The Market Outfit

Robbie Williams new album ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ looks set to hit the number one spot this weekend although it will be a close fought battle with X Factor runners-up JLS.

Midweek charts initially indicated that JLS were ahead but due to a registration technicality a number of Williams sales had not been counted. With the ‘lost’ sales now accounted for Williams in in pole position for this weekends crown.

Elsewhere in the album charts there are set to be new entries in the top five from Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro.

In the singles chart The X Factor continues to show it’s dominance with Leona Lewis ‘Happy’, 6,000 sales ahead of Black Eyed Peas ‘Meet Me Halfway’. Both acts performed on the reality show on the day before their single release.

ROBBIE WILLIAMS yesterday said he was sorry he couldn’t make it to Mark Owen’s wedding - and then revealed he may be planning his own.

The Bodies singer thought Mark’s Scottish nuptials were “lovely” and then admitted he is considering asking girlfiend Ayda Field to be his wife.

Speaking on Loose Women yesterday, the 35-year-old was asked if he had plans to wed and said: “I might be, it could be on the cards … yeah.”

The Rock DJ hitmaker couldn’t make it to Mark’s wedding on Sunday at Cawdor Castle to watch him tie the knot with Emma Ferguson as he had other commitments.

Robbie said: “Mark’s wedding was lovely. I wasn’t there; I was in Germany doing a TV show.”

The singer’s new album Reality Killed The Video Star was released yesterday and many are wondering whether he will emulate the success of his old band - especially after the relative failure of his last album Rudebox.

And Robbie said he was pleased the band had sorted out any issues they had had and said they would definitely work together again in the future.

Robbie said: “I’m so glad I have sorted out my relationship with them. We sat down and did all the hard talk straight away and sorted everything out and then it was done” And he heaped praise on songwriter Gary Barlow, saying: “Gary’s just a very, very well rounded loving man. He’s special and he should be regarded as special in this country.”

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In the halcyon years of the ‘British Invasion‘ of America - 1964 and 1965 - who were the two most successful acts? Well The Beatles were obviously the first. But who was the second? The Rolling Stones? The Animals? The Who? Guess again. The Who had no hits in the US until 1967, and it wasn’t until 1966 that The Animals got into the top five of British acts in the US. And while The Stones were always popular it wasn’t until 1966 that they came close to rivalling The Beatles in chart success.

The bands that America was most excited about (other than The Beatles) were Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, Herman’s Hermits and The Dave Clark Five. Other artists that followed in the wake of The Beatles and formed part of the flood of British Invasion groups were The Searchers, Peter & Gordon and The Nashville Teens.

American record companies scrambled to sign anything with long hair and an English accent. Some acts, like Chad (Stewart) and Jeremy (Clyde), were significantly more successful in America than at home in Britain.

The US Department of Labor counteracted by announcing it would not issue many British rock bands with work permits or visas. Although at Number 1 in America with Game of Love, Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders were refused work permits on the grounds that “The artists are insufficiently well-known in America to warrant them working here”.

Other British groups to suffer similar treatment included The Hollies, The Zombies, The Nashville Teens and The Animals. Although the Department of Labor refused to admit it, the action was widely interpreted as an attempt to protect the careers of America’s own star acts.

The advent of music videos has really been a great thing for the culture industry. Everyone from Michael Jackson to Nine Inch Nails to REM has ensured that with their contributions to the art of music video making, this art form won’t be dying out any time soon. But of course just like there are good and bad songs, there are also good and bad music videos.

Actually more than bad, there are really, really horrible music videos. And some of the biggest artists of our time and of yesteryears have been guilty of making a few horrible music videos in their careers. Here are some of the absolute worst in music video making history:

- David Hasselhoff: Those two words say it all. No need to mention any songs, or to quote liner notes, or to remember his entire discography. This man’s run as a recording artist spawned some of the most horrible music videos known to man, woman and child. Songs like ‘Hooked On A Feeling’ are some of the most laughable moments in television history. The fact that he is one of the most successful recording artists in Germany makes it even scarier.

- Journey: Though one of the most successful rock groups of the last decades, Journey has been known to produce some bad music videos themselves. If you were ever a fan of over obsessed rock music fanatics who regularly make fools out of themselves called air guitarists, then you’ll love Journey’s ‘Separate Ways’ with a vengeance. The band make it a point to passionately play instruments that aren’t even there that a touching video becomes absolutely hilarious.

- Alanis Morissette: The poster girl for angry, female pop-rock was fresh from her hit album ‘Jagged Little Pill’ when her follow-up album’s new single ‘India’ hit the airwaves featuring a naked Alanis walking around the streets and socializing. Normally a video with a naked and beautiful celebrity would excite a lot of male fans, but the concept was so loony that it ended up quite bad and rather funny.

It’s not what you play, it’s how you play it. These words summarize the art of piano playing in general and New Age piano playing in particular. You could take 2 chords, and, if you were in the moment and in flow, communicate the utmost emotion and power.

However, give the same two chords to someone who is more concerned with image than music and the sound won’t have the appeal - the attractive quality that pulls the listener closer like honey to a bee.

The secret is not how much you know or how good you think you can become. No. The secret to the art of New Age piano playing is being able to forget yourself and express yourself without ego. Then you will begin to understand the meaning of art. For it is only when we transcend ourselves does something real appear.

What comes out of you is something from you but it is also something greater - a spiritual something that says, “let go and let the music come of its own accord.” Can you create this kind of music? A music that is subtle yet very powerful. A music that can penetrate to the depths yet still remain lovely and light. Yes, you can do it. The secret? Get out of the way and let the music tell you where it wants to go.

After you learn technique and theory and a little bit of improvisation skill, you will be able to grow and create in proportion to your ability to get out of the way and let the music take over. To do this requires a listening ability somewhat similar to meditation. That is, you must be open and receptive to what comes next - never forcing, never trying to come up with something.

When you are in this listening frame of mind, wonderful things begin to happen. But when you try to create something, you set yourself up for blocks. Why? Because the trying blocks the listening, receptive attitude necessary for improvisation. The key to getting around this is to walk away and come back later. Believe me, you can try and try but if nothing is coming, it probably won’t come at this moment.

Art appears when you are in the moment. The art of New Age piano, like any other art requires you to learn the skills and techniques - then forget about them and begin to play.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!