AC/DC’s Phil Rudd denies breaking booze ban
TAURANGA (afp): Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd appeared in a New Zealand court Monday to deny charges of drinking alcohol in defiance of strict home detention conditions. The 61-year-old was arrested last month at his mansion in Tauranga, in New Zealand’s North Island, and charged with possessing and consuming alcohol. Rudd is under an alcohol ban as one of the conditions of an eight-month sentence of home detention after being convicted of threatening to kill an employee. In a brief appearance in the Tauranga District Court, he pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded on bail to appear for trial on November 24. Prosecutor Anna Pollett said there was “very strong evidence” and the case could proceed to a judge-alone hearing. Rudd chatted briefly to reporters outside the court but his lawyer would not allow any questions relating to the case. When the ageing rocker was initially sentenced on July 9, Judge Thomas Ingram warned him he would be sent to jail if he breached the terms of his sentence. “I stone cold guarantee that’s where you’ll end up. I’m not your headmaster, I’m not your father, I’m a judge,” Ingram said at the time. AC/DC are currently on their “Rock or Bust” world tour with Briton Chris Slade replacing Rudd on drums.
Slade had previously been with the band from 1989-94 during another Rudd absence.
Cheryl gets cloned in X Factor teaser
ondon (gn): The X Factor is going through some major changes this year with a whole new judging lineup. But new recruits Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw may have their work cut out for them, as the first teaser for the new series shows veteran judge Cheryl Fernandez-Versini taking over. The Geordie star is cloned in the mad scientist themed trailer, with hundreds of Chez-Bots ready and waiting to find the next big talent. ITV will unveil the brand new promo on Monday, just ahead of Coronation Street. The teaser will see new presenting duo Caroline Flack and Olly Murs, who have taken over from Dermot O’Leary, enter an undercover laboratory to meet the judging team and reveal the secret formula behind the new series. Viewers will see Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw being fitted with a special judging microchip, only to realise there’s been a mix-up as he starts spouting axed judge Louis Walsh’s famous catchphrases including the classic: ‘You look like a popstar, you sound like a popstar.’ Rita Ora, who left her judging role on BBC’s The Voice to take her seat on the ITV rival, is sent to contestant feedback training.
It’s Cheryl who takes centre stage though with the Girls Aloud star robotised, with a different Chez-Bot for every inevitably. An emotional Chez-Bot is seen saying monotonously ‘I know exactly what you’re going through pet.’
Dr Dre announces first album in 15 years
California (BBC): For 15 years, Dr Dre fans have been waiting in anticipation for that announcement. It finally happened this weekend on the rapper’s own radio show. Dre revealed a new album - Compton: A Soundtrack - will be available on August 7. The rapper had been working on songs for a different project - an album called Detox. Detox “just wasn’t good,” he’s reported as saying live on air. I don’t think I did a good enough job, and I couldn’t do that to my fans, and I couldn’t do that to myself.” Speaking on his Beats 1 radio show, The Pharmacy, he said the new album was inspired by the biopic of rap legends NWA. Straight Outta Compton is a film that details his rise in the music industry along with members of one of the genre’s biggest groups. “The record is bananas,” he said. Dr Dre also revealed Eminem, Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg will feature on the album. It will be the first since 1999’s 2001. His musical return has been delayed several times over the past decade after working on his Beats headphones project instead. Last year the rapper sold the headphone maker and music-streaming service to Apple in a deal worth around £1.8 billion.
