When the Spice Girls finally touched down in England to make a scheduled appearance at an event at London’s Heathrow airport for Virgin Atlantic’s new terminal on Thursday, the fab five - Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Chisholm and an injured Emma Bunton on crutches - were greeted by a suprisingly small group of supporters.

Approximately 500 Spice fans who won a competition to see the Spice Girls at a ”secret location” met up at a hotel to make their way to the airport, however only 250 showed up at the terminal to watch the girls as they attended the event with Virgin Airlines mogul, Sir Richard Branson.

The girls flew in from Los Angeles on their newly-christened ‘Spice One’ Boeing 747 jet, and sources say they angered fans who attended the event by taking to the stage for only a very brief chat – and nearly an hour after they were scheduled to do so.   

A source says:

“We’d been working on this event for eight weeks – ensuring the health and safety for the large crowds was all up to standard. We had expected at least 500 fans – that was the amount who won the chance to see the Spice Girls – but less than half came on the  day. These are supposed to be the band’s die-hard fan base – and we struggled to fill the small closed-off area at the airport. It was a bit embarrassing. You would think the Spice Girls’ homecoming would whip up more excitement…but evidently not.”

 On Monday, the Spice Girls reportedly played to a half-capacity crowd in Las Vegas, Nevada, despite previous claims that the tour was ”completely sold out”.

Singer Amy Winehouse has reportedly told friends friend that she wants to get her life together - once she can get past New Years Eve, that is. 

Winehouse, who has been nominated for 6 Grammy awards, has reportedly told a friend that she’s promised to make amends in January in an effort to get her career back on track, after saying she’s determined to attend the award show in February. 

 The friend says:

“Amy has agreed she will sort her life out in the New Year. She wants to give the performance of her life in L.A. But she’s going to throw a party over Christmas – which will probably be a messy affair.”

Dennis Schulz, who attended a Bon Jovi concert in Edmonton, Canada earlier this year and suffered a dislocated spinal cord and has rendered him paralyzed after he was crushed by other concert goers who were having a fight, is said to be be suing for a reported $14 million dollars. 

Schulz has filed a lawsuit against staff, promoters, four fans and the Edmonton venue where the concert was held - but not the band.  

Rock and blues legend Ike Turner died Wednesday at his San Marcos, California home.  He was 76. 

Turner was born Izear Luster Turner, Jr., in Clarksdale, Mississippi where he began his career as a Mississippi disk jockey and later a bandleader, finding success with the group The Kings of Rhythm with the hit, “Rocket 88″ in 1951. While on the road, the band adopted a revue format for live performances and used the band to try out new talent, among them a virtually unknown young singer named Anna Mae Bullock, who became a solid act in the revue during the 1950’s. Turner and Bullock would later move in together when Bullock found herself pregnant by another member of the band. The couple eventually married and in 1958, Anna would became known the world over as Tina Turner. 

Together the pair toured across the country and became a successful duo in the 1970’s, toured with the Rolling Stones and had a hits with their songs, “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits.” Eventually, the couple separated in 1975 and Tina would later claim that Ike both physically and mentally abused her, revealing that her husband was a control freak who was addicted to cocaine and who would often burn her with cigarettes during their marriage.

Throughout his turbulent life and in his later years, Ike was arrested on numerous charges, mostly for drug related crimes. In 1991, both Ike and Tina were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, however Ike was unable to attend because he was in prison on drug charges. Ike was later denounced for his abuse of Tina in her biopic, “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”

In 2001, Turner attempted a come back and scored with ”Here And Now,” and although nominated for a Grammy award in the Best Traditional Blues Album category, he would lose, only to win this year in the same category for ”Risin’ with the Blues,” at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards held in February. 

A rep for Amy Winehouse says that despite the pop star’s recent setbacks, she’s determined to attend the upcoming Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where she’s been nominated for a whopping six awards.  

According to a Winehouse spokesperson [via People.com]:

“Amy is thrilled to be nominated for six Grammys and is very much hoping to attend. She is determined to be ready and well for that performance.”

In the meantime, Amy’s mother Janis has written an open letter to her daughter and had it published in the News of the World newspaper, begging her daughter to seek help before it’s too late. 

“This letter is my way of making sure that you know that all you have to do is come to us, Amy, and we’ll do everything in our power to get you well again.  After all, you are still my baby and you always will be.”

Winehouse and her mother are said to be speaking to one another, however the letter was a push to get the troubled singer going in the right direction and hopefully persuade the singer to go home and get help. 

Janis Winehouse continued:

“We want to help you, but we know that unless you want to be helped - unless you come to us - anything we tried would be in vain. Remember: you’re just an ordinary human being, no stronger than any of the rest of us.”

People magazine also recently reported that Winehouse is currently in a program and under a doctor’s supervision. 

According to the Associated Press, toxicology tests have confirmed that Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow died of an accidental cocaine overdose.

The Clark County Coroner’s Office released the official autopsy report on Monday.

The 52-year-old DuBrow was found dead in his home in Las Vegas on November 25th.  At the time, police said they did not suspect foul play and there was no sign of forced entry to the home. 

Here is the first look at the David Beckham campaign for Armani and is it me, or it is getting a little hot in here? 

This is Beckham’s first campaign with Armani and we’ll no doubt be seeing much more of Beckham since he scored a three year deal that’s worth millions.  The new ads can be seen in a special debut in the February edition of Vanity Fair.  Later,  look for Beckham on billboards in New York and LA, before jumping across the pond to London and elsewhere. 

In other Beckham news, the footballer recently teamed up with rapper Snoop Dogg and his three children for a California coaching session, which will  be aired on E!, January 20th.  After kicking the ball around, Snoop and Becks decided to dine at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n’ Waffles in Los Angeles, a Snoop Dogg favorite eatery.

Kanye West and Amy Winehouse have taken the lead in the nominations for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. West’s “Graduation” is nominated for both Album Of The Year and Rap Album Of The Year, while ”Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Good Life” have both been nominated for Best Rap Song.

Winehouse’s “Back To Black” has been nominated for the Album Of The Year and her hit single “Rehab” is up for both Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year. 

The nominations:

Record Of The Year
Irreplaceable, Beyonce
The Pretender, Foo Fighters
Umbrella, Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
What Goes Around…Comes Around, Justin Timberlake
Rehab, Amy Winehouse

Album Of The Year
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, Foo Fighters
These Days, Vince Gill
River: The Joni Letters, Herbie Hancock
Graduation, Kanye West
Back To Black, Amy Winehouse

Song Of The Year
Before He Cheats, Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins
Hey There Delilah, Tom Higgenson
Like A Star, Corinne Bailey Rae
Rehab, Amy Winehouse
Umbrella, Shawn Carter

Best New Artist
Feist
Ledisi
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Amy Winehouse

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Candyman, Christina Aguilera
1234, Feist
Big Girls Don’t Cry, Fergie
Say It Right, Nelly Furtado
Rehab, Amy Winehouse

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Everything, Michael Buble
Belief, John Mayer
Dance Tonight, Paul McCartney
Amazing, Seal
What Goes Around … Comes Around, Justin Timberlake

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Everything, Michael Buble
Belief, John Mayer
Dance Tonight, Paul McCartney
Amazing, Seal
What Goes Around…Comes Around, Justin Timberlake

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
(You Want To) Make A Memory, Bon Jovi
Home, Daughtry
Makes Me Wonder, Maroon5
Hey There Delilah, Plain White T’s
Window In The Skies, U2

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Steppin’ Out, Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera
Beautiful Liar, Beyonce & Shakira
Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On), Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
The Sweet Escape, Gwen Stefani & Akon
Give It To Me, Timbaland Featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake

Akon has pleaded not guiltyin a New York court, to endangering the welfare of a minor and harassment. The charges stem from an incident earlier this year when Akon allegedly picked up a teenage fan and did some fan-tossing from center stage into a crowd during a concert.

The hip-hop artist was released on his own recognizance following a brief court appearance on Monday and was told he does not have to be present at future court sessions because his lawyer can stand in for him.  Akon’s attorney, Benjamin Brafman, said in a written statement:

“It was never Akon’s intention to violate the law. This unfortunate incident was a spontaneous reaction during a live concert that Akon deeply regrets.”

Akon’s next court date is set for January.

image courtesy: media takeout

Amy Winehouse has been photographed wandering the streets of London, wearing only a bra and jeans. According to the Daily Mail, Winehouse was spotted barefoot and only partially dressed leaving a friend’s house at 5:45 a.m. on Sunday. Witnesses told the Mail she appeared disorientated and agitated as she wandered around on the pavement for several minutes in the cold weather and then went back inside the house. 

Winehouse has canceled the remainder of her U.K. concert tour last week, saying health issues and her grief regarding her husband’s incarceration as the causes.

The report comes as Georgette Civil, who is the mother of Winehouse’s husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has revealed the singer is ingesting more drugs than ever and rarely visiting her husband in prison:

“Amy’s having trouble getting her head together about anything right now. It’s desperately sad and we’re all so worried about her mental and emotional well-being. She needs professional help. Amy is still using drugs when Blake’s in prison. She is using more cocaine and heroin now than ever. She can’t stop crying and keeps saying all she wants is peace. She’s not eating or sleeping properly and is in pieces.”