After 40 years of being rock’s biggest asshole Velvet Underground leader, current tai-chi and mediation-music enthusiast Lou Reed is finally starting to soften. Reed has composed two songs – “Gravity” and Safety Zone” – for the upcoming film “Nanking“–a documentary about the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China, in the early days of World War II. The press release calls it “an emotional reminder of the heartbreaking toll that war takes on the innocent.” We hope the songs are as good as his new-age-y yoga album, Hudson River Wind Meditations. Staged readings of the Westerners’ letters and diaries as performed by Woody Harrelson, Mariel Hemingway, Jurgen Prochnow, and Stephen Dorff, among others.
John Mayer is contributing a song to the Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman life-affirming feel good tear jerker “The Bucket List.” Mayer, trying to distract the world from his infintitely more interesting personal life posted the song “Say” from the movie on his blog.
Atease is reporting that Hollywood insiders are telling them that Jonny Greenwood’s “There Will Be Blood” score has a good shot at an Oscar nomination and victory. Newsflash to them, everyone is saying this. Good on Greenwood.
Children’s Music star Dan Zanes has filmed a small part in Sam Mendes’ upcoming film, “Revolutionary Road” which reteams Mendes’ wife Kate Winslet with Leonardo DiCaprio.
“It was a huge party in the theater; people were selling loose joints in the back row. People would stay there all night. It was definitely a party.” “Wild Style” director Charlie Ahearn recalls the seminal hip-hop movie’s premiere in the Bronx. The film just celebrated its 25th anniversary and is now out on DVD in deluxe format. [Play]
Download: Lou Reed – “Hudson River Wind (Blend The Ambiance)” (from Hudson River Wind Meditations)