary, Gina Gershon, Demi Moore, Kevin Spacey and Isabella Rossellini.

No word yet on when or where those Stewart-Imbruglia songs might surface, but we'll keep you posted.

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Dave Stewart Signs Multi-Media Deal For Record, Online Show

10 Aug 1998 10:00:00 EDT

Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart has just inked a multi-media deal with Digital Artists, a new imprint of N2K Encoded Music, part of which includes the release of Stewart's new album, "Sly Fi," which will be available via the Internet only on September 15.

Stewart is also producing an online TV show of the same name, and plans currently call for the musician to create six episodes of the program, which would be broadcast at a regularly scheduled time.

According to a representative for the ex-Eurythmic, the online shows will incorporate elements of art, music and film, as the musician is notorious for having a Warhol-like fascination with carrying a camera wherever he goes.

Footage shot by Stewart which may be featured as part of the online "Sly Fi" shows include that of actress and model Isabella Rosselini, and live tape taken from a Dylan concert which Stewart filmed while working on-stage as the tour's guitarist.

Stewart will also use his site to premiere the video for "Happy to Be Here," the first single from the new record, which was shot on location -- inside Stewart's home.

After Stewart's launches his new record on the Internet-only promotion, "Sly Fi" will be released through more conventional outlets and record stores a few weeks later.

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Manson's "Dead Man" Soundtrack Enters Summer Fray With "Avengers"

3 Aug 1998 12:15:00 EDT

Marilyn Manson

Since the release of the "Titanic" soundtrack last November, motion picture albums supporting such films as "Godzilla," "City of Angels," "Armageddon" and "Dr. Doolittle" have dominated the upper echelon of the record charts.

Part of the success of such soundtracks has been linked to the all-star caliber of talent usually enlisted for the records, and two new soundtrack albums -- for "The Avengers" and "Dead Man on Campus" -- will get into the summer sales fray when they arrive in stores this week.

Marilyn Manson's new "Mechanical Animals" album is currently vying with Alanis Morissette's forthcoming record as the most highly anticipated release (for the rest) of the year, and fans will be able to catch a glimpse at Manson's new glam swing on his cover of David Bowie's "Golden Years" for the "Dead Man on Campus" album.

As we previously reported (see "Manson Does Bowie, Twiggy Meets Twiggy For 'Dead' Soundtrack"), the "Dead Man" soundtrack was executive produced by the dynamic production duo of the Dust Brothers, who manned the boards for Manson's cut, as well as new songs from Blur, Supergrass and the outre combo of Twiggy Ramirez and '70s model Twiggy covering Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want To Be With You."

The album accompanying "The Avengers" movie is slightly more eclectic, as Sugar Ray, Roni Size, Dishwalla and the Stereo MCs are all on-board for the made-over '60s U.K. TV program. Two of the more unique selections on the "Avengers" include "Blow You Away," a song co-written by XTC frontman Andy Partridge and the Verve Pipe, and Annie Lennox's cover of the Sugarcubes' "Mama."

For Lennox, the track signals her return to the studio after a much talked about Eurythmics reunion with Dave Stewart failed to materialize. That buzz started when the two reformed to play a benefit show in London in May.

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