Tupac Assassination: Battle For Compton

Tupac Assassination: Battle for Compton" 

Creates International Media Frenzy

Here comes even more speculation and conspiracy theories

Controversial 2017 Film Reveals New Truths About Stalled Murder Investigation

The March 10th release of the controversial new film Tupac Assassination: Battle for Compton (Available on Amazon.com, I-Tunes, Google Play and On Demand platforms nationally) has created an international media storm. News pieces about the movie have gone "viral" being picked up by over 1,000 web sites globally and have been viewed by millions. VH-1, BET, Reuters, World Entertainment News, NBC-Los Angeles and Reuters have featured "Compton" in their media.

Tupac Assassination: Battle for Compton is the third in the MVD distributed Tupac Assassination franchise, which all explore various facts and theories surrounding the unsolved murders of 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Tupac Shakur and former rapper Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace. "Compton" explores a new understanding of the killing of Shakur, and alleges that the shooting that occurred in Las Vegas September 7, 1996 was not a direct attempt on Shakur, but Shakur's fatal shooting occurred because of a takeover scheme against his record label (Death Row Records) CEO Marion "Suge" Knight, orchestrated by insiders to the Death Row label. 

Just days ago the internet "broke" with news that the former CEO of Death Row Records, Marion Suge Knight, stated through his attorney Thaddeus Culpepper, that Knight endorsed the Compton explanation of the means motive and opportunities that lead to the 1996 shooting. "Compton", which was based on the books "Tupac187: The Red Knight" and "Chaos Merchants" was distilled for Knight into an outline entitled "Tupac Murder Facts" and read to Knight, who is incarcerated pending charges of killing a man in what Knight calls self-defense. Knight was quoted as asking "Who are these guys" and how they knew the details shown in Compton. Knight, an eyewitness and victim to the shooting then confirmed the accuracy of the story laid out in Compton as being true. (Culpepper claims the remarks were made "off the record" and not intended for public consumption, otherwise known as "leaked".)

Over the last 20 years there has been much in the way of speculation and innuendo about that happened to cause the threat on Knight and Shakur. Police have not solved the case. Some retired LAPD detectives have posited opposing theories on who may have been behind the murders, but no one yet has come forward with a comprehensive understanding and context to the homicides until now. Fans have raved that "Tupac Assassination: Battle For Compton" "wraps it up." Fan sentiment is that the story "just makes sense" and that once one understands the entire scope of the greater problem that eventually lead to the shootings, they aren't surprised by how the shootings happened- or why. Case closed.

Russell Poole, the Wallace case investigator who worked on the writing of the film, brought all of his investigation notes to the table for the directors Michael Douglas Carlin and Richard "RJ" Bond to review. Interviews with Federal investigators, prosecutors and informants drive the narrative of Compton to answer the simple question: "Were the murders of Tupac Shakur and Wallace part of a larger crime?"

Tupac Assassination: Battle for Compton from MVD is currently available for rent or purchase at Amazon, I-Tunes, On Demand, DVD and Blu Ray editions internationally. 

TBT: Rock Isn't Dead & Neither Is Lynyrd Skynyrd

We Ride Unicorns
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Photo: Clay Patrick McBride

Okay, do I seriously need to provide an explanation as to why Lynyrd Skynyrd is the subject of a Throwback Thursday piece? I thought not, keep calm and throwback like good little buckaroos!

On July 17, the evening prior to the official kick-off of the Republican National Convention, Cleveland - The Rock and Roll Capital of the World - will see a party unlike any they have ever seen as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame icons Lynyrd Skynyrd will provide entertainment for the “Welcome To Ohio Late Night” party held at The Auto Lot, a pop-up venue in downtown Cleveland and hosted by Ohio Speaker of the House Cliff Rosenberger.

Local Ohio foods will be on hand, as well as local beer presented by the Ohio Craft Brewers Association in partnership with Thirsty Dog Brewing Company. The event is produced by Blue Star Productions, LLC in conjunction with the Green Beret Foundation, The Folded Flag Foundation, The Guardians of Heroes Foundation, OH Fallen Heroes, and SRT-K9 Unit, with those military charities receiving proceeds from the event.

Originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 by Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, and Larry Junstrom, the band changed its’ moniker to the iconic name in the early 1970s, and became a fan favorite in the Jacksonville, FL area. They inked a deal with Sounds of the South Records in 1972, and released their self-titled disc the following year. Selling over two million units since its’ release, the album featured “Free Bird,” which became one of the most important singles of the Southern Rock era. Future hits included “Sweet Home Alabama” and “What’s Your Name.”

The band’s story took a tragic turn in October 1977 when a plane crash took the lives of Van Zant, Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines, and several of their road crew. The band took a decade-long hiatus before reuniting for a tour and live album, Southern by the Grace of God. Since then, the band has toured and recorded extensively, with their most recent release being Last Of A Dyin’ Breed. The band’s current line-up includes original member Rossington, Johnny Van Zant, Rickey Medlocke, Mark “Sparky” Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Johnny Colt, Peter Keys, Dale Krantz Rossington and Carol Chase. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

For more information, go to www.ClevelandRocks2016.com 

Michael Shinafelt: U + UR Hand

Everyone Needs A Hand Sometimes

"Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just u + ur hand tonight" - Pink

OK people it's time to keep it real, honest & raw with yours truly. Friend and fellow horror fan M.E. Franco, author of the popular supernatural thriller Dion series of books: Where Will You Run? Where Will You Hide? & Where Will You Turn? Was curious about me and my Entertainment Journalism career.

Prepare yourself, I am direct and do not hold back, I talk candidly about my most surprising subject and tell you who the biggest Jackhole was I have ever dealt with. 

That's right, it's just you, me and our hands, right here, right now!

ME: Some personal things that I always like about your blog, but may not have said, is that I love the way you are supportive and respectful of people. Even when you make fun of stuff, or look at things critically, you are usually positive, and I love that about your writing

Hey M.E. Glad UR Entertained 

MS: I am flattered and happy you noticed. There is too much negativity in the world and I want to Entertain as well as be truthful without being snarky or a jerk.

ME: What got you interested in the entertainment industry?

MS: Growing up I loved movies, I used to watch them, go to them and breath them day and night. I also loved TV shows as well. One of my favorite things was to watch horror movies on TV on the weekend with my Dad. I came to Los Angeles to act and ended up writing and have now gotten back into acting again as well.

ME:. Who was the first person you interviewed?

MS: Singer Erin Hamilton, who happens to be Carol Burnett's daughter. She was sweet enough to be my first interview, we met for coffee and it was a fun time!

ME:. What have you learned about interviewing since then?

MS: To prepare less and not write down any questions. All I ever write down are a few notes about names of things the subject is doing or has upcoming. My experience has taught me to simply have a conversation as the person you are interviewing will tell you everything you need to know.

ME: Whose interview surprised you most?

MS: Margaret Cho. My first interview with her was sitting across from her on a couch after a photo shoot that she had done for it. Our chat was the cover story for Frontiers magazine. She was really low key and quite demure, I thought because of the lack of energy the interview was going to suck, it didn't. She gave great answers...while I did not expect her to be like her stage personae, I also did not expect how shy she actually was. Since then I have interviewed her several times and she now knows me, we basically have conversations and she is a lot more relaxed.

Me & Margaret Cho

ME:. Who would be your dream interview, and what one question are you dying to ask?

MS: I would have liked to have interviewed Elizabeth Taylor. What would I ask? What wouldn't you ask her?! She really lived! I would also like to have chatted up Joan Rivers, another woman with an incredible life who you could ask everything.

ME: You're a big fan of horror movies and have been in a few yourself. What do you find so appealing about horror movies?

MS: There is a catharsis with them, a visceral thing. Not to mention they are just plain fun and entertaining! Who doesn't like a good scare?

ME: What was your most spectacular death scene?

MS: My death scene in The Summer Of Massacre - something that I know you have seen. I loved sitting at the premiere with my then boyfriend and seeing the Boogeyman crush my skull in slowly until it popped like a cherry on a fifty foot screen, it was awesome!

Premiere Time: Myself & "The Boogeyman" Scott Barrows 

ME: Is there a famous horror character you'd like to interview? What questions would you ask?

MS: Norman Bates. I would ask him: Does mother really know best?

ME: On your blog, you outspokenly cover what you love, including controversial topics. Is there any topic(s) you avoid?

MS: Politics. I refuse to discuss that, and I can't stand people who do. If you know the answers get in office and go solve the United States many issues, please I would love for them to be resolved. I have my opinions, but mostly, unless I am with really close friends, I keep them to myself.

ME: You often build relationships with the musicians and entertainers you interview, which makes your blog so much more personal and interesting to read. Do you ever get nervous before an interview? If so, what do you do to relax?

MS: Never. Being an actor, and having a certain amount of my own celebrity sort of makes those nerves not exist for me. Especially since a lot of my subjects are friends of mine in real life. People in the music biz especially cotton to me as I have studied piano, guitar and have sang. I can still read sheet music and a keyboard - which I love. Thus I can talk shop with them and know what I am actually saying, same goes for the actors I interview as well. Since I have done, and still do it...

ME: Have you ever had an interview get out hand?

MS: Yes, Marky Ramone, who was not one of The Ramones founding members but was inducted into the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame with them. He bumped our time twice during the day to later than scheduled. The second time the PR guy gave me his direct number and said that Marky told him to have me call him in fifteen minutes. I did and Marky told me he was shopping or some lame thing and to call again in an hour. That was the straw that broke the camels back! I called the PR guy and said that clearly Marky was a complete Jackhole with no intent on giving an interview and no respect for my time and I called the whole thing off.

Get more on M E. at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-E-Franco/238711609482912

Toni Braxton, Stops In The Name Of Darlene Love

Toni Braxton

This just in "Unbreak My Heart" singer, Toni Braxton has been cast as Rock-N-Roll hall of fame inductee and all around wonderful performer and person, Ms. Darlene Love in a made for TV Movie on Oprah Winfrey's OWN Network:

"My Name is Love: The Darlene Love Story” is slated for a December premiere. Pic revolves around Love’s long career in the music biz, starting out as the key voice behind Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound hits from the 1960s. OWN’s first scripted telepic is shepherded by the docu filmmaker Morgan Neville, who was behind last year’s “Twenty Feet from Stardom” feature about Love and other well-known backup singers."

"Twenty Feet From Stardom" was an awesome documentary, I have no doubt Morgan Neville is going to nail this, along with the multi-talented Ms. Braxton. 

I for one can't wait to see my friend Darlene get a fitting tribute on OWN. Darlene was one of my very favorite interview subjects - she is terrific!

Check out our interview here: http://www.chorusandverse.com/content.php?id=20101110A

Keep up with "My Name Is Love" on OWN at: http://www.oprah.com/app/own-tv.html

Get some "Love" on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/darleneloveworld

Extra! Extra! Darlene Love's Annual Christmas Performance On David Letterman Is Tonight!

Darlene on "Letterman"

"Entertain Me" favorite & friend, and one of  the Stars of the documentary "20 Feet From Stardom," Darlene Love takes David Letterman's stage tonight for her annual performance of  "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."

I had the extreme privilege of interviewing Ms. Love for her project "Concert of Love" just prior to her being inducted into the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame....

Here is the link:

http://www.chorusandverse.com/content.php?id=20101110A

So give yourself a Holiday treat and tune into Letterman tonight, if that is past your bedtime, Tivo, DVR or whatever the heck it is you do to feel the Season of Love, Darlene Style!

Check out one of her past, annual "Late Show" performances below...Ho ho ho!

                                                            "Baby, Please Come Home"

Give yourself a whole lotta Love at: http://darleneloveworld.com/

Darlene Love: 20 Feet From Stardom

Darlene Love

"Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea these singers are or what lives they lead, until now" -

So goes the IMDB synopsis for the Documentary "20 Feet From Stardom" starring one of my favorite people Darlene Love, who jumped those "20 Feet" and became a star and legend that was recently inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall Of Fame.

Love has been called the "world's most famous backup singer," but has also appeared on Broadway and in films — most notably as Trish Murtaugh in all four "Lethal Weapon" films. " She hosts a Christmas special in New York City every year, and Harper Collins released her new novel, "My Name is Love," on June 4. She's currently performing in an Australian production of "FAME" as the musical's lead performer.

"People in the biz always give you a lot of lip service about what you should do, but when it comes time to put the bucks down on the table everybody disappears" - Darlene Love

This is an excerpt from and interview I did with Ms. Love about her upcoming (and out now) CD "Concert of Love"- you can read it here:

http://www.chorusandverse.com/content.php?id=20101110A

The movie has received glowing reviews and I for one can not wait to go this week with some comp tickets I got courtesy of Deep Dish!

http://marcharshbarger.blogspot.com/

check out the one and only Darlene Love at: http://darleneloveworld.com/

Find out where "20 Feet From Stardom" is playing near you at: 

http://twentyfeetfromstardom.com/

It's May & John Fogerty Is On The Loose !

JOHN FOGERTY


SET FOR HIGH-PROFILE TV APPEARANCES
THROUGHOUT MAY
IN ADVANCE OF HIS MUCH-ANTICIPATED ALBUM
‘WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE’ OUT MAY 28th


PERFORMANCES INCLUDE TWO CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS ON
THE “LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN” MAY 21 AND 22

 JOHN FOGERTY--one of rock’s most important artists and a national treasure who’s sold over 100 million albums--will make multiple TV appearances throughout this month in advance of the May 28 release of WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE (Vanguard Records).  A celebration of FOGERTY’s iconic songbook, the much-anticipated album is a collection of 12 classics and deep tracks (Creedence Clearwater Revival and solo material) from his remarkable canon of hits recorded in collaboration with today’s biggest superstars from the country, pop and rock worlds, plus two brand new solo songs. 

The Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee is set for two consecutive nights on the “Late Show with David Letterman.” He’ll perform May 21with his band and May 22 with Dawes, the band with whom he recorded “Someday Never Comes” for WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE.  FOGERTY will also perform May 23on “The View” and be interviewed May 20 on “CBS This Morning.”  *See listing below.

Underlining his enormous influence on music includes the world of country music,FOGERTY will perform his classic “Born On The Bayou” May 19 on the ACM Presents: Tim McGraw’s Superstar Summer Night Special (CBS, 9:00 PM ET/PT) with McGraw, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. FOGERTY will also be featured May 18(9:00 PM) on HBO for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame HBO induction special performing“I Love L.A.” with new inductee Randy Newman as well as Tom Petty and Jackson Browne. FOGERTY also joins the show’s grand finale, with inductees Rush and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, as well as inductee Chuck D., Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello,  Gary Clark Jr., and more. 

WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE marks FOGERTY's ninth studio solo album since disbanding Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Mixed by Bob Clearmountain, it was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville except for "Proud Mary" which was recorded inNew Orleans with Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band.  FOGERTY recorded“Fortunate Son” with Foo Fighters at their 606 studio using "the" legendary Neve recording console featured in the #1 iTunes documentary Sound City.

TELEVISION APPEARANCES

May 18:  Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame - HBO - 9:00pm (ET/PT)

May 19: ACM Presents: Tim McGraw's Superstar Summer Night Special - CBS 9:00pm (ET/PT) 

May 20: CBS This Morning - CBS - 7:00-9:00am (ET/PT) 

May 21 & 22: Late Night with Letterman - CBS 11:30pm (ET/PT) 

May 23:  The View - ABC - 11am-12noon ET (check local listings for additional times)

www.johnfogerty.com
http://www.facebook.com/johnfogerty
http://twitter.com/John_Fogerty

 About John Fogerty:

John Fogerty--singer, songwriter and guitarist--has sold over 100 million records, earning 18 Gold Albums and 10 Platinum Albums. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, won the Grammy Award for his album Blue Moon Swamp in 1997and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. He is also a BMI Icon Award Winner.  In addition, Fogerty and his #1 phenomenal recording “Centerfield” were honored during the 2010 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies--the first time the National Baseball Hall of Fame has immortalized a musician or song as part of the annual ceremonies.  He’s also called the “Father of the Flannel Shirt.”