MTV News |
- Jay-Z Says He Plans To Age Gracefully In The Rap Game
- Green Day Got Proudly 'Pwned' At Their Own 'Rock Band'
- Diddy Regrets Not Sending Notorious B.I.G. To London The Day He Died
- 'The A-Team' Reworked: Opening Scene You Won't See
- Russell Brand Calls Katy Perry A 'Flatulence Factory'
- Les Grossman Gets Love From Tom Felton, Paris Hilton, Other Celebs
- CMT Music Awards Dominated By Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum
- 'Jersey Shore' Star Pauly D Gets America's Best DJ Nomination
- New 'Bourne' Movie Planned As Sequel, Not Prequel
- Royce Da 5'9" Hopes To 'Showcase' His Personality On New Mixtape
- Avenged Sevenfold Drummer Jimmy Sullivan Died Of Accidental Overdose
- Jeff Beck Soars At Intimate Les Paul Tribute Concert, By Kurt Loder
- Taylor Swift, Nicole Kidman, Snooki Do Cocktail Chic At CMT Awards
- Lil Wayne Wants Drake's <i>Thank Me Later</i> To Sell 2 Million The First Week
- Aubrey O'Day Thought Sex Was 'Disgusting' In High School, On 'When I Was 17'
- Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Director Defends Video's Religious Symbolism
- Drake Opens Up About Rihanna: 'I Was A Pawn'
- Snooki And John McCain Bond On Twitter Over Tanning Taxes
- Eminem Keeping June 22 <i>Recovery</i> Release Date, Despite Leak
- Does Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Video Go Too Far?
| Jay-Z Says He Plans To Age Gracefully In The Rap Game Posted: 09 Jun 2010 10:39 PM PDT At the ripe age of 40, Hov tells Rolling Stone he enjoys the challenge of competing with younger artists.
Is Jay-Z taking a page out of Diddy's playbook? The Bad Boy Records mogul has long told fans and detractors alike that he wouldn't stop. Now, is seems like the legendary Brooklyn wordsmith is also keen on keeping his run going as long as he can. After threatening to retire several times, Jay recently told Rolling Stone that he's bent on aging gracefully as a rapper while still maintaining his spot on top of the rankings. The problem other rappers have had as they get older, Jay told the magazine, is that they haven't adjusted to younger audiences in a believable way. "One of the reasons I wanted to make Blueprint 3 was because of the challenge," Jay told the magazine in a cover story out this week. "We've seen people like LL [Cool J] have longevity, and we respect the heritage of what he's done, but it's not like, right now, he's competing on the same level as Lil Wayne. So for me to still be able to compete at that level at my age, that's rarefied air. It's never been done. I think the problem with people, as they start to mature, they say, 'Rap is a young man's game,' and they keep trying to make young songs. But you don't know the slang — it changes every day. You can visit the topic, but these young kids live it every day, and you're just visiting. So you're trying to be something you're not, and the audience doesn't buy into that. And people wonder why. 'I made a great Southern bounce song!' You're from New York, and you're 70! Why are you bouncing?" After scoring 11 #1 albums, the rapper admitted that he's only told about 10 stories in his career. He's been retelling the same narratives with varying details and elements. But on his next project, Jay-Z told MTV News last year, he plans to experiment more and revealed the collection may veer off so much it won't debut at the top of the charts. In the interview, Hov also talked about how he and Beyoncé avoid intersecting creatively. Although, he said, B has the potential to join the executive ranks with her musical savvy. "We pretty much stay out of each other's business," he said. "Sometimes on creative stuff, one of us will ask, 'Do you think this is cool?' She's a magnificent A&R, if she ever decides to do that, for things like pitch. So I defer to her on those sort of questions. But overall, we pretty much like the same things. " Are you interested in Jay-Z doing an experimental album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Green Day Got Proudly 'Pwned' At Their Own 'Rock Band' Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT 'I couldn't even finish the song,' Tre Cool laughs to MTV News.
Through all the "Green Day: Rock Band"-related stories about dye jobs and song selections we've written this week, there remains one topic we haven't explored yet. And, to be honest, it's a fairly pertinent one: Are the guys in Green Day actually good at playing their game?
You would think the answer would be yes, considering they wrote the songs and all. But, oddly, you'd be wrong. "Well I did an interactive thing with some random 'Rock Band' players all throughout the world, and I got my ass kicked really bad," drummer Tre Cool laughed. "I couldn't even finish the song." "Tre got pwned," bassist Mike Dirnt laughed. "I did! I got pwned!" Cool shrugged. "Pwned like a newb." So while they might not be great at the game, at least the guys in Green Day are all pros when it comes to gamer lingo. But what, exactly, was it about the game that they found so difficult? "For me, it's really hard. I think I'd rather play the guitar on the game. The drums are really hard," Cool said. "But what's cool about the kit that you get is, you can put it on free-play mode and the practice mode, and you've got an electric drum set. So it's kind of cool." "That's actually really cool," Dirnt added. And the electric drum set has an added feature, one "Rock Band" developers probably never even dreamed of: the power to annoy. "You can jam around in your living room and piss off the neighbors," Cool smiled. "Like I care about pissing off the neighbors." MTV News is celebrating the release of "Green Day: Rock Band" with a week of special coverage. For more on the game, check out our Multiplayer blog. For a chance to win a "Rock Band" guitar signed by the guys in Green Day, head over to the MTV Newsroom blog. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Diddy Regrets Not Sending Notorious B.I.G. To London The Day He Died Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:09 AM PDT Bad Boy mogul says letting Biggie stay in L.A. is 'the only regret that does haunt me.'
As one of the most money-earning, game-changing, party-starting moguls in entertainment, Diddy has had a lot to celebrate throughout his career. However, the star has also spent a lot of his storied career lamenting the loss of his slain friend and Bad Boy artist, Notorious B.I.G. Diddy recently revealed that one his biggest regrets is not insisting that the late star handle some business overseas; a move that could have saved Biggie's life. "Probably the only regret that does haunt me was the night that Biggie got killed. ... He was supposed to go to London for a promo tour, and he had talked me into letting him stay in L.A.," the entertainer revealed in a press conference video posted online by US Rap News. "That's, like, a regret that I have, just not forcing him to get on the plane." Diddy expressed similar regrets about the day Biggie died in a video blog released last year before the release of the biopic "Notorious." Biggie was murdered on March 9, 1997, in Los Angeles after attending an after-party for The Soul Train Awards. The case remains unsolved. The situation is somewhat similar to the challenge faced by the protagonist in Diddy's latest movie, Get Him to the Greek. The flick revolves around an ambitious record label rep (played by Jonah Hill) tasked with delivering a rowdy rock star (portrayed by Russell Brand) from London to Los Angeles for a comeback concert. Brand's character spends most of the movie trying to finagle his way out of his professional commitments. Diddy plays an over-amped music exec whose insane demands and bizarre behavior make things even more difficult for Hill's character. Diddy-Dirty Money held a press conference in Paris to promote the group's upcoming album Last Train to Paris. The project includes the steely single "Angels," which features a verse from B.I.G. Related Artists |
| 'The A-Team' Reworked: Opening Scene You Won't See Posted: 09 Jun 2010 10:04 PM PDT 'It's still my favorite scene in the film — the scene we didn't shoot,' director Joe Carnahan tells MTV News.
Almost 30 years after those soldiers of fortune first popped up on the small screen, the A-Team is getting its origin story. The origin you'll see at the cinema this weekend, though, flies by in an extended opening sequence and wasn't even supposed to be part of "The A-Team."
The original opening, it turns out, was far different, and according to star Bradley Cooper and director Joe Carnahan, it could have turned out to be the best scene in the entire movie. "It's still my favorite scene in the film, the scene we didn't shoot," Carnahan said. "All you saw was [Liam Neeson's] Hannibal with these goggles on in this white environment and you realize, as the camera pulls back, there were sled dogs. And then as you pull back even further, you realize there were sled dogs going over the dunes in the desert." Carnahan ditched that opening when the studio, Fox, prevailed upon him to provide some backstory for the Special Forces soldiers who make up the A-Team — some concrete details about how the crew was wrongly convicted as war criminals and banded together as badasses-for-hire. Yet, like Carnahan, Cooper's favorite sequence in the script remains that original first scene. As he explained, much of the script was jettisoned once filming began. "The script was fantastic actually," Cooper said. "And it sort of went away when we started shooting it, and that was an interesting process. That was probably the most morphed element of the movie, was what happened to the script." If "The A-Team" does well at the box office and Fox green-lights a sequel, both Cooper and Carnahan said fans should look for that original opening to become the first scene of the second movie. "The opening in the script that we read was so fantastic — the original incarnation of the movie — that I hope the second one opens like that," Cooper said. Will you see "The A-Team" when it opens in theaters? Let us know in the comments! Check out everything we've got on "The A-Team." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Russell Brand Calls Katy Perry A 'Flatulence Factory' Posted: 10 Jun 2010 09:49 AM PDT Before her tweet about Lady Gaga, Perry and Brand had been publicly battling over flatulence.
Last Friday morning, Russell Brand called in to Nick Cannon's radio program to promote "Get Him to the Greek." But the conversation quickly devolved into far more, uh, odorous topics: farts. Or, more specifically, the farting prowess of Brand's fiancée, Katy Perry. "That woman is like a flatulence factory," Brand told Cannon. "The pop hits that she fires out of her mouth are nothing compared to what comes out the other end of her!" And while Brand's diatribe was rather funny (not to mention a tad bit disturbing), it quickly dissipated into the pop culture air, much like — well, you know. It was all but forgotten as the weekend began and attention turned to Perry's performance of "California Gurls" on Sunday night at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards. Things pretty much stayed that way until Tuesday night, when the pop star took to her Twitter account and wrote what appeared to be a comment about Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" video: "Using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke." And then, not-so-silent but deadly, Brand's joke began to make its way back into the news cycle. It seemed that, rather indirectly, we assume, Perry's tweet was also suggesting that her soon-to-be-husband's morning-radio fart joke was a tad bit amateur. But weakening her argument is the fact that Perry had spent the weekend tweeting that Brand sleeps "on the couch all the time," because he "light[s] up the sheets with [his] stanky arse." She also attempted to start a Twitter trend called "#russellhasastinkbum." It was a pretty weird sequence of events, not to mention a rare disconnect between the usually in-step couple. And while all mentions of flatulence have since ceased, we hope Perry and Brand are able to put this dark period behind them and focus on their upcoming nuptials instead. Because somewhere, Lady Gaga is watching all of this and laughing. Or at least holding her nose. Do you think Katy Perry is being silly or does she have a point about Gaga's "Alejandro"? Sound off in the comments. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Les Grossman Gets Love From Tom Felton, Paris Hilton, Other Celebs Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:16 AM PDT 'He's the best dancer in the world, man,' 'Harry Potter Star' says of Tom Cruise's alter-ego.
There was one man who had everyone buzzing backstage at the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday. That man wasn't Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Mark Wahlberg or even host Aziz Ansari. It was Tom Cruise's movie-studio exec alter-ego, Les Grossman. And with news that the "Tropic Thunder" character is getting a spin-off flick of his own, no one in Hollywood isn't safe from Les' tyranny. Not that they're complaining.
"Performance of the evening," "Harry Potter" star and Best Villain winner Tom Felton told MTV News of Les' dance-off with Jennifer Lopez. "I love Tom Cruise as Les Grossman. That's awesome. Les all day. He's the best dancer in the world, man. I got to get some lessons off him. He's got some tight moves." Seth Green also sang Grossman's praises, noting that whatever Les does is "pretty amazing." Paris Hilton added, "Tom Cruise onstage was really funny." "Percy Jackson" star Logan Lerman admits that even though the movie mogul can be a rather foul-mouthed, somewhat polarizing individual, he still loves that guy. "I'm a huge Les Grossman fan," he revealed. "It was really cool. Les Grossman — he's the man!" "Twilight Saga" and "The Last Airbender" star Jackson Rathbone called Cruise's Grossman the highlight of the Movie Awards. "My favorite moment of tonight's show? I gotta say Tom Cruise as Les Grossman," he explained. "I think he stole the entire show tonight. He really did." Lo Bosworth and Stephanie Pratt of "The Hills" also praised the producer, but Bosworth might be partial. "I mean, Les Grossman is my agent," Lo dished. "That's why I'm such a superstar. Didn't you know?" Are you looking forward to the Les Grossman flick? Tell us in the comments! Relive the wildest, funniest and most-jaw-dropping moments of the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, watch revealing red-carpet interviews and get exclusive movie clips after the show at MovieAwards.MTV.com. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos Related Photos |
| CMT Music Awards Dominated By Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:29 AM PDT Kid Rock kept it relatively clean while hosting the show in Nashville.
You can be sure there was a censor somewhere in Nashville on Wednesday night sweating bullets during the . But, as promised, host Kid Rock kept things (relatively) clean during the annual fan-voted awards show, where Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert had big nights.
It was a bittersweet celebration of sorts, as many of country's biggest names gathered at downtown's Bridgestone Arena less than a month after Nashville was devastated by floods that destroyed thousands of priceless instruments and put such city landmarks as the Grand Ole Opry under several feet of water. Rock made sure to keep things light, though, opening up the show with a warning that anyone who was even thinking of pulling and "Kanye West-isms ... anyone thinking of grabbing the mic, myself or the Bo-Stevens will personally punch you in the mouth, all right?" The 39-year-old rapper and country dabbler made the bleep-button-pushers earn their pay early on, with a salty opening run through a medley of his songs "Cowboy," "Bawitdaba" and "Good Ol' Boys" that included surprise guest and awards-show recluse Hank Williams Jr., as well as Trace Adkins, Zac Brown, Martina McBride and Kellie Pickler. Though he was spotted doing shots backstage during the broadcast, it was Rock who proved to be the rule-minder during the show, at one point telling an audience member, "I know there's no smoking! I got the memo. Calm down," while, of course, smoking one of his beloved cigars onstage. And then there were some Buckle trophies to be handed out to Underwood for Video of the Year ("Cowboy Casanova"), Lambert for Female Video of the Year ("White Liar"), and Urban for Male Video of the Year (" 'Til Summer Comes Around"). Underwood, who also won CMT Performance of the Year for "Temporary Home," couldn't thank fans enough during her acceptance speech for the Video of the Year prize, gushing, "Awesome fans ... Awesome, awesome, amazing, awesome, awesome!" It was Urban who likely brought some tears to a few beers when he dedicated his win to wife Nicole Kidman, telling the flame-haired actress, "Baby girl, I love you so much," and then nodding to the workers helping to clean up the BP Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. "I want to send my deepest love and prayers out to all the families around the gulf, who are going through an insane time right now. We've never seen anything like this — emotions I can't even find words for as I watch this thing happening on TV." Lady Antebellum, whose Need You Now is the year's best-selling album to date, won for Group Video of the Year for the clip for the album's title track. They also landed on the receiving end of one of Rock's sharpest lines of the night. "Lady Antebellum is like the hillbilly Fleetwood Mac," he joked. "But I suspect they don't do drugs or sleep with each other." Antebellum member Dave Haywood was typically humble in accepting their award, saying, "Tonight's all about the fans! Thank you, fans!" Veteran pair Brooks & Dunn took Duo Video of the Year for "Indian Summer," up-and-comer Luke Bryan snagged Breakthrough Video of the Year for "Do I," and Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins got some more love for their rough and rugged hit "Hillbilly Bone," which earned a Buckle for Collaborative Video of the Year. Though she didn't win any awards, Taylor Swift helped present one with Faith Hill. "Jersey Shore" stars Snooki and the Situation joined celebrity chef Paula Deen to hand out a Buckle. And the crowd got a surprise when "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kenan Thompson showed up in a green dress and red wig to reprise his bizzaro Reba McEntire impersonation. He was confronted on stage by the real McEntire, wearing a similar dress. When she wondered what he was doing there, he replied, "I'm Reba! ... R to the E to the B to the A. Reba!" Underwood, Urban (joined by John Mayer), Lambert, Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and the Zac Brown Band all performed on the two-and-a-half-hour show. Rock ended the ceremony with his signature music biz words of wisdom: "I'd like to leave on this note right here: As a music lover, if it looks good, you'll see it. If it sounds good, you'll hear it. If it's marketed right, you'll buy it. But if it's real, you'll feel it." What was your favorite moment of the CMT Awards? Talk about it in the comments. Related Photos Related Artists |
| 'Jersey Shore' Star Pauly D Gets America's Best DJ Nomination Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:32 AM PDT List of 100 nominees also includes Mixmaster Mike, Diplo, Moby, Girl Talk and other big names.
After the triumphant sneak peek of the second season of "Jersey Shore" at Sunday night's MTV Movie Awards, castmember Pauly D has something else to pump his fist about. The shiny-coiffed Rhode Island native has been nominated among a list of legendary DJs in the annual America's Best DJ competition. Granted, there are 100 names on the list, but the contest encourages fans of club music to vote for their favorite plate spinner, and 2010 marks the first time D has made the list. While there are plenty of lesser-known DJs on the list, Pauly will be going up against some of the hottest and most-respected names in the game, including Armand Van Helden, Bad Boy Bill, Bassnectar, A-Trak, Carl Craig, BT, Crystal Method, Cut Chemist, Danny Tenaglia, Derrick Carter, Diplo, Tommie Sunshine, Rob Swift, ?uestlove, Girl Talk, Frankie Knuckles, Peanut Butter Wolf, Mixmaster Mike, Moby, Junior Vasquez and Grandmaster Flash. In his MySpace bio, 29-year-old Pauly (born Paul Delvecchio), says he's been DJing since he was 16 and began playing in clubs and private parties when he turned 18. "Pauly has the incredible ability to control and please a crowd," the bio explains. "This Italian DJ is definitely a ladies man to the fullest extreme, any spot he spins at will be packed with beautiful women, dying for a glimpse of him and what he does. What he is able to do with his hands and 2 turntables is utterly incredible. He has surpassed the capabilities of most local DJs and the vibe he brings is beyond powerful. He strides in keeping the dance floor moving and the way he feeds off their energy is fascinating." Have you heard Pauly D spin? Tell us about it in the comments. Season two of "Jersey Shore" premieres Thursday, July 29, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Be there! Related Videos Related Photos |
| New 'Bourne' Movie Planned As Sequel, Not Prequel Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:32 AM PDT Matt Damon's participation in the fourth "Bourne" film is unclear.
Call it the Bourne Determination. Despite the participation of star Matt Damon and two-time franchise director Paul Greengrass being in doubt, Universal is pushing forward with plans for a fourth "Bourne" movie, tentatively called "The Bourne Legacy." And word is that, in contrast to earlier rumors that the new flick would be a reboot or a prequel, "Legacy" will be a straight sequel.
According to reports from Variety and Deadline.com, Universal has hired Tony Gilroy to write the script. Gilroy wrote the first three movies and has also been tapped to write a franchise bible, lending credence to the idea that the fourth film is only the beginning of Universal's big-screen plans for the "Bourne" universe. "Legacy" — which will not be based on "The Bourne Legacy," an Eric Lustabader-penned novel in the Robert Ludlum series — is looking at a 2012 release date. The news that the forthcoming "Bourne" film will be a sequel comes as something of a surprise. Earlier this year, Damon said the next installment would likely be a prequel. But whether or not Damon and Greengrass will take part in the fourth film is an open question. Back in February, Damon said he wouldn't reprise the role without Greengrass, who bowed out of his directing duties last fall. Yet both men left the door open to returning to the franchise down the line. "We see a very clear way that they could go [with the story] that wouldn't interfere with the series that we have and that might give it a chance to have a life right now and if we come back and did another one, even after that without us," . That "very clear way" seemingly involved rebooting the franchise with another actor taking Bourne's identity, or name given to a uniquely positioned government operative. Such a storytelling technique would easily allow Damon and Greengrass to reenter the fold in the future. But with Gilroy back in charge of storytelling duties, there's always the chance that Damon and Greengrass can be enticed to return. As the director himself , he maintains a good relationship with the studio and he plans to work with Damon again. "I'm going to continue to make movies for Universal," Greengrass told us in March. "I'm going to continue to make movies with Matt hopefully. They'll undoubtedly continue to make 'Bourne' movies. So it's all good news." |
| Royce Da 5'9" Hopes To 'Showcase' His Personality On New Mixtape Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT 'People listen to me and think I'm always so serious,' he tells Mixtape Daily of fans' misperceptions.
Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables Mixtape: The Bar Exam 3: The Most Interesting Man in the World Headliners: Royce Da 5'9" and DJ Whoo Kid Key Cameos: Kid Vishis on "Go Hard Pt. 1" and "Pt. 2," Black Milk and Elzhi on "Real Hip-Hop" and Slaughterhouse on "Beamer, Benz or Bentley (ShadyMegaMix)" Essential Info: Royce Da 5'9" has been known to indulge in a drink or two at times, but not even he could have guessed that he would be influenced by Dos Equis. The beer's "Most Interesting Man in the World" ad campaign served as a catalyst for his new mixtape.
"I was gonna call it Bar Exam 3: Multiple Personalities," Royce explained. "It shows different sides to me. Then I ran across that intro [of 'The Most Interesting Man in the World'] on the Net. I just thought the sh-- was hilarious. So it's like I just switched up at the end. I called it that because I wanted to use those skits. I thought those skits were hilarious. It's just that cut-and-dried." 5'9" kept the comedy going on a record called "I Hate Your Pants." He sings -- yes, sings -- about his disdain for trousers that are too tight. "With this mixtape, I was trying to showcase my personality more," Royce said. "People listen to me and think I'm always so serious, when actually I'm the exact opposite. I'm always joking around and drinking and having fun. I was trying to bring that across in this. I think I nailed that in 'I Hate Your Pants.' That's an ongoing joke in the studio, about skinny jeans. We actually got something on wax that showed that. I did it quick. Two eight-bar verses and the hook. It took me longer to make the beat." "Taxi Driver" is a conceptual track, on which the Detroit mic king is behind the wheel and alone with his thoughts until he picks up two passengers. "It's a song I did a long time ago," he explained. "I wanted to put it on The Bar Exam, because I felt it didn't get the light it deserved. It's like I'm driving in a taxi. I got two passengers in the car. One of the passengers is Tupac, one is Biggie. I drop 'Pac off at the place he got killed. I drop Biggie at the place he got killed. Basically, we lost hip-hop when we lost these two. One of them is named 'Hip' and one is named 'Hop.' But it's Biggie and 'Pac." Royce even mimics the two legends' voices and deliveries on the record as he raps from their perspective. On "187 (Response)," Royce disses Saigon, responding to an interview from last year where Sai said Slaughterhouse could not make records. "I don't have a problem with him," Royce said of Saigon. "He just sparked a competitive nerve in me. It made me wanna compete. He said, 'Them n---as can't write no record.' If you feel free enough to speak on somebody like that, I feel he should take that on the chin. I don't feel it should be some kind of backlash. He said something, and I said something. I'm totally prepared to leave it right there." Royce also said his record aimed at Saigon has nothing to do with Sai's past problems with Joe Budden. "Joey is my man," he said. "I make it my business to stay outta the sh-- he has going on. Me and Saigon was cool. I was cool with Saigon before I got cool with Joey." Royce said Slaughterhouse's signing with Shady Records has been stuck in a web of red tape, but the deal is looking like it should be finalized in a matter of weeks. As for Royce's solo LP, he's not sure if that will be in the cards for Shady as well. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines or follow the Mixtape Daily team on Twitter: @shaheemreid and @mongosladenyc. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Avenged Sevenfold Drummer Jimmy Sullivan Died Of Accidental Overdose Posted: 10 Jun 2010 05:35 AM PDT The Rev died from combined effects of painkillers, anti-anxiety medication and alcohol.
Six months after the shocking death of Avenged Sevenfold drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, a coroner's report has revealed that the 28-year-old died as a result of an accidental overdose of strong prescription painkillers and alcohol. According to Rolling Stone, Orange County Deputy Coroner Mitchell Sigal determined from toxicology tests that Sullivan's December 28 death was a result of "acute polydrug intoxication due to combined effects of oxycodone, oxymorphone, diazepam/nordiazepam and ethanol." Those drugs include a pair of painkillers that work, respectively, like codeine and morphine, an anti-anxiety medication and the active intoxicant in alcohol. Sigal also noted that Sullivan also had an enlarged heart, which was noted in the coroner's report as a "significant condition" that may have contributed to his death. "To all of us who loved Jimmy, the only thing relevant about December 28 is that is the night we lost, too soon, a son, brother, friend and one of the most talented artists in the world," Avenged Sevenfold manager Larry Jacobson told the magazine. "Every day, his parents and sisters, and his brothers in Avenged Sevenfold smile at the many memories they have of Jimmy, and his fans around the world revel in the musical legacy he left them." Sullivan died in his Huntington Beach, California, home and was buried in a private ceremony on January 6. He played on four of the metalcore band's albums and was co-writing tunes on the upcoming disc, Nightmare (due out July 27), at the time of his death. The group hired one of Sullivan's favorite drummers, Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, to finish up Nightmare and to join them for their upcoming dates on the Rockstar Energy Uproar tour. Share your memories of the Rev in the comments below. Related Artists |
| Jeff Beck Soars At Intimate Les Paul Tribute Concert, By Kurt Loder Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:06 AM PDT Legendary guitarist gets small at New York's Iridium club.
NEW YORK — How rare an event was the small-club show Jeff Beck played here on Wednesday night? Well, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett flew in from his home in Hawaii to catch it. And he wasn't the only weighty player in attendance. Also crowding into the packed-out Iridium, a Broadway jazz club, were E Street Band (and "Sopranos") veteran Steven Van Zandt; onetime Stray Cat Brian Setzer; psychedelic-blues virtuoso Warren Haynes, of Gov't Mule; and such notable Beck buddies as Letterman bandleader Paul Shaffer. They were all on hand to catch the great guitarist in an uncommon context. Beck's fiery, soaring style — which has been unendingly influential ever since he emerged as Eric Clapton's replacement in the Yardbirds in 1965 — makes glorious use of maximum volume. However, his two Iridium dates (the first one, the night before, had drawn such admirers as David Bowie) were a birthday tribute to Beck's late friend, the innovative guitarist Les Paul, whose own style was clean, sharp and jazzy. In saluting Paul — who maintained a weekly Iridium gig virtually up to the time of his death last year, at the age of 94 — Beck would necessarily be turning down the volume a bit; and since Paul had a strong country side, too, his English acolyte would also be showcasing his rockabilly chops. Beck was joined for these dates by Irish singer Imelda May and her tight three-piece band. May is a belter with range — she's up for taking on early Elvis and even Howlin' Wolf, and she held her own as Beck called forth the ghosts of such rockabilly guitar masters as Cliff Gallup and Paul Burlison (on a stomping rendition of "Train Kept A-Rollin'," a tune Beck covered with the Yardbirds). But May also shifted down to a smoky purr for Julie London's late-night lounge standard, "Cry Me a River" (with Beck flawlessly replicating Barney Kessel's original plaintive chord patterns); and her takes on such vintage Les Paul recordings as "How High the Moon" and "Bye Bye Blues," whipped along by Beck's heavily echoed riffing, were pure, jumping '50s pop. Paul invented the solid-body Gibson guitar that bears his name, and Beck has played one at various times throughout his career. But he's most closely associated with the Fender Stratocaster, which has a throatier, more sinuous tone. So when he strapped one on midway through the show (possibly to the dismay of Gibson Guitar execs in the audience), the music grew noticeably more muscular. Bringing on a four-piece horn section, he unleashed the deathless crunch of "The Peter Gunn Theme," and then — out of nowhere — launched into a rendition of the Shangri-Las' girl-group classic, "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)," that might have actually raised the roof if the club weren't located in a basement. The show peaked when Beck invited Brian Setzer out onstage ("the only guy in the room who could give him competition," Van Zandt whispered) with his trademark Gretsch guitar. Their extended, dueling-riffs run-through of Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock" was the sort of thing guitar fans might expect to hear only in heaven. The crowd was still buzzing at an upstairs party following the show. Most people have a favorite Beck phase: the Yardbirds stuff, of course, or maybe the mid-'70s jazz-fusion period of Blow by Blow and Wired. For Kirk Hammett, the Jeff Beck Group's 1968 blues-rock touchstone, Truth, was a major album. "One of the very first guitar solos I ever heard was the one on 'Let Me Love You,' " Hammett said. And tonight's show? "I just went, Oh my god, there he goes again!" Related Artists |
| Taylor Swift, Nicole Kidman, Snooki Do Cocktail Chic At CMT Awards Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:56 AM PDT Brocade and sequins ruled the CMT Awards red carpet on Wednesday night in Nashville.
The looks at this year's CMT Awards, which took place on Wednesday night in Nashville, veered more toward Hollywood glam than Nashville chic. In fact, the only attendee who fully embraced the big hair and sequins that are so often associated with country music was "Jersey Shore" star Snooki. Taylor Swift straightened her curly locks and wore a chocolate brown brocade Galliano dress. Fellow blonde bombshell Julianne Hough shined in a short yellow dress accented with silver sequins. Miranda Lambert and Snooki, who arrived at the show with her "Shore" pal The Situation, both went disco in sparkling silver dresses. Carrie Underwood channeled Barbie in a short, hot pink, low-cut Jenny Packham dress. Lady Antebellum's leading lady Hillary Scott looked incredibly chic in a strapless, sequined black dress. Kellie Pickler added a little shine in a Zuhair Murad dress with gold brocade detailing and a flared skirt. The night also belonged to two of country's favorite couples. Tim McGraw's casual look (complete with jeans and a cowboy hat) offset Faith Hill's light pink, tie-dyed J. Mendel gown. Nicole Kidman, like Swift, wore a brocade cocktail-length dress, although hers was gold hued. Kidman's hubby Keith Urban looked casual chic in black pants and a navy button-down. Also representing Hollywood was Hayden Panettiere, who arrived at the show in a sexy, barely there Pucci frock made of black lace and aqua satin. Jada Pinkett Smith was also on hand, wearing a dramatic black and purple dress. Who stood out to you on the CMT Awards red carpet? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lil Wayne Wants Drake's <i>Thank Me Later</i> To Sell 2 Million The First Week Posted: 09 Jun 2010 03:56 AM PDT 'I need him to do more than Tha Carter III,' Weezy says in new 'Nino Brown Story, Pt. 3' footage.
Lil Wayne has huge aspirations for Young Money franchise player Drake. But hey, you don't become as big a superstar as Wayne is by thinking small. In footage from DJ Scoob Doo's upcoming "Nino Brown Story, Pt. 3" DVD, Weezy calls Mack Maine from prison, and they talk about the sales of Drake's upcoming Thank Me Later. Wayne hadn't heard the completed LP before he went to prison in March. "What that boy's sh-- sounding like?" Wayne asks Mack. "A million in a week?" "Yeah. Like a classic. Big money," Mack answers.
"A million in a week? I need him to do more than Tha Carter III," Weezy adds of his breakthrough album, which sold more than 1 million copies in its debut week. "Like 2 million in the first week. I need him to do 2 million the first week, straight up." "Let's get it. Ya heard me," Mack answers with a smile. "We gotta put this out." Wayne then goes back to asking his nearly lifelong friend about the music on Thank Me Later. "What's it sounding like? He singing his ass off?" the YM CEO asks. "That n---a got some songs," Mack says with excitement. "One of them he let me hear, 'Karaoke.' It was some singing, I was like, 'When your part come in?' Picture that was him the whole time. I'm like, 'Who this n---a? When your verse come in?' That n---a got different tones now, blood. He's got different tones now. Sh-- we ain't never heard before. He's killing it." Wayne later tells Mack that his own Tha Carter IV is going to be another major project and that he wants Thank Me Later to sell 10 million copies overall. "I need [Drake] to do diamond," Wayne says. "And I try to top that. I need him to do that. He's gonna sell." While in prison, Wayne is already thinking about his first performance when he comes home. "Come straight offstage with the [state] greens on and just go stupid on them," Wayne says of what he's going to do. "I should do it the same night I get out." How many copies do you think Drake's debut will sell its first week? Share your predictions in the comments! Related Artists |
| Aubrey O'Day Thought Sex Was 'Disgusting' In High School, On 'When I Was 17' Posted: 10 Jun 2010 03:52 AM PDT 'When I was 17, contrary to popular opinion, I was a virgin,' former Danity Kane singer says.
These days, Aubrey O'Day is known as a sexy pop singer who, among other things, has appeared in a Vegas stage show nearly nude. But back in high school, the Playboy model thought sex was kind of gross. On this week's episode of "When I Was 17," O'Day admits that having sex was not her number-one goal in life.
"When I was 17, contrary to popular opinion, I was a virgin," the onetime Danity Kane singer confesses on the show, which also features former baseball captain Donald Trump and Nick Cannon. "I was very scared of boys. I was very insecure about my body and I thought anything sexual was disgusting." While it may be hard for fans to believe that O'Day, who regularly poses wearing very little in photo shoots and very openly discusses her bisexual love life, was a prude in high school, her friend Melissa confirms that she was in fact kind of a sexual wallflower, explaining, "I think the idea of sex just kind of freaked her out." O'Day was apparently so scared of boys that her friends weren't even sure if she liked them at all. And forget about having a discussion with O'Day about sex — that was even weirder for her. "I'd get, like, creeped out if I even heard my friends talking about it, and all my friends were having sex," she explained. "And I was just the one that didn't ever have a boyfriend. People probably thought I was a lesbian." "When I Was 17" — this week featuring Donald Trump, Nick Cannon and Aubrey O'Day — airs Saturday at 11 a.m. on MTV. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Director Defends Video's Religious Symbolism Posted: 08 Jun 2010 11:26 PM PDT The imagery 'represents the character's battle between the dark forces of this world and the spiritual salvation of the Soul,' Steven Klein exclusively tells MTV News.
In the 24 hours since it was first released, Lady Gaga's epic "Alejandro" video has already succeeded in kicking up a cloud of controversy over its use of religious symbolism in several key scenes — scenes that some believe go too far.
Gaga, who was raised Catholic, has never been one to shy away from exploring the topic of religion in her work, but with "Alejandro," she seems to have pushed things to the limit. In the video, she and director Steven Klein combine Catholic imagery with sexual themes like S&M and androgyny. In one scene, LG wears a latex version of a nun's robe, and in another, she sucks on rosary beads. Already, the clip has drawn complaints from the Catholic League and, somewhat surprisingly, Katy Perry, who wrote on her Twitter account Tuesday: "Using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke." In fact, "Alejandro" seems to have created such a controversy that, hours after speaking with Klein about the video's meaning, we sent him a follow-up e-mail about the use of religious imagery and symbolism and the criticism both have garnered. Here, exclusively, is his response: "The religious symbolism is not meant to denote anything negative, but represents the character's battle between the dark forces of this world and the spiritual salvation of the Soul," Klein wrote. "Thus at the end of the film, she chooses to be a nun, and the reason her mouth and eyes disappear is because she is withdrawing her senses from the world of evil and going inward towards prayer and contemplation." Klein added that the scene in which Gaga ingests the rosary beads is meant to represent "the desire to take in the holy." An e-mail to Lady Gaga's label, Interscope Records, seeking additional comment on the "Alejandro" video had not received a response by press time. What do you think of the religious imagery in the "Alejandro" video? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Drake Opens Up About Rihanna: 'I Was A Pawn' Posted: 09 Jun 2010 04:11 AM PDT He also talks about other women who influenced his music in an upcoming New York Times profile.
A profile of Drake is set to run in Sunday's New York Times. In the story, the rapper opens up about his childhood, the making of his breakout mixtape So Far Gone and his fling with Rihanna. "I was a pawn," Drake told the newspaper about his time with Rihanna, which began with an invite to pen a track for the singer. "You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I've done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, 'Wow, this feels terrible.' " Drake channeled the experience into song, penning a verse on "Fireworks" dedicated to Rihanna, though he never mentions her by name. "I could tell it wasn't love/ I just thought you'd f---ed with me/ Who could have predicted/ Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me," Drake raps on the song, referring to the Manhattan bowling alley where the two reportedly made out. "Damn, I kept my wits about me, luckily/ What happened between us that night, it always seems to trouble me/ Now all of a sudden, these gossip rags want to cover me/ And you making it seem like it happened that way because of me." Later in the story, Drake talks about the moody and melodic tracks that populate So Far Gone. The songs were inspired by a breakup with a woman he was dating who was involved with a far more famous rapper before Drake. His music was so intertwined with his relationship, he tried to push off material on Trey Songz. "I don't even know if I wrote a rap song in that whole nine months," Drake said. "Because I wasn't a rapper anymore. I didn't believe in myself. I was someone else's property." The rapper eventually rebounded, and his next pursuit served as the driving force behind his breakout hit "Best I Ever Had." "A lot of So Far Gone was predictions," he said of the collection. "I was rapping about things I'm only going through now." What do you think about Drake's thoughts on Rihanna? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Snooki And John McCain Bond On Twitter Over Tanning Taxes Posted: 09 Jun 2010 06:34 AM PDT 'I would never tax your tanning bed!' onetime presidential candidate tweets at the 'Jersey Shore' starlet.
A lot of things are changing on "Jersey Shore" this season, and the MTV Movie Awards' 13-minute teaser clip let us in on the most important difference: Snooki is reverting to spray-tanning.
Jersey tanning salons are sure to feel the repercussions of Snook's admission, which she said was as a result of President Obama raising taxes on tanning beds. Turns out more than just "Jersey Shore" fans heard Snooki's cry for help, and the self-identified guidette earned herself an unexpected ally against Obama's tanning taxes: Arizona Senator John McCain. "@Sn00ki u r right," the 2008 Republican presidential candidate tweeted on his verified account. "I would never tax your tanning bed! Pres Obama's tax/spend policy is quite The Situation. but I do rec wearing sunscreen!" Snooki caught McCain's shout-out and, though she didn't respond to him directly, did tweet back, "Haha Yes!" Does this mean John McCain is coming out as a "Jersey Shore" fan? It seems like it, considering not only did he catch Snooki's comment, he also threw in a Situation reference for good measure. Sure, there's a good chance it was McCain's social-network guru (who is most likely hip on the hot MTV show) who posted the tweet, but the first option is so much more enjoyable. Since Sarah Palin will likely be running for president herself in 2012, McCain should keep Snooki in mind as a vice-presidential candidate if he decides to take on Obama again. They already have the tanning-taxes platform in common! Season two of "Jersey Shore" premieres Thursday, July 29, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. Be there! Related Videos |
| Eminem Keeping June 22 <i>Recovery</i> Release Date, Despite Leak Posted: 09 Jun 2010 12:13 AM PDT MC has often moved up release dates after album leaks in the past.
Eminem changed the rules regarding traditional Tuesday album releases in the past, when the MC would push up the date by weeks after his projects were bootlegged or leaked online. Now, with his forthcoming Recovery set having hit the Web two weeks early, the rapper has reportedly decided to keep the same June 22 release date. According to XXLmag.com, a representative for Em confirmed the date would stay the same despite the album being available illegally. An Interscope Records spokesperson was unavailable at press time when contacted by MTV News. Recovery arrived online and via blogs earlier this week, following the lead single "Not Afraid" and the Pink-assisted "Won't Back Down." The first video from the project, "Not Afraid," premiered Saturday and departs from the rapper's usual satirical efforts. Last month, Eminem revealed the track list for Recovery, and the rapper chose to work with Lil Wayne, Pink and Rihanna for the project. In the past, he's kept his circle of collaborators short, mostly limited to the Shady/Aftermath camp, including Dr. Dre and 50 Cent. For this collection, however, Eminem chose to work with a bevy of new contributors, such as producers Just Blaze, Jim Jonsin, and DJ Khalil. "A lot of good music is being made [by Eminem]," Just Blaze told MTV News in April. "He's really back spitting. The wordplay is crazy, the metaphors are crazy. He's really back on his game. He had his ups, he had his downs, he's back way, way, way up. This is definitely going to be up there with the best of his albums, for sure, for sure. The fact that he's branched out working with a lot of different people now, collaborating in a lot of different ways that he never has before, I think he's going to surprise a lot of people." Are you excited to hear Eminem's new album? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Does Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Video Go Too Far? Posted: 09 Jun 2010 04:23 AM PDT Fans on the streets of NYC weigh in on Gaga's latest controversial video.
She poisoned jauntily dressed bumpkins in "Telephone," writhed next to Beyoncé in "Video Phone" and rocked some of pop music's most mind-blowing costumes in all of her videos. And although Lady Gaga has made a career of pushing the envelope with her videos, her latest visual tour de force, "Alejandro," is a remarkably involved production. Riddled with controversial imagery, including her swallowing a rosary and dry-humping beefy half-naked guys, Gaga's latest begs the question: Has she gone too far?
MTV hit the streets of New York City and found that fans have a wide range of opinions about Gaga's provocative eight-minute clip. "I think it's pushing the limit a little bit," said Lisa Neville. "It looks like she's trying to wear a nun's costume and [have] sex on a bed so yeah, that's kinda stepping over the line." "I don't know what to really say because that's really over-the-top for me," said Chad Tolentino. "First she's dressed in a nun's outfit, then she's on a bed with some dude on top of her. Well, I guess it's kinda normal for her." Others, like Natalie Matthews, maintain that while Gaga's style of personal expression isn't for everyone, it is what the public can count on from the star. "It's not my taste but I would expect that from her," said Matthews, adding that pushing buttons has become Gaga's calling card. "I expect it to be weird and I expect it to be shocking." "It's intense but I guess it's her style. I don't know," laughed Megan Wilson. Stefanie Lehmann added that the shocking nature of the clip is what makes it uniquely Gaga. It's crazy but it's her ... it's totally Gaga. So, I don't think [it goes too far]." "Nowadays I think you have to push the boundaries to get noticed," said Josefino Fantilago, who added that Gaga has a track record of stunningly provocative videos that she has to maintain. "She needs to up the ante because her 'Telephone' video with Beyoncé, that was amazing. 'Bad Romance' was amazing. She needs to move on." "I don't think she's gone too far with this video. It's not a typical Lady Gaga video, I don't think," said Michael Miller. He found "Alejandro" to be one of Gaga's more mundane offerings, adding that, "typical [Lady Gaga] is quite crazy and strange outfits and quite provoking." Gary Gomez also didn't find the video's sexual and religious references over-the-top. "No, I don't think she went too far at all. It's an awesome video. I liked it, all the dance moves, all the seductiveness, the sexiness — it's great." Do you think the imagery in Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" video goes too far? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
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