Buy a London record shop on eBay

The owner of a landmark London record shop has put it up for sale via eBay at a Buy It Now price of £300,000 – but he’s warned those interested not to expect a financial return.

Tim Derbyshire opened On The Beat Records in 1979, but says the collectable-vinyl business will close if no new owner is found.

In the auction listing he explains: “If you’re at the stage in your life where you don’t have to worry about making money, but can live a bohemian life, meet interesting people every day and the occasional rock star, here’s your chance to take over the oldest record shop in Swinging London.

“I’ve given it my heart and soul for all these years but it’s time for me to step down and let another passionate music lover take over. You can make history.


“If you’re mad about music, love vinyl and want to keep the dream alive, here’s your chance to take on an Aladdin’s cave of musical gems. The Beat must go on – keep my dream alive!”

Four offers have so far been made for On The Beat Records, which is on sale as a going concern with all stock. The auction closes on November 25.

source: classicrockmagazine.com

Rock icon Pepe Smith performs in London

LONDON - Legendary Pinoy rocker Joey ‘Pepe’ Smith conquered the stage in the British capital as special guest on the first ever Pambansang Musiklaban in the UK.


The rock star from iconic 70's Filipino band Juan De La Cruz brought classic rock anthems to The Harrow Club near Notting Hill in West London.

“I really enjoyed it with the back up band I had. We’re really rocking and cool,” he told ABS-CBN News after his first ever stage performance in London.

Dubbed as “Mick Jagger of the Philippines,” the mixed Filipino-American rock icon was mobbed by excited fans in London, most of whom screamed and jumped onto the stage at the first sight of their idol.

“Wow, ang saya. Nakakadala. I never thought I’d really enjoy it. Thank you,” said Smith, who flew all the way from the Philippines for the special appearance.

He was guest of honor at the inaugural Pambansang Musiklaban UK, a competition for Filipino rock bands based in Britain.



Five bands battled it out for this year’s title, performing live in front of a panel of judges with experience in the music industry, as well as dozens of loud rock fans.

“The bands are top class,” said Ron Albano, organizer of the event.

He added: “They are musicians from the Philippines who happen to move abroad for work, but they never lost their passion for music.”

Heavy metal band Doppelganger clinched 3rd place, while veteran pop rock act Ekiz Band placed in 2nd.

But the night belonged to young indie band Firebox, whose mixture of contemporary tracks and modern renditions of classic tunes won the hearts of both the judges and audiences, ultimately bagging the top spot in the competition.


“We’re happy but we didn’t expect it because everyone was good,” the band said.

They added: “Usually Pinoys abroad are only seen as workers, nurses, or housekeepers. At least now we have proven that we’re not only good at boxing and cleaning, but with singing and music as well.”

As this year’s winner, Firebox received the £1,000 cash prize, along with a music video deal and a UK tour performing in various 2013 Barrio Fiesta events across the country. They will also get a chance to participate in Musiklaban 2013 in Manila, a national music competition in the Philippines supported by Pepe Smith.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Suu Kyi gets rock star treatment, courtesy of star-struck Bono

DUBLIN - Aung San Suu Kyi received a rock star welcome in Ireland Monday, with U2 singer Bono among those performing at a concert to honor the Myanmar democracy icon after flying in with her on his private jet.

Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi took to the stage with Bono to receive a prize from Amesty International at the rights group's "Electric Burma" concert in a packed Dublin theatre. She was met with cheers and a standing ovation.

Bono thanked her for being there, saying: "We know there are many many other places you could be and we understand the signal your presence here sends out and we are humbled, we are grateful."

"It is one of the great ironies that by your confinement, the world has become your home. Dublin is your world this evening."

Suu Kyi sat alongside Bono - who has long supported Suu Kyi's freedom struggle and dedicated the song "Walk On" to her - after the pair travelled from Oslo, Norway, where they had co-hosted a peace forum.

"To receive this award is to remind me that 24 years ago I took on duties from which I shall never be relieved but you have given me the strength to carry out," Suu Kyi said in reply.

"I have discovered how much more people care. I had not expected this. I had not known how much they cared. This has come as a surprise to me and a very moving one."

The concert opened with Ireland's Riverdance troupe performing against an atmospheric set designed to look like a nocturnal beach scene.

Bono's fellow rock star-activist Bob Geldof then took to the stage, saying: "You actually honor us by being finally here with us."

Ambassador of Conscience Award

Suu Kyi received Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award, the rights group's most prestigious prize, after performances from world artists including Benin singer Angelique Kidjo and US rapper Lupe Fiasco.

She won the award in 2009 but was under house arrest in Myanmar at the time so could not collect it.

The concert also featured a recorded message from Dave Lee Travis, the British DJ nicknamed the "Hairy Cornflake", who Suu Kyi has said kept her spirits up during her time under house arrest.

Myanmar comedian-activist Zarganar, another of the performers, said he spent almost 11 years in prison in his country "because of making jokes".

Bono, wearing his trademark black glasses, wrapped up the event with a performance of "Walk On", followed by U2's "One".

In Dublin, Suu Kyi also met with Irish President Michael D. Higgins.

After the concert at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, thousands of people were expected at an open-air event where Suu Kyi will be given the Freedom of the City of Dublin, some 12 years after she was named for the honour.

She is expected to address the crowds, who will sing "happy birthday" to her a day before she turns 67.

An emotional Suu Kyi delivered her Nobel lecture at Oslo City Hall on Saturday, more than two decades after receiving the peace prize awarded to her in 1991 for her "non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights".

She was also unable to accept it at the time.

After visiting Ireland, Suu Kyi's 17-day European tour takes her to Britain on Tuesday.

Birthday in Oxford

She will celebrate her birthday in the southern English town of Oxford, where she studied at the prestigious university and lived for several years with her late English husband, Michael Aris.

Oxford University, where she studied politics, philosophy and economics and met Tibet expert Aris, will award her with an honorary degree on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Suu Kyi is to address both houses of parliament in London in a rare honor for a foreign dignitary, as well as meet Prime Minister David Cameron and heir to the throne Prince Charles.

Suu Kyi's tour, which also takes in Switzerland and France, is her first trip to Europe for 24 years.

It has been clouded by continued violence in western Myanmar where dozens of people have been killed and more than 30,000 people displaced by clashes between Buddhist Rakhines and stateless Muslim Rohingya.

source: interaksyon.com

Cruise Doubts He Could Sell Rock Star Act In Film

MANILA, Philippines --- Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise once thought he wouldn’t be able to convince the public of his portrayal of fictional rock star Stacee Jaxx in the film version of “Rock of Ages.”

During the early days of filming, Cruise confided to director Adam Shankman that if he could not sing the part, he wouldn’t be up for it.

Recalled Shankman, “There was a moment when we were looking at each other and Tom said, ‘Well, what if I can’t sell this? Because I won’t do it if it’s not me singing.’ With everything he does, from stunts to performing in front of an audience, it has to be him doing it.

“He believes his audience has come to expect that, and why bother doing it otherwise? But this is what he loves. He loves making movies and he wants to be really good, so he works harder than anybody at it.”

But Cruise went to great lengths to pull the rock star stunt. Instead of concentrating on cuts of his muscles, which he usually does in his action films, Cruise zeroed in on his vocal capacity. He would later realize that he can in fact sing very well. Yes, even that belting part, Cruise did well, all by himself, in “Rock of Ages.”

“From the moment he signed on, Tom started training his voice with an incredible vocal coach, Ron Anderson,” said Shankman.

“I remember the first time we heard him sing. He’s got this outrageous, four-octave range – turns out he has opera singers in his ancestry, so he’s probably genetically predisposed to sing, but no one’s ever asked him to before. I’m just the lucky recipient of this revelation, I suppose.”

The filmmaker confessed to feeling of relief when he found out Cruise could really pipe out songs because he had always wanted a Hollywood biggie to play Stacee Jaxx. “The joy at having discovered that he can sing was a huge relief.” Shankman admitted.

In the plot, “Stacee Jaxx is the rock god that every guy wants to be and that every woman wants to bed. The lead singer of Arsenal, Stacee is at a turning point in his career, and in his life. He’s about to go solo, and his final show with the band is at The Bourbon Room.

It’s a homecoming of sorts, as he played his first gig there back in the day. But fame and fortune may have come too easily to the front man who, after years of indulgence, has become boozed up and blasé to the point of bored, and less than reliable when it comes to showing up for his own shows.”

Shankman looked back at how his casting dream became a reality: “I was thinking to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we got one of the biggest movie stars in the world to play one of the biggest rock stars in the world?’ As luck would have it, I ran into Tom Cruise, told him I was directing this movie, that it was a musical, and that I was going to offer him this part. He said, ‘Are you serious?’ I said I was. Then I described Stacee to him and he laughed really hard. The next thing I knew, he was in, and I was making a musical with Tom Cruise.”

Luckily for the “Hairspray” director, Cruise exceeded expectations: “Tom is a rock god because he brings all of the star power that comes along with being Tom Cruise, and he’s found a character that audiences have never seen before.”

However, Cruise is not the only A-lister lending star power to the film, Alec Baldwin and Catherine Zeta-Jones are also on board as well as Russell Brand, Paul Giamati an Malin Akerman.

The New Line Cinema production distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures opens June 14.

source: mb.com.ph