Amy Winehouse Punches Fan at Glastonbury 2008. Quintessential Amy.
Category: Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse Apologizes For Yet Another Scandalous Home Video, This One With Racial Slurs
Also, singer’s husband pleaded guilty in perversion-of-justice case.
By Gil Kaufman
Over the past year, British soul singer Amy Winehouse has made as much news for her outrageous offstage behavior as she has for her Grammy-winning music. But, after scandals involving alleged drug abuse, a reported stay in rehab, notoriously unkempt performances, a trip to jail for her husband on charges of attempting to pervert justice, several arrests on charges ranging from alleged assault to suspicion of drug use and a series of public breakdowns, the latest outrage tied to Winehouse has sparked the biggest response yet in England.
A videotape surfaced over the weekend that appears to show Winehouse and a friend singing a racial-epithet-loaded take on the traditional children’s song “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” In the clip, which was reportedly filmed by Winehouse’s jailed husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, shortly after the pair’s wedding last May, Winehouse and the unidentified friend are seen giggling and singing the lyrics: “Blacks, Pakis, g–ks and n-ps … and deaf and dumb and blind and gay,” while sitting on a couch in a dingy apartment. Fielder-Civil is heard repeatedly promising Winehouse that he is not filming the scene, even going so far as to swear on Winehouse’s life that the video camera is not on.
Britain’s Daily Mail reported on Monday that Winehouse had apologized for the video — which also appears to show drug paraphernalia on a table in the room where the song is sung. The content of the video was first reported Sunday in the British tabloid News of the World.
The paper reported that upon returning home shortly after 2 a.m. Monday, Winehouse invited some fans into her apartment, but not before holding what was described as an impromptu press conference on her front stoop, during which she reportedly said, “I don’t want to play anything down, but I’m the least racist person going.” The singer then reportedly slammed the “irresponsible” News of the World for not eliding some of the more inflammatory terms in its report, saying, “I think they should have starred out certain words.”
A spokesperson for Winehouse said Monday (June 9) that there was no additional comment on the tape and referred MTV News to the apology that appears in the Daily Mail.
In addition to making racist gestures, including stretching out her eyes at one point, Winehouse is seen later in the video asleep on a sofa in the apartment, with what appears to be more drug paraphernalia on the floor around her. A friend, Eddie, apparently describes the drugs they have taken, telling Fielder-Civil, “a bit of E, a bit of C and a few beers, watched telly, smoked crack.” And in another part of the video she turns down Fielder-Civil’s request that she perform oral sex on him in the public stairwell of a hotel.
The News of the World also published a number of photos of the couple, including one that purports to show Winehouse holding what looks like a crack pipe and another that appears to depict the couple passing white pills between their lips. According to the tabloid, the series of photos were given to reporters by a close friend of Amy’s who intended to show the effect Fielder-Civil has on Winehouse.
Fielder-Civil, 26, who has been in jail for nearly nine months, pleaded guilty last week to committing “grievous bodily harm” in the case in which he was accused of assaulting a pub owner and conspiring to obstruct justice into the investigation of that alleged incident, according to The Associated Press. There is no word yet on the penalty in the case, though Fielder-Civil faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the assault charge. The obstruction charge carries a maximum life sentence, though that is unlikely to be imposed in this case, the AP reported.
The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Winehouse was seen out with her father, Mitch, on Sunday in London’s Camden neighborhood, where she reportedly chatted up fans as the racist-tape scandal was brewing. “If people could see the real Amy — the full picture, not just the worst photos — they would realize she is not in a constant pit of misery or permanently drug-addled,” her dad reportedly said. “She’s upbeat — even jolly — and she’s been writing some fantastic new songs. She’s really looking forward to performing again. … She is getting better, working hard, standing by her husband and desperate to have a family. … I honestly think in two years she will be fit, healthy and having babies — and motherhood will be her drug.”
As for the photos that were leaked, including the one that appears to show her with a crack pipe, Amy reportedly said that they were taken during “really, really happy times.”
Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty in Winemouse – um?
GRAMMY PRODUCER OF THE YEAR MARK RONSON PARTNERS HIS ALLIDO RECORDS WITH INTERSCOPE RECORDS Album From New Artist Wale Expected By End Of The Year
Mark Ronson, Grammy Award winner for Producer of the Year, Record of the Year and Pop Vocal Album (the latter two for his work with Amy Winehouse) will bring his Allido Records label to Interscope Geffen A&M Records. The joint venture between Allido, co-owned by Ronson and Rich Kleiman, and the Interscope Records label will be home to a wide range of artists and projects.
“One of the foundations of Interscope has been partnering with producers who can move the needle of popular culture,” said Jimmy Iovine. “Mark has that rare ear for great songs and artists who will have extraordinary careers. We’re thrilled to be in business with him.” Ronson, as an artist or producer, will not be exclusive to Allido/Interscope.
The first artist signed to Allido/Interscope is Wale (pronounced wah-lay), a young, go-go influenced, hip-hop sensation from Washington, DC, who has been touted in both Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly as an artist to watch in 2008. His debut album is expected by year’s end.
“Jimmy Iovine is a dude,” explains Ronson. “The plain fact that he started out as an engineer on Born To Run, went on to produce records for U2 and Patti Smith, and then formed one of the most influential labels in the history of American music encapsulates every reason why I would want to be in business with Interscope Records. I’ve always tried to balance discovering brilliant new talent and producing great records; and, along with Rich Kleiman, then putting those records out through Allido Records. Interscope is the perfect place for us to do that. What a dude.”
“Although we’ve signed individual artists to majors since our inception, Allido has always developed organically and independently. However, the time has arrived to formally bring the label to a place that has the infrastructure of a major but that is still willing to think outside the box,” explained Kleiman. “Interscope has a reputation for being a true partner in their joint ventures and this is an invaluable characteristic.”
“Mark and Rich have an incredible working partnership that’s resulted in a true melding of artistic and business vision,” commented Luke Wood, the executive at Interscope Geffen A&M who brokered the deal for the company. “We’re looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Allido.”
Ronson was nominated for three Grammys at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, winning for Producer of the Year (for Winehouse’s Back To Black album, its “Rehab” and “You Know I’m No Good” tracks, Lily Allen’s “Littlest Things,” and his own album, Version), Record of the Year (“Rehab”) and Pop Vocal Album(Back To Black). The other nomination was for Album of the Year (for Back To Black). An internationally renowned DJ, Ronson has also recently worked on albums from Christina Aguilera and Robbie Williams.
Allido Records, based in New York City, was launched in 2004 as an independent imprint and has since released a handful of albums via individual artist deals, including releases by Rhymefest, and Ronson himself, and Daniel Meriweather later this year. Allido has worked on numerous music supervision projects and released soundtracks to the Oscar-nominated movie Half Nelson and a compilation series for the Hard Rock Hotel Group.
Amy Winehouse – “Love Is A Losing Game” Truth & Soul Remix
12.12.2007
Brooklyn Label and Production House Remix Back To Black’s 5th Single
The Song:
Say what you will about her, Amy Winehouse’s newest single, “Love Is a Losing Game” is one of those classics that will be copied for years to come. To mix things up a bit, Truth & Soul Records has created a remix of the song that effortlessly blends Winehouse’s distinct vocals with a super smooth accompaniment that includes a far more driving beat than the original. The remix starts off with a string tremolo that takes the listener back to a 1940’s jazz club and quickly morphs into a futuristic vibe through the use of a funky reverb-filled counter melody that continues throughout most of the song. Some of the most beautiful moments in the song occur when the accompaniment unexpectedly drops out and the listener is left alone with only a single repeated bass note and Winehouse’s shining vocals. In describing the new version of the song, the label co-founders/producers/musicians Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman say that “The end result turned into a mix up of Timmy Thomas soul meets Lee Perry, and of course, Winehouse’s future soul vocal stylings.” Truth & Soul’s remix is included on the December 11th release of the original “Love Is A Losing Game” CD single along with two other versions by Kardinal Beats Remix and Moody Boyz Original Ruffian Badboy Remix on Island Records.
The Background:
When Soul Fire Records officially retired in 2004, Soul Fire house musicians Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman started their own label, Truth & Soul Records, which has now become a label and production house based out of Brooklyn, NY that specializes in creating deep funk and soul music. They have released a slew of 7″ and 12″ releases by bands such as El Michels Affair, Bronx River Parkway, Timothy McNealy, Quincy Bright, The Evil D’s, Lee Fields and The Expressions, The Fabulous Three, Cosmic Force, and Tyrone Ashley’s Funky Music Machine.
Streams:
http://www.audibletreats.com/download/TruthandSoul/LoveIsALosingGame_TruthandSoulRemix.mp3
Here’s the video for the title track off Sharon Jones and the Dap-King’s incredibly dope album, 100 Days, 100 Nights. Some of y’all may recognize the Dap-Kings from their work with Ms. Amy Winehouse; they were on roughly half of Black to Back and have also backed her during live performances.
Good God.
From the UK Daily Mail:
Bloody and battered after ripping into each other during a drug-fuelled row, this is Amy Winehouse, the cream of Britain’s young singing talent, and her junkie husband Blake Fielder-Civil.
Stumbling around the streets of London at 4.45am, the pair bore the wounds of an almighty row which spiralled wildly out of control.
They have been holed up in a suite at a five-star hotel in Soho for the past three days after checking out of rehab for crack and heroin addiction.
The fight in the early hours of yesterday left 23-year-old Miss Winehouse with blood staining her pink ballet shoes and the knees of her jeans.
Purple bruises could be seen on the side of her neck and her knuckles were swollen.
But her 24-year-old husband appeared to have come off a lot worse – with cuts and scratches on both cheeks and around his neck.
Before the big fight, the singer had made a solo trip out of the hotel at 11pm, walking a few yards down the road to meet and hug a girl in her 20s before returning alone.
An eyewitness said it appeared the girl handed over some kind of small package to Miss Winehouse as they hugged.
The singer returned to her hotel room and within hours other guests complained of raised voices, clattering furniture and screaming.
Shortly afterwards, the concierge was called.
Miss Winehouse, who has a history of self-harming, had asked for medical assistance to patch up cuts on her arm.
At around 2.30am, said guests, the fight sounded like it had restarted – then Miss Winehouse was seen sprinting down the corridor to the lift, pursued by her badly bleeding husband.
One guest who got into the lift to reception at the same time said they started shouting at each other. “Amy was in floods of tears. This guy was screaming at her.
“She was cowering in the corner and I thought he was going to hit her. When the lift door opened, she took off across the lobby at a real pace.
“He was chasing after her and was about five paces behind by the time she got to the main hotel entrance.”
The couple then dashed into the street.
An eyewitness said: “Just after 3am, Amy came sprinting out and down the road.
“She was in a real state of panic. Blake was running after her, but couldn’t catch up.
“Amy was so hell-bent on getting away from him that she ran into the middle of the street and flagged down a random car that happened to be full of girls.
“She was saying, ‘Quickly, I have to get in, I have to get away, please help me’.
“Her voice was breaking, you could tell she was scared.
“The car drove off at speed and ended up about a mile away at Charing Cross station. Amy got out and went into a 24-hour shop to buy cigarettes.
“She was looking completely out of her head. Blake ran after the car for a while. He spent the next halfhour or so wandering around in a daze with blood over his face, looking in doorways for her, shouting her name out.
“Eventually, he got through to her on the mobile.
“There were a lot of tears and shouting, but they calmed down and met up at around 4am and slowly walked back to the hotel arm-in-arm. They got back at 4.45am.”
Later yesterday, Miss Winehouse’s father Mitch checked into the hotel and was expected to be joined by Blake’s parents Giles and Georgette for crisis talks.
Earlier this month, before the pair checked into a rehab clinic in Essex, similar family crisis talks in Hampshire erupted into a bitter row.
Yesterday afternoon, Miss Winehouse – wearing skinny-fit jeans, black ballet pumps and a T-shirt, with her hair in its trademark beehive – spent time in the hotel’s spa.
She also hired out the hotel’s private members area, where it is thought “peace talks” were held.
Categories
Amy Winehouse goes platinum
AMY WINEHOUSE “BACK TO BLACK” GOES PLATINUM IN U.S.
KICKS OFF U.S. TOUR IN SEPTEMBER
(New York, NY, July 10, 2007) Amy Winehouse’s acclaimed Back To Black album, a mainstay of the Billboard Top 10 Albums Chart since its release a little more than 4 months ago, and hailed by many critics as one of the best albums of 2007, has been certified platinum by the RIAA. It’s yet another accolade in a year of unprecedented achievement for the British singer/songwriter, who locked down the coveted #1 position two weeks ago on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums Chart.
The current single, “Rehab,” has also been blazing up the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, rocketing its way up the Top Ten, and continues to reign as one of the biggest sales-gainers and mobile/digital hits of the year. Back To Black is steadily nearing the incredible milestone of 3 million albums sold worldwide, making it one of the most critically and commercially successful new artist debuts of the decade.
Amy will be bringing her raved about live show to the U.S. in a pair of popular music festivals this August, with the V Festival in Washington, DC on August 4, and the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago, IL on August 5. The charismatic star’s much anticipated end-of-summer jaunt kicks off at NYC’s Summer Stage on September 12, with a show the following day – September 13 – at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, PA. She will be appearing at the Austin City Limits Festival in Austin, TX on September 15, with stops in Los Angeles on September 18 & 19, San Francisco on September 21 & 22, Seattle on September 25, Minnesota on September 28, and pulling into Chicago, IL on September 29 – with more dates to be announced.
Amy Winehouse – Tears Dry On Their Own video
Amy Winehouse featuring Mos Def – Love Is A Losing Game