Tori Spelling - Spelling Mourns Pet Pooch

New mother TORI SPELLING is mourning the death of her beloved pet dog MIMI LaRUE, just a week after she welcomed new baby daughter STELLA into the world.

The pooch died from natural causes on Tuesday (17Jun08), aged 11.

Spelling tells People.com, "She was a star and a true lady, and she will be missed greatly. People everywhere knew her by name. I loved when fans wanted her over me. I felt proud."

The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star reveals the pug had battled medical problems for years, and she claims the pooch waited until she had given birth to Stella on 9 June (08), before dying.

Spelling adds, "I'm devastated. I'm convinced she waited around to make sure I had the daughter I always dreamt about before she left us."

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Aidan Mason and Art Of Livnig

   
Artist: Aidan Mason and Art Of Livnig

   Genre(s): 
New Age
   

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Discography:


   
 AzG nia

   Year: 1997   
Tracks: 9

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Potential Bad Boy

   
Artist: Potential Bad Boy

   Genre(s): 
Drum & Bass
   

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Discography:


   
 JHR001 DD

   Year: 2005   
Tracks: 2


   
 Play It Kik It Ep RPG005 Viny

   Year: 2004   
Tracks: 4

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Dinosaurs tour a massive undertaking

Rancid add West Coast dates to North American tour

Rancid have added several West Coast dates to their massive North American tour that kicks off this summer.

The punk rock veterans will begin their first tour since 2006 in Tucson, Arizona on June 10. The jaunt will now extend into the autumn, with the band playing dates in Seattle and San Francisco before wrapping up with a six-night stint at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles.

The newly added tour dates are:

Edmonton, AB Shaw Conference Center (September 8)
Calgary, AB Round Up Centre at Stampede Park (9)
Seattle, WA Showbox Sodo (12)
Missoula, MT The Wilma Theater (14)
Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue (16, 17)
Anaheim, CA House of Blues (20, 21)
Fresno, CA Rainbow Ballroom (23)
Ventura, CA Ventura Theatre (24)
San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre (26, 27)
Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Theatre (30-October 5)

The band have also announced that they've nearly completed their seventh studio album. The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2003's 'Indestructible' is due out later this year, as previously reported.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
Find out more about NME.

Kooks bassist quits band for good

The Kooks have permanently parted ways with bass player Max Rafferty.
Rafferty had previously spent several periods away from the group because of illness, but he has now left the Brighton rock group for good, according to his bandmates.
He will be replaced by Cat the Dog's bassist Dan Logan on a temporary basis.
No reason for Rafferty's departure has been given by The Kooks.
A statement from the band said: "Max Rafferty has parted company with The Kooks - the band will be continuing with the forthcoming shows. Dan Logan, bassist with local Brighton band Cat the Dog, will be filling in for the short-term."
The Kooks are currently preparing for the release of their second album 'Konk' on 14 April, which is the follow-up to their hugely successful debut 'Inside In/Inside Out'.

Al Green, Lay it Down

Soul music; there's a lot of it about. But when you say 'soul' what exactly are we saying? Anyone who's read Peter Guralnick's excellent Sweet Soul Music knows that the roots of this genre lie in the semi-divine meeting point between the sacred and the profane. Ray Chares' call-and-response exhortations were born out of the church. And no one represents this dichotomy better than the 'Reverend' Al Green. Famously eschewing the sweaty Memphis stew of lust and love for his beloved church in the late 70s, he finally returned to the commercial/secular arena (in 1988 with a duet with Annie Lennox), presumably after he'd cleared his conscience with The Man Upstairs. The one thing that's become clear ever since is that spending time in the pulpit has, if anything, kept one of the best RnB voices in the world as expressive as ever. Lay It Down is marvellous.

The Roots' Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson produces, and sensibly keeps the vibe as close to the classic Hi-Records/Willie Mitchell-era sound as possible. Parping brass and loping drums leave space for that voice to stretch out and do its thing.

Of course, you can't be a legend and release an album these days without also 'featuring' some young guests to draw in anyone young enough to be unaware of the legacy. On Lay It Down it's Corinne Bailey Rae, John Legend and Anthony Hamilton who do the honours. They're all fine singers, and none of the tracks are an embarassment. But despite best efforts these are the low points on an otherwise splendid album. At 62 the Reverend still stands tall over all the acts that have been spawned in his name. On this showing Al Green will still be knocking 'em dead both in the chapel and the concert halls for a long time to come yet.


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John Mayer, Jen plan matching tattoos

Hollywood's hottest new couple, Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer, are set to get matching tattoos.

The former Friends actress, who already has a heart etching on her stomach, is keen to add a second heart in the same place and wants the Gravity singer to have the same.

However, John is unsure about the design and would prefer them both to get a 'J' inked on their bodies instead.

A source said: "John had the idea that they should both have a ‘J’ tattooed in a secret place as that is both their first initial.

"Jennifer is really keen on the idea but is going to wait a few months. He said she’s in great shape and her skin is like a baby’s bottom."

Jennifer, 39, proved her relationship with John is going strong after introducing him to her to best friend Courteney Cox Arquette at the Dirt actress’ Malibu beachside home.

The couple, who have been dating for three months, enjoyed dinner with Courteney and her husband David Arquette on Sunday, and 30-year-old John is said to have been nervous about meeting "protective" Courteney.

A friend of Jennifer’s said: "John was a bit uneasy about it - it's like meeting your lover's mum for the first time.

"Courteney guards Jennifer like a mother hen."





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mum and Sjon

   
Artist: mum and Sjon

   Genre(s): 
Electronic
   

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Discography:


   
 Motorlab 2

   Year: 2000   
Tracks: 11

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Rhys Meyers to help Calcutta children

Amy Winehouse's Bloody Arms Spark New Self-Harm Fears

Amy Winehouse prompted speculation she is still self-harming after being snapped leaving her Camden home last night with what looked like fresh scars on her arms.
The singer also appeared to have spots of blood on her vest and welt-covered hands, according to photographers.
Winehouse was pictured carrying bags from her North London home at 1.30am, although it’s not clear where the singer was going.
Last weekend, Winehouse’s mother, Janis, spoke candidly about her daughter’s health in an interview with the Daily Mail.
Despite saying she felt her daughter would be “resurrected”, she blamed Winehouse’s husband Blake Fielder-Civil for her daughter’s problems.
She said her daughter’s approach to drugs “all changed when she met Blake.”
“She didn't start self-harming until Blake came along, either,” Mrs Winehouse said.
See the gruesome pictures taken last night here.

Take That star to pen musical drama

Gary Barlow is set to write a new musical drama set in a fictional performing arts school.
The Take That star will pen songs for Britannia High, an eight-part musical drama which will air on ITV1 later this year.
Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips will also be part of the project and will choreograph the series.
The drama will be preceded by two behind the scenes documentaries which will show how Phillips and theatre producer David Ian select actors and actresses to become the stars of the show.
Viewers will also see how Barlow creates the musical numbers for the series and how Phillips teaches her routines.
Eight hour-long episodes will then follow the progress of the group of pupils practising for a live finale.
Paul Jackson, ITV director of entertainment, said the show's format was not "like anything else on British television and we're confident audiences are going to love it".
"ITV1 has lined up some of the biggest names in music and entertainment to make Britannia High," he said.