Idol Gives Back

Tonight's edition of American Idol, a.k.a. Idol Gives Back was seriously cool. For the first time apparently, people who have lots realized there are millions who have not.

Still, I'm skeptical about all the hype surrounding the campaign. While the idea of charity and everyone helping out is chivalrous and commendable, one wonders how the money collected would really be distributed to the millions who really need it the most. At this point, we should be wary coz more frequent than never we hear that a large portion of the proceeds usually get misdirected. Hopefully, this one DOESN'T get misdirected to George Bush's war-funds. Well at least some good does result from this show.... more awareness that there are millions who are not as fortunate as we are.

The performances were fabulous except for Lakisha's. I used to say that Lakisha has got a big voice and could well be in the Top 3. But based on her performance tonight, I would have booted her off... she has vocal prowess, no doubt. But her performance seems to be deteriorating show after show. Another point proven; she ain't as good as Fantasia was. Her rendition of "I Believe" was unbelievably horrendous; it was all over the place.

Jordin Sparks really lit a fire on my 'bulu roma' tonight. What a brilliant performance that was singing Jerry Lewis' You'll Never Walk Alone. As Simon put it last week, he thought she could win American Idol. She could... and she's good... but that's not gonna happen. I love Jordin's singing BUT:

THIS IS THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL:

... Melinda has been very consistently impressive. Altho, Jordin stole tonight's show, Melinda still holds the "Resident Pro" title. After all, Melinda Doolittle can "DO LOTS", and what she's shown us so far is probably just the tip of the iceberg.


Tomorrow... the results and I can't wait for it; coz two of my favourite singers are slated to appear... Bono & Annie Lennox.

Go Your Own Way

If you have been listening to Mix fm, recently there was this advert in support of the detractors of "illegal downloading".

I mean excuse me! Ever since when did downloading became illegal. By the way, 'downloading' is also NOT the correct term to use. We should aptly call it 'peer-to-peer sharing'. It's not like we stole from someone or anything.

If I buy something, a CD for example... dun I got the right to share it with my frens, vice-versa? That is my perogative. Even if I share with people all over the World, it is not the recording industry's OR anyone else's GOD-damned business.

All you f**king P2P detractors, if u think u can threaten us with 'eventually no one is gonna record', let me tell we ain't that stupid. The recording business is still big business with or without P2P sharing. It's not like they do not earn enough from the music biz. We, the ordinary everyday people, are the ones who can hardly make ends meet... and u expect us to pay for all the celebrities' lavish dinners, expensive clothes... the whole high-class lifestyle? Guess again! News flash: Any singers, actors OR celebs who wish to quit... you may do so anytime! Why? Coz someone will always fill your shoes eventually... I can bet my head on that!

I support P2P sharing... Sue me!




The title of this rant is a reference to the hit song originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac in 1977 from the album 'Rumours' and re-recorded by the female-trio Wilson Phillips in 2004 from the album 'California'.

These Boots Are Made For Walking

"...these boots are made for walking; that's just what they'll do. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you..."
- Nancy Sinatra

Well... I'm not exactly wearing boots; but yea, my travelling shoes are gonna start walking again. First to Macau, then by boat to Hong Kong; next take a train to Shenzhen; then a bus to Zhuhai... and finally catch my flight back from Macau. All in 8 days.

Well, I know it's a lot to cover in 8 days. But I always believed you can never see everything. The most important thing about travel is experiencing the cultural difference. So far my travel to Vietnam has been my most memorable and favourite of all time.

I love city hopping; and this trip is gonna be yet another eye opener. HK and Macau are essentially China but I bet they are different in a million and one aspects. That's what this chapter of my travel is about. Discovering diversity.

I doubt this is gonna beat the experience of a lifetime in Vietnam but I'm game for anything now. Tallyho!

Post 9-11 Blues.... Brilliant!

I was in love with Jay Sean a few years back but now I'm in love with another British Asian. His known to the music world as Riz MC but his real name is Rizwan Ahmed (a.k.a. Riz Ahmed).

He acted in the brilliant Michael Winterbottom's movie titled "Road To Guantanamo" starring as Shafiq Rasul, one of the Tipton Three. It was a true story about three friends who were arrested, imprisoned and abused in the infamous Camp Delta in Guantanomo Bay runned by the capitalist nation of the US of A.

He has also produced a very brilliant and satirical ditty about the current US administration which has been banned on MTV and British / US airplay. It was featured on Al Jazeera English's Listening Post recently. I thought it was impressively creative. So I've featured the full length vidoe on my blog including the lyrics, which I hope I got right.

Thank u RIZ.... Love u a lot! Everybody else, enjoy the vid!





Big shout to George and Ozama
This is the Post 9-11 blues

What can I do? I got the post 9-11 blues
On the telly nothing but the post 9-11 news
War, Iraq, suicide bombs
Stop hogging the limelight and make some room for my songs
Anyway, it’s all re-runs, we need a new war, Bush go get Iran
I heard they’re talking about your Mom
Change the channel, watch some telly for kids
But what’s this? ‘Hi kids, welcome to fun-fun-fun-damentalists’
In the break Nike’s advertising bomb-proof kicks
They’re even showing Bin Laden’s cave on Kribs

So I picked up a respectable magazine
Told me about the new post 9-11 categories
Israeli fighters are soldiers, Irish are paramilitaries
And darkie ones are terrorists, how simple can it be?
But not me, my friends go ‘Riz is still one of us’
But if I haven’t shaved they won’t sit with me on the bus

CHORUS:
Everybody do the post 9-11 dance
Look scared, shake your arse when the bombs go blast
Everybody shake your post 9-11 thongs
So the dossier was wrong? jack some oil, drop a bomb
Sing a song, sing along, Bush and Blair in a tree
K-I-L-L-I-N-G
Shave your beard if you’re brown
And you’d best salute the crown
Or they’ll do you like Brazilians and shoot your arse down

Post 9-11 getting around can be expensive
Costs 12 dead Iraqis for a litre of unleaded
And even Green Cross Code has all changed
They just teach kids ‘duck around low-flying planes’
On the tube if you see a dude with a rucksack and a beard
Move carriages mate, f*ck that
They cancelled Christmas cos of Santa Claus’ beard
His magic red sack got confiscated as a suspect package
No need for halloween, 9-11 is more scary
Osama been gobblin’ his kids and he’s hairy
Hear a knockin’ at the door at early dawn in the dark
He say they’ll trick or treat you to a week in Belmarsh
Forget Guy Fawkes, he’s lame, Gunpowder plots don’t really compare to planes
So no Bonfire, Halloween or Christmas, they’re done
We’ll do it all on one day, Merry 9-1-1

CHORUS

You started us, now we got a post 9-11 dance – LISTEN
Dig your oil! Dat your plane! Dig your oil! F*ck Bush!

Post 9-11 policy might seem harsh, but it is the terrorists’ fault we got ID cards,
And the congestion charge, that they’re extending far
And electronic tags on the chav children’s arms
Course we need Belmarsh, f*ck 28 days
We should put the whole of Oldham in some f*cking cage
Move Hounslow underground, so nothing could go wrong,
Lootin's already movin', Bradford’s already gone
We’re all suspects, so literally be watching your back
I farted and got arrested for a chemical attack
Dropped some litter on the street and I caused a bomb scare
But told the policeman my name was John, they thought they’d caught the wrong Brer’
But it’s OK, post 9-11 I’ve been getting paid
Playing terrorists on telly, getting songs made
‘But will it get airplay, geezer?' If BBC don’t want it I’ll send it to Al-Jazeera ... Yeah!

CHORUS