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Tracing the lineage of pop's biggest divas.
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- 7/7/2010
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Bay Area News Group Thursday, July 8, 2010
TimeouT
ONLINE
did “Glee” or “modern Family”
score emmy nods? Go to our
website and read chuck barney’s
reaction to today’s nominations.
conTracosTaTimes.com and insidebayarea.com 000 paGe d1
Their roots are showing
Tracing the lineage of pop’s biggest divas
By Jim Harrington from Madonna’s book. And Madge can trace her lineage back Plus, a few artists in our tree have concerts coming up
jharrington@bayareanewsgroup.com to the likes of Bette Midler, Cher, even Josephine Baker. in the Bay Area — Rihanna and KeSha perform at Shore-
Let’s kick things off here with a cold, hard fact: No art- With that in mind, it’s time to draw up a proper fam- line Amphitheatre in Mountain View on Saturday, while
ist is entirely original. ily tree of modern dance/R&B/pop divas. A similar thing Lady Gaga plays Aug. 16-17 at HP Pavilion in San Jose
Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Each artist could be done for other genres, such as country (from Lo- and Shakira takes over the Oracle Arena on Oct. 22. (See
stands on the shoulders of a giant, who stood on someone retta Lynn to Tanya Tucker to Gretchen Wilson) and jazz www.livenation.com or www.ticketmaster.com for more
else’s shoulders before that. That’s especially true in music, (Billie Holiday to Nina Simone to Diana Krall), but information.) All these singers are, indeed, great talents
which is why we find it hilarious when critics, bloggers we thought we’d stick with — but don’t let any of them fool you that they’re true
and celebrity watchers squabble over whether divas what’s currently hot trailblazers.
such as KeSha and Christina Aguilera are stealing on the Billboard As for the guys, well, when Bob Dylan starts
from Lady Gaga. charts. wearing conical bras onstage, we will explore this
Folks, get real — they’re all stealing pages terrain for them, as well.
Madonna Whitney
She took Cher’s
Cher Diana Ross Houston
game to a new The multimedia The voice, the glam- Her extraordinary
level and showed pioneer was wearing mer, the attitude. singing talents
courting contro- crazy, revealing outfits Diana Ross might tragically lost out
versy could pay when Madonna was have singlehandedly to her legendary
the bills. still in diapers. And brought the diva diva-dom. Is there
concept to the hope for a come-
pop/R&B era. back?
Britney Christina Gwen Janet
Spears Aguilera Stefani Jackson Celine Dion
Mariah Carey
Until the break- The “Genie in The plucky Technically, she Without Whitney,
down, she went a Bottle” has ska-pop singer predates Ma- we might never Along with Whit-
from Mouse- a powerhouse gets props for donna, but she have heard Dion’s ney (and Aretha
keteer to under- voice and making herself borrowed from over-the-top Franklin), ranks
age temptress evolved into into a pop star the Material remake of “All as one of the
without missing one of pop and fashion Girl’s playbook by Myself.” What most influential
a beat. music’s great icon. in her later a shame that R&B voices of the
chameleons. career. would’ve been. last 25 years.
Lady
Gaga Paula Abdul
She’s the Fergie Known more Beyonce
Miley Taylor biggest fish in
Katy for her dance Blend Mariah’s Leona Kelly
Cyrus Swift the pop pond She’s following Perry moves than her vocals with Lewis Clarkson
right now, but Gwen’s path, With her looks, singing. Hey, Madonna/Cher’s
Don’t look Actually, she’s but can she Mariah Carey- All “American
now, but the ultimate there’s no hooks and likable she’d make theatrics and her
break free of like pipes from Idol” singers
Cyrus’ career anti-Britney, denying she kookiness, she a good talent own insanely good
Black Eyed the U.K., and owe something
eerily mirrors succeeding on borrowed from could eclipse show judge dancing, and you
Peas? without all the to Mariah, but
Britney’s. wholesomeness Madonna and Gwen’s fame. some day. have the most nuttiness. Clarkson man-
and talent. Xtina. thrilling act in aged to establish
popular music. her own style.
Rihanna Carrie
KeSha Underwood
She fancies
She’s not in Shakira
Beyonce’s Like Clarkson, an
herself another We love more “Idol” champ who
league — yet.
Gaga, but we than just her forged her own style.
Stay tuned.
think her 15 hips, she’s a Unlike Clarkson,
minutes are genuine talent her career seems
going “TiK ToK.” who writes and unstoppable.
produces her
own songs.
MCT
loveHATE ‘Crackdown 2’ just more of same
When “Crackdown” was released, the ran the city.
I love ... I HATE … big joke was that it sold more for its “Halo When they finally finished “Crackdown,”
... when a few weeks ago my husband ... drivers who do not under- 3” beta access than the actual disc inside. players were treated to a cliffhanger. They
and I attended an Amador High School stand that a solid white line means The anticipation for Bungie’s discovered that the Agency leader
baseball game at Dougherty High don’t cross over, especially on the next-Gen game was so intense that was the mastermind behind the
School in San Ramon and a generous, infamous ‘S’ curve; and those who some assumed it would overshadow gangs, and now that the Agent had
gentleman paid for our entrance tickets. have the bigger, shinier, newer cars Realtime Worlds’ open-world game. eliminated all of them, it would
What a nice surprise for us! Thank you, that appear to come without turn But for those who gave it a make way for a New World Order.
“Good Samaritan.” signals. chance, “Crackdown” was surpris- In short, the player got played and
— Patricia Poor, San Ramon — J. Henrichs, El Cerrito ingly good for its time. The sandbox ended up being a tool for the Man.
title allowed players to take on Gieson cacho With a sequel, the franchise had
... when my 20-year-old daughter of- ... that Fremont Bank moved out the role of a policing Agent who an opportunity to make good on its
of Safeway stores in Fremont. It was could leap across tall buildings, Game On unusual but auspicious beginnings.
fers to go on walks with me to the store,
and holds my hand as we cross the half the reason I shopped at Safeway throw cars as though they were I expected a bigger, better city,
street. There is something so genuine because it was so convenient to bank Hot Wheel toys and launch explosives that smarter mission designs and new powers.
and loving as a simple gesture of holding and grocery shop. I am not changing Michael Bay would envy Fans get little of those things in “Crack-
your parent’s hand that shows love. banks after 25 years. It felt like “Grand Theft Auto” juiced on down 2.” Under new developer Ruffian
— Sheryl Lynn Boykins, Union City — Kathy Freeman, Fremont steroids. Futuristic Pacific City was a rich Games, this sequel is a disappointment.
environment where players could feel free Unintentional or not, players fittingly
to cause as much havoc as possible. The return to a Pacific City in ruins. A mys-
Send your love/hates to aharris@bayareanewsgroup.com. free-form destruction was liberating, and terious illness called the Freak virus has
Please include your full name and city. it encouraged creativity when it came to
whacking the crime lords who supposedly See Game, Page 2
