| Take On Me Singer, director and animator remember A-ha's classic video bbc.co.uk |
Mexican police commander killed A Mexican commander looking into the disappearance of a US tourist from a border lake is killed. bbc.co.uk |
General Johnson obituary Songwriter and lead vocalist with the soul band Chairmen of the BoardGeneral Johnson, who has died of lung cancer aged 67, was a Grammy-winning songwriter and lead singer for the soul band Chairmen of the Board. The group's best-known hit, Give Me Just a Little More Time (1970), guaranteed their place in the annals of pop, but the group continued to perform right up to Johnson's death. He was also the co-writer of Patches, a song about a boy from a poor family forced to take on adult responsibilities, which was a huge hit for Clarence Carter and was later recorded by George Jones, Alabama and several others.General Norman Johnson was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1943. His father, from whom he inherited the name "General", worked in the local navy shipyards and was a keen amateur gospel singer. He encouraged his son to be the professional musician he would have liked to have been. "I owe it all to my father," said Johnson Jr. "He wanted to be a singer, but that could not be a career because he had a family. So I think he lived through me."Johnson began performing at the age of six, when he sang in the church choir, and then joined a local group, the Humdingers. Noah Biggs, their manager, took them to New Orleans, where they teamed up with the writer and producer Allen Toussaint, who changed their name to the Showmen and wrote their hit song It Will Stand (1961), recorded for the Minit label and now regarded as a minor New Orleans classic. Johnson's own potential began to emerge when the Showmen recorded 39-21-40, which he had written when he was 14.The Showmen split up in 1968 and Johnson aimed to start a solo career, but changed his plans when he was invited to become involved with the new Invictus label in Detroit, founded by the fabled Motown writing/producing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. Johnson formed Chairmen of the Board with an ex-Showmen colleague, Danny Woods, along with Eddie Curtis and Harrison Kennedy. They hit the bull's eye with their exuberant debut single, Give Me Just a Little More Time, a song made irresistible by Johnson's imploring vocal and telltale "brrrt" sound. It hit No 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 and sold more than a million copies. The Chairmen consolidated their success with follow-ups (You've Got Me) Dangling on a String, and Everything's Tuesday, which both entered the UK Top 20, and Johnson also wrote such lesser hits as Pay to the Piper and Finders Keepers. He had also begun writing songs for other artists. He wrote the anti-war song Bring the Boys Home for Freda Payne, another Invictus artist. With Ronald Dunbar he co-wrote Patches, which won them a Grammy award. Johnson paid tribute to Holland-Dozier-Holland. "I was learning from them the art of how you write a song. It paid off, because in a year and a half I had amassed six million-selling songs that I had written. I was the BMI songwriter of the year. That's pretty heavy stuff."But the good times were drawing to an end, and Invictus began to disintegrate. Lamont Dozier quit, along with several artists including Payne. Johnson found himself unable to record as Chairmen of the Board, because Invictus owned the name. Once again he decided to go solo, and enjoyed some success with his 1979 album General Johnson, on Arista. Then, reunited with Danny Woods, Johnson returned to his roots in Virginia and North Carolina, and began to perform on the beach-music circuit, playing party-time R&B music to receptive crowds. His 1980 song Carolina Girls became the local anthem, a kind of delayed riposte to the Beach Boys' California Girls."For the first time in eight years, I enjoyed performing music without the depression of the music business," he explained. "I found an independent music industry that was still free of monopoly, politics and categorisation." He had become so sickened by record industry infighting that, in 1981, he turned down a lucrative offer to work with Motown chief Berry Gordy. With his rebuilt three-piece Chairmen of the Board, Johnson continued to be a regular attraction for beach-music audiences, and recorded independently funded albums including All In The Family (2004) and Soul Tapestry (2009). A new album, Treasure Chest, had been completed before he died. He is survived by his wife, Julia, sons Norman and Antonio, and daughter Sonya.• General Norman Johnson, musician, born 23 May 1943; died 13 October 2010SoulUnited StatesAdam Sweetingguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Warming threat to life in rivers Future warming could have "profound implications" for the stability of freshwater ecosystems, a study warns. bbc.co.uk |
Former Argentina president Néstor Kirchner dies Contender to succeed his wife, Cristina Fernández, in Argentina's election next year, dies from heart attackThe former Argentinian president, Néstor Kirchner, the current leader's husband and a contender to succeed her in next year's election, has died of a heart attack.Kirchner, 60, was considered President Cristina Fernández's closest adviser and a major power broker in her government.He died after being taken to the Formenti de Calafate hospital while suffering a severe heart attack, the presidency said."It was a sudden death"Kirchner's doctor, Luis Buonomo, told Reuters.The former president, who underwent two arterial procedures earlier this year, died in the southern city of El Calafate. Fernández was at his side when he died, state television said.The left-leaning Kirchner from the ruling Peronist party was president from 2003 to 2007 and oversaw Argentina's recovery from a devastating economic crisis. He was famous for his fiery speeches peppered with leftist rhetoric and outspoken criticism of political rivals, private companies and the International Monetary Fund.The news immediately had great impact in Argentina."A great patriot has died," said Juan Carlos Dante Gullo, a ruling party congressman, to state TV. "This will leave a huge hole in Argentine politics. We will have to follow his example. Argentina has lost one of its greatest men."The leader of the human rights group Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Estela de Carlotto, said Kirchner "gave his life for his country.""Our country needed this man so much. He was indispensable," she told radio Continental.Kirchner, a likely candidate in next year's presidential elections, was secretary general of the South American alliance known as Unasur and also served as a congressman and leader of the Peronist party.After meeting his wife at law school in the turbulent 1970s, the couple took turns in the political limelight. She was a close adviser during his 2003-2007 rule and he was a key economic adviser since she succeeded him in December 2007.He was seen as a key contender in next year's presidential race and his popularity closely tracked approval ratings for his wife's presidency that rebounded from lows of about 20% alongside an economic recovery.In their back-to-back tenures – criticised by some for side-stepping presidential term limits – Kirchner and his wife increased state control of the economy, intervening in financial and grains markets and maintaining price controls that analysts say have dampened investment in the energy sector.Argentinaguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |