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INSERT INTO `artists` VALUES (1,'None Assigned','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"18\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>TUvé</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"14\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"14\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Please check back later for more information.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.ubixonline.com/images/UbixCube.swf',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"18\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>TUvÃ©</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"14\" COLOR=...'),(2,'A-Ha','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">a-ha is a Grammy Award-nominated band from Norway. They were the best selling Norwegian band worldwide until 2007, now behind Dimmu Borgir, with a total of 40 million albums and singles sold (approximately sixteen times the entire Norwegian population). They rose to fame during the 1980s, but continued to be globally successful in the 1990s and 2000s. The trio, composed of lead vocalist Morten Harket, guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (Pål Waaktaar until his marriage in 1994) and keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, formed in 1982 and left Norway for London in order to make a career in the music business. They chose the studios of musician, producer and soon-to-be-manager John Ratcliff, because it had a Space Invaders machine.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The origin of the name &quot;a-ha&quot; comes from the lyrics of an early song (&quot;Nothing To It&quot;). After checking dictionaries in several languages, they found out that &quot;a-ha&quot; was an international way of expressing recognition, with positive connotations. It was short, easy to say and unusual.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>&quot;Take on Me&quot; and &quot;Hunting High and Low&quot;</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">&quot;Take on Me&quot; was the first song Morten Harket heard Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy play. At that time the song was called &quot;Lesson One.&quot; After multiple re-recordings and two failed releases, &quot;Take on Me&quot; became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1985. The first release of the song in 1984 was not a major success, but after a few songs were remixed by producer Alan Tarney a year later, it sold 1.5 million copies worldwide in one week. Eventually the single &quot;Take on Me&quot; was estimated to have sold 7-9 million copies worldwide; it peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number two in the UK Singles Chart. Sales were aided in the U.S. by a music video on MTV that mimicked the truck chase from Terry Gilliam&apos;s movie Brazil and the climactic scene from the Ken Russell film Altered States. The video used pencil-sketch animation / live action combination called &quot;Rotoscoping&quot; (in which the video is first shot on normal video, then each frame is hand-traced over to give the animated effect) that tells a fantasy thriller story to the song. At the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards &quot;Take on Me&quot; won in six categories. It was also nominated for Best Video Of The Year at 1986 American Music Awards.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The follow-up single to &quot;Take on Me&quot; was &quot;The Sun Always Shines on T.V.&quot;. In the U.S., the song peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number seventeen on Radio &amp; Records airplay chart. In addition, the music video for the song won in two categories at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">a-ha&apos;s American success culminated in their 1986 Grammy nomination in a coveted Best New Artist category which was eventually won by Sade.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">&quot;The Sun Always Shines on TV&quot; turned out to be a-ha&apos;s last Billboard Top 40 single, and to this day in the United States a-ha is remembered by the general public almost entirely because of the singularly huge success of &quot;Take on Me&quot;. As such, the band is frequently considered there as a one-hit wonder. In the UK (and much of the rest of the world), however, the story was very different: &quot;The Sun Always Shines on TV&quot; was an even bigger hit among British fans than &quot;Take on Me&quot;, peaking at number one. In Australia, as in the UK, a-ha had continued success with &quot;The Sun Always Shines on TV&quot; and were consistently popular throughout the 1980s.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The 1985 album Hunting High and Low, containing &quot;Take on Me&quot; and &quot;The Sun Always Shines on TV,&quot; was a worldwide bestseller. In the U.S., it sold more than a million copies and acquired platinum certification by RIAA. As of 2005, Hunting High and Low has sold 8 million copies worldwide.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">a-ha made use of the very sophisticated Fairlight CMI and the synclavier in their production of their first album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>First Phase (1986-1994)</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">a-ha&apos;s second album was Scoundrel Days (1986) and represented a move towards alternative rock as synthpop began to fall out of style. In 1987, they provided the title song for the James Bond film The Living Daylights. Stay on These Roads (1988) received more mixed reviews than the previous albums. In spite of a drastic decline in sales in the next few years, a-ha continued to record two more albums, East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990) and Memorial Beach (1993). East of the Sun, West of the Moon featured a cover version of The Everly Brothers 1963 single, &quot;Crying in the Rain&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a-ha were very popular in South America, especially Brazil. The band sold out some of the largest stadiums in the world. At the Rock in Rio II festival in January 1991, a-ha shocked the international entertainment press by gathering a paying audience of 198,000 people at Maracanã Stadium - a world record for paying audiences. George Michael, Prince and Guns N&apos; Roses managed to gather only sixty thousand each.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In February 1994, a-ha performed two concerts during the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, followed by tours of South Africa and Norway. a-ha were also chosen to compose the official song for the Winter Paralympics in Lillehammer, entitled &quot;Shapes That Go Together&quot;. Because of apparent internal conflicts between the band members and conflicts with the record label at the time, a-ha took a break in summer 1994 and the members started focusing on solo projects.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Solo Careers</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Paul Waaktaar-Savoy has released five albums with his wife Lauren Savoy and their band Savoy.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Morten Harket has released three solo albums. Among them is Wild Seed which sold around 200,000 copies in Norway and half a million altogether. It is the best-selling a-ha solo project to date.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Magne Furuholmen has developed a reputation as a sculptor, painter, and has made music for films and television. In 2004, he released his first solo album proper, Past Perfect Future Tense, backed by members of Coldplay, who are big fans of a-ha. In recent times, he was commissioned by the Norwegian government to design a postage stamp.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Second Phase (1998-present)</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">After a very well-received performance of &quot;The Sun Always Shines on TV&quot; and a new song, &quot;Summer Moved On&quot;, at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 1998, the band returned to the studio and recorded 2000&apos;s Minor Earth Major Sky, which resulted in a new tour, and a videocast performance of a-ha (with Briskeby) opening the new Vallhall stadium in Oslo. &quot;a-ha on the net&quot; in 2001 from Valhall, was the third most-viewed webcast concert ever as 3.6 million hits were recorded, half a million with an average viewing time of 28 minutes. The average viewing time was the longest for a webcast concert. Only webcasts by Madonna and Paul McCartney recorded more hits. Sales of this album and 2002&apos;s Lifelines showed that their fanbase was still there, and also that they were able to attract new audiences, especially in Central Europe and Scandinavia, where the albums sold extremely well. They appeared again at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 2001. a-ha&apos;s music video for the song, &quot; I Wish I Cared &quot; was the first fully web-based animated flash music video to be made available.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2001, the song &quot;Velvet&quot; was used in the film One Night at McCool&apos;s and also featured on the soundtrack. When the DVD version of the film was released, the music video was included as one of the special features. A live album (from their 2002 tour) with the title How Can I Sleep With Your Voice in My Head? was released in March of 2003, preceded by a live single of the 1986 classic &quot;The Sun Always Shines on TV&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2004, an in-depth book entitled The Swing Of Things was published, also featuring a CD of early demo material. In 2004, a-ha celebrated their twentieth anniversary with the release of a new singles collection: The Definitive Singles Collection 1984-2004. This compilation brought them back into the UK Top 20 Album Charts, where they reached number thirteen. Over their career, a-ha have officially released 32 singles. 13 of these became top ten singles in the UK, and 14 singles have been number one on the radio lists over the world. The compilation included some of the highlights from a-ha’s last 20 years.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On July 2, 2005, a-ha performed at the Live 8 Berlin concert. Following music legend and former Beach Boy Brian Wilson, a-ha took the stage in Berlin in front of an audience of nearly 200,000 people. They started out with &quot;Hunting High and Low,&quot; with the requisite audience participation near the end. &quot;Take on Me&quot; got the crowd moving really hard, however, Morten Harket had severe difficulties hearing himself and requested a two minutes break, which he used to comment on the cause of Live 8 and the &quot;Long Walk to Justice&quot;. The intended two minute break became an almost seven minute break and the third song, &quot;Summer Moved On&quot;, became the last of their set, although four songs had been rehearsed. a-ha&apos;s allotted time had run out and the organizers told them to leave the stage. Following the concert, Magne Furuholmen said that indeed they had had some technical difficulties. &quot;That is normal in a festival this size. In the end, the audience wanted more when we left the stage, so hopefully we did our bit for the overall success of the event&quot;, he commented.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On September 12, a-ha returned to the U.S. (at Irving Plaza in New York City) for the band&apos;s first concert on American soil since 1986. A short impromptu performance of &quot;Take on Me&quot; occurred on September 11 in Times Square. On August 27, 2005, the band played a concert for 120,000 people in Frognerparken in Oslo, the largest concert ever in Norway.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On November 4, 2005, the band released its new studio album, Analogue. The first single &quot;Celice&quot; was released on October 4 in mainland Europe. Later that same month, a tour followed, with concerts in Brussels, France, Germany and the UK. While the first UK release of the track, &quot;Analogue (All I Want)&quot; followed in the UK, January 2006, giving a-ha its first top ten hit in the UK since 1988. More dates were added to the tour, including a gig at London&apos;s Shepherd&apos;s Bush on 2 February 2006, a TV special in Africa and a festival gig in Chile.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The third single in Europe (second in the UK) from the Analogue-album was the Magne Furuholmen penned &quot;Cosy Prisons&quot;, already a live-staple in the band&apos;s set.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their upcoming tour will take them to Norway, London,Berlin (IFA) and Russia. Despite the success of the Irving Plaza show the previous year, and much to the dismay of their United States fan base, the band have no Canadian or American dates scheduled, or even a domestic release of Analogue.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006, a-ha recorded a cover of John Lennon&apos;s &quot;#9 Dream&quot; for Amnesty International. It was released in June 2007 on the album &quot;Make Some Noise - The Amnesty International Campaign to save Darfur&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Fans in the United States and Canada are keeping their hopes up. There are plans for a new album to be released in spring of 2008, and a tour will likely follow. Many fans hope they will again tour the States.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On 30 October 2006 in London, a-ha received the prestigious Q Inspiration Award for its long contribution to music and for inspiring many of their younger colleagues in the business.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On 19 June 2007, a-ha revealed that the new Savoy album is finished, recorded and mastered. It is called Savoy Songbook Vol. 1, and will work as an introduction to the band outside Norway. The band had been in the studio and had recorded new versions of songs from the previous albums, as well as three brand new songs.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On 15 September 2007 a-ha played a free outdoor concert in Kiel, Germany. The band played on a floating stage in the harbour. This concert was streamed live on the internet via MSN.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Morten Harket has completed a new English language album due for release before the end of 2007. The band are now busy recording their new album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/aha.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">a-ha is a Grammy Award-nominated band from Norway. They were the best selling Norwegian band worldwide until 2007, now be...'),(3,'The Cure','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure are an English rock band that formed in Crawley, Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several lineup changes, with frontman, guitarist and main songwriter Robert Smith known for his iconic wild hair, pale complexion, smudged lipstick and frequently gloomy and introspective lyrics the only constant member.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The members of The Cure were barely out of their teens when they first started releasing music in the late 1970s. Their first album Three Imaginary Boys and early singles placed them as part of the post-punk and New Wave movements that had sprung up in the wake of the punk rock revolution in the United Kingdom. During the early 1980s the band&apos;s increasingly dark and tormented music helped form the gothic rock genre. After the release of 1982&apos;s Pornography, the band&apos;s future was uncertain and frontman Robert Smith was keen to move past the gloomy reputation his band had cultivated. With the 1982 single &quot;Let&apos;s Go to Bed&quot; Smith began to inject more of a pop sensibility into the band&apos;s music. The Cure&apos;s popularity increased as the decade wore on, especially in the United States, where the songs &quot;Just Like Heaven&quot;, &quot;Lovesong&quot; and &quot;Friday I&apos;m in Love&quot; entered the Billboard Top 40 charts. By the start of the 1990s, The Cure were one of the most popular alternative rock bands in the world and have sold an estimated 27 million albums as of 2004. As of 2007, The Cure have released twelve studio albums and over thirty singles, with a thirteenth album in the works.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Formation and Early Years (1973–1979)</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The first incarnation of what became The Cure was The Obelisk, a band formed by students at Notre Dame Middle School in Crawley, Sussex. The band made their public debut in a one-off performance in April 1973, and featured Robert Smith (piano), Michael Dempsey (guitar), Laurence &quot;Lol&quot; Tolhurst (percussion), Marc Ceccagno (lead guitar) and Alan Hill on bass guitar. In January 1976 former Obelisk guitarist Marc Ceccagno formed Malice with Robert Smith—now also on guitar—and Michael &quot;Mick&quot; Dempsey—switching to bass—along with two other classmates from St. Wilfrid&apos;s Catholic Comprehensive School. Ceccagno soon left, however, to form a Jazz-rock fusion band called Amulet. Increasingly influenced by the emergence of punk rock, Malice&apos;s remaining members became known as Easy Cure in January 1977. Smith and Dempsey had by this time been joined by Lol Tolhurst from The Obelisk on drums, and new lead guitarist Porl Thompson. Both Malice and Easy Cure also trialed several unsuccessful vocalists before Smith finally assumed the role of Easy Cure&apos;s frontman in September of 1977.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">That year, The Easy Cure won a talent competition with the German label Hansa Records, and received a recording contract. Although the band recorded tracks for the company, none were ever released. Following disagreements in March of 1978 over the direction the band should take, the contract with Hansa was dissolved. Smith later recalled &quot;We were very young. They just thought they could turn us into a teen group. They actually wanted us to do cover versions and we always refused.&quot; Thompson was dropped from the band that May, and the remaining trio (Smith/Tolhurst/Dempsey) was soon renamed The Cure by Smith. Later that month the band recorded their first sessions as a trio at Chestnut Studios in Sussex which were distributed as a demo tape to a dozen major record labels. The demo found its way to Polydor Records scout Chris Parry, who signed The Cure to his newly formed Fiction label—distributed by Polydor—in September 1978. However, as a stop-gap while Fiction finalised distribution arrangements with Polydor, on December 22, 1978 The Cure released their debut single &quot;Killing an Arab&quot; on the Small Wonder label. &quot;Killing an Arab&quot; garnered both acclaim and controversy: while the single&apos;s provocative title led to accusations of racism, the song is actually based on French existentialist Albert Camus&apos; story The Stranger. The band placed a sticker label that denied the racist connotations on the single&apos;s 1979 reissue on Fiction. An early NME article on the band wrote that The Cure &quot;are like a breath of fresh suburban air on the capital&apos;s smog-ridden pub and club circuit&quot; and noted &quot;With a John Peel session and more extensive London gigging on their immediate agenda, it remains to be seen whether or not The Cure can retain their refreshing joie de vivre.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure released their debut album Three Imaginary Boys in May 1979. Due to the band&apos;s inexperience in the studio, Parry and engineer Mike Hedges took control of the recording. The band—particularly Smith—were unhappy with their debut, and in a 1987 interview he admitted that &quot;a lot of it was very superficial – I didn&apos;t even like it at the time. There were criticisms made that it was very lightweight, and I thought they were justified. Even when we&apos;d made it, I wanted to do something that I thought had more substance to it.&quot; The band&apos;s second single &quot;Boys Don&apos;t Cry&quot; was released in June. The Cure then embarked as the support band for Siouxsie &amp; The Banshees&apos; Join Hands promotional tour of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Netherlands between August and October. The tour saw Smith pull double duty each night by performing with The Cure and as the guitarist with The Banshees when John McKay quit the group.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure&apos;s third single &quot;Jumping Someone Else&apos;s Train&quot; was released in early October 1979. Soon afterwards, Dempsey was sacked from the band due to his cool reception to material Smith had written for the upcoming album. Dempsey joined the Associates, while Simon Gallup (bass) and Matthieu Hartley (keyboards) from Horley post-punk/New Wave band The Magspies joined The Cure. The Associates toured as support band for The Cure and The Passions on the Future Pastimes Tour of England between November and December—all three bands were on the Fiction Records roster—with the new Cure lineup already performing a number of new songs for the projected second album. Meanwhile, a spin-off band comprising Smith, Tolhurst, Dempsey, Gallup, Hartley and Thompson, with backing vocals from assorted family and friends, and lead vocals provided by their local postman Frankie Bell released a 7 inch single in December under the assumed name of Cult Hero.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Gothic phase (1980–1982)</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Wary due to the band&apos;s lack of creative control on the first album, Smith exerted a greater influence on the recording of second album Seventeen Seconds, which he co-produced with Mike Hedges. Seventeen Seconds was released in 1980 and reached #20 on the UK charts. The album single &quot;A Forest&quot; became the band&apos;s first UK hit single, reaching #31 on the singles chart. The album was a departure from The Cure&apos;s sound up to that point, with Hedges describing it as &quot;morose, atmospheric, very different to Three Imaginary Boys.&quot; In its review of Seventeen Seconds the NME said &quot;For a group as young as The Cure, it seems amazing that they have covered so much territory in such a brief time.&quot; At the same time Smith was pressed concerning the concept of an alleged &quot;anti-image&quot;. Smith told the press he was fed up with the anti-image association that some considered to be &quot;elaborately disguising their plainness&quot;, stating &quot;We had to get away from that anti-image thing, which we didn&apos;t even create in the first place. And it seemed like we were trying to be more obscure. We just didn&apos;t like the standard rock thing. The whole thing really got out of hand.&quot; That same year Three Imaginary Boys was repackaged for the U.S market as Boys Don&apos;t Cry, with new artwork and a new tracklist. The Cure set out on their first world tour to promote both releases. At the end of the tour Matthieu Hartley left the band. Hartley said, &quot;I realised that the group was heading towards suicidal, sombre music—the sort of thing that didn&apos;t interest me at all.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band reconvened with Hedges to produce 1981&apos;s Faith, which furthered the mood of misery present on Seventeen Seconds. The album hit #14 on the UK charts. Included with cassette copies of Faith was an instrumental soundtrack for Carnage Visors, an animated film shown in place of an opening act for the band&apos;s 1981 Picture Tour. In late 1981, The Cure released the non-album single &quot;Charlotte Sometimes&quot;. By this point the somber mood of the music was having a profound effect on the attitude of the band. The Cure would refuse requests for older songs in concert, and sometimes Smith would be so absorbed by the persona he projected onstage he would leave at the end in tears.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1982 The Cure recorded and released Pornography, the third and final album of an &quot;oppressively dispirited&quot; trio that cemented the Cure&apos;s stature as purveyors of the emerging gothic rock genre. Smith has said during the recording of Pornography he was &quot;undergoing a lot of mental stress. But it had nothing to do with the group, it just had to do with what I was like, my age and things. I think I got to my worst round about Pornography. Looking back and getting other people&apos;s opinions of what went on, I was a pretty monstrous sort of person at that time.&quot; Gallup described the album by saying &quot;Nihilism took over [. . .] We sang &apos;It doesn&apos;t matter if we all die&apos; and that is exactly what we thought at the time.&quot; Parry was concerned that the album did not have a hit song for radio play and instructed Smith and producer Phil Thornalley to polish the track &quot;The Hanging Garden&quot; for release as a single. Despite the concerns about the album&apos;s uncommercial sound, Pornography became the band&apos;s first UK Top 10 album, entering the charts at #8. The release of Pornography was followed by the Fourteen Explicit Moments tour, where the band finally dropped the anti-image angle and first adopted their signature look of big, towering hair and smeared lipstick on their faces. The tour also saw a series of incidents that prompted Simon Gallup to leave The Cure at the tour&apos;s conclusion. Gallup and Smith did not talk to each other for eighteen months following his departure.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Increasing Commercial Success (1983–1988)</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">With the departure of Gallup and Smith&apos;s work with Siouxsie &amp; the Banshees, rumors spread that The Cure had broken up. In December of 1982, Smith remarked to Melody Maker &quot;Do The Cure really exist any more? I&apos;ve been pondering that question myself [. . .] it has got to a point where I don&apos;t fancy working in that format again.&quot; He added, &quot;Whatever happens, it won&apos;t be me, Laurence, and Simon together any more. I know that.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Parry was concerned at the state of his label&apos;s top band, and became convinced that the solution was for The Cure to reinvent its musical style. Parry managed to convince Smith and Tolhurst of the idea; Parry said, &quot;It appealed to Robert because he wanted to destroy The Cure anyway.&quot; With Tolhurst now playing keyboards instead of drums, the duo released the single &quot;Let&apos;s Go to Bed&quot; in late 1982. While Smith played the single off as a throwaway &quot;stupid&quot; pop song to the press, it became a minor hit in the UK, reaching number 44 on the pop charts; but was a big hit in Australia, reaching #15. It was followed in 1983 by two more successful songs: the synth-based &quot;The Walk&quot; (UK #12), and the jazz-influenced &quot;The Lovecats,&quot; which became the band&apos;s first UK Top 10 reaching #7. They released these studio singles and their b-sides as the compilation album Japanese Whispers, designed by Smith for the Japanese market only, but released worldwide on the decision of the record company. The same year, Smith also recorded and toured with Siouxsie &amp; the Banshees, contributing his writing and playing skills on their Hyaena and Nocturne albums, as well as recording the Blue Sunshine album with Banshees bassist Steven Severin as The Glove.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1984 The Cure released The Top, a generally psychedelic album on which Smith played all the instruments except the drums –played by Andy Anderson– and the saxophone –played by returnee Porl Thompson. The album was a Top 10 hit in the UK and was their first studio album to break the Billboard 200 in the U.S. reaching #180. Melody Maker praised the album as &quot;psychedelia that can&apos;t be dated,&quot; while pondering, &quot;I&apos;ve yet to meet anyone who can tell me why The Cure are having hits now of all times.&quot; The Cure then embarked on their worldwide &quot;Top Tour&quot; with Thompson, Anderson, and producer-turned-bassist Phil Thornalley on board. Released in late 1984, The Cure&apos;s first live album, Concert consisted of performances from this tour. Near the tour&apos;s end, Anderson was fired for destroying a hotel room and was replaced by Boris Williams. Thornalley also left due to the rigors of the road. However, the bassist slot was not vacant long, for a Cure roadie named Gary Biddles had brokered a reunion between Smith and former bassist Simon Gallup, who in the meantime had been playing in the band Fools Dance. Soon after reconciling, Smith asked Gallup to rejoin the band. Smith was ecstatic about Gallup&apos;s return and declared to Melody Maker, &quot;It&apos;s a group again.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1985, the new lineup—Smith, Tolhurst, Gallup, Thompson, and Williams—released The Head on the Door, an album which managed to meld the melodic and pessimistic aspects of the band they had previously shifted between. The Head on the Door reached #7 in the UK, made the Top 20 in several European charts and in Australia, and was the band&apos;s first entry into American Top 75 at #59, a success partly due to the international impact of the LP&apos;s two singles, &quot;In Between Days&quot; and &quot;Close to Me&quot;. Following the album and further world tour, the band released the singles compilation Standing on a Beach in three formats (each with a different track listing and a specific name) in 1986. This compilation made the US Top 50, and saw the re-issue of three previous singles: &quot;Boys Don&apos;t Cry&quot; (in a new form), &quot;Let&apos;s Go To Bed&quot; and later &quot;Charlotte Sometimes&quot;. This release was accompanied by VHS and LaserDisc called Staring at the Sea, which featured videos for each track on the compilation. The Cure toured to support the compilation and released a live concert VHS of the show, filmed in the south of France called The Cure in Orange. During this time, The Cure became a very popular band in Europe (particularly in France, Germany and the Benelux countries) and increasingly popular in the U.S., where the closing date of their tour in Los Angeles resulted in tragedy when a fan committed suicide by stabbing himself to death as the band took the stage.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1987, The Cure released the double LP Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, which reached #6 in the UK, the Top 5 in several European countries and #35 in the US (where it was certified platinum), due to the combination of the band&apos;s rising popularity and the success of lead single, &quot;Why Can&apos;t I Be You?&quot; (Top 30 hit in UK, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, etc.). The album&apos;s third single, &quot;Just Like Heaven&quot; was the band&apos;s most successful single to date in the US, being their first to enter the Billboard Top 40. After the album&apos;s release, the band embarked on the successful Kiss Tour. During the European leg of the tour, Lol Tolhurst&apos;s alcohol consumption was interfering with his ability to perform so Psychedelic Furs keyboardist Roger O&apos;Donnell was frequently called upon to stand in for him.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Disintegration and Worldwide Success (1989–2002)</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1989 The Cure released the album Disintegration, which saw a return to the dark imagery of earlier releases. It became their highest charting album in the UK to date, entering at number three and featuring three Top 30 singles in the UK and Germany (&quot;Lullaby&quot;, &quot;Lovesong&quot; and &quot;Pictures of You&quot;). Disintegration also reached an impressive number twelve on the US charts (with four Top 75 singles), where it had a lengthy run, and greatly increased their popularity in the United States. The first single stateside, &quot;Fascination Street,&quot; reached number one on the American Modern Rock chart, but was quickly overshadowed when its third US single, &quot;Lovesong,&quot; reached number two on the American pop charts (the only Cure single to reach the US Top 10). By 1992 Disintegration had sold over three million copies worldwide.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">During the Disintegration sessions, the band gave Smith an ultimatum that either Tolhurst would have to leave the band or they would. In February 1989 Tolhurst&apos;s exit was made official and announced to the press; this resulted in Roger O&apos;Donnell becoming a full-fledged member of the band and left Smith as The Cure&apos;s only remaining founding member. Smith attributed Tolhurst&apos;s dismissal to an inability to exert himself and issues with alcohol, concluding, &quot;He was out of step with everything. It had just become detrimental to everything we&apos;d do.&quot; Because Tolhurst was still on the payroll during the recording of Disintegration, he was credited in the album&apos;s liner notes as playing &quot;other instruments,&quot; however it has since been revealed that he contributed nothing to the album in either performance or songwriting. The Cure then embarked on the Prayer Tour, which saw the band playing stadiums in America.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In May 1990, Roger O&apos;Donnell left the band and was replaced by the band&apos;s guitar tech Perry Bamonte. That November, The Cure released a collection of remixes called Mixed Up. The album was not well-received and quickly slid down the charts. The one new song on the collection, &quot;Never Enough&quot;, was released as a single. In 1991 The Cure were awarded the BRIT Award for Best British Band. That same year Lol Tolhurst filed a lawsuit against Robert Smith and Fiction Records in 1991 over royalties payments, and claimed joint ownership of the name &quot;The Cure&quot; with Smith; the verdict was handed out in September 1994 in favor of Smith. In respite from the lawsuit the band returned to the studio to record their next album. Wish reached number one in the UK and number two in the US and yielded the international hits &quot;High&quot; and &quot;Friday I&apos;m in Love&quot;. The Cure also embarked on the &quot;Wish Tour&quot; with Portsmouth&apos;s Cranes and released the live albums Show (September 1993) and Paris (October 1993). As a promotional exercise with the Our Price music chain in the UK, a limited edition EP was released consisting of instrumental outtakes from the Wish sessions. Entitled Lost Wishes, the proceeds from the four track cassette tape went to charity.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the years between the release of Wish and the start of sessions for The Cure&apos;s next album, the band&apos;s lineup shifted again. Porl Thompson left the band once more during 1993 to play with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and Bamonte took over as lead guitarist. Boris Williams also left the band, and was replaced by Jason Cooper (formerly of My Life Story). The album sessions began in 1994 with only Smith and Barmonte present; the pair were later joined by Gallup (who was recovering from physical problems), and Roger O&apos;Donnell, who had been asked to rejoin the band at the end of 1994. Wild Mood Swings, finally released in 1996, was poorly compared to previous albums and marked the end of the band&apos;s commercial peak. The first two singles, &quot;The 13th&quot; and &quot;Mint Car&quot; both fared modestly on the UK singles chart and the US Modern Rock chart, however the next singles, &quot;Gone!&quot; and &quot;Strange Attraction&quot; were not successful. Early in 1996 the Cure played festivals in South America, followed by a world tour in support of the album. 1997 saw the release of Galore, the follow-up to The Cure&apos;s multi-platinum singles collection, Standing on a Beach. Galore contained all of the Cure&apos;s singles released between 1987 and 1997, as well as the new single &quot;Wrong Number,&quot; which featured longtime David Bowie guitarist Reeves Gabrels. Gabrels also accompanied the Cure on a brief American radio festival tour as an onstage guest guitarist for &quot;Wrong Number.&quot; In 1998 The Cure contributed to the soundtrack album for The X-Files: Fight the Future as well as the Depeche Mode tribute album For the Masses, with their cover of &quot;World in My Eyes.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">With only one album left in their record contract and with commercial response to Wild Mood Swings and the Galore compilation lackluster, Smith once again considered that the end of The Cure might be near and thus wanted to make an album that reflected the more serious side of the band. The Grammy-nominated album Bloodflowers was released in 2000 after being delayed since 1998. The album was, according to Smith, the third of a trilogy along with Pornography and Disintegration. The band also embarked on the nine-month Dream Tour, attended by over one million people worldwide. In 2001 The Cure left Fiction and released their Greatest Hits album and DVD, which featured the music videos for a number of classic Cure songs. The band headlined twelve major music festivals that year, in addition to playing several three-hour concerts during which they performed the albums Pornography, Disintegration and Bloodflowers in their entireties on back-to-back nights at the Tempodrome in Berlin. These performances were released on DVD as The Cure: Trilogy in 2003.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Recent Years (2003–present)</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the spring of 2003, The Cure signed to Geffen Records. In 2004, The Cure released a new four-disc boxed set on Fiction Records titled Join the Dots: B-Sides and Rarities, 1978-2001 (The Fiction Years). The set includes seventy Cure songs, some previously unreleased, and a 76-page full-colour book of photographs, history and quotes, packaged in a hard cover. The album peaked at #106 on the Billboard 200 album charts. The band released their twelfth album The Cure on Geffen Records in 2004, which was produced by nu metal guru Ross Robinson. It made a top ten debut on both sides of the Atlantic in July 2004 and debuted in the top 30 in Australia. To promote this album, the band headlined the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on May 2. Between July 24 to August 29, The Cure headlined the Curiosa concert tour of North America. The concert had two stages and featured a lineup, including Interpol, The Rapture, and Mogwai on the main stage and the supporting bands such as Muse, Scarling. and Melissa Auf Der Maur on the second stage, hand-picked by Smith himself. While attendances were lower than expected, Curiosa was still one of the more successful American summer festivals of 2004.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band was awarded the MTV Icon for 2004. The ceremony included performances of Cure songs by the bands AFI (&quot;Just Like Heaven&quot;), blink-182 (&quot;A Letter to Elise&quot;), Razorlight (&quot;Boys Don&apos;t Cry&quot;) and the Deftones (&quot;If Only Tonight We Could Sleep&quot;), and was hosted by Marilyn Manson. Smith subsequently included songs by AFI, Blink 182 and the Deftones in his set-list whilst presenting a special John Peel evening session on BBC Radio 1, shortly before Peel&apos;s death.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In May 2005, Roger O&apos; Donnell and Perry Bamonte left the band. O&apos;Donnell said Smith informed him he was reducing the band to a three-piece; O&apos;Donnell only found out about the band&apos;s upcoming tour dates via a fan site and added, &quot;It was sad to find out after nearly 20 years the way I did but then I should have expected no less or more.&quot; The remaining members of the band (Robert Smith, Simon Gallup and Jason Cooper) made a few appearances as a trio before it was announced in June that Porl Thompson would be returning for the band&apos;s 2005 summer shows, including their set at Live 8 in Paris on July 2nd. Later that year, the band recorded a cover of John Lennon&apos;s &quot;Love&quot; for Amnesty International&apos;s charity album Make Some Noise. It is available for download on the Amnesty website, while the album has been scheduled to be released on CD in 2006. In 2006 The Cure appeared at the Royal Albert Hall on 1 April 2006, on behalf of the Teenage Cancer Trust. It was their only show through to the end the year. In December a live DVD, entitled The Cure: Festival 2005 including 30 songs of their 2005 Festival tour was released.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure have been writing and recording material for a new album since 2006. Geffen Records confirmed it will be a double record, with a projected Spring 2008 release. Smith stated &quot;What will probably happen is that a double album will come out like a limited edition, mixed by me. A single-disc version, which I assume will be primarily chosen by the label, might get mixed by someone else in order to have a different thing. There&apos;s a concern Cure fans will feel like they have to get both, but the fact is, I&apos;ve agreed to sell the double version at a single-album price, because I feel that strongly about it.&quot; The Cure announced a last-minute postponement of their Fall 2007 North American Tour in August in order to continue working on the album. They rescheduled the dates for Spring of 2008.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Musical Style</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure are often identified with the gothic rock subgenre of alternative rock, and are viewed as one of the form&apos;s definitive bands. However, the band has routinely rejected classification, particularly as a gothic rock band. Robert Smith said in 2006, &quot;It&apos;s so pitiful when &apos;goth&apos; is still tagged onto the name The Cure,&quot; and added, &quot;We&apos;re not categorisable. I suppose we were post-punk when we came out, but in total it&apos;s impossible [. . .] I just play Cure music, whatever that is.&quot; Smith has also expressed his distaste for gothic rock, describing it as &quot;incredibly dull and monotonous. A dirge really.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">While typically viewed as producers of dark and gloomy music, The Cure have also yielded a number of upbeat songs. Spin has said &quot;The Cure have always been an either/or sort of band: either [. . .] Robert Smith is wallowing in gothic sadness or he&apos;s licking sticky-sweet cotton-candy pop off his lipstick-stained fingers.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure&apos;s primary musical traits have been listed as &quot;dominant, melodic bass lines; whiny, strangulated vocals; and a lyric obsession with existential, almost literary despair.&quot; Most Cure songs start with Smith and Gallup writing the drum parts and basslines. Both record demos at home and then bring them into the studio for fine-tuning. Smith said in 1992, &quot;I think when people talk about the &apos;Cure sound,&apos; they mean songs based on 6-string bass, acoustic guitar, and my voice, plus the string sound from the Solina.&quot; On top of this foundation is laid &quot;towering layers of guitars and synthesizers&quot;. Keyboards have been a component of the band&apos;s sound since Seventeen Seconds, and their importance increased with their extensive use on Disintegration.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Legacy</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure were one of the first alternative bands to have chart and commercial success in an era before alternative rock had broken into the mainstream. In 1992 the NME declared The Cure had during the 1980s become &quot;a goth hit machine (19 to date), an international phenomenon and, yep, the most successful alternative band that ever shuffled disconsolately about the earth.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure has served as a major influence on many artists that have emerged during the band&apos;s thirty year career, including Jane&apos;s Addiction, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Dinosaur Jr. Smith has noted he looks at Cure-influenced bands Interpol and My Chemical Romance with affection, adding &quot;I also think [Interpol bassist] Carlos D.&apos;s obsession with Simon [Gallup] is sweet.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>The Cure in Popular Culture</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Several references to The Cure and their music have been made in popular culture. A number of films have used the title of a Cure song as the film&apos;s title, including Boys Don&apos;t Cry (1999) and Just Like Heaven (2005). The TV-series One Tree Hill (2003–present, USA) has made several references to The Cure. Several episodes have been named after songs: &quot;To Wish Impossible Things&quot; (Season 1, Series Episode 18), &quot;From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea&quot; (Season 3, Series Episode 47), &quot;The Same Deep Water as You&quot; (Season 4, Series Episode 68), and &quot;Pictures of You&quot; (Season 4, Episode 80). The song &quot;Apart&quot; was prominently featured in one of the last episodes of Season 1. Additionally, in season 3, Peyton and Elie have a disagreement about what is the best album by The Cure, Disintegration or Wish.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure&apos;s gloomy image has been the subject of parody at times. In series 2 of The Mighty Boosh, The Moon sings the chorus to &apos;The Lovecats&apos;. At another point in the series, a powerful gothic hairspray, Goth Juice, is said to be &quot;The most powerful hairspray known to man. Made from the tears of Robert Smith.&quot; It can hold a satsuma in midair with one spray. The Mary Whitehouse Experience often featured brief clips of the stars of the show performing comical songs and nursery rhymes as The Cure in a morose style. Robert Smith appeared in the final episode of the first series of The Mary Whitehouse Experience, punching the character Ray (played by Robert Newman) whilst uttering Ray&apos;s catch-phrase &quot;Oh no what a personal disaster&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robert Smith voiced himself in the first season of the animated series South Park at the request of series co-creator Trey Parker, who is a fan of The Cure. Smith appeared in the episode &quot;Mecha-Streisand,&quot; where he fought a giant mechanical Barbra Streisand. As he walked off triumphantly into the distance at the episode&apos;s conclusion, one of the series&apos; main characters Kyle Broflovski shouted &quot;Disintegration is the best album ever!&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Music Videos</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure have been making music videos for their singles since their first video for &quot;A Forest&quot; in 1980. The Cure&apos;s early videos have been described as &quot;dreadful affairs&quot; and have been maligned for their poor quality, particularly by the band itself. Lol Tolhurst said, &quot;Those videos were unmitigated disasters; we weren&apos;t actors and our personalities weren&apos;t coming across.&quot; It was with the video for &quot;Let&apos;s Go to Bed&quot;, their first collaboration with director Tim Pope, that The Cure would become noted for their videos. Pope added a playful element to the band&apos;s videos; the director insisted in a 1987 Spin interview, &quot;I think that side of them was always there, but was never brought out&quot;. Pope would go on to direct the majority of The Cure&apos;s videos, and his videos, which became synonymous with the band, helped expand The Cure&apos;s audience during the 1980s. When directing Cure videos, Pope has been given control of selecting whatever concepts he wants, which have ranged from stuffing the band into a wardrobe closet and throwing them off a cliff into the water below (&quot;Close to Me&quot;) to having Smith devoured by a giant spider (&quot;Lullaby&quot;). Pope explained the appeal of working with The Cure by saying, &quot;The Cure is the ultimate band for a filmmaker to work with because [Robert Smith] really understands the camera. His songs are so cinematic. I mean on one level there&apos;s this stupidity and humour, right, but beneath that there are all [Smith&apos;s] psychological obsessions and claustrophobia.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/TheCure.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Cure are an English rock band that formed in Crawley, Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several lineup changes...'),(4,'Avalanches','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Avalanches are an electronic music group from Melbourne, Australia, best known for its live DJ sets and debut album Since I Left You, which was assembled from approximately 3,500 vinyl samples.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Avalanches began in 1995 as Alarm 115, a noise-punk outfit inspired by Drive Like Jehu, The Fall and Ultra Bidet. The band - Darren Seltmann, Robbie Chater, Tony Diblasi and Manabu Etoh - bought all their instruments at junk shops, where they also discovered piles of old records. When Etoh was deported and Alarm 115 ended, those records became the core of a new project. Chater was a film student at Melbourne&apos;s RMIT, and had access to a recording studio there, which he and Seltmann used to turn said vinyl into a 30-song demo tape labeled Pan Amateurs. In 1997, A new lineup (Seltmann, Chater, Diblasi, and Gordon McQuilten) was assembled to play the tunes live, debuting in July under the name Swinging Monkey Cocks. Their first four shows were played under different names.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/The_Avalanches.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Avalanches are an electronic music group from Melbourne, Australia, best known for its live DJ sets and debut album S...'),(5,'Usher','','http://www.ubixonline.com/images/UbixCube.swf',12,'...'),(6,'Akon','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon (born Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam on April 30, 1981) is a Senegalese-American hip hop and R&amp;B singer, songwriter, occasional rapper and record producer. Akon rose to fame in 2004 following the release of his single &quot;Locked Up&quot; from his debut album Trouble. His second album, Konvicted, earned him a Grammy Award nomination for the single &quot;Smack That&quot;. He is the founder of Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution. He is well known for singing hooks and has over 130 guest appearances and 21 Billboard Hot 100 songs to his credit. He is the only artist to ever accomplish the feat of holding both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice. In a recent interview Akon revealed that he will be performing at the Dick Clark New Year&apos;s Show, as well as the halftime show of Super Bowl 42.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon often goes by the shorter, Aliaune Thiam, though other sources have said his name is Alioune Badara Thiam, and About.com says the long form of his name, &quot;Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam,&quot; has not been independently verified. His age has also been under scrutiny recently. Some media institutions reported that he was born in 1981. However the AP has since reported he was born in 1973 and is 34 years old. In a September 2007 interview for an Israeli magazine Akon hinted that he was around 25 or 26.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Background</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">He is the son of the Senegalese percussionist Mor Thiam. He is a Muslim born in St. Louis, Missouri, but grew up in Senegal until he was 7, split time between Senegal and America until he was 15, and then permanently moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He recorded his first song, &quot;Operations of Nature,&quot; at the age of fifteen. He was then subsequently jailed for armed robbery and drug distribution charges, and used his time in prison to work on his music. Upon release, Akon began writing and recording tracks in his home studio. The tapes found their way to SRC/Universal, which released Akon&apos;s debut LP Trouble in June 2004. The album is a hybrid of Akon&apos;s silky, West African-styled vocals mixed with East Coast and Southern beats. Most of Akon&apos;s songs begin with the sound of the clank of a jail cell with him uttering the word &quot;Konvict.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>2004–2005: Trouble</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon&apos;s solo debut album, Trouble was released on June 29, 2004. It spawned the hit singles &quot;Locked Up&quot; and &quot;Lonely,&quot; as well as &quot;Belly Dancer (Bananza),&quot; &quot;Pot Of Gold,&quot; and &quot;Ghetto&quot;. Akon served a three-year jail sentence for grand theft auto, an experience that inspired his &quot;Locked Up&quot;. &quot;Locked Up&quot; reached the top 10 in the U.S. and the top five in the UK. His manager Robert Montanez was shot to death following a dispute in New Jersey in December 2005. &quot;Ghetto&quot; became a radio hit when it was remixed by Green Lantern to include verses from legendary rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. In 2005, he released the single &quot;Lonely&quot; (which samples Bobby Vinton&apos;s &quot;Mr. Lonely&quot;). The song reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, and topped the charts in Australia, the UK and Germany. His album also climbed to number one in the UK in April, 2005. When music channel The Box had a top ten weekly chart, which was calculated by the amount of video requests, Akon&apos;s &quot;Lonely&quot; became the longest running single on the top of the chart, spanning over fifteen weeks. Akon then released another single featuring with a New Zealand rapper, Savage with the single Moonshine, which had become a success in both New Zealand and Australia, becoming number one in the New Zealand charts. In 2005, Akon gained more popularity after being featured on Young Jeezy&apos;s debut album, Let&apos;s Get It: Thug Motivation 101, on the song &quot;Soul Survivor&quot; which became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>2006–2007: Konvicted</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006-2007 Akon has had one of the most successful spans any singer has ever enjoyed with eleven songs in the Billboard Hot 100. Akon&apos;s second album, entitled Konvicted, was released on November 14, 2006. Konvicted included collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Styles P. Late August 2006, Akon released the single &quot;Smack That&quot; featuring Eminem, from the album. This single peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. The music video for &quot;Smack That&quot; was directed by Raymond Garced. &quot;I Wanna Love You&quot;, the second single off Konvicted, was released in September 2006. It is a collaboration between Akon and Snoop Dogg. This single earned Akon his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, and Snoop&apos;s second. &quot;I Wanna Love You&quot; topped the U.S. charts for two consecutive weeks. In January 2007, Akon released his third single &quot;Don&apos;t Matter&quot; which earned him his first solo number one and second consecutive Hot 100 chart topper. &quot;Mama Africa&quot; was released as a European single in July 2007, making it the fourth single. It debuted in the UK at number 47. &quot;Sorry, Blame It on Me&quot; is the album&apos;s fifth single which debuted in August 2007, on the Hot 100 at number seven, which also happened to be a career best. The song is not available on the original album, but instead part of the Deluxe Edition of Konvicted, which came out August 28, 2007. The sixth and final single was confirmed in an interview by Akon to be &quot;Never Took the Time&quot;. Konvicted debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 286,000 copies in its first week. After only six weeks, Konvicted sold more than one million records in the U.S. and more than 1.3 million worldwide. The album was certified platinum after seven weeks, and after sixteen weeks it was certified double platinum. Konvicted was able to stay in the top twenty of the Billboard 200 for 28 consecutive weeks, where it peaked at number two on four different occasions. On November 19, 2007, the RIAA has certified the Konvicted album triple platinum status with 3 million units sold in th United States. Currently it has sold more than 4 million worldwide.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On October 5, 2006, Akon broke a record on the Hot 100, as he achieved the largest climb in the chart&apos;s 48-year-history with &quot;Smack That&quot; jumping from number 95 to 7. The leap is fueled by its number six debut on Hot Digital Songs with 67,000 downloads. The record was broken on April 7, 2007 by Beyoncé and Shakira&apos;s Beautiful Liar when it jumped from 94 to 3 on the Hot 100, because of their 150,000 digital downloads on the Hot Digital Songs.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In December 2006, Akon&apos;s &quot;Smack That&quot; was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Justin Timberlake and T.I.&apos;s My Love.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On July 7, 2007 Akon performed at the American leg of Live Earth.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">From April to July Akon performed in The Sweet Escape Tour with Gwen Stefani. From July to September he will embark on his worldwide Konvicted Tour. In September, Akon will start on the Canadian leg of the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour with Rihanna.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On August 2, 2007, Akon was scheduled to perform at the Rock tha Block Tour in Australia but had trouble obtaining a visa due to his criminal past. The tour was postponed until late August and his visa was eventually processed but Akon was quoted as saying &quot;Australia is the home of the convicts so it&apos;s the last place I would have ever thought it would be a problem&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon will release a Platinum Edition of his album Konvicted in UK on October 1.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Billboard gave Akon Top Pop Artist Honors. This was because of Konvicted&apos;s steady sales and several billboard top 100 rankings.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Other ventures</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006, Akon started his new record label Kon Live Distribution under Interscope Records. His first signed artist was Earl Ray.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">He was featured on Gwen Stefani&apos;s latest album, The Sweet Escape. He made an appearance on the title track and second single, &quot;The Sweet Escape&quot;. Akon produced the song. On December 10, 2006, Akon and Stefani appeared as musical guests on Saturday Night Live, however they did not perform the song as Stefani had not yet learned the lyrics. He performed the song live, however, on American Idol on March 28, 2007 due to Gwen Stefani&apos;s appearance as a coach the night before. &quot;The Sweet Escape&quot; has reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #1 on United World Chart and is on the top for eight weeks. The song is also Akon&apos;s first #1 on World Chart.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon collaborated with Chamillionaire on his mixtape, Mixtape Messiah 2. He is featured on &quot;Ridin&apos; Overseas&quot;, which he also produced. The mixtape became available for download on Chamillionaire&apos;s website on December 24, 2006.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon and Young Jeezy are doing a collaborative album together. In 2006, after their 2005 Akon-produced single, &quot;Soul Survivor&quot;, the duo said that there is a lot more to expect from them in the future.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon also appeared on Bone Thugs-n-Harmony&apos;s album Strength and Loyalty and Three 6 Mafia&apos;s eighth studio album, Last 2 Walk, We The Best by DJ Khaled, Fabolous&apos;s album, From Nothin&apos; to Somethin&apos;, with 50 Cent on some tracks for Curtis, T.I.&apos;s 5th album, T.I. vs. T.I.P., Mario&apos;s third solo album Go!, and produced for Daddy Yankee&apos;s El Cartel: The Big Boss which was released on June 5, 2007.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon will be the executive producer of Not 4 Sale, Kardinal Offishall&apos;s fourth solo album, which will be released in fall or winter 2007. The first single &quot;Graveyard Shift&quot; features Akon, and Akon also makes his rapping debut in the song.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In November 2007, Akon recorded a remake of Michael Jackson&apos;s 1983 hit &quot;Wanna Be Startin&apos; Somethin&apos;&quot;. The remake is reportedly going to be part of the re-release of Thriller.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon holds the record for most guest performances on popular television show American Idol with two. He once sang &quot;The Sweet Escape&quot; with Gwen Stefani and three weeks later he sang &quot;Don&apos;t Matter&quot; on the show while it was number one on the Billboard charts.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Television and Film</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon has confirmed that a reality television show is in the works. It will be called &quot;My Brother&apos;s Keeper&quot; and the point is that Akon&apos;s two nearly identical brothers will go around in Atlanta posing as him fooling people into thinking that it is in fact Akon. They will try to get VIP treatment, girls and free things. Akon has claimed that people have mistaken his brothers for him many times in Atlanta which is what the show is based on.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon is planning to work on a full-length movie titled Illegal Alien. The film is based on some of the events of his life and actor Mekhi Phifer is set to play him. Besides Akon confirmed in August 2007, in the interview with Polish website INTERIA.PL, that he works on a movie &quot;Cocaine Cowboys&quot;, which tells the story of Jon Roberts, the main pilot of Medellin Cartel (Colombian drug traffickers). He was also featured on a Verizon Wireless commercial and singing Snitch along with Obie Trice on a CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode named &quot;Poppin&apos; Tags.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On November 30,2007 Akon entered the Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition 2 as only a guest so the housemates (Mariel, Gladys, Jon, Victor, Donnie, and Ruben) can meet him for only 100 seconds</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Fashion</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In February 2007, Akon launched his clothing line, Konvict Clothing. It features urban streetwear including denim jeans, hoodies, t-shirts and hats. Aliaune is the upscale version, or high-end line, for males and females, which includes blazers, denim jeans and other items.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Personal Life</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon was born in St. Louis, Missouri instead of Senegal because his family didn&apos;t want him to go through the immigration process. Part of the reason for Akon moving to America was for Akon to pursue a career in basketball, but he injured his knee and was forced to quit. He still enjoys basketball and soccer. He currently splits time residing between Atlanta, Georgia and Dakar, Senegal.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In late 2005, his long time friend and manager Robert Montanez, who Akon referred to as a brother, was killed in a drive-by shooting; the album Konvicted is dedicated to him. Akon was also in the car and was shot in the shoulder, however he made a full recovery.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon is of the Muslim faith, it has been reported that he is both a believer and practitioner of polygamy, though such reports are unconfirmed, as Akon has not given a straight answer to questions about the matter. He claims to have five children with three different women in an interview with Blender.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">He also has his own charity for underprivileged children in Africa called Konfidence Foundation. Akon owns a diamond mine in South Africa and denies the existence of conflict diamonds saying, &quot;I don&apos;t even believe in conflict diamonds. That&apos;s just a movie. Think about it. Ain&apos;t nobody thought about nothing about no conflict diamonds until the movie came out.&quot; He also had a previous occupation as a drug dealer but has stated in interviews that he&apos;s never used drugs, though some of his lyrics would suggest otherwise. Despite his criminal history, he proclaims that he has turned his life around.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006, he ventured to Africa to play a concert in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">He owns eleven cars including an orange Lamborghini Gallardo as sung in Smack That. He also claims to own over 4000 pairs of shoes in an interview with US Weekly.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Controversy</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Trinidad Incident</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In April 2007, Akon drew criticism for having on-stage simulated sex with Danah (Deena) Alleyne, a fifteen-year-old preacher&apos;s daughter, at a club in Trinidad and Tobago, as part of a fake contest, despite the club&apos;s claim to have an eighteen-years and over age limit. The incident was filmed by Akon&apos;s crew and later uploaded to the Internet. On April 20, 2007 local media, channel TV6, aired the video clip publicly. Amid criticism on the radio, television, and from the blogosphere, Verizon Wireless removed ringtones featuring Akon&apos;s songs. Verizon also decided not to sponsor The Sweet Escape Tour where Akon was to be the opening act for Gwen Stefani. However, Universal Music Group did not take action against Akon, but rather simply ordered the video clip be removed from video-sharing site YouTube due to copyright infringement. Conservative commentator and Parents Television Council founder Brent Bozell called this &quot;corporate irresponsibility&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In a newly released song, &quot;Sorry, Blame It On Me&quot;, Akon apologizes to the young girl for the incident at the club, though citing the club for admitting the girl because she was under 18, and her parents for letting her go out dressed like an adult. He also tells how Verizon dropped promoting him and Gwen&apos;s tour, and stopped sale of his ringtones. He also makes several other apologies to his children, wife, and mother as well. The song is available to listen to on Akon&apos;s MySpace page and was released onto iTunes (U.S.) on July 17, 2007.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Political commentators Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingraham, and Bill O&apos;Reilly criticized Akon for &quot;degrading women&quot;. Malkin uploaded commentary about Akon to YouTube, using footage from music videos and the Trinidad concert, and Universal Music Group then forced its removal by issuing a DMCA takedown notice. The Electronic Frontier Foundation joined Malkin in contesting the removal as a misuse of copyright law, citing fair use. In May 2007, UMG rescinded its claim to the video, and the video returned to YouTube.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Fishkill Incident</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On June 3, 2007, at WSPK&apos;s KFEST concert at the Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, New York, a concert attendee threw an object towards Akon on stage. Akon asked the crowd to identify who threw the object and that he be brought on stage. Security staff grabbed the young man and took him up to the stage. Akon then pulled him up from the crowd and hoisted him across his shoulders. The singer then tossed the attendee back into the crowd from his shoulders. Video of the incident was reviewed by Fishkill police. Akon has claimed that the incident was staged and that he in fact used the act to set up for the next record. As of November 29, 2007, charges of endangering the welfare of a minor, a misdemeanor, and second-degree harassment, a violation, were filed, according to police Chief Donald F. Williams, and Akon is scheduled to appear at 9 a.m. on December 3, 2007 in Town of Fishkill Court for arraignment on the two charges.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Akon.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Akon (born Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam on April 30, 1981) is a Senegalese-American hi...'),(7,'UB40','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">UB40</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','/images/UbixCube.swf',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">UB40</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>...'),(8,'Robyn','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robin Miriam Carlsson aka Robyn (born June 12, 1979) is a Swedish pop singer-songwriter and is widely known in her homeland. Robyn was known in the late nineties for her dance-pop hits &quot;Show Me Love&quot; and &quot;Do You Know (What it Takes)&quot;. She has since started to gain mainstream success in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands again, due to the massive critical and commercial success of her single &quot;With Every Heartbeat&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>1991-1993: Discovery</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1991 and at the age of 12, Robyn recorded the theme song for the Swedish television show Lilla Sportspegeln, named Du kan alltid bli nummer ett (&quot;You can always be number one&quot;). She also performed her first self-written song at this age in another TV show called Söndagsöppet.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robyn was rediscovered by Swedish pop singer Meja in the early nineties. Meja and her band Legacy of Sound visited Robyn&apos;s school and were involved with a musical workshop. Robyn&apos;s performances captivated the &quot;All About The Money&quot; singer; so much so that Meja contacted her management and a meeting was arranged with Robyn and her parents. Following the completion of her middle school education, Robyn signed to Ricochet Records Sweden, a subsidiary of BMG. She collaborated with producers Max Martin and Denniz Pop who provided the singer with a gritty yet popular sound. Writing duties were assisted by Ulf Lindstrom and Johan Ekhe, who also helped to produce the album, and they stayed on board with Robyn until the completion of her &quot;Don&apos;t Stop The Music&quot; opus in 2003.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>1994-1997: Robyn Is Here</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robyn started out her career in the pop music scene at age 16. She signed a record deal with RCA Records in 1994 to release her debut single &quot;You&apos;ve Got That Somethin&apos;&quot; in Sweden. Later that same year, her Swedish breakthrough came with the single &quot;Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)&quot;. These singles became part of the album Robyn Is Here.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robyn&apos;s US breakthrough came in 1997 when the dance-pop singles &quot;Show Me Love&quot; and &quot;Do You Know (What it Takes)&quot; were released. These singles both ended up in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The songs also performed well in the UK. She also re-released &quot;Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)&quot; internationally but it did not fare as well as the other releases. It was ineligible to chart since there was no retail single available, but it reached #32 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">As Robyn&apos;s popularity grew across the globe, especially in the United States, she was lined up as the support act for the 1997 Backstreet Boys tour. However, Robyn was diagnosed with exhaustion and she quickly returned to Sweden to recover.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">&quot;Show Me Love&quot; was prominently used in the 1998 Lukas Moodysson film Fucking Åmål, and the song&apos;s title was used as the film&apos;s title in English-speaking countries.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>1998-2001: My Truth</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Recording began on Robyn&apos;s second opus in 1998. The album My Truth was released on May 17, 1999 in Sweden, with releases elsewhere in the continent following. The single &quot;Electric&quot; was a huge smash across Europe, and propelled My Truth to #2 in Sweden. My Truth was a poignantly autobiographical release for Robyn, and included the tracks &quot;Universal Woman&quot; and &quot;Giving You Back&quot; which emotively explained her secret abortion. The album did achieve synonymous acclaim, and critics remarked on Robyn&apos;s seamless evolution as an artist.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robyn&apos;s record company, RCA, publicised their intention to release her subsequent efforts in the United States. However, following the release of My Truth in Sweden, her record company reconsidered as they didn&apos;t feel the market would be receptive to her new sound. Following discussion between RCA Sweden and their American counterpart, there were plans for My Truth to be partially re-recorded with US-radio friendly production. Robyn was uncomfortable with the prospect and valued her artistic credibility above her record company&apos;s advice, and so My Truth was not released in the United States.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2001, Robyn contributed the song &quot;Say You&apos;ll Walk The Distance&quot; to the soundtrack for the film On The Line. The song was later covered by fellow Swedish pop singer, Darin Zanyar.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>2002-2004: Don&apos;t Stop The Music</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In November 2002, Robyn swapped labels at BMG (from RCA to Jive Records) and released the album Don&apos;t Stop the Music in Sweden. It was set to see a pan-European release but only the singles were issued on the continent (excluding Britain). The title track was later covered by Swedish girl group Play and the lead single &quot;Keep This Fire Burning&quot; was also covered by British soul singer Beverley Knight. This demonstrates the strength of the material although Robyn was not able to showcase it. Understandably, the singer was discontent with her mismanagement and plans were underway for the termination of her record label contract.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In May 2004, the album Robyn&apos;s Best was released in America. It is essentially a shortened version of her first album and contains no other material from her latter albums. It is widely considered to be a poor attempt by her past record label to pass the album off as a greatest hits album. In Sweden, a different greatest hits album was released entitled Det Bästa Med Robyn (The Best of Robyn). Omitted from this release were the singles &quot;Don&apos;t Stop the Music&quot; and &quot;Keep This Fire Burning&quot;, likely due to legal issues. However, another Don&apos;t Stop the Music single, &quot;O Baby&quot;, is included.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>2005-2006: Konichiwa Records &amp; Robyn</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The decade long relationship between Robyn and her label ceased in 2004. When her bosses reacted badly to the sound of &quot;Who&apos;s That Girl?&quot;, which showcased a new electro-pop sound, Robyn decided to go it alone. In early 2005, Robyn announced she would be leaving Jive Records to start her own record label. Konichiwa Records was created, with its aim firmly set on liberating Robyn artistically. Uncharacteristically for a musician, Robyn revealed on her website that her new album would be released earlier than anticipated, and noted several fabled collaborators on the album including Klas Åhlund from Teddybears STHLM, Swedish duo The Knife and former Cheiron producer Alexander Kronlund.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robyn released her new single &quot;Be Mine!&quot; in March 2005, and a month later her fourth studio album Robyn. The album became Robyn&apos;s first #1 album upon its release in Sweden. Sampling influences from electronica, rap, R&amp;B and new age, Robyn received rave reviews for the Swedish soul star. It gained her three Swedish Grammy awards in 2006 for &quot;Årets Album&quot; (Best Album), &quot;Årets Kompositör&quot; (Best Writer, alongside Klas Åhlund) and &quot;Årets Pop Kvinnlig&quot; (Best Pop female). It also garnered Robyn interest on a global level. Robyn also gained recognition for writing the song &quot;Money For Nothing&quot; for Darin Zanyar, his debut single.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robyn released three more singles &quot;Who&apos;s That Girl?&quot;, &quot;Handle Me&quot; and &quot;Crash and Burn Girl&quot; from the eponymous LP. The album proved immensely popular in Sweden. Robyn also went on to feature on the Basement Jaxx track &quot;Hey U&quot;, taken from their album Crazy Itch Radio, released in 2006.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>2006-2007: International Comeback</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In December 2006, Robyn released The Rakamonie EP in the UK as a preview to her more recent material. This was followed by the release of &quot;Konichiwa Bitches&quot; in March 2007. The revised edition of Robyn was released in the UK on April 2, 2007. The UK release contained new tracks &quot;With Every Heartbeat&quot; and &quot;Cobrastyle&quot; (a cover of a 2006 single by Swedish rockers Teddybears) alongside two slightly altered versions of the original songs. It was deleted from British stores to make way for an August re-release.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The second single from the UK release was the Kleerup collaboration &quot;With Every Heartbeat&quot;. The song was A-listed by Radio One and was released in late July in digital format and early August physically, reaching number 1 in the singles chart in the UK on August 12 2007. Robyn has also been featured on Jo Whiley&apos;s popular Radio One showcase show, Live Lounge which is a reflection of her growing popularity on British shores. The track has now been receiving airplay at US pop and dance radio stations.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Konichiwa Records also signed an international licensing deal with Island Records in order to launch and distribute Robyn&apos;s music across the globe.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Personal Life</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robyn&apos;s parents are actors, and she was herself involved in acting at the age of 9, having an extra role in Kronbruden at the Swedish theatre Dramaten. She was discovered by the Swedish pop singer Meja while singing about her parents&apos; divorce.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">After the release of her second album in 1999, My Truth, Robyn became a UNICEF ambassador and visited, among other countries, Kenya and Tanzania. During her two years of dedicating herself to this work, she intended to draw attention to UNICEF and their worldwide work for children in need of aid. She was happy to emphasize the need of taking responsibilities to help, and tried to make herself a good example for the young generation.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2000, Povel Ramel awarded her the Karamelodiktstipendiet; a scholarship for her musical achievements where most of the reward lies in the prestige and honour, and not financial incentives.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Robyn.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Robin Miriam Carlsson aka Robyn (born June 12, 1979) is a Swedish pop singer-songwriter and is widely known in her homela...'),(9,'Lisa Scott-Lee','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Lisa Michelle Scott-Lee (born 5 November 1975 in St Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales and grew up in Rhyl) is a Welsh singer and a graduate of the Italia Conti Academy stage school, who is best known for her five years with one of the most successful UK pop groups of all time, Steps.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Lisa%20Scott%20Lee.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Lisa Michelle Scott-Lee (born 5 November 1975 in St Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales and grew up in Rhyl) is a Welsh singer and...'),(10,'Roxette','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Roxette is a Swedish pop-music double act, partly rock-influenced, whose members are Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">For a significant period in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Roxette was among the top bands in worldwide sales and fame, brandishing a simple, effective blend of pop with a slight edge and occasional hints of dance. The group claims such influences as The Beatles, Blondie, new-wave music, Joni Mitchell, and Aretha Franklin.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1991, Roxette performances could fill an arena with tens of thousands of fans in places as diverse as Buenos Aires, Frankfurt, Mexico City, Paris, Rome, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Stockholm, and Sydney. The 1992 release Tourism: Songs from Studios, Stages, Hotelrooms &amp; Other Strange Places, with a recording of audience members singing along to the tune of the group&apos;s biggest hit, &quot;It Must Have Been Love&quot;, exemplifies Roxette&apos;s temporary but impressive hold.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Though there is no firm figure, Roxette is said to have worldwide sales of 75 million copies of its albums and singles.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Roxette had four US No. 1 singles, two No. 2 singles and a few other Top 40 peaks until falling out of sight of the Hot 100 in 1994. Even so, by that token, Roxette can be considered a highly successful singles act. The group has been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with two platinum albums - 1988&apos;s Look Sharp! (released in the U.S. in 1989) and 1991&apos;s Joyride - and two gold singles - &quot;The Look&quot; and &quot;It Must Have Been Love.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In Sweden the group has had 17 Top 10 hits, and Roxette has developed a large following throughout South America, South Africa and Europe.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/roxette_1.jpg',51,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Roxette is a Swedish pop-music double act, partly rock-influenced, whose members are Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle.</F...'),(69,'Linkin Park','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Linkin Park is a rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Since their formation in 1996, the band has sold more than fifty million albums and won two Grammys. With their debut album, Hybrid Theory, they achieved mainstream success; the album was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005. Their following studio album, Meteora, continued the band&apos;s success, topping the Billboard 200’s album charts in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Recognized for their adaption of the nu metal genre into a radio-friendly style in Meteora and Hybrid Theory, the band’s latest studio album, Minutes to Midnight branched away from their previous nu metal sound, venturing into a variety of other genres. The album topped the Billboard Charts and became the third best debut week of any album for the year. They are also known for their several collaborations, most notably with rapper Jay-Z in their mash-up album Collision Course, and many other artists on Reanimation.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Early Years (1996-2000)</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Originally consisting of three close high school friends from Agoura High School, Linkin Park’s foundation was anchored by Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Rob Bourdon. After graduating from high school, the California natives later began to take their musical interests more seriously, recruiting Joe Hahn, Dave &quot;Phoenix&quot; Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band then titled Xero. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda’s make-shift bedroom studio in 1996. Tensions and frustration within the band began to increase after they failed to land a record deal. The lack of success and stalemate in progress prompted Wakefield, at that time the band&apos;s vocalist, to leave the band in search for other projects. Later, Farrell would also leave the band in order to tour with Tasty Snax, as well as other bands.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">After spending a considerable time searching for Wakefield&apos;s replacement, Xero recruited Arizona vocalist Chester Bennington. Jeff Blue, the vice president of Zomba Music, referred Bennington to the band in March 1999. Bennington, formerly of a band named Grey Daze, became a standout among applicants for his unique and vivid singing style. The newborn vocal chemistry between Shinoda and Bennington helped revive the band, inciting them to work on new material. The band’s renaissance culminated with a change in name; from Hybrid Theory, the band changed their name to Linkin Park, a play on and homage to Santa Monica’s Lincoln Park. However, despite these changes, the band still struggled to sign a record deal. After facing numerous rejections from several major record labels, Linkin Park turned to Jeff Blue for additional help. After failing to catch Warner Bros. Records on three previous reviews, Jeff Blue, now the vice president of Warner Bros. Records, helped the band sign a deal with the company in 1999. Now aside with Warner Bros. Records, the band released their breakthrough album, Hybrid Theory, the following year.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Breakthrough: Hybrid Theory (2000-2002)</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Linkin Park released Hybrid Theory on October 24, 2000. The album, which represented half a decade’s worth of the band’s work, was edited and polished by music producer Don Gilmore. Hybrid Theory was well received by music fans; the band sold more than 4.8 million records during its debut year, earning it the status of best-selling album of 2001, while singles such as Crawling and One Step Closer established themselves as staples among alternative rock radio play lists during the year. Additionally, other singles from the album were featured in movies such as Dracula 2000, Little Nicky, and Valentine. Hybrid Theory was also nominated for three Grammy Awards, including best new artist, best rock album, and best hard rock performance (for Crawling). MTV also awarded the band their Best Rock Video and Best Direction awards for In the End. Through the winning of the Grammy for best hard rock performance, and for Best Rock Album, Hybrid Theory’s overall success had catapulted the band into the mainstream&apos;s attention.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">During this time, Linkin Park received many invitations to perform on many recognized tours and concerts including Ozzfest, Family Values Tour and KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas. The band also formed their own tour, Projekt Revolution, which featured other notable artists such as, Cypress Hill, Adema, and Snoop Dogg. Within a year’s stretch, Linkin Park had performed at over 320 concerts. The experiences and performances of the precocious band were documented in their first DVD, Frat Party at the Pankake Festival, which debuted in November 2001. Now reunited with former bassist Dave Farrell, the band began work on a remix album, dubbed Reanimation, which would include works from Hybrid Theory and Hybrid Theory EP. The album Reanimation debuted on July 30, 2002, featuring the likes of Black Thought, Jonathan Davis, Aaron Lewis, and many others. Reanimation claimed the second spot on the Billboard 200, and sold nearly 270,000 copies during its debut week.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Continued Success: Meteora (2002-2004)</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following the success of Hybrid Theory and Reanimation, Linkin Park spent a significant amount of time touring around the United States. The band began to work on new material amidst the saturated schedule, spending a sliver of their free time in their tour bus&apos; studio. The band officially announced the production of a new studio album in December 2002, revealing their new work was inspired by the rocky region of Meteora in Greece, where a lot of monasteries have been built on top of the rocks. Meteora featured a mixture of the band&apos;s previous nu metal and rapcore styles with newer innovative effects, including the induction of a shakuhachi (a Japanese flute made of bamboo) and other instruments. Linkin Park&apos;s second album debuted on March 25, 2003 and instantly earned worldwide recognition.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Meteora sold more than 800,000 copies during its first week, and it ranked as the best selling album on the Billboard charts at the time. Music videos for some of the album&apos;s singles, including Somewhere I Belong, Breaking the Habit, Faint and Numb, received significant radio attention. Eventually, Meteora sold nearly three million copies by October 2003. The album&apos;s success allowed Linkin Park to form another Projekt Revolution, which featured other bands and artists including, Mudvayne, Blindside, and Xzibit. Additionally, Metallica, a famed heavy metal group, invited Linkin Park to play at the Summer Sanitarium Tour 2003, which included well-known acts such as Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne and Deftones. The band released an album and DVD, entitled Live in Texas, which consisted of audio and video tracks of some of the band&apos;s performances in Texas during the tour. In early 2004, Linkin Park started a world tour titled the Meteora World Tour, supporting bands on the tour include Hoobastank, P.O.D and Story of the Year.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Meteora also earned the band additional awards and honors. The band won MTV&apos;s awards for Best Rock Video (Somewhere I Belong), Viewer&apos;s Choice Award (Breaking the Habit). Linkin Park also received significant recognition during the 2004 Radio Music Awards, winning the Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (Numb) awards. Although Meteora was not nearly as successful as Hybrid Theory, it was the third best selling album in America during 2003. The band spent the first few months of 2004 touring around the world, first with the third Projekt Revolution tour, and later several European concerts.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Side Projects And Charity Work (2004-2006)</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following Meteora&apos;s success, the band postponed working on a new studio album for the next several years. Instead, Linkin Park continued to tour and work on many side projects. Bennington appeared on DJ Lethal’s State of the Art and other work with Dead By Sunrise, while Shinoda did work with Depeche Mode. In 2004, the band began to work with Jay-Z to produce another remix album, entitled Collision Course. The album, which featured intermixed lyrics and background tracks from both artists&apos; previous albums, debuted in November 2004. Shinoda also formed a new band, Fort Minor, as a side project. With the aid of Jay-Z, Fort Minor released their debut album, The Rising Tied, to critical acclaim. On the home front, the band&apos;s relationship with Warner Bros. Records was declining rapidly on account of several trust and financial issues. After months of feuding, the band finally negotiated a deal in December 2005.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Additionally, they also participated in numerous charitable events. Linkin Park helped raise money to benefit victims of Hurricane Charley in 2004 and later Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They also helped relief efforts for the 2004 Tsunami victims by staging several charity concerts and setting up an additional fund called &quot;Music for Relief&quot;. Most notably, however, the band participated at Live 8, a series of charitable benefit concerts set up to raise global awareness. Alongside Jay-Z, the band performed on Live 8&apos;s stage in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a global audience. The band would later be reunited with Jay-Z at the Grammy Award Ceremony 2006, during which they performed Numb/Encore, en route to winning a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. They would later go on to play at the 2006 Summer Sonic music festival, which was hosted by Metallica, in Japan.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Reemergence: Minutes to Midnight (2006-Present)</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Linkin Park returned to the recording studios in 2006 to work on new material. To produce the album, the band chose popular producer Rick Rubin. Despite initially stating the album would debut sometime in 2006, the album was pushed off to 2007. The band had recorded thirty to fifty songs in August 2006, when Shinoda stated the album was halfway completed. Bennington later added that the new album would stray away from their previous nu metal sound. Warner Bros. Records officially announced that the band’s third studio album, entitled Minutes to Midnight, would be released on May 15, 2007 in the United States. After spending fourteen months working on the album, the band opted to further refine their album by removing five of the original seventeen tracks. Minutes to Midnight sold over 600,000 copies in its first week, making it one of the most successful debut week albums in recent years. The album also captured the top spot on the Billboard Charts.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The album&apos;s first single, &quot;What I&apos;ve Done&quot; was released on April 2, and later premiered on MTV and Fuse within the same week. The single was acclaimed by listeners, reaching the Billboard Hot 100 days after its debut, and later was the top-ranked song on the Billboard&apos;s Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. Bleed It Out is the second single from Minutes to Midnight which was released August 20, 2007. Shadow of the Day, the third single, was released in the UK on October 8. The song has also been released in the U.S (October 16)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Linkin Park performed at Live Earth Japan on July 7, 2007. The band recently finished touring on their fourth Projekt Revolution tour.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Style</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Both Hybrid Theory and Meteora intertwined the nu metal and rap rock sound with influences and elements from industrial rock, synth rock, electronica, and drum and bass, utilizing programming and synthesizers. All Music Guide regarded it as &quot;a Johnny-come-lately to an already overdone musical style,&quot; whereas Rolling Stone called &quot;Breaking the Habit&quot; &quot;risky, beautiful art.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In Minutes to Midnight the band experiments with their established sound and sees them drawing influences from a wider and more varied range of genres and styles, a process Los Angeles Times compares to a stage in U2&apos;s work. In it, only two of the songs feature rapping. It also is their first studio album to feature guitar solos and to feature Mike Shinoda&apos;s singing, rather than rapping.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Linkin Park&apos;s use of two separate vocalists has become a large part of their music. Chester Bennington is most known for using growling and screaming vocals common in various forms of metal, while also using more melodic singing, and has placed 46th in Hit Paraders list of &quot;Heavy Metal&apos;s All-Time Top 100 Vocalists&quot;. Mike Shinoda is the group&apos;s MC, and does all of the rapping. Mike has also done all of the backing vocals live, and in their latest album, Minutes to Midnight, he sings lead vocals on three songs: &quot;In Between&quot;, &quot;Hands Held High&quot;, and the b-side &quot;No Roads Left&quot;. Shinoda has also been placed in Hit Paraders list of &quot;Heavy Metal&apos;s All-Time Top 100 Vocalists&quot; at 72.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Linkin_Park_Biography.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Linkin Park is a rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Since their formation in 1996, the band has sold more than fift...'),(11,'New Order','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">New Order are an English rock group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner (vocals, guitars, synthesizers), Peter Hook (bass, backing vocals, electronic drums) and Stephen Morris (drums, synthesizers). The band was formed in the wake of the demise of their previous band, Joy Division, following the suicide of singer Ian Curtis. They were soon joined by keyboardist/guitarist Gillian Gilbert.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">New Order melded post-punk and electronic dance, and became one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 1980s. Though the band were shadowed by the legacy of Joy Division in their first years, their immersion in the New York City dance scene of the early 1980s introduced them to dance music. The band&apos;s 1983 hit &quot;Blue Monday,&quot; saw them fully embrace dance music and synthesized instruments, and has been described as the best-selling 12&quot; single of all time. New Order were the flagship band for Factory Records, and their minimalist album sleeves and non-image reflected the label&apos;s aesthetic. The band has often been acclaimed by fans, critics and other musicians as a highly influential force in the alternative rock and dance music scenes over the past 25 years.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">New Order were on hiatus between 1993 and 1998, during which time the members participated in various side-projects. The band reconvened in 1998, and in 2001 released Get Ready, their first album in eight years. In 2005, Phil Cunningham (guitars, synthesizers) replaced Gilbert, who had left the group due to family commitments. In 2007, Peter Hook claimed that he and Sumner had no further plans to work together, and this was confirmed in an announcement by Sumner and Morris in July 2007.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Origins</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Between 1976 and 1980, Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, and Bernard Sumner were members of the post-punk band Joy Division, often featuring heavy production input from producer Martin Hannett. Curtis committed suicide on the eve of their American tour, and prior to release of the band&apos;s second album, Closer, on 18 May 1980. The rest of the band decided soon after Curtis&apos;s death that they would carry on. Hook told Mojo in 1994, &quot;The first meeting we all had, which was the Sunday night [Curtis committed suicide], we agreed that. We didn&apos;t sit there crying. We didn&apos;t cry at his funeral. It came out as anger at the start. We were absolutely devastated: not only had we lost someone we considered our friend, we&apos;d lost the group. Our life basically.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The members of Joy Division had agreed before Curtis&apos;s death not to continue under the Joy Division name should any one member leave the band. Rob Gretton, the band&apos;s manager for over twenty years, is credited for having found the name &quot;New Order&quot; in an article in The Guardian entitled &quot;The People&apos;s New Order of Kampuchea&quot;. The band adopted this name, despite its previous use for ex-Stooge Ron Asheton&apos;s band The New Order. Yet the link with Joy Division made it hard for critics to ignore the fascistic undertones the name carried with it, the term &quot;New Order&quot; being featured in Hitler&apos;s Mein Kampf as &quot;the new order of the Third Reich.&quot; The band publicly rejected any claims that the name had anything to do with fascist or Nazi sympathies, with Sumner later saying, &quot;We really, really thought it didn&apos;t have any connotations, and we thought that it was a neutral name, it didn&apos;t mean much . . .&quot; The band rehearsed with each member taking turns on vocals. Sumner ultimately took the role, as the guitar was an easier instrument to play while singing. Wanting to complete the line-up with someone they knew well, whose musical skill and style was compatible with their own, New Order invited Morris&apos; girlfriend, Gillian Gilbert from Macclesfield, to join the band during the early part of October 1980, as keyboardist and guitarist. Gilbert&apos;s membership was suggested by Gretton.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their initial release as New Order was the single &quot;Ceremony,&quot; backed with &quot;In a Lonely Place.&quot; These two songs were written in the weeks before Curtis took his own life. With the release of Movement in November 1981, New Order initially started on a similar route as their previous incarnation, performing dark, melodic songs, albeit with an increased use of synthesizers. The band viewed the period as a low point, as they were still reeling from Curtis&apos; death. Hook commented that the only positive thing to come out of the Movement sessions was that producer Martin Hannett had showed the band how to use a mixing board, which allowed them to produce records by themselves from then on. </FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A change in musical direction was brought about when New Order visited New York City in 1981. The band immersed themselves in the New York dance scene and were introduced to postdisco, Latin freestyle, and electro. Additionally, the band had taken to listening to Italian disco to cheer themselves up, while Morris taught himself drum programming. The singles that followed, &quot;Everything&apos;s Gone Green&quot; and &quot;Temptation,&quot; indicated the change in direction toward dance music.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Haçienda, Factory Records&apos; own nightclub (largely funded by New Order), opened in May 1982 and was even issued a Factory catalogue number: FAC51. This was the UK&apos;s first ever superclub. Its opening was marked by a nearly 23-minute instrumental piece of Steve Morris&apos; making, Video 586; released as a single 15 years later. Peter Hook was later to admit to grievance when he thought New Order &quot;had gone and done a single&quot; without him.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Power, Corruption &amp; Lies</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Power, Corruption &amp; Lies was released in March, 1983, a synthesizer-based outing and a dramatic change in sound from Joy Division and the preceding album. Starting from what earlier singles had hinted, this was where the band had found their footing, mixing early techno music with their earlier guitar-based sound, heavily inspired by acts like Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder. Even further in this direction was the electronically sequenced, Falklands-themed, four-on-the-floor single &quot;Blue Monday,&quot; which became the best-selling 12-inch single of all time. The 12-inch &quot;Blue Monday&quot; single sleeve was so elaborate, resembling a large 5¼&quot; floppy disk, that the band and Factory themselves were said to lose from 2p to £1 on each copy sold. However, later presses became less elaborate, and the band reaped large profits from the sales of the single. The American edition of Power Corruption &amp; Lies, released later, featured &quot;Blue Monday&quot; and its B-side, &quot;The Beach,&quot; as extra tracks.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The hip hop-tinged single &quot;Confusion&quot; (released in 1983 and co-produced by Arthur Baker) firmly established the group as a dance music force, inspiring many musicians in subsequent years. It was a crossover success on the club scene. Still, the group did not pigeonhole themselves as a dance act. Instead they pursued two simultaneous and sometimes overlapping styles, one guitar- and rock-based and one dance music-oriented. In 1984 they followed the largely synthesized single &quot;Thieves like Us&quot; with the heavy guitar-drum-bass rumble of &quot;Murder,&quot; a not-too-distant cousin of &quot;Ecstasy&quot; from the Power, Corruption &amp; Lies album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Low-Life, Brotherhood, and Substance</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Low-Life album (1985) refined and sometimes mixed the two styles, brandishing &quot;The Perfect Kiss&quot; (the video for which was filmed by Jonathan Demme) and &quot;Sub-culture.&quot; In February 1986, the soundtrack album to Pretty in Pink featuring &quot;Shellshock&quot; was released on A&amp;M Records. The instrumental version of &quot;Thieves like Us&quot; appeared in the film but did not make the soundtrack. Also, the instrumental &quot;Elegia&quot; is in the film and not on the soundtrack.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Brotherhood (1986) divided the two approaches onto separate album sides. The album notably featured &quot;Bizarre Love Triangle&quot; and &quot;Angel Dust&quot; (available elsewhere under the guise of &quot;Evil Dust&quot;), a track which marries a synth break beat with Low-Life-era guitar effects. Brotherhood also featured &quot;All Day Long,&quot; a tale of child abuse. In addition, the album also included &quot;Every Little Counts,&quot; in which Sumner dissolves into laughter after having sung the line &quot;I think you are a pig, you should be in a zoo,&quot; affording the track successor-status to 1983&apos;s &quot;Your Silent Face.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">While New Order toured North America with friends Echo &amp; The Bunnymen, the summer of 1987 saw the release of the compilation Substance that featured the new single &quot;True Faith.&quot; Substance was an important album in terms of collecting the group&apos;s 12&quot; singles onto CD for the first time and featured new versions of &quot;Temptation&quot; and &quot;Confusion&quot; (referred to as &quot;Temptation &apos;87&quot; and &quot;Confusion &apos;87&quot;). A second disc featured several of the B-sides from the singles on the first disc, as well as additional A-sides &quot;Procession&quot; and &quot;Murder&quot; and another new song, &quot;1963.&quot; The album&apos;s main single, &quot;True Faith,&quot; with its surreal video, became a hit on MTV and the band&apos;s first American top 40 hit. The song&apos;s B-side, &quot;1963,&quot; (originally planned on being the A-side until the group&apos;s label convinced them to release &quot;True Faith&quot; instead) would later be released as a single in its own right several years later.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Technique</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">By this time, the group was heavily influenced by the Balearic house sounds of Ibiza and the acid house tunes making their way into the Haçienda. Technique was released in February 1989. The album entered the charts at number one in the UK and contained a mix of the acid house influence (as on &quot;Fine Time,&quot; the opening track) and a more traditional guitar-bass-drums sound on others (such as the single &quot;Run&quot;). The album is a blend of occasionally upbeat, accessible music coupled with blunt, poignant lyrics inspired by Sumner&apos;s failed marriage.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Several tracks on this album have attained seminal status. For example, &quot;Vanishing Point&quot; was used as the theme tune to the BBC1 TV series Making Out - for which the band also composed additional incidental music.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">New Order recorded the official song of the England national football team&apos;s 1990 World Cup campaign, &quot;World in Motion,&quot; under the ad-hoc band name EnglandNewOrder. The song, co-written with comedian Keith Allen (father of Lily Allen), was a number one UK hit, and the now-famous John Barnes rap was also recorded by Paul Gascoigne and Peter Beardsley. These versions have not been made available for release.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">At around the same time, Bernard Sumner teamed up with fellow Mancunian Johnny Marr for the Electronic project (also enlisting the help of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys), while Peter Hook started a project called Revenge, each of them leaving New Order but continuing to make New Order-style recordings.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Unusually for such a major group, New Order never had a formal contract with their label Factory Records. (This was in fact the label&apos;s standard practice until the mid-1980s. According to Factory&apos;s co-founder Tony Wilson, &quot;All our bands are free to fuck off whenever they please.&quot;) Because of this, the group (rather than Factory Records) legally owned all their own recorded material. This has often been cited, not least by Wilson himself, as the main reason London Records&apos; offer to buy the ailing label in 1992 fell through.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Republic and Band Hiatus</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Republic, released around the world in 1993, was the band&apos;s first album release since parting company with the now-defunct Factory Records. It featured an ultimately polished, inoffensive sound, but with a somber edge. The release spawned the singles &quot;Regret&quot; (their highest-charting single in the US), &quot;Ruined in a Day,&quot; &quot;World,&quot; and &quot;Spooky.&quot; Following the release of Republic, the band put New Order on hold, whilst each member continued on with their own side-projects: Sumner once again teamed up with Johnny Marr in Electronic for Raise the Pressure. Karl Bartos (formerly of Kraftwerk) also assisted with this record. Sumner also collaborated with the Chemical Brothers on &quot;Out Of Control,&quot; a track from their album Surrender; Hook formed the band Monaco with former Revenge member David Potts; and Morris and Gilbert formed the aptly named The Other Two.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1994, a second singles collection was released, entitled The Best of New Order. It featured all of the band&apos;s singles since Substance as well as a few extra tracks: &quot;Vanishing Point&quot; (from 1989&apos;s Technique), &quot;The Perfect Kiss,&quot; &quot;Thieves like Us,&quot; &quot;Shellshock,&quot; and remixed versions of &quot;True Faith,&quot; &quot;Bizarre Love Triangle,&quot; and &quot;1963.&quot; The remixes of &quot;True Faith&quot; and &quot;1963&quot; were released as singles to promote the album. In the US, the tracklisting was altered to set it apart from Substance as well as the UK release of The Best of New Order which had been available months prior. This collection was followed by a remix album, The Rest of New Order, featuring a selection of old remixes and newly-commissioned mixes of classic New Order tracks. Some versions contained an extra disc/cassette composed entirely of remixes of &quot;Blue Monday.&quot; &quot;Blue Monday&quot; was again trotted out as a single for a third time in order to promote the collection.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group reconvened in 1998 at the suggestion of Rob Gretton. Nearly five years had passed since they had last seen each other. Sumner said &quot;we decided before we agreed to doing any gig, to have a meeting, and if anyone had any grudges to bear, to iron them out.&quot; By the second meeting everyone agreed to continue playing, scheduling their reunion gig for the Phoenix Festival that same year. In addition to rarer songs, New Order also decided to begin playing Joy Division songs again. Since then, Joy Division songs have appeared regularly in New Order&apos;s setlists. When the Phoenix Festival was cancelled due to low ticket sales, New Order instead played the second night of that year&apos;s Reading Festival.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Get Ready</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their 2001 release Get Ready largely departed from their more electronic style and focused on the guitar. According to Sumner, &quot;Get Ready was guitar-heavy simply because we felt that we&apos;d left that instrument alone for a long time.&quot; Longtime fan Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins played guitar and sang back-up on the track &quot;Turn My Way,&quot; and in 2001 toured with the band, deputising for Gillian. Primal Scream&apos;s Bobby Gillespie provided vocals on the track &quot;Rock the Shack.&quot; Singles from the album included &quot;Crystal,&quot; &quot;60 Miles an Hour,&quot; and &quot;Someone Like You.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2002, Q magazine featured New Order on their list of the &quot;50 Bands to See Before You Die,&quot; although this was as part of a sub-list of &quot;5 Bands That Could Go Either Way&quot;. Both New Order and Joy Division were portrayed in the Michael Winterbottom film 24 Hour Party People, depicting the rise and fall of Factory Records as seen through the eyes of label founder Tony Wilson. Cameos by Wilson himself, along with Mark E. Smith of The Fall and former members of The Stone Roses and Inspiral Carpets, lent a degree of legitimacy to the proceedings. The film touched on some of Factory&apos;s other artists, including Happy Mondays and The Durutti Column. The soundtrack featured a collaboration between New Order and the Chemical Brothers entitled &quot;Here To Stay,&quot; which was released as a single. The DVD release of the single highlighted scenes taken from the film.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Waiting for the Sirens&apos; Call and Singles</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band released a new album on March 27, 2005, entitled Waiting for the Sirens&apos; Call, their first with new member Phil Cunningham. Cunningham replaced Gilbert (now married to Morris) so she could look after her children. Singles from this album were &quot;Krafty,&quot; &quot;Jetstream&quot; (which features guest vocals by Ana Matronic from the Scissor Sisters), and the title track. According to Peter Hook, the band wrote and recorded enough material during the sessions for this album to release a follow-up in the near future. As 2006 drew to a close, no new album had been released. At the 2005 NME awards, New Order received the award for &quot;Godlike Geniuses&quot; (for lifetime achievement). Previous winners include Ozzy Osbourne, The Clash, and the Happy Mondays. In 2006 the album track &quot;Guilt Is a Useless Emotion&quot; was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Dance Recording.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the autumn of 2005, the group released another greatest hits compilation, in the form of Singles. The two-disc release was an updated version of the Substance collection and contained every single released from their 1981 debut all the way through to &quot;Waiting for the Sirens&apos; Call&quot;. However, unlike Substance, which focused almost exclusively on the 12&quot; versions of the group&apos;s singles, Singles collected the 7&quot; versions, many of which (like Ceremony, Temptation and Confusion) had never been released on CD. The album was accompanied by a two-disc DVD set, entitled &apos;Item&apos;, that collected the extended UK version of NewOrderStory with a DVD of all New Order music videos as well as two newly commissioned videos for Temptation &apos;87 and Ceremony.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Hook&apos;s Departure</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006, the band played several one-off live dates as well as short tours in the UK and Brazil. At the end a show in Buenos Aires in November 2006, Peter Hook suggested that the band should stop touring.  Rumours spread that the band was breaking up, but in January of 2007 Stephen Morris denied the rumours, commenting, &quot;It&apos;s the first I&apos;ve heard of it.&quot; Morris added they were working on a new album as well as preparing for the release of Control, the upcoming Ian Curtis biopic.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">However, in early May 2007, bassist Peter Hook was interviewed by British radio station XFM — originally to talk about his contribution to the debut album of former Jane&apos;s Addiction singer Perry Farrell&apos;s new band Satellite Party — and when asked &quot;Is New Order over now?&quot; replied, &quot;Yeah, me and Bernard [Sumner] aren&apos;t working together.&quot; The interviewer appeared unconvinced because, as he said, the band had split up and reunited numerous times before. Hook promptly added that &quot;Bernard went off for a break with Electronic, but it was different then.&quot; The interviewer flipped that the band would be working together again shortly anyways, to which Hook, sounding somewhat desperate, replied &quot;No-one believes me... it&apos;s like The Boy Who Cried Wolf!&quot; Hook further commented on the band&apos;s breakup on his MySpace page: &quot;I&apos;m relieved... Really hated carryin&apos; on as normal with an awful secret, so let&apos;s move on, shall we?&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Further complicating the news, NewOrderOnline, a website with support from New Order management, reported that, according to &quot;a source close to the band,&quot; &quot;the news about the split is false... New Order still exists despite what [Hook] said [....] Peter Hook can leave the band, but this doesn&apos;t mean the end of New Order.&quot; Hook mocked the &quot;source close to the band&quot; in a blog entry he made after returning from Cannes, where the group attended the premiere of the Ian Curtis biopic Control, writing &quot;Well, who could be closer to the band than me! I love these unnamed sources, or shall we call them cowards, eh?&quot; Hook also reiterated that New Order had split in various interviews.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">However, on July 20, 2007, Morris and Sumner released a further statement claiming that New Order would continue without Hook, expressing their stance on the on-off break-up situation. The statement read, &quot;After 30 years in a band together we are very disappointed that Hooky has decided to go to the press and announce unilaterally that New Order have split up. We would have hoped that he could have approached us personally first. He does not speak for all the band, therefore we can only assume he no longer wants to be a part of New Order.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">NME.Com reported on 31st July 2007 that Peter Hook had posted a message on his MySpace blog, claiming he would take steps to prevent Morris and Sumner continuing as New Order, writing &quot;This group [New Order] has split up! You are no more New Order than I am! You may have two thirds, but don&apos;t assume you have the rights to do anything &apos;New Order-ey&apos;, because you don&apos;t. I&apos;ve still got a third! But I&apos;m open to negotiation.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the wake of Tony Wilson&apos;s death and rumours of New Order &quot;reforming&quot; with Hook, Hook recently wrote on his MySpace blog that &quot;in a conversation with Oliver Wilson about a tribute gig for his father, he asked me what the chances were of getting New Order to perform. I said, &apos;Seeing as we have just split up, pretty slim.&apos; He then said to me, &apos;If I could get the others to agree, would you do it?&apos; I said, &apos;In honour of your father, I&apos;d do anything.&apos;&quot; He added that &quot;this means I would sell the popcorn, take the tickets, sweep up after, play bass in New Order/Joy Division/Crawling Chaos.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Aesthetics</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Both New Order and Joy Division were among the most successful artists on the Factory Records label, run by Granada television personality Tony Wilson, and partnered with Factory in the financing of the Manchester club The Haçienda. The band rarely gave interviews in the &apos;80s, later ascribing this to not wanting to discuss Curtis. This, along with the Peter Saville sleeve designs and the tendency to give short performances with no encores, gave New Order a reputation as standoffish. The band became more open in the &apos;90s; for example, the aforementioned NewOrderStory (and in particular the longer UK version) featured extensive personal interviews.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their music has trodden the line between the rock and dance genres, which can be seen on signature tracks such as &quot;True Faith&quot; and &quot;Temptation&quot;. This synthesis laid down the groundwork for dance/rock groups of today. The group&apos;s album art earned them the status of icons in the alternative community, and have shown considerable longevity.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">They have heavily influenced techno, and were themselves influenced by the likes of Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire and Giorgio Moroder, and they have also significantly influenced electro, freestyle and house. Bassist Peter Hook contributed to New Order&apos;s sound by developing an idiosyncratic bass guitar technique. He often used the bass as a lead instrument, playing melodies on the high strings with a signature heavy chorus effect, leaving the &quot;actual&quot; basslines to keyboards or sequencers. This has often been the defining characteristic of the New Order sound.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Drummer Stephen Morris regularly played a mixture of acoustic and electronic drums, and in many cases played along seamlessly with sequenced parts. All the band members could and did switch instruments throughout gigs, as evidenced on Jonathan Demme&apos;s video for &quot;The Perfect Kiss&quot; and the fairly common Taras Shevchenko and Pumped Full of Drugs concert videos. In particular, every member could be seen playing keyboards at times. (Taras Shevchenko is especially notable for the fact all four members of the group have left the stage before the final song (&quot;Temptation&quot;) comes to an end.)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Album covers</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">New Order albums, and Factory Records products in general, frequently bore the minimalist packaging of Peter Saville. The group&apos;s record sleeves bucked the 1980s trend by rarely showing the band members (the Low-Life album was the exception) or even providing basic information such as the band name or the title of the release. Song names were often hidden within the shrink wrapped package, either on the disc itself (such as the &quot;Blue Monday&quot; single) or on an inconspicuous part of an inner sleeve (&quot;The Perfect Kiss&quot; single), or a cryptic colour code invented by Saville (Power Corruption &amp; Lies). Saville said his intention was to sell the band as a &quot;mass-produced secret&quot; of sorts, and that the minimalist style was enough to allow fans to identify the band&apos;s products without explicit labelling. </FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/New%20Order.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">New Order are an English rock group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner (vocals, guitars, synthesizers), Peter Hook (bass, b...'),(12,'Pet Shop Boys','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Pet Shop Boys are a Grammy Award nominated British synthpop/pop music/electronic music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant who provides main vocals, keyboards and very occasionally guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards and occasionally on vocals. The duo write the vast majority of their songs and have also written songs for other artists.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Pet Shop Boys have sold more than 50 million records worldwide. The longevity of their career is generally attributed to their ability to create melodic and interesting pop/dance music. Since 1986, they have had thirty-nine Top 30 singles and twenty-two Top 10 hits in the UK, including four number ones: &quot;West End Girls&quot;, &quot;It&apos;s a Sin&quot;, &quot;Always On My Mind&quot; and &quot;Heart&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Pet Shop Boys were very successful in the United States in the mid-1980s, with &quot;West End Girls&quot; reaching number one. Their last Top 40 single, &quot;Domino Dancing&quot;, reached number 18 on the US pop chart in 1988. Since then, they have continued to enjoy cult and club success in the USA and are the fourth-most successful dance artists ever in the USA Billboard dance charts, behind Madonna, Donna Summer and Janet Jackson with eight Billboard Dance number ones. Pet Shop Boys have undertaken four world tours in 1991, 1999-2000, 2002 and 2006-2007. During each tour they performed a long series of concerts in the USA.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Pet Shop Boys&apos; most recent studio album, Fundamental, was released on the Parlophone label on 22 May 2006. The album peaked at number five in the UK and in the rest of Europe at number two, marking a strong return to the charts. The album&apos;s first single, &quot;I&apos;m with Stupid&quot; was released in the UK on 8 May 2006, reaching number eight in the UK Singles Chart. In December 2006, the duo was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Dance Recording (&quot;I&apos;m with Stupid&quot;) and Best Electronic/Dance Album (Fundamental).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In July 2007, Pet Shop Boys signed a new deal with Parlophone Records. They originally signed to the label in 1985 followed by a renegotiation in 1990. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe commented: “It’s over 20 years since we originally signed to EMI and we’re very happy to be continuing our relationship with them”. Miles Leonard, Parlophone’s MD says: “What Pet Shop Boys are doing is unique. They continue to be at the vanguard of pop culture, constantly surprising and thrilling us with their every move. We are extremely pleased to have them on the label.”</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Pet_Shop_Boys.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Pet Shop Boys are a Grammy Award nominated British synthpop/pop music/electronic music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant wh...'),(13,'Hellsing','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Hellsing is an anime TV series produced by Gonzo, based on the manga of the same name by Kouta Hirano. The name is either a mistranslation or deliberate alternate spelling of Helsing, as in Abraham Van Helsing from the Bram Stoker novel Dracula.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The 13-episode TV series was produced in 2001, with the story and characters quite different from the original manga. The TV series was broadcast on Fuji Television in Japan from October 10, 2001 to January 16, 2002 and in the U.S. on Starz!&apos;s Encore Action channel from October 4, 2003 to December 27, 2003.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Hellsing.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Hellsing is an anime TV series produced by Gonzo, based on the manga of the same name by Kouta Hirano. The name is either...'),(14,'Narcotic Thrust','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Narcotic Thrust is an electronic and house music duo from England consisting of producers Stuart Crichton and Andy Morris.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their song Safe From Harm hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 2002, featuring the lead vocals of Yvonne John Lewis, was also the first track released on Deep Dish&apos;s Yoshitoshi Records to top the US dance chart.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In late 2004 Narcotic Thrust saw even greater success when their single &quot;I Like It&quot; broke into the Billboard Pop chart at #83 and the UK Top 10. The song also bubbled under the Hot 100.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band&apos;s third single in 2005 called &quot;When the Dawn Breaks&quot; featured a male singer, Ika, for the first time.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">One of the version of the releases contains 9 songs, 3 mixes of &quot;When the Dawn Breaks&quot;, 3 for &quot;I Like It&quot; and 3 for &quot;Safe from Harm&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The name Narcotic Thrust is an anagram of Stuart Crichton.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Narcotic Thrust have also made well-known remixes of The Sound of Violence by Cassius featuring Steve Edwards and Red Blooded Woman by Kylie Minogue.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Narcotic-6.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Narcotic Thrust is an electronic and house music duo from England consisting of producers Stuart Crichton and Andy Morris...'),(15,'Velvet','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Jenny Marielle Pettersson (born November 5, 1975), professionally known as Velvet is a Swedish pop singer.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2005 Velvet released her first single - a cover version of &quot;Rock Down To (Electric Avenue)&quot;, which became a big hit in Sweden and internationally.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Followed by the minor-success song &quot;Don&apos;t Stop Moving&quot; in 2006 Velvet released her third single - &quot;Mi Amore&quot;, which became a big hit in several European countries, including Sweden, Poland and Bulgaria.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Later in 2006 she released her debut album, called Finally.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A fourth single was released in 2007 named &quot;Fix Me&quot;. The song is included on the re-release of her debut album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A fifth single was released in August 2007 named &quot;Chemistry&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Velvet&apos;s sound is comparable to that of fellow Euro acts Alcazar and September.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/velvet.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Jenny Marielle Pettersson (born November 5, 1975), professionally known as Velvet is a Swedish pop singer.</FONT></P></TE...'),(16,'September','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">September is the stage name of Swedish singer Petra Marklund, born 1984.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">As stated on September&apos;s Myspace page: &quot;Petra Marklund was born determined. By the time she was twelve, she was already in studios recording. At seventeen, she was singing in a rock band and when she graduated from Swedish high school, at a time when most teenagers worry about what to wear to their interviews for a job at McDonalds, Petra had already nailed a record deal. A big one. Calling herself September, the then 18-year old had hits like &quot;La la la (Never give it up)&quot;, &quot;We can do it&quot; and &quot;September all over&quot;. The songs were written and produced by dynamic hit making trio Jonas von der Burg, Niclas von der Burg and Anoo Bhagavan, and with Petra, they made a great team where Petra found exactly the kind of high-quality dance music she was looking for to make. While danceable and catchy, the songs always have its base in Petra&apos;s dark, surprisingly sad voice that lingers in your ears, making them stick out from the hit parades on the radio.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/September.jpg',53,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">September is the stage name of Swedish singer Petra Marklund, born 1984.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"...'),(17,'Vanilla Ninja','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Vanilla Ninja is a three-piece Estonian girl band which has enjoyed chart success in a number of countries across Europe, especially in Germany and Austria.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group was formed in 2002 and released their self-titled debut album Vanilla Ninja, containing songs in both English and Estonian, the following year. Since their debut single &quot;Club Kung Fu&quot; was released in 2003, the girls have had many hits in Central Europe, including &quot;Tough Enough&quot;, &quot;When the Indians Cry&quot;, &quot;Blue Tattoo&quot; and &quot;I Know&quot;. They have also entered national selections for the Eurovision Song Contest twice, failing the first time but proving successful in Switzerland with the song &quot;Cool Vibes&quot;. The group then finished 8th in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 final, despite topping the leader board at the half-way stage. Vanilla Ninja are very popular in their native Estonia and have had a brand of both ice cream and kohuke named after them, marketed exclusively in their homeland due to their celebrity status in Estonia.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group have so far released four albums in various countries across Europe; Vanilla Ninja was released in 2003, Traces of Sadness in 2004, and Blue Tattoo and Best Of (though not by themselves; see that article) in 2005. The group&apos;s fourth album, Love is War, was released in May 2006.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band were originally a four-piece group consisting of Maarja Kivi, Lenna Kuurmaa, Katrin Siska and Piret Järvis. Maarja Kivi left the group in 2004 and was replaced by Triinu Kivilaan. In December 2005 Triinu Kivilaan also left the group to start a solo career and finish school, and the band have decided to continue as a three-piece act.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Vanilla Ninja has a growing cult fan base in many European countries, Japan, U.S.A., U.K. Australia, and more. Numerous fan web sites have been established in different countries, and tribute videos posted on YouTube.com and others alike.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Formation, Eurovision and Debut Album</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Vanilla Ninja were formed in 2002 as a four-piece girl band. The original line-up consisted of Maarja Kivi (vocals/bass), Lenna Kuurmaa (vocals/guitar), Katrin Siska (vocals/keyboard) and Piret Järvis (vocals/guitar). Although all of the members were effectively vocalists, the main vocalist would often change between Kivi and Kuurmaa. At the time of formation the group&apos;s producer was Sven Lõhmus, a well-respected figure in the Baltic countries.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Early in 2002 Kivi had participated in Eurolaul, Estonia&apos;s Eurovision pre-selection contest, but had finished 7th. Due to her participation in Eurolaul she was chosen to front the band, which subsequently gained some exposure early on in their existence, despite none of the other members having had any previous national success in their career. Kivi had been friends with Kuurmaa for some time before the formation of the group, whilst Järvis and Siska had performed together in the past. Despite this, the group is occasionally labelled as a &quot;manufactured band&quot; by the media.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2003 the group participated in Estonian ESC preselection &apos;Eurolaul 2003&apos;. Performing the song &quot;Club Kung Fu&quot; the group proved to be by far the most popular in the phone polls, but unlike other countries, Estonia used a jury to decide the song for Eurovision instead of the televote. The jury, which included figures such as Michael Ball, proved to not share the opinion expressed by the televoters and placed the girls in joint 9th place (essentially bottom, seeing as there were ten entrants).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The participation and popularity of the song, however, helped the group and created exposure for the release of their debut album, Vanilla Ninja, released in May 2003. Containing the original version of the song &quot;Club Kung Fu&quot;, along with a drum and bass remix and thirteen new pop-rock tracks in English and Estonian, the album proved to be a success in Estonia and launched the girls in to the national mainstream, pushing the group to seek international success in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Expansion Into Europe</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following a successful debut in Estonia, Vanilla Ninja have launched themselves as a band in three German speaking countries of Europe — Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The girls did not release their debut album or &quot;Club Kung Fu&quot; in these countries, instead opting for a new track called &quot;Tough Enough&quot;. Proving to again be a pop-rock track, although with less of a &apos;novelty&apos; style to it, the song was released in Germany on December 8, 2003, and then later in Austria and Switzerland on January 4 and February 8, 2004 respectively. It proved to be a success, gaining large amounts of airplay on the popular VIVA music video channel, and making the top twenty in both Germany and Austria. The single also featured in the dance mat games Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 2 and In The Groove.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following the success of their debut single the girls released &quot;Club Kung Fu&quot; in Germany, and then a third single, &quot;Don&apos;t Go Too Fast&quot;, in both Germany and Austria on April 4 and April 5 (and in Switzerland during March, although it missed the top 100). The latter just missed the top twenty in both countries, and was followed up by their second album Traces of Sadness in June 2004. The album included &quot;Tough Enough&quot; and &quot;Don&apos;t Go Too Fast&quot;, as well as numerous other tracks, such as &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot; and &quot;Liar&quot;. &quot;Liar&quot;, along with the album track &quot;Metal Queen&quot; have also both featured in the Drummania series of drumming games.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Eurovision for Switzerland</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Despite not having as much chart success in Switzerland as in Austria and Germany, the girls had become increasingly popular with the Swiss public. Their chart performance had also been improving, with the Traces Of Sadness album making #14, but despite that no-one would have expected the shock announcement that the group would represent Switzerland in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest. The Swiss selectors had suffered several years of poor results in the Eurovision, culminating in &apos;nul points&apos; for Piero and the Musicstars in the 2004 semi-final, and so looked to the group due to their popularity in both Switzerland and various other European countries. The announcement angered some people, especially Estonians, who felt that the group should represent their home country and not a country that they have minor connections to. In Switzerland some also opposed the selection, again on the basis that none of the group were Swiss. The selectors responded by stating that the song would still have a Swiss component due to it being mostly written by David Brandes. Ironically, although Brandes was born in Switzerland and went to school there, he is essentially German.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their selection and participation in the contest was put into jeopardy soon after the announcement, though, after Maarja Kivi left the group due to becoming pregnant with her first child. Her replacement was Triinu Kivilaan, who at the time was only 15 years old. Their participation was put into doubt due to regulations stating that competitors must be at least 16 years old, a rule introduced to eliminate participants such as the 13-year-old 1986 Eurovision winner Sandra Kim. Kivilaan had in fact initially claimed to be 17 years old, but the Swiss selectors doubted this and eventually found out her true birth date was January 13, 1989.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It began to look as if Vanilla Ninja would not represent Switzerland in 2005, but the Swiss selectors decided not to reverse the selection, on the basis that Kivilaan would turn 16 before the contest. There was no danger of the EBU blocking their participation, because their own age rule specified a cut-off date of the contest itself, whereas national selectors could tweak their age regulations to their own liking. This annoyed some, who felt that the selectors had acted in a heavy-handed manner by selecting Vanilla Ninja.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Further Chart Success</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following the Eurovision selection the group went on to continue their success in Europe, releasing the single &quot;Liar&quot;. The single scraped into the top twenty in Germany and Austria, but performed disappointingly in Switzerland (reaching only #43 despite the announcement regarding Eurovision 2005). The following single, however, would prove to be their biggest hit to date and would launch them into the German top ten for the first time. &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot;, their fifth Central European single, would be the groups first slow, soft, ballad-like song. The music video would also be the first to feature Triinu Kivilaan, with previous videos featuring Maarja Kivi. Kivilaan proved to fit into the group well, looking older than her age of 15 and silencing critics who believed she would be out of place in a girl band up to five years older than her. Incidentally, one of the reasons that Kivilaan was chosen to replace Kivi was due to their similar appearance, making it easy to mix the two up. The song would be Vanilla Ninja&apos;s first ballad, featuring a slow tempo, unlike most previous songs which had been fairly upbeat. It proved to be a hit, reaching #8 in the German charts in September 2004, #7 in the Austrian charts and #27 in the Swiss charts (which had not reacted as expected to their selection for Eurovision).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">With the song putting them into the German chart mainstream, and gaining huge airplay on the music video channel VIVA, Vanilla Ninja would begin to become one of the biggest acts in Germany. The follow-up to &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot;, a new track called &quot;Blue Tattoo&quot; and in a similar style to their previous release, would also reach the German top ten whilst making the Austrian top twenty and Swiss top thirty.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>The Third Album</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following the success of the &quot;Blue Tattoo&quot; single in November and December 2004, the group would take a three month break from releasing material in order to tour Asia. In 2004 the group had reportedly set an ambitious target of &quot;conquering the world&quot;, and the tour proved to be successful in helping them to begin to do that, winning new fans in countries such as Japan, China, Malaysia and Thailand. The group also played a key role in VIVA&apos;s 2004 &quot;Your Stars For Christmas&quot; show, singing a re-worded version of &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot; called &quot;The Light Of Hope&quot; written by Samedin Rovcanin,young author from Serbia. This version exceeded 4. place on MTV top 10 list in March 2006.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In may 2007 the group returned to the charts, releasing a new song called &quot;I Know&quot;, which featured a mildly controversial video based around domestic abuse. The song was again successful, peaking at #13 in Germany and #17 in Austria. Two weeks after its release their third album, Blue Tattoo, was released in various European countries and proved to be as successful as the previous album, charting at #4 in Germany and, unsurprisingly (as it included the Eurovision song &quot;Cool Vibes&quot;), Switzerland.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">During their hiatus in order to tour Asia the Swiss Eurovision song had been completed and had been announced as being called &quot;Cool Vibes&quot;. A short song, in order to comply with Eurovision regulations, the track received mixed response. Many saw it to be a good pop-rock song, but many believed it was not the girls&apos; best, and that it was not the type of song suitable for Eurovision.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The song failed to get off to a good start, though, as the song was banned from the German charts after writer and producer David Brandes was accused of manipulating the charts by buying thousands of copies of his artist&apos;s singles. Among the songs he had allegedly bought many copies of were the groups &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot; single, and the German Eurovision entry &quot;Run and Hide&quot; by Gracia. Soon after Gracia was fired by her record company, and the two artists (along with Virus Incorporation) were banned from the charts for initially three weeks. The girls came out unaffected, although it would be a blow for the songwriter and may have meant the high position of &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot; was helped by the mass-buying of singles by Brandes.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Eurovision 2005</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Due to Switzerland&apos;s last place in the semi-final of the 2004 contest, Vanilla Ninja had to compete in the Eurovision semi-final on May 19, 2005. Against artists such as Wig Wam, Luminita Anghel and Zdob şi Zdub the competition was difficult, but the group progressed to the final and were given good odds of 10/1 for winning the contest. The group&apos;s performance in the final on May 21 was, according to some, not as good as it could have been, although those criticising the performance also criticised the song (believing a song similar to &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot; or even &quot;Club Kung Fu&quot; would have been better).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the voting, however, the group did well in the early stages. Despite not representing their native Estonia, their home country responded well and gave the group the full 12 points (Estonia&apos;s entry, Suntribe&apos;s &quot;Let&apos;s Get Loud&quot;, had been eliminated in the semi-final). Latvia also gave the group 12 points, whilst Germany rather surprisingly only gave them four. Austrian voters were even less impressed by the performance, not giving any points to the group at all.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Despite leading at the one-third stage, Vanilla Ninja eventually slipped down the leader board and finished 8th. The result allowed Switzerland to achieve their best result for years and automatic qualification for next year&apos;s final, but for the group it was a disappointment considering their popularity and good odds for winning the contest.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Post-Eurovision, Split From Brandes and Fourth/Fifth Album</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On June 12, 2005 the group released &quot;Cool Vibes&quot; in Switzerland, the single charting at number 17. Despite failing to make the top ten, a surprise as the girls represented Switzerland, the release became their best-placed Swiss single release yet. The single was not released in Germany initially, possibly due to the April 2005 allegations that David Brandes manipulated the chart placing of several of his songs, including &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot; by Vanilla Ninja, which resulted in a short ban from the charts for the group. However, on July 2, the single charted in Germany at the comparatively poor position of #42, and in Austria at #70.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In a May 2005 interview with the Baltic Times, the group attempted to distance themselves from the pop music genre. Piret Järvis told the newspaper that the group &quot;started out with a pop-rock style of music&quot;. The band also claimed that their music is gradually become heavier and more typical of the rock genre.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following the arguably disappointing performance of the &quot;Cool Vibes&quot; single, the group stopped releasing singles from their Blue Tattoo album, instead concentrating on touring commitments. By the second half of 2005 it would become clear that the group was starting to have problems with their record label, Bros Music, and their manager David Brandes. Since moving from the TOP TEN label the group had suffered from problems such as the scandal of Brandes buying their singles in bulk to boost chart positions, with the label also suffering problems (such as being &apos;booted out&apos; of the Sony BMG Music Entertainment group). The problems escalated toward the end of 2005 when the girls parted company with Bros Music and Brandes, moving to the EMI-owned Capitol Music label. According to press releases from the group&apos;s new management, their relationship with Bros Music and Brandes is now &quot;hostile&quot;, and any future affiliation with their former manager is therefore unlikely. Brandes himself has claimed that their career &quot;is over&quot;, and that their new management company are &quot;amateurs&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">After leaving Bros Music, the group began work on what was intended to be their fourth album. Bros Music, however, released a ninth single, &quot;Megamix&quot;, in December 2005, along with a &quot;greatest hits&quot; album Best Of. According to the girls, they were not consulted about the release of the single or the album, with Järvis asking fans to not buy either release. This, along with the lack of promotion on Bros part, made both the single and album a flop (the single only made the lower reaches of the Swiss and German charts, failing to make the Austrian Top 100 at all, with the album making #70 in Switzerland and failing to chart elsewhere). The band&apos;s not knowing about the releases was further backed up by 2004 promotional photos being used for the CD covers, with Maarja Kivi appearing, despite leaving the group over a year beforehand. Kivi&apos;s appearance has also been claimed by some to be clever promotion on the part of Brandes, as Kivi is now signed to Bros as a solo artist.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Shortly after the failure of their uncommissioned single and album releases, the group announced that Triinu Kivilaan was leaving the group, with Kuurmaa, Siska and Järvis continuing as a trio. According to the remaining members of Vanilla Ninja, Kivilaan left because of the stress of being in the group, and to concentrate on her studies. Some have still, however, suggested that her leaving may have simply been down to a lack of vocal talent, or due to a rift with the other members. Despite rumours suggesting Kivi might be rejoining the group, it seems that the group will not be adding a fourth member again.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group released their first original single for almost a year in April 2006, with &quot;Dangerzone&quot; seeing the girls retain their pop-rock sound from previous albums. The single charted on May 7, 2006 in Switzerland, peaking at #18, with the release in Germany placing one position higher. The Austrian release would also make #23, suggesting that the group is likely to continue the success that Traces of Sadness and Blue Tattoo had in Central Europe. Meanwhile, the girl&apos;s fifth album Love is War is expected to be released in the near future.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group are extremely popular in their native Estonia, with the girls seen as a-list celebrities in the Baltic countries. The three members are also seen as something of sex symbols in their homeland, with a 2006 poll by the Estonian magazine Kroonika voting Piret Järvis the country&apos;s most attractive female. The top five of the poll also featured Siska (2nd) and Kuurmaa (4th). Interestingly, Kivilaan was not included, despite being a former model.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Eurolaul 2007</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Vanilla Ninja participated in Eurolaul 2007, the Estonian preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, with the song &quot;Birds of Peace&quot;. They were eliminated in the first round, coming 4th, with only the top 3 progressing to the final vote.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group will participate in the Viña del Mar International Song Festival 2008 with &quot;Birds of Peace&quot;, the first entry of Estonia in the history of the most important music festival in Latin America.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Trademark Issues</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The trademark was invented by Piret Järvis and the first producer of the band, Sven Lõhmus in 2002. On the 4th of September 2007 the rights to the trademark were transferred to Oulson Outsourcing OU. On the 20th of November the trademark was put up for sale on ebay for 44,500 US dollars.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Music Videos</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Vanilla Ninja have made music videos for all of the songs they have released, although some have proved to be more popular than others. The first music video to feature Triinu Kivilaan was &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot;, with previous videos featuring the now departed Maarja Kivi. &quot;When The Indians Cry&quot;, along with &quot;Tough Enough&quot; and &quot;Blue Tattoo&quot; have been the most successful of Vanilla Ninja&apos;s videos, in terms of airplay, to date. The video for &quot;Cool Vibes&quot; is the most recent of their videos to gain airplay, featuring regularly on Central European video channels throughout June and July 2005.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">All of the girls&apos; videos have been extremely popular on German video channels, gaining airplay mainly on the popular music channel VIVA. The feat of airplay on VIVA is even more impressive due to the fact that, from late 2003 until late 2005, the girls were signed to Bros Records, distributed by Sony BMG Music, when the station has been exposed as being biased for the airplay of artists signed to rival record company Universal.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Vanilla Ninja received a considerable amount of bad publicity for their &quot;Cool Vibes&quot; video, which seemingly stole material from Deine Lakaien&apos;s video for their single &quot;Mindmachine&quot;. It should be noted, however, that there is currently no proof that the band members of Vanilla Ninja knew about the alleged stolen material. Also, according to reports in early 2006, music television stations such as VIVA and MTV have reportedly given negative feedback when shown previews of the girl&apos;s new album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Vanilla%20Ninja.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Vanilla Ninja is a three-piece Estonian girl band which has enjoyed chart success in a number of countries across Europe,...'),(18,'187 Lockdown','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">187 Lockdown were a British UK garage act, comprising Danny Harrison and Julian Jonah. The duo produced one album, with four singles releases from it, and remixed many songs towards the end of the nineties.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The song &quot;Gunman&quot; sampled from Ennio Morricone&apos;s &quot;Sixty Seconds To What&quot; from the film For a Few Dollars More.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">After their success under this name, the duo abandoned the moniker and continued to record under other aliases such as Gant, Nu-Birth and M-Factor.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.ubixonline.com/images/UbixCube.swf',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">187 Lockdown were a British UK garage act, comprising Danny Harrison and Julian Jonah. The duo produced one album, with f...'),(19,'4 Strings','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Carlo Resoort (who founded the musical group 4 Strings), born March 1, 1973, is a Dutch DJ, remixer and producer.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Carlo Resoort originally began working with Jan De Vos when they found a mutual interest in dance music. The two spent all of their free time in the studio, and later Jan went on to become &quot;DJ 4 Strings&quot; while Carlo headed 4 Strings. All of his albums as 4 Strings have been released in the U.S. via Ultra Records.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Carlo had his first hit with &quot;Turn It Around&quot;, and later released &quot;Take Me Away (Into the Night)&quot; his second hit. They had an amount of success, having been in charts in several European countries and also Canada. Success in the United States of America has been limited to this point and they have only charted on the U.S., Dance Radio Airplay, Hot Dance Singles Sales, and Rhythmic Top 40 chart. It should be noted that the Ultra.Trance 2007 album went to number seven on the Top Electronic Albums chart. This album was compiled by DJ 4 Strings, but only one of the songs is by the 4 Strings.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">4 Strings currently consists of Carlo Resoort (who mostly creates the music) and Jan Loechel (who mostly works on production and arrangement, and performs some songs) and various guest artists on vocals. In 2004, rumours surfaced of singer Vanessa van Hemert leaving the group, due to some new 4 Strings songs that were released which did not feature her. Although Resoort originally debunked the rumours, by the following year, van Hemert did leave the group.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">While Jan De Vos isn&apos;t actually a part of 4 Strings, he took up the name DJ 4 Strings and does all live performances in place of the actual group.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/4_strings.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Carlo Resoort (who founded the musical group 4 Strings), born March 1, 1973, is a Dutch DJ, remixer and producer.</FONT><...'),(20,'Eurovision','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries&apos; songs to determine the most popular song in the competition. Each country participates via one of their national EBU-member television stations, whose task it is to select a singer and a song to represent their country in the international competition.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The contest has been broadcast every year since its inauguration in 1956 and is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. It is also one of the most-watched non-sporting events in the world, with audience figures having been quoted in recent years as anything between 100 million and 600 million internationally. Eurovision has also been broadcast outside Europe to such places as Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Vietnam, and the United States, despite the fact that these countries do not compete. Since the year 2000, the Contest has also been broadcast over the Internet, with more than 74,000 people in almost 140 countries having watched the 2006 edition online.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Contest is historically known for often showcasing formulaic, orchestrated pop music. However, it has featured a vast, diverse array of songs, including such musical genres as Arab, Armenian, Balkan, Breton, Celtic, Dance, Folk, Greek, Israeli, Latin, Nordic, Pop-rap, Rock and Turkish.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Eurovision.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Unio...'),(21,'A-Teens','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The A*Teens were a pop music group from Stockholm, Sweden, formed in 1998 as an ABBA tribute called ABBA Teens and later renamed to A*Teens. The band&apos;s debut album became a success around the world and success continued with their original songs, in 2001 it was reported that the band had sold 5 million albums worldwide.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">After six years together, the band announced they would take a break in 2004 after the release of their &quot;Greatest Hits&quot; album. Each song from that album became a top twenty-hit in at least one country around the world. The split of the band was officially announced on 15 April 2006 and the band members have all started to pursue solo careers.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/ateens.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The A*Teens were a pop music group from Stockholm, Sweden, formed in 1998 as an ABBA tribute called ABBA Teens and later ...'),(22,'Ultrabeat','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ultrabeat are an electronic music production group based in Liverpool, who primarily produce dance and house music and are most famous for their 2003 massive hit Pretty Green Eyes.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their output is generally classed under the genre known as scouse house. The earlier efforts was commercial UK Vocal Trance productions. Ultrabeat release their work via the All Around The World record label. The group is comprised of Mike Di Scala, Chris Henry and Ian Redman.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Their records have been constantly supported by Scouse House and Radio City 96.7 DJ, Lee Butler, who helped launch them into stardom. He famously played their cover version of I&apos;m Not in Love on the radio, just a few hours after it was recorded.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band&apos;s debut album, called &quot;Ultrabeat - The Album&quot;, was released on September 10th 2007 and includes all of their singles and reached #8 in the UK album chart. The new single following from the album will be &quot;I Wanna Touch You&quot; released on 17th December 2007.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Ultrabeat.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ultrabeat are an electronic music production group based in Liverpool, who primarily produce dance and house music and ar...'),(23,'Kate Ryan','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Kate Ryan, born Katrien Verbeeck on July 22, 1980, in Tessenderlo, Belgium to Dutch parents, is a Belgian pop music singer/songwriter.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Early life</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ryan was born on July 22, 1980 in a small village named Tessenderlo in Belgium to Dutch parents. She grew up in a musical family, and had talent for music at a very early age. At eight years of age she had learned to play the piano and guitar, and could easily learn to play anything she heard on the radio. She had singing and piano lessons form her aunt who teaches at a conservatory, but had other interests too. She studied at an art school, specializing in jewelry design.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ryan played frequently in bars and cafés as a teenager, and one night a manager approached her, wanting her to record something in a studio. She became a member in a pop group called Melt at the age of 16. The group was active for two years but they didn&apos;t release anything commercially. When she met with producer Andy Janssens, she quit Melt and the pair began to write music together. Their debut single &quot;Scream For More&quot; was released in 2001, and it became an unexpected chart success.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Solo career</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">She gained international prominence with a cover of Mylène Farmer&apos;s &quot;Désenchantée&quot;, which was a hit on various European pop music charts. She signed with EMI Belgium and released her first album Different in 2002 exclusively in Europe. The album went Gold, selling more than 250,000 copies throughout Europe.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It became popular enough in the States that music consumers who favour dance-pop with a European flavour bought Different even though it was only available as an import title. Kate&apos;s Stateside debut single was &quot;Scream For More&quot;, released July 17, 2001, on Robbins Entertainment. It did well on dance–music radio and in nightclubs. The follow–up single, &quot;Desenchantee/U R My Love&quot; also released on Robbins, did as well on dance radio and in nightclubs, but the single sold more than the previous single.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2004, Ryan released a second album in Europe and in North America in 2005 on Water Music Records, the album named Stronger, with two more popular songs—&quot;Another Day&quot; and &quot;The Rain&quot; which were rumored to have been inspired by the twilight series. . While the album did well on the dance charts, it failed to chart on the pop charts because of poor promotion of, and interest in, the album, Stronger.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006 she represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, singing Je t&apos;adore. However, she was eliminated in the semi-final, finishing two places outside the advancing Top 10. This was unexpected, considering she was one of the top favourites for first place. Along with the elimination of entries from Estonia and Cyprus, Ryan&apos;s dismissal was one of the bigger shocks of Eurovision 2006.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It was said that on the 14 August 2006 Ryan would release &quot;Je t&apos;adore&quot; in the UK for which exclusive mixes by Credheadz were commissioned, but the release was shelved, close to the release date. It did however enjoy heavy rotation on the UK&apos;s music channels, and is still played regularly on Flaunt. &quot;Je T&apos;adore&quot; was released Stateside as an import single, where it has sold decently well among pop music lovers, especially those would like their pop music with European flavour.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The following single was &quot;Alive&quot;, taken from the album of the same name, which also features French versions of several tracks including &quot;Je T&apos;Adore&quot;, &quot;Alive&quot;, and the third single &quot;All For You&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Kate is currently promoting her new double A-side single &quot;Voyage Voyage&quot;/&quot;We All Belong&quot;. The track &quot;Voyage, Voyage&quot; is a cover of the European smash hit by Desireless, and &quot;We All Belong&quot; was selected as the official anthem for the Eurogames 2007. Kate has recently said that she hopes to release her fourth studio album in early 2008.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/kate%20ryan.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Kate Ryan, born Katrien Verbeeck on July 22, 1980, in Tessenderlo, Belgium to Dutch parents, is a Belgian pop music singe...'),(24,'Dune','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Dune is a German Rave/Techno/progressive trance band.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band formed in 1995 and divided with the departure of Verena von Strenge, their lead singer, in 2000, before they could release their album Reunion (the album was never released due to a court order that stopped the single &quot;Heaven&quot;).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">After a short break Dune announced not only the new single &quot;Dark Side Of The Moon&quot; but also the return of Verena von Strenge - from now on next to Dune&apos;s front man Oliver Froning again.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Dune.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Dune is a German Rave/Techno/progressive trance band.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\">...'),(25,'Bubbles','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Bubbles is a Swedish girl group, also known as Bless.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">They are mostly popular in Sweden although one of their songs was included in the motion picture Ice Age. Their first major hit was &quot;Happy Girl&quot; which got to #6 on Swedish charts. Although it was also released in Australia as a single and on a compilation, it failed to chart. Their second single, &quot;Rock the World&quot;, managed to get up to #2 in the Swedish charts. They also went on tour between 2000 and 2004 with some big turnouts.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group has tried on Melodifestivalen, Sweden&apos;s selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, twice in hope of becoming the Swedish entry to the contest. Their best result was 9th place in the Final of Melodifestivalen 2003.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Bubbles.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Bubbles is a Swedish girl group, also known as Bless.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\">...'),(26,'FLCL','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">FLCL (Furi Kuri, also Fooly Cooly) is an anime OVA series co-produced by Gainax and Production I.G.. The series was created and directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, and written by Yōji Enokido.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Furi Kuri follows Naota Nandaba, a twelve-year-old boy living in the fictional Japanese suburb of Mabase. The industrial town houses the Medical Mechanica building, the reason for Haruko Haruhara&apos;s visit to the usually quiet suburb.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Naota&apos;s life is confined to going to school and living with his father and grandfather. The usually tranquil life in Mabase is rudely interrupted by the arrival of Haruhara Haruko, who bursts on the scene by running Naota over with her Vespa motor scooter and hitting him on the head with a Rickenbacker bass guitar. Later, Naota is shocked to find Haruko working in his house as a live-in maid.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Haruko&apos;s search for Atomsk puts her at odds with Medical Mechanica. At the same time, Naota is being watched by Commander Amarao. The Commander believes Haruko is in love with Atomsk and Medical Mechanica is out to conquer the galaxy. The fortuitous circumstances get Naota involved in a three way battle between Haruko, Amarao and Medical Mechanica.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Characters</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Nandaba Naota is the protagonist of the series, obsessed with appearing mature and attempts to act nonchalant. He idolizes his older brother Tasuku, who represents for Naota what it means to be an &quot;adult&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Haruhara Haruko is Mabase&apos;s newest resident, an extraterrestrial investigator for the Galactic Space Patrol Brotherhood. She becomes the Nandaba household maid while working to find Atomsk, the most powerful space pirate in the galaxy.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Canti is a Medical Mechanica robot. He was manufactured by Medical Mechanica, but was used to by MM to capture Atomsk. It is later revealed that Atomsk can manifest through Canti, with Naota being the catalyst.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Mamimi Samejima is a high school truant. She is lonely and depressed, adopting several pets and naming them all &quot;Ta-kun&quot; as a replacement for Naota&apos;s brother, and develops pyromaniacal tendencies. She thinks of Naota as a replacement for Tasku, befriending him, but later grows disinterested when Naota begins to show independence.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Eri Ninamori is the daughter of the mayor of Mabase and the president of Naota&apos;s sixth grade class. Ninamori is a complex character- like Naota she&apos;s obsessed with acting grown-up but she often loses her composure in anger or excitement. Ninamori is so concerned with her public image that she hides her frustrations over her parents&apos; divorce and the fact that she wears glasses.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Design</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">FLCL&apos;s odd style, hyperactive pace, convoluted, esoteric plot, and tendency to break the fourth wall sets it apart from other contemporary anime. It can be categorized as a work of comedy, drama, science fiction, romance, philosophy, poetry, and a parody of contemporary culture in general. It is an abstract designed storyline about growing up and losing the childish viewpoint of life, that all people once had, and seeing the true reality of the world.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Style</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Although most of the series is done in the standard &quot;anime&quot; style, the animation frequently veers off into other realms, including bullet time, black and white, stills, two elaborate sequences drawn as semi-animated manga and a couple of shots in episode five that recreate the look of South Park.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Cultural references</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Haruko flying on her Bass Guitar in a bunny outfit and wearing earrings is a reference to the promotional video of Daicon IV (an anime convention that took place in Osaka in the 80&apos;s). Haruko announces, &quot;Daicon five!&quot; as she rides in, in a satirical reference to the show. This animation, along with the promo video for Daicon III, were some of Gainax&apos;s very first works.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The series also references such pop culture icons as Anna Nicole Smith ,John Woo and South Park, not to mention Neon Genesis Evangelion (Gainax&apos;s most famous production), Pepsi, Lupin III,Initial D, Gundam, Tank Girl, Ashita No Joe and Hamtaro. As well as showing reference to popular Japanese anime shows such as in Haruko&apos;s eyeless smiles(a subtle nod to the way the titular character of the anime Crayon Shin-Chan smiles), the English-dubbed FLCL also shows references to &quot;The Red Hot Chili Peppers,&quot; &quot;Rage Against the Machine,&quot; &quot;Filter,&quot; &quot;Slash,&quot; &quot;Naked Lunch&quot;, and Paul McCartney, Richard Cheese, Elvis Presley, and Jimi Hendrix.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Language</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">There are some places where dialogue is different from the Japanese version, an attempt to make the dialogue easier to understand in the English translation. (Example: Haruko uses the term &quot;mouth to mouth&quot; repeatedly throughout the series, though the &quot;Th&quot; sound does not exist in Japanese, making it sound like &quot;mouse to mouse&quot;. This is used in a pun in &quot;Full Swing,&quot; when she crawls out of the Kamon puppet&apos;s mouth wearing a mouse suit.)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A common mistake by English-speaking fans is to say that the meaning of &quot;Furi Kuri&quot; in Japanese is &quot;Breast Fondling.&quot; This mistake arises from the fact that &quot;kuri kuri&quot; is occasionally used by manga artists as a sound effect for breast fondling. In the anime itself, they make references to &quot;kuri kuri&quot; during the first manga scene, when Shigekuni describes kneading bread by making hand gestures that unmistakably resemble groping motions. Due to incredibly fast pacing of the scene, many fans mistake his statement as referring to &quot;furi kuri&quot; instead of &quot;kuri kuri.&quot; Much Japanese onomatopoeia follows a pattern of being four kana long and having a sound repeated twice. &quot;Furi furi&quot; is also used as a sound effect in a later episode when Haruko is petting Naota&apos;s cat ears. FLCL&apos;s direct Japanese to English translation is: A Pretend chestnut. Kuri or chestnut can also mean to twist. It would seem the best translation might be pretend twisted(distort, pervert) or pretend disarrangment (disturb the operation or functions [,as in twisting]; also to make insane).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Regarding the Japanese that is left in and often misunderstood, the above case is further clarified by referring to the translation notes for episode one from the 25 page book with DVD one released by Synch-Point:</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">9. Chi-chi o kuri-kuri - Chi-chi means &quot;breasts&quot; or &quot;boobs&quot; in Japanese. Kuri-kuri is a twisting noise. Chi-chi also means &quot;father.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">12. Kuri - A homonym for a twisting noise and &quot;chestnut&quot;. Kamon says &quot;Like twisting...&quot; Haruko hears, &quot;like chestnuts&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Further comments in the booklets discuss the severe loss in translation of the plays made in Japanese via homonyms, synonyms, and so on. One example of trying to preserve this in English is the &quot;empty&quot;, &quot;MTV&quot; and various homonyms in English during the Kamon/Haruko manga sequence.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Media</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">FLCL was originally released in Japan as an OVA anime on six DVDs. The story was also released as a two-volume manga by artist Hajime Ueda, and a three-volume novel serialization by Yoji Enokido, who also wrote the script for the show. The first of the three novels will be released in America on March 11, 2008. All were released in Japan starting in 2000, and in 2003 in the United States. The series is sporadically run on Cartoon Network&apos;s Adult Swim. The anime has subsequently been released on DVD in North America in three volumes by Synch-Point which feature exclusive extras not on the original Japanese DVDs, of which were six volumes containing one episode each.The manga was released by TOKYOPOP in two volumes(ISBN 1-59182-396-X and ISBN 1-59182-397-8).All soundtrack discs - Addict, King of Pirates and FLCL No. 3 - were released by Geneon. The CD for King of Pirates also contains &apos;drama tracks&apos;, which continue the story in the usual joking manner, such as one segment that has Naota meeting girls with similar names to Haruko and Mamimi.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">FLCL has also been seen on Cartoon Network&apos;s Adult Swim block in North America, starting in August 2003. Starting on August 5 (as part of the late night line-up for the 4th) and continuing on four days a week for three weeks, the entire series aired twice.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The original releases of the Region 1 FLCL DVDs contained booklets with interviews and insight into the series. Later releases of these DVDs did not include the booklets. On January 24, 2007, Synch-Point re-released the series in an Ultimate Edition DVD box set. The box includes all 6 episodes on 3 discs, a bonus disc containing music and extras, sticker sheet, 6 postcards, and an Ultimate Edition Collector&apos;s booklet. First orderers of the set also received a black wristband and an order form for a T-Shirt. The set is currently out-of-stock at most retailers both major (such as Amazon.com or Best Buy) and minor (i.e. bargainanime.com or Overstock.com), and would typically sell for around 60-70 American dollars.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Manga</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The manga interprets the series with all of the key elements intact, but loses some details and changes the dialogue(One being that Canti is Atomsk).It is a much darker and more graphic take on the story , highlighting the sex and violence(Naota purposely kills his actual father with the baseball bat in a rather grisly scene because he thought Haruko and his father were sleeping together; Shinguki and an unnamed war buddy later suicide-bombed the Medical Mechanica building).The manga has also been mildly controversial for its unique art style,especially the uses of ink to roughly outline objects and shade areas. Volume 1 is more like the first two episodes while Volume 2 is more like episodes 3 through 6.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Music</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Most of the background music was written and performed by The Pillows, which has generated mass success and appreciation since the series&apos; release abroad. The ending theme is the pillows&apos; &quot;Ride on Shooting Star&quot;. Shinkichi Mitsumune wrote the rest of the music; one track was used for the dinner scene in Episode 3, and the others are on the soundtracks. Two soundtrack CDs — Addict and King of Pirates — and a one-CD &quot;best-of&quot; compilation (FLCL No. 3) were released in Japan and later in America.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Another interesting note is that the action sequences were choreographed around the individual tracks used, and not the other way around. The song Little Busters plays when Canti taps into Atomsk&apos;s power. There are also many references to guitars, which are used symbolically and physically (though rarely musically) throughout the series.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Reception</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The American reception for the series, although not widespread, has been enthusiastic following its release on Adult Swim in the summer of 2003. Anime.com also gave the series an enthusiastic review in October of that year, although there was also a minor reference to it in the September &quot;issue&quot;. In 2003, it also went on to win third place for Best Animation Film at the Fantasia Festival.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">FLCL has garnered both positive and negative reception among reviewers, sometimes diverging to extremes in both directions. Christopher McDonald of Anime News Network called it &quot;downright hilarious&quot; and &quot;visually superb&quot; with great music, citing the packaging of 2 episodes per DVD as the only weakness of Synch-Point&apos;s original release. Eric Gaede of T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews praised the animation, but described the characters as unsympathetic, the plot as incoherent, and the merger of Gainax&apos;s stylistic elements as incompatible.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It was also a success from a corporate standpoint. A Time Warner press release from August 12, 2003 lauds the success of Cartoon Network, and mentions FLCL:</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">    Animé series FLCL (Monday-Thursday, 12 a.m.) premiered with impressive numbers. [...] The Monday, Aug. 4 telecast of FLCL ranked #42 among all shows on ad-supported cable among adults 18-34.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On February 24, 2007, FLCL was nominated for &quot;Best Cast&quot;, and won &quot;Best Comedy Series&quot; and &quot;Best Short Series&quot; at the first American Anime Awards show.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the November 2007 issue of Anime Insider, FLCL was ranked 4th in their list of the best English-licensed anime of all time.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/FLCL.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">FLCL (Furi Kuri, also Fooly Cooly) is an anime OVA series co-produced by Gainax and Production I.G.. The series was creat...'),(27,'Depeche Mode','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Depeche Mode are an electronic music group formed in 1980, in Basildon, Essex, England. The group&apos;s original lineup was David Gahan (lead vocals), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andrew Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter 1980–81). Vince Clarke left the band after the release of their 1981 debut album, and was replaced by Alan Wilder (production, lead keyboards) who was a band member from 1982 to 1995. Following Wilder&apos;s departure, Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher continued as a trio.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Depeche Mode are one of the longest-lived, most successful and influential bands to have emerged from the New Romantic and New Wave era. They have had forty-four songs in the UK Singles Chart, as well as one US and two UK #1 albums.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Depeche%20Mode.jpg',51,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Depeche Mode are an electronic music group formed in 1980, in Basildon, Essex, England. The group&apos;s original lineup ...'),(28,'Novaspace','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Novaspace is a German Eurodance group. Between 2002 and 2004 they covered several 80&apos;s hits, such as Time After Time and Beds Are Burning. They reached the Top 20 of Germany, Austria and other East-European Charts.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Novaspace originated in 2002 in Stuttgart, the members are Jessica Böhrs (singer) and Felix Gauder (producer).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Jessica Böhrs was born on March 5, 1980 in Magdeburg. Jessica started her filming career in 1993 at the age of just 13. She played in many German TV-films including Die Wagenfelds and the famous German soap Marienhof in which she played the role of Melanie Neuhaus. In 2004 she went to Hollywood to play in the DreamWorks production Eurotrip.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Early Music Career</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Jessica Böhrs started singing in 1996 in the band JessVaness. She was a background-singer in some songs of Caught in the Act and Tic Tac Toe. Among other things she sang the chorus of the song &quot;Laura&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Supernova</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2002, Jessica met with Stuttgart&apos;s dance producer Felix Gauder and they formed Novaspace. Their first hit-single, Time After Time (a cover version of Cyndi Lauper&apos;s 1984 hit), went to #6 in the German charts and the video clip of this song played on MTV as well. After the success of this single, Novaspace became popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and East-European countries such as Hungary and central-Europe Czech Republic. They made many interviews and appeared on many TV-shows. In the autumn of 2002 they made their second hit single - a cover version for Mike Oldfield&apos;s 1984 #1 hit To France which was originally sung by Maggie Reilly who is also famous for the hit song Moonlight Shadow. Novaspace&apos;s version of To France became a European hit (Top 20 in Germany). Around Christmas of 2004 their third hit single Guardian Angel hit the stores, a cover version for Masquerade&apos;s 1983 #1 hit. The song became a German Top 10 hit. In January 2003, Novaspace established their first album called Supernova. The album, like the group, specialized in cover versions of hits of the 80&apos;s.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Cubes</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2003 Novaspace had another huge hit, a cover version of Bryan Adams&apos;s 1984 song &quot;Run to You&quot; This was the first single for their second album titled Cubes. This LP also contained cover versions of famous hit singles. The greatest hits of this album were &quot;Run to You&quot;, &quot;Beds Are Burning&quot; (A cover version of Midnight Oil&apos;s 1988 hit), &quot;So Lonely&quot; and &quot;Dancing with Tears in my Eyes 2004&quot; (a cover version of an Ultravox hit). A reissue of the album was made in 2005 containing the new single &quot;So Lonely&quot; and an enhanced video for the making of the &quot;So Lonely&quot; video.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>DJ Edition</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006, Novaspace released a third album called DJ Edition. This LP also served as a greatest hits album featuring many Novaspace famous hit singles in remix form. The first single released from this album was the 2006 rework of &quot;All Through The Night&quot; which was originally featured on the album &quot;Cubes&quot;. The only completely new Novaspace song on this album is the song &quot;Send Me An Angel (Seventh Heaven Mix)&quot; (a cover version of a Real Life hit). The album also featured a DVD containing all Novaspace videos: &quot;Time After Time&quot;, &quot;To France&quot;, &quot;Guardian Angel&quot;, &quot;Paradise&quot;, &quot;Run To You&quot;, &quot;Beds Are Burning&quot;, &quot;So Lonely&quot;, and &quot;Dancing With Tears In My Eyes&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Novaspace.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Novaspace is a German Eurodance group. Between 2002 and 2004 they covered several 80&apos;s hits, such as Time After Time...'),(29,'The Critic','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Critic is an American animated series that was originally broadcast on ABC in 1994 (later on FOX in 1995). The show was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who were the show runners on The Simpsons for two years. The show was produced by Gracie Films in association with Columbia Pictures Television, and was animated by Film Roman. The series revolves around the life of movie critic Jay Sherman. Each episode featured at least one or two short movie parodies based on current or recent films. Many of these parodies were featured on Jay&apos;s show Coming Attractions. Notable examples include Howard Stern&apos;s End (Howard&apos;s End), Honey, I Ate the Kids (Honey, I Shrunk the Kids/The Silence of the Lambs), The Cockroach King (The Lion King), Abe Lincoln: Pet Detective (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective), Ghandi with the Wind (Ghandi and Gone With the Wind), and Scent of a Jackass (Scent of a Woman). It also made parodies of old but well known movies such as Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory and The Godfather.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The show was canceled after two years, though nine scripts were written for the would be new network UPN and ten brief Internet only &quot;webisodes&quot; were produced later on and were included as a bonus on the DVD box set.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/TheCritic.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Critic is an American animated series that was originally broadcast on ABC in 1994 (later on FOX in 1995). The show w...'),(30,'2 Unlimited','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2 Unlimited was a Eurodance act formed in 1991. The project was the brainchild of Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde, and was fronted by a Dutch duo, rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth. During five years of enormous worldwide success, the act sold more than 18 million records.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Gringo Wallace and Bill Wildebeast met in their hometown of Antwerp, Belgium, and their first collaboration under the name of Bizz Nizz, the single &quot;Don&apos;t Miss The Party Line&quot;, was a substantial hit across Europe, including in the United Kingdom where it reached no. 7 in the national singles chart in April 1990. Its success came as a great surprise to the duo and encouraged them to continue working together.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In early 1991, a 19-year-old Ray Slijngaard was working as a chef at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Ray was a friend of Quadrophonia rapper Marvin D, and whilst attending one of their gigs he took a microphone and started to rap in order to hype up the unenthusiastic crowd. Marvin was impressed and introduced him to DeCoster and Wilde, who got him to record a rap for &quot;Money Money&quot;, a track that was being planned as a future Bizz Nizz single. Meanwhile, Anita Dels (Doth is her stage name), also 19, was an administrator in the parking ticket division of an Amsterdam police station. In her spare time she performed in a female rap group called Trouble Sisters and she was spotted by Marvin, who asked her to be a backing singer for him. Ray and Anita became good friends, and some people believe that they had a relationship. The duo always maintained at the time that their relationship was like &quot;brother and sister&quot; but in a 2002 interview, when asked by a Channel 4 reporter as to whether they had ever had a relationship, Ray replied that when a boy and a girl are on the road together &quot;things happen&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">DeCoster and Wilde created an instrumental track called &quot;Get Ready For This&quot; and they decided that it needed some vocals. They asked Ray for his input and he duly recorded a rap for it. The band was initially meant to be a solo project with Ray fronting the act but what he had added female vocals from Anita. They were so pleased with the result that they agreed to work with them as a duo, and thus 2 Unlimited was born.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Get Ready!</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">They were immediately signed to Byte Records in the Netherlands and were quickly licenced to many other record labels, including PWL Continental in the UK, run by Pete Waterman of Stock, Aitken &amp; Waterman fame, who had produced dozens of hits for the likes of Kylie Minogue and Rick Astley. However Waterman, deciding that the rap was unsuitable for the UK market, where instrumental rave music had become extremely popular, removed most of the vocals from the track except for the line &quot;y&apos;all ready for this?&quot;, which was sampled from The D.O.C.&apos;s &quot;It&apos;s Funky Enough&quot;. &quot;Get Ready For This&quot; was an instant hit, peaking at no. 2 in the chart and was the twelfth best-selling single of 1991, earning a silver sales certificate. It went on to reach no. 4 in Belgium, no. 10 in the Netherlands and no. 2 in Australia. It also worked its way up to no. 14 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A follow-up single, &quot;Twilight Zone&quot;, swiftly followed in January 1992 which also reached no. 2 in the UK, selling 234,000 copies. It went one further in the duo&apos;s homeland where it topped the chart and was certified gold, and it was also a hit in the United States where it charted at no.49 on the Hot 100. To capitalise on this immediate and unexpected success, the album Get Ready!, featuring the two singles and seven other brand new tracks including two ballads, was released on February 24. Two further singles were released, &quot;Workaholic&quot; and &quot;The Magic Friend&quot;, which helped the album go on to sell 2.6 million copies worldwide.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>No Limits</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Although Ray and Anita were sceptical about the track DeCoster and Wilde wanted to push as the lead single from the act&apos;s second album, &quot;No Limit&quot; was released in January 1993 and the repetitive nature of the song helped it become their most successful single ever, and by far the best remembered by the general public even now. The single topped the charts in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and in the United Kingdom where it sold 532,000 copies and ended up the fourth best-seller of 1993.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">&quot;Tribal Dance&quot; (containing an uncredited spoken sample by Harry Waters Jr. from the film Back to the Future) was released as a single shortly before the album No Limits hit stores in May. Three further singles were issued: &quot;Faces&quot;, which was considerably different in pace to previous releases, &quot;Maximum Overdrive&quot; and a re-recorded version of &quot;Let The Beat Control Your Body&quot;, which was changed to &quot;Let The Bass Control Your Body&quot; in France to avoid any confusion with the slang word &quot;bite&quot; (meaning &quot;penis&quot;).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">But despite the phenomenal success that the duo were enjoying, they were criticised heavily by the music industry and the British press dubbed them &quot;2 Untalented&quot;. Ray and Anita were dismissed as &quot;puppets&quot; and the lyrical depth of their songs was questioned. However, it should be noted that both performers took an active part in writing their material and Ray&apos;s raps were cut from the UK album release, being once again deemed, in Jean-Paul DeCoster&apos;s words, &quot;too clumsy for the British market&quot;. Whilst some dance music fans also expressed dislike for the commerciality of their sound and the banality of their lyrics, others, such as one music critic in Melody Maker wrote that whilst they were &quot;juvenile&quot; and &quot;puerile&quot;, on the other hand &quot;2 Unlimited stand for energy and excitement. And if you&apos;re not thrilled by the lobotomising insistence of &apos;Workaholic&apos;, &apos;Contrast&apos; and the rest you&apos;re either dead from the toes up, or too grown-up for your own good.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It was also noted by the band&apos;s manager Michel Maartens that 2 Unlimited were launched at a time when &quot;many parents feared that house and techno would damage their children. It was associated with pills and nightly escapades. But Ray and Anita proved to be the acceptable faces of techno. When Mum and Dad saw they were harmless pop stars, all mistrust was over.&quot; The band&apos;s image and sound were at the same time responsible for both their popularity with the public and their unpopularity with critics, with Melody Maker describing them as &quot;a crude, bastardized assault on tasteful dance standards.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The No Limits album was even more successful than the first, selling in excess of 3 million copies. At the MIDEM convention, 2 Unlimited were presented with 80 platinum and gold awards from 26 different countries, as well as winning &quot;World&apos;s Best-Selling Dutch Act&quot; at the World Music Awards 1993.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Real Things</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In May 1994, the duo&apos;s tenth single &quot;The Real Thing&quot; was released and it proved that their fans were still interested as they sent the single to no. 1 in the Netherlands and no. 6 in the UK. The title was aimed as a dig at the several other similar sounding eurodance acts who had appeared to copy the 2 Unlimited sound. Their third album, called Real Things, was instantly certified gold in the UK and 2 Unlimited became the first dance act to achieve two number one albums. Only two continental European acts have had more UK number one albums - Pavarotti and ABBA. Real Things was their first album that PWL made no changes to, perhaps because by then rap in dance records had become more common and accepted. &quot;No One&quot; surprised many fans by being a straight-forward pop record and was picked as the second single.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">By the end of 1994 they had sold another 322,000 singles in the UK alone and they were still winning more awards than they had room for on their mantelpiece, as they were presented with Smash Hits&apos; &quot;Best Dance Act&quot; award for the second year running, and the Popprijs award for their services to Dutch music. They were also still performing to huge crowds at Wembley Arena in London and to 450,000 people at the Parkpop Festival in the Netherlands. At the height of their career, Ray and Anita were thought to be performing around 200 shows a year.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In March 1995, &quot;Here I Go&quot; was another top 5 hit in their homeland but by charting at no. 22 it broke the duo&apos;s run of eleven consecutive UK top 20 hits. The fourth and final single was the ballad &quot;Nothing Like the Rain&quot; which was not quite as successful and did not even receive a UK release.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Whilst they were very popular all around the world, major success continued to elude 2 Unlimited in the United States. But three years after it was originally released, &quot;Get Ready For This&quot; started getting major radio support and charted at no. 83 on the Hot 100 in October 1994, eventually peaking at number 38. This helped first album Get Ready! make its way to the 500,000 mark, earning it a gold certificate despite never climbing higher than no. 197 on the chart. The track has become a firm favourite at arena-based sporting events and has featured on several Hollywood movie soundtracks such as Space Jam, Flubber and Bring It On. It also featured famously in the Friends TV series episode where the group played an acrimonious game of Thanksgiving American Football.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>The End?</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In October 1995, 2 Unlimited released their first compilation album Hits Unlimited, prompting rumours that they were about to split up. The single &quot;Do What&apos;s Good For Me&quot; was another top 20 hit and their 27th appearance on Top Of The Pops. The song was also re-recorded as &quot;Kids Like You And Me&quot; to promote awareness about homeless youth in the Netherlands. Following the surprise belated success of &quot;Get Ready For This&quot; in the USA, the &quot;best-of&quot; was heavily promoted there but only managed no. 107 on the Billboard 200. The rumours continued when Pete Waterman announced that Ray and Anita had split up when in actual fact they hadn&apos;t, and Ray expressed his aspirations to be a record producer. In February 1996, the band performed at the Viña del Mar concert in Chile, topping the bill alongside Ace of Base. Despite their insistence that they were planning a world tour, in April 1996, shortly after the release of the single &quot;Jump for Joy&quot;, both Ray and Anita announced that 2 Unlimited was over.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It later emerged that after having spent so much time together they were no longer getting on as well as they once had, and there was disagreement about the future sound of 2 Unlimited. They had asked for more creative input and they also felt that they were not getting a fair share of the huge amount of money being earned by the project. As no agreement was reached, they each went their separate ways before a final single (&quot;Spread Your Love&quot;) was released in June 1996. Jean-Paul DeCoster went on to sue Anita for breaking her contract, but he lost the case as it was considered that he had not paid Anita enough and was ordered to give her the same amount of money he had demanded of her.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Anita went on to DJ for Dutch radio station Radio 538, recorded a single with reggae artist Mad Cobra and in 2000 released a solo album called Reality. Ray created his own label called X-Ray Records, which scored a Top 10 hit in the Netherlands with T.O.F.&apos;s &quot;Funk It Up&quot;. He also released two solo singles in 1997 which failed to chart but found more success in 1999 with the group V.I.P. Allstars. Ray now lives in Monte Carlo with his wife and his son Rayvano, and Anita continues to tour clubs as part of the group Divas of Dance, and performs the hits of 2 Unlimited by herself at universities and holiday camps. An Internet petition to reunite Ray, Anita, Jean-Paul and Phil in 2005 was unsuccessful.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>II</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">As they still owned the rights to the name &quot;2 Unlimited&quot;, DeCoster and Wilde recruited two new (again Dutch) singers, Romy van Ooijen (b. 18 November 1971) and Marjon van Iwaarden (b. 18 June 1974), in order to capitalise on previous success. &quot;Wanna Get Up&quot; did well in the Netherlands, reaching no. 10 but the single, which was remixed by Sash! for UK release, was unsuccessful in the UK, barely scraping the top 40.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The album II, which was decidedly poppier than previous 2 Unlimited albums, was released in April 1998. It was a relative failure and subsequent singles &quot;Edge Of Heaven&quot; and &quot;Never Surrender&quot; couldn&apos;t stop the rot. Before long, both Romy and Marjon left the act.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In recent years, many &quot;best of&quot; compilations have been released in various territories, often with new remixes. Most notably, ZYX Records in 2003 released &quot;No Limit 2.3&quot;, and it was a moderate hit, reaching no. 41 in the German singles chart. It was promoted by a new duo, Débora Remagen and James Giscombe and it was thought that they were being lined up as a 2 Unlimited &quot;version 3&quot; but they were never heard from again.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A new CD and DVD set containing all the duo&apos;s video-clips called The Complete History was released in 2004 along with a single, &quot;Tribal Dance 2.4&quot;. In 2006, the DVD was re-packaged with a different CD Greatest Remix Hits, which was released in Australia and Scandinavia.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ongoing internet rumours of a reunion have been offically denied by the record company Byte Records which has stated that no new material will be considered.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/2unlimited.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2 Unlimited was a Eurodance act formed in 1991. The project was the brainchild of Belgian producers Jean-Paul DeCoster an...'),(31,'Enya','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya (born Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin on 17 May 1961, Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Ireland), sometimes presented in the media as Enya Brennan, is an Irish singer and songwriter. She is Ireland&apos;s best-selling solo artist and is officially the country&apos;s second biggest musical export (second only to U2). Her works have earned her four Grammy Awards and an Academy Award nomination. Enya is an approximate transcription of how Eithne is pronounced in her native Irish, in the Donegal dialect.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya was born in Gweedore / Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Ireland in 1961 to a musical family, the sixth of nine children. Her grandparents were in a band that played throughout Ireland, her father was the leader of the Slieve Foy Band before opening a pub, and her mother played in a dance band and later taught music at the Gweedore Comprehensive School. Enya has four brothers and four sisters, several of whom formed the band An Clann As Dobhar in 1968. They renamed the band Clannad in the 1970s.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1980, Enya worked with Clannad, the band composed of her siblings Máire (Moya), Pól, and Ciarán and twin uncles Noel and Padraig Duggan. Enya played the keyboard and provided backing vocals on their album Crann Úll (1980), although she was not officially a member of the group until the 1981 release Fuaim, when she appeared on the cover. In 1982, shortly before Clannad became famous for &quot;Theme From Harry&apos;s Game,&quot; producer and manager Nicky Ryan left the group and Enya joined him to start her own solo career. Enya then formed her own recording studio, named &quot;Aigle&quot;, which is French for &quot;Eagle&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Solo Career</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya recorded two solo instrumental songs called &quot;An Ghaoth Ón Ghrian&quot; (&quot;The Solar Wind&quot;) and &quot;Miss Clare Remembers&quot; that were released on the 1983 album Touch Travel. She was first credited as Enya (as opposed to Eithne) for writing some of the music for the 1984 movie The Frog Prince, which was released on a soundtrack album of the same title. Another early appearance on record followed in 1987, where Enya provided spoken (not sung) vocals on Sinéad O&apos;Connor&apos;s debut album, The Lion and the Cobra. The title of the album is a partial English translation of Enya&apos;s Gaelic reading of Psalms 91:11-13 on the song &quot;Never Get Old&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya was contracted to provide music for the soundtrack of the 1986 BBC television documentary The Celts. The music she produced was featured on her first solo album, Enya (1987), but it attracted little attention at the time. The B-Side single &quot;Eclipse&quot; is actually a reversed and modified version of Enya&apos;s song &quot;Deireadh An Tuath&quot;, from this 1987 album Enya. The song &quot;Boadicea&quot;, also from this album, would later be sampled by The Fugees on their single &quot;Ready or Not&quot; (1996), causing a brief stir because the group neither sought permission from Enya nor gave her credit initially, and by Mario Winans, who did give her credit (the Winans track, &quot;I Don&apos;t Wanna Know&quot; which features a rap by P. Diddy and is officially credited to all three artists, became Enya&apos;s highest charting single in the US, when it peaked at #2 on the Hot 100 in 2004).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>International Breakthrough</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya achieved a breakthrough in her career in 1988 with the album Watermark, which featured the hit song &quot;Orinoco Flow&quot; (sometimes known as &quot;Sail Away&quot;). &quot;Orinoco Flow&quot;, reported to be named after Orinoco Studios (now Miloco Studios), where it was conceived, topped the charts in the United Kingdom, and the album sold eight million copies.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Three years later, she followed with another hit album, Shepherd Moons, which sold ten million copies and earned Enya her first Grammy Award. The songs &quot;On Your Shore&quot; and &quot;Exile&quot; (from Watermark) and &quot;Epona&quot; (from Enya) were featured in the 1991 film L.A. Story. &quot;Ebudae&quot; was also featured on the soundtrack to the Robin Williams film Toys, while the 1990 film Green Card had &quot;River&quot;, &quot;Watermark&quot;, and &quot;Storms In Africa&quot;. &quot;Book Of Days&quot; was featured prominently in the movie Far and Away, with an English-lyric version created for the film then replacing the old Gaelic-language version on all pressings of the Shepherd Moons album from 1993 onwards.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1992, a re-mastered version of the Enya album was released as The Celts including a longer, modified version of &quot;Portrait (Out of the Blue)&quot;. Four years after Shepherd Moons, she released the Grammy-winning The Memory of Trees (1995). Singles released from the album were &quot;Anywhere Is&quot; and &quot;On My Way Home&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1997, Enya released her greatest hits collection, Paint The Sky With Stars: The Best of Enya, which featured two new songs: &quot;Paint the Sky With Stars&quot; and &quot;Only If...&quot;; &quot;Only If...&quot; later became a single. (&quot;Only If You Want To&quot;, is an early version of &quot;Only If...&quot;. It appears on a promotional Japanese CD called, The Best of Enya, and does not include the French lyrics.) She was offered the chance to compose the score for James Cameron&apos;s 1997 film Titanic, but declined. The eventual choice of Norwegian vocalist Sissel Kyrkjebø, whose style is similar to Enya&apos;s, resulted in work that some sources erroneously credited to Enya, although in interviews, the songs were officially credited as the sound of Clannad. A 1989 recording of Enya singing an Irish Language version of &quot;Silent Night&quot; (&quot;Oíche Chiúin&quot;) has been reissued many times over the years, including The Christmas EP (which otherwise contained several non-holiday related previously issued recordings by Enya) and the 1997 edition of the charity album A Very Special Christmas.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Return and &apos;A Day Without Rain&apos;</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following a five-year break, she released the Grammy winning A Day Without Rain in 2000 featuring 37 minutes of new material (34 minutes on the US version). The album is Enya&apos;s most successful to date, peaking at #2 on the US Billboard Album charts. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, her song &quot;Only Time&quot; (from A Day Without Rain) was used as a backdrop in many radio and TV reports about the attacks. She initially frowned upon this use, especially when many bootlegged versions of &quot;Only Time&quot; mixed with sound effects from the attack began to appear.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya eventually agreed to release a special edition of the song with funds going to the families of victims. Many Enya fans, however, are resentful that her music has been linked with the attacks; an example of this occurred on a 2002 appearance on CNN&apos;s Larry King Live when images of battle in Afghanistan were shown on screen as she performed &quot;May It Be,&quot; a song with little war connection.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya is self-admittedly a slow worker when it comes to composing music. As a result, fans have had to wait as long as five years between albums. A new song called &quot;Sumiregusa&quot; (&quot;Wild Violet&quot;) was set to words from a Japanese poem Roma Ryan had written. In September 2004, the song was unveiled in Japan as part of an advertising campaign for Panasonic. In announcing the new recording, Warner Music Japan stated that Enya&apos;s next album was scheduled for release (in Japan at least) in mid-November. Enya issued a press release on her official Web site on 19 September stating that this was a mistake and no new album was immediately forthcoming.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Recent Activity</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In November of 2005, a new album, entitled Amarantine, was released. It won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for 2007.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006, Enya released several Christmas-themed CDs with newly recorded material. On October 10, 2006, Sounds of the Season was released containing six songs: the previously released &quot;Oíche Chiúin&quot; (a.k.a. &quot;Silent Night&quot;) and &quot;Amid the Falling Snow&quot;, new recordings of the standards &quot;Adeste Fideles&quot; (a.k.a. &quot;Oh Come All Ye Faithful&quot;) and &quot;We Wish You a Merry Christmas&quot; as well as two original songs, &quot;Christmas Secrets&quot; and &quot;The Magic of the Night&quot;. This CD was released only in the United States in an exclusive partnership with the NBC television network and the Target department store chain.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya was awarded the World&apos;s Best-Selling Irish Act award at the World Music Awards in London on 19 November 2006. On February 11, 2007 Amarantine won Enya her fourth Grammy when it was awarded the Best New Age Album award.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In late November, two new editions of Amarantine were released. In North America, it was reissued as Amarantine - Special Christmas Edition with a second disc containing the four new Christmas songs previously issued on Sounds of the Season (the original album already had &quot;Amid the Falling Snow&quot; while &quot;Oíche Chiúin&quot; is a recording dating back to 1988, which had already been featured on numerous collections). The UK received a deluxe version of this release (Amarantine - The UK Special Edition) which also included three postcards and a copy of Roma Ryan&apos;s book Water Shows the Hidden Heart which is referenced on the original album. Canadian fans could choose from the Special Christmas Edition of Amarantine, or an EP entitled Christmas Secrets, which only contained the four new songs.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Coinciding with these releases was the re-launch of Enya&apos;s official website on November 2, 2006. On November 16, 2006, Enya mentioned on ITV1&apos;s that she was working on a new album. A month later, in a Japanese interview Enya said that the album would be a complete Christmas album and would be released in the winter of 2007 which led to widespread fan speculation, such as on the official enya.com forum; ultimately, no release occurred at that time.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">By mid-2007, Enya claimed to have sold 70 million albums. An American businessperson has coined the phrase &quot;enyanomics&quot; to explain Enya&apos;s ability to sell millions of records without giving any live performances.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On June 29, 2007, Enya received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Ireland, Galway. The ceremony for six total recipients (Enya as one recipient) was held at noon. Shortly after, on July 10, 2007, (date also stated at Enya&apos;s official website under News) Enya received a second honorary doctorate from the University of Ulster.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Musical Style and Other Projects</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Much of her music shows influence of some Irish music and classical music.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">As a musical group, Enya represents a partnership between three people: Enya herself, who composes and performs the music; Nicky Ryan, who produces the albums, and Roma Ryan, who writes the lyrics in various languages. Enya performs all percussion, instruments, and vocals in her pieces unless specified. Although there are certain pieces where acoustic instruments are featured, almost all sounds of her pieces are created by a synthesizer, specifically the Roland D-50. Her trademark sound is achieved by layering her voice as much as eighty times. She has stated in an interview that she has once dubbed her voice to about five hundred times. The vocals are each performed individually, and is layered together to form a virtual choir, although all the voices are Enya herself. Enya can be classified as a mezzo-soprano with an alto range. (In Cursum Perficio of the album Watermark, she reaches a C an octave below middle C. Later in the piece, she sings a high A-flat above the treble clef. By this, it classifies her as a mezzo-soprano with an extended lower range.)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On her latest album, Amarantine, Enya sings in Japanese and Loxian, a language invented by Roma Ryan. A number of Enya&apos;s songs are sung entirely in Irish or Latin, while most of her songs are sung in English. Enya has also sung songs written entirely or partially in Welsh, Spanish, French, and even languages created by J. R. R. Tolkien. Enya has performed songs relating to J. R. R. Tolkien&apos;s The Lord of the Rings, including 1991&apos;s &quot;Lothlórien&quot; (instrumental), 2001&apos;s &quot;May It Be&quot; (sung in English and Quenya), and &quot;Aníron&quot; (in Sindarin)—the last two which she composed appearing on the soundtrack of Peter Jackson&apos;s movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya has given several live performances on various television shows, events and ceremonies (her most recent appearance was in Gaoth Dobhair in the summer of 2005, which coincided with a tribute event to the Brennan family that took place in Letterkenny), but she has yet to do a concert. She has said, though, that she would love to do it someday, and would consider it a great challenge.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Although her Grammys were for &quot;Best New Age Album&quot;, Enya does not personally classify her music as belonging to the New Age genre. When asked what genre she would classify her music as belonging to, she would reply, &quot;Enya&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">DVD releases</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2000, Warner Music released Enya: The Video Collection on DVD in Europe, South Africa and Asia, collecting all her videos from &quot;Orinoco Flow&quot; up to and including &quot;Wild Child&quot;, except for the video from &quot;Book of Days&quot;, which was replaced by a live TV performance due to licensing complications relating to the video&apos;s use of footage from the film Far and Away. This release was a successor to an earlier collection of videos entitled Moonshadows, which was released on VHS and laserdisc in 1992. The DVD release also included interviews and features on the making of two videos.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A North American (Region 1) release of the Video Collection DVD was announced on several occasions during 2000-2001, but it did not occur; the reason for which has never been officially stated. At one point it was announced that the release had been delayed in order to allow the inclusion of the video for &quot;May it Be&quot;, while the (now defunct) Enya.org fan site reported that a dispute over the sound quality of the release led to it being withdrawn.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">As of 2005, The Collection was still considered to be &quot;coming soon&quot; by some North American online retailers although bootleg copies from Asia have circulated at the retail level in some parts of Region 1 since 2000. Despite the release of a new CD by Enya in November 2005, the Region 1 edition of the DVD collection remains in limbo and there has been no announcement of an updated DVD release in other parts of the world.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">As of 2007, the only official release of an Enya video on DVD in North America has been &quot;May it Be&quot; which was included on the DVD release for The Fellowship of the Ring.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Personal Life</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya is a very private person who tries to keep her personal life apart from her musical career, even spending an estimated €250,000 on security measures for her home, Manderley Castle in Killiney, County Dublin (named after Maxim de Winter&apos;s house in her favourite book and black and white movie, Rebecca). Despite this, around mid-August 2005, there were two separate security breaches at Enya&apos;s home, and she was present on both occasions (her security system includes a panic room).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1996 an Italian man, who had been seen in Dublin wearing her photograph around his neck, stabbed himself after being ejected from her parents&apos; pub in Gweedore, County Donegal.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006, Enya made it to the number three spot in the ranks of wealthy UK and Irish entertainers with an estimated fortune of €109 million (i.e., £75 million or US$136 million). This was enough to take her to number 95 in the Sunday Times Rich List 2006 of the 250 Wealthiest Irish People.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya joins her mother&apos;s choir every Christmas in Gaoth Dobhair.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Hobbies</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya loves cats. In an interview published in 1988, when asked about pets, she replied: &quot;I&apos;ve got a cat. I love cats; at one stage I had 12. It was just bliss. They&apos;d all lie around in the sun and then come up and climb around my neck.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya&apos;s favourite classical composer is Sergei Rachmaninoff. Her hobbies include watching romantic black and white films, collecting artwork, reading, and painting.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Notable Awards</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya has won four Grammy Awards for Best New Age Album to date:</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Grammy Awards of 1993, Best New Age Album for Shepherd Moons</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Grammy Awards of 1997, Best New Age Album for The Memory of Trees</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Grammy Awards of 2002, Best New Age Album for A Day Without Rain</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Grammy Awards of 2007, Best New Age Album for Amarantine</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Also, &quot;May It Be&quot; was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song at the 2002 ceremonies, but it lost to Randy Newman&apos;s &quot;If I Didn&apos;t Have You&quot; from Monsters, Inc.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Enya.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Enya (born Eithne Patricia NÃ­ BhraonÃ¡in on 17 May 1961, Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Ireland), sometimes presented in...'),(32,'Monkey Dust','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Monkey Dust is a British animated TV series that satirises the darker side of life in the United Kingdom. It deals with taboo subjects and has drawn controversy for its portrayal of murderers, paedophiles and single parents.The first episode was aired on BBC Three on February 9, 2003 and there have been three series to date – the third began airing on January 4, 2005.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Each episode features animation by several different companies including Slinky Pictures, Nexus Productions, Sherbet and Picasso Pictures, but is linked by recurring themes and jokes, and by seamless transitions between sketches. The episodes are untitled but instead are known by the characters introduced or the one-off sketches included. The principal writers and creators of the series were Harry Thompson and Shaun Pye, although other contributors are responsible for a significant proportion of the work; sometimes collaborating with Thompson and/or Pye; sometimes contributing fully-formed sketches to the show. A short overview of the main characters, called a nocturne, set in the various characters&apos; bedrooms with no dialogue and a depressing accompanying song, usually precedes the final section.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The animation goes alongside contemporary music which helps the scenes to flow, with numerous songs by Goldfrapp, Boards of Canada, and introduction music by Eels (&quot;That&apos;s Not Really Funny&quot; from Souljacker). The inclusion of music from Goldfrapp during the first series would have pre-dated the commercial release of their debut album, but production on the series took so long that by the time of airing, Goldfrapp were about to release their second album and the songs included in Monkey Dust were fairly well-known. Thompson and Pye comment on this in the Series 1 DVD commentary.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On 8 November 2004, the first series of Monkey Dust was released in the UK on DVD. Several musical substitutions had to be made from the television airing (where the BBC is allowed to play any commercial release without permission), as artists such as Cliff Richard and David Gray would not allow their work to be used on the DVD. Cover versions of the original songs were used instead.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The second and third seasons were broadcast on BBC Two and BBC Three respectively. Only the first series of Monkey Dust was commercially released on DVD, the official explanation being that it was out of respect for creator Harry Thompson&apos;s suffering through a terminal illness, although this does not explain why there are still no plans for release following his subsequent death.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/MonkeyDust.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Monkey Dust is a British animated TV series that satirises the darker side of life in the United Kingdom. It deals with t...'),(33,'T\'Pau','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">T&apos;Pau was a late 1980s rock group led by singer Carol Decker. They had a string of Top 40 hits in the UK, and several hits in the United States and Europe. Decker still performs under the name T&apos;Pau at solo shows and 1980s nostalgia concerts.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">T&apos;Pau formed in 1986 and took their name from a Vulcan Star Trek character. Their debut single and first hit was the 1987 release &quot;Heart &amp; Soul&quot;. Initially a flop in the UK, it first became a hit in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching #4, after being featured on a Levi&apos;s jeans advert, it repeated the feat in the UK Singles Chart some months later. The following year, the band had their biggest hit with the ballad, &quot;China in Your Hand&quot;, which spent five weeks at Number 1 in the UK chart, and also claimed the top slot in several European countries, although oddly the song made little impact on the Billboard Hot 100.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">They had a number of smaller hits which made it to at least the UK Top 40, including the singles &quot;Valentine&quot;, &quot;Sex Talk&quot; (a new recording of early flop single, &quot;Intimate Strangers&quot;), &quot;I Will Be With You&quot; and &quot;Secret Garden&quot;. Their 1987 album, Bridge Of Spies (the album was called T&apos;Pau in the U.S.) was a best seller and won several British music industry awards. Nevertheless, the band failed to maintain their success and split in 1991.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Decker still makes appearances on TV shows, including Hit Me Baby One More Time, Just the Two of Us, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and The Weakest Link.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Decker re-formed the band with a new line-up in 1998, and T&apos;Pau have in recent years continued to work live regularly.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ronnie Rogers is currently in the band The Ronaldos</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2007, marking the 20th anniversary of T&apos;pau&apos;s initial success, Ron Rogers and Carol Decker released the new single, Just Dream, exclusively as an internet download.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/T\'Pau.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">T&apos;Pau was a late 1980s rock group led by singer Carol Decker. They had a string of Top 40 hits in the UK, and severa...'),(34,'Varius Manx','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Varius Manx is a Polish pop group, formed in Łódź in 1989 by composer Robert Janson. The name is a variation on the English word &quot;various&quot; plus Manx, the variety of cat. The band have sold more than 2 million albums in their native Poland.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band&apos;s first album, The Beginning, which consisted entirely of instrumental music, was released in 1990 to measured success. The 1993 follow-up The New Shape, featured vocals by Janson, Robert Amirian, and guests including Edyta Bartosiewicz.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band&apos;s breakthrough was its 1994 album Emu, which marked a stark change in artistic direction. The band now had a lead singer, Anita Lipnicka, and now performed primarily in Polish. The formula was highly successful, and both Emu and the subsequent album Elf (1995) each sold more than half a million copies. The band won the Polish music award, the Fryderyk, in 1995 for best musical group. The band provided much of the soundtrack to the film Młode wilki, featuring in part songs from Elf.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1996 Varius Manx appeared on the television show Szansa na sukces (A Chance For Success), a karaoke show in which participants would sing the songs of the visiting band. The show was won by 19-year-old Kasia Stankiewicz. When, shortly afterward, Lipnicka left the band to pursue a solo career, the remaining members asked Stankiewicz to take her place. The resulting lineup recorded Ego, which was also highly successful, and produced what is probably Varius Manx&apos;s best-known song, &quot;Orła cień&quot; (An Eagle&apos;s Shadow), which was featured in the film Kiler. Like its two predecessors, the album included a number of songs in English.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1997 the band released its next album, End, this time entirely in Polish; it sold a respectable 130,000 copies, although far less than its predecessors. The same year, Varius Manx contributed to a second soundtrack, for the film Nocne Graffiti, after which it took a creative pause; Stankiewicz recorded her first solo album. Varius Manx released a greatest hits album in 2000, Najlepsze z dobrych (The Best of the Good), which included four new tracks as well as reworked versions of some of the band&apos;s hits. It was Kasia Stankiewicz&apos;s last album with the band, as she departed the following year to pursue her solo career.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Monika Kuszyńska was chosen as the band&apos;s new singer in May 2001. With her, the band recorded Eta (2001) and Eno (2002). In 2002 Varius Manx won the Baltic Prize in Karlshamn, Sweden with the song &quot;Moje Eldorado&quot;. The cover for the band&apos;s 2004 album Emi was chosen in a competition, in which 317 suggestions were sent in; the winner was an image of a white cat, a play on the band&apos;s name.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2006 the band survived a serious car accident. Two band members that suffered the most significant injuries were Robert Janson and Monika Kuszyńska. Janson is well now, however Kuszyńska remains paralysed. In summer 2006 in Sopot the most famous polish artists (including band&apos;s two previous vocalists) took part in a charity concert which was organised to raise money for the rehabilitation of Janson and Kuszyńska.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/VariusManx.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Varius Manx is a Polish pop group, formed in ÅÃ³dÅº in 1989 by composer Robert Janson. The name is a variation on the En...'),(35,'Scooter','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Scooter are a successful German techno band, who have sold over 12 million records and have earned 60 gold and platinum awards. The band is currently made up of members H.P. Baxxter, Rick J. Jordan and new member Michael Simon. They have a sort of &quot;trademark&quot; sound, with most of their songs featuring some &quot;rap shouting&quot;, sometimes featuring a high pitched vocal. Much of their music features elements of a live performance, including the roar of the crowd, and the echoing sound of H.P.&apos;s voice. Among their more well-known hits are &quot;Ramp! (The Logical Song)&quot;, &quot;Hyper Hyper&quot;, &quot;Move Your Ass&quot;, &quot;Fire&quot;, &quot;How Much Is the Fish?&quot;, &quot;Nessaja&quot;, &quot;Maria (I Like It Loud)&quot;, &quot;One (Always Hardcore)&quot;, &quot;Posse (I Need You on the Floor)&quot;, &quot;Weekend!&quot;, and &quot;Hello! (Good to Be Back)&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Celebrate the Nun and The Loop</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1986 H. P. Baxxter and Rick J. Jordan met in Hanover, Germany through a small ad and founded the new wave band Celebrate the Nun. The band released two albums and five singles. Not finding the expected success in the new wave arena H.P Baxxter kept working at the former Hamburg based Indie label (currently Edel Records) luckily within the sector of distribution and sales where he met Scooter&apos;s future manager Jens Thele. Soon after, in late 1993, the former Celebrate the Nun members joined up with H.P.&apos;s cousin Ferris Bueller under the management of Jens Thele to form a remix team known as The Loop, who became one of the top remix teams in Germany, releasing various remixes for acts like Adeva, Holly Johnson, Tag Team, RuPaul, Marky Mark feat. Prince Ital Joe.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>The Beginning of Scooter</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Scooter started as a project in 1994. Their debut single &quot;Vallée De Larmes&quot; (French for Valley of Tears) reached #8 on the German official dance chart. In April of that year, Scooter played their first live show in Hamburg, Germany, at &quot;The Palladium&quot; where vocalist H.P. Baxxter began freestyling to an instrumental dance track, thus the melody &quot;Hyper Hyper&quot; being born. At that point, Scooter officially switched from being a project into a band, and Baxxter&apos;s rapping became one of the band&apos;s trademarks.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">At first, &quot;Hyper-Hyper&quot; was expected to be a small hit within the club scene only, which surprisingly enough went on becoming a platinum record (700,000 units sold) eventually reaching no. 2 in Germany&apos;s Media Control single chart. The boys proved that they are not one-hit wonder band when their third single &quot;Move Your Ass&quot; reached no. 3 within Media Control&apos;s single chart after a few weeks of its release. The follow-up singles &quot;Friends&quot; and &quot;Endless Summer&quot; from their first album And the Beat Goes On occupied similar positions as well.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band maintained the initial technique of their sound throughout their second album Our Happy Hardcore until the style became noticeably different with their 1996 single &quot;I&apos;m Raving&quot; (from the 3rd album Wicked) as the tempos were down to 138 BPM from their previous tempos which were between the range of 160 and 190 BPM. However, this didn&apos;t seem to refrain their fans from buying their records as the single got its gold certification eventually reaching no. 4 in Germany.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">A year later, Scooter was the first techno band to use a metal guitar riff in their first single &quot;Fire&quot; from their fourth album Age of Love, four weeks after the release of which the boys picked up the gold disc for (250,000 units sold).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Scooter in 1998-2002</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1998, Ferris Bueller (Soren Buehler) left the group to pursue a solo career, and was replaced by DJ Axel Coon, who had been working with the band at the recording studio for sometime already. Thus, Scooter entered the second chapter and soon after released one of their memorable singles &quot;How Much is the Fish?&quot; which shot all the way to no. 3, selling well over 300,000 units and becoming another gold single. Their fifth album No Time to Chill which appeared at the stores in July 1998 reached the no. 4 position in Media Control album chart, which is considered the most successful album to date, both in Germany and outside.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The success kept on growing the secret of which H.P. Baxxter explains in his own words:</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">“ 	Find out what you are unable to do and then go and do it. You can’t afford to lose your curiosity or a certain healthy naivety, otherwise you might as well pack it up on the spot. If the element of fun is gone, it doesn’t make much sense. And you need to stay credible. 	”</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Rick J. Jordan&apos;s point of view is:</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">“ 	H.P. comes up with the maddest ideas and then we have to see how we can build a song together. But that’s why I love him, it’s a real inspiration and you can be sure there’s something worthwhile in there, once you get used to his style. I try to sort the creative chaos and add in my own ideas into the production process.	”</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In July 1999, Scooter&apos;s first single &quot;Faster Harder Scooter&quot; from their sixth album Back to the Heavyweight Jam reached no. 7 at home, same position was also occupied by the album. Also, in December of the same year right after the release of the single called &quot;Fuck the Millennium&quot;, H. P. Baxxter announced that he, the Scooter-frontman will be called Sheffield Dave, Ice, Screaming Lord and Candyman in future.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Scooter released their seventh album Sheffield in May 2000 which took yet another new direction including 6/8 rhythms on tracks &quot;Don&apos;t Gimme the Funk&quot; and &quot;Sex Dwarf&quot;. In late 2000, after their second single &quot;She&apos;s the Sun&quot; (which portrayed the New Wave roots of both H.P.&apos;s and Rick&apos;s), the boys were awarded a Comet at the 2000 VIVA Comet Awards in the &quot;Most Successful Dance Act&quot; category.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band&apos;s 21st single &quot;Posse (I Need You on the Floor)&quot; (the video of which is shot at the Fredericia dance festival in Denmark) happens to be the first song to include high-pitched-voice in the chorus since &quot;Endless Summer&quot;. Their eighth album We Bring the Noise released in June 2001 includes another single &quot;Aiii Shot the DJ&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In December 2001, Scooter released their 23rd single &quot;Ramp! (The Logical Song)&quot; from compilation album Push The Beat For This Jam, the video of which is based on the film The Fast and the Furious. The single shipped well over 200,000 units in Germany, which also went gold in many countries and platinum in others including Australia, the United Kingdom and Norway.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Scooter in 2002-2006</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2002, the band released their second Best Of album titled Push The Beat For This Jam (The Second Chapter). It was at this time that Axel Coon left the band to pursue a solo career in DJing and remixing, and Jay Frog became the new third man during which time Scooter recorded three more albums. Their 24th single &quot;Nessaja&quot;, a cover version of the title track from Peter Maffay´s musical Tabaluga made a sensational entry with their new line-up at number one in the German official single charts for the first time. The greatest success in the history of the band so far.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Scooter also began to enjoy sort of a comeback within UK charts, with 6 top 20 UK singles &quot;Nessaja&quot;, &quot;The Logical Song&quot;, &quot;Posse (I Need You On The Floor)&quot;, &quot;Weekend!&quot;, &quot;The Night&quot; and &quot;Maria (I Like It Loud)&quot; all charting within 18 month period.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In February 2003, Scooter picked up the highest award in the German music industry for the single &quot;Nessaja&quot; at the Echo Awards 2003. Also in the same year the video for &quot;Weekend!&quot; caused a real scandal with its scenes of topless dancers. The fans, however, didn&apos;t seem to be bothered by this debate as the song reached no. 2 on the German Media Control single chart.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Scooter released their next studio album The Stadium Techno Experience in March 2003, which climbed to no. 7 on the album chart. The single &quot;The Night&quot; became the last number to feature the HPV (high pitched voice) effect and also reached the Top 10 in Germany. The next single from the album &quot;Maria (I Like It Loud)&quot; was released with the collaboration of hardcore producer Marc Acardipane and Dick Rules, the chorus of which has become an anthem for many fans at Scooter concerts. The single eventually reached no.4 on the single chart.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Mind The Gap was their 10th studio album. This album was available in three different versions (Basic, Regular, Deluxe). The 28th single &quot;Shake That!&quot; flavoured with 70s Disco sound was released on the 4th of October in most European countries which entered the German Media Control single chart at no. 8 and got a gold certification in Czech Republic.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Who&apos;s Got The Last Laugh Now? Tour 2006, named after the 11th studio album, was the last tour to take place. After the tour they released a CD and 2-disc DVD entitled Excess All Areas, containing the final concert of the 2006 tour on one disc, and every single video for every single release on the other.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>2006-Present</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On August 14, 2006, it was announced that Jay Frog had decided to leave the band to pursue a solo career. He was replaced by Michael Simon. On August 19 Scooter played at the Tufertschwil Open Air in Switzerland, where Simon debuted as the third man of the band.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The single &quot;Behind The Cow&quot; was debuted at The Dome 40 in Düsseldorf on December 1, 2006, and was released on January 19, 2007. The song and its lyrics are based on &quot;What Time Is Love?&quot; by The KLF. The music video was shot in India, and features rapper Fatman Scoop. Their 12th album The Ultimate Aural Orgasm which includes songs like &quot;The United Vibe&quot; (cover version of Den Harrow&apos;s &quot;Catch the Fox&quot;), &quot;Scarborough Affair&quot; or &quot;The Shit That Killed Elvis&quot; (collaboration with Jimmy Pop, the frontman of the American fun-rock-band The Bloodhound Gang, who co-wrote the song) was released on February 9, 2007. The second single release of The Ultimate Aural Orgasm was &quot;Lass Uns Tanzen&quot; which appeared at the stores on March 23.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On August 10, Scooter released a new single called &quot;The Question is What is the Question&quot;, the release of which surprised many of their fans as they were expecting a third single from the current album rather than an entirely new material. The new single&apos;s genre is Jumpstyle, and covers the classic 70&apos;s track &quot;How Do You Do&quot; by Mouth &amp; MacNeal.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Scooter released their 13th studio album Jumping All Over the World on 30 November 2007 which contains both singles &quot;The Question is What is the Question&quot; and &quot;And No Matches&quot; (which was released on 23 November 2007).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Scooter.jpg',51,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Scooter are a successful German techno band, who have sold over 12 million records and have earned 60 gold and platinum a...'),(36,'t.A.T.u.','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">t.A.T.u. or Tatu is a Russian duet formed in Moscow, Russia in 1999 by Ivan Shapovalov. The group consists of Lena Katina and Yulia Volkova, who became the most successful international recording act exported from Russia, with a fan base from countries all over the world. Their debut album, 200 Po Vstrechnoy was the first from a Russian act to reach gold status internationally. With the release of their debut English album, 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane t.A.T.u. became the first act to receive an IFPI Platinum Europe Award for the same album in two languages.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Much of their early success was based on what was thought of as a lesbian image portrayed by Katina and Volkova, and the controversy that surrounded it. However, in December 2003, it became apparent in their documentary, Anatomy of t.A.T.u., that their sexuality was just part of the group&apos;s image at the time, and that they were not actually lesbians. Then in 2004, the group took a hiatus after they split from their producer and Volkova had become pregnant. They were soon back in the studio, and, in 2005, released Dangerous and Moving and Lyudi Invalidy. During 2006, t.A.T.u. released a compilation album and then ventured on their own after negotiating out of their contract with Universal Music. A third Russian studio album, titled Upravleniye Otbrosami is expected for a December 2007 release, while their third English studio album, Waste Management, is expected to be released as the soundtrack for the upcoming film Finding t.A.T.u..</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">t.A.T.u.&apos;s image and vocals fit well into pop music; however, the group&apos;s sound varies from rock to dance, pop, and electronica. Their first Russian album was mostly rock and dance influenced, while their first English album was heavily influenced by rock and electronica. Their English follow-up, Dangerous and Moving, was a more traditionally pop-rock album than the first.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/tatu.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">t.A.T.u. or Tatu is a Russian duet formed in Moscow, Russia in 1999 by Ivan Shapovalov. The group consists of Lena Katina...'),(37,'Billy Joel','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">William Joseph Martin &quot;Billy&quot; Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist, songwriter, composer and musician. He released his first hit song, &quot;Piano Man&quot;, in 1973. According to the RIAA, he is the sixth best-selling recording artist in the United States.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel had Top 10 hits in the &apos;70s, &apos;80s, and &apos;90s; is a six-time Grammy Award winner; and has sold in excess of 150 million albums worldwide. He was inducted into the Songwriter&apos;s Hall of Fame (Class of 1992), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Class of 1999), and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Joel retired from recording pop music in 1993 but continued to tour (sometimes with Elton John). In 2001 he subsequently released Fantasies &amp; Delusions, a CD of classical compositions for piano. In 2007 he returned to recording with a single entitled &quot;All My Life&quot;, followed by an extensive &quot;World Tour&quot; from 2005-2007, covering many of the major world cities.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Early Years</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Born in the Bronx, New York, Joel was raised in Hicksville, New York. His father Howard (born Helmut) was originally from Germany, where his father (Billy Joel&apos;s grandfather) Karl Amson Joel had owned the fourth-largest mail order company in Germany before being dispossessed by the Nazis. His mother, Rosalind Nyman, was born in England, to a Jewish family (Philip and Rebecca Nyman). His parents later divorced (1960), and his father moved back to Vienna, Austria. Billy has a sister, Judith Joel, and a half-brother Alexander Joel, who is an acclaimed classical pianist and conductor in Europe, now living in New York.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">From an early age, Joel had an intense interest in music, especially European classical music. His father was an accomplished classical pianist. Billy reluctantly began piano lessons at an early age at his mother&apos;s insistence, including with the noted American pianist Morton Estrin and musician/songwriter, Timothy Ford. His interest in music instead of sports was the source of teasing and bullying in his early years. (He has said in interviews that his piano instructor also taught ballet. This led neighborhood bullies to mistakenly think he was learning to dance.) As a teenager, Joel took up boxing so that he would be able to defend himself. He boxed successfully on the amateur Golden Gloves circuit for a short time (winning twenty-two bouts), but abandoned the sport shortly after having his nose broken in his twenty-fourth boxing match.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel attended Hicksville High School, and he was supposed to graduate in 1967. However, he was one English credit short of the graduation requirement; he overslept on the day of an important exam due to his late-night musician&apos;s lifestyle. Faced with a summer in school to complete this requirement, he decided not to continue. He left high school without a diploma to begin a career in music. Despite the Vietnam War and the draft, Joel performed no military service - because he was the sole provider for his mother and sister, the selective service gave him a draft exemption. In 1992, the English credit requirement was waived by the Hicksville School Board and he received his diploma at Hicksville High&apos;s graduation ceremony 25 years after he left the school.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Musical Career</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Upon seeing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, Joel decided to pursue a full-time musical career, and set about finding a local Long Island band to join. Eventually he found the Echoes, a group that specialized in British Invasion covers. The Echoes became a popular New York attraction, convincing him to quit high school to become a professional musician. He began playing for the Echoes when he was 14 years old.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel began playing recording sessions with the Echoes in 1965, when he was 16 years old. Joel played piano on several recordings Shadow Morton produced, including the Shangri-Las&apos; Leader of the Pack, as well as several records released through Kama Sutra Productions. During this time, the Echoes started to play numerous late-night shows.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Later in 1965, the Echoes changed their name to the Emeralds and then to the Lost Souls. For two years, he played sessions and performed with the Lost Souls. In 1967, he left that band to join the Hassles, a local Long Island band that had signed a contract with United Artists Records. Over the next year and a half, they released The Hassles in 1967 and Hour of the Wolf in 1968, and four singles, all of which failed commercially. Following The Hassles&apos; demise in 1969, he formed the duo Attila with Hassles drummer Jon Small. Attila released their eponymous debut album in July 1970 and disbanded the following October.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Most records have the recording company as the named owner of the recording. Billy Joel is one of a number of performers--such as Paul Simon, Johnny Rivers, Pink Floyd (from 1975&apos;s Wish You Were Here onward), Queen, Genesis under the members&apos; individual names and/or the pseudonym Gelring Limited, and Neil Diamond--who have their name as the copyright owner on their recordings.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Early Albums 1970–1976</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Cold Spring Harbor</I></B> (1971)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel signed his first solo record contract with Artie Ripp of Family Productions, and subsequently recorded his first solo album. Cold Spring Harbor (a reference to the Long Island town of the same name), was released in 1971. However, the album was mastered at the wrong speed, and the album was initially released with this error, resulting in Joel&apos;s sounding a semitone too high. The onerous terms of the Family Productions contract also guaranteed him very little money from the sales of his albums.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Hits such as &quot;She&apos;s Got a Way&quot; and &quot;Everybody Loves You Now&quot; were originally released on this album, though they did not gain much attention until released as live performances in 1981 on Songs in the Attic. Since then they have become big concert numbers. Cold Spring Harbor got a second chance on the charts in 1983, when Columbia reissued the album after slowing it down to the correct speed. The album reached # 158 in the US and # 95 in the UK nearly a year later. Cold Spring Harbor caught the attention of Merrilee Rush (&quot;Angel of the Morning&quot;) and she recorded a femme version of &quot;She’s Got A Way&quot; &quot;(He’s Got A Way)&quot; for Scepter Records in 1971.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In addition, a Philadelphia radio station, WMMR-FM, started playing a tape of a new song of Joel&apos;s, &quot;Captain Jack,&quot; taken from a live concert. It became an underground hit on the East Coast. Herb Gordon, an executive of Columbia Records, heard Joel&apos;s music and made his company aware of Joel&apos;s talent. Joel signed a recording contract with Columbia in 1972 and moved to Los Angeles. He lived there for three years (and has since stated those three years were a big mistake), returning to New York City in 1975. While in California, he had a paying job in a piano bar (using the name Bill Martin), so his superhit &quot;Piano Man&quot; is seen as autobiographical.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Piano Man</I></B> (1973)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">His experiences in Los Angeles connected him with record company executives, who bought out his contract with Ripp with the condition that the &quot;Family Productions&quot; logo be displayed alongside the Columbia logo for the next five albums. Also in the contract was the agreement that Family Productions would receive a 25 cent royalty for every album Joel sold, which would come back to haunt him when he hit it big. His brief tenure in Los Angeles also inspired his signature song &quot;Piano Man.&quot; The album Piano Man was released in late 1973 and was certified Gold. To this day it has sold over four million copies. However, due to the large sums of money involved in the legal tangles of the contract buyout, Joel netted less than $7,000 in profit from his certified Gold record. Although this album is best known for its title track, several other songs include &quot;Captain Jack,&quot; &quot;The Ballad of Billy the Kid&quot; and &quot;You&apos;re My Home&quot; (the b-side of the &quot;Piano Man&quot; single, which would later be covered by Helen Reddy, who would release it as the flipside of her single &quot;Keep On Singing&quot;), all of which would become staples of Joel&apos;s live shows.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">As of November 2007, the song &quot;Piano Man&quot; is still in the top 99 rock songs on iTunes.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Streetlife Serenade</I></B> (1974)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel remained in Los Angeles to write Streetlife Serenade, his second album under the Columbia label. References to both suburbia and the inner city pepper the album. The standout track on the album is &quot;The Entertainer,&quot; which picks up thematically where &quot;Piano Man&quot; left off. Joel was upset that &quot;Piano Man&quot; had been significantly edited down in order to make it more radio-friendly, and in &quot;The Entertainer,&quot; he refers to the edit with sarcastic lines such as, &quot;If you&apos;re gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit, so they cut it down to 3:05.&quot; This refers to the album version of this song which is 5:37, and the edited single which is 3:05.[citation needed] Although Streetlife Serenade is often considered one of Joel&apos;s weaker albums (Joel has confirmed his distaste for the album), it nonetheless contains some notable tracks including the title track, with &quot;Los Angelenos&quot; and the instrumental &quot;The Mexican Connection.&quot; It also marked the beginning of a more confident vocal style on Joel&apos;s part.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Turnstiles</I></B> (1976)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Disenchanted with the L.A. musical scene, Joel returned to New York in 1975. There he recorded Turnstiles, on which Joel used his own hand-picked musicians in the studio for the first time, and took a more hands-on role. Songs were initially recorded and produced by famed Chicago producer James William Guercio, who subsequently was fired. The songs were re-recorded and Joel took over, producing the album himself. The minor hit &quot;Say Goodbye to Hollywood&quot; echoed the Phil Spector sound, and was covered by Ronnie Spector. The album also featured the song, &quot;New York State of Mind,&quot; a bluesy, jazzy epic that has become one of Joel&apos;s signature songs and was later covered by fellow Columbia labelmates Barbra Streisand on her 1977 Streisand Superman album and as a duet with Tony Bennett on his 2001 &quot;Playing with my friends: Bennett Sings The Blues&quot; album. Other songs on the album include &quot;Summer, Highland Falls,&quot; and &quot;Miami 2017 (I&apos;ve Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway).&quot; Songs such as &quot;Prelude/Angry Young Man&quot; would become a mainstay of his concerts for years.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>The Stranger</I></B> (1977)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">For his album The Stranger, Columbia Records united Joel with producer Phil Ramone. The album yielded four Top 40 hits on the Billboard Charts in the US, &quot;Just the Way You Are&quot; (# 3), &quot;Movin&apos; Out (Anthony&apos;s Song)&quot; (# 17), &quot;Only the Good Die Young&quot; (# 24), and &quot;She&apos;s Always a Woman&quot; (# 17). Album sales exceeded Columbia&apos;s previous top album, Simon &amp; Garfunkel&apos;s Bridge Over Troubled Water, and was certified multi-platinum. It was Joel&apos;s first Top Ten album, as it rose to # 2 on the charts. Phil Ramone eventually produced every Billy Joel studio release until 1989&apos;s Storm Front.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Stranger netted Joel Grammy nominations, for Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year, for &quot;Just the Way You Are,&quot; which was written as a gift to his wife Elizabeth. He won for the latter two.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>52nd Street</I></B> (1978)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel faced high expectations on his next album. 52nd Street was conceived as a day in Manhattan, and was named after the famous street of same name which hosted many of the world&apos;s premier jazz venues and performers throughout the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Fans purchased over seven million copies on the strength of the hits &quot;My Life&quot; (# 3), &quot;Big Shot&quot; (# 14), and &quot;Honesty&quot; (# 24). This helped 52nd Street become Joel&apos;s first # 1 album. &quot;My Life&quot; eventually became the theme song for a new US television sitcom, Bosom Buddies, which featured actor Tom Hanks in one of his earliest roles. 52nd Street was the first album to be released on Compact Disc in Japan (1982). The album won Grammys for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male &amp; Album of the Year. Despite all the cover art for the album showing Joel holding a trumpet, he does not play the instrument on the album, though two tracks on the album do feature trumpets. Freddie Hubbard plays two solos in &quot;Zanzibar&quot; and joins Jon Faddis in the horn section for &quot;Half A Mile Away.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Glass Houses</I></B> (1980)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The success of his piano-driven ballads like &quot;Just the Way You Are&quot; and &quot;Honesty&quot; never sat well with him. With Glass Houses, Joel attacked the new wave popularity with aplomb. The front cover consisted of Joel&apos;s real-life modern glass house. The album spent 6 weeks at # 1 on the Billboard chart and yielded such classics as &quot;You May Be Right&quot; (# 7, May 1980), &quot;Close To The Borderline&quot; (B side of the &quot;You May Be Right&quot; single), &quot;Don&apos;t Ask Me Why&quot; (# 19, September 1980), &quot;Sometimes A Fantasy&quot; (# 36, November 1980) and &quot;It&apos;s Still Rock &amp; Roll to Me,&quot; which became Joel&apos;s first Billboard # 1 song in July, 1980. Glass Houses won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male. It would also win the American Music Award for Favorite Album, Pop/Rock category.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Songs in the Attic</I></B> (1981)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">His next release, Songs in the Attic, was composed of live performances of less well-known songs from the beginning of his career. Songs in the Attic was recorded during arena and club shows in June and July of 1980. This release introduced many fans, who just discovered Joel when The Stranger became a smash in 1977, to many of his earlier compositions. The album reached # 8 on the Billboard chart and produced two hit singles: &quot;Say Goodbye to Hollywood&quot; (# 17), and &quot;She&apos;s Got a Way&quot; (# 23). It sold in excess of 3 million copies. Though not as successful as some of his previous albums, the album was still considered a success by Joel[citation needed].The track &quot;Los Angelenos&quot; was recorded live at Toads Place in New Haven, CT in July of 1980.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Building On Success 1982–1986</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>The Nylon Curtain</I></B> (1982)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The next wave of Joel&apos;s career commenced with the recording of The Nylon Curtain. Considered his most audacious and ambitious album, Joel took more than a page or two from the Lennon-McCartney songwriting style on this heavily Beatles-influenced album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Work began on The Nylon Curtain in the spring of 1982. However, Joel was sidelined when he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident. At about 5:40 P.M. on April 15, 1982, Cornelia Bynum made a right turn at the intersection of New York Avenue and West 9th Street in Huntington. She then ran a red light and collided with Joel, who was going straight through a green light, on his 1977 XLCR Sportster. After the crash, he flew right over her car and landed on his back. Both his left wrist and hand were broken and badly damaged. Joel, lucky to be alive, managed to get up and take inventory of his helmet, leather, and boots, until a police officer arrived.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel was airlifted by helicopter to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. Because of the ensuing surgery, which included the temporary insertion of five pins into his wrist, hand, and a month in the hospital, production of the album was shut down temporarily while Joel recovered.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Once The Nylon Curtain was finished, Joel embarked on a brief tour in support of the album, during which his first video special, Live from Long Island, was recorded at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, on December 30, 1982.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Nylon Curtain went to #7 on the charts, supported by the popular singles &quot;Allentown,&quot; &quot;Goodnight Saigon,&quot; and &quot;Pressure.&quot; &quot;Allentown&quot; rose to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it one of the most-played radio songs of 1982 and the most successful song from The Nylon Curtain album, besting &quot;Pressure,&quot; which peaked at #20 and &quot;Goodnight Saigon&quot; which reached #56.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel&apos;s marriage began to suffer as his success rose, and on July 20, 1983 he and wife Elizabeth officially divorced, having separated in July 1982. In accordance with the divorce agreement, Elizabeth took half of the singer&apos;s assets.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following The Nylon Curtain tour, Joel retreated to the island of St. Bart&apos;s in February of 1983 for some rest and relaxation. At the bar of the hotel in which he was staying, Joel met supermodel Christie Brinkley, who had recently divorced her husband Jean-François Allaux. They eventually became a couple, and married on March 23, 1985. As the story goes, when they met they didn&apos;t recognize one another despite both being among the most famous faces in the world at the time. This is supposedly what prompted the line &quot;He was always Joe to me&quot; in the song &quot;Christie Lee&quot; which appeared on the album &quot;An Innocent Man&quot; which is purportedly about their first meeting.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>An Innocent Man</I></B> (1983)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The song &quot;Uptown Girl&quot; was one of the first songs written when Joel returned from vacation. &quot;Uptown Girl&quot; is widely considered to be about Christie Brinkley, whom he started dating during the song&apos;s creation (the music video also included Brinkley). It became a worldwide hit upon its release, and Joel&apos;s sole # 1 in the United Kingdom. The resulting album, An Innocent Man, was compiled as a tribute to the rock and roll music of the 1950s and 1960s, and also resulted in Joel&apos;s second Billboard # 1 hit, &quot;Tell Her About It,&quot; which was the first single off the album in the Summer of 1983. The album itself reached # 4 on the charts and #2 in UK. It also boasted 6 top-30 singles, the most of any album in Joel&apos;s catalog. At the time the album came out that summer, WCBS-FM began playing &quot;The Longest Time&quot; both in regular rotation and on the &quot;Doo Wop Shop.&quot; Many fans wanted this to be the next single released in the fall, but that October, &quot;Uptown Girl&quot; would be released, peaking at # 3. In December the title song, &quot;An Innocent Man,&quot; would be released as a single and would peak at #10 and #8 in the UK, early in 1984. That March &quot;The Longest Time,&quot; a Doo Wop song, would finally be released as a single and peak at # 14 on the Hot 100 and be a number one Adult Contemporary hit. That summer, &quot;Leave A Tender Moment Alone&quot; would be released and hit # 27 while &quot;Keeping the Faith&quot; would peak # 18 in January of 1985. An Innocent Man was also nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy, but lost to the inevitable winner that year, Michael Jackson&apos;s Thriller.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Greatest Hits Vol. 1 and 2</I></B> (1985)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Following the success of An Innocent Man, Joel had been approached to release an album of his most successful singles. This was not the first time this topic had come up, but Joel had initially considered &quot;Greatest Hits&quot; albums as marking the end of one&apos;s career. This time, he agreed, and Greatest Hits Vol. 1 and 2 was released as a 4-sided album and 2-CD set, with the songs in sequence of when they were released. The new songs &quot;You&apos;re Only Human (Second Wind)&quot; and &quot;The Night is Still Young&quot; were recorded and released as singles to support the album; both reached the top 40, peaking at # 9 and # 34, respectively.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Greatest Hits was highly successful, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and becoming the top-selling double album of all time by a solo artist (and second overall after The Wall by Pink Floyd). It has since been certified diamond by the RIAA for over 20 million albums sold. To date it is the 6th best selling album in American music history according to the RIAA.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Coinciding with the Greatest Hits album release, Joel released a 2-volume Video Album that was a compilation of the promotional videos he had recorded from 1977 to the present time. Along with videos for the new singles off the Greatest Hits album, Joel also recorded a video for his first hit, &quot;Piano Man,&quot; for this project.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Two versions of Greatest Hits were released on CD: the initial release on double CD in 1985, and a re-released Enhanced CD version in 1998. While both are the same basic album in general, there are a number of subtle differences between the two:</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">While all the longer hits (&quot;Piano Man,&quot; &quot;Captain Jack,&quot; &quot;Goodnight Saigon&quot;) are fully intact, many other shorter songs (&quot;Pressure,&quot; &quot;Just the Way You Are,&quot; &quot;My Life&quot;) were shortened significantly in the 1985 release. Oddly enough, the included booklet lists all of the lyrics, even the parts cut for time. These songs are fully restored in the re-release.</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The 1985 release features the live version of &quot;Say Goodbye to Hollywood&quot; from Songs in the Attic. The version from Turnstiles was used for the 1998 re-release.</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The 1998 re-release features enhanced content due to advancements in CD technology over the previous 13 years.</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>The Bridge</I></B> (1986)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel scored a Top 10 hit with &quot;Modern Woman&quot; from the film &quot;Ruthless People,&quot; a dark comedy from the directors of Airplane! that starred Bette Midler and Danny DeVito (Mick Jagger sang the title track). The song subsequently appeared on The Bridge, which, like the movie, was released in the summer of 1986. Ray Charles duetted with Joel on the ballad &quot;Baby Grand&quot; (which Joel wrote by himself), and Steve Winwood played Hammond organ on the song &quot;Getting Closer.&quot; The final song recorded for the album was &quot;Code Of Silence.&quot; Cyndi Lauper contributed backing vocals on &quot;Code of Silence&quot; and garnered the only co-writing credit of Joel&apos;s entire career for helping him with the lyrics to the song.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Though it broke into the Top Ten, The Bridge was not a success in relation to some of Joel&apos;s other albums, but it yielded the hit &quot;A Matter Of Trust&quot; (#10). In a departure from his &quot;piano man&quot; persona, Joel is shown in its video as playing a Les Paul-autographed Gibson guitar. The ballad &quot;This Is The Time&quot; also charted, peaking at #18, and has been a favorite on the prom circuit ever since. &quot;Modern Woman&quot; was also released as a single and was quite successful, but Joel has since said in interviews he doesn&apos;t care for the song, and subsequently it has been left off most of his compilation sets (the exception appears to be My Lives).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On November 18, 1986 an extended version of the song &quot;Big Man On Mulberry Street&quot; was used on a season three episode of Moonlighting. The episode was titled &quot;Big Man On Mulberry Street&quot;. In a dream sequence, Maddie Hayes envisions David Addison with his ex-wife. An extra horn solo was added to the song.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It was also the last Billy Joel album to carry the &quot;Family Productions&quot; logo.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">At around this time, Billy completed voice work on Disney&apos;s Oliver &amp; Company, released in 1988, a loose adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. Billy brought both his acting and musical talents to the film as Dodger. For the film, Billy recorded a song titled &quot;Why Should I Worry?&quot; Critics were generally positive toward the film, and pointed to Billy&apos;s acting contribution as one of its highlights, despite its being his first acting job. In interviews, Billy explained that he took the job due to his love of Disney cartoons as a child.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>The USSR Period 1987</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Throughout his tour supporting The Bridge, Joel and his handlers started planning a trip to the Soviet Union. He would be one of the first American rock acts to play there since the Berlin Wall went up, a fact not lost on history buff Joel. There would be six live performances, three each at indoor arenas in Moscow and Leningrad. Joel and his family (including young daughter Alexa) and his full touring band made the trip in June 1987. The entourage was filmed for television and video to eventually offset the cost of the trip, and the concerts were simulcast on radio around the world.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The audience in at least the first Moscow shows was filled with members of the Communist Party, who received tickets from the government as a perk. Most of that audience took a long while to warm up to Joel&apos;s energetic show, something that never had happened in other countries he had performed in. As a result of that, a minor international incident occurred when he famously flipped over an electric keyboard during the second Moscow show as a show of frustration that the lighting engineers would not turn down the house lights. The lighting engineers were more concerned with the amount of light being adequate for filming, as a documentary film crew was filming the concert. According to Joel, each time the fans were hit with the bright lights, anybody who seemed to be enjoying themselves froze. In addition, people who were &quot;overreacting&quot; were removed by security.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>KOHЦEPT</I></B> (1987)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The album KOHЦEPT, Russian for &quot;Concert,&quot; was released in the fall of 1987. Singer Peter Hewlitt was brought in to hit the high notes on his most vocally challenging songs, like &quot;An Innocent Man.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">It has been estimated that Joel lost more than US $1 million of his own money on the trip and concerts, but he has said the goodwill he was shown there was well worth it.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Later albums 1989–1994</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>Storm Front</I></B> (1989)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The song &quot;We Didn&apos;t Start the Fire,&quot; the first single from the album Storm Front, was released in September 1989. The song became Joel&apos;s third and most recent US Number 1 hit, spending two weeks at the top.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Storm Front was released in October, and it eventually became Joel&apos;s first Number 1 album since Glass Houses, 9 years earlier. Storm Front was Joel&apos;s first album since Turnstiles to be recorded without Phil Ramone as producer. For this album, he wanted a new sound, and worked with Mick Jones of Foreigner fame. Joel also revamped his backing band, firing everyone, save drummer Liberty DeVitto, guitarist David Brown, and saxophone player Mark Rivera; and bringing in new faces, including talented multi-instrumentalist Crystal Taliefero, who would go on to become Joel&apos;s musical director and architect of his live sound. After &quot;We Didn&apos;t Start the Fire,&quot; Storm Front also produced the top ten hit &quot;I Go To Extremes&quot; (#6). The album was also notable for its song &quot;Leningrad,&quot; written after Joel met a clown in the Soviet city of that name during his tour in 1987, and &quot;The Downeaster Alexa,&quot; written to underscore the plight of fishermen on Long Island who are barely able to make ends meet. Another well-known single from the album is the ballad &quot;And So It Goes&quot; (#37 in late 1990). Billy Joel became the first-ever performer to hold a show at Yankee Stadium, packing the house for two sold-out nights in a row.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B><I>River of Dreams</I></B> (1993)</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel started work on River of Dreams in early 1993. Its cover art was a colorful painting by Christie Brinkley that was a series of scenes from each of the songs on the album. The eponymous first single was the last top 10 hit Joel has penned to date, and #1 for a staggering twelve weeks on Billboard&apos;s Adult Contemporary chart. The album includes hits such as &quot;The River of Dreams,&quot; &quot;All About Soul,&quot;(With Color Me Badd on backing vocals) and &quot;Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel),&quot; written for his daughter, Alexa. A radio remix version of &quot;All About Soul&quot; can be found on &quot;The Essential Billy Joel&quot; (2001), and a demo version appears on &quot;My Lives&quot; (2005). The song &quot;The Great Wall of China&quot; was written about his ex-manager Frank Weber and was a regular in the setlist for Joel&apos;s 2006 tour. &quot;2000 Years&quot; was prominent in the millennium concert at Madison Square Garden, December 31, 1999, and &quot;Famous Last Words&quot; closed the book on Joel&apos;s pop songwriting (for now).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>1994–Present</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On August 25, 1994, Joel and second wife Christie Brinkley divorced.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In August 1993, Billy Joel&apos;s long-time bassist Doug Stegmeyer committed suicide in his Long Island home. Stegmeyer had played on every one of Joel&apos;s albums from Turnstiles through The Bridge. Stegmeyer also performed as bassist on Joel&apos;s live album KOHЦEPT.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On December 31, 1999, Joel performed at New York&apos;s Madison Square Garden, which at the time was considered to be Joel&apos;s last solo concert. The concert (dubbed The Night Of The 2000 Years) ran on close to 4 hours and was later released as 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2001, Joel released Fantasies &amp; Delusions, a collection of classical piano pieces. All were written by Billy Joel and performed by Richard Joo. Joel often uses bits of these songs as interludes in live performances, and some of them are part of the score for the hit show &quot;Movin&apos; Out.&quot; The album topped the classical charts at # 1. Joel performed &quot;New York State of Mind&quot; live on September 21, 2001, as part of the America: A Tribute to Heroes benefit concert, and on October 20, 2001, along with &quot;Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway),&quot; at the Concert for New York City in Madison Square Garden. That night, he also performed &quot;Your Song&quot; with Elton John.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel has toured extensively with Elton John on a series of &quot;Face to Face&quot; tours. During these shows, the two have played each other&apos;s songs and performed duets. They grossed over $46,000,000 in just 24 dates.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2005, Columbia released a box set, My Lives, which is largely a compilation of demos, b-sides, live/alternate versions and even a few Top 40 hits. The compilation also includes the Umixit software, in which people can remix &quot;Zanzibar,&quot; &quot;Only the Good Die Young,&quot; &quot;Keepin&apos; The Faith,&quot; and live versions of &quot;I Go To Extremes&quot; and &quot;Movin&apos; Out (Anthony&apos;s Song)&quot; with their PC. Also, a DVD of a show from the River of Dreams tour is included.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On January 7, 2006, Joel began a tour across the United States. Having not written, or at least released, any new songs in 13 years, he featured a sampling of songs from throughout his career, including major hits as well as obscure tunes like &quot;Zanzibar&quot; and &quot;All For Leyna.&quot; His tour included an unprecedented 12 sold-out concerts over several months at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The singer&apos;s stint of 12 shows at Madison Square Garden broke a previous record set by New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen when he played 10 sold-out shows at the same arena. The record earned Joel the only retired number (12) in the arena owned by a non-athlete. This honor has also been given to Joel at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia where a banner in the colors of the Philadelphia Flyers is hung honoring Joel&apos;s 46 Philadelphia sold-out shows. He also had a banner raised in his honor for being the highest grossing act in the history of the Times Union Center (formerly the Knickerbocker Arena and Pepsi Arena) in Albany, NY. This honor was given to him as part of the April 17, 2007 show he did there. On June 13, 2006, Columbia released &quot;12 Gardens Live,&quot; a double album containing 32 live recordings from a collection of the 12 different shows at Madison Square Garden during Joel&apos;s 2006 tour.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2006 also saw Billy Joel visit the United Kingdom and Ireland (as part of the European leg of his 2006 tour) for the first time in many years, playing to capacity crowds in Birmingham, Sheffield, Southampton, Manchester, Glasgow, London and Dublin. On July 31, 2006, Joel performed a free concert in Rome, Italy with the Colosseum as the backdrop, and performed classic hits for hundreds of thousands of fans. Joel performed favorites such as &quot;New York State of Mind,&quot; &quot;Honesty,&quot; and &quot;Just the Way You Are.&quot; While introducing one song, the 57-year-old singer joked in shaky Italian, &quot;This song is as old as the Colosseum.&quot; Organizers estimated 500,000 people turned out for the show. The concert was opened by Canadian pop-rocker and songwriter Bryan Adams.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Billy Joel toured South Africa, Australia, Japan, and Hawaii in late 2006, and subsequently toured the Southeastern United States in February and March 2007 before hitting the Midwest in the spring of &apos;07.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On January 3, 2007, news was leaked to the New York Post that Billy had recorded a new song with lyrics -- this being the first new song with lyrics he&apos;d written in almost 14 years. The song, entitled &quot;All My Life,&quot; was Joel&apos;s newest single (with second track &quot;You&apos;re My Home&quot; Live from Madison Square Garden 2006 tour) was released into stores on February 27, 2007.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On February 4, 2007, Joel sang the national anthem for Super Bowl XLI, and was the first to sing the national anthem twice at a Super Bowl.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On April 17, 2007, Joel was honored in Albany, NY, for his 9th concert at Times Union Center. He is now holding the highest box office attendance of any artist to play at the arena. With his daughter Alexa Ray Joel in attendance, a banner was raised in his honor marking this achievement.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On December 1, 2007, Joel premiered his new song &quot;Christmas in Fallujah&quot;. It is performed by Cass Dillion, a new Long Island based musician, as Joel felt it should be sung by someone in a soldier&apos;s age range. This song is dedicated to the troops in Iraq. &quot;Christmas In Fallujah&quot; became available to purchase on iTunes December 4, 2007 the proceeds will benefit the Homes For Our Troops foundation.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Songwriting and Musical Styling</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel&apos;s lyrics have made many references to locations in the New York City metropolitan area, particularly Long Island. For example, the &quot;Miracle Mile&quot; line in 1980s &quot;It&apos;s Still Rock &amp; Roll to Me&quot; refers to the affluent shopping district located on Northern Boulevard in the community of Manhasset and 1980s &quot;You May Be Right&quot; references walking through the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn alone as proof of craziness. In his 1973 song &quot;The Ballad of Billy the Kid,&quot; he describes a certain &quot;Billy&quot; as being from the town of Oyster Bay, the municipality in which the hamlet of Hicksville is located. He has since stated, in the liner notes from his album Songs in the Attic, that this &quot;Billy&quot; is not himself, but rather an Oyster Bay bartender. Additionally, the song &quot;The Downeaster &apos;Alexa&apos;&quot; mentions several Long Island/New England locations and ports, such as Montauk and Gardiner&apos;s Bay.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Several of Joel&apos;s songs have grown out of specific personal experiences, including &quot;Piano Man,&quot; which he wrote describing his regular job playing at a Los Angeles piano bar in the early 1970s, and &quot;Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,&quot; written about Angelo&apos;s, an eatery on Mulberry Street in New York City&apos;s Little Italy. His song &quot;Vienna&quot; was supposedly written about a visit to his father in Europe.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Contrary to persistent rumors, &quot;Big Shot&quot; was not based on a bad date with Mick Jagger&apos;s ex-wife Bianca.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In a Playboy interview, Joel indicated that &quot;Rosalinda&apos;s Eyes&quot; was penned for his mother, Rosalind, as the song his father should have written for her.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">&quot;Only the Good Die Young&quot; created a bit of a stir within the religious community when it was first released in 1977. Some radio stations even refused to give the song any airtime. It is said that while Joel was doing a show in St. Louis, he had been specifically asked not to perform the song during the show and even received death threats; in response, Joel played it twice. Joel has said about the song that &quot;the point of the song wasn&apos;t so much anti-Catholic as pro-lust.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Influences</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">His music reflects influences from many different genres including classical music, 1950s doo wop, Broadway/Tin Pan Alley, jazz, blues, gospel, pop, and straight-up rock &amp; roll. Ray Charles has also had a huge impact on Billy Joel&apos;s music and personal life. This has, in part, led to his broad success over a long period of time, but made him difficult to categorize in popular music today.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Joel&apos;s greatest musical influence is probably The Beatles, in particular the songwriting style of Paul McCartney.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Band</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the mid 1970s, the touring and studio lineup of Joel&apos;s band stabilized. The main lineup consisted of:</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Billy Joel - lead vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar, harmonica</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Liberty DeVitto — drums, percussion</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Doug Stegmeyer — bass guitar, backing vocals</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Russell Javors — rhythm and lead guitars, harmonica, backing vocals</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">David Brown — lead and rhythm guitars, 12-string guitar</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><LI><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Richie Cannata — saxophones, flute, clarinet, piano, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals</FONT></LI></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">This was also the lineup for Joel&apos;s first live album, Songs in the Attic.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The 1980s and 1990s saw significant changes to Joel&apos;s band. By the River of Dreams tour, the only remaining long standing member of the band was DeVitto. T-Bone Wolk joined playing bass guita</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Billy_Joel.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">William Joseph Martin &quot;Billy&quot; Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist, songwriter, composer and ...'),(38,'Bloodhound Gang','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Bloodhound Gang is a comedic American rock band. They are originally from Quakertown, Pennsylvania. The group formed in 1992.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Bloodhound Gang first started out as a small alternative band in 1992 called Bang Chamber 8. The band consisted of Jimmy Pop and Daddy Long Legs. They graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School. They released one known tape, which was self titled. Soon they changed their name to the Bloodhound Gang and changed their musical style. Their new name referred to &quot;The Bloodhound Gang&quot;, a segment on the 1980s PBS kids&apos; show 3-2-1 Contact which featured three young detectives solving mysteries and fighting crime.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Unable to get booked at any clubs, the Bloodhound Gang first performed in the extra room at Evil Jared Hasselhoff&apos;s house, in exchange for Schlitz, Marlboros, and a chance to hand out their first demo tape, entitled Just Another Demo. When the floor caved in one night, they began performing every month at CBGBs in New York City. When asked about the band&apos;s tenure at the club, Jimmy Pop was quoted as saying, &quot;I&apos;ve seen cavemen with better clubs.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In April 1994, the band released their second demo tape, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Hitler&apos;s Handicapped Helpers. This landed them a record deal with Cheese Factory Records. In November 1994, they finally released their first EP, Dingleberry Haze.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the summer of 1994, Jimmy Pop had a small role in the short independent film The Chick That Was Naked by independent filmmaker Kurt Fitzpatrick. Also, a song by the band was used on its soundtrack.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Use Your Fingers</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In March 1995 the Bloodhound Gang signed a record deal with Columbia Records. They put out their first full-length album, titled Use Your Fingers. They began touring around the United States. At this time Daddy Long Legs and M.S.G., angry with Columbia Records, left the band to form another rap group, Wolfpac. Bass player Evil Jared Hasselhoff and Turntablist Tard-E-Tard joined the group as replacements. When the tour ended, the deal with Columbia Records was dropped and band members Skip O&apos;Pot2Mus and Tard-E-Tard left to pursue a career in the customer service industry.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>One Fierce Beer Coaster</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In March 1996, the band, complete with a new line-up, recorded their second full-length album, One Fierce Beer Coaster, first released on Cheese Factory Records (now Republic Records), and re-released on Geffen Records in 1998. They embarked on their first &quot;real tour&quot; of the United States and Europe (they are quoted as saying this was &quot;the first tour where nobody&apos;s parents had to drive out and pick up the band after the van broke down&quot;). The album boasted the well-known song &quot;Fire Water Burn.&quot; The song was featured in the movie Fahrenheit 9/11 as a song that is popular among US troops in Iraq. The band reportedly let Michael Moore use the song for free, claiming &quot;Michael Moore kicks ass. He&apos;s the master of delivering a compelling point in an entertaining manner. So, when he asked us to use &apos;Fire Water Burn&apos; in Fahrenheit 9/11, we not only said &apos;fuck yeah,&apos; but waived our normal fee.&quot; 1 In the summer of 1996 Jimmy Pop Ali had a supporting role in the independent film Kin by director Kurt Fitzpatrick and starring Fitzpatrick, Marie Hans and Ben McVoy. Several Bloodhound Gang songs were used for the soundtrack for the film.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Hooray for Boobies</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1999, they released their third album, Hooray for Boobies. Powered by hit single, &quot;The Bad Touch&quot;, they embarked on two more tours of Europe, where they had begun to get quite popular (&quot;The Bad Touch&quot; and Hooray for Boobies reached #1 in Germany, where &quot;Along Comes Mary&quot; was also a Top 10 hit). They returned after selling over five million albums.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2003, the band released a DVD entitled One Fierce Beer Run, which chronicles their One Fierce Beer Coaster tour of 1997.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Hefty Fine</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band&apos;s newest album, Hefty Fine, was released on September 27, 2005. The title came about after Evil Jared Hasselhoff Phillips was fined during work on MTV&apos;s &quot;Viva La Bam&quot; (The Scavenger Hunt episode). Jared Phillips was fined $20,000, which Jimmy Pop allegedly had to pay (This is discussed in the &quot;Uncommon-tary&quot; Of the Viva La Bam DVDs). The CD&apos;s original title, Heavy Flow, was scrapped when it was noticed that fellow musician Moby had a song with the same name. The first single, &quot;Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo,&quot; gained heavy rotation on music video channels. Although the track &quot;No Hard Feelings&quot; recently broke into the Modern Rock Top 50, their second single is &quot;Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss&quot; (which is featured in a Blaupunkt ad) has started radio circulation with a music video airing limitedly on a few music channels. Other songs from the new album are part of a campaign by the Bloodhound Gang to change the Pennsylvania state anthem into their appropriately titled &quot;Pennsylvania&quot; and &quot;Something Diabolical,&quot; featuring HIM&apos;s Ville Valo. The band&apos;s current members can also be found on a few episodes of Viva La Bam including the episode in which Bam Margera divides his friends into teams that go out and do outrageous stunts in order to earn points in a &quot;scavenger hunt&quot; to decide what happens to April Margera&apos;s piano that she wishes to get rid of. Bam Margera also makes a guest star appearance on their Hefty Fine album on a hidden track and in the music video for &quot;Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo.&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Drummer Willie the New Guy was released from his position at the start of 2006, by mutual agreement between him &amp; the band. He has been replaced by The Yin (whose birth name is Adam Perry) from the band A on their recent tour.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band has also made several appearances on the MTV show Jackass, Viva La Bam, CKY4, as well as The Howard Stern Show.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Current 2007</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The new song &quot;Screwing You On The Beach At Night&quot; was released via iTunes on July 17th 2007.The video for the song was released on August 20th 2007 on Youtube.The video is a remake of the 1989 video &quot;Wicked Game&quot; by Chris Isaak.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">&quot;Screwing you on the beach at night&quot; will be available to download in the UK on 22 October.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band are currently writing their new album, song titles include &quot;Smash&quot;, &quot;Bump In The Night&quot;, &quot;Midgets On Trampolines&quot; and &quot;Larried (a left over song from Hefty Fine)&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Bloodhound Gang are currently on the &quot;Get Happy Tour&quot; alongside Bowling for Soup, Zebrahead and Army of Freshmen</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Enjoy The &quot;Golden Shower&quot;</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band arrived in the middle of a media storm mid-2006 when they started using a &quot;golden shower&quot; act onstage during a rendition of Depeche Mode&apos;s &quot;Enjoy the Silence&quot; at Rock Am Ring and Pinkpop. On a Radio Bam show, Ant&apos;nee (one of the band&apos;s crew members) mentioned in one of the Belgium shows, Evil Jared used feces instead of using urine as an alternate.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/bloodhoundgang.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The Bloodhound Gang is a comedic American rock band. They are originally from Quakertown, Pennsylvania. The group formed ...'),(39,'Billie Piper','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Billie Paul Piper (born Leanne Paul Piper on 22 September 1982) is an English actress and singer. She began her career as a pop singer in her teens and was well known for her marriage to DJ Chris Evans but is now best known for portraying Rose Tyler, companion to the Doctor in the television series Doctor Who from 2005 to 2006, a role she is set to reprise in 2008.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Music Career</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Piper&apos;s first break in the entertainment world came as a teenager, when she was selected to appear on the Saturday morning kids&apos; television show Scratchy and Co. Piper later landed a role in a television commercial promoting the pop magazine Smash Hits. Her role was to blow a bubble in front of the camera, burst it with her finger and shout &quot;Pop!&quot;. A red screen would then come up and the words &quot;Smash hits Magazine. 100% pure pop!&quot; with Piper&apos;s voice saying the words. She then had to run up to the camera and dance, then run back. Soon after she was offered a record deal at the age of fifteen, and in 1998 became the youngest artist ever to debut at number one in the UK singles chart with &quot;Because We Want To&quot;, released under the artist name &quot;Billie&quot;. Her follow-up single &quot;Girlfriend&quot; also debuted at number one and her first album, Honey to the B (released immediately afterwards) debuted at Number 14 in the UK album charts. She released two further singles off the album, &quot;She Wants You&quot; and &quot;Honey to the Bee&quot;; both songs debuted at Number 3.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Piper then took a year off to record her second album. She decided to release further records under her full name, Billie Piper. She returned to the Singles Chart in May 2000 with a new, sexier sound. She hit the Number 1 spot with &quot;Day &amp; Night&quot;, but her success wasn&apos;t to continue. She waited until the following September to release &quot;Something Deep Inside&quot;. That reached Number 4 in the UK Singles Chart. In October 2000, Piper released her second album, Walk of Life, which reached Number 14 in the UK Album Chart. The song &quot;Walk of Life&quot;, the final single off this album, was released in December 2000 and reached Number 25 in the UK Singles Chart.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1999, Piper was nominated for two BRIT Awards and was named Best Female Star at the Smash Hits Poll Winners&apos; party, although at the latter ceremony she was reduced to tears after being viciously booed by jealous fans of Ritchie Neville, member of boyband Five, whom she was dating at the time.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">On 15 January 2007, BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles started a campaign to get &quot;Honey to the Bee&quot; back into the Top 100 on download sales as a way of testing out new chart rules that favour download sales. The campaign was highly successful, with &quot;Honey to the Bee&quot; re-entering the official UK singles chart at #17, eight years after it was first released.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Billie_Piper_007.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Billie Paul Piper (born Leanne Paul Piper on 22 September 1982) is an English actress and singer. She began her career as...'),(40,'Alphaville','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Alphaville is a German synthpop/-rock music group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold (real name Hartwig Schierbaum, born May 26, 1954 in Herford), Bernhard Lloyd (real name Bernhard Gößling, born June 6, 1960 in Enger, North Rhine-Westphalia), and Frank Mertens (real name Frank Sorgatz, born October 26, 1961 in Enger, North Rhine-Westphalia). The band was at first named Forever Young before changing to Alphaville. They are best known for their two biggest hits, &quot;Big in Japan&quot; and &quot;Forever Young&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1984, the re-named Alphaville released their debut single &quot;Big in Japan&quot;, quickly followed by the album Forever Young. Despite its success, Frank Mertens left the band that year and was replaced by Ricky Echolette (born Wolfgang Neuhaus, in Cologne, August 6, 1960) in January 1985 – already credited in the &quot;Forever Young&quot; album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">&quot;Big In Japan&quot; was Alphaville&apos;s biggest hit, topping the charts in Switzerland, Sweden and the U.S. Billboard Dance Chart (the group&apos;s only success on any American chart), and reached the Top Five in Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Ireland and South Africa. It also became the group&apos;s only Top 20 single in the UK, peaking at #8.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The band&apos;s next two singles, &quot;Sounds like a Melody&quot; and &quot;Forever Young&quot;, were also both European Top 10 successes, although the latter track failed to make an impression on the American charts.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Although there were reports that pop star Laura Branigan was featuring the song on her next album, Hold Me, Alphaville&apos;s &quot;Forever Young&quot; was re-released as a single in the US, but still proved unpopular. Branigan&apos;s version, though promoted on stickers adorning the album, subsequently remained an album cut in the US. She would go on to perform the song as an encore at nearly every concert she performed, until her death in 2004. The Alphaville version was released a third time in the US in 1988, to promote Alphaville: The Singles Collection, and peaked at #65, their highest charting (and also last) single on the Billboard Hot 100. International re-releases of Alphaville&apos;s &quot;Forever Young&quot; followed in 1989, 1996 and 2001. Several covers have been recorded and remixed, featuring male or female vocalists often erroneously attributed to be Alphaville&apos;s Marian Gold. &quot;Forever Young&quot; was performed by Kiki and Herb as part of their show Alive From Broadway.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Afternoons in Utopia</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 1986, their second album, Afternoons in Utopia, was successfully released and its first single &quot;Dance with Me&quot; was a big international hit, reaching the Top 20 in France, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and South Africa, and n°25 in Austria. The LP was followed up in 1989 with The Breathtaking Blue, including the highly acclaimed singles (if not so successful chart hits) &quot;Romeos&quot; and &quot;Mysteries of Love&quot;. The album was released as a CD+G, including black &amp; white stills with original lyrics and German translation. As an alternative to individual music videos, the band enlisted nine producers, among them Godfrey Reggio (Koyaanisqatsi), to create a film entitled Songlines based on the album&apos;s tracks.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The next album, Prostitute, was not released until 1994. In 1996, Ricky Echolette left the band. Salvation, a back-to-the-root opus, followed in 1997. Stark Naked and Absolutely Live was released in 2000, followed by the remix album, Forever Pop the following year. A DVD – Little America – was released in 2001 documenting two concerts performed in Salt Lake City, Utah.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"11\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>Projects</B><FONT SIZE=\"10\"></FONT></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Bernhard Lloyd did not contribute to the CrazyShow album, and shortly after its release on March 18, 2003, he officially left the group. The current core stage members of Alphaville are Marian Gold (vocals), Martin Lister (keyboards), David Goodes (guitars) and Pierson Grange (drums).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Gold has released two solo albums (So Long Celeste, 1992 and United, 1996), alongside his work in the band, both mixing personal creations and covers.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Lloyd also worked on a project named Atlantic Popes with singer Max Holler, a 13-track CD. In 1996, Frank Mertens started a musical project called Maelstrom, which was a combination of ambient-style music, impressionistic and colorful art in the form of paintings and sculptures, and etheric poetry. This project seems now to have been abandoned, though, as Mertens has not been visibly active with it.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In the first part of 2006, Australian guitar band Youth Group took their remake of Forever Young to #1 in the Official Australian Charts, thanks in part to exposure the track had received from being on popular US TV series The O.C.&apos;s fifth TV soundtrack CD.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">At present the band are still touring and working on new material and have just re-signed with WEA. Song titles for the next release include &quot;Gallery&quot;, &quot;Around the Universe&quot;, &quot;My Very Blood&quot;, and &quot;Sweet Dreams&quot;.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/alphaville.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Alphaville is a German synthpop/-rock music group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian ...'),(41,'Kylie Minogue','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Kylie Ann Minogue (born May 28, 1968) is an Australian, Grammy award-winning pop singer, songwriter and actress. Minogue rose to prominence in the late 1980s through her role in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, before she commenced her career as a pop artist in the late &apos;80s. According to Warner Music Australia, Minogue has sold over 40 million records worldwide.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Signed to a contract by British songwriters and producers Stock, Aitken &amp; Waterman in 1988, she achieved a string of hit records throughout the world. Her popularity began to decline during the early 1990s, leading her to part company from Stock, Aitken &amp; Waterman in 1992. During the mid to late 90s, Minogue distanced herself from her earlier work and attempted to establish herself as a credible and independent performer and songwriter. Her projects were widely publicised, but her albums failed to attract a substantial audience and resulted in the lowest sales of her career to date. She returned to popularity as a dance–pop artist in 2000, and became well-known for her provocative music videos and expensively mounted stage shows.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In Europe and Australia, Minogue has become one of her generation&apos;s most recognisable celebrities and sex symbols. In Australia, after being dismissed early in her career by some critics, she has been acclaimed for her achievements.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Minogue released her tenth studio album, X, on November 26, 2007.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/kylie.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Kylie Ann Minogue (born May 28, 1968) is an Australian, Grammy award-winning pop singer, songwriter and actress. Minogue ...'),(42,'Kent','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Kent is a Swedish rock band founded in Eskilstuna in 1990, with the name Coca-Cola Kids, later Jones &amp; Giftet (Jones &amp; the Poison), and Havsänglar (Angel sharks, literally Sea angels). The band&apos;s logo is distinctive, using a lowercase &quot;k&quot; and the ITC Avant Garde Gothic Book typeface. Kent has had several big Swedish radio hits since the breakthrough single &quot;Kräm (så nära får ingen gå)&quot;. As of 2007, they are one of the most popular rock groups in Sweden, but are more or less unknown outside Scandinavia. Kent shortly attempted an international career with English versions of the albums Isola and Hagnesta Hill with accompanying U.S. tours for the former, but they gave up after not reaching the breakthrough they had hoped for. Kent continued their Scandinavian endeavours with three more albums and an EP, continuing to win several awards along the way and being generally regarded as Sweden&apos;s most popular band. The band has sold over a million records.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Two of the band&apos;s four members are Sweden Finns.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Kent.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Kent is a Swedish rock band founded in Eskilstuna in 1990, with the name Coca-Cola Kids, later Jones &amp; Giftet (Jones ...'),(43,'Bad Boys Blue','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Bad Boys Blue are a multinational pop group that was formed in Cologne, Germany. The group performed many international hits including You&apos;re a Woman, Pretty Young Girl, I Wanna Hear Your Heartbeat and Come Back and Stay.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"12\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"><B>History</B></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Bad Boys Blue was formed in the summer of 1984 by German producer Tony Hendrik and his lyricist wife Karin Van Harren. Hendrik was looking to create an alternative to the hugely successful German group Modern Talking. Ironically, Dieter Bohlen, mastermind and song writer of Modern Talking, is often incorrectly credited with developing their signature sound and being their producer.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The original trio was composed of American Andrew Thomas (born 1946.05.25 San Francisco, USA) British John McInerney (born 1957.09.07 Liverpool, England), and Jamaican Trevor Taylor (born 1958.01.11 Montego Bay, Jamaica) — the original lead vocalist. The debut single L.O.V.E. In My Car failed to make an impression in the pop charts but the follow-up You&apos;re A Woman was a massive success, reaching the top 10 in many European countries.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Trevor Taylor provided the lead vocal for the group&apos;s early, signature defining, hit singles including You&apos;re A Woman, Pretty Young Girl, and I Wanna Hear Your Heartbeat. The 1987 single Come Back And Stay was the first to feature John McInerney on lead vocal. Although the track was originally recorded as demo with Trevor Taylor&apos;s voice, the producers subjectively chose John McInerney&apos;s version. This created tension within the group which ultimately lead to Trevor Taylor&apos;s departure, who understandably did not wish to accept the changes. Such an action on the producers&apos; part was not uniformly accepted throughout the fan base, as it is generally believed that a significant portion of fans was lost following the switch of lead vocalists. After leaving Bad Boys Blue, Trevor Taylor has been involved at some point in various projects, such as Street Noise and Ozazuwas, and presently in Supa T and Umoya, whereas John McInerney went on to perform lead vocal on the vast majority of Bad Boys Blue&apos;s output.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group became massively popular in Eastern Europe and South Africa, with the band performing to sell-out crowds in Russia and the Ukraine. In contrast, the group never charted in the UK, and their only charting USA singles were Save Your Love (1993) and Luv 4 U (1994) which became successful chart hits. Those singles were from two of their albums that were released Stateside. Those albums are Bad Boys Blue (1993) and To Blue Horizons (1994).</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group has experienced numerous line up changes. In 1988 Trevor Taylor left the group - a year after being practically demoted to backup singer — but was asked to rejoin the group the following year just for recording sessions of Hungry for Love single that was to be featured on the group&apos;s first compilation album Bad Boys Best. Trevor Taylor&apos;s departure permanently secured John McInerney&apos;s position as the band&apos;s new lead vocalist. Trevor Taylor was replaced by Trevor Bannister (born 1965.08.05 Grimsby, England), whose function in the group was mainly to perform Trevor Taylor&apos;s hits on live gigs. It is during Bannister&apos;s tenure with the band is when Bad Boys Blue began taking numerous tours to Eastern Europe and gained much popularity there. Trevor Bannister left in 1993 and the remaining two members performed as a duo. During its entire South African tour, the duo was briefly joined by Owen Standing, who left the group shorly after, and therefore was not considered to be a permanent band member. Mo Russel (born 1956.03.15 Aruba, Caribbean sea) joined the group in 1995, who in addition to stepping into Bannister&apos;s shoes was instrumental in revitalizing the group&apos;s creative potential, by becoming a composer and occasionally assuming the role of lead singer on some of the tracks. At the end of 1999 Kevin McCoy (stage name JoJo Max) replaced Mo Russel by joining Bad Boys Blue fulltime after being the group&apos;s rapper since 1998, but left in early 2003 leaving Bad Boys Blue as a duo again. However, in 2006, Kevin McCoy rejoined Andrew Thomas&apos; Bad Boys Blue line-up.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In 2005 Thomas and McInerney split under less than amicable circumstances. Carlos Ferreira joined John McInerney in 2006 and new album, called &quot;Heart &amp; Soul&quot; with 12 new original songs produced by French Producers MS Project, is expected to be forthcoming in 2008 from this, presently Poland-based, duo. Andrew Thomas also formed a version of Bad Boys Blue with former member Kevin McCoy and singer Herb McCoy (no relation), and they are also said to be working on a new release. It appears now that Bad Boys Blue will follow a path similar to that of Baccara and Boney M, in which more than one group formation coexists simultaneously, since the question of who gets to officially use the Bad Boys Blue brand name has yet to be resolved. Nevertheless, in the mean time, both formations continue to tour extensively, with the formation 1 proclaiming itself to be &quot;The Official Bad Boys Blue&quot;, while the formation 2 is asserting itself as &quot;The Real Bad Boys Blue&quot;</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Bad-Boys-Blue-3.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Bad Boys Blue are a multinational pop group that was formed in Cologne, Germany. The group performed many international h...'),(44,'Ian Van Dahl','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ian Van Dahl was created by Christophe Chantzis and Erik Vanspauwen in the beginning of 2000. Christophe Chantzis is no stranger in the Belgian dance scene... he was already involved in projects like Absolom and Astroline in the past. Their first single Castles In The Sky was an instant hit, not only in Belgium. In Germany it reached #2 in the dancecharts, it was #3 in UK, and in the Canadian dancechart it got up to #1. Last but not least they entered the American billboard charts (highest place #78) for a few months and they got into the Top15. Some remixes were made by German DJs like Tomasso Dedonatis (Watergate, DJ Quicksilver) and Wippenberg aka Olaf Dieckmann.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The lyrics of Castles In The Sky were written and sung by Marsha (her real name is Martine Theeuwen) a 24 year old Belgian woman born October 7th, 1976 in Neerpelt. But suddenly the record company and Christophe Chantzis decided they had to replace Marsha for the public appearances, despite the fact that Marsha was really motivated to do the performances. They first found Cindy but she was soon replaced because during live acts it was too evident she was only lipsyncing. Then came Annemie (real name Annemie Anne Francine Coenen) together with the dancers Jeanine and Diana. A new version of Castles In The Sky with the voice of Annemie has been made but until now all the versions that you can buy are still with the voice of Marsha.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Marsha performed solo her version of Castles In The Sky during a 3 month tour in America in order to prove she was the one and only singer. During her stay she didn&apos;t only perform but she also got the opportunity to work with a very talented team consisting of Justin Time, Russ Reign and Marino Bragino. This resulted in a new song called Distant Places, released under the name of LD 30 featuring Marsha X.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">However the Ian Van Dahl project kept on. The follow-up single to be released was Will I, in 2002. The European release was planned for August and included a Pulsedriver remix.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The 4th single was entitled Try, it was released on the 24th of September in UK.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2003 : Ian Van Dahl released in Germany a double A-side single with the tracks Secret Love and Try at the end of March. Then they started working very hard on a new album. In April six brand new tracks were almost finished. A new single was planned for release before the summer and the new upcoming album was expected for November.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2004 : I Can&apos;t Let You Go, the new single, reached #19 in German DJ Playlist in January. The follow-up was entitled Where Are You Now and it was released in Europe and the USA, excpted in the UK. There, Ian Van Dahl will release the track Believe on the 31st of May. The new album Lost &amp; Find will be released a little sooner, on the 24th of May.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Where Are You Now peaked in the danish dance-chart as #35.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The follow-up Believe was released in September. Then came Inspiration, which went #1 in Belgian Dance Charts in December.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2005 : In January, Annemie and Evi from Lasgo did a tour together in Japan (they played in Tokyo and in Nagoya). The February, they toured all around the UK. This special tour was a success as they were still very popular in the UK. In March, Annemie started working on new songs together with Peter &amp; David. The new Ian Van Dahl single, planned for release before the summer, will be a brand new single not available on their current Lost &amp; Found album.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In November, the vinyl of the new single entitled Movin&apos; On was released and the video was shot. The maxi followed in December. It went up to #3 in the Belgian Ultratop 30 dance.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2006 : Ian Van Dahl and Lasgo came to Brazil between 4th and 9th April. The show was announced as an exclusive battle between Evi &amp; Annemie. Another part of this tour took place in the US in May and June.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The follow-up single was entitled Just A Girl. The videoclip was shot in Paris.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">2007 : the Ian Van Dahl World tour 2007 started. In early July 2007, it was announced that Ian Van Dahl&apos;s third album was completed, but instead will be released as Annemie Coenen&apos;s solo debut album produced by Peter Luts. </FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/IanVanDahl.jpg',53,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Ian Van Dahl was created by Christophe Chantzis and Erik Vanspauwen in the beginning of 2000. Christophe Chantzis is no s...'),(45,'Cascada','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Cascada is a German Eurodance act most famous for their hit single &quot;Everytime We Touch&quot;. While colloquially &quot;Cascada&quot; is sometimes used to refer to Natalie Horler, the lead singer, Cascada is actually a group of three musicians, Natalie Horler, DJ Manian, and Yann Pfeiffer. Several of the Cascada members have launched side projects such as Tune Up!, Scarf!, Akira, and Diamond.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/cascada.jpg',53,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Cascada is a German Eurodance act most famous for their hit single &quot;Everytime We Touch&quot;. While colloquially &qu...'),(46,'Army Of Lovers','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Army Of Lovers was a Swedish dance music group founded in 1987. They were famous for their controversial appearance, their music videos (some of which were banned by MTV), directed by Fredrik Boklund and their costumes, created by Camilla Thulin. Their name alludes to a documentary (IMDb entry) about Rosa von Praunheim, which in turn alludes to the Theban Band.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">While Alexander Bard was the brain behind the band, Jean-Pierre Barda was the lead vocalist on hits such as &quot;Crucified&quot; and &quot;Israelism&quot;. Bard and Barda were with the group in all of its incarnations. Barda often wore the most outrageous or revealing outfits. There is also some controversy as to whether or not he played any instrument in the band.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Army Of Lovers had over 20 top 10 hits on the Eurochart, the biggest being &quot;Crucified&quot;, which was one of the biggest selling European singles of 1991. It also stayed at #1 on the Eurochart for 8 weeks. Both &quot;Obsession&quot; and &quot;Sexual Revolution&quot;, also reached the top spot of the Eurocharts. while their presence in the US and the UK was limited to repeated club chart successes. They released five studio albums, made over 20 high-camp music videos, and became very successful across Eastern Europe, before Bard disbanded the group to concentrate on his new group Vacuum in 1996. The band reformed shortly in 2000. They also joined forces again in July 2007 for a one-show at G-A-Y in London. La Camilla, the singer on the first number of hit singles, was replaced by an inflatable doll (Alexander referred to the doll after the show: &quot;Didn&apos;t you think La Camilla lost a lot of weight?&quot;), while Alexander, Dominika and Jean-Pierre were present. The latter, asked after the show about a possible reunion, stated that there&apos;s none in the foreseeable future and that their work is a &quot;jewel in time&quot; that won&apos;t be repeated.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Army Of Lovers have earned a widespread iconic status in the gay culture, often referred to as a perfect example of the postmodern take on the ideals of camp.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Army Of Lovers will make &quot;one-day-reunion&quot; for big show, organized Moscow&apos;s radio Retro FM. The band will perform on 15 th of december with Ace Of Base.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/Army%20of%20Lovers.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Army Of Lovers was a Swedish dance music group founded in 1987. They were famous for their controversial appearance, thei...'),(47,'Aqua','<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Aqua is a Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group, perhaps best known for their 1997 breakthrough single &quot;Barbie Girl&quot;. The group formed in 1989, and achieved huge success across the globe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Although often criticised by the media, the group managed to top the UK Singles Chart with their first three singles, a feat few artists have achieved. The group released two albums, Aquarium in 1997 and Aquarius in 2000, before splitting up in July 2001. The group sold an estimated 28.7 million albums and singles.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">In their prime, Aqua managed to make the singles chart top ten in a number of countries where European pop acts would not normally succeed, including the United States, Australia and Japan. The group also caused controversy with the double entendres in their &quot;Barbie Girl&quot; single, with the Barbie doll makers Mattel filing a lawsuit against the group. The lawsuit was finally rejected in 2002.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group consisted of Lene Nystrøm, Tom &apos;René&apos; Meyer, Søren Rasted, and Claus Norreen. All the members were Danish except Nystrøm, who was Norwegian. Since their 2001 split, Nystrøm, Dif and Rasted have all achieved solo chart success, and Norreen has continued in the music industry remixing other artists&apos; material.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\"></FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT><TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">The group has announced the upcoming release of a compilation album featuring new material, and the four original members have confirmed Aqua will reunite for a tour in 2008. This was confirmed at a press event Friday the 2007-10-26.</FONT></P></TEXTFORMAT>','http://www.monstersoft.com/tuve/aqua.jpg',12,'<TEXTFORMAT LEADING=\"2\"><P ALIGN=\"LEFT\"><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\" SIZE=\"10\" COLOR=\"#0B333C\" LETTERSPACING=\"0\" KERNING=\"0\">Aqua is a Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group, perhaps best known for their 1997 breakthrough single &quot;Barbie Girl&quot;...'),