Search Results for: Japanese

Sony Corp is expected to report weak results for the July-September quarter after a profit warninglate last month, with analysts looking for more aggressive restructuring moves to confront the slowing global economy. The world’s largest maker of audio and video equipment cut its consolidated operating profit forecast for the full year to next March by more than half to 120 billion yen ($980 million) and announced a handful of restructuring steps, including procurement cost cuts. “That’s not enough,” said Merrill Lynch analyst Hiroshi Kuriyama. “Of course it has made efforts in the past, but current business conditions are far worse… Read more »

As of Friday evening (October 12), four cases of anthrax had been reported in the United States since September 11, three in Florida and one in New York. In light of that disturbing news, you may be wondering what anthrax is exactly and what threat it poses to us? Anthrax is an infectious disease that has been around for centuries. It is found most commonly in farm animals but humans can contract it three ways: 1. ingesting the anthrax bacteria by eating bad food, such as tainted meat 2. handling infected material such as powder, soil, animal skins or hides… Read more »

Showing no signs of fatigue or question marks about making a show revolve around material from her last two albums, Madonna started her final stop on the Drowned World Tour Sunday with a mesmerizing and confident performance that puts to shame any singer who thinks she might have a shot at Ms. Ciccone’s pop throne. Madonna frames blocks of songs in various settings, using mix-and-match motifs that yield differing results. In the end, she emerges triumphant – a reminder of why her star has never dimmed. Hundred-minute show closes on “Holiday,” Madonna’s first top 40 single from way back in… Read more »

Courtney Love and Don Henley will lead a charge of pop artists at a hearing in the California state legislature on Wednesday to denounce what they claim are corrupt business practices by big recording companies. The hearing takes place against the backdrop of several bitter lawsuits against major labels by acts like Love and the Dixie Chicks, who allege “unconscionable” contracts and accounting practices by the recording conglomerates. The hearing at the Select Committee on the Entertainment Industry in Sacramento will focus specifically on California’s so-called “seven-year statute,” which restricts entertainers from being tied to any company for more than… Read more »

Country pop trio the Dixie Chicks are suing Sony Music Entertainment, seeking to terminate their contract and accusing the Japanese recording giant of cheating the singers out of more than $4 million. The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in New York and made public Tuesday, charges that Sony engaged in “systematic thievery” to underpay royalties owed the Grammy-winning act since 1998 for two multiplatinum albums released by Sony’s Monument imprint. The Dixie Chicks – Natalie Maines and sisters Martie Seidel and Emily Robison – are the latest in a growing list of recording stars to rebel against the… Read more »

Following European festival dates and an arena tour with U2, acclaimed artist PJ Harvey returns to the U.S. for an intimate headline tour in September. Harvey will perform in Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities in support of her current release, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. Harvey will also make a guest performance on The Tonight Show on September 19th. Stories has received tremendous critical praise in the U.S. and internationally since its release last October. In addition to numerous press accolades (the release was on the Top 10 lists of premiere… Read more »

French techno dance act Daft Punk have been tooned by the Cartoon Network. This week, the cable channel merged the music of Daft Punk with a serialized story created by famed Japanese animator Leiji Matsumoto. The featured videos, “One More Time,” “Aerodynamic,” and “Digital Love,” make up the first three chapters of a story. The fourth video, “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” will exclusively premiere on Cartoon Network during a special music-video edition of Toonami Midnight Run – scheduled to air August 31. Daft Punk has been on the cutting edge of dance music since 1995. Their Homework release achieved sales… Read more »

Look for the “Made in the USA” label on some best-selling music from Japan’s top pop artists. Japan’s chart-topping musicians, looking to cut music with some of the top talent in the United States or just looking for a bit of anonymity overseas in place of media mayhem back home, are heading to studios in places such as New York and Los Angeles to record. Among the top 20 albums in Japan for May, 14 were made by Japanese artists and six of those were partially or completely recorded in the United States. The other six slots in the top… Read more »

In the midst of a yearlong hiatus from the road, veteran guitarist and bandleader Carlos Santana has recorded a new song with reclusive pop star Michael Jackson. “I was very honored that he called on me to work with him, and I love the song,” Santana said. “He gave me a call last week, and he was really happy with it.” A Jackson spokesperson confirmed that the track is intended for the long-awaited follow-up to 1991’s Dangerous, his last studio LP of all-new material. Jackson announced Monday that he will reunite with his brothers as the Jackson 5 and perform… Read more »

Following much hemming and boatload of hawing, all is set in stone for Weezer’s many-moons-in-the-making third album. Produced by Ric Ocasek, The Green Album will drop as planned on May 15th, it’s cover art closely resembling that of the band’s eponymous debut (lovingly called “The Blue Album”) – a picture of the foursome against a solid backdrop. The nod to their 1994 nerd-core breakthrough is no doubt intentional, a clear signal that Rivers Cuomo and Co. have returned, at least in part, to the signature neo-New Wave sound somewhat absent from 1996’s poorer-selling second album, Pinkerton. According to a posting… Read more »