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| Can Lil Wayne's VMA Performance Make Him Into A Global Superstar? Posted: 04 Sep 2008 03:45 AM PDT Tha Carter III is 2008's best-selling album so far, making Weezy's stage time more important than ever.
Lil Wayne fans are Lil Wayne fans to the 10th power: The dude has a fanatical following. At his headlining shows, the audience members can recount the story behind every one of his many tattoos, tell you the number of diamonds in his teeth and, of course, recite his most obscure underground lyrics. They fervently cheer for his every move onstage, even when he sips from one of his red plastic cups. The hip-hop world has been screaming for years that Weezy is the hottest MC in the game (he even earned that title in our first "Hottest MCs in the Game" competition, although he slipped to #3 this year, possibly due to the delayed release of his latest LP, Tha Carter III), and of course, that album was the first since 2005 to sell a million copies in a single week. But still, Wayne is not a household name along the lines of a Jay, Kanye, 50 or Eminem. Now Weezy gets the chance to bring his charismatic showmanship to arguably the biggest stage of his career: the MTV Video Music Awards. Will a memorable performance at the VMAs help catapult Wayne to true superstardom? "The energy should be his highest ever, now that he's the #1 dude in the game," said Datwon Thomas, editor in chief of XXL magazine, which dressed Weezy as an astronaut for its current issue. "It would be kinda cool if he came out in the Moonman suit, like he did for our cover!" King magazine Editor in Chief Jermaine Hall agreed that the VMAs could be a turning point for Weezy. "[It's] a huge stage for him. He's under more pressure because it's the type of show that speaks directly to the consumers that put him over a million," he said. "It's a perfect opportunity to break a third single to his audience, or give the T-Pain song ['Got Money'] some more legs, so I imagine his show will be over the top." In 2007, Wayne had just a few days' notice to write a verse for his appearance with Nicole Scherzinger at the VMA preshow, and he'll also be teaming up with Kid Rock for a performance during this year's show. But the big difference this year could be in his stage presence. Wayne has performed so much in the past year, evolving from the spirited rap stallion who ran around the stage with the Hot Boys to the rock-and-roll wizard of swagger we know today. New York radio host Miss Info has witnessed that transformation. "The learning curve that Weezy is on in terms of his lyricism from then until now was just unreal," she said. "Or maybe we all missed the potential, because he hadn't developed a personality big enough to match it. Now ... Weezy is able to communicate a total package to his fans. There's a voice, a delivery, a style, a look and a larger-than-life, not-of-this-planet personality all working together. It's like a one-man Team Weezy." Wayne's not afraid to appeal to fans of all genres, mastering the art of crossover. One minute he'll slay hip-hop purists via spontaneous freestyle as metaphors roll off his tongue with precision and fluidity. Then he'll pick up the guitar and play a whole song. "Wayne has a rock-star element to his stage show," Hall said. "He's probably one of the few MCs who can rock a song a cappella and [have] the audience feel a connection to him. Not comparing him to [Mick] Jagger or any of those dudes, but those rock dudes can tell the band to chill, and rock a solo, and the audience throws a lighter in the air and enjoys it all the same ... old or new song." Thomas agreed that Weezy gives something extra with each performance: "He isn't just rapping to the crowd; he is performing his song for them. Facial expressions, vocal inflections and the like help him convey his outer-space lyrics to us mere mortals." Wayne's otherworldly unpredictability will be key during this year's VMAs. Everyone will want to know if he can condense his skills into a mini-set that we'll remember five years from now. Given his diverse arsenal of techniques to kill the crowd, it seems very likely that he can. And let's not forget, there are so many records on Tha Carter III that a national television audience has never seen him perform, he'll have plenty of choices — from the frenetic "Phone Home" to the pensive "Tie My Hands." No matter what Wayne has planned for the night, some people would like to see him go off script. "There are the iconic [awards show] moments that are meticulously planned and flawlessly executed," Miss Info said, "and then there are the iconic moments that result from genius and chaos (rest in peace, ODB). The best Lil Wayne moment would be a spontaneous rejection of what has been meticulously planned. Weezy is already booked to perform, and his set has already been planned, so that's half of the winning formula right there. Can't wait for showtime." Now that you've helped us pick the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards, head to VMA.MTV.com to vote for your favorite in the Best New Artist category, check out the latest additions to the performer and presenter lineups, see the best (and worst) of VMA fashion and much more. Then tune in this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET for MTV News' "Opening Act" on the red carpet, followed by the big show, live from Hollywood at 9 p.m. ET. Related Videos Related Artists | |||||||||||||
| John McCain Gets Intimate With RNC Delegates In Nomination Speech, Promises Change Posted: 05 Sep 2008 09:04 AM PDT McCain had a tough act to follow after VP candidate Sarah Palin's blockbuster address.
ST. PAUL, Minnesota — After a week when Republicans blasted Democrats for being the same old tax-and-spend liberals and a star was born in the form of GOP vice-presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain had a simple task Thursday night (September 4) on the final night of the Republican National Convention: seal the deal. Never the first choice of the conservative core of the Republican party, McCain set out to do that in his nearly one-hour speech by stressing his independent streak and inviting delegates to get onboard his express train to a new day for the Grand Old Party.
"You all know, I've been called a maverick, someone who marches to the beat of his own drum," McCain told the packed house, which gave him a nearly two-minute standing ovation. "Sometimes it's meant as a compliment, and sometimes it's not. What it really means is I understand who I work for. I don't work for a party. I don't work for a special interest. I don't work for myself. I work for you." It was a theme he would return to often during the low-key speech — his drive to rise above party — and while McCain's address mostly lacked the sparkle and partisan bite of Palin's crowd-rouser the night before, he took on the slow and steady tone of a man who has learned the importance of carefully measured steps. "I'm not in the habit of breaking promises to my country, and neither is Governor Palin," said McCain, who was interrupted twice early on by protesters who were dragged out of the hall to the shouts of "USA! USA!" from the audience. "And when we tell you we're going to change Washington and stop leaving our country's problems for some unluckier generation to fix, you can count on it. And we've got a record of doing just that and the strength, experience, judgment and backbone to keep our word to you." While McCain took a few digs at Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama in the speech, they were mostly in an attempt to show how his policies would be different from his Democratic rival's, and he steered clear of any personal attacks or questions about Obama's character. Curiously, for a speech in which he was accepting his party's nomination, McCain often returned to the theme that he was not beholden to a party, but to the American people and his drive to change the old way things are done in Washington. "But let there be no doubt, my friends, we're going to win this election," he said. "And after we've won, we're going to reach out our hand to any willing patriot, make this government start working for you again, and get this country back on the road to prosperity and peace." "The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn't a cause, it's a symptom," he said. "It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you. Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not." McCain, who prefers the intimacy of town-hall-style meetings over large campaign gatherings, was in his element Thursday on a stage that was reshaped to include a ramp that extended out into the Xcel Center floor and put the candidate closer to his constituents. In addition to battling the specter of Obama's big-stage speech in front of 80,000 at Invesco Field a week before, as well as the still-warm afterglow of Palin's address, McCain faced the further obstacle of convincing the party faithful that his outsider, maverick image as a reformer who sometimes crosses partly lines to get the job done is one that works for the GOP and one that it should embrace. And while the faithful did whoop and cheer for his many red-meat lines, there were quite a few lines — especially ones in which McCain promised to work with Democrats and reach across party lines without a focus on credit-taking — that drew polite, tepid responses. When McCain decried corruption in Washington, including his own party, there was a noticeable silence in the hall. But again and again, he stressed that he and Palin would make serious changes in Washington. "I'm very proud to have introduced our next vice president to the country. But I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington," McCain said. "And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first, country-second Washington crowd: Change is coming." After months of attacking Obama as too inexperienced to be president, McCain made scant mention of that Thursday night, though Palin and other GOP surrogates have been repeatedly putting out the message that the first-term Alaska governor and former small-town mayor has more executive experience than the Illinois senator. With Palin onboard — and, seemingly with her, the party's more conservative, evangelical base that had not fully embraced McCain prior to this point — McCain reiterated some of the campaign's top talking points: increased oil drilling and a strong pro-life stance, as well as a desire to shrink government and put more money in the pockets of average Americans. McCain will be hard-pressed to beat the numbers put up by Palin, who roped in 37.2 million voters on Wednesday night, according to Nielsen Media Research, crushing the DNC numbers for day-three addresses by former President Bill Clinton and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden by 55 percent. The numbers were so huge for Palin's national political debut that they almost reached the Super Bowl-worthy ratings put up by Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama, whose speech was seen by 38.4 million. As the campaign has done all week, the speech also focused on McCain's service to his country as a soldier, an element of his biography that the senator talked about when describing his love of the United States. "I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's," McCain said. "I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency, for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn't my own man anymore. I was my country's." Making the case that Obama and three-decade Senate fixture Biden are about politics as usual, McCain, himself a 26-year member of Congress, exhorted his party to rally to his message of change and reform or risk losing more than just the presidency. Less sure of himself on the stage than Obama, McCain, 72, who would be the oldest president ever elected to office for a first term if he wins in November, didn't try to outperform his more polished Democratic rival, but instead delivered a speech that mixed a number of his tried-and-true stump lines with a sense of the vigor that Palin's addition to the ticket has injected into his quest. Following Palin's speech Wednesday, Obama strategist David Axelrod decried her attacks while speaking to reporters on Obama's campaign plane, saying that instead of talking about issues such as health care and the economy or the war in Afghanistan, Palin sounded and looked "very much like she'd fit in very well there when you see how she brings these attacks. They all felt very familiar to Americans who are used to this kind of thing from Washington." John McCain might not be the candidate all Republican Party stalwarts were hoping for, but the combination of his stirring personal story line and his insistence on running as an outsider within his own party made for great political theater. And when the Vietnam hero exhorted the crowd to "fight with me, fight with me" at the end of the speech, he was drowned out by the thundering ovation as a deluge of red, white and blue confetti and balloons rained down. Afterward, the mood in the hall was celebratory, though even party die-hards had to admit that McCain didn't necessarily deliver the kind of signature moment that could seal the speech in history. John Engle, a 19-year-old convention page from Maui, Hawaii, said that even though McCain was a bit stiff, he loved the speech and praised the Arizona senator for showing respect for Obama and not bashing his rival. "I thought it was an excellent speech and I like his plans for the economy, because I'm scared of a socialized medicine plan that could bankrupt the country." "It's blindingly obvious he give a different kind of speech [than Palin or Obama]," said Eric Peterson, 23, who was gathering up confetti and McCain signs in the stands. "But there's never been a presidential candidate with the same story and ... he's not as charismatic as Senator Obama, but he has a lot more substance." Peterson said that the big difference for him between the Obama and McCain addresses was his sense that McCain's was more optimistic. "If you listened to the Democrat speeches, you would think this country is down in the dumps and some kind of third-world county," he said. "But the Republicans see a great future."
Don't miss out on the action: MTV News and our Street Team '08 will be on the ground at the Republican National Convention to sort through all the speeches, streamers and ceremony and find the information you need to choose our next president. Head to Choose or Lose for nonstop coverage of the 2008 presidential election. Related Photos | |||||||||||||
| Tokio Hotel 'Don't Expect' To Snag Best New Artist VMA From The Ladies Posted: 04 Sep 2008 02:13 AM PDT 'We have no chance,' frontman Bill Kaulitz says of band's two nominations.
Tokio Hotel are the only males to be nominated for Best New Artist at this year's Video Music Awards — they are also the only foreign act contending for the prize. Maybe that will give them the edge, but the guys are quite shy about their chances of snagging a Moonman at Sunday's big show. "We don't expect it, so for us, it's so cool to be nominated," frontman Bill Kaulitz told MTV News. "I think it's really, really special for us — it's America and it's our first American award, and that's so huge." The German pop-rockers are up against American pop stars like Jordin Sparks and Miley Cyrus, but back in Germany, the guys are the megastars. They've sold millions of records in their home country and scored several #1 hits since they got together in 2001. Being crowned Best New Artist in front of an American audience would only solidify their fame here in the United States. Just because they're rock stars back home doesn't mean they don't appreciate being nominated for a VMA. "I mean, I still can't believe it," Bill said. "Last year we were nominated at the [MTV Europe Music Awards; they won one] and it was the biggest thing we had, and now it is the Video Music Awards. "It's really hard to get fans in another country, especially here — America is so, so big, so it's really hard to get known in this country," Bill told MTV News back in May. "We are so excited we have fans here at all. In America, we see a fan and it is like, 'Oh, we are proud! We have a fan in America!' " But with a couple of VMA nominations on their side, it seems that now they have more than just one fan in the States. Guitarist Tom Kaulitz added, "To be nominated at the VMAs, for a German band, I think it's crazy." The guys also have a chance to pick up the Best Pop Video trophy for "Ready, Set, Go!" Of going up against the likes of the Jonas Brothers, Bill modestly said, "We have no chance." But one thing he does hope he has a chance of doing is meeting Rihanna at the big show on Sunday. "I think it would be so cool to meet Rihanna, 'cause she's so sexy." Now that you've helped us pick the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards, head to VMA.MTV.com to vote for your favorite in the Best New Artist category, check out the latest additions to the performer and presenter lineups, see the best (and worst) of VMA fashion and much more. Then tune in this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET for MTV News' "Opening Act" on the red carpet, followed by the big show, live from Hollywood at 9 p.m. ET. Related Videos Related Artists | |||||||||||||
| Ciara Appears Nude On Cover Of <i>Vibe</i> -- Check It Out Here! Posted: 03 Sep 2008 10:21 PM PDT However, in article, singer talks about holding off on sex in a relationship.
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| T.I., Christina Aguilera, Kid Rock Announce VMA Plans Posted: 04 Sep 2008 03:08 AM PDT Kid Rock to perform with Lil Wayne!
HOLLYWOOD — There are press conferences, and then there are press conferences. The difference between the two is a lot greater than just some lousy italics. Take, for example, the VMA presser that took place Thursday (September 4) on the Paramount Studios backlot. At first, it seemed to be another media gathering, complete with the usual sights (spazzy reporters, grumpy camera guys, a dude dressed up like a ninja who asked stupid questions in a faux-gruff tone) and sounds (plenty of ear-shattering microphone feedback, people complaining about the heat). But as soon as things got rolling, it became clear that this was no ordinary press call: This was the 2008 Video Music Awards press conference, and it was an italicized event, for sure. Right out of the gate, VMA host Russell Brand — looking resplendent in a black vest and super-tight trousers — made sure of that, welcoming the media to what he promised to be a "bloody exciting" event, and got his P.T. Barnum on, touting some of the big things show producers have planned for this Sunday, including a performance by "God's favorite virgins, the Jonas Brothers," which he proclaimed to be so excellent that "it will make the concept of an afterlife seem tame by comparison."
As he continued with the hyperbole, a lengthy black limousine suddenly appeared on the scene, and out of it stepped none other than Christina Aguilera — looking svelte in some majorly high heels — who slinked to the microphone and purred that on show night, she'll be performing her brand-new single, "Keeps Getting Better," which is also the name of a best-of album she's releasing in November. "You're going to get a first look and a first listen at my new image and my new sound," she said. "The last album, the style and sound was about vintage glam — this one is all about the future." Aguilera then joked that this would be the first time her son Max, born in January, would be able to watch her perform on TV, to which Brand — still in full-on hype mode — shouted, "The VMAs are going to be so great that Christina Aguilera is willing to risk her newborn baby's sight!"
While Brand was still shouting, a second surprise guest made his presence known. Appearing on a fire escape adjacent to the conference — we were in the "New York City" backlot, BTW — T.I. grabbed the microphone and announced that he was coming down to make a special announcement of his own. After descending on a rickety metal ladder — at one point, his microphone tumbled out of his back pocket and landed on the street below — the rapper strode up next to Brand and Aguilera, posed for some photos and then broke the news that he, too, would be debuting a new song (from his forthcoming LP, Paper Trail) on the big show, this one a duet with none other than . "The people can expect action-packed pandemonium from top to bottom," he said, before turning to Brand and adding, "Those are some impressive pants you've got there. Are they denim? I thought they were spray-on aerosol." Aguilera and T.I. then departed, leaving Brand to make even more VMA announcements, including news that in the first 30 minutes of the show, fans can expect appearances by Britney Spears, Rihanna, Pete Wentz, and performances by the Jonas Brothers (to be introduced by Taylor Swift), Rihanna and Katy Perry, who will apparently be trying her hand at replicating . Brand also broke the news that Kanye West — yes, the same man who swore off all MTV-related events after last year's VMAs — will be closing this year's show with a super-sized performance of his own.
And then, just when everyone thought the festivities were over, Brand grabbed a megaphone and led the throngs of reporters on an impromptu tour of the Paramount lot, ending at a massive soundstage, where — surprise! — Kid Rock was rehearsing his VMA performance. So inside the stage we went, to watch Rock rip through "All Summer Long" (while wearing white slippers), and then announce one last — thoroughly huge — bit of news: that he'll be sharing the stage with none other than Lil Wayne. And with that, it was over. This was certainly an italicized event ... as if the VMAs would do it any other way. Now that you've helped us pick the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards, head to VMA.MTV.com to vote for your favorite in the Best New Artist category, check out the latest additions to the performer and presenter lineups, see the best (and worst) of VMA fashion and much more. Then tune in this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET for MTV News' "Opening Act" on the red carpet, followed by the big show, live from Hollywood at 9 p.m. ET. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists | |||||||||||||
| Posted: 04 Sep 2008 02:06 AM PDT 'You couldn't really dream something up as severe as his tale,' Dani Filth says of album's subject, Gilles de Rais.
More than a decade ago, while researching the life of Hungarian blood countess Elizabeth Báthory for his black-metal band's 1998 concept LP Cruelty and the Beast, Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth happened to come across some literature about Gilles de Rais. He took a wealth of notes on the 15th-century French serial killer, sexual deviant and Satanist and, at the time, thought de Rais' life would make the perfect subject for his band's next concept release. Years and years elapsed, and Filth eventually forgot all about his idea to put de Rais' days and nights to brooding, sonically brutal metal — well, at least until just recently, when Cradle of Filth began recording material for their eighth studio LP, Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder, which lands in stores October 28. "When we came off of the Viva la Bands Tour last year, we were kind of fired up and went straight back into writing," Filth explained. "We tried to get as much writing done before we all went our separate ways for Christmas — bearing in mind that we all live all over the place now. And we came up with this material rather quickly. I suddenly sort of went, 'Oh sh--!' We'd written the skeletons of five or six tracks, but I was a bit stuck as to the direction I want the lyrics to go. I hadn't even given it any thought." But the feel of the material reminded Filth of Cruelty and the Beast, which inspired him to refer to the copious notes he'd taken 10 years earlier. "While I was skipping through loads of old books I keep with notes and stuff, I happened upon loads of notes about Gilles de Rais, because when you do a load of research like that, his name cropped up along the way as well," Filth explained. "I remember thinking at the time that this would be a great thing to undertake, but obviously 10 years ago, and right next to the Cruelty album, it would have been too similar a concept, really." Filth began doing more research on de Rais and, in time, found out he was a much better subject for the concept-album treatment. "I started investigating [him] more, and the more I read about it, the more I thought, 'Wow, this is even more perfect than the Báthory story, because there's trial documentation,' " Filth recalled of the man who was a onetime brother-in-arms of Joan of Arc. "After her death, everything took a slide for the worse, and in my opinion, it seemed that [de Rais] thought he got as close as he could get to God, bearing in mind that Joan of Arc was perceived to be a messenger for God, and he just went completely in the opposite direction, like a man of many extremes." Filth was fascinated by de Rais' quick conversion to the dark side and how he'd squandered his vast fortune and later employed alchemists to locate the philosopher's stone so he could turn base metal into gold and replenish his fortunes. "It all just sort of went out of control," Filth said. "So the album tells his story, from his being a very pious man to mixing it up with the devil and, in the end, seeking clemency for his crimes from the Church, because at one point, he'd been excommunicated, which meant, in that day and age, you couldn't actually get into the kingdom of heaven, which would have been a bit of a worry back then. You couldn't really dream something up as severe as his tale." Cradle of Filth, who will tour the States early next year with Septicflesh and Satyricon, embraced Filth's concept but wanted the effort to be cohesive and coherent. So the band enlisted American actor Tony Todd, who is perhaps best known for his title role in the 1992 thrasher flick "Candyman." Filth wanted Todd to come into their studio to narrate de Rais' story, using actual court transcripts he'd found through his intensive research. "The narration of de Rais comes from the original transcripts, as he'd voiced it in court before his judges and peers, and it's interspersed throughout the record to give it a moving narrative," Filth said. But, a few lines in to reading de Rais' words, Todd bailed on the project, forcing the band to call on an old friend to fill in: Douglas Bradley. Bradley, who will always be known to horror fans as Cenobite Pinhead, had worked with COF before, providing narration on three of the band's previous efforts: 2000's Midian, 2004's Nymphetamine and 2006's Thornography. Looking back, Filth said he wished he had some time to explain to Todd just what he'd gotten himself into — problem was, dude just took off and never turned back. "There was an issue with him in the fact that, when he came into the studio, he just read a bit of what de Rais had said and suddenly walked out," Filth explained. "The thing was, he wasn't actually filled in on what it was all about. He'd obviously heard the band's name and knew that we were a black-metal band and all the horror stories that sort of surround that thing. But when he read some of Gilles' words, he probably thought, 'Oh my God — what is this band advocating?' He wasn't told that this is an in-depth, well-researched record and that we're not glorifying anything. It's just a dark fairy tale. He started reading stuff about beheading children and probably thought that we were advocating that." The rest of the week's metal news: Swedish metallers Soilwork have tapped Darkane, Warbringer and Swallow the Sun as support acts on their upcoming North American tour, which kicks off January 30 in Rochester, New York. Dates for that trek are booked through March 22 in Baltimore. ... It appears those rumors about From a Second Story Window's demise are actually true. The band, which formed in 2002, said in a statement, "With this changing musical market and its inhabitants, it is simply our time to step aside and let the flow continue on without us. It is time for us to venture down new avenues of creativity and to find new things to enrich our lives fully. From a Second Story Window was something that gave us all hope and pride in our small part of the musical world, but with economical woes pulling us down, and changes in attitude towards the entire movement of 'heavy' music, it just seems right to call it quits and move on in our own ways." ... Bury Your Dead have officially parted ways with guitarist Eric Ellis, claiming in a press release that his departure was due to "medical reasons and personality differences." The band went on to explain that "when a person's attitude and lifestyle change for the worse, there comes a time to let go and move on. A team is only as strong as its weakest link." ... Don't believe the hype. Dillinger Escape Plan apparently aren't looking for a new drummer. Guitarist Ben Weinman has, in his own way, denied recent rumors that kitman Gil Sharone had left the band to return to his former band, Stolen Babies. Weinman told Kerrang! that Sharone "didn't leave and we didn't kick him out. He will be busy, though, working with his other band a lot over the next year, so I am talking to other dudes, both for Dillinger possibilities and just for me to play with, on other creative projects. We still may be touring and writing with Gil, though. Kinda in the air. No big drama though or anything." Now we're even more confused. ... It looks as though the Red Chord have dismissed guitarist Mike Keller. While the move hasn't been confirmed by the band, Keller, in a statement to Lambgoat said he received a phone call a few days ago "informing me [the band] made a mutual decision to become a four-piece. They offered little in ways of explanation, but I can admit that in the past few tours, I had grown apart from the rest of the band, both personally and musically." While "things ended abruptly, unexpectedly and weirdly," Keller said he's cool with going out on his own. He said he plans to release a solo project called Meek Is Murder in the not-so-distant future. ... A tentative October 14 release date has been set for Dimmu Borgir's forthcoming live effort, The Invaluable Darkness. The set features two DVDs and one live CD. ... Long-dormant, highly influential hardcore outfit Far are planning two reunion shows — both on the West Coast. They'll be playing under the moniker Hot Little Pony on October 15 in Pomona, California, and October 16 in Los Angeles. It's shows like this that make me wish I lived in California. ... Young Widows will be playing a slew of gigs next month — the first on October 14 in Detroit. They have gigs booked through November 16 in Indianapolis. The band's new LP, Old Wounds, hits stores next week. Related Artists | |||||||||||||
| Thursday Frontman's United Nations Side Project Might Not Make It To Stores Posted: 05 Sep 2008 05:00 AM PDT Copyright issues surrounding cover art could keep debut — which Geoff Rickly calls 'a mirror to show people how stupid they look' — off the shelves.
When the long-promised, self-titled debut from grindcore supergroup United Nations is released September 9, chances are you won't be able to buy it. That's because no stores are willing to carry it, according to one of the band's members, Thursday frontman Geoff Rickly. "We've gotten some cease-and-desists," he explained. "We worked [on the cover art] with this British anarchist artist named James Cauty, and he did all this great stuff. But it had some copyright issues, and that's why all the distributors and stores refuse to carry it. We have 1,000 copies of this album sitting around with artwork that has been banned and we're trying to figure out what to do with those." So what was so problematic about Cauty's cover image? It's the same one from the Beatles' 1969 classic Abbey Road, only in his version, the Beatles are all entirely engulfed in flames. The band will likely face similar copyright issues when they attempt to release their forthcoming 7-inch, Never Mind the Bombings, Here's Your Six Figures, as that record's cover art — by Australian artist Ben Frost — is strikingly similar to that of the Sex Pistols' sole studio LP, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. Believe it or not, that's not the only legal snafu United Nations will be dealing with — at this point, Rickly is the only member of this side project who is not under contract. That will soon change, as Rickly claims Thursday is weeks away from inking a new deal. He would not reveal which label the band would be signing with but did say they've already started working on the follow-up to 2006's A City by the Light Divided with producer Dave Fridmann. That album should be in stores this coming spring. "Officially, we can't use any names, except for mine," he said. The band also features one former member of the Number Twelve Looks Like You and one current member of Head Automatica. "This band is so possible because none of us gives a sh-- what happens to it. We've all got our other stuff and this is just for us to say, 'F--- it — we can do whatever we want here.' " While Rickly has been talking about the United Nations project for three years, the band certainly spent its time in the studio well. Rickly said they already have enough material for their sophomore album, which could be released early next year. "It's been really crazy — the response has been insane," Rickly said. "We got a message from MySpace. ... We were one of the bands on the front page, but so was Snoop Dogg and this hot R&B chick, and they told us not only were we the most listened-to band that week but that the second one behind us had only half as many listens. I think it was 186,000 listens in the first 12 hours. So, for me, it's a little weird. I don't know what I was expecting would happen with this band, but it wasn't this." According to Rickly, the idea behind United Nations is to get people pissed off again and to stir the musical pot a touch. "To me, it's like we're living in 1984 again, and there's no Dead Kennedys," he said. "To me, it was like, maybe speaking sincerely about things isn't enough to make people pay attention. Maybe you have to make fun of people — and be a mirror — to show them how stupid they look, to get their attention. That's the idea. Punk is just way too safe these days, so we're hoping by making some audacious claims and doing some strange things and breaking a few laws, we can get people to think at least. It's the idea that you need to embrace the absurdity or it will f---ing kill you. The world doesn't make sense, and trying to make sense of it is a fool's errand." But the record is a tongue-in-cheek affair. One track on United Nations is about the Beatles and their plot to blow up the world so they can all live in the yellow submarine. Another is about a toy-company lobbyist who is obsessed with yo-yos. "There has been so much great, really aggressive music in the last couple of years, whereas around 2003, I was wondering if heavy music was dying on itself," Rickly said. "Everything became so predictable and formulaic, and in the last couple of years, bands like Young Widows, Ceremony and Cursed have come along, and they've been electric and awesome. This is basically us trying to kick that [heaviness and attitude] back into gear and remind bands that if they do anything safe, it just sucks." Related Artists | |||||||||||||
| Kanye West And Christina Aguilera To Take The Stage At 2008 VMAs Posted: 04 Sep 2008 01:10 AM PDT 'Hills' gang, Paris Hilton, Shia LaBeouf, Ashlee Simpson and other stars added to presenters list.
The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards are almost here, but big names are still being added to the talent pool of performers and presenters every day. Following Wednesday's big announcement that Britney Spears will be opening the show comes word that Kanye West will close out the VMAs on Sunday, despite last year's oath that he'd never return. In a press conference Thursday (September 4), comedian and VMA host Russell Brand also revealed that Christina Aguilera will return this year to perform a special rendition of one of her first singles, "Genie in a Bottle," in a nod to the big show's 25th anniversary. Brand also teased what the first 30 minutes of the show would offer: Rihanna will sing; the winners for Best Female and Best Male Videos and Best New Artist will be named; Pete Wentz, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt will appear together; Taylor Swift will introduce the Jonas Brothers' set; and Katy Perry will tackle Madonna's "Like a Virgin." T.I. and Rihanna will debut "Live Your Life," which appears on his forthcoming album, Paper Trail. This year's VMAs will unfold at the Paramount Studios lot in Hollywood, and will air live starting at 9 p.m. ET. The show will also feature live performances by Pink, Paramore, Lil Wayne and Kid Rock. DJ AM and Travis Barker will rock the party, mixing live drum beats to scratched records throughout the show. The duo will celebrate the past 25 years of music by collaborating with Katy Perry, Lupe Fiasco and the Ting Tings on new and past hits. On Thursday, MTV rolled out a long list of additional presenters, who've been confirmed for this weekend's VMAs. They include Jamie Foxx, "Gossip Girl" star Chace Crawford, a very pregnant Ashlee Simpson, John Legend, Kobe Bryant, Leona Lewis, Paris Hilton, Slash, Taylor Swift, Shia LaBeouf and "The Hills" gang — Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. Previously announced VMA presenters include Michael Phelps, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Scarlett Johansson, Ciara, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Christopher "McLovin" Mintz-Plasse. Now that you've helped us pick the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards, head to VMA.MTV.com to vote for your favorite in the Best New Artist category, check out the latest additions to the performer and presenter lineups, see the best (and worst) of VMA fashion and much more. Then tune in this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET for MTV News' "Opening Act" on the red carpet, followed by the big show, live from Hollywood at 9 p.m. ET. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists | |||||||||||||
| Jordin Sparks, Chris Brown Turned Up The Heat For VMA-Nominated 'No Air' Video Posted: 04 Sep 2008 05:03 AM PDT 'The dynamic between everyone on set was great,' says Chris Robinson, who directed the 'American Idol' winner's clip.
Jordin Sparks has proved that if you crown her an "American Idol," she's going to deliver. She's nominated for Best Female Video and Best New Artist at the Video Music Awards for the video for "No Air," her collaboration with Chris Brown. Chris Robinson, the video's director, revealed that Sparks' sheer determination made her a pleasure to work with. "She's focused and a worker," he told MTV News. "She sang her heart out on every take for 18 hours. I told her to 'take it easy, this is going to be a long day,' but I think she only knows how to give everything her all. It's refreshing to see that." Robinson didn't immediately respond to the request for him to work on the video, but once he listened closely to the track, he knew he wanted to team up with the young singer.
"At the time, I was very busy and it just kind of sat in my inbox for a minute. Then on the weekend, I sat back and listened to the track and was blown away. The feeling the song created was really special. I heard this powerful voice that drew me in. The lyrics, Jordin's delivery, the duet all created a vibe." Robinson was impressed by Sparks and fellow teen sensation Brown and was surprised by their on-set chemistry. "The dynamic between everyone on set was great. It was really interesting to see these two young people so talented and yet so professional and down to earth. "When I was 18 or 19, I most definitely did not have it together like these two! When you see Jordin and Chris you see two artists that will hopefully continue to push the envelope artistically," Robinson gushed. "We all ended up putting a piece of ourselves into this project." He was "pleasantly surprised" to learn of Sparks' VMA nomination. "We all know that at all kinds of award shows, sometimes the things we think should be nominated aren't and vice versa," he said. "I feel like Jordin really deserves it." He also described Jordin as a unique voice for her generation — a quality that makes her, in his opinion, a perfect Best New Artist contender. "The Best New Artist should be looked at for the talent they have and the feeling they give the audience they are communicating to. Jordin definitely is speaking to her generation. "As far as talent," he added, "it's evident she has loads of it." Now that you've helped us pick the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards, head to VMA.MTV.com to vote for your favorite in the Best New Artist category, check out the latest additions to the performer and presenter lineups, see the best (and worst) of VMA fashion and much more. Then tune in this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET for MTV News' "Opening Act" on the red carpet, followed by the big show, live from Hollywood at 9 p.m. ET. Related Artists | |||||||||||||
| VMA Gift Bags Are Reason Enough For Celebs To Show Up This Sunday Posted: 04 Sep 2008 04:48 AM PDT Fonzworth Bentley shows off the vacation packages, diamonds and gizmos we're giving our honored guests.
HOLLYWOOD — It's taken us 24 years to make this realization, but we're starting believe that perhaps the stars are just using the MTV Video Music Awards for our gift bag. (Check out photos of the swag bag for yourself.) These suspicions were only confirmed on Wednesday, when the Official Gift Bag of the 2008 VMAs was unveiled at the Paramount Studios. We were lucky enough to be given a guided tour of all the goods by none other than Fonzworth Bentley, a man who is many things — dapper, debonair, dashing, to name just a few — but also exceedingly honest. "When guys walk on the red carpet, they're going to talk about getting awards, or performing, or who they're most looking forward to seeing," Bentley laughed. "That's all bull. ... They all want the shwag." Shocking! And while we do feel a bit hurt by Bentley's admission, we really can't blame him — or any other celebrity who's graced the show over the years. After all, the gift bags are always incredibly sweet, and this year is no exception. Packed with more than $15,000 worth of glittering jewelry, one-of-a-kind fashions, high-tech gizmos, all-inclusive vacation packages and more cosmetic products than anyone would use in two lifetimes, the 2008 bag boggles the mind and proves once again that it's very good to be famous. Say, for example, you're looking to take a vacation. Well, you're in luck! Feel free to use either your complimentary membership to the Best of Everything's Wish Fulfillment Services to book a trip (oh, and the membership also comes with a diamond-encrusted cross pendant), or just cash in your free four-night, five-day stay at the Bungalows resort at Cofresi Beach in the Dominican Republic. If you like diamonds and crystals, well, we've got plenty of them for you too: adorning the Jour & Nuit crystal-strap sandals, Andy Warhol watches and Ugo Cacciatore pendants. There's also clothing and accessories from Fendi, Qi Cashmere — Fonzworth loves cashmere, by the way — Kings of Glory, Queens of Glory, Gypsy 05, Five Four Clothing and Taverniti So Denim. There are hair-care products aplenty, an anti-aging Baby Quasar personal light therapy doohickey and — so the celeb experience never ends — a personalized, completely customizable red-carpet runway. Among the gizmos galore are an MP3 player from Rhapsody, high-end speakers from Ultrasone and, of course, a copy of "Rock Band 2." And for those guests looking for a less material treat, there's a private astrology reading by cosmic teacher to the stars Gahl Sasson. And while we watched Bentley comb his way through all this glittering glory, we couldn't help but feel slightly jealous. Then again, it's hard to fault the guy, especially when he's this honest: "Y'all better get this gift bag," he smiled. "This gift bag is not a game this year!" Right again, Fonz. Now that you've helped us pick the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards, head to VMA.MTV.com to vote for your favorite in the Best New Artist category, check out the latest additions to the performer and presenter lineups, see the best (and worst) of VMA fashion and much more. Then tune in this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET for MTV News' "Opening Act" on the red carpet, followed by the big show, live from Hollywood at 9 p.m. ET. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists | |||||||||||||
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