Chris Bergson Fights Blizzard, Music Monotony

Going to the concert of a pop or standard rock act, one pretty much knows what they’re getting into. Maybe there’s some variety of the songs or which album the band pulls from, but the songs themselves deviate minimally, if at all, from their original CD version. A blues show, on the other hand, offers as many twists and turns as musically possible and, as Chris Bergson demonstrated on Friday at Union Hall, treats even avid fans to a new musical experience.

Friday also saw the first real snow storm of New York’s winter and as the crowd filtered through Brooklyn, the snow turned to freezing rain, culminating into a slushy mess. The cold and grey was the perfect backdrop for an evening of blues. Chris started with two solo numbers, alternating between guitars as he eased the crowd into the night. After “Sanctuary,” a good exercise for the heartstrings, Matt Clohesy and Tony Leone came up to join on bass and drums, respectively. The band quickly picked up the pace and the crowd was eager for the gear change.

Once the tempo and material lightened up, Bergson’s guitar skills took center stage as the band riffed through their latest disc, Fall Changes. What they lacked in new material, they more than made up for in musicality. Every song featured an impressive solo, usually from Bergson, but both Clohesy and Leone were showcased individually, and rightly so.

The humble stage at Union Hall provided a cozy and understated venue for their talent and let the crowd experience each others’ reactions as well as the music. From the cuddling couples to small groups of pals, a sense of camaraderie swept the audience and added a kind of intimacy rarely found in larger venues or pop shows. Except for the light banging sound from the bocce court above, the show could just have easily been in your friend’s basement – if you happened to be friends with a really stellar blues trio.





* By Jesy B who is currently auditioning stellar blues trios to befriend.

PV's Jordana Gets Shot at CosmoGIRL Star Launch

....on camera, that is!

Ah, our first papparazzi moment with On the Verge!




Ambush TV's Mark and On the Verge's Jordana at the CosmoGIRL Star Launch.







**Ring in the New Year with Planet Verge! Our new Web-TV show, On the Verge, debuts on Ambush TV in '09.

Give the Gift of Life This Holiday Season

Give a meaningful gift this holiday season.

The World Wildlife Fund makes it easy for everyone to do their part to save endangered species. Just visit http://www.worldwildlife.org/ogc/species_category.cfm and choose between 100 species you can adopt (proceeds go towards conservation efforts).

I'm big on saving the wolves and tigers, but take your pick!

It is estimated that only about 5,000 to 7,000 tigers remain in the wild, most in isolated pockets spread across increasingly fragmented forests, stretching from India to southeastern China and from the Russian Far East to Sumatra, Indonesia. Largest of all cats, the tiger is one of the most threatened species on Earth. These beautiful cats are threatened by growing human populations, loss of habitat, illegal hunting (of both tigers and their prey species) and expanded trade in tiger parts used as traditional medicines.

Visit www.savethetigerfund.org for information on why tigers need our help!



Tiger parts are extremely valuable and every part of their body is illegally traded. People even make tiger penis soup. There's a "cure" for everything if you medicate with a tiger...at least that's what some cultures believe.

I've been active in saving tigers for many years and even adopted a few tigers through The Siberian Tiger Project. The quarterly newsletters and updates were really exciting. Until every tiger I adopted ended up dead-- victims of falling trees from loggers or poachers. I can't imagine a world without these majestic creatures and it really upsets me that the killing continues.

Read about the legendary tiger and new mom, Olga, killed by poachers:
http://www.wcs.org/353624/olgarelease


The Siberian Tiger Project:
http://www.wcs.org/international/Asia/russia/siberiantigerproject

* By Joelle, who came within centimeters of a tiger during her behind-the-scenes investigation on the treatment of circus animals at Barnum & Bailey. She published the story in her college paper.

Snowed In

I pretty much dread the snow. Just the mention of it sends shivers down my legs and not because I'm cold, but because I am scared to death of driving in it. Anyone who has even been in a car with me can attest that I am perhaps not the best driver and at one time or another they have feared for their lives in the passenger seat. I'd had my fair share of accidents in the rain and snow. What's funny is that I even managed to get hit once when I pulled off on the side of the road because I saw cars sliding into the curbs. Ok, so it's not funny.

Yesterday morning when the first flakes began to fall and blanket the sidewalk outside my job, I decided it was time to jet. Having only been in the office for an hour, I had the whole day to work at home, watch my snow dogs play in their winter wonderland while wishing I had my camera and catch up on things I've been meaning to review.

What better time to watch a DVD of the biggest summer music fest than when you're snuggled under blankets and drinking Egg Nog flavored coffee?

I ditched Warped Tour completely last summer.

My reasons?

* At 27, I am old enough to be half those kids moms by now (or at least it feels that way)

* I had a love-hate relationship with this business of music I'm in the past year and have therefore been a bit disconnected.

* Bamboozle, which happens 20 minutes from my house, has become such a giant and hosts pretty much the same bands, why should I travel hours in traffic for Warped?

* Warped took away the 'zine tent. Planet Verge had a table there every year. It was such a blast to get up at 5 am, load in heavy suitcases of magazines and flyers and then sweat for hours behind our table. Seriously. No zine tent, nothing to separate us from the mass amounts of newbie punks or to relax in between bands you don't care about.


Anyway.... while watching the Warped Tour '07 DVD, I sorta missed it all.
But just like at the festival, I skipped past all the bands I don't care about on the DVD.

Why, why, why is there a need for multiple DVD segments on Pepper, Fishbone and other filler bands when SO MANY bands play at Warped?

On the + side:

Circa Survive

Killswitch Engage




The Starting Line (Their song was the highlight of my DVD-watching experience because I caught Kirsten Storms >> aka Maxie Jones on General Hospital << in the background watching them w/her man from Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

I did enjoy watching the artist interviews and the behind-the-scenes footage, but in a nutshell, the Warped DVD's could be so much more. With 83 bands playing in 45 cities, film crews had plenty of time to capture that content. Maybe next year... and maybe I'll be there.

But, I do enjoy the fact that the last band I watched on Warped Tour was Eighteen Visions. Sorta like a happy ending. It was the best Warped set.

Here's a video I took:




My next fun snow day activity was listen the Casual Projects CD that came in the mail. This is hip-hop oriented funk band from Australia.

They are awesome. I discovered them when I was sorting through entries for the Independent Music Awards. They are actually finalists now for their song "Move Along."

Here's the video:




Check them out at www.myspace.com/casualprojects


* By Joelle, who stayed in tonight to catch up on things. She's listening to The Matches and eating tomato soup.

Jen Coolidge, Corey Feldman, Daniela Sea and On The Verge Support The Animals: Exclusive From Farm Sanctuary's Winter Wonderland

Approximately 10 billion farm animals are slaughtered in the U.S. every year. Farm Sanctuary is working to end cruel farming practices. This past Thursday, On The Verge had the honor of attending Farm Sanctuary's Winter Wonderland benefit to help raise money for Farm Sanctuary to continue their programs in public education and protecting farm animals.

The event was well attended by concerned animal-friendly people, community leaders and green celebrities including Jen Coolidge, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, Corey Feldman, Rory Freedman, Daniela Sea, Tatum O'Neal, Ally Sheedy and more.

We made a lot of new friends and will be bringing you exclusives with On The Verge including:

*Gene Baur - President of Farm Sanctuary and author of bestselling book Farm Sanctuary Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food. Gene`s first fundraiser for Farm Sanctuary was selling vegan hot dogs out of a van at Grateful Dead concerts!

*Daniela Sea - Max Sweeney from The L Word, shares with us how she became vegan, her favorite meals and how she got involved with Farm Sanctuary.

*Maria Dahvana Headley - author of The Year of Yes who shared insights with us from her book about the year that she stopped considering and starting saying yes...to every man who asked her out; from the 70-year-old at the laundromat to countless construction workers!

*Chloe Jo Berman - she'll be a TV star soon showcasing greener ways to live well and fashionably on The Style Network and currently runs The Girly Girl Army (seriously check this out and sign up now for yummy recipes, compassionate living and great fashion finds for the green and glamourous)and is Farm Sanctuary's Celebrity Coordinator...talk about a cool job!

We also met the lovely and talented Elizabeth Olsen of olsen Haus, designing pure vegan amazingly fashionable and apparently also comfortable high end shoes. (I was complaining that my feet were hurting but everyone in olsen Haus shoes seemed totally fine on their feet!) Stay tuned for a special sit down with Elizabeth and a viewing of her gorgeous line.



Jordana with Elizabeth Olsen


*By Jordana who is currently vacationing in Argentina and still a vegan...more on that to come as well!

Concert Junkie's Year-End Review of Politics and Music

Hey everyone! To quote John Lennon, "Another year [is] over and a new one just begun." So much has happened in the topsy-turvy world of 2008. Awesome tours and reunions took place, while an over abundance amount of festivals popped up. We said farewell to some highly influential performers. The world economy is slip-sliding away with one of the worst global recessions. America broke a huge barrier and made history with the monumental victory of Barack Obama as the new President Elect. The music world is on rocky grounds, while Axl finally releases "Chinese Democracy." I don't know about you, but I know I continued to melt my face with some awesome tuneage. So let's take a shot of Drambuie (one of the shittiest alcohols known to man) or toast with the finest Champagne (cheers) to 2008's politics and music.

January
Music
Drambuie me: Radiohead's "In Rainbows" was supposed to release to stores the first week of 2008. However, it started going on sale earlier than expected. It doesn't matter though, the band is nominated for various Grammys, including album of the year. Plus, they started the trend of allowing their fans to pick a price for what they want to pay for their music. It can be downloaded for free. Turns out, most true fans paid for their downloads.

Cheers: Awesome 71 year old musician, Buddy Guy hit the road and played some shows. Jay-Z released the track "Ain't I." The Mars Volta shredded and rocked at Terminal 5. Once again, another mind-blowing amazing set. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss release “Raising Sand.”

Politics
Drambuie me: A huge focus was geared on the 2008 Election because George W. Bush was entering his last year in office with the lowest approval ratings since Herbert Hoover.

Cheers: Bush enters his last year in office, and gave his final State of the Union Address (aka-fun drinking game). Obama surprises everyone and wins the Iowa primary. About twenty-four different European countries lift their border police and allow people to travel through them freely.

February
Music
Drambuie me: Amy Winehouse won Grammys and continues to smoke crack.

Cheers: Sarah Silverman released "I'm Fucking Matt Damon" to her boyfriend and fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel retaliated with the brilliant star-studded cast with "I'm Fucking Ben Affleck." Even goodie boy Josh Groban dropped a few f-bombs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_pFTAY7MF8

Politics
Drambuie me: Bombings at a marketplace in Baghdad kill 43 and injure 85 people. Senate grants immunity to the telecommunication companies. Super Tuesday is moved to February. Obama lost New Hampshire primary.

Cheers: The Giants win the Superbowl!! Oh wait that has nothing to do with politics. :) The Democratic race starts to become a nail-biter between Obama and Hilary Clinton. Both won a majority of the votes on Super Tuesday. Despite Obama losing the New Hampshire primary, he delivered his famous “Yes We Can” speech; thus creating Will.i.am’s song “Yes We Can.”

March
Music
Drambuie me: Brett Michaels has the "Rock of Love part 2." Why must there need to be a show about how a member in Poison picks a groupie as a wife. Why can’t they just film back-stage at a Poison show, or at their after parties?

Cheers: The Rolling Stone's feature flick, "Shine a Light," was released to theaters nationwide.

Politics
Drambuie me: The House fails to override Bush's veto of the bill outlawing water boarding. The fifth anniversary of the invasion in Iraq was announced. When Vice President Dick Cheyney was asked how his feelings towards the 3,999 troops that are dead and the lack of approval for going into Iraq, his response was "So?" Bear Stearns is the first to get emergency money from the government and JP Morgan bail them out. Sub-prime Mortgage crisis takes full swing. Elliot Spitzer gets caught up in a prostitute scandal. Clinton reveals Rev. Jeremiah Wright to the news media.

Cheers: The EPA announces to expand and fight smog in US cities and towns. Tibetans start to challenge China with protests about China's not-so-clean human rights record. In response to Clinton’s unraveling of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s harsh words towards America, Obama delivers a historical speech about race in Philadelphia. This was the defining moment of the Primary.

April
Music
Drambuie me: NKOTB reunite for a tour, now I know I'm getting old. Roger Waters lost his pig, and yes, that is a big deal. Jimmy Page starts teasing us all about Zeppelin getting back together and touring.

Cheers: STP announced a reunion tour. REM's "Accelerate" takes the #2 spot on Billboard album charts.

Politics
Drambuie me: Despite ongoing investigations, the State Department renews Blackwater’s contract to stay in Iraq. The body affiliated with the Olympic Committee fails to mention Tibet in the Beijing Games. The Olympic torch is protested in dozens of cities world-wide.

Cheers: Kosovo is an independent country. The Washington Post gets a Pulitzer for their story on the conditions at Walter Reed Hospital.

May
Music
Drambuie Me: R. Kelly has a bad day in court. Oh wait! This is a cheers! The lip-synching Simpson is in the news.

Cheers: Michael Jackson releases 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller." Trey Anastasio announces to play at some festivals during the summer. Radiohead start their North American tour.

Politics
Drambuie Me: Over $24 billion is used to bail out the mortgage crisis. Clinton stays in the primary despite financial issues.

Cheers: Obama is ahead of Clinton in all aspects. North Korea hands over a 1000 page document in regards to their plutonium holdings.

June
Music
Drambuie Me: One of the greatest comedians, George Carlin dies. Oakland hip-hop group the Coup were the first performers ever accused of obscure obscenity in Northfolk, VA. Guitar Hero launches Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. During the creation of the game, the record label did not have all of Aerosmith’s original recordings from back in their hay-day. Needless to say, the game did not sell well.

Cheers: My Morning Jacket releases “Evil Urges.” Weezer releases “The Red Album.” Coldplay releases “Viva la Vida or Death and All his Friends.” Robert Plant and Alision Krauss give an awesome performance at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles with star-studded newcomer Sharon Little.

Politics
Drambuie Me: A large fire breaks out at Universal Studios in Los Angeles (not political, I know, but I almost planned on going there during my vacation.) Athletes Antonio Pettigrew and Michael Johnson give back their gold medals. The America’s Climate Security Act of 2007 stalls in the US senate. About seven people were killed and 10 injured in Japan coincidentally coinciding with the Seventh Anniversary of the Osaka School Massacre. Floods occur in the mid-west. Hundreds of Koreans protest beef deal with US over the concern of Mad Cow Disease. Many people were severely injured by the police during the protests because of their use of water cannons and night sticks.

Cheers: Obama becomes the first African-American to win a party’s nomination. Clinton suspends her campaign and endorses Obama. Bush goes to Europe one last time. After a decade of waiting, China and Taiwan resume talks. California courts allow same-sex marriage. Two Bear Stearn Hedge Fund Managers were arrested and faced criminal charges.

July
Music
Drambuie Me: July 31 was declared by Los Angeles Mayor as Motley Crue Day (this is both good and bad). The Jonas Brothers are on the cover of Rolling Stone. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Cheers: Jov Stock ’08: Bon Jovi played a free show in Central Park. I took my Korean friend to his very first concert, Radiohead at the Camden Waterfront with Brooklyn band Grizzly Bear as the opener. Queen and Paul Rodgers (from Bad Company) announce a new album deal.

Politics
Drambuie Me: Starbucks announced to close 600 underperforming coffee shops around the country. Chinese restaurants in Beijing are told not to serve dog meat during the Olympics, but they can continue to serve donkey meat. One third of the coral reefs face extinction.

Cheers: Luis Moreno-Ocampo, prosecutor to the International Criminal Court, accuses Sudanese President Omar-al Bashir of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Obama speaks to over 200,000 people in Germany. Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) presents his articles of impeachment of George W. Bush to the House Judiciary Committee. Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens is indicted. Obama announces Joe Biden as his VP.

August
Music
Drambuie Me: Sarah Palin uses Heart’s "Barracuda" without permission. Kevin Cogill leaked tracks from "Chinese Democracy" and was arrested by the FBI. Leona Lewis sang “Whole Lotta Love” with Led Zep guitarist Jimmy Page to close out the Beijing Olympics. McCain uses parts of “Running on Empty” in a commercial. Brooklyn’s outdoor venue, McCaren Park/Pool, closes. Sonic Youth entices fans at the pool.

Cheers: Heart sends a letter to the Republican National Committee to stop using their song. Jackson Browne sues McCain for the use of his song without permission. AC/DC release a new single. Obama uses Brooks & Dunn’s “Only in America” at the end of his acceptance speech; the same song was used four years ago at the end of Bush’s speech. Nice how the tune crossed party lines.

Politics
Drambuie Me: The Olympic Games opened in Beijing despite the numerous protests and boycotts over China’s lack-of human rights record. Many countries boycotted the opening ceremonies. War breaks out between Georgia and Russia. John McCain announces to his friends Sarah Palin as his VP.

Cheers: Swimmer Michael Phelps breaks Mark Spitz’s record and wins eight gold medals(I know I know not politics). Jamaica’s Usain Bolt becomes the fastest man alive, and breaks world records at the Olympic games. The Democrats host their national convention in Denver, CO.

September
Music
Drambuie Me: Backstreet Boys do some shows. Britney Spears makes a come-back. Richard Wright of Pink Floyd dies from Cancer.

Cheers: The New York Dolls return. Tom Morello, the Nightwatchman, releases a solo album. James Taylor releases a new album full of fantastic covers. Alicia Keys and Jack White collaborate for new Bond theme. Pretenders release new album. Rock Band 2 is released to rousing hype and success. Travis Baker, drummer formerly of Blink-182, survives an air plane crash, but he’s critically injured and four people died. Metallica release their hardest-thrashing album since their 90's work with “Death Magnetic” (it put their post "Black Album" stuff to shame).

Politics
Drambuie Me: After the stock market took a hard blow, McCain says, “The fundamentals of our economy are strong.” Palin’s 17 year old daughter is pregnant. Bush allows special forces to go into Pakistan without approval from the Pakistani government. Unrest and possible civil war in Bolivia. Hurricane Ike hits Texas. Bush asks for $700 billion for a bail-out. McCain post-pones his campaign, but doesn’t exactly go to Washington right away.

Cheers: The bail-out was first rejected. McCain puts his campaign on pause. The presidential debates begin. Rachel Maddow has her own show on MSNBC.

October
Music
Drambuie Me: After 10 years, MTV says farewell to TRL (did anyone other than me notice that?) Beyonce clearly lip-synchs at TRL show. Led Zeppelin announce to tour without Robert Plant as their singer. Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother were murdered.

Cheers: AC/DC makes their first Rolling Stone cover, ever! BRUCE and Billy Joel perform together for an Obama fund-raiser in NYC. BRUCE performs at various Get out the Vote rallies. Joelle announces On the Verge internet TV. Rock Band won the rights to the Beatle’s library; a new Rock Band will be out next year. Def Leopard decides to go Indie.

Politics
Drambuie Me: The House and Senate pass the revised bail-out, which means more pork-spending. The economy around the world takes a massive dip. The G-7 met to discuss possible economic solutions.
Cheers: Biden and Palin debate. A bi-partisan committee in Alaska finds Palin had abused her power unlawfully when she fired the Alaska Public Safety Commissioner. Stevens is found guilty.

November
Music
Drambuie Me: After waiting 14 years, “Chinese Democracy” is finally released, but Axl is no where to be found. Boy George could face life in prison on assault and false imprisonment charges.

Cheers: “Chinese Democracy” is released. BRUCE releases new single “Working on a Dream.” The Catholic Church finally forgives Lennon for saying that the Beatles were “bigger than Jesus.” Lennon uttered those words back in 1966.

Politics

Drambuie Me: Some of the US Senate races are still unresolved (I’m pointing my finger at Minnesota). Proposition 8 passes in California, now banning same-sex marriage. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, funded the California government millions of dollars to put Proposition 8 on the ballot. This triggered millions of protests world-wide in front of Mormon Churches in over 300 cities. American unemployment rate reaches 14 percent. A volcano erupts in Columbia. Bush declares No Child Left Behind as one of his greatest achievements next to the War in Iraq.

Cheers: Barack Obama is elected as the first African-American American President. Supreme Court of California agrees to hear a challenge to Prop 8. President Elect Obama dubs Rahm Emanuel his Chief of Staff and reveals his Treasury Team.

December
Music
Drambuie Me: Joe Satriani’s “If I could Fly,” vs. Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.”

Cheers: Pearl Jam’s "Ten" is reissued.

Politics
Drambuie Me: Massive cuts and layoffs nationwide. The auto companies are asking the government for money (if the companies tank, say bye, bye to sanity).

Cheers: President Elect Obama names Clinton as his Secretary of State and more members to his cabinet. Bush actually wants to help the auto companies.

In memory: Bo Diddley, Isaac Hayes, Paul Newman, Jerry Finn, Mitch Mitchell, Alton Kelley, Odetta, Levi Stubbs, Neil Aspinall, Ken Nelson, Mickey Walker, Norman Whitfield, Buddy Miles, Miriam Makeba, Larry Levine, Jeff Healey, Alton Ellis, Eddy Arnold, Jerry Wexler, LeRoi Moore, George Carlin, Richard Wright, my dog Rebel, and Danny Federici.

My prediction and hope for the newly President Elect: Obama should focus on creating new Solar and Wind-power energy. NOT "CLEAN" COAL or NUCLEAR! If all focus is given on new, clean energy sources, then millions of jobs are created. Follow this equation:

Solar Powered paneling + Wind Power = the creation of millions of jobs.

This will boost the global economy, not just the US. Therefore, we will have a new export of goods. It can happen.

By Lori who had a pretty awesome year and hopes 2009 is even better. Let's all hope our world leaders cause us to have more toasts with Champagne than chugs of Drambuie.

RIP, Bettie Page

I was shocked and saddened to hear that Bettie Page died. She may be gone, but there's no doubt her spirit and style will continue to inspire women around the world. She certainly made an impact on my life.

*By Joelle, who will think of Bettie the next time she wears a flower in her hair.

Here's what the LA Times published:

Bettie Page dies at 85; pinup queen played a key role in the sexual revolution of the 1960s and later became a cult figure

By Louis Sahagun

Bettie Page, the brunet pinup queen with a shoulder-length pageboy hairdo and kitschy bangs whose saucy photos helped usher in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, has died. She was 85.

Page, whose later life was marked by depression, violent mood swings and several years in a state mental institution, died Thursday night at Kindred Hospital in Los Angeles, where she had been on life support since suffering a heart attack Dec. 2, according to her agent, Mark Roesler.



A cult figure, Page was most famous for the estimated 20,000 4-by-5-inch black-and-white glossy photographs taken by amateur shutterbugs from 1949 to 1957. The photos showed her in high heels and bikinis or negligees, bondage apparel -- or nothing at all.

Decades later, those images inspired biographies, comic books, fan clubs, websites, commercial products -- Bettie Page playing cards, dress-up magnet sets, action figures, Zippo lighters, shot glasses -- and, in 2005, a film about her life and times, "The Notorious Bettie Page."

Then there are the idealized portraits of her naughty personas -- Nurse Bettie, Jungle Bettie, Voodoo Bettie, Banned in Boston Bettie, Maid Bettie, Crackers in Bed Bettie -- memorialized by such artists as Olivia de Berardinis.

"I'll always paint Bettie Page," De Berardinis said Thursday night . "But truth be told, it took me years to understand what I was looking at in the old photographs of her. Now I get it. There was a passion play unfolding in her mind. What some see as a bad-girl image was in fact a certain sensual freedom and play-acting - it was part of the fun of being a woman."



"The origins of what captures the imagination and creates a particular celebrity are sometimes difficult to define," Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner said Thursday night. "Bettie Page was one of Playboy magazine's early Playmates, and she became an iconic figure, influencing notions of beauty and fashion. Then she disappeared. . . . Many years later, Bettie resurfaced and we became friends. Her passing is very sad."




In an interview 2 1/2 years ago, Hefner described Page's appeal as "a combination of wholesome innocence and fetish-oriented poses that is at once retro and very modern."

According to her agents at CMG Worldwide, Page's official website, www.BettiePage.com, has received about 600 million hits over the last five years.

"Bettie Page captured the imagination of a generation of men and women with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality," said Roesler, chairman of the Indianapolis-based CMG Worldwide, who was at Page's side when she died. "She was a dear friend and a special client and one of the most beautiful and influential women of the 20th century."

A religious woman in her later life, Page was mystified by her influence on modern popular culture. "I have no idea why I'm the only model who has had so much fame so long after quitting work," she said in an interview with The Times in 2006.

She had one request for that interview: that her face not be photographed.

"I want to be remembered," she said, "as I was when I was young and in my golden times. . . . I want to be remembered as the woman who changed people's perspectives concerning nudity in its natural form."

Bettie Mae Page was born April 22, 1923, in Nashville. She was the oldest girl among Roy and Edna Page's six children. Her father, an auto mechanic, "molested all three of his daughters," Page said in the interview.

Her parents divorced in 1933, but life didn't get any easier for Bettie.

"All I ever wanted was a mother who paid attention to me," Page recalled. "She didn't want girls. She thought we were trouble. When I started menstruating at 13, I thought I was dying because she never taught me anything about that."

After high school, Page earned a teaching credential. But her career in the classroom was short-lived. "I couldn't control my students, especially the boys," she said.

She tried secretarial work and marriage. But by 1948 she had divorced a violent husband and fled to New York City, where she enrolled in acting classes. She was noticed on the beach at Coney Island by New York police officer and amateur photographer Jerry Tibbs, who introduced her to camera clubs.

Page quickly became a sought-after model, attracting the attention of Irving Klaw and his sister, Paula, who operated a mail-order business specializing in cheesecake and bondage poses.

Under contract with the Klaws, Page was photographed prancing around with a whip, spanking other women, even being hog-tied. She also appeared in 8-millimeter "loops" and feature-length peekaboo films with titles like "Betty Page in High Heels."

"I had lost my ambition and desire to succeed and better myself; I was adrift," Page recalled. "But I could make more money in a few hours modeling than I could earn in a week as a secretary."

Her most professional photographs were taken in 1955 by fashion photographer Bunny Yeager. They included shots of Page nude and frolicking in waves and deep-sea fishing, and a January 1955 Playboy centerfold of her winking under a Santa Claus cap.

At 35, Page walked away from it all. She quit modeling and moved to Florida, where she married a much younger man whose passions, she later learned, were watching television and eating hamburgers.

Page fled from her home in tears after a dispute on New Year's Eve in 1959. Down the street, she noticed a white neon sign over a little white church with its door open.

After quietly taking a seat in the back, she had a born-again experience. Page immersed herself in Bible studies and served as a counselor for the Billy Graham Crusade.

In 1967, she married for a third time. After that marriage ended in divorce 11 years later, Page plunged into a depression marked by violent mood swings. She argued with her landlady and attacked her with a knife. A judge found her innocent by reason of insanity but sentenced her to 10 years in a California mental institution.

She was released in 1992 from Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino County to find that she had unwittingly become a pop-culture icon. A movie titled "The Rocketeer" and the comic book that inspired it contained a Bettie-esque character, triggering a revival, among women as well as men, that continues unabated.

With the help of admirers including Hefner, Page finally began receiving a respectable income for her work.

In an interview published in Playboy magazine in 2007, Page expressed mixed feelings about her achievements. "When I turned my life over to the lord Jesus I was ashamed of having posed in the nude," she said. "But now, most of the money I've got is because I posed in the nude. So I'm not ashamed of it now. But I still don't understand it."

She spent most of her final years in a one-bedroom apartment, reading the Bible, listening to Christian and country tunes, watching westerns on television, catching up on diet and exercise regimens or sometimes perusing secondhand clothing stores.

Occasionally, however, Page was persuaded to visit the Sunset Boulevard penthouse offices of her agents at CMG Worldwide to autograph pinups of herself in the post-World War II years of her prime. The agency controls her image and those of Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana, among others.



During one such event in early 2006, Page needed about 10 minutes to get through the 10 letters of her name. As she pushed her pen over a portrait of her in a negligee with an ecstatic smile, she laughed and said, "My land! Is that supposed to be me? I was never that pretty."

She is survived by her brother Jack Page of Nashville and sister Joyce Wallace of Blairsville, Ga.

Natasha Bedingfield and Solange Knowles Ring in Cosmo's First-Ever StarLaunch Female Rock Star

Last week at Terminal 5 in NYC, Cosmo Girl named Mieka Pauley Winner of First-Ever StarLaunch Search for the Next Fun Fearless Female Rock Star. Mieka played in a live battle-of-the-bands American-Idol-style performance and won against her competition the trio of Fortune 457 and solo artist Alexa Wilkinson. On The Verge was there for an exclusive interview with Mieka who will be spending her $10K prize money on recording and touring. Humbled and excited, Mieka joked about where she could cash her life-sized first place check. All three finalists were excited to be opening for Solange Knowles and Natasha Bedingfield.

Stay tuned for launch info for On The Verge. Our interview with Mieka along with video from Natasha & Solange's performances are coming soon!

*By Jordana who became a fan of Mieka, Natasha, Solange and Fuze Slenderize last Friday night

Oh Hai Mucc - Japanese Metal Takes Over The Fillmore

Japan is widely regarded as a closed society and is incredibly homogenous – 99% of Japan’s population is 100% Japanese. It is also fiercely protective of its culture, with strict standards for behavior, clothing and appearance. Sort of like that FLDS compound in Texas, but without the polygamy. Or those Little House on the Prairie dresses.

So imagine my surprise, upon walking into the Fillmore on December 7 to see the Japanese metal group Mucc, to find a huge group of Japanese teenagers decked out in their Hot Topic-finest, complete with black latex, red plaid, and fill-in-the-blank wacky hair color. Equally unexpected was the other half of the crowd who appeared to be homegrown, white-bred Americans. That they spoke no Japanese did not stop them from singing along with Mucc’s heavily eye-linered lead singer, Tatsurou.

While the lyrics may not have immediately resonated with the English speaking crowd, the music translates well into American rock. The instrumentals could easily be confused with Korn or Disturbed. Seemingly eager to appeal to his American audience Tatsurou adopted several typical rockstar-isms, repeatedly asking that they “go fucking crazy” or “fuck it.” His limited English kept the between-song banter to a minimum, but the bands' hardcore shell cracked for one adorable moment about halfway through the set: while catching his breath, Tatsurou told the crowd he was “so happy come again.”

Based on this performance, and if more people can get into Japanese lyrics, Mucc stands a good chance of breaking into mainstream American rock. They are great performers who connected to the audience and moved their fans to hit one another in one song and cry in the next (no joke – actual tears were shed). While their decisively untraditional hair and makeup suggest that they are jazzed to shed the conventional Japanese image and jump into American rock, one aspect of Japanese culture snuck in – every band member I could see was barefoot.






**By Jesy B, our newest writer who also happens to work at a Japanese bank...is there a coincidence here?

Best of 2008

I had to do this for work and figured I should post here, too.

Hope I'm not forgetting anything!

* By Joelle, who is drinking Egg Nog coffee. Yum!


The Only 2008 Releases I Bought & Therefore Love (in no order)



*The Kooks, KONK

* Butch Walker, Sycamore Meadows

* Val Emmich, Little Daggers

* The Matches, A Band in Hope

* She & Him (Vol. 1)

* Hanson, The Walk



Shows That Rocked My '08:

The Kooks @ Terminal 5

Sohodolls @ CMJ

Stone Temple Pilots @ PNC

Butch Walker (multiple shows)

Hanson @ The Wellmont

The Matches @ Stone Pony

Val Emmich @ Maxwells

Perfuma @ CMJ

The Gay Blades @ Irving Plaza



Band I Wish Toured in '08: lostprophets

In case you didn't notice before:

*By Jess, who likes Coldplay, but is on Team Satriani.

Dear Katy Perry,

You didn't get shafted, sweetheart. You got lucky.

As a manufactured posterchild for AutoTune, the fact that you even received a Grammy nomination in the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance category, despite not being able to sing live to save your life, is a pretty big deal. For you to then post a blog entry implying that you got "shafted" when you were "shut out" of the other categories is an insult. It's an insult to my ears and to the industry that morphed you from an attention-starved blonde Christian artist who can't sing to an attention-starved brunette pseudopinup who still can't sing but has good producers.

Any number of artists would kill just to get signed, let alone nominated for a Grammy in any one category, and this is how you thank the Academy?

Katy, you're not Kanye. Establish some credibility as an artist instead of as a puppet. Learn to sing live instead of jumping into cakes. Use your vocal chords to do your job instead of running your over-lipsticked mouth. The right to throw a tantrum is reserved to those with talent. Stop biting the hands that feed you, or you'll soon be starving--and you'll deserve that more than any award I can imagine.

Love,

*Jess, who is transparently biased.

Celebrate Compassion with Farm Sanctuary and On The Verge

If you're in NYC it's not too late to get your ticket to Farm Sanctuary's Winter Wonderland. Join us along with special guests Laurie Anderson, Alison Becker, Jennifer Coolidge, Corey Feldman, Peter Max, Patrick McDonnell, Tatum O'Neal, Maulik Pancholy, Daniela Sea, Ally Sheedy, Princess Superstar, Loretta Swit and Justin Theroux to celebrate compassion for all beings and give farm animals the gift of life.

Farm Sanctuary works to end cruelty to farm animals and promotes compassionate living through rescue, education and advocacy. They envision a world where the violence that animal agriculture inflicts upon people, animals and the environment has ended, and where instead all exercise values of compassion.

On The Verge will be on hand to film at Winter Wonderland with celebrity guests, Farm Sanctuary reps and other awesome vegans as part of our Start Something segment for the upcoming internet TV show. (More on the launch and some video previews soon, sit tight!) I'll also be auctioning off a 90 minute personal yoga session... are you not convinced yet that you should check it out? Head on over to Farm Sanctuary and donate.