lifestyle TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2014 MUSIC&MOVIES

MickeyUS actor Mickey Rourke standsRourke in front of journalists as he putsshows on a T-shirt with the portrait ofoff Russia’s President Putin Vladimir Putin in central t-shirt Moscow. in Moscow

ollywood star Mickey Rourke became the Black Sea Crimea Peninsula in February to appearing on a stage adorned with the flag of the latest actor to offer his praise to oversee its annexation to Russia. The brand was pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. Seagal, who HRussian President Vladimir Putin when developed by young designers Anna has promoted martial arts in Russia alongside he sported a T-shirt emblazoned with the Yefremova and Ivan Yershov as part of a project Putin, said earlier this year that he considers the leader’s face at a publicity event yesterday. “I to glorify Russia’s latest “victories”, such as the president a brother. French star Gerard like this guy,” said the 61-year-old star of “Iron Winter Olympics in Sochi and the seizure of Depardieu befriended Putin and took Russian Man 2” and “Nine And A Half Weeks”, pointing Crimea, the organizers said. citizenship earlier this year after criticizing new to his new grey t-shirt featuring Putin in a navy Other t-shirt designs show Putin wearing tax laws in France. cap and surrounded by flowers. “I am going to sunglasses or a winter hat with military insignia. Russia and the United States are in the midst wear it everywhere,” said Rourke after stripping The t-shirts are packaged in stylish cardboard US actor Mickey of their worst standoff since the Cold War, with off his own clothes and putting on the Putin tubes that say “It’s all good!” Despite relations Rourke looks at a Washington accusing Putin of illegally annex- shirt in GUM, Russia’s oldest department store between Putin and the West deteriorating in T-shirt with the ing Crimea and continuing to arm pro-Russian across from the Kremlin, where a new brand recent months over the crisis in Ukraine, the portrait of Russia’s separatists in eastern Ukraine. But at home launched its Putin line yesterday. strongman leader has maintained some admir- President Vladimir Putin is enjoying spectacular support, with 87 “The most polite of men,” is the slogan of the ers in the film world. Putin in central percent of Russians approving of his policies collection-a play on the “polite men” nickname On Saturday, Hollywood tough guy and Moscow yesterday. last week, the highest rating since Moscow given to Russian troops when they appeared on musician Steven Seagal played a gig in Crimea, — AFP photos fought a brief war with Georgia in 2008. — AFP History man Al Stewart digs Rockers, country rockers gather deep for musical ‘time passages’ to fete Skynyrd s Al Stewart tells it, every singer Versailles” linking the French Revolution starts off writing love songs - but a with modern-day France. ynyrd Skynyrd is getting the trib- A“disastrous” affair made his efforts ute treatment. An all-star cast of so downbeat one reviewer suggested he ‘Create a story out of it’ Lperformers will salute the semi- give it a miss. So Scottish born Stewart, “Roads to Moscow” recounts how the nal Southern rock band during the who later had global hits in the mid- Red Army was initially pushed back taping of “One More for the Fans! 1970s with his “Year of the Cat” and “Time across Ukraine and Russia to the outskirts Celebrating the Songs & Music of Passages” albums, decided to look else- of Moscow, where the German offensive Lynyrd Skynyrd.” The Nov 12 concert where for inspiration. He is folk-music’s foundered. As winter takes its toll on the will feature performances from Gregg history man. “The only thing I’d done, attackers, the tide turns and the Soviets Allman, Alabama, Charlie Daniels, religiously since I was at school, was to battle their way to Berlin. But the song’s Peter Frampton, John Hiatt, Jamey read history. I used to just devour the hero is briefly captured and on his return Johnson, Cheap Trick and more. The stuff,” Stewart told Reuters backstage at to Russia, as happened in reality to many Fox Theatre event in Atlanta features a Fairport’s Cropredy Convention festival in thousands of ex-prisoners of war, is band put together by Grammy Award- rural Oxfordshire over the past weekend. arrested by the NKVD secret police and winning bandleader Don Was. The What followed, in 1974, was “Past, sent to a Siberian prison camp with no concert will be taped and released at a Present and Future”, an album largely of hope of freedom. These are not stories later date. songs telling stories from history. It out- loosely based on history: Stewart’s Tickets go on sale Aug. 18 through sold his previous four albums combined, research is painstaking. “For “Roads to Ticketmaster. Skynyrd has some histo- he said. “I thought there’s probably room Moscow” I read between 40 and 50 ry with the Fox. The band recorded its in the world for one historical folk rock books. I read the memoirs of the generals 1976 live album, “One More From the singer and no one else wanted the job,” on both sides. You have to read books by Road,” there as part of a campaign to he said. people who were actually there.” save the historic building. — AP Since then, he says, he has written For the hero’s imprisonment in the about 100 such songs. “One of the great gulag, Stewart was inspired by Alexander things about it is that you never run out Solzhenistyn’s prison camp novel “One Day of material.” The penultimate song of in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”. “You assem- Age is not a cage: Stewart’s set in front of some 20,000 fans ble all this information and you try to create at Cropredy was from “Past, Present and a story out of it. I do confess that in a couple Future”. of historical songs, I was asleep at the wheel 90-year-old musicians go strong The haunting “Roads to Moscow” tells and got a couple of things wrong.” At the story, from a Soviet soldier’s perspec- Cropredy, Stewart was accompanied by tive, of Nazi Germany’s ultimately unsuc- two virtuoso guitarists - his regular side- here’s an upcoming concert at Baruch music - which was evident once they tightened their earlier years, Finkel said: “Big difference. I’ll cessful invasion of the Soviet Union. man, Californian Dave Nachmanoff for the College, but it has nothing to do with stu- their lips and played their instruments. Yaged, tell you the difference.” “We get paid now,” Yaged Other Stewart compositions with a con- first half of the set, before they were joined Tdents. The performers are in their 90s, and who was heavily influenced by Benny Goodman, chimed in. temporary resonance include “Fields of by Briton Tim Renwick. Stewart, 68, has no one is even older than the Manhattan school will perform with a five-piece band during the “90 “Our least interest is to get paid. But to get on France” about a World War One flyer who plans to retire. “How many jobs in the world founded in 1919. Pianist and composer Irving and Going Strong” concert. During rehearsals, he we get such a thrill,” Finkel added. “In fact, we do never returns, and “Trains” about French can you do where you play to two or three Fields, who turned 99 last week, will perform a was playing a clarinet he remembers buying in things better now than we did before. To me socialist leader Jean Jaures who was thousand people and they stand up and show Monday night dubbed “90 and Going 1935 for $125, which he earned from shining every show is an opening night.” Fields, who per- assassinated on the eve of war. The applaud at the end of it? It doesn’t happen Strong” at the college along with Emmy-winning shoes. He charged customers a nickel. Finkel, too, forms regularly at Nino’s Tuscany in New York City, Cropredy set included “Palace of in banking.” — Reuters entertainer Fyvush Finkel and clarinetist Sol recalls his first paying gig at a Jewish theater in echoed Finkel’s sentiment. Yaged, both 91. The concert celebrates their pas- Brooklyn when he was 9. “A dollar a night. I was “I’ve lived longer. I’ve seen more of life,” he said. sion and commitment to music and live perform- the hero of the family,” said the actor, singer and “I take chances now on things I couldn’t do, and it ance despite their age. comedian, who will open the show Monday. works.” Fields is working on a documentary about “I call myself 99 years young. Age is just a num- Finkel earned an Emmy Award in 1994 for his his career and has penned a song honoring the ber,” Fields said in an interview. “Music keeps me role in the CBS drama series “Picket Fences.” He Statue of Liberty called “Here’s to the Lady,” which younger. ... I play 10 notes, I’m 40 years younger. I has appeared in various films and television he will perform Monday. He says he doesn’t plan play a whole concerto, I’m like Benjamin Button!” shows, including “Boston Public.” They want audi- to slow down in his career. “I’m only 99, and well, I The trio’s concert will be their second in a month ences to not be fooled by their age - they say they hope I live to be 109,” Fields said. “I want to at least at the 175-seat Engelman Recital Hall in the feel stronger than ever in their 90s. When asked get to 100. I am so fulfilled when I play your Baruch Performing Arts Center. Tickets cost $35. how different performing today is compared to favorite song.” — AP “It was so successful. It was jam-packed,” Fields said of their first show. The performers have played music since their teenage years and enjoyed success by writing songs and appearing on television, in films and onstage. Fields, who recorded many albums, has writ- ten songs recorded by Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Shore. He also composed “Miami Beach Rhumba,” which was used in Woody Allen’s “Deconstructing Harry.” During a rehearsal Friday afternoon, the Lifetime’s Aaliyah biopic finds men were chatting away, sipping coffee and eat- ing bagels. They have known one another for its Elliott and Timbaland years and say their passion for music remains strong. “What key are we in?” Yaged, holding his ou can’t have a movie about Aaliyah er and younger version of Aaliyah’s brother clarinet, says to Fields. “I said D! I’ll give you my without her musical mentors. A net- Rashad, respectively. hearing aid. I have an extra one,” he replies as Ywork representative told TheWrap The working title for the television Finkel laughs. that Lifetime’s Aaliyah biopic has cast movie is “Aaliyah: Princess of R&B” and is Later, while performing together, Fields speeds Chattrisse Dolabaille and Izaak Smith as based on the bestselling book “Aaliyah: up on piano. “I’m not ready for your tempo yet!” producer-rappers Missy Elliott and More Than a Woman” by former Time music Yaged yells. “I love you, but you drive me nuts,” Timbaland, respectively. Dolabaille is a editor Christopher Farley. The film will be Fields replies. Despite some tense moments, newcomer to Hollywood. She’s a Canadian produced by Aaliyah Productions, Inc., with there was a sense of love - for one another and for Clarinetist Sol Yaged, 91, rehearses at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. actress, singer and dancer. Watch her video Wendy Williams, Howard Braunstein (“The resume below. Izaak Smith, on the other Informant!”) and Debra Martin Chase hand, was a contender on “So You Think (“Sparkle”) executive producing. Bradley You Can Dance Canada.” He has appeared Walsh (“Turn the Beat Around”) is directing, in “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The working from a script by Michael Elliot Lightning Thief” and “Mirror Mirror” as a (“Brown Sugar”). It is filming this summer dancer. He also played Cal Rice on popular for a fall premiere. The proposed television Canadian series, “Tower Prep,” and Danny movie about the singer, who died in a on digital series “Totally Amp’d.” plane crash in 2001 at age 22, had been Aaliyah worked with Timbaland and mired in controversy with Aaliyah fans and Missy Elliott on her second album, “One In her family expressing disapproval of the A Million,” which sold 3.7 million copies in project. There was even a fan petition seek- the United States and more than eight mil- ing to shut the production down. Fans lion copies worldwide. In addition to believed that Disney Channel star Zendaya Dolabaille and Smith, the production has Coleman wasn’t the right choice to play cast Rachael Crawford and Sterling Jarvis as Aaliyah. She would later leave the project. Aaliyah’s parents Diane and Michael Also, Aaliyah’s family expressed to TheWrap Haughton; Lyriq Bent as her uncle and that it was against the movie because they president of her label, Barry Hankerson; felt it was more suited to the big screen. Composer Irving Fields, 99, clarinetist Sol Yaged, 91, and comedian Clarinetist Sol Yaged, 91, comedian Fyvush Finkel, 91 and composer Anthony Grant as Damon Dash; and A.J. Blackfilm.com was the first to break these Fyvush Finkel, 91, left to right, rehearse at the Baruch Performing Arts Irving Fields, 99, left to right, pose for photos after a rehearsal. Saudin and Jesse Sukunda will play the old- castings. — Reuters Center, in New York, Friday, Aug 8, 2014. —AP photos