The Star Online: Entertainment: Music
The Star Online: Entertainment: Music |
- Bonding over babies
- Soulja Boy claims innocence after drug arrest
- Expert: Jackson physician acted like employee not doctor
| Posted: 20 Oct 2011 12:16 AM PDT Two of the women of Bond are mums and another is expecting a child, but they still keep their classical crossover act sexy. They may be the hot babes of classical crossover act Bond. But when we met them last month, it was another "babe" that drew all the attention. The cutie-pie was a two-month-old baby girl, the daughter of Bond's first violinist Tania Davis. Davis, who is 36, brought her along – plus a nanny – for the group's visit to Singapore. British-Australian classics-go-pop group Bond started out as the classical version of the Spice Girls more than a decade ago, but clearly things have changed a lot since. Bond are made up of Davis, second violinist Eos Chater, viola player Elspeth Hanson and cellist Gay-Yee Westerhoff. They were in Singapore for a private Formula One hospitality event except Westerhoff, 38, who was absent as she is five months pregnant and unable to travel. Indeed, Davis, who also has two sons aged three and five, said they have mellowed over the years, with her and Gay-Yee embracing motherhood. Juggling motherhood and touring is tough enough and it was the reason Hanson, 24, replaced former member Haylie Ecker in 2008, when she decided to become a full-time mum. But Davis and Gay-Yee seem to be doing fine. "When we do concert tours, it's always Bond, as we are (referring to Westerhoff's absence), even if we have to bring babies on tour with us," said Davis. It is a far cry from when they burst on the scene and were dubbed the classical Spice Girls, a reference to the British pop girl group known for their loud and boisterous personas in the 1990s. "I think we all just chilled out a bit more. You just learn to take things a bit less seriously, otherwise you can go completely bonkers," said Davis. The girls are still strutting their stuff in sexy, figure-hugging outfits and they have a new album out called Play. It is their first studio album in seven years. The group said they started recording the album in 2009 and added that they needed the hiatus "to take a breather and take some time out for our personal lives." Play, which features six original compositions from the band members and which has gypsy and folk music influences, sees them doing classical renditions of the hit song Jai Ho from the movie Slumdog Millionaire (2008), and Last Time, a track from British rock band The Rolling Stones. Chater, 35, said: "The gist of this album is that we wanted to do something celebratory and that will be really fun live. "Having toured a lot, you notice that the upbeat ones are the ones that get the crowd going and they are the ones they seem to enjoy the most, so that's the path we've taken." Bond also did a special Lady Gaga medley, which blends the quirky pop singer's hit singles such as Bad Romance, Born This Way and Alejandro. Hanson said: "We wanted to go Gaga. We're all Lady Gaga fans, she's really clever and it's amazing, the stuff she comes up with. We love her music and we just thought it lends itself really well to our string and instrumental versions." Asked how things have changed as a group since she came on board three years ago, she added: "It was the best job I could ever ask for, joining Bond. It was just so easygoing, there are no egos in the group at all and we're all just working together really fairly. "It's a lovely equal basis where we all respect each other and we want to encourage each other." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network > Bond's Play is released by Universal Music Malaysia. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Soulja Boy claims innocence after drug arrest Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:25 PM PDT LOS ANGELES: Rapper Soulja Boy has claimed he is innocent of drug and weapon charges after being arrested and freed on bail earlier this week in Atlanta, Georgia. "I'm innocent man. I love you all. I just want you'll to know I'm innocent," the hip-hop singer posted late Tuesday on Twitter after putting up $10,000 in bail money to secure his release, reported news outlet CBS Atlanta. The 21 year-old rapper, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, three of his bodyguards and a driver each were arrested earlier Tuesday on felony charges of possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm. On Tuesday night, the rapper took to Twitter to thank his fans and promote his new documentary biopic "Soulja Boy: The Movie" that was also released on Tuesday. "I missed 10 interviews today for my new movie! to those companies I'm sorry. you can see I had a lil situation. the show must go on," the rapper tweeted. Soulja Boy first rose to fame after his online postings of single "Crank That" became a hit. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Expert: Jackson physician acted like employee not doctor Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:08 PM PDT LOS ANGELES: A medical expert testified Wednesday that Michael Jackson's doctor acted more like an employee than a physician by agreeing to give the pop star nightly doses of the potent anesthetic propofol to treat insomnia. Dr. Steven Shafer, regarded as one of the leading researchers in the use of propofol, took the stand as the final prosecution witness in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. It is nearly unheard of to give propofol, normally used before surgery in a hospital setting, as a treatment for insomnia, said Shafer. ''We are in pharmacological 'Never Never Land' here, something that's only been done to Michael Jackson,'' he said. In impassioned testimony, Shafer also cataloged what he said were Murray's failures as Jackson's personal physician, starting with agreeing to the pop star's request to receive propofol as a sleep aid at his rented Los Angeles mansion. ''Conrad Murray said yes, and that is what an employee does. And I do not see a difference between Conrad Murray saying yes to a request that Michael Jackson is making, and an employee who cleans the house agreeing to a request of Michael Jackson,'' Shafer said. Shafer gave 17 instances of how Murray's treatment of Jackson on June 25, 2009 - the day the singer died - constituted ''egregious'' violations of common medical standards. He blasted Murray for the over 20 minutes that elapsed between the time prosecutors believe he discovered Jackson had stopped breathing, and when an ambulance was called. ''It's just inconceivable to me. A physician would not do that,'' Shafer said. Propofol was ruled the main cause of the ''Thriller'' singer's death. Murray admitted to police he gave Jackson the drug to help him sleep. His attorneys claim Jackson gave himself an extra, fatal dose of the drug when Murray was out of the singer's bedroom. Shafer, a professor at Columbia University and who helped set U.S. standards for propofol dosage, criticized Murray for not keeping medical records in the over two months he told police he was giving Jackson nightly doses of the drug. ''The family has a right to know what happened, and with no medical record, the family has been denied that right,'' Shafer said, raising his voice. Jackson's parents, Katherine and Joseph, and two of his siblings showed little reaction as they sat in the courtroom. Murray also remained unemotional during the testimony. Jurors were shown a detailed video on the correct use of propofol - a potentially damaging presentation that differed sharply from accounts of how Murray cared for Jackson. The medical training video showed doctors in scrubs and gloves attending to a patient in a sterile operating room, with electronic monitors and displays. They meticulously checked medical tools and machines that witnesses say were absent in the bedroom where Murray gave Jackson propofol. The defense is expected to begin presenting its case on Friday. Murray, who has pleaded not guilty, faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison if convicted. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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