Браун, занимавший по итогам 2008 года третье место, вырвался вперед благодаря тому, что является "чем угодно, кроме образца британского стиля".

В десятку наиболее дурно одетых знаменитостей по версии GQ также вошли комедийный актер Рассел Бранд, северокорейский лидер Ким Чен Ир, мэр Лондона Борис Джонсон и президент Франции Николя Саркози. О последнем журналисты написали, что ему, возможно, "стоит поменьше заботиться о росте и побольше о стиле".

Между тем наиболее стильным мужчиной, по мнению сотрудников GQ, является 23-летний актер Роберт Паттинсон, звезда сериала о вампирах "Сумерки". На втором месте - участники коллектива Take That, на третьем - солист Arctic Monkeys Алекс Тернер.

В десятку лучших вошли актер Дэниэл Крейг, супруг Элтона Джона Дэвид Ферниш, футболист Дэвид Бекхэм и лидер британской Консервативной партии, а также главный оппонент Брауна Дэвид Кэмерон. Он оказался на восьмом месте в списке.
http://lenta.ru/news/2010/01/04/gordon/

But TAKE THAT fans won't join the celebrations after Brits bosses dropped the Best Live Act category - a gong the manband were nailed-on winners for.

For one year only, it will be replaced by the Most Memorable Brits Performance - to mark the event's landmark birthday.

But it's beyond me why they can't have both categories, especially for a year of incredible live shows on home soil.

Take That's spectacular Circus tour won my Bizarre award for Best Live Act.

But it's not just GARY BARLOW, MARK OWEN, JASON ORANGE and HOWARD DONALD who entertained the undercrackers off me at gigs this year.

U2, COLDPLAY, JAY-Z, OASIS and KASABIAN were sensational.

Gary has told me in the past that me he feels let down by a lack of recognition from the Brits Academy.

So this is another slap in the chops.

In 2008, TT won Best Live Act and Best Single, both voted for by the public.

But Best Band has never come their way, although they have been in with a huge shout over the last few years.

The band could still win the new gong for Most Memorable Brits Performance thanks to their Beatles Medley back in 1994.

But Best Live Act was in their pocket - and I am urging the Brits to bring it back.

To vote for TT, tune in to The Brits Hits 30 on ITV1 on January 23, hosted by MEL B.

She will present a rundown of the nominated performances and the winner will be announced at the Brits, on February 16 at Earls Court.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....y9KEmHj

The UK band beat Take That to reach the top of the poll, compiled by licensing group PPL.

'Chasing Cars', released in 2006 and taken from the band's album 'Eyes Open', narrowly edged out competition from the reformed boyband's 'Shine' and Scissor Sisters' 'I Don't Feel Like Dancin'', at numbers two and three respectively.

Take That also scored another track in the top ten, 'Rule The World', at number six.
http://www.nme.com/news/snow-patrol/49041

Nominations for the BRIT Awards are announced today (18.01.10), while it has been confirmed Robbie Williams, Lady Gaga and Kasabian will perform at this year's 30th anniversary event.

Robbie Williams, Lady Gaga and Kasabian will perform at this year's BRIT Awards.

'Angels' singer Robbie - who has previously spoken of how his severe stage fright has halted his live performances - will perform a short set to commemorate receiving a lifetime achievement award, with rumours rife that he will reunite with his former Take That bandmates for the second time since launching a solo career in 1996.

A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Take That could reunite with Robbie to perform his second track. It's the band's 20th anniversary year and they and they are in talks about doing something spectacular."

Robbie previously joined Take That and a host of other stars onstage for a rendition of Beatles song 'Hey Jude' at a concert in aid of charity Children in Need in November last year.

Meanwhile, rap superstar Jay-Z is rumoured to be making an appearance at the show, and will possibly perform with 'Viva La Vida' hitmakers Coldplay, fronted by Chris Martin.

A source said: "As well as bringing Alicia Keys on stage to do a rendition of their hit 'Empire State of Mind', he's thinking of getting Coldplay involved too. Chris Martin and Jay have been pals for years."

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga will not be able to realise her plan of performing alongside reality TV sensation Susan Boyle at the awards show - as the latter has reportedly been snubbed from nominations because she is "not cool" enough.

Susan- who rose to fame after appearing on 'Britain's Got Talent', one of media mogul Simon Cowell's TV shows - is said to have missed out on a nod in any category, despite being the biggest selling female artist of 2009 in the UK.

A source said: "She's not even shortlisted for Best Female, even though that's usually the weakest category.

"And it's not just an attack on Susan. It also shows how Simon Cowell is regarded by many in the record business."

However, one collaboration which will definitely take place at the awards will be between Dizzee Rascal and Florence and the Machine in a specially conceived track called 'You Got The Dirtee Love', a mash up of their tracks 'You Got The Love' and 'Dirtee Cash'.

'Beat Again' hitmakers JLS have also been confirmed to sing at the ceremony, which takes place at London's Earls Court on 16 February.

The nominations for the BRIT Awards will be announced tonight (18.01.10).

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.ns....1129017

TAKE THAT have secretly met ROBBIE WILLIAMS to work on songs for a full-scale reunion.
And as they made plans to recapture their old chart-topping magic, a source said: "All the signs are looking good. It's great news for the fans."

Robbie, 35, spent more than five hours in a Los Angeles studio on Tuesday working on songs with his ex-bandmates. It came 15 years after he quit the hit group in bitter circumstances.

He was seen hugging old pals GARY BARLOW, 39, MARK OWEN, 38, JASON ORANGE, 39, and HOWARD DONALD, 41, as they left the US session.

The source said: "They're using this time in LA to start working together as a band again.

"They were delighted with Tuesday's session and were congratulating each other as they left."

Last September Robbie joined his former bandmates - with whom he made 1992 hit Could It Be Magic - for Mark's New York stag do.

But despite being seen in a studio then, they did not concentrate on writing songs.

The source added: "In New York they threw some ideas around but didn't really push ahead with new material.

"It was Mark's stag do, so there were lots of sore heads. But they're using this LA time together to crack on with reunion songs."

Gary and Robbie linked up at last year's BBC Children in Need Rocks concert. A band spokesman said last night: "Take That didn't go to LA with plans to officially write or record with Robbie, but they've been hanging out together, which is great."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....on.html

However, it sounds like the lads aren’t hanging up their microphones just yet – and Gary tells me they may even try to crack America.

“We’re getting a good response and good radio play, so who knows in the future?” he told me.

I'll Take That commission...

Painter Scarlett Raven's work has quite an effect on heart-throbs.

First the daughter of saxophonist Raphael Ravenscroft, who played the haunting solo on Gerry Rafferty hit Baker Street, made a fan of Orlando Bloom.

And now Take That singer Mark Owen has commissioned Scarlett to paint a view from the stage during a live show by the band.

'To celebrate the end of their tour, the manager of Take That, Jonathan Wild, bought five of my land and city scapes - one for himself and four for the band,' Scarlett tells me.

'Mark liked his so much that he commissioned me to do a massive painting for the entrance of his house.

'I attended concerts, taking hundreds of photos to get a feel for the crowd's energy, the music and the magic the band creates. It's a painting I'm very proud of.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news....3nMf2DR

Все равно он теперь суперпродюссер, ему студия как раз нужна! Будут потом рассказывать: "Я записывался на самой Эббей Роад у самого Гари Барлоу!"

They wrote a track for the man band's latest album The Circus, which went on to earn them enough cash to finance the new record.

"We did write for Take That - because they asked us to," admits Olly Knight. "We were so amazed that they even knew who we were we thought, well we've got to do this because if we don't it's such an opportunity wasted. We also were very aware - and I will admit - that one song on a Take That album could finance an entire Turin Brakes year!"

Without a record label after leaving EMI, the band say they didn't have enough money to write another album.

"We took that money that we made off that song and reinvested it in our studio and this album," revealed Olly. "So technically, you know, without Take That...I don't know if we'd have a Turin Brakes album."

Apparently it's all down to their fan in the band - Howard Donald.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20100220_turinbrakes.shtml

Abbey Road studios 'not for sale', says EMI
Abbey Road Studios
The Beatles named an album after the studios in 1969

Music group EMI has said it is not considering selling London's Abbey Road studios.

EMI released a statement saying the studios, made famous by a Beatles album, should stay under its ownership.

The firm added it had rejected an offer for the historic building last year and was working with "third parties" about funding a "revitalisation project".

It ends days of speculation after it was reported that struggling EMI would sell Abbey Road to ease debts.

The reports led to Facebook campaigns to try to save it, the National Trust said it would look into buying the property and even composer Andrew Lloyd Webber expressed an interest in owning the studio.

However, on Sunday EMI said that while it was looking for an investor in the site, based at 3 Abbey Road in St John's Wood, it was not looking for a buyer.

'Revitalise studios'

"In response to recent press speculation, EMI confirms that it is holding preliminary discussions for the revitalisation of Abbey Road with interested and appropriate third parties," the company said.

"Abbey Road studios had, for a number of years, been losing money and we have developed plans to revitalise the studios.

"These plans would involve a substantial injection of new capital."

The company said it also welcomed reports that English Heritage was accelerating plans to list the site, and said it had been holding discussions over the regeneration plans since November.

It added: "In mid-2009, we did receive an offer to buy Abbey Road for in excess of £30m but this was rejected since we believe that Abbey Road should remain in EMI's ownership."

The Beatles used Abbey Road for 90% of their recordings, naming an album after the studios in 1969.

EMI bought the property for £100,000 in 1929, transforming it into the world-famous studios that have hosted artists as diverse as composer Sir Edward Elgar in 1931, to Pink Floyd and Blur.

The company, which counts Robbie Williams and Coldplay among its artists, posted a £1.75bn loss for the year to March 2009 in accounts earlier this month.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8527095.stm

Let me take you back to 1990. I'm sitting in a rusty old van with five eager young men on our way to a photo shoot, and they're bombarding me with questions about the famous people I know.

'Can't believe you know Paul McCartney!' one sighed, in awed admiration. 'Maybe you guys will one day,' I replied.

And they all shook their heads in disbelief at the very idea of such a thing. I helped them have their first hit record, wrote their first two official books and have stayed friendly with four of them at least. And in December I sat at home watching their TV special, and saw them larking about with Paul McCartney.

Take That have come a long, long way. And their comeback is one of the best deserved in showbusiness history.
Oozing with longevity and likeability: Manband Take That

Oozing with longevity and likeability: Manband Take That

Real power in the music business is achieved by longevity and likeability. Gary, Mark, Howard and Jason have both, in spades. I hung out with them in LA last summer, and unlike so many of their contemporaries, they really hadn't changed a bit, were truly grateful for the second chance they'd been given and were loving every minute of it. And I couldn't be happier for them.

Gary Barlow: Age 39 Born Frodsham, Cheshire Education Frodsham High School Home London
Jason Orange: Age 39 Born Manchester Education South Manchester High School Home London
Howard Donald: Age 42 Born Droylsden, Lancs Education Littlemoss High School Home London
Mark Owen: Age 38 Born Oldham, Lancashire Education St Augustine's Catholic School Home London

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home....WS1Kjap