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Simpsons Movie In Preproduction

The Simpsons movie is off the drawing board and in preproduction.

“You know what? We’ve just done the table read for The Simpsons movie, so although we’ve been promoting that we’re going to do it, now we’re actually doing it and are in production,” Nancy Cartwright, who gives voice to Bart Simpson, told BBC Radio 1 this week.

Cartwright, in London doing publicity for her one-woman show, My Life as a Ten-Year-Old Boy, indicated that the movie is still in the preliminary script development stage and it will take at least two years before it’s fully animated and ready for release.

“I don’t know the name of it, and I can’t go into details about it, and we’ll just have to see how it goes, but I think it’s going to be great and the fans are going to dig it,” she added.

Producers had always indicated that the movie would likely debut after the TV show ran its course. But with the show continuing to perform well, averaging about 10 million viewers last season, the Simpsons brain trust decided to move forward now, according to a rep for 20th Century Fox, which will distribute the Simpsons film.

“They are working on hammering out a script, but there’s no title or production date or release date,” studio spokeswoman Antonia Coffman told E! Online Wednesday. “We always wanted the show to end first but it just keeps going. Now they’ve worked out a team to simultaneously do [both the film and show].”

Source: yahoo.com

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Neil Young & Jonathan Demme Working On Concert Film

Although details are still under wraps, singer/songwriter Neil Young will be the subject of a concert film to be taped in August at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, Billboard.com has learned. The as-yet-untitled project will be directed by Jonathan Demme (“The Silence of the Lambs,” “Philadelphia”).

As previously reported, Young has been recording a new album in Nashville with such collaborators as keyboardist Spooner Oldham, pedal steel guitarist Ben Keith and drummer Carl Himmel. A release date for the set is unconfirmed.

The album is the follow-up to Young’s 2003 effort “Greendale,” which was augmented by a feature-length film bringing to life the characters in the songs.

As for Demme, he previously dabbled in the concert movie medium with the 1984 Talking Heads project “Stop Making Sense,” which spawned a hit accompanying album.

Source billboard.com.

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Sublime Tribute CD To Feature: Jack Johnson, Greyboy Allstars, Michael Franti & More

Look at all the Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime is set to be released nationally on June 21, 2005. Nearly a decade since the release of the multi-platinum Sublime self-titled juggernaut, an amazing list of artists has convened to recreate many of these timeless classics. Included on this disc are previously unreleased tracks from No Doubt; Pennywise; Jack Johnson; Michael Franti & Spearhead with Gift of Gab; Mike Watt with Petra Haden and Stephen Perkins; Camper Van Beethoven; G Love; Ozomatli; Filibuster with Half Pint; Greyboy Allstars; Avail; the Ziggens; Bargain Music; Fishbone; Awol One & Abstract Rude.

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North Mississippi Allstars New Album – Electric Blue Watermelon Due Aug. 2

Rock outfit the North Mississippi Allstars will release its next album, “Electric Blue Watermelon,” Aug. 2 via ATO Records. The 11-track set was recorded at Memphis’ legendary Ardent Studios with producer Jim Dickinson, who also happens to be the father of group members Cody and Luther Dickinson.

“This album is about who we are [and] where we come from,” says Luther. “It’s the most solid and creative album we’ve made so far.”

Guest appearances by Robert Randolph, Lucinda Williams and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band will grace “Electric Blue Watermelon,” which includes such tracks as “Hurry Up Sunrise,” “Moonshine,” “Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down” and “Horseshoe.”

The hard touring trio will be on the road throughout the summer, including a performance Saturday (June 11) at the Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee. At many shows, the group will serve as John Hiatt’s backing band and will also perform its own set beforehand.

As previously reported, the Dickinsons perform on Hiatt’s new album, “Master of Disaster,” due June 21 via New West.

Here is the track list for “Electric Blue Watermelon”:

“Mississippi Bollweevil”
“No Mo”
“Teasin’ Brown”
“Moonshine”
“Hurry Up Sunrise”
“Ass”
“Bang Bang Lulu”
“Deep Blue Sea”
“Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down”
“Horsehoe”
“Bounce Ball”

Source billboard.om.

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AC/DC’s Back In Black Becomes Fifth Best Seller All Time

Among the various certifications issued by the Recording Industry Association (RIAA) in May is a truly notable achievement for Australian hard rock act AC/DC. The group’s 1980 breakthrough “Back in Black” was certified for U.S. shipments of 21 million copies, tying it for fifth place on the RIAA’s all-time best-sellers list.

The group’s first album with lead singer Brian Johnson, who replaced Bon Scott following his alcohol-related death, “Back in Black” was originally released by Atco and was reissued in 2003 by Epic along with the rest of the band’s catalog. The set was certified platinum (1 million U.S. copies shipped) just months after its August 1980 release.

“Back in Black” is now tied on the all-time list with Billy Joel’s “Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & II,” which reached 21 million in 2000. The leader of the list remains “Eagles/Their Greatest Hits” (Asylum), last certified in 2002 at 28 million. In second is Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” (Epic), which reached 27 million in an April RIAA accounting, followed by Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” (23 million/1999; Capitol) and “Led Zeppelin IV” (22 million/1999; Atlantic).

AC/DC also earned a triple-platinum certification in May for 1976’s “High Voltage.”

Others tipping new multi-platinum heights include Usher, whose latest album, “Confessions” (LaFace) has shipped nine million U.S. copies. Gwen Stefani’s solo debut “Love, Angel, Music, Baby” (Interscope) hit the double-platinum mark, as did Rascal Flatts’ “Feels Like Today” (Lyric Street) and Chicago’s “The Very Best Of: Only the Beginning” (Rhino).

Newly minted platinum titles in May were “Barrio Fino” by Daddy Yankee (VI Music), Jack Johnson’s “In Between Dreams” and “On and On” (Universal), Los Tigres Del Norte’s “Jefe de Jefes” (Fonovisa), Jason Mraz’s “Waiting for My Rocket To Come” (Elektra), Rob Thomas’ “Something To Be” (Atlantic) and Queen’s now-aptly titled “The Platinum Collection” (Hollywood).

Source billboard.com.

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