5Top: Let’s rock! Best backing bands

James Brown was such a rigid taskmaster that he was legendary for being able to squeeze killer performances even from pickup bands he’d never worked with before. But with all respect to the Famous Flames, his backing group for the first 15 years, nothing could touch the razor precision with which the J.B.’s supported the Hardest Working Man In Show Business. Part of that was surely due to Brown’s notorious habit of fining his musicians for the slightest mistake on or off the stage. But with Jabo Starks on drums (augmented at times by the funky drummer himself, Clyde Stubblefield), Maceo Parker on saxophone and, for a time, future P-Funkateer Bootsy Collins on bass, the J.B.’s were the tightest (and possibly most terrified) band in the world, carrying out the orders of a ruthless disciplinarian and being rewarded by acting as the machine with which he invented a brand-new genre: funk.

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Twins for Elvis Costello & Diana Krall

Elvis Costello and wife Diana Krall are the parents of twin boys. The new arrivals — named Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James — were born on Wednesday, according to a statement from the couple. "We are ecstatic!" the statement continued, going on to add that "mother and sons are doing splendidly."

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Elvis Costello first made his mark in the 1970s with songs of acidic wit and melodic sneer, so it's no surprise that he approached a new career venture as a talk-show host with something less than sunny optimism.

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Bruce Springsteen, who turns 60 this September, released a new album and performed at the SuperBowl. Whatever happened to Live Fast, Die Young? Someone ask Sid Vicious. Even Johnny Rotten turned 53 on January 31.

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Interview with World Vision Australia head Rev. Tim Costello just returned from Burma. Official toll from the disaster 77,738 dead and 55,917 missing; 750,000 people starving; 1 million homeless; yet junta STILL limits aid.

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Article about the ABC TV's Four Corners episode tonight, in which former key players shed light on the death throes of the Howard government.

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t is invariably unwise to make predictions. However, the most likely outcome for political conservatism in Australia is that the Liberal Party will survive its present crisis.

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Indeed it is all fun and games in the land of conservatives... Mr Abbott has seen the light (and perhaps has had a more realistic assessment of his famous people skills). Nelson and Turnbull are going to slog it out today.... stay tuned folks this will be fun!

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Australian Election 07 -If you thought the discussion of aspirational voters was tedious, try aspirational tax schedules. Costello has played clever on this one. Last week's Coalition tax policy included aspirational rates, but not thresholds.

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Ughhh...come on guys, doesn't anyone remember "disunity is death?". This is a very unwanted and plain stupid spat from someone who should know a lot better. The scary thing is that this an ongong matter that does not seem to die, just when the Liberals are behind in the polls.

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The Federal Government has savaged Labor's announcement of a multi-billion dollar plan to improve broadband coverage throughout Australia if it is elected.

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The LUCKIEST musicians ever!

Here we go. A list of the luckiest musicians ever!! Great. Well, we all know that number is the one and only...

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…Mr Costello warned the drought could bring on a rural depression. "Next year's Budget will be very difficult because we're in the worst drought in 100 years, that's going to make next year's Budget very difficult," he said.

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Foot in Mouth Disease: Why Australia's next Prime Minister may not be Peter Costello

"Things are going too well, let's find a spanner…"

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The tensions are now impossible for anyone to conceal: a wily, successful and popular older prime minister and an ambitious, younger, capable but somewhat aloof and not overly likeable Treasurer.

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