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June 2005
June 30, 2005 -- Contact Music
McCARTNEY CLEARS UP LIVE 8 CONFUSION
Sir Paul McCartney is keen to dispel the myth that Live 8 is a fundraising concert, insisting it is only about raising awareness.Little money will be raised by the 10 concerts being held on Saturday July 2 and next Wednesday July 6 to coincide with the G8 summit in Scotland, because all funds raised by ticket lotteries will go towards the cost of staging the gigs.
The former Beatle says, "This is not a fundraiser. It is not about the money. It's a consciousness-raiser. It's about speaking out on behalf of African people being born this very moment into eternal debt.
June 30, 2005 -- Contact Music
COOPER WANTS TO DUET WITH McCARTNEYRocker Alice Cooper would love to fulfill his lifetime dream of duetting with Sir Paul McCartney, despite already having accomplished a drunken singalong with the Beatle's late bandmate John Lennon.
The "School's' Out" hitmaker wailed a tune at Hollywood's famous Rainbow Bar And Grill, a few years before Lennon's death in New York in 1980.
Cooper says, "I would most like to duet with Paul McCartney, just so I could say I've sung with one of The Beatles.
"Wait a minute... I did do drunken singalongs with John at the Rainbow."
June 30, 2005 -- AP
McCartney A No-Show
Was Paul McCartney supposed to play at a concert benefiting victims of the Bluebird Canyon landslide?An event organizer claims the former Beatle promised to perform over the weekend, but the entertainer's publicist, Paul Freundlich, said Wednesday that McCartney never planned to appear.
The confusion started when organizer Andy Alison said he delivered a flower basket and an invitation to McCartney at his music label, Capitol Records, on June 23.
The real estate agent heard that McCartney and his wife had stayed at the Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach, and was familiar with the area. Also, McCartney's post-Beatles band Wings had a song called "Bluebird."
City officials said they were under the impression McCartney wished to help the victims when a city employee received a call from a man who said he worked for Capitol Records. The man never called back, city manager Ken Frank said.
"The number checked back to Capitol," Frank said. "So maybe it was a misunderstanding, or maybe he got sick or changed his mind. Who knows? Maybe it was a gimmick (to sell more tickets)."
About 2,500 people flocked to Saturday's concert at an elementary school.
Rumors flew that the singer was glimpsed behind stages, flying in helicopters and in bathrooms, Frank said.
The June 1 landslide sent homes tumbling down a hill and left others on unstable ground.
June 29, 2005 -- Message from Brian Ray
Hi Jorie!
Hey everybody!
Yes, We're here.. the whole band is in London to do the Live 8 show with Paul. Tune in ... let's all do our share to raise awareness about debt relief in Africa and 16 other countries. The music is the fun part.
Join us!best,
Brian
June 29, 2005 -- Contact Music
HEATHER NOT IMPRESSED WITH US SOAP DEBUTHeather Mills McCartney is refusing to watch her appearance on US daytime soap DAYS OF OUR LIVES - because she's convinced she's terrible.
Husband Sir Paul McCartney has seen the footage of the activist, who appears as herself on the hit show, and has been "diplomatic" about her two-show performance, which airs today (June 29 at 2pm ET NBC) and on Monday (July 4).
But she insists she never agreed to the cameo to become a star - she just wanted to promote her Adopt-A-Minefield charity.
She says, "I'm not an actress. I just went in and did it in two hours and left."
The former model reveals Days of Our Lives producer Ken Corday came up with the idea of a storyline involving Mills McCartney and her charity when he first met her at a gala.
She recalls, "He said, 'I'd like to help more...' and I said, 'Well, what is it exactly that you do?' I knew he was in TV but I live in England so we don't have Days of Our Lives.
"He said, 'We have this top-rated soap show,' and we talked some ideas and came up with a storyline that this hunk would basically go off and work in a warzone, step on a landmine, come back and need some counselling.
"I didn't expect to get the email saying, 'OK, we've done it all,' because people make a lot of false promises to charities... It was a big risk for them, so I'm really proud of them for doing that."
June 29, 2005 -- Contact Music
HEATHER INVESTIGATES 'SCUMMY' JOURNALISTSHeather Mills McCartney has come to terms with the British journalists who have made her life a misery since she started dating husband Sir Paul McCartney - by investigating them.
The former model admits she has been devastated by some of the awful things journalists have written about her and her family, but she has chosen to rise above it.
She explains, "There's always the same four people - one of them's totally obsessed with Paul and just wants to write nasty things all the time.
"It used to devastate me for the first two years but then I just thought, 'You know what, who are these people?' and I investigated them and found out that they were pretty scummy... They're just scum bags that don't do anything."
Saturday, July 2 LIVE 8 will be broadcast on MTV/VH1 from 11am to 7pm ET.
INTERNET: http://www.aolmusic.com
June 28, 2005 -- BBC
McCartney supports Coldplay - gives the band a standing ovation
Paul McCartney was in the crowd last night (June 27) as Coldplay took on the massive Crystal Palace stadium in London.The Beatle even stood to cheer the band as the gig came to an end, and called out for an encore.
They played a very similar setlist to at Glastonbury, opening with Square One, Politik and Yellow, and finishing on the new track Fix You.
Chris Martin was as humble as ever saying it was their most overwhelming moment so far and mocking his own hairstyle and the band's lack of a number one single.
June 28, 2005 -- AnanovaSir Paul McCartney is to headline Live 8.
The former Beatle reportedly told organisers he wanted to open Saturday's Hyde Park concert and close it or he would 'think seriously' about taking part.
He will start the show with a version of "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - reworded to honor the achievements of Bob Geldof - and finish eight hours later with "The Long and Winding Road."
For the opening performance he will share the stage U2 reports the Evening Standard quoting the Daily Mail.
A Live 8 source said, "Sir Paul's headline slot had ruffled a few feathers. Some of the more fragile egos are upset."
A spokesman for the star said, "Bob Geldof asked him if he would do it, and he is delighted to be taking part in such an important event."
Live 8 will take place on July 2.
June 28, 2005 -- ET
Paul McCartney BackstageIt doesn't get any bigger than SIR PAUL McCARTNEY at the Super Bowl. Now, the NFL Network gives viewers an all-access pass to the knighted rock star's preparations for his performance at last February's "Super Bowl XXXIX Ameriquest Mortgage Halftime Show."
The hour-long special, "Paul McCartney Backstage -- Super Bowl XXXIX," premiering Sunday, July 3 at 9 p.m. (ET), begins as Paul touches down in Jacksonville, FL, for the rehearsal and follows him as he unwinds after his 12-minute half-time concert, which includes the hits "Baby You Can Drive My Car," "Get Back," "Live and Let Die" and "Hey Jude."
"It is great to be part of something you know people are thrilled to watch, like the Super Bowl game," he says. "The half-time spot at the Super Bowl is a great spot. I am just happy to be here and share the enthusiasm."
"Paul McCartney Backstage" captures the fun of traveling with the former Beatle, who spontaneously breaks into his version of "Singing in the Rain" when the performance is threatened by a downpour and gives viewers a giggle when he promises that he will not be experiencing a wardrobe malfunction.
The half-time show is precisely timed: Six minutes to set it up, 12 minutes to perform and six minutes to break the stage down. It takes 600 volunteers to make it happen and, because of the rain, we discover that they may not be able to practice. Will they be able to pull it off the day of the event? The production staff is worried.
"It is like a finely tuned jewelry heist," Paul teases. "In the movies you see where they guy comes down on the rope and he mustn't cross the laser or touch anything. That is what it is like, or you are busted and the police arrive."
"Paul McCartney Backstage -- Super Bowl XXXIX," repeats Monday (early morning), July 4th at 12 am, 3am, 8am and 11am ET.
June 27, 2005 -- Liverpool Echo
Heather hits at child 'lies'Sir Paul McCartney's wife Heather today denied reports she suffered a miscarriage.
A Sunday newspaper reported that the couple had lost their second child just a few months into the pregnancy.
But today her spokeswoman branded the story "disgraceful".
She said: "It is completely untrue and the matter is now in the hands of solicitors."
Rumours that Heather, 37, is pregnant have not been confirmed.
The couple's first child, Beatrice, is now 20 months old. Sir Paul, 62, already has three children from his marriage to Linda.
June 26, 2005 -- UK NewsGeldof's Hearts Club band to open Live 8
Sir Paul McCartney and U2, dressed in Sgt Pepper costumes, are due to open next weekend's Live 8 concerts singing "It was 20 years ago today" - a reference to the Live Aid concert of 1985.The lyrics were the opening line of the Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" concept album.
McCartney will return to the stage in London's Hyde Park seven hours later to end the show by leading an ensemble rendition of "The Long and Winding Road," a rallying call for people to travel to Edinburgh to put pressure on the G8 summit starting four days later.
Bob Geldof, who has organised a series of eight concerts on four continents ahead of the summit at Gleneagles, revealed details of the running order over dinner in Rome last week.
"It will be a surprise for everyone," said Geldof, not realising his words would be reported by a journalist from La Repubblica, the Italian newspaper, seated at the same table.
"Paul McCartney will end it. He'll sing 'The Long and Winding Road,' and for us it's the symbol of this road, the road which will lead us to the G8."
Yesterday a spokesman for the organisers of Live 8 confirmed the Sgt Pepper-led start to the worldwide show as Geldof appeared on stage at Glastonbury to appeal for support.
It will be the largest global broadcast in television history with 5.5 billion people - 85% of the world's population - able to tune in through a variety of media, including television, the internet and mobile phones.
"It was 20 years ago that the media said Live Aid was the greatest show on earth. They were right then but wrong now," said Geldof's spokesman. "Over 140 television networks will broadcast Live 8."
Geldof turned down the chance of inviting Michael Jackson to top the bill of the American version of Live 8 less than three weeks after his acquittal on child sex charges. Bono, U2's singer and Geldof's ally in the campaign to cancel the debts of Third World countries, was keen on the idea.
But Geldof said: "Musically he (Jackson) is a genius; humanely, I believe he is innocent. But he has been through a terrible time. He's strained and tired. He needs tranquillity, not to return under the spotlights in an event like this."
He also revealed that Pink Floyd, reunited with founder member Roger Waters for the first time in more than 20 years, will play three songs: "Breathe," "Comfortably Numb" and "Wish You Were Here."
Yesterday Geldof held hands with Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis and persuaded the audience to link arms and chant "Make poverty history".
Both U2 and Coldplay, Live 8's other headline act, have other concerts the same evening - U2 in Vienna and Coldplay in Glasgow - which is adding to the logistical problem of staging 25 acts in seven hours at Hyde Park.
Madonna had been rehearsing a duet with Sting, Geldof said, but the planned performance has since been dropped. Instead Sting is believed to be using Spitting Image-style puppets of Tony Blair, George Bush and other world leaders for a rendition of the Police song "Every Breath You Take" - with the words changed to "We'll be watching you".
June 26, 2005 -- The People (UK)
SHATTERED
Sir Paul McCartney and his wife Heather are struggling to cope with the loss of their second baby, The People can reveal.Heather, 37, suffered a miscarriage just a few months into her latest pregnancy.
The couple who desperately want a brother or sister for their 20-month-old daughter Beatrice are said to be shattered by the loss.
Charity worker Heather has turned to her closest girl pals for comfort.
And Sir Paul, 62, who will open next weekend's Live8 concert in London's Hyde Park, has been taking lengthy walks alone.
Friends say the couple who married three years ago are determined to keep trying for another child but now fear it will never happen.
A source close to the couple told The People: "They had set their sights on celebrating the birth of their second child later this year.
"But the miscarriage has come as a terrible blow to them. But Heather is telling friends she will try for another child."
Heather made visits earlier this year to the Viveka Clinic near her and Paul's home in St John's Wood, north London, after learning she was expecting their second child.
It's the same ante-natal clinic she used before the birth of their daughter Beatrice.
Viveka is also connected to the Hospital Of St John and St Elizabeth where Heather gave birth to Beatrice under the expert guidance of Dr Yehudi Gordon.
A family friend of Heather's revealed: "She told several people that she was expecting another child.
"She felt relaxed at the Viveka Clinic because she'd gone through her first pregnancy there."
Heather has a history of miscarriages and suffered two failed pregnancies during a previous relationship before she met Sir Paul. Yesterday close pals told how she had gone out on the town with them since her latest miscarriage. "Heather was down at first," said one friend. "But she is a very brave person and she hasn't given up hope of falling pregnant again despite everything.
"She's been out with her girl friends quite a lot over the last few months. Paul is there to support her too.They'll both pull through from their upset."
Earlier this month Heather was seen out with two girlfriends dining at London's trendy Nobu restaurant while her husband stayed at home babysitting.
Sir Paul, who has three kids from his marriage to cancer victim Linda, was ecstatic when Beatrice was born in October 2003.
Earlier that year Heather spoke about the problem she faced getting pregnant in an interview with TV's Michael Parkinson.
With her finger and thumb only an inch apart she said: "The chances of me getting pregnant are about that much."
Brave Heather hinted at her baby heart-ache earlier this month when she spoke at the In The Pink Party for the charity Breast Cancer Haven at London's Cadogan Hall.
She admitted: "I've had six miscarriages and two ectopic pregnancies so want to spend as much time with Beatrice as possible."
Asked about having another baby Heather said: "We'll see...Beatrice was a miracle."
Heather also revealed their childcare rota, saying: "It's Paul's turn to babysit tonight. We take turns."
Heather is likely to miss much of Saturday's Live8 concert. "I'd hoped to be there," she said. "But I've got an important commitment in Birmingham. I'll be able to get back for the last four hours though."
Organiser Sir Bob Geldof yesterday revealed how Sir Paul will kick-off the show.
He said: "It will start with U2 and Paul McCartney in Sergeant Pepper costumes. "They will open with 'It was 20 years ago today' which refers to Live Aid 20 years ago."
A spokeswoman for Heather said last night: "It's not true. There were rumours earlier this year that Heather was pregnant, but they were never confirmed. There was no miscarriage. She would like another child but are both happy and contented with their lives."
June 25, 2005 -- icEalingUK
Action urged on police car deathsCampaigner Heather Mills McCartney has called for tougher guidelines for police drivers after a 60% increase in the number of people killed or injured in collisions with police vehicles in England and Wales.
Her left leg was severed below the knee when she was hit by a police motorcycle in 1993.
There were 2,015 casualties from crashes with police vehicles in 2003-4, up from 1,259 the previous year, the figures showed.
Among these 31 people were killed and 138 seriously injured, up from 22 and 106 respectively.
The wife of former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney said: "All police cars should always have their directional sirens on especially when they are going over the speed limit.
"It is often the case that people have a problem telling which direction a siren is coming from and sometimes police cars do not turn their sirens on at all.
"(I) wonder if these are both factors in the increase in the number of people killed or injured in collisions with police cars over the past year."
Another 1,846 people received other injuries compared with 1,131 a year earlier, Home Office Minister Hazel Blears confirmed in a parliamentary answer.
Road safety campaigners, police watchdogs, police chiefs and MPs agreed that better training and risk assessment standards are crucial.
Nick Hardwick, chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which investigates the most serious collisions involving police driving, added that officers must not take "unacceptable risks" in police pursuits.
June 24, 2005
Paul McCartney VOTES needed!!!
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Go to the Web page and click on "Classic Rock." Paul is pitted against Mick Jagger and is 'just' edging him out. Keep voting to make Paul NUMBER 1!!!!!Click to vote
June 24, 2005 -- The Telegraph
Gig of a lifetime
Brian Wilson on Paul McCartney at the Staples Center, Los Angeles, 2002It was the first gig I'd been to in six years. I met Paul in the dressing room before the show, and he was telling me how much he loved my song "God Only Knows." But he warned, "Brian, I'm going to kick your butt tonight."
And he went out there and did just that. It was unbelievable. He had a five-piece band, but played solo a lot, switching from box guitar to electric. He performed so many fantastic tunes, from "Get Back" to "The Long and Winding Road" and "Let it Be."
But my favorites were the early Beatles songs - I got a little sentimental about those. I like to hear music that has love in it, music that makes you feel good, and Paul has love in him - a lot of love.
June 23, 2005
Heather Mills McCartney will be on the "Today Show" (NBC) Tuesday June 28th.
June 23, 2005
Musictap.net reports a McCartney album release is set for Sept. 13 by Capitol Records (date first reported here on the Macca Report).
June 23, 2005You can download the "Twin Freaks" album for £8.99 ($17.25) by clicking here.
NOTE: Macintosh computers are not compatible for this download.
June 23, 2005 -- Contact Music
McCARTNEYS CONSIDER MORE KIDSHeather Mills McCartney is considering more children with husband Sir Paul McCartney, but she wants to enjoy their "miracle" daughter Beatrice first.
The former model, 37, overcame the odds to give birth to Beatrice in October 2003 after six miscarriages and two ectopic pregnancies, so she is realistic of her chances of successfully conceiving for a second time.
She says, "We'll see about more children. Beatrice was a miracle."
June 23, 2005 -- BBC News
LIVE 8 to be broadcast on MTV/VH1/ABC
The July 2 LIVE 8 concert will be broadcast on MTV and VH1 after America Online set up a deal for eight hours of footage live on US TV.It is also being shown on BBC TV between 1300 BST on July 2 and 0300 BST on 3 July.
AOL, which has exclusive rights to broadcast the event on the internet, also licensed it to North American TV and radio stations.
Premier Radio Networks and XM Satellite Radio Holdings also obtained licences to broadcast the July 2 concerts.
AOL will screen the five main concerts on the internet and make them available for download for six weeks after the event.
ABC Affiliates will broadcast 2 hours of the LIVE 8 concert in the evening of July 2.
Ten global LIVE 8 concerts are taking place in cities including London, Philadelphia and Johannesburg in a bid to highlight world poverty, ahead of the G8 summit in Scotland.
June 22, 2005 -- Contact Music
McCARTNEYS FEAR FOR BEATRICE
Heather Mills McCartney fiercely guards her baby with her husband and former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, because she's terrified she will suffer the same fate as his late bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison.The former model is determined to protect 20-month-old Beatrice from the fates suffered by Lennon, who was shot dead by a crazed fan in New York in 1981, and Harrison, who was attacked at his home in England in 1999.
She says, "I don't like talking about Beatrice much in case she gets put into the spotlight.
"Remember John Lennon was shot and George Harrison was stabbed."
For the same reason Mills McCartney also refuses to employ a nanny - which also safeguards the family's privacy after witnessing celebrity couple David and Victoria Beckham deny claims by their former nanny Abbie Gibson that their marriage was in trouble.
She adds, "It's Paul's turn to babysit tonight. We take turns. We don't have a nanny. I've had six miscarriages and two ectopic pregnancies so I want to spend as much time with Beatrice as possible.
"And anyway - a nanny? Are you kidding? After what happened with David Beckham?"
June 22, 2005 -- Miami Herald
Expect a furor over Stella McCartney lineNothing thrills a dedicated fashionista more than a good buy. Testimony to that comes from the American success of Hennes & Mauritz, the Swedish-based fashion house, which specializes in cheap trendy chic.
Add the touch of a major French designer and the excitement quotient rises. When Karl Lagerfeld's collection hit the New York stores last fall, initial reaction to the Chanel designer's clothes was near stampede, and the best looks were gone immediately. (A few pieces hung around on the mark-down racks.)
Now Stella McCartney, the daughter of Beatle Paul, joins the lineup of French designers. She'll do about 40 pieces on the label Stella McCartney for H&M, due in the stores for holiday shopping.
With her family connections alone, she will spark a furor. You might want to plan a trip to the Big Apple in November.
June 21, 2005
Heather Mills McCartney attended the "In The Pink" fundraiser Monday (June 20) at Cadogan Hall (London) to aid the Breast Cancer Haven charity. PHOTO
June 21, 2005 -- Access Hollywood
Ringo Says He'll Never Tour With PaulIn an interview with "Access Hollywood's" Tim Vincent, Ringo Starr says that he and former Beatles band mate Paul McCartney will "never" go on tour together. The interview airs on "Access Hollywood" Tuesday, June 21, 2005.
"I haven't toured with Paul since '65," said Starr. "We're never going to do itwe are not going to tour together. I go with my band, he goes with his."Asked whether retirement looms in the near future, Starr also said not to count on it. "The blessing of being a musician is you can go until you drop," he said. "As long as I can hold those damn sticks, I'll be fine. I might be playing the blues, but I'll be fine," he said, laughing.
June 20, 2005 -- TV Guide
Heather Mills McCartney on "Days of Our Lives" June 29 & July 4
Recently, Days of Our Lives (NBC Soap) viewers learned that Marine POW Philip Kiriakis (Kyle Brandt) has had his right leg amputated below the knee, thanks to an unfortunate land-mine accident in the desert. (Thus, Belle's flight to visit her husband in a German military hospital is an extension of the looong guilt trip she's already been on for secretly loving her ex-boyfriend, Shawn.)
In an unusual twist, Belle and Philip will receive advice and consolation from Paul McCartney's wife, Heather Mills McCartney, later this month. A real-life amputee herself, Mrs. McCartney has spent 11 years counseling amputees and their families, as well as doing advocacy work for Adopt-A-Minefield. She airs on June 29 and July 4.
"Having a major character become disabled in this way, specially one like Philip, who will be around for years, is a very brave move," Mills McCartney says. "It'll help get our message out in a big way."
On Days, she'll'' meet with Philip to boost his morale and explain the advantages of a prosthetic limb (she's used one since losing the lower half of her leg in a 1993 traffic accident).
"Philip is full of self-pity when I go see him," Mills McCartney notes. "Basically, I have to give him a kick in the backside."
Days executive producer Ken Corday who chaired a 2004 fundraiser for Adopt-A-Minefield, has been eager to promote the cause on the air but admits that the land-mine twist was a "slippery go-there" with NBC. The network eventually OK'd the amputation, Corday says, "because it lent much more credibility to our war story."
And, this being a soap, it also complicates an already sticky triangle. As fans know, Philip's wife, Belle (Martha Madison), is desperately in love with another guy and has been planning to dump her hubby - a bit of juicy dish Mills McCartney learned during rehearsals.
"I'm not a [Days] watcher, so I had no idea about Belle's wicked ways," she says. "There's a scene where I counsel her on how to support her husband and help build his confidence. What I really wanted to say was, 'You naughty girl! How dare you do this to Philip!'"
June 19, 2005 -- Sun-Sentinel
Saving horses from slaughterhouses
Organizations try to rescue as many horses as possible while Congress ponders slaughter ban.
Deep in the back of the New Holland Sales Stable-past a tiny sale ring surrounded by warped, wooden bleachers and 300 horses that will be auctioned off on this day-Forever Baby, a five-year-old just weeks removed from racing at Penn National Race Course, has been placed in the "kill pen," along with approximately ten other Thoroughbreds. Sold for $375 to a "killer" buyer, a middleman for one of two United States slaughterhouses that sell horse meat for human consumption overseas, Forever Baby is days away from death. Standing inside a chain-link stall, on the other side of which a dead hog rests in the scoop of a small tractor, the horse paces nervously while horses slip and slide across manure-caked concrete awaiting their 30 seconds in the auction ring approximately 90 minutes from Pimlico Race Course. Less than 48 hours after War Emblem galloped to victory in the Preakness Stakes (G1), the business of selling horses for slaughter was booming in New Holland, Pennsylvania. Just one day before the Preakness, a Thoroughbred was probably led into a "kill chute" at one of the slaughterhouses in the U.S.-both located in Texas-shot in the head with a pressurized bolt, then lifted by conveyor belt to have his throat slashed. The horse, who is not humanely euthanized since the lethal injection would render the meat poisonous, is then butchered and sold to the European or Asian markets for as much as $20 per pound.
But Forever Baby, a son of Forever Whirl who won three races and placed 11 times while earnin g $36,412, was lucky.
Kelly Young, who has saved approximately 400 horses over the last several years through her Lost and Found Horse Rescue service, purchased Forver Baby on behalf of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF). Unfortunately, as many as 7,000 Thoroughbreds each year, and 56,000 horses of all breeds, are not as lucky. They wind up pending their last hours at the slaughterhouse.
"After all these horses do for us, shouldn't they die in a humane way in an environment they are familiar and comfortable with instead of being carted off 20 hours by van to a slaughterhouse?" Young said. She is not alone in her indignation at what is done with equine castoffs. "The horror of putting horses through this the last four or five days of their lives ... I can't live with it," said John Hettinger, chairman of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and a director of Fasig-Tipton Co. "Some people within the [Thoroughbred] industry don't want to talk about this because they don't want the adverse publicity; they think it will give the industry a black eye. But that's the equivalent of the church sweeping its scandal under the rug."
Young, who goes to the New Holland auction every Monday, rescues horses and finds adoptive homes for them after treating them at her 19-stall, 100-year-old barn in Jacobus, Pennsylvania. Fasig-Tipton, which distributed $90,000 last year to 14 rescue agencies, including Young's Lost and Found, joined the five largest Thoroughbred sale companies in the U.S. to institute a minimum bid of $1,000 at public auction to discourage killer buyers.
Cruel and inhumane?
Hettinger, Young, and Paul McCartney-yes, Paul McCartney, the former Beatle-are not the only ones trying to put an end to the slaughter of horses. U.S. Representative Connie Morella (R-Maryland) has authored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (HR-3781), a bill that would ban the export of horse meat from the U.S. for human consumption, thereby ending the slaughter of thousands of horses every year. "It's cruel and inhumane," said Morella, whose bill has 44 cosponsors. "Some of my constituents have seen what goes on in the slaughterhouses. We have video. It's graphic."
Young's rescue program, which retains ownership in every horse it adopts out, has rescued such veteran runners as Squall Watch, a son of classic winner Summer Squall who had been purchased by Dogwood Stable for $70,000 as a yearling and now does dressage; Florida-bred Lakeside Park, who raced 101 times; and Dollar Spot, a Maryland-bred who raced in cheap claimers at mid-Atlantic tracks and now competes in three-day eventing.
Working with about a dozen volunteers, Young receives horses donated by owners and trainers who believe their horse might make a good pleasure animal or who fear the slaughterhouse. Trainer Vinnie Blengs donated a horse to Young several years ago. "I wanted to find a nice home for a horse who had some [physical] problems," Blengs recalled. "Someone told me about [Young], I called, and she said she'd pick the horse up in a few days. I got a call from her a couple months later telling me the horse had been adopted and was doing really well at the farm she was at. "I don't know how she does it, but I think it's wonderful what she does. Not only does her [rescue program] always own the horse, but it doesn't go to slaughter."
Veterinarian Allen Wisner of the Green Glen Equine Center in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, examines many of the horses Young brings to her barn. Wisner said some are victims of ignorance and have suffered from owners who did not know how to take care of the animals. Thoroughbreds, he said, are usually at the end of their racing careers. "The Thoroughbreds taken off the track are suffering from some infirmity that prevents them from racing ... many times arthritic problems or tendon injury," Wisner said. "These horses are athletes, so they have to be sound and capable." After working with Young for several years, Wisner said, "Kelly has mellowed. "Realistically, there's a lot of horses we can't do a lot with, and she's become adept at understanding what horses can be salvaged and which ones can't. That's the hardest part, asking yourself which ones you can help."
Saving, not slaughtering
On a recent afternoon, Young spent $1,800 to purchase three horses, including a 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding headed to slaughter. When she realized a killer buyer had purchased Forever Baby, she called Diana Pikulski, TRF executive director. Pikulski told Young to buy the horse and the TRF, which currently cares for some 425 retired Thoroughbreds nationwide, would place him at one of their farms. "There was a time last year when we actually bought some horses from the killer's middleman," Pikulski said. "The buyers usually go from sale to sale. If the horses don't sell after a w eek or two, these guys will be in touch with us. "We bought a couple of nice horses, got the name of their last owner, and then called to see if they knew what happened to their horse. A lot of the time, people have no idea where their horses wind up." Some wind up at one of the two slaughterhouses, where the horses are killed the same way as cows and hogs in front of a U.S. Department of Agriculture food safety inspector. Some believe that without the option of slaughter, owners and trainers, unable to care for their horses, would neglect and abandon them.
Hettinger, for one, does not accept that argument. "That's absurd, and I get angry every time I hear that," Hettinger said. "There were 300,000 horses in the U.S. slaughtered ten years ago as compared to 65,000 last year. Does that mean there are roughly 235,000 horses being neglected? I don't think so. There's plenty of ways the horses can be absorbed, so that a rgument offends me. "I understand there's a difference between companion animals and livestock, but the horse is a crossover animal. They are the only domestic animal that does anything for us other than feed us. They work for us. The first thing you try to do the very first time you put a halter on them is to make them trust you. And what do we do?"
The love of horses has not yet translated into support for the proposed ban on slaughter. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association is still studying Morella's bill, "but we've taken no public stance pro or con," said NTRA Deputy Commissioner Greg Avioli. The Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association is waiting to follow the stance of the American Horse Council. Opponents of the bill say there are other problems with a ban on slaughter. If horses are deemed companion animals, horse farms could lose agriculture tax exemptions. And there is the fear that some animal rights groups will try to ban the slaughter of cattle and other livestock. Some people wonder if American horses, withdrawn from the slaughter market, will wind up stolen and shipped to slaughterhouses in Canada or Mexico. "Pro-slaughter people scare others with talk of tax exemptions and tax implications," Hettinger said. "I'm chairman of the largest equine research foundation, and I can tell you the government's help has been mostly inconsequential. They don't fund equine research now because the horse is not in our food chain."
Morella's bill continues to pick up support, including an endorsement from McCartney, who said he finds it "horrific and slightly strange to realize that horses, traditionally man's friend, are still being transported and slaughtered for human consumption." Morella said she is hopeful the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act "gets out of this Congress ... We're going to do everything we can to get this passed." Hettinger said he believes the general public would approve the ban. "If the American people knew what was going on, this bill would sail through," he said. Pikulski said the bill is extremely important for the racehorse industry.
Meanwhile, Young is hoping to find more supporters so that she can purchase a larger farm and save more horses, including Thoroughbreds like Mary, who Young rescued from a killer's truck; the mare was so fragile and petrified "she wouldn't let anyone touch her." "It was total sadness; she was afraid of people," Young said. "We took her off the truck, cared for her, and now there are children riding her and she has such a peaceful look in her eyes." Young is silent for a moment. "She's now doing everything every other horse should be doing; she's not on her way to being killed.
June 18, 2005 -- Telegraph
If you share your birthday with...Sir Paul McCartney
You are shy, sensitive and intensely personal. You are multi-talented and as long as you stay focussed, you deliver. You have defined rules for relationships and dislike casual acquaintances. Reliable, honest and fair, you quickly gain the respect of colleagues. You prefer to pursue goals independently and succeed on your own.
June 18, 2005
McCartney, Stones and U2 tickets for sale on eBayPaul McCartney
Tickets listed on eBay so far : 2,880
Higest Paid Price: $4,299 for two seats
The Rolling Stones
Tickets Listed on eBay so far : 7,600
Higest Paid Price: $4,000 for one seat
U2
Tickets listed on eBay so far : 3,450
Higest Paid Price: $4,250 for two seats
June 18, 2005 -- Pollstar
AOL and Live 8You couldn't ask for better timing. Take AOL, for example. Not only is the Internet powerhouse moving away from its long-time proprietary content model as it repositions itself as more of a Web portal, but the company is also the exclusive online partner for the biggest concert event of the year.
That event is Live 8, the collection of concerts intended to help focus the world's attention on debt relief for poverty stricken countries. Already, the individual line-ups for the shows scheduled for July 2nd in London, Philadelphia, Paris, Berlin, Tokyo, Toronto, Johannesburg and Rome feature a who's who of musicdom including U2, Paul McCartney, Sting, Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, and Madonna. Like the legendary Live Aid twin shows of 20 years ago, Live 8's number one musician/activist is Sir Bob Geldof.
But it's a different world than when Live Aid rocked Philadelphia and London on a warm July day in 1985. Back then, there were only two ways to see the historic charity event. You could attend one of the two shows in person (both if you were hanging with Phil Collins when he rode the Concorde from London to Philly), or you could watch the action on TV in the comfort of your home.
This time you have a third option. You can watch the performances on your computer as AOL streams all the music to your desktop for free. What's more, AOL will also archive the shows for up to six weeks, meaning that you can pretty much spend most of July, as well as a week or two in August, watching Live 8 until the cows come home.
AOL will also be offering additional Live 8 features, including live blogging coming at you from the individual cities as well as a series of short films related to global poverty and developed by screenwriter Richard Curtis.
June 18, 2005 -- Hello Magazine
Heather adds sparkle to donor campaign
Heather Mills-McCartney brought extra sparkle to her latest public appearance. The tireless charity worker was sporting three dazzling rings when she visited Trafalgar Square this week in an effort to boost World Blood Donor Day.
Sir Paul McCartney's wife explained that the new drive is especially important to her because blood donors saved her life after she lost part of her leg in a traffic accident 12 years ago. "I had many, many transfusions and I survived to tell the tale and that is why I am putting this message out," she said. "So many people have given blood and saved my life."
With a romantic heart-shaped diamond and a host of hefty sapphires glittering on her fingers, and a pair of lofty platform sandals on her feet, the 37-year-old certainly stood out from the crowd. But then that was the aim, of course. Heather was determined to draw as much attention as possible to the fact that the National Blood Service needs new donors all the time.
"Don't wait until something happens to you, or someone you love, before you actually give blood," she said. "It's one thing in your life you could do that would make a huge difference."
The NBS needs 8,000 donations a day to cover the needs of patients within Britain and there is also a massive shortfall at international level. For further information about how to give blood in the UK visit www.blood.co.uk or call 0845 7711 711.
June 16, 2005 -- Daily PostSir Paul's academy bids to join elite
Sir Paul McCartney's Liverpool "Fame" academy is to apply to become a University.
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts will apply to the Government to become the city's fourth university ahead of European Capital of Culture year in 2008.
LIPA principal Mark Featherstone-Witty last night confirmed he has already started initial preparations to become independent from John Moores University, which now accredits the college's six undergraduate degrees.
He hopes to establish an autonomous funding relationship with the Department for Education and Skills by 2006 - in time for LIPA's tenth birthday celebrations.
It means LIPA would join the University of Liverpool, JMU, and Hope University which was granted university status in March this year.
The proposal is revealed as new figures show LIPA saw a huge 19% rise in applications this year.
Mr Featherstone-Witty said: "It means we have reached the end of the beginning.
"The admission figures show we have established ourselves and we are ready to move on to the next level, and become a university.
"The first thing is to separate ourselves from JMU and establish a direct funding relationship with the Government by 2006.
"Then, by 2008 hopefully, we would be awarding our own degrees.
"The main drive behind it is to give a bit of status to LIPA and to the students, because at the end of the day what they do is not about qualifications, but about whether they can perform - and no piece of paper can tell you that."
LIPA offers three undergraduate degrees in the performing arts, in acting, music, and dance, and three non-performance degrees, in management, sound technology and theatre, technology and design.
Latest figures show the college had 4,200 applicants for 227 places in 2004/5, compared with 3,637 for 200 places in 2003/4, and an impressive 13.5% increase in admissions.
Liverpool Hope University saw an 18% increase in admissions over the same period, while JMU admissions went up by 11.6%, and the city's biggest educational establishment, the University of Liverpool, saw only a 0.65% rise.
This week, the college also emerged as the fourth most successful higher education establishment in the country for attracting foreign students.
Non-UK residents from 35 different nations represented 30.27% of LIPA's students in 2002/3.
Mr Featherstone-Witty said: "The international student figures show we are competing on a par with the best institutions.
"The success is down to a number of things. I hope it is mainly because of the growing reputation of the college, and our high teaching standards and results. But I suspect it is also because we are the only place doing what we are with popular arts north of Birmingham.
"Clearly Paul's name sells the reputation of the college around the world.
"If you are thinking about studying the performing arts, then the idea of coming to Liverpool where the Beatles were formed must play a part.
"It's like going to study country music in Nashville.
"Another factor in this country is a lot of people seem to want to get into the industry because of the growing popularity of talent contests on television."
A spokesperson for JMU said it would be a "great achievement" for the city if LIPA was granted university status.
She said: "Liverpool John Moores University supported the establishment of LIPA 10 years ago. Over the last decade, the university has provided a range of support both academically, by accrediting LIPA's degrees and providing student welfare services, and also financially, by acting as conduit for essential higher education funding.
"Thanks to this support, LIPA has grown into a viable higher education institution.
"In conjunction with our School of Art and Design, LIPA has played an important role in regenerating the city's cultural district around Hope Street, helping to create a truly vibrant student arts scene. For LIPA to achieve university status would be a great achievement for this unique institution, LJMU and the city of Liverpool."
There are currently 173 UK institutions offering under-graduate programmes in music.
LIPA has 51% of all Norwegians studying music, drama and dance at undergraduate level in the UK.
The college has 14.7% of the market share of US nationals, 16% of all Canadian nationals and 8.6% of all non-EU international students studying in the UK for their first degrees in music, drama and dance.
MORESir Paul and principal's dream of a performing arts showcase took seven years and £20 million ($38 million)
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) was created in 1996 on the site of Sir Paul McCartney's former grammar school.
It was the brainchild of Sir Paul and Mark Featherstone-Witty, who were introduced by The Beatles' producer,, Sir George Martin.
At the time, Sir Paul said: "I had always dreamt of being able to help my wonderful home town of Liverpool in some way or other. When I discovered the 1825 building which had once been my old school was derelict, saving the building became urgent."
McCartney had entered the school in 1953, at the same time as George Harrison was a pupil.
The school, on Mount Street, was itself a Liverpool landmark, with an illustrious history dating back to 1825 when the original Liverpool Institute and School of Art was built.
It became the Liverpool Institute for Boys in 1905 when the city council took over the management of secondary schools and the School of Art was taken over by Liverpool Polytechnic, now JMU.
The school closed in 1985 because there weren't enough pupils to make it viable.
But the council could not sell the building as its trust documents said it had to be used for education, so it remained in limbo.
Sir Paul discovered the disused site while making a home movie about his school days in the mid 1980s.
As Sir Paul says: "As if by magic, Mark appeared."
Mr Featherstone-Witty had been inspired by Alan Parker's 1980 film, Fame, about the New York High School for Performing Arts. He also read a book about musicians who failed to understand they were entering a business, despite the phrase "show business", and created a blueprint for a new type of training.
By 1985, he had nearly 50 artists, directors, choreographers and entrepreneurs backing him.
He formed a charity called the Schools for Performing Arts Trust to start a secondary school in London, which he finally did with the help of Sir Richard Branson and the British record industry.
It was called the BRIT School in Croydon. George Martin was Featherstone-Witty's appeal chairman and introduced him to Sir Paul, who was by then interested in finding a purpose for his old school.
The pair began talks with Liverpool City Council, which had by coincidence commissioned Pete Fulwell, then managing the Liverpool band The Christians, to look into initiatives that could help build on the city's reputation as a music city.
The resulting struggle to secure £20m and create the facility took another seven years.
June 14, 2005 -- The Scotsman
Heather launches Blood Donor Day'Give Blood, Save A Life' Call by Heather
Campaigner Heather Mills McCartney urged people today to save more lives by giving blood.
She was launching World Blood Donor Day in Britain by unveiling a gallery which celebrates the lives saved by transfusions.
Mills McCartney, wife of former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, was horrifically injured in a 1993 motorcycle accident in which she lost her leg.
She told BBC Breakfast today: "They announced four times to my sister that I would die so she should go in and say goodbye to me.
"I lost my leg, crushed my pelvis, punctured my lung and split my head open.
"I had many, many transfusions and I survived to tell the tale and that is why I am putting this message out."
She added: "So many people have given blood and saved my life."
Just 6% of the eligible population have given blood in Britain, and more are needed.
The charity worker said: "Don't wait until something happens to you, or someone you love, before you actually give blood.
"If your child became ill and there was a shortage of blood and you lost your child, you would never forgive yourself.
"It's one thing in your life that you could do that could make a huge difference."
The National Blood Service (NBS) of England and North Wales needs to collect 8,000 donations of blood every day to ensure patients get the treatment they need.
Last year, the NBS collected more than 2.3 million donations from 1.3 million donors. Around one million lives were improved or saved due to these donations.
Mills McCartney said she was "peeved" that she could not give blood herself, following her accident and having suffered a tropical disease.
But she assured the public it was a simple procedure to undergo, having been told by a worried taxi driver that he was concerned about contracting HIV if he became a donor.
She said: "It was unbelievable that people could think that could ever happen.
"You are never ever going to get it (HIV) in Britain with the needles and the system that we use.
"It's very simple and totally risk-free.
"You can go back to work (afterwards) and you have a cup of tea and a biscuit."
She was unveiling a gallery of portraits in Trafalgar Square, central London, today.
Other galleries were being opened in Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Norwich, Nottingham and Southampton.
Internationally, there is a massive demand for safe blood, to which the majority of the world's population does not have access, according to the World Health Organisation.
More than 80 million units are donated every year around the world but only 38% is collected in developing countries.
Anyone aged between 17 and 60 years of age (17-70 for regular donors) in general good health and weighing more than 7st 12lb (50kg) can give blood.
Further information can be found at www.blood.co.uk
June 14, 2005 -- ITV
Paul would be the only man on Heather's love islandHeather Mills McCartney has revealed that the only celebrity she would ever consider being marooned on a desert island with is her former Beatle husband Paul McCartney.
June 12, 2005 -- Macca Report Exclusive
Paul and Heather held a family party last night at their home in The Wirral (Liverpool) to celebrate their 3rd wedding anniversary (June 11th). The whole McCartney clan were present.
June 10, 2005 -- Leader-Post
Words of Wisdom: Sir Paul McCartney tunes in local musicianMeeting Sir Paul McCartney earlier this month was like a dream come true for Regina's Tracy Gerlach, 21, who attended the celebrity's Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) in the United Kingdom.
"It was kind of surreal, right, because he's such a big star, but I managed to keep my cool, and it was really educational," said Gerlach, who added laughing, "he gave me a lot of really good ideas about song writing because he knows a thing or two about that."
LIPA opened in 1995, in the same building in which McCartney -- former member of the band the Beatles -- attended the Liverpool School for Boys in 1953. By opening the performing arts school, McCartney rehabilitated a deteriorating building he knew in his childhood.
For three years, Gerlach has been attending the celebrity's school. By standing out among the other students, Gerlach was given the rare opportunity to meet him.
"At the end of the third year, they usually pick a couple of students to have a seminar with Paul McCartney, and I was picked as one of those students," she said.
Gerlach was on her way to meeting the music legend at 12 years old. She started by taking voice lessons and learning to play piano and guitar. She then moved on to writing her own "cheesy songs about friendship."
Getting accepted to LIPA after dedicating so much of her time to music, she said, "was definitely a huge accomplishment. I think I screamed when I found out."
Now, Gerlach is working for Talking Dog Post & Sound Studios in Regina.
"I'm picking up some tricks of the trade in audio engineering and doing a little bit of composition as well," she said.
The young musician will graduate from LIPA July 29. As a final project, she must hold a public performance, which she has decided to do in her hometown.
"My band is here," said Gerlach, who also said, "I wanted to show the school what I've been working on outside of it."
The band, Broken Luck, was formed in 2000 as a partnership between Gerlach, who sings and plays bass guitar, and her sister Cheryl, who sings and plays the keyboard. The rest of the band consists of Eric Stone on drums, Will Maeder on guitar, and David Kenney on guitar.
Gerlach said she is excited about graduation and her final academic performance, because rehearsals have been going well. "We've got a good chemistry going."
And the band, said Gerlach, already has one fan in Liverpool -- her teacher.
"Broken Luck takes the more accessible elements of metal and combines them with killer hooks to form great melodic pop rock music," said Gerlach repeating what her LIPA lecturer Mark Pearman, who once formed the band Sisters of Mercy, said.
People who would like to check out the music of Broken Luck and Gerlach's final academic performance can go to Campbell Collegiate Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. for a free concert.
June 7, 2005
For the first time, photographers Jorie Gracen and Bill Bernstein will be doing a book signing, slide show and joint discussion about photographing Paul McCartney at "Fab Four at TPAC:The Nashville Connection" July 7 - 9 in Nashville, TN.
Both photographers will show slides from their photo books. Bernstein will discuss "Each One Believing" (Chronicle Books) and Gracen will talk about "Paul McCartney: I Saw Him Standing There." (Billboard Books)
The Tennessee Performing Arts Center will host Nashville's second annual Beatles' festival, an event that was so successful last year it outgrew its inaugural space at Belcourt Theater.Unique, even among renowned Beatles' festivals worldwide, Fab Four at TPAC: The Nashville Connection, will feature three days of concerts, panel discussions, memorabilia, and vendors, July 7- 9, 2005 with an additional brunch on July 10 at The Hermitage Hotel.
Other guests include: Mark Hudson, Laurence Juber, Joey Molland, Tony Bramwell, Larry Kane and Louise Harrison. For more info and tickets go to: www.FabFouratTPAC.com
June 6, 2005 -- MSNBC
BEHIND 'MOD SQUAD' ACTRESS GOLDEN IMAGE
Peggy Lipton shares darker stories in new bookShe was the beautiful undercover cop on TV's "The Mod Squad." Peggy Lipton became a cultural icon on that hit show back in the 60s. But what very few knew was that behind that golden image was a woman living a life a lot darker and wilder than even her crime-fighting alter ego. Read an excerpt from her book, "Breathing Out," below.
MEETING PAUL:
I arrived at the party wearing a pink silk skirt and my mother's Emilio Pucci checkered Jersey top and little heels. I just walked in and pretended to be very blase', like I wasn't about to expire with every step. Well, I am an actress, so I said, "Peggy, imagine you're a very composed, cool character who Is not in the least inhibited by all these famous people and what's about to unfold." It worked. I began snaking my way through the crowds that had gathered on the lawn In anticipation of greeting the world's most alluring popstars. I found myself talking to people. It was better than chewing on the inside of my mouth, which by now I couldn't stop doing. I talked to everyone ... anyone I met. The lovely Eva Marie Saint said hello and told me that she thought I resembled her! I felt extremely flattered. Enough to momentarily drop my raison d'etre--then it all hit me again. I'm going to see him. My heart was ready to burst open with my secret. I'd just have to stay cool for a little while longer. I started aimlessly floating around. I could no longer concentrate on talking to people. I don't know where they were or where he was, but I was feeling it, believe me. Without warning, the four of them appeared, sitting on high wooden stools under a big tree. Someone politely announced that children should come forward now and say hello. To my dismay I saw a line forming-a line of little kids! They were all so small-their moms sending them off with tears in their eyes. I was obviously not a kid but a woman towering ridiculously over them in my slick Pucci getup. The only thing I had in common with those kids was that we'd all been outfitted by our mothers. Sweating rivers through my clothes, I was feeling somewhat humiliated but unerring in my determination. The whole year of longing culminated in this moment. Adolescence was over forever. I was in line to meet the Beatles.
The Fab Four under a tree. They looked cute. Just like the photos I had strewn across the walls of my bedroom. But I knew they weren't the cuddly mop tops they were pretending to be. You knew that when you got up close. John's twisted smile, for one thing, suggested a lot of strange thoughts could be going on in his head. Ringo, sporting a huge grin, seemed utterly bemused and nonchalant about it all. George was wiry and agile, adjusting his body to shake as many of the little hands as he could. I watched Paul. It felt like he was doing a sort of music-hall soft shoe routine for the crowd.
He was being a showman, a carny The nice one who could engage the multitudes. I didn't know if I'd be able to talk when my turn came. What was there to say? My mind went completely blank.Okay, so John greeted me first, then George took my hand. I hardly remember them. Paul was the one I was watching and my heart was pounding too loud, sounding like thunder in my ears. "Look, Peggy," I said, trying to get a grip on myself. "He's being really sweet with these kids." I was admiring that while he was looking down and patting them on the head. All of a sudden I felt him looking at me and it was a totally different look. It was filled with promise and sexuality and I was stunned.
"Come on, Peggy, you can do it. Shake hands!" Earl was shouting as he was photographing me. I was embarrassed. "Please stop, Earl," I thought. But this was a great moment for him, too. He actually saw his diligent work paying off. I wanted Paul at that moment as much as I had ever wanted anything in my life. I came face to face with him.
"Hello' " I said, and he shook my hand and looked at me.
"My god, you're beautiful," he said.
"You're not so bad yourself," I replied, like an idiot. A year in the planning and that was all I could come up with?
My knees under the pink silk skirt buckled. I was madly in love with Paul McCartney, or should I say even more madly in love-knowing full well that disaster lay ahead. How could it be otherwise? Every woman wanted Paul.
"Well, move on. Next person," said a disembodied voice from hell. I went to the next person who was George Harrison or whomever. I couldn't have cared less. I had made the connection. Paul had looked at me with his puppy dog, long-lashed, beautiful eyes and that was it. Paul moved on with his conversation and charmed the next fan in line.
MORE...
"I was asked to come to a bash that evening. I arrived almost sick to my stomach. I had only lost my virginity six months earlier and I'd been thinking about Paul for a year. He greeted me sweetly. He played the piano. The next thing I knew we were on our way upstairs. The fantasy was playing
out a little too fast. He took me in his arms and kissed me. May I say that this was the kiss of my dreams? As passionate, tender and exciting as I ever could have imagined. During our lovemaking, I caught myself thinking, how was this making em feel? I liked everything about Paul, yet when we walked downstairs together the feeling wasn't too good. I saw myself as just a
young girl he had taken to bed and that was it.Paul called the next night and I went back. I wanted to try to cement a bond. Once again it was sexy. But by the time our tryst was over I wanted to go home to the safety of my parent's house. I didn't see Paul again that summer."
CLICK TO BUY "Breathing Out,"
June 6, 2005 -- Daily Post
Copyright bonus for music legendsSir Paul McCartney could find himself even richer if the government goes ahead with plans to extend copyright laws to pop music.
The move would extend current copyright of 50 years for almost twice as long, creating more revenue for the music industry.
The Government's new Minister for Creative Industries, James Purnell, will outline his plans in a speech this week.
He believes the move will allow new talent to flourish as record companies will have more money to plough into new projects.
Mr. Purnell said: "The music industry is a risky business."
June 6, 2005
Peggy Lipton will be on "Entertainment Tonight" Monday, June 6th talking about her new autobiography called "Breathing Out".
In the book Peggy talks about her steamy romance with Paul McCartney!
June 5, 2005 -- FanasylumLIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE ON PAUL McCARTNEY VIP TRAVEL PACKAGES!
SPECIAL ON SALE MONDAY June 6 at 11 AM PT (2pm ET)
Attention Paul McCartney fans! We'd like to thank you for making the Paul McCartney 2005 VIP travel packages such a great success! Demand for our Paul McCartney travel package experiences was so great that many of our packages sold out within days! This is a special message to inform you that limited spaces have become available in select destinations including:
LOS ANGELES: Close out US Tour with the final two shows on NOV 29 & 30.
BOSTON: Enjoy two concerts @ Boston Fleet Center on SEP 26 & 27.
NEW YORK #1: Featuring the concerts @ Madison Square Garden on OCT 04 & 05.
NEW YORK #2: Featuring the concerts @ Madison Square Garden on SEP 30 & OCT 01.
You also may want to consider a VIP experience in these fabulous cities:
PHILADELPHIA: Featuring the concerts @ Wachovia Center on SEP 22 & 23.
TORONTO: Featuring the concert @ Air Canada Center on OCT 10.
(WEBMASTER NOTE: McCartney usually performs "Mull of Kintyre" in Toronto)DALLAS: Featuring the concert @ American Airlines Center on NOV 20.
ATLANTA: Featuring the concert @ Philips Arena on SEP 20.
SEATTLE: Featuring the concert @ Key Arena on NOV 03.
SAN FRANCISCO: Featuring two concerts @ HP Pavilion in San Jose on NOV 07 & 08.
Click the cities above to learn more about each package offer, and to register online. To register by phone, please call the Paul McCartney VIP Travel Center @ 415-575-6672.
June 5, 2005 -- Sunday Mirror
THE GREATEST GIG EVER: FLY NOONLIVE 8 is to begin TWO HOURS earlier than first planned so more of the world's top acts can take part.
The concert had been due to begin at 2pm on Saturday, July 2 in front of a worldwide audience of billions.
But organisers have been locked in talks to bring the concert forward to noon.
The Sunday Mirror has also learnt that Sir Paul McCartney will provide the finale for the concert - as well as opening it.
Urgent meetings were called to consider the time change after music promoters became concerned their acts would not be able to make it to concerts later in the day after appearing at Live8.
For example, on the night of July 2 Coldplay are due to perform in Glasgow; U2 are scheduled to play in Vienna while Sir Elton John has a concert at Warwick Castle. If any acts pulled out of concerts so they could perform at Live8, they would be liable to legal action from promoters - which could end up costing them thousands.
A music industry source revealed: "They would leave themselves open to be sued for six-figure sums by promoters.
"Live8 may be for charity but contracts with promoters don't legislate for people cancelling concerts so they can do good deeds. It's as simple as that."
Since the line-up for the concert at London's Hyde Park was announced last Tuesday, Harvey Goldsmith and Sir Bob Geldof have been battling to put together a running order. But they were left struggling to put the show together because so many of the acts wanted to appear at the beginning.
A source revealed: "The concert is being put together at such late notice, many of the top acts have already got other gigs confirmed.
"So they all wanted to appear early on in the day.
"That would have meant the bill later in the day not necessarily being as strong as at the start." As a result, organisers are ready to bring the concert forward by two hours.
"It will stop such a log jam at the beginning of the gig," one insider revealed.
As the Sunday Mirror exclusively revealed last month, the concert is to be opened by McCartney and U2 singing Beatles classic Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, which begins with the lyrics: 'It was 20 years ago today...'
"We can now reveal that Macca is to close the concert as well with another Beatles classic, The Long And Winding Road.
Macca chose the song because of its links to the Live8 campaign of Sir Bob's Long Walk To Justice.
That will see thousands of people make their way to Edinburgh ahead of the G8 summit, which begins four days after Live 8.
June 4, 2005 -- LIVE 8
LIVE WEBCAST ON AOLThe LIVE 8 concerts taking place around the world will be watched and listen to by more than 2 billion people.
In the UK, the BBC is the host broadcaster for LIVE 8 London with coverage across BBC ONE, TWO and THREE, with radio broadcasts on Radio's 1 and 2, the BBC World Service and across the BBC's regional stations.
Partner broadcasters in Europe and America will also be working to bring this huge international event to the world.
Online in the biggest interactive event in history, AOL will be broadcasting all the concerts live, delivering exclusive, interactive material. People around the world can learn more about global poverty, connect with a community of fans and make their voices heard at www.aolmusic.com, www.aol.co.uk, www.aol.de or www.aol.fr
June 4, 2005 -- LIVE 8
HOW TO GET LIVE 8 TICKETSTickets for the LIVE 8 London concert in Hyde Park will be allocated via a text competition.
For the chance to win a pair of tickets to the London event you will need to enter the text competition - you can enter as many times as you like.
Details of the text number and competition will be announced on the 6th June - via all UK radio stations & BBC Television. No entries will be accepted before 00:01 on the 6th June.
Each entry costs £1.50* plus your operator's standard text charge.
The competition will close at midnight on the 12th June and winners will be chosen at random by computer and notified by text message after the 13th June with details of how they can collect their tickets - either online or from collection points around the UK.
Due to the tight deadlines we are working to, you will need to be able to collect your tickets within ten days of notification of winning, otherwise you will forfeit them.
The first £1.6 million raised from the text competition will go to The Prince's Trust which is sharing a proportion of the income with Help a London Child. The rest will go to pay for the costs of LIVE 8, as it is a free event.
Other venues do not require tickets - details on how to attend will follow shortly.
LIVE 8 Hyde Park, London - July 2* Mariah Carey
* Coldplay
* Dido
* Keane
* Sir Elton John
* Annie Lennox
* Madonna
* Muse
* Razorlight
* Scissor Sisters
* Sir Paul McCartney
* Joss Stone
* Stereophonics
* Sting
* Robbie Williams
* U2
* REM
* Velvet Revolver
* Bob Geldof
* The Killers
* The Cure
* Snow Patrol
June 1, 2005 -- PRNewswire
Sir Paul McCartney Creates Children's Book Coming This October With a 1st US Print-run of 500,000
Sir Paul McCartney has signed with Penguin Young Readers Group to publish his children's picture book, "High in the Clouds: An Urban Furry Tale," in the United States on October 4, 2005. The initial US print-run is planned at 500,000 copies.This book will have two day publication of October 3 and 4 in 8 countries (and counting).
"Having worked on this story and the characters for many years, it's very exciting for me to see things come to fruition in what I think will be a remarkable book," said Paul McCartney.
For the project, McCartney teamed up with veteran children's book author, Philip Ardagh and animator, Geoff Dunbar. The story for High in the Clouds was inspired by an animated film called "Tropic Island Hum" on which Dunbar and McCartney had collaborated.
"This is going to be a major best-seller for us, and I know that a whole new generation of readers will become fans of Paul," says Doug Whiteman, the President of Penguin Young Readers Group who brokered the deal with the Editorial Director of Faber and Faber UK; Suzy Jenvey.
The book will be published under the Dutton Children's Book imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA).
June 1, 2005 -- PRNewswireGeldof unveils Live 8 show plans
Bob Geldof has unveiled plans for a repeat of 1985's Live Aid concert, called Live 8, to highlight the ongoing problem of global poverty and debt.The free event will be held in London's Hyde Park on 2 July with concerts in Philadelphia, Paris, Rome and Berlin.
Madonna and Sir Paul McCartney are among stars playing in London while Stevie Wonder is on the US line-up.
A text message lottery is being held on 6 June to determine who will gain tickets to the UK concert.
Listeners to breakfast shows on BBC and commercial radio stations will be asked to send a text message at 0800 BST containing the answer to a multiple choice question. The winners will get two tickets to the show.
It will also be shown on big screens in seven cities across the UK, and shown live on BBC TV and radio.
WHO IS TAKING PART?
Coldplay
Madonna
Sir Paul McCartney
Coldplay
Sir Elton John
Robbie Williams
Will Smith
Stevie Wonder
50 Cent
Youssou N'Dour
Jamiroquai
A-ha
Duran DuranRead the list of artists in full
Will Smith, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder and Maroon 5 are among the performers who will play the US city's Cradle of America venue.
Veteran band Duran Duran will play in Rome, while A-ha will perform in Berlin.
Sir Elton John said he was "extremely honoured" to be taking part in the event, which he added will feature "la creme de la creme of musicians".
Geldof said there was a strong possibility that the Spice Girls would reform for the concert.
"I spoke to them this morning. It looks very good. That's all we can say," he told the BBC.
The aim will be to raise awareness of Make Poverty History, a campaign to get the richest nations to cancel debt and increase aid to developing countries, and to promote fair trade.
The G8 summit takes place from 6 to 8 July at Gleneagles in Scotland.
Meanwhile, the Band Aid Trust has recouped more than £2million ($3.6 million) in VAT from the government, which was made from DVD sales of the 1985 Live Aid concert.
"We want it to be the biggest and best open air concert that the capital has ever seen," she said.
The original Live Aid concerts, on 13 July 1985 in Wembley Stadium and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, raised £40million ($72.5 million) for famine relief in Africa.
Macca Report News continues with May 2005
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