See Monkey Do

Robbie Williams might have been absent from the world’s stage but his gig at Sydney’s Metro proves he has definitely not been forgotten.

Even Williams looked overwhelmed by the decibel meter-crashing roar that greeted his entrance for only his second gig on the comeback trail.

Launching straight into hit single Bodies, Williams has lost none of the power to entertain which has made him one of the world’s biggest pop stars in the past decade.

With a set evenly balanced between new songs from his latest album Reality Killed The Video Star and old anthems including Come Undone, Feel and Rock DJ, it was remarkable to see him back at the top of his game so soon after battling his twin demons of drug addiction and anxiety.

He joked about being 35 and not able to pull off the same dances any more without looking “daft”, but instead appropriated what he called a George Michael trademark move to get the crowd going.

The loved-up star dedicated Won’t Do That To You to his girlfriend Ayda Field who danced and sung along from the balcony.

If he delivers even a tenth of the energy he showed last night, Williams is set for a scene-stealing performance at the ARIA awards tonight.

However, it’ll be the last time his fans will have a chance to see Williams perform live for quite a while.

Williams says the nerves and pressure of his 2006 world tour sent him to rehab for prescription pill addiction.

“There are no plans to tour like the last one,” Williams said in Sydney yesterday.

“I know what happens to me and what it does to me and what rehab I end up in.

“I will tour again, but it won’t be any time soon.

“I have that mechanism inside of me of not choosing life. It is inbuilt in my DNA that I want to get high.

“That I want to remove myself from my mind.

“I don’t think that ever leaves. I’m sure it won’t.

“You do things to make sure you are safe.

“One of those things is choosing not to go on tour.”

The UK chart topper said his record-breaking 2006 tour, which ended in Australia, created an unnatural lifestyle.

“It’s like Russian roulette to be honest. The last tour was 3.6 million people and a world-record-breaking tour.

“It did something to my head, which it would naturally do something to

most people’s heads having to go out and entertain

3.5 million people.

“It shot my nerves.

“I’m still dealing with what happened three years ago.”

As well as performing his hit Bodies at tonight’s ARIA awards Williams will also present the best album and best single awards with the newly retired Rove McManus.

Glasvegas have recruited more celebrity fans - Scots icon Billy Connolly and rock star Jon McClure.

Connolly praised the group’s unique sound and style during his sell-out shows at Glasgow’s SECC last week, delighting frontman James Allan.

He said: “I was proud to hear that Billy Connolly was talking about Glasvegas.

“He is Scottish and is recognised all over the world and that is something to be proud of.”

Meanwhile, Reverend And The Makers’ frontman Jon McClure has come to the defence of drummer Caroline McKay, saying she is the”coolest woman in rock”.

Caroline has been written off by some critics who feel she doesn’t have what it takes to make it in the music business.

But Jon said: “I was furious when I heard someone suggest the band would be better off without her.

“She’s a real person. That’s why I like Glasvegas so much.

“They are all great people, great musicians and I love them. Caroline is the coolest women in rock.

“The music industry is trying to squeeze out personalities and individuals. It makes me sick.

“I told James it was a vile thing for someone to say.”

Jon also had a go at TV talent shows, saying: “It’s disgusting that so many people just think they want to win a TV talent show and be like Cheryl Cole. It’s not the only way.”

Meanwhile, James fulfiled a lifelong ambition when he got the chance to sing with Echo and the Bunnymen.

The 30-year-old was invited to team up with his idols at Glasgow’s Barrowland after he spent a day hanging out with frontman Ian McCulloch in the city a few weeks ago.

James said: “It’s pretty special to do something like that. When you realise you’ve been on stage with a band like the Bunnymen, it’s hard to take in.”

McCulloch even altered the band’sset to play James’favourite song The Promise - for the first time in morethan 20 years.

“It all just came about quite naturally,” said James. “When we were out in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago, I suggested to Ian they should play The Promise.

“He said, ‘No, you should do it.’” McCulloch introduced James, saying: “We’re going to play a song we haven’t done for about 25 years - and my very good friend James Allan f rom Glasvegas is going to help us out.”

The showsaw the Bunnymen romp through classics such as Bring On The Dancing Horses, Nothing Lasts Forever and RescueMe, as well as Doors cover Roadhouse Blues.

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Conrad Murray, who was Jackson’s personal doctor has told detectives that he gave the singer a series of sedatives and to try to help him sleep but no charges have been made.

Michael Jackson’s death certificate has been amended to show his cause of death as a homicide.

The change follows comments by coroner’s officials last week indicating that the singer’s death resulted from the intervention of another person.

Jackson’s death certificate now specifies “injection by another” as the ultimate cause of the tradgedy of June 25.

Investigators have said a mix of the powerful anesthetic propofol and another sedative killed the pop singer.

The new record lists “acute propofol intoxication” as the main cause of death and “benzodiazepine effect” as another significant contributor.

The public copy of Jackson’s death certificate has not been changed to reflect his permanent resting place.

Jackson is scheduled to be interred tomorrow at Forest Lawn Glendale.

The coroner’s determination of homicide makes it easier for prosecutors to seek criminal charges, but does not necessarily mean a crime was committed.

Authorities investigating the singer’s death have served search warrants in at least three states, California, Nevada and Texas.

Fans still don’t know who will perform at a major tribute to the late pop star that will be held outside a 17th-century palace in Vienna later this month.

But they will, exactly one week from now: Organizers say Jackson’s brother Jermaine will hold a news conference in the Austrian capital next Tuesday to unveil the lineup for the Sept. 26 concert.

Jermaine Jackson has promised that some of the world’s top entertainers will perform Michael’s greatest hits on a crown-shaped stage being erected outside Vienna’s former imperial Schoenbrunn Palace. This comes after news that the Michael Jackson Thriller album has been continued to top the charts in many countries despite the star’s death.

Many students want to create music that has a certain emotional quality. For example, I once had a student ask me to show her how to play something that sounded happy.

Of course, this student missed the entire point of my teaching - to play where you are emotionally and to not try and come up with something. I tried to explain to her that if she were feeling happy, then the natural outcome of the music would be flavored with this emotion.

As a natural outgrowth of the proceeding statement, there will be times, many times perhaps, when the music that comes out of you sounds the same. Many interpret this as being uncreative, when in fact, you are being true to yourself. When you don’t try and come up with material, but instead, let the music come up, you are not forcing or willing the creative act. Instead, you are allowing yourself to express in the moment - whatever the sound may be.

If someone tells you that everything you play sounds the same, acknowledge it silently as a compliment and know that you are being true to yourself and the integrity of the artistic process!

When you are more concerned with enjoying the act of creating then trying to come up with material, you’ll be way ahead of the game!

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!