lifestyle WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Music & Movies

These pictures show Japanese techno DJ Ken Ishii performing at an art gallery in Tokyo. — AFP photos From ninja to elder statesman: Japan techno king Ken Ishii apan’s techno trail-blazer Ken Ishii rocks huge crowds the Ishii’s new 10-track record, which comes 23 years after he ‘Sexy ninja’ because of the commercial success,” he said. “The record com- world over and leads a glamorous, jet-set life-but the super- cut his first track, is a throwback to the 1980s and marks a sub- Ishii quickly shot to fame after signing to Belgian techno pany was pushing me to release hit after hit, to use female Jstar DJ insists he’s a “bit of a nerd” at heart. Ishii, 45, burst tle departure from his trademark techno voodoo. Industrial label R&S Records while still at university, tearing up dance singers-stuff that had nothing to do with techno. “I didn’t want onto the dance scene more than 20 years ago and has scooped beats combine with squiggly synthesizers and video game floors in Europe before Japan knew what techno music was. to cross that line, to sell out. I wanted to go back to the under- up MTV awards, composed the theme song for the 1998 Winter bleeps to whisk the listener back in time: imagine Kraftwerk, “They brought me to Europe for my first ever gig and it was in ground. I’m an old-school guy.” Ishii has a philosophical attitude Olympics and even appeared on the cover of Newsweek maga- Depeche Mode and an old Atari game console stuffed into a front of 30,000 people in Amsterdam,” he recalled. “Nobody towards today’s generation of celebrity DJs who fly in for shows zine. But new album “Leaps”, released last week under his alter power blender. “When I was seven or eight, the first wave of knew me, they were all wondering who this Asian kid was. “I’d by helicopter and plug in pre-programmed sets they often play ego “Flare” and which draws heavily from 1980s influences video games like Space Invaders triggered my interest in elec- only had one warm-up gig before that, in front of about 30 peo- for an entire festival season. Kraftwerk and Japan’s Yellow Magic Orchestra, reveals a more tronic sounds,” said Ishii, who fondly recalls pinching coins ple. They had me come out on stage dressed in all black with “People get into this game now to be pop stars,” said Ishii, introverted side to the Sapporo-born artist. from his dad’s pockets to spend at the video arcade after these models in sexy ninja costumes.” who still gets driven to gigs in his manager’s battered Toyota. “Flare is more personal and experimental,” Ishii told AFP in school. A No. 1 on the techno chart of British music magazine NME “People are buying tickets to watch a guy who’s just standing an interview. “It’s like getting a new toy.” But while he feels a “The album sort of harks back to what I used to listen to in in 1993 was followed in 1996 by an MTV video award for the on stage waving his hands. “I’ll have a drink with the promoters sense of liberation, there is also a buzz of nostalgia that accom- the 80s,” added Ishii, who became hooked on techno music single “Extra”-both firsts for a Japanese artist. His seminal and fans after a gig, but maybe some DJs now think it’s a waste panies a return to “basics” Ishii experienced during his start in after discovering Detroit overlords such as Juan Atkins, Derrick album “Jelly Tones” came out in 1995 as his stock soared. Then of time-that more gigs means more money,” he added. “I’m not the industry as a producer. “My earliest music was experimental May and Kevin Saunderson. “Electronic music was a big influ- the Japanese Olympic committee called, followed by television bothered about flashy cars. I don’t care how I look when I arrive. so it’s like going back to my roots,” he said. “I’m still like a kid ence, particularly Yellow Magic Orchestra, Kraftwerk and commercial work, a movie soundtrack and even offers to act. I’d still be doing this even if I didn’t make any money.” — AFP when I’m in front of my computer. “I guess you could say I’m a German industrial, new wave stuff. “But for me Detroit techno But at that point, Ishii slammed on the brakes, terminating his bit of a nerd when it comes to the creative process of making was like punk music in the late 70s in London-it was a move- record contract and forming his own label in 2002. music.” ment.” “People stopped seeing me as an underground artist Sony buys late pop star Jackson’s music venture stake

ony said yesterday it will pay material. Jackson said he first learned Michael Jackson’s estate $750 of the music publishing business Smillion for the late pop star’s from former Beatle Paul McCartney, share of a music venture that owns who bought the copyright to songs the rights to songs by some of the by Buddy Holly and other classic biggest names in music history. The artists. The Beatles did not show the deal will see the Japanese firm pick same business acumen early in their up Jackson’s 50 percent stake in Sony career, however, losing control of ATV Music Publishing, which owns their catalogue under the company several million titles including those Northern Songs-which eventually This file photo taken on December 30, 1999 shows a multi-colored Hollywood sign during written by the Beatles, Marvin Gaye came under ATV. the celebration of the new millennium in Los Angeles. — AFP and Bob Dylan. Sony will now con- trol all the of the company, whose ‘Smartest investment catalogue also includes hits by pop in music history’ File photo shows singer of US heavy metal band ‘Down’ Phil Anselmo per- star Taylor Swift, rapper Kanye West, Jackson bought ATV Music forming during the Hellfest Heavy Metal Music Festival in Clisson, west- China buys soft power with Sam Smith and Lady Gaga. Publishing in 1985 for $47.5 million, ern France. — AFP Sony ATV Music Publishing was or about $105 million at 2016 value, formed in 1995 by the Japanese elec- from the brash South African-born hard cash in Hollywood tronics giant and the late “King of Australian tycoon Robert Holmes a US metal singer in racism ith cash flowing faster than the planning to produce at least 18 films with LA Pop”, who transformed music with Court. The deal “is considered one of Yangtze river, Hollywood is awash with studio STX Entertainment, and Shanghai-based iconic hits including “Thriller” and the smartest investments in music Wever-expanding volumes of Chinese Fosun International taking a stake in US media “Beat it”. Jackson died in 2009 at the history”, Jackson’s estate executors row pulls out of Europe tour funding, but analysts are warning the film indus- company Studio 8. Both Wanda and tech firm age of 50. His estate said it will still said yesterday. In the negotiations, own his master recordings and the the businessman insisted on exclud- US metal singer who gave a was scheduled to play at the try there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The Alibaba have been touted as possible minority Nazi salute at a concert has Download festival’s editions in both Beijing-based Wanda Group’s record-breaking investors in Paramount, while Hunan TV has publishing company that owns all the ing a song from the deal so he could songs he penned. It will also keep its give it as a present to his teenage Apulled out of a European tour England and the Paris region, as well deal in January to buy US film studio Legendary signed a $1.5 billion deal to fund Lionsgate even after a French festival came as metal events in Belgium and Italy. Pictures finally confirmed the long-heralded movies and Perfect World Pictures is investing stake in EMI Music. The singer, a noto- daughter. Catherine Holmes a Court riously profligate spender, turned to was given the copyright to the song under fire for standing by him. A The only upcoming date remaining on emergence of the world’s second biggest box $250 million in Universal’s slate over five years. regional government in western the band’s schedule is in Las Vegas. office as a major player in Tinseltown. The $3.5 Beijing has pushed back against an invasion of music publishing rights at the height “Penny Lane,” which she continues to of his stardom as he looked for a own today, one of the few Beatles’ France had cut off subsidies to Hellfest Barbaud had criticized Anselmo’s billion agreement is the largest-ever cultural “foreign culture,” however, issuing an edict in due to the festival’s refusal to scrap a actions at the Los Angeles show but takeover by China, with US studios keen to capi- 2011 discouraging movies featuring “fantasy” place to invest his burgeoning for- tracks not part of ATV. McCartney tune. was friendly with Jackson, collaborat- performance by Down, a New said the singer had performed seven talize on its burgeoning cinema market at a time and “time travel” among other “bizarre plots.” Orleans-based metal band led by Phil times at Hellfest without incident. when Beijing is pushing entertainment as a President Xi Jinping has instructed artists to The proceeds from the catalogue ing on the track “The Girl is Mine” off offered vital revenue for the star later “Thriller,” but was unsuccessful in bids Anselmo. The singer has apologized “I know him and he has a provoca- source of “soft power.” abandon “naive sensual amusement” and after giving a Nazi salute and shouting tive personality which has nothing at Legendary, the maker of “Jurassic World,” instead promote “true-to-life images to tell peo- in his life as he struggled to pay his to wrest control of the Beatles cata- expenses and released little new log. Jackson sold half of the stake in “White Power!” at a charity concert in all to do with anti-Semitism,” Barbaud “Godzilla” and the latest Batman trilogy, has ple what they should affirm and praise.” Only 34 Los Angeles in January that was told AFP at the time. The government grossed more than $11 billion worldwide since it foreign films are given cinema releases in China ATV to Sony in 1991 for a reported $100 million. packed with musical celebrities. of the Pays de la Loire region cut fund- was founded in 2005, mostly with the kind of each year under a quota set by Beijing, and all Anselmo, best known as the for- ing to Hellfest over Down’s inclusion, big-budget blockbusters popular with Chinese are subject to official censorship over content His will called for his mother Katherine and his three children- mer singer of the band Pantera, pro- although it had contributed only audiences. “It’s a win-win situation... because the deemed politically sensitive or obscene. fusely thanked Hellfest’s director Ben 20,000 euros ($22,000) to the annual China market is really incredibly taking off and Prince, Paris and Blanket-to be sup- ported, although not his father Joe Barbaud in an open letter but said it festival’s 16-million-euro ($17.8 mil- Hollywood has a real interest in that,” Stanley Litmus test was not the right time to tour. “My lion) budget. “It is out of the question Rosen, a political science professor at the Co-produced movies can bypass the quota Jackson, whom he had accused of abuse. Yesterday, Sony said the deal AWFUL mistake has taken a toll on my for the regional council uncritically to University of Southern California, told AFP. It is as long as they contain significant Chinese ele- reputation, and justly so!” he wrote, accept that incitement to racial or reli- an arrangement that benefits both sides finan- ments, such as characters, plot devices or loca- underscored a focus on its entertain- ment division, which includes a crediting Barbaud with “know(ing) me gious hatred take place on the stages cially, with movies becoming increasingly tions. But the strategy has backfired at times, better than this drunken incident it finances,” said Laurence Garnier, expensive to produce but the Chinese hungry most notably with “Transformers: Age of music label and Hollywood studio. The company has been leaning on could ever describe.” “I BEG YOU, give head of the region’s cultural commis- for Western-made films. Extinction,” which was derided for depicting me this time to get my brain clear, and sion. Anselmo has long faced allega- But China, which has yet to make a global hit, characters drinking the Chinese version of Red movies, music and soaring sales of the PlayStation video game console to come back (if you will have me tions of racism and Pantera has incor- is also buying expertise. “Hollywood has what Bull in Texas. Jonathan Landreth, managing edi- back) next year, my brother, I implore porated the Confederate flag into China lacks, which is storytelling ability, market- tor of the New York-based online magazine in its bid to scrap years of eye-water- ing losses linked to the consumer you!” he wrote. Anselmo said he was band artwork. He had initially played ing, distribution,” Rosen told AFP. Wanda owner China File, warned in a recent article that Wanda also suffering from a recurring knee down his “White Power” remark, say- Wang Jianlin, who burst into the international and Legendary were operating under Jinping’s electronics that built its global brand. In this March 5, 2009 file photo, US “The entertainment businesses have injury and needed rehabilitation. ing he had been making an inside spotlight in 2012 by buying US cinema chain “looming encouragement” and said the deal A member of Down’s management joke about band members drinking AMC Entertainment for $2.6 billion, says the could not have gone ahead without the singer Michael Jackson announces long been a core part of Sony and are that he is set to play ten live concerts a key driver of our future growth,” on Monday confirmed the letter’s white beverage. — AFP Legendary deal makes his company the highest approval of China’s Communist Party. authenticity and said the band would revenue-generating movie unit in the world. It “While Wanda invests in Hollywood to make at the London O2 Arena in July, which Sony chief executive Kazuo Hirai he announced at a press conference said.—AFP not tour Europe, but declined further also gives future Legendary films direct access to money, the deal sees Legendary unwittingly comment. Besides Hellfest, the band China’s booming market, which has become becoming one of the most powerful channels at the London O2 Arena. — AP crucial to foreign filmmakers, with North for Beijing’s worldview, a worldview that bars American ticket sales stagnant. open discussion of the jailing of dissidents and Review PricewaterhouseCoopers has projected China’s the disappearing of booksellers,” he wrote. The box office to rise from $4.3 billion in 2014 to $8.9 first co-production from the Wanda-owned billion in 2019, meaning it would outstrip the US Legendary will be the $150 million sci-fi action within two years. movie “The Great Wall,” starring Matt Damon, ‘Midnight Special’ is an electrifying mystery Willem Dafoe and Hong Kong Cantopop singer Phenomenal growth and actor Andy Lau. Directed by Chinese film- idnight Special” is one of those rare, stim- unsettling milieu. But then Roy removes the bedsheet coming up. Friday, March 6. No one knows what will In 2014, 8,035 movie screens — 22 per day- maker Zhang Yimou and due for its China ulating creations that grabs you and to reveal a child (Jaeden Lieberher) who is neither happen then, not even Alton, but they’ve seen were installed in China and the screen count release in December, two months ahead of the “Mpenetrates your bloodstream from start scared nor upset. He’s calm. He’s wearing noise can- enough to know that it’s not worth questioning. But stood at 31,627 by the end of 2015, according to US opening, the film will be entirely English-lan- to finish. This unique tale about a kid with special celling headphones and pool goggles and there’s the kooks, the simpletons, the bureaucrats, the scien- official sources. Underlining the shift in power, guage. powers skillfully melds mood and story, giving the even ordinariness about it. You realize that Roy isn’t tists, the law, and the devoted parents alike all know Chinese box office monitor EntGroup Christopher Spicer, a film financing expert entire experience the feel of a thrilling getaway chase - evil at all - there’s an undeniable tenderness in his that they must go. announced that cinemas took a record $1.1 bil- and partner at international law firm Akin Gump, one that you’re part of, too. Director Jeff Nichols dares empathetic, haunted eyes, and it just makes you want lion in February-a 70 percent year-on-year jump- said the film, the most expensive ever shot in you to get in, shut up and come along for the late to know more. overtaking the North American monthly rev- China, could serve as a litmus test of public night drive down some desolate Southern roads The boy’s name is Alton and he is, to put it too sim- enue for the first time in history. The main driver appetite for Chinese-American joint projects. where the headlights are optional and the mission is ply, exceptional. He has powers that no one under- of Chinese cinema’s phenomenal growth is a “I’ve been doing film and television for eight or life or death. As with his riveting 2011 breakout “Take stands, but that inspire obsession, devotion and fear steady emergence of a modern consumerist nine years and at different times in history pri- Shelter,” Nichols doesn’t reveal details carelessly. It from those around him. Roy is his father. He’s taken his lifestyle among China’s burgeoning middle class, mary funding sources of film and, to a lesser forces you to pay attention and give yourself to his son away from a religious cult led by Sam Shepard’s expected to account for 75 percent of house- extent, television have come from different vision. Calvin Meyer, whose service that night is interrupted holds within a decade. countries all over the world,” he told AFP. “But Take the first scene. We hear about a child’s abduc- by federal investigators who have also become inter- Cumulative Chinese investment in the US certainly for the time being I would expect the tion on a television broadcast. Then we discover that ested in the kid. A skeptical, curious NSA agent (Adam since 2000 reached $63 billion in 2015, with a $4 trend of Chinese financing to continue.” — AFP we’re with two men (Michael Shannon as Roy and Joel Driver) shows up too. The cult has been using Alton as billion going to the entertainment industry, Edgerton as Lucas) in a motel room. They’re paranoid their prophet. He goes into a trance and speaks in This image released by Warner Bros. according to research firm Rhodium Group. The about something. Then we see a white bedsheet tongues and they take it for scripture. What is most Entertainment shows Jaeden Lieberher in a trend looks set to accelerate, with Huayi Brothers draped over the outline of what appears to be a child, compelling to the government, the leaders, and even and you realize you’re with the abductors. It’s an his father, though, is a date and location that keeps scene from ‘Midnight Special’. — AP