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American singer hosts the MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in , England, last month. Photo: REUTERS Katy Perry: music’s new quirky girl

by NEKESA MUMBI MOODY AP, LOS ANGELES

on’t get Katy Perry twisted: She Dabsolutely loves being pop’s quirky poster girl, the wild child who doesn’t censor herself and causes raised eyebrows with like and . But for all her success over the last year, Perry is hoping that songs like her most recent No. 1, , show she has more to offer than kitsch and controversy. “It’s my personality, which is up and down and sassy and cheeky,” says Perry, who recently became a Grammy nominee. “You’re gonna see me with all kinds of different things. Maybe you won’t expect it, but that’s what I like to do — keep people on their toes.” Offering the unexpected was a key factor in Perry becoming one of pop’s breakout stars this year. While Ur So Gay — a taunting to an ex-lover more enamored with flatirons and skinny jeans than his ex-girlfriend — became an underground talker, it was her equally ear-catching song I Kissed a Right as rain Girl, about girl-on-girl experimentation, Orangegrass’s new album is an introspective, atmospheric meditation on life in Taipei that resonated with mainstream music fans, becoming a No. 1 summer smash. “She’s not scared to rattle some torm clouds seem to follow indie-rock trio Orangegrass (澄 Orangegrass is celebrating the release of its new CD, Cumulonimbus, with a people’s cages lyrically, and say some 草) wherever they go. In Kaohsiung, Tainan and Kenting this Thursday at The Wall. Photos courtesy of Uloud Music risque stuff,” says singer- S the band has been greeted with rain. At a recent outdoor Butch Walker, who collaborated with festival in Tamsui, a sudden downpour hijacked the group’s set. “What they were playing at the time was trip-hop, like Perry on some of the tracks on her But instead of wallowing in self-pity, the band embraces the gloom Portishead, and there was no guitar,” he says of the latter. “When debut album, . “She of gray skies. They named their first full-length album Cumulonimbus I saw them, I thought this was really cool. What is it? I’ve never brings a little bit of the underground, a (積雨雲), the meteorological term for towering, puffy clouds that cause run into this before … that’s when I wanted to sing stuff that was little bit of the hipster and underground heavy rainstorms, and the band is throwing a launch party for the CD more different.” culture to the mainstream, and that’s with a concert on Thursday at The Wall (這牆). Many of Chung’s lyrics are introspective musings on loneliness, what sells her … as different.” And For lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Klark Chung (鍾體學), sung either softly or with -rocker verve. that’s what Perry hoped her role in pop rain sets the right mood for their music. “It’s the feel of living in Taipei,” the 27-year-old says of his music would be. The 24-year-old, who by David Chen “Of course rain can be annoying but I like the feeling that comes music. “Taipei has a drifting feeling. Compared to other places [in was raised by ministers and dabbled in Staff Reporter with it, where you don’t have to leave the house,” he says. Taiwan], people’s relationships are more distant … many people Christian music before heading to Los Orangegrass sounds like a post-rock band, with electric guitar- pay attention only to themselves.” Angeles as a 17-year-old aspiring artist, Performance notes: centric songs based more on themes and moods than melodies, but But the Ilan native prefers Taipei’s concrete sprawl to the “big found most of pop’s princesses to be there’s one difference: vocals figure prominently in their songs. family” atmosphere of his scenic hometown. “I think Taipei can be manufactured and boring. What: Orangegrass Chung formed Orangegrass in 2004 with drummer Larsq Tang a cold and detached place, but it’s also a place I really like,” he says. “I was a bit let down by maybe their When: Thursday at 8pm (湯宗勳). Current bassist JoJo White (白盛方) joined later. They cite “Your [personal] space is bigger.” personality or their delivery or their 這牆 Where: The Wall ( ), B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei the standard influences among Taiwanese youth of their generation, For Orangegrass’ show on Thursday, concertgoers can expect to consistency,” says Perry during an 台北市羅斯福路四段 號 City ( 200 B1). Call (02) 2930-0162 or go including Nirvana and various heavy metal bands. hear all of the songs from the new CD, as well as new tunes already interview at her label to www.thewall.com.tw for more information But what really opened the doors for Chung was going to Spring in the works. And even if it doesn’t rain that evening, listeners will offices. “They were so like careful with Tickets: NT$400, includes one drink Scream, Taiwan’s first genuine alternative music festival, where be treated to atmospheric storms of a different sort: Chung says he everything.” “Well, what’s the point of On the Net: www.orangegrass.tw he saw pioneering indie bands like Sugar Plum Ferry (甜梅號) and tries to evoke the “humid” air of Taipei with his reverb-drenched being in pop or rock ’n’ roll music if Tizzy Bac. guitar sound. you’re going to be a windup doll?” Perry says. “Use your own wheels and bolts, even if they break, do it yourself.” But Perry found that a colorful personality,

PLANET strong voice and well-crafted songs the season to gather, war; and Adam Resurrected, which impact of Nazism. based investment fund founded didn’t guarantee her pop stardom, or ’Tis be grateful for what follows a Holocaust survivor (Jeff “I’m concerned that Valkyrie and managed by women, will run even an album. Though she worked we have and share what we can. Goldblum) living in a mental could represent a new trend in the fund, which is named after with top producers such as Glen Ballard But for cinephiles, it’s awards institution. filmmaking: Nazi apologia. Not once the 43-year-old singer. It was and The Matrix, she bounced from label season, and that means dreary Valkyrie, which opened on in Valkyrie do any of the ‘heroes’ started with an initial investment to label. (Blender magazine profiled her fare — particularly with a World Christmas day in the US, stars Tom mention what’s happening around of 100 million Icelandic krona as one to watch in 2004.) War II or Holocaust focus. No Cruise as a German officer who them. Hitler has systemically killed (US$790,000) and will close to new “She was signed and dropped like fewer than six are set for release heads up a plan to kill Hitler. And millions,” said Friedman. “Valkyrie investors by March of next year. twice before the record came out,” says Icelandic singer Bjork is seeking investors to this holiday season. two more Nazi-oriented films open opens the door to a dangerous new The new venture aims to boost Walker. “I was afraid that her career help boost her country’s economy. photo: AFP In theaters now are The Boy in on New Year’s Eve: Defiance stars thought: that the Holocaust and Iceland’s economy after a five- and those songs were never gonna see the Striped Pajamas, which tells Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber as all the other atrocities could be of as Hitler’s loyal soldier. year economic boom ended this the light of day.” Even Perry wondered the story of a forbidden friendship brothers who battle the Nazis from secondary important to the cause of Kennicott also criticized the year with the collapse of the US whether she should just give up. But her between the son of a Nazi a secret hideout in the woods, and German patriotism.” movie for failing to point out that subprime mortgage market and competition gave her hope. officer and a Jewish Good features Viggo Mortensen as Friedman criticized the set the plot was hatched not out of the resulting failure of the local “Every time I thought maybe there boy imprisoned in a an academic and novelist reluc- designers for minimizing or hiding moral objections to Nazism but banking system. was a girl that would take my place, I concentration camp; tantly enticed into the SS fold after the swastikas that have become only when Germany was facing Police say the actor who would watch her and I would kind of sit The Reader, which he’s approached to write some mild symbols of the evils of Nazism, imminent collapse. portrayed the gay lover of a back and say, ‘Almost! No no no, there’s stars Kate Winslet as propaganda for the Nazi party. and blasted the portrayal of Hitler Cruise himself came close to closeted mobster on The Sopranos still a void!’” she recalls. a former concentra- In a recent interview, Cruise as a “doddering fool with a British distorting the extent of German has died of a self-inflicted gunshot Now that she’s come along to fill it, Perry looks back on her struggles as POP tion-camp guard on joked: “Go kill Hitler on Christmas!” accent and a nice suit.” support for Hitler and his policies. wound in . a badge of honor. “It’s like training,” trial years after the But some critics aren’t amused. Friedman’s political criticism “It’s important to know that it A police spokesman said John she says. Influential US critic Roger of the movie may have been the wasn’t everybody — not everybody Costelloe was found dead in an Nazi movies are in. Friedman on Friday blasted sharpest of US reviews, but it felt the way [Hitler did] or fell into apparent suicide at his Brooklyn And she has this advice for those hoping to be the next Katy Perry: Find photo: AP Valkyrie as a “Nazi apologia.” was far from the only negative the Nazi ideology,” Cruise said home on Dec. 18. The movie features Cruise as assessment. during the film’s US press tour. The 47-year-old former New your own identity. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, Writing in the Washington Icelandic singer Bjork is seeking York City firefighter gained fame “When I first started at 17 in Los an aristocratic German who lead a Post, Phillip Kennicott blasted the investors in a venture-capital fund in 2006 when he was cast as Angeles, the hit song was Complicated, group of top officers who hatched film’s puzzling failure to portray she helped start to finance new short-order cook Jim “Johnny and everyone wanted me to write a Complicated,” she says of Avril Lavigne’s a plot to kill Hitler late in the war. von Stauffenberg’s life before businesses and boost the economy Cakes” Witowski opposite Joseph early hit. “I’m like, ‘Look that’s her, this is Friedman, film critic for Fox his unsuccessful assassination in her home country, according to Gannascoli, who played gay News, said the movie appeared attempt — when he was the fund’s Web site. mobster Vito Spatafore on the hit me. Everybody loves that song — hopefully everyone will love my song.’” to intentionally minimize the untroubled by Nazism and served Audur Capital, a Reykjavik- HBO show. — Agencies On the Net: www.katyperry.com