June 08, 2005

Actors Nicolas Cage and Will Smith are both set to star in and produce "Time Share," a comedy based on a pitch by Mark Steilen. The movie, which is the Columbia Pictures project, focuses its story around two fathers who lock horns when they discover their families are booked into the same time share on what should have been their dream vacation.

Mandy Moore maybe a singer and an actress, yet she won't label herself a fashion designer despite the fact that she also designs T-shirts under the label Mblem. Attending Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards (CFDA) held Monday night at the New York Public Library, Moore insists "I'm just here as a fan of fashion. I don't have it in me to do this."

Also attending the event among others Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicole Richie, Claire Danes, who came along with designer Behnaz Sarafpour, Iman and her husband David Bowie, and also Heidi Klum and Seal.

They have been exploring many, from TV commercials to the Grammy Awards. Now, Black Eyed Peas hanging at No. 3 on Billboard's Pop 100 chart with their latest album "Monkey Business," out June 7 on A&M/Interscope.

The new album, consisting of 15 tracks, was recorded in two-and three-month spurts throughout 2004 while the group was touring, promoting Rock the Vote and raising money for the tsunami relief effort. As the album has successfully gained such achievement on the chart, the quartet may feel proud, yet has to work even harder to maintain their victory.

It is Toni Braxton's first album since her 2002's "More Than a Woman." Containing a totally new material, she names it "Libra," which is a reference to her October 7 birthday.

Scheduled to be released in September via Blackground Records, the album's first single "Please," produced by hitmaker Scott Storch, has debuted at No. 78 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Originally slated for an August 5 release, the comedy "The Pink Panther" starring Steve Martin, will have to wait its delayed release 'till February 10, 2006. Explaining on the postponement, Sony Pictures Releasing president Rory Bruer said "With the recent acquisition of MGM, we wanted to give our marketing department the time and opportunity to launch this very important franchise. We've seen the movie, and we really love this film. It's a franchise we believe in and are really excited about, and Steve Martin is great as Clouseau."

British rock act Duran Duran confirms its coming back for their fanatics as they will begin a series of songwriting sessions this August through to mid-December, before finally hits the studio in January. Working on the project, which is said as a follow-up to its 2004 comeback album "Astronaut," the band has already appointed Dallas Austin as one of the producers they are going to work with. Unsettled plans set the fruit of the work to be released on early summer 2006.

Australian music group AC/DC has made the Recording Industry Assn. of America's all-time best-sellers list with their 1980 breakthrough "Back in Black," which has been sold for 21 million copies. The song, originally released by Atco and was reissued in 2003 by Epic along with the rest of the band's catalog, places AC/DC on fifth to be with singer Billy Joel, who made the same achievement in 2000 thanks to his "Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & II."

Remains on the top of the list is "Eagles/Their Greatest Hits" (Asylum), which last certified in 2002 at 28 million. Makes the second on the list is Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (Epic), which reached 27 million in an April RIAA accounting. Comes afterwards is Pink Floyd's "The Wall" (23 million/1999; Capitol) and "Led Zeppelin IV" (22 million/1999; Atlantic). Some others rewarded new multi-platinum include Usher, Gwen Stefani, Rascal Flatts, Chicago, and many more.