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| Travis Barker Is 'Healing Incredibly Well,' +44 Bandmate Mark Hoppus Says Posted: 13 Nov 2008 01:54 AM PST Bassist says the band is on hold while the drummer recovers.
NEW YORK — Mark Hoppus has had plenty on his mind in recent weeks, so you'll forgive him if he's not exactly brimming with information about his band, +44. Ever since the September 19 plane crash that killed four and left his best friend (and +44 mate) Travis Barker with second- and third-degree burns over his torso and lower body, Hoppus has had little time to focus on making music. Rather, he's been spending every day just being thankful that Barker is alive and on the road to recovery.
"Travis is home healing, so right now we're just totally on a break, waiting for him to heal up," Hoppus told MTV News backstage at the mtvU Woodie Awards in New York. "I've been writing a bunch of stuff and getting a lot of songs together. We'll just have to see what happens over the next few months." Hoppus said that he speaks to Barker frequently and that he's "doing as well as anyone can under such awful circumstances." He added that the former Blink-182 drummer is positively itching to get back behind the kit. "He's home right now with his family, and he's healing and trying to stay as positive as he can. He's always been one of the most musically driven people I've ever known in my entire life, and he's still the same way," Hoppus said. "He can't wait to get back on the drums. He can't wait to get back in the studio, you know? I can't even imagine what he's had to go through these past weeks, and he's just trying to stay positive and get back in the studio and do good work." And though the status of +44's follow-up to their 2006 debut When Your Heart Stops Beating is currently unknown, Hoppus seems confident that Barker will soon be healthy enough to rejoin him in the studio. And it may be sooner than most people ever would've thought. "He can't not drum, you know? The man was born to sit behind a drum kit and do his thing," Hoppus laughed. "He's healing incredibly well. He's healing very quickly. The doctors are saying that his body is really healing in a positive way. So hopefully, in the next couple months we'll see him behind the kit, I pray. No matter what I work on, Travis will be part of, for sure." Related Photos Related Artists |
| Joe Jonas Discusses Taylor Swift Split In Online Posting Posted: 14 Nov 2008 06:40 AM PST 'It is simply not true,' Jonas writes of Swift's accusations of cheating.
With her sophomore album, Fearless, landing in stores this week, country crossover Taylor Swift's been making the talk show rounds to promote it. But she's been talking about a lot more than her new LP; she's also been discussing her love life -- or more specifically, her recent breakup with Joe Jonas. Of course, there are two sides to every breakup, and while Swift's been airing her side to the world, the Jonas Brother has remained mum about the split ... until now. On Thursday, the Jonas Brothers took to their MySpace page to clear up some of the confusion. The letter, addressed to the band's fans, is a two-parter: First, all three Jonases address the matter, then Joe gives his side separately. "It is our normal rule to avoid talking about our private lives," the letter begins. "It seems that it has come to the point where we must address a few things. We would prefer to address these things and then leave it alone from that point forward. We felt like it was important to respond because recent events have affected our fans. It is important to us as artists and brothers to enlighten regarding this situation. Our fans are the most important thing to us. "There are rumors and suggestions that are being publicized in the press right now about us," the letter continues. "Like all people our age, we are trying to find someone special that we can share time with in our busy lives. We all have busy schedules and high demands. We love our life and are thankful for all that we have. We are simply stating that it is difficult to maintain relationships with the kind of life we live." Next, Joe tackles the topic, never once mentioning Swift by name. "This blog is not an attack of anyone," his missive begins. "Anytime you are in a relationship for any length of time, there are going to be issues. Sometimes they resolve; other times they lead to a change of heart. This was the case recently." Joe is rumored to have recently started dating Camilla Belle, his co-star from the band's "Lovebug" video, and Swift says the actress was the reason for the breakup. But Joe claims in the letter that he's never cheated on any of his girlfriends. "It might make someone feel better to assume or imply I have been unfaithful but it is simply not true," he said. "Maybe there were reasons for a breakup. Maybe the heart moved on. Perhaps feelings changed. I am truly saddened that anything would potentially cause [the fans] to think less of me." The 19-year-old never once explains the reason for his split with the 18-year-old Swift, who stopped by "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" this week and said that he broke up with her in a 27-second phone call. "For those who have expressed concern over the '27-second' phone call ... I called to discuss feelings with the other person," he writes. "Those feelings were obviously not well-received. I did not end the conversation. Someone else did. Phone calls can only last as long as the person on the other end of the line is willing to talk. A phone call can be pretty short when someone else ends the call. The only difference in this conversation was that I shared something the other person did not want to hear. There were later attempts at communication that had no response." Jonas ends the letter by wishing his ex all the best, but adds that he felt compelled to address these issues publicly. "[I] could not sit back any longer and leave our fans with a wrong impression of the truth," he writes. "Hope this helps enlighten a little." Related Videos Related Artists |
| Britney Spears Gives Fans A Taste Of <i>Circus</i> With Online Preview Posted: 13 Nov 2008 12:12 AM PST Radio station Web site posts six-song 'Beat the Leak' mix; Amazon has 30-second clips.
Britney Spears is giving fans a taste of what to expect on her new album Circus, out December 2. The singer is previewing tracks from the album via the Web site for New York radio station KTU, as well as Amazon.com. On KTU's site, there is a six-song "Beat the Leak" mix, featuring the album's first single, "Womanizer," as well as the title track, "Out From Under," "Kill the Lights," "If U Seek Amy" and "Unusual You." The songs are mostly dancey numbers, with the exception of "Out From Under," which is a ballad. And Spears isn't afraid to get personal on the album. On "Kill the Lights," she sings, "Mr. Photographer/ I think I'm ready for my close-up/ Tonight/ Make sure you catch me from the right side," clearly referring to the constant media attention she receives. On Amazon, where 30-second snippets of all 15 tracks are available, fans can sample the album's many club-friendly tracks — including "Lace and Leather" and "Unusual You," which has more of a trance vibe — as well as ballads like "My Baby." Spears recently made her return to the stage when she appeared at the Los Angeles stop of Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour last week. Britney, wearing black pants, a white tuxedo-style shirt and black heels, joined Madonna on "Human Nature." Justin Timberlake also made a cameo, but the former couple didn't appear onstage together. In other recent Britney news, she won two trophies at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards. She followed her VMA victories by scooping up prizes for Best Album (for Blackout) and Act of 2008. She was also nominated for a People's Choice Award earlier this week for her cameo on "How I Met Your Mother," where she played a love-struck receptionist. Related Artists |
| Ol' Dirty Bastard's Mom Remembers Her Son On The Anniversary Of His Death Posted: 13 Nov 2008 04:29 AM PST 'Four years ago today marks one of the most tragic days in my life,' Cherry Jones tells MTV News.
Ten years ago, Ol' Dirty Bastard got onstage at the Grammy Awards unannounced and took the microphone for one of the most spontaneous and memorable moments in music history. All he wanted to do was tell the world that he and the Wu-Tang Clan loved the children — and that they deserved a golden statue. According to ODB's mom, Cherry Jones, if the rapper were alive today, he might have tried to crash another event: Barack Obama's victory rally.
"I know my son would have been at that rally in Chicago when the first African-American president was elected, and I'm sure he would have gone up onstage and grabbed the microphone as only he could," Jones said in an e-mail sent to MTV News Thursday (November 13). ODB died November 13, 2004, four years ago today, and his mother is still grieving the loss of her son. Jones told MTV News that there is unrest in the family because of financial disputes between her and ODB's widow, Icelene. "Four years ago today marks one of the most tragic days in my life, when I lost my son 'Rusty,' whom many of you know as Ol' Dirty Bastard," the e-mail read. "For the past four years, I have sat back and watched certain individuals try and tarnish my son's beliefs. My son loved every single one of his children and every single one of their mothers and provided for them all the best he could when he was alive. My son was an extremely generous soul. "Lastly, today is a very sad day not only for me, but for my entire family, including Dirty's father and his siblings and children," she concluded. "I will always love my son Rusty, and I will always make sure all of his children are taken care of." Before his untimely demise, ODB had recorded an album for Roc-A-Fella Records called A Son Unique, which included collaborations with the Neptunes, State Property, Ludacris, Macy Gray, Fat Joe and Wu-Tang, among others. The opus was planned for a 2005 release but has never seen the light of day. Koch Records had recently picked up the rights to distribute the project, but due to ligation with ODB's family, the album is shelved, wrapped in red tape. Author Jaime Lowe just put out the autobiography "Digging for Dirt: The Life and Death of ODB." Cherry Jones vehemently stated that she does not endorse the book. Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne Performs With Kid Rock At CMA Awards -- But Doesn't Say A Word Posted: 13 Nov 2008 09:10 AM PST MC reprises his VMA performance with Rock on 'All Summer Long,' but doesn't rap.
The best rapper alive never got around to rapping Wednesday night in Nashville. As he did at the VMAs in September, Lil Wayne joined Kid Rock onstage for a performance of the remix of Rock's "All Summer Long" at the Country Music Association Awards. But this time there was no verse from Weezy — in fact, he barely made a sound at all. He just acted as part of the band, bringing out his guitar and strumming the strings inaudibly alongside Kid Rock's guitarist. Not having the New Orleans Fireman rhyme was a curious move, considering that Weezy's people put out a press release late Wednesday afternoon trumpeting the fact that Wayne was the first hip-hop act ever to perform on the CMAs. A source close to the situation told MTV News on Thursday that Wayne didn't rap in order to keep things fresh — that the duo did not want to copy what they had done at the VMAs and figured Weezy playing guitar was a fly new take on their collaboration. Watching on TV, you didn't even see Wayne until somewhere around the song's two-minute mark, when Kid came over and gave him five. Both performers wore Tennessee Titans jerseys: Kid with the number two on his, but instead of Rob Biranos' name on the back, Rock had his own name; Wayne sported a #28 Chris Johnson Jersey. Big CMT winners included Kenny Chesney (who took home his fourth Entertainer of the Year award, tying Garth Brooks for the most wins in the category), George Strait (Single and Album of the Year, making him the biggest award-winner in CMA history) and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland (the group won Vocal Duo of the Year, and Nettles won Song of the Year for Sugarland's "Stay"). The show was hosted by Carrie Underwood (who won Female Vocalist of the Year for the third consecutive time) and Brad Paisley. Taylor Swift performed her hit "Love Story" (and borrowed Miley Cyrus' boyfriend for the performance), and Shania Twain made her first major public appearance after a long absence. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Posted: 14 Nov 2008 05:00 AM PST 'Have her people contact my people,' frontman says of working with the Disney star.
Back in late August, Metal File had an opportunity to chat with Demi Lovato, the squeaky-clean 16-year-old star of the Disney Channel's "Camp Rock." Lovato, who some have dubbed "the next Miley Cyrus," got her start in the business at age 7, as one of the tykes on "Barney & Friends." She admitted to the File that, despite her image, she's something of a closet metalhead — she listed Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Lamb of God, Dr. Acula, Underoath, Dimmu Borgir, the Devil Wears Prada and Abigail Williams as some of her favorite metal acts. At the time, Lovato also confessed that she'd secretly love to make metal music at some point, by providing backing vocals for a song on a metal band's album. Ken Sorceron, who fronts Abigail Williams, said his band would definitely be down with working on some material with the teen star, because, well, selling records is a good thing. "I read she was a fan, but otherwise, I'd have no idea she existed," Sorceron said. "My mom showed me an article online about her being a metal fan, and I was like, 'What?' I was reading it, and I'm thinking, 'What, are you kidding me?' At the same time, I thought that was kind of badass. She was all talking about how she wants to work with a metal band, and I was like, 'Dude, she should sing on our next CD. We'll sell a sh-- ton of records.' Have her people contact my people." Unfortunately, a collaboration between the Disney sensation and the symphonic black metallers won't be happening anytime soon, what with Abigail Williams having just released their latest LP, In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns, which was produced by James Murphy of Testament, Cancer, Death and Obituary fame. The album, which is in stores now, may just be one of the band's greatest achievements — replete with orchestral movements, Emperor drummer Trym Torson's punishing double-bass brilliance, sinister guitar riffs and Sorceron's gravely vocals, it's an experimental offering that took the band more than six months to track. "There were a lot of difficulties we'd experienced during the recording of this one," the singer explained. "My computer crashed, and I had hard drives fail on me, so I lost a lot of material I ended up re-creating; I listen back to the CD now, and I'm realizing I forgot certain parts, but that's fine. It sucked. I wrote most of the songs while we were on hiatus — I used that time to regroup the whole thing and find new people to record with." Sorceron said he'd always wanted to record with Murphy, whom he'd befriended several years ago — he ended up moving in with Murphy for three months while the two worked on the album. At the moment, Abigail Williams is on tour in the U.S., trying to spread the word about In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns. They'll be on the road with the Faceless, Veil of Maya, Neuraxis and Decrepit Birth through November 22 in San Diego, and the band is lining up tours for early 2009 with Cryptopsy, Mayhem and Marduk. "I hate being home, because being out here, there's always something f---ing ridiculous happening," Sorceron explained. "We've had kids eat roadkill off our trailer for shirts." Wait — what was that? "We played a show in Milwaukee and, after the show, we were partying with these kids out in the parking lot," he continued. "We noticed there was something dead on our trailer — there was fur and everything, just stuck to the trailer. I don't remember who came up with this idea, but we told them if they licked it, we'd give 'em a shirt. So, the first kid licks it, and then, the second kid comes up a pulls off a big old piece and ate it. Then, the last kid comes up, and he eats a healthy amount, too. After that, I had all three of them make out with their unsuspecting girlfriends. When they found out, they were gagging." Abigail Williams' three roadkill-devouring fans don't get any special thanks in the liner notes for Thousand Suns, but it may surprise you who does: rappers Jay-Z and GZA. The File asked Sorceron to explain the gesture. "Well, Jay-Z took our video location one day," he said. "We had a video location all lined up for 'Into the Ashes,' and it was in New York. The day before we're about to shoot, it was canceled because Jay-Z came in and decided he wanted that space ... and I'm guessing he had money. This happened a couple of months ago. I think he was just using the space, which was an orchestra room, for his new album. So, that's why we thanked Jay-Z. We also like his music, and we're into GZA. Sometimes, we just want to see if people notice stuff like that — to see if they're paying attention." The rest of the week's metal news: It's been over a week since we elected a new president, and over at the Headbangers Blog, you can see what members of Cattle Decapitation, Animosity, Armored Saint and others think about Barack Obama's historic run for the White House. ... Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher has been hospitalized in London with an undisclosed malady. A spokesperson for the band said that doctors continue to run tests on Kelliher to determine what it is that's ailing him, but that he should be out of the hospital in time for the start of Mastodon's European headlining run, which kicks off November 30 in Holland. "He's feeling better, but there's been no confirmation of what he has," the spokesperson said. ... Deftones bassist Chi Cheng remains under a hospital's care after sustaining injuries last week in a vehicular accident. According to the band's spokesperson, Cheng, who has been in a coma since the crash, is feeling better, and more news on his recovery will be released sometime next week. Cheng's condition remains stable; he's started breathing on his own, and is starting to move his eyes underneath his eyelids. Earlier this week, Korn bassist Fieldy visited Cheng in the hospital. ... Brother Von Doom, Woe of Tyrants and This or the Apocalypse will be teaming up for a two-week trek that begins November 29 in Claremore, Oklahoma. Dates are booked through December 13 in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania. ... Inked in Blood have thrown in the towel. According to frontman Joey Trump, the band's members simply aren't available to tour, and, even if they were, they don't have a van to get them from show to show. "This is probably it for Inked In Blood," he wrote in a statement, "which is such hell, because the good times were more than good. They were life-changing, and the most precious we've ever had. And the credit can only go to those who have supported us time and time again." ... Diecast has parted ways with Century Media Records. The band, in a statement, called the move "a mutual decision by both of us." Diecast is now shopping a four-song demo around, and they've "already been contacted by a few labels that are very impressed with the songs and we believe we'll have a new home before the end of March 2009." ... Arsis has another new drummer, with Borknagar's David Kinkade joining the ranks. In addition, bassist Nick Cordle has also joined the group, replacing recently departed bassist Noah Martin. Related Artists |
| 'Hills' Stars Heidi Montag And Spencer Pratt Talk Prop 8 Posted: 13 Nov 2008 01:20 AM PST 'Heidi's hair and makeup people are some of my favorite homosexuals on the planet, and if they want to marry each other, I'm not about to be like, 'Don't,' ' Pratt says.
First, Fall Out Boy spoke out against California's Proposition 8 — a ballot measure amending the state's constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry — with frontman Patrick Stump saying, "These are basic human rights. It's a real shame people are mixing up their church and state." Then, Christina Aguilera told MTV News she, too, is opposed to Prop 8's passage. "I think it is discrimination, and I don't understand how people can be so close-minded and so judgmental," she said.
But what about Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, that adorably spurious, Taco Bell-lovin' couple from MTV's "The Hills"? Surely, Speidi have an opinion on the controversial and contentious issue. "Like I've always said: Heidi's hair and makeup people are some of my favorite homosexuals on the planet, and if they want to marry each other, I'm not about to be like, 'Don't,' " Pratt told MTV News from the set of CBS' "How I Met Your Mother." The couple taped a cameo for the sitcom Wednesday — along with Kim Kardashian — for an episode set to air in January. "I'm very for equal rights," Montag added. The couple's cameo, which Pratt described as "an honor and a privilege," was shot in front of a green screen, they said. In the episode, Pratt and Montag play magazine-cover versions of themselves. Pratt said they'll be popping out of the cover of a fake tabloid magazine to taunt Marshall, played by "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" star Jason Segel, "and call him out for his bathroom issues." The staunch Republicans said they're taking Senator John McCain's recent loss in stride. Both supported McCain's candidacy this year and were big fans of his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. "We're very excited," Pratt said. "We're behind America and America's decision, but hey, you win some, you lose some." |
| Miley Cyrus Talks About Lending Taylor Swift Her Boyfriend For CMA Performance Posted: 13 Nov 2008 09:31 AM PST Pop star doesn't mind flying solo 'because it means my two best friends are onstage at the same time!'
Miley Cyrus has no qualms about lending her boyfriend, Justin Gaston, out to newly single friends, like Taylor Swift. On Wednesday night, the pop star attended the CMAs in Nashville alone so that Swift could use Gaston during her performance at the awards ceremony. "I'm flying solo tonight," Cyrus told People.com on the red carpet. "Justin is making an appearance in Taylor's song. But that's OK, because it means my two best friends are onstage at the same time!" During Swift's performance of "Love Story," Gaston reprises his role of Swift's Prince Charming-like love interest, a part he played in the song's video. But the only thing on Gaston's mind was his real-life love interest, Cyrus, who recently shot a video for her single "Fly on the Wall." "I saw [Miley] briefly," Gaston told the site. "She really looks pretty." It was a family affair for the Cyruses, as the singer's dad, Billy Ray, was also there, and he only had great things to say about his daughter's boyfriend. "Can you believe how far this kid has come?" Billy Ray said. "Just a few months ago when I first saw him perform on 'Nashville Star,' I said he was going to be a big star. He's got it all — talent, looks, personality. And look at him! Look where he is now!" Both Swift and Miley Cyrus are former Jonas Brother girlfriends, so it comes as no surprise that they are good friends. After her breakup with Nick Jonas, Miley told Seventeen magazine, "Nick and I loved each other. We still do, but we were in love with each other. For two years he was basically my 24/7. We were arguing a lot, and it really wasn't fun." Meanwhile, Swift has been vocal the past few weeks about her breakup with Joe Jonas, who she said left her for his current girlfriend, his "Lovebug" co-star, Camilla Belle. "They've been together since we broke up," Swift told the USmagazine.com at the awards show. "That's why we broke up — because he met her." Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'American Idol' Runner-Up David Archuleta Shows His Range On Debut Album Posted: 13 Nov 2008 02:51 AM PST 'I tried to give as much as a variety as I could, just to show different sides,' singer says of self-titled LP.
Remember that episode of "The Brady Bunch" where Peter's voice changes while the gang is recording a song? David Archuleta wishes that would happen to him. "Well, I think my voice is getting lower — I'd like to think anyway," he told MTV News, while promoting his self-titled debut album. "It's actually a lot lower than it used to be, which is kind of funny, 'cause I don't exactly have the lowest voice. It's actually gotten a lot lower."
While competing on "American Idol" earlier this year, Archuleta became known for his ballads. But the "Idol" runner-up hopes that, on the album, he can show everyone he's not just some kid that sings sappy songs. "I'm 17; I'm still a teenager. I still really like pop and this is what I do, and I just wanted to show that I still wanted to be relatable to kids my own age," he said. This is one of the reasons why he chose "Crush" to be the first single off the album. "I think it was a really important song, 'cause it was the first one to show myself as an artist and to give people an idea of where I was going to go with my music," he explained. "It surprised a lot of people, because they were expecting this Josh Groban-type song. "There are actually a couple ballads on the album, and I tried to give as much as a variety as I could, just to show different sides," he continued. "If I did any more ballads, I didn't want to fall into that little place where I [was] stuck on the show. I wanted to show that I'm not just Mr. Ballad. I'm 17 and I love music. Maybe in the future the music will mature as I mature." The teen also co-wrote two songs on the album, "Don't Let Go" (which he wrote with JC Chasez) and "A Little Too Not Over You." He said that recording a song he had a hand in crafting wasn't any more difficult than singing someone else's song, but it did allow him to have a better understanding of what he was singing about. "There was a song called 'Don't Let Go,' and that was a lot of fun to record 'cause I really understood the song," he explained. " 'A Little Too Not Over You' was a fun collaboration. That one was a little more difficult to record, just because it was a little more rhythm and things going on with the song." And unlike some other former "Idol" contestants who had post-show issues with their record labels, Archuleta insists things went quite smoothly for him. "The label was really good to work with, and they had some ideas, and I had some ideas too. We found a compromise, but they were really easygoing, and they were open to our ideas," he said. "They were really great." Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. And relive six seasons of "Idol" hot messes and high notes in six minutes with our video timeline. Related Videos Related Artists |
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