The Star Online: Entertainment: Music
The Star Online: Entertainment: Music |
| Paul McCartney to cover songs that inspired Beatles Posted: 19 Dec 2011 06:28 PM PST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Paul McCartney will kick off 2012 with an album of cover tunes and two original songs, he said on Monday, offering fans a glimpse of the music that inspired one of the biggest rock bands ever, the Beatles. The yet-to-be-titled album, due for release on February 7, will showcase the former Beatle on a "deeply personal journey" covering classic American songs that inspired him and bandmate John Lennon when they wrote their own tunes. "When I kind of got into songwriting, I realized how well structured these songs were, and I think I took a lot of my lessons from them," McCartney said in a statement. "I always thought artists like Fred Astaire were very cool. Writers like Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, all of those guys - I just thought the songs were magical. And then, as I got to be a songwriter I thought it's beautiful, the way they made those songs." Teaming up with Grammy-winning jazz musician Diana Krall and producer Tommy LiPuma, the ex-Beatles frontman recorded his vocals in a booth without instruments for the first time in his musical career. "It was very spontaneous, kind of organic, which then reminded me of the way we'd work with the Beatles. We'd bring a song in, kick it around, when we found a way to do it we'd say 'Okay, let's do a take now' and by the time everyone kind of had an idea of what they were doing, we'd learnt the song. So that's what we did, we did the take live in the studio," said McCartney. While the full tracklist is yet to be revealed, the album will feature collaborations on two new, original songs, with legendary musicians Stevie Wonder on "Only Our Hearts" and Eric Clapton on "My Valentine." Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Anuar Zain shuns celebrity lifestyle Posted: 19 Dec 2011 03:14 PM PST As much as he is a major pop star, Anuar Zain isn't one for the celebrity life. A LOT of celebrities live in their own little world. Pop singer Anuar Zain is one such celebrity. He seems to avoid the excesses of celebrity life, guards the details of his personal life and is especially in no mood to elaborate about his relationship with any woman at this point in time. And yes, he has earned the tag of being a reclusive singer, even with the media. "I am indeed a private person who is at his most relaxed amongst family and friends. As a singer, I try to sincerely bring joy to my fans and other listeners," said the Merlimau, Malacca-born singer whose full name is Shahrul Anuar Zain. In fact, Anuar is a rare local celebrity who has maintained his popularity through his award-winning songs despite his aloofness. "I definitely do not pick and chose which media I speak too. But I do make it a point of speaking only when there is something to speak about and that usually pertains to my career. "As far as tracking me down is concerned, it all depends on my schedule. Blame my management for over-working me!" said the former air steward with a cheeky grin. As the story goes, Anuar started his singing career at a very young age. When he was in lower secondary school, he recorded five duet albums with singer Ellina, resulting in hits like Kain Pelikat and Senyumlah Senyum. Even as a raw teenage sensation in the mid-1980s, the young Anuar already had the pop smarts and extra pocket money to boast. Later on, Anuar took a break from the music scene and joined Malaysian Airlines to be a steward. Still, the small town boy never forgot his passion for music, performing at private shows and functions. Then in the late 1990s, he decided music was his true love and it was time to make it a full-time career. His first solo album was released in 1998, consisting of 10 songs, and the first single was Bila Resah. At 28, he proved that late-bloomers did have a chance in the pop scene here. Anuar outdid himself back then – he was awarded the Best New Artiste award at the Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) in 1999. His second album was released two years later and the third one came out in 2007. His albums, rather curiously, have been self-titled affairs. One of his most memorable songs to date has to be Lelaki Ini – a heart-stopping ballad. According him, the secret of churning out award-winning songs is really simple. "I just stay true to what touches and inspires me. Even if it means having to wait years to collect the material or get the right creative direction. This explains why I'm not the most prolific artiste out there," said the 41-year-old singer, who is the younger brother of pop diva Ziana Zain. His first recording contract was with Warner Music Malaysia, and later he joined Synchrosound Music. However, he decided to move away from those two record labels to make music under his own label (Anuar Zain Network). Since then, he has been writing songs that have made him one of the most sought-after singers around. Anuar doesn't mind digging into his own pocket to finance his music. The investment can be quite substantial while the time frame to release an album is rather long, according to the singer. Apart from being very selective about songwriters, Anuar has often been accused of being biased and only choosing his favourite composers. On his new album (self-titled again!), Indonesian songwriters like Nico Ajie Bandy, Ari Bias, Numata and Adrian Martadinata are featured while homegrown writers Hazami and Aylwin Santiago wrap up the cast of collaborators. "To be frank, I have no preferences for songwriters or producers. Whatever and whoever speaks to my artistry is more than welcome to be a part of my creative process. "People assume that I go for brand names only – but it's not true. I believe in giving any composer a chance, local or Indonesian," said Anuar who struck gold with Sedetik Lebih, which picked up the Best Pop Song award at the recent AIM18. Composed by Edry Abdul Halim, it was the theme song of the award-winning movie, Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa. Sedetik Lebih also picked up the Best Original Song award at the 24th Malaysian Film Festival last month in KL. Currently, Anuar is working the promo rounds for his fourth studio album, released in September this year. Ku Berjanji Karna Cinta, the first single from the album, gained considerable pop mileage, while the second single Cinta Harus Memiliki looks the part to keep Anuar in the news. His current direction of music, which centres on tender ballads and slick Malay pop, has kept him in the charts. But Anuar is game to explore other genres – jazz or soul – if given the chance. "Whatever inspires me at any given time will show up in my music production. Just watch," said the singer who is known for his signature dimples. Of late, there has also been talk that Anuar refuses to take part in any more song competitions. There has been much speculation about his bold stand. "I won't deny that I'm abstaining from taking part in song competitions like Juara Lagu. I just don't want to deal with the stress anymore. At this stage of my career, I would like to think that I don't have to prove anything any more. Now, singing really is just about enjoying myself," he said. And "enjoying myself" includes going for holidays, travelling alone to enhance his knowledge about music and people, and exploring and discovering new music. For someone who likes to keep a low profile, the last thing Anuar needed was to be dragged into inevitable controversies such as the recent 'AIM-Yuna' fiasco, where indie singer-songwriter Yuna had to return the AIM Song of the Year trophy because of a mix-up on the AIM committee's part. At the award rectification ceremony in KL on Nov 24, the AIM Song of the Year title was handed to Anuar's Sedetik Lebih. It was an awkward situation, to say the least, and Anuar was really put in a spot. "With regards to AIM18, a mistake was made and rectified. Let's leave it at that," said the talented vocalist, choosing to downplay the issue. Popular as he might be, this heartbreaker admits he cannot see himself settling down in the next few years. "I've been saying that I want to settle down – in the past decade and a half! But it looks like I'm not getting anywhere. At this juncture, my prayers would be: I just want to live happily ever after doing exactly what I'm doing right now. No more, no less!" Anuar Zain's self-titled fourth album is distributed by Universal Music Malaysia. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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