U2’s Bono undergoes emergency surgery

U2 frontman Bono has undergone emergency surgery on his back.

The singer suffered an undisclosed injury during his band’s rehearsals for their world tour, U2 360.

His spokesperson confirmed the surgery in a statement, which read: “He was admitted to a specialist neurosurgery unit in a Munich hospital. Bono will spend the next few days there, before returning home to recuperate."

The Irish group was set to play a slew of tour dates in the US in June and July, then go overseas in August.

So far only the first concert in Salt Lake City on June has been postponed.

The spokesperson added: “Once his condition has been assessed further, a statement will be made regarding the impact on forthcoming tour dates.”

Source: Splash News

Bono promotes new AIDS documentary

Irish rocker Bono has been promoting his new AIDS documentary as he continues to try to raise the awareness of the HIV virus across the world.

The U2 frontman wants to educate the world about the HIV virus and let people know how easy to beat it is.

Speaking to Extra at the premiere of his new documentary The Lazarus Effect, he said: “When you understand how simple it is to beat the virus… two pills a day is all it takes and presto! You’re Magic Johnson.”

The new HBO documentary sees a host of different celebrities trying to raise the awareness of those suffering from AIDS in Africa.

He added: “Forty cents a day, isn’t that maddening? I’ve seen what it does when people don’t get the medicine in time.”

Source: Splash News

Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson memorabilia highlights of music auction

Never before seen 3D slides of an Elvis Presley concert are set to sell for an amazing $50,000 at auction.

The pictures from a 1971 Presley concert in Las Vegas headline an amazing sale of celebrity music memorabilia.

Also up for sale is a string of Michael Jackson collectables.

They include the manuscript for ‘Billie Jean’ hand written in black marker on six sheets of paper, which could fetch up to $40,000.

There are also complete handwritten lyrics to 1985’s ‘We Are The World’ written by Jackson on a promotional poster for the Bad album. It is also expected to sell for up to $40,000.

A shiny orange jumpsuit worn by Jackson during the 1984 Victory Tour, the final ever tour by The Jacksons, could sell for up to $25,000.

There is also a large white hotel napkin that Jackson signed “I love this city very much, all my Love to all of you, I’m going to sleep now, I love you, Michael Jackson.” He threw it down to fans from his balcony at London’s Dorchester Hotel in May 2000.

All bids can be made at gottahaverockandroll.com until March 10.

Clooney’s Haiti ‘megathon’ looks to reach 640m homes

George Clooney’s star-studded telethon for Haiti will reach into 640 million homes around the world, according to a US report.

Work is under way to make the event a megathon that will feature top-knotch acts Bono and Jay-Z, and a score of other celebs. Clooney plans to helm the telethon from Los Angeles, while Haitian-born Wyclef Jean will join him from New York and CNN’s Anderson Cooper will report from the scene in the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean nation.

The event aims to go above and beyond the $28 million raised so far by mobile phone users in the US and Canada and reported by the Mobile Giving Foundation. The two-hour telethon is titled Hope for Haiti Now and will start at 8pm EST on Friday. MTV networks will take it across the globe.

Mag’s Artists of the Century cover a digital first

The century’s great musicians appear together in a novel project that took a year to complete.

Q Magazine in the UK has compiled the musicians’ equivalent to the Vanity Fair covers that put together great actresses of the day in high art cover shoots. There is one difference: the musicians do not assemble for the portrait: they are digitally stitched together.

Bono, The Edge, Amy Winehouse, Sir Paul McCartney, Rihanna and Lily Allen are among the musicians to feature on the Artists of the Century cover.

Q Editor Paul Rees said: “All of the 34 artists are there because they have significantly shaped or connected with our readers’ lives in the past 10 years. As such they represent a reflection of the breadth and diversity of Q’s musical world. It took us a year to put together the Artists of the Century issue but I think the end result makes all that time and effort more than worth it. We had a long discussion about who is the list. We wanted Take That and Jay Z but sadly we just couldn’t make it happen.”

Springsteen, Bono, Beyonce to perform in Obama pre-inaugural

Big stars like Bruce Springsteen, Bono and Beyonce are set to perform during US President-elect Barack Obama’s pre-inauguration concert on January 18 at Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. The list of celebrities who wanted to perform for Obama’s pre-inaugural and actual inauguration ceremony is endless but only a few were chosen due to the sensitivity of the event and the very tight security procedures.

The show is aptly titled “We Are The One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration” considering the united front shown by the various big stars who will grace the show. To join Springsteen, Bono and Beyonce on stage are Sheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, John Mellencamp, Shakira, Josh Groban and Usher. You can also watch the show in any cable station beginning 7 PM. Event producer George Stevens said it took only 45 minutes to get three yeses from Garth Brooks, Bono and Springsteen when they were asked to perform in the show. This is however not a showbiz event but a historical moment for the Americans.