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Imogen Heap Writes Songs for Zach Braff, Charity

Actor/director Zach Braff gave Grammy-nominated English pop star Imogen Heap plenty of exposure in America when he used 'Let Go,' a former Frou Frou song, in his break-out film 'Garden State,' so she thought she might return the favor. "I wrote the song 'Wait It Out' for this Zach Braff film called 'Open Hearts,'" she tells Spinner. "I read the ...

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Ray Davies Concert Disrupted by Security

An old Kinks tradition of throwing paper plates onto the stage with song requests written on them was thwarted by security at Ray Davies' Choral Collection concert at Town Hall on Thursday. The overzealous goons rushed to the front row thinking the worst, even trying to evict an innocent petite plate-throwing fan from the first row. Davies had to ...

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Steve Vai Training for Iron Man Triathlon

The rock n' roll lifestyle is a thing of the past for Steve Vai. Instead, the guitarist has opted for a much healthier regime -- training for the Iron Man triathlon. Trading booze for body fitness, Vai hopes to complete a half Iron Man -- 70.3 miles total, consisting of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run. "It's hard. You have ...

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Ray Davies Concerned by Simon Cowell's Influence

After four decades of writing hits, Kinks frontman Ray Davies continues to rejuvenate the art of songwriting, an art he feels has been tainted by music reality showman Simon Cowell. Davies, who penned hits like 'You Really Got Me' and 'Lola,' says he's concerned that musicians today might be motivated more by reality television stardom than making ...

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Guitarist Steve Vai Recalls Wild Days With David Lee Roth

Guitarist Steve Vai has a new live DVD, 'Where the Wild Things Are,' that highlights his 25 plus years of performing for sold-out audiences. Vai, who is known for his wild guitar licks onstage, was no match for the backstage antics he experienced on tour with Van Halen's David Lee Roth. "Actually, I was never really wild," he tells Spinner. "I ...

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'Pirate Radio' Star Tom Sturridge Snubbed Paul McCartney

British movie hunk Tom Sturridge may have grown up listening to the Beatles but his true allegiance lies more with sports stars than music icons. At the recent London premiere for his film 'Pirate Radio,' which tells the story of a band of DJs broadcasting a British radio station aboard a ship, Sturridge literally brushed Sir Paul McCartney aside ...

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Steve Vai Auctions Memorabilia to Benefit At-Risk Youth

When Steve Vai premiered his live DVD, 'Where the Wild Things Are,' at Grauman's Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles last month, the famed guitarist donated all the box office earnings to his favorite charity, Hollywood Arts. Vai sits on the board of directors for this non-profit organization that takes at-risk and homeless teens off the streets and ...

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