Happy Birthday: Iggy Azalea

June 7, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized Happy Birthday, Iggy Azalea, musician, singer

Happy Birthday Iggy Azalea

Born: Amethyst Amelia Kelly
June 7, 1990 in Sydney, Australia

QUOTES:

People criticize you for trying new things. I think, ‘I’m new! I’m 22!’ I don’t know exactly what my sound is or what I want my album to sound like, so I’m not releasing it yet. While I’m experimenting, I’ll let you in on the journey, and you can hear it for free.

It’s different, it’s weird to say, ‘She’s a white rapper or she can’t do this because she’s this color – this color does this thing. These are the boxes we have, this is what it is, don’t try to change it.’ And it’s crazy to me because I’m just not from that world, so I can’t really rock with it all the way.

I’ve never heard a man in a suit tell me what to wear; that’s not their forte. You hire your stylist; whatever someone’s image is as an artist is what they’ve chosen to portray.

I’ve been a little bit Las Vegas and casino-obsessed. So, I love some trashy glamour… and I think nothing’s trashier or more glamorous than a bit of a sheer number!

I’d dropped out of high school without really doing it on purpose – I’d just go home at lunch ‘cos I didn’t have friends, then stay there all afternoon listening to rap. It got to the point where I wouldn’t have passed even if I’d gone back. I was depressed, basically.

They say I’m insane because I need to have so much creative control. They say I’m unmanageable, but I’m not. I just know what I like. I’m obsessed with it. If you can’t control it, that’s like having somebody else paint your pictures. How could you do that? I never could.

Happy Birthday: Prince (1958–2016)

June 7, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized Happy Birthday, musician, Prince Rogers Nelson, singer

Happy Birthday Prince (1958–2016)

Born: Prince Rogers Nelson
June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Died: April 21, 2016 (age 57) in Paisley Park, Chanhassen, Minnesota, USA

Married to: Manuela Testolini (31 December 2001 – 2006) (divorced)
Mayte Garcia (14 February 1996 – 14 February 1999) (annulled) (1 child)

QUOTES:

You can always renegotiate a record contract. You just go in and say, ‘You know, I think my next project will be a country-and-western album.’
People say I’m wearing heels because I’m short. I wear heels because the women like ’em.

Cool means being able to hang with yourself. All you have to ask yourself is “Is there anybody I’m afraid of? Is there anybody who if I walked into a room and saw, I’d get nervous?” If not, then you’re cool.
I never really got off on awards so much. I think it’s more for the people who give them and also for the fans. I get a lot of props from people in the street and a lot of love and congratulation, pats on back, so it’s a good feeling you know the after-effects.

I’ve got more hits than Madonna’s got kids.

I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They will not give me an advance for it and they get mad when they don’t get it. All computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and they are not good for you

It’s fun being in Islamic countries, to know there’s only one religion. There’s order. You wear a burqa. There’s no choice. People are happy with that.

Happy Birthday: Alanis Morissette

June 1, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized actor, Alanis Morissette, Happy Birthday, musician, singer, Souleye

Happy Birthday musician Alanis Morissette

Born: Alanis Nadine Morissette
June 1, 1974 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Married to: Souleye (22 May 2010 – present) (1 child)

Quotes:

We’re taught to be ashamed of confusion, anger, fear and sadness, and to me they’re of equal value to happiness, excitement and inspiration.

Peace of mind for five minutes, that’s what I crave.

The whole celebrity thing is not something I’m overly interested in. I don’t pop up at parties. It’s just not my thing.

Music will always be a part of my life. I love music and I don’t care how many units I sell.

That what we judge in someone else, we are really judging in ourselves.
So many times I’ve been just gripping the steering wheel and driving, and just have a piece of paper on where my horn is, and just writing sort of looking up and down. I’ve done that so much! It’ll be worth the crash.
I have not an ounce of regret. Every link is so valuable in forming the chain that is my life. Who I am today is because of those links, and I wouldn’t change any of them.

Happy Birthday: Danny Elfman

May 29, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized composter, Danny Elfman, Happy Birthday, musician

Happy Birthday composer Danny Elfman

Born: Daniel Robert Elfman
May 29, 1953 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Nominated for 4 Oscars for Best Musical Score: Milk, Big Fish, Good Will Hunting, Men in Black.

Quote:

I get drawn to things that don’t make any sense, and I learned early on not to resist that.

I’ve known Sam [Raimi] for almost 15 years. Spider-Man 2 was my fifth movie with him and all I can say is that the person who was there at the end of Spider-Man 2 was not Sam. I don’t know who it was, but it wasn’t Sam. It was as close to living out Invasion of the Body Snatchers as I’ve ever experienced. To see such a profound negative change in a human being was almost enough to make me feel like I didn’t want to make films anymore. It was really disheartening and sad to see the way it ended up.

It all depends on the directors. Working closely with a director is the main job of a film composer. Interpreting what he perceives as a color, an emotion or mood is very abstract. A director tells you something he wants and then you have to run back to your music and respond with, “I think he meant something like this.”

I don’t think there’s a trademark Danny Elfman element that has been consistent in my work. I don’t hear many similarities in what I do and I don’t think it’s necessary that I have a particular style. Having a particular style is not bad, but I prefer to push myself in the direction of being a composer who you never know what he’s doing next.

Happy Birthday: Lenny Kravitz

May 26, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized actor, actors, Happy Birthday, Lenny Kravitz, Lisa Bonet, musician

Happy Birthday musician Lenny Kravitz

Born: Leonard Albert Kravitz
May 26, 1964 in New York City, New York, USA

Married to: Lisa Bonet (16 November 1987 – 12 April 1993) (divorced) (1 child)

Read reviews of the best of the actor:

THE HUNGER GAMES
dir. Gary Ross
Stars:
Jennifer Lawrence
Josh Hutcherson

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire Movie Poster

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
dir. Lee Daniels
Stars:
Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe
Mo’Nique

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
2013
dir. Francis Lawrence
Stars:
Jennifer Lawrence
Josh Hutcherson

THE BUTLER
2013
dir. Lee Daniels
Stars:
Forest Whitaker
Oprah Winfrey

Happy Birthday: The Notorious B.I.G. (1972–1997)

May 21, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized actor, actors, Faith Evans, Happy Birthday, musician, The Notorious B.I.G. (1972–1997)

Happy Birthday musician The Notorious B.I.G. (1972–1997)

Born: Christopher George Letore Wallace
May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York, USA

Died: March 9, 1997 (age 24) in Los Angeles, California, USA

Birth Name Christopher George Letore Wallace

Nicknames Biggie Smalls
The King of New York
The Black Frank White
Big Poppa
Frankie Baby
B.I.

Married to: Faith Evans (4 August 1994 – 9 March 1997) (his death) (1 child)

QUOTES:

(On Tupac Shakur’s death) I was more shocked than anything, you know what I’m sayin? I wasn’t shocked at him dyin I was more shocked at him…Pac’a a strong dude, ya know I know dude, ya know what I’m sayin. He’s real strong. So when they was like he got shot, I was just more like ‘Again?’ Heh. You know what I’m sayin, he’s always gettin shot or shot at, he gon’ pull through this one again, make a few of records about it, and its gon’ be over, you know what I’m sayin? But when he, when he died, I was just ‘whoa!’ You know what I’m sayin, kinda took me by…and even though we was goin through our drama, I would never with death on nobody, you know what I’m sayin, cause ain’t no coming back from that.

Please, all you MCs out there, all you fans out there, don’t think Big gonna make a record dissing 2Pac or the West Coast because it’s not going down like that. I cant even see me wasting my time or my talent to disrespect another black man.

The second time I went to jail, I was like, ‘Okay, this is not the move.’
I’m basically different things to different people. If it’s a guy, I’m-a probably have my guard up because it’s a street rule that when men come around that I don’t know, I just immediately throw shade on them. But I don’t associate with fellas all that much; if it’s a girl – a beautiful girl – I be nice.

I can’t never stop nobody, can’t knock nobody hustle.

Growing up in the streets of Bed-Stuy, it was hard, yo.

Happy Birthday: Grace Jones

May 19, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized actor, actors, Grace Jones, Happy Birthday, musician, singer

Happy Birthday singer Grace Jones

Born: Beverly Grace Jones
May 19, 1948 in Spanish Town, Jamaica

Quotes:

[on drug use] Use, don’t abuse.

[on her gay following] The fact that I get in there and perform during this political time, and have a great time doing it helps. Gays are my best audience.
[on her film career, or lack thereof] After the doing the first big film (Conan the Destroyer (1984)), I realized there was so much time, so much empty space — always, you know… waiting to be called. Thank God, I’ve got the music because in all that space, I was writing music.

[on how she became to be a singer] I never thought I was going to be a singer. That was an accident.

[on her stage persona] When I perform on stage I become those male bullies, those dominators from my childhood. That’s probably why it’s so scary, because they scared me.

[on her aggressive behavior] I think I am aggressive in a positive way, it protects me- it puts everyone on their guard-to be nice to me.

Happy Birthday: Stevie Wonder

May 14, 2016 festreviews Happy Birthday, Uncategorized Happy Birthday, Kai Millard Morris, musician, Stevie Wonder

Happy Birthday musician Stevie Wonder

Born: Stevland Hardaway Judkins
May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Married to: Kai Millard Morris (1 September 2001 – 5 October 2015) (divorced) (2 children)

Syreeta (14 September 1970 – 1972) (divorced)

Quotes:

Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision.

Before I ride with somebody who’s been drinking, I’ll drive myself.
I just dig audiences. That to me is the most worthwhile thing about this whole business. Just people coming to have a good time and letting me sing for them.

I do believe in women. I really do.

I am not a normal man.

I am all for stem cell research.

For the most part, I feel really comfortable with what I’ve given to the people. I want to give it to them again.

First of all, I’m no better than the next person.

Blind don’t mean you can’t, you know, listen.

Time is long but life is short.

Eyes lie if you ever look into them for the character of the person.
Clearly, love is love, between a man and a woman, a woman and a man, a woman and a woman and a man and a man.

What I’m not confused about is the world needing much more love, no hate, no prejudice, no bigotry and more unity, peace and understanding. Period.

I am what I am. I love me! And I don’t mean that egotistically – I love that God has allowed me to take whatever it was that I had and to make something out of it.