MTV News |
- Among Britney Spears Singles, Where Does 'Hold It Against Me' Rank?
- Wiz Khalifa Aims To Be 'The Best Artist Of The Year'
- Jay-Z And Kanye West's 'H.A.M.': Radio Programmers Weigh In
- Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray Ordered To Stand Trial
- Will Nas Join Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music?
- Britney Spears Thanks Fans For 'Hold It Against Me' Support
- Kanye West And Jay-Z Harness Social Media For <i>Watch The Throne</i>
- Natalie Portman Calls Fans' Response To Her Personal Life 'Wild'
- Ashton Kutcher A 'Huge Fan' Of 'Jersey Shore'
- Timbaland Reaches Out To Demi Lovato For A Collaboration
- Britney Spears Breaks Radio Records, Rumored To Perform At Grammys
- 'James Bond 23' To Return With Daniel Craig, Studio Says
- Kanye West, Jay-Z <i>Watch The Throne</i> Pairing Treads New Ground
- Cake Try For 'Classy And Grandiose' In <i>Showroom Of Compassion</i>
- Lily Collins Talks Taylor Lautner's 'Abduction' Abs, 'Twilight' Fans
- Miley Cyrus Working On 'Big Bang' Film
- Britney Spears' 'Hold It Against Me' Is 'Gonna Inspire People,' Skrillex Says
- Ashley Greene Talks 2011, 'Breaking Dawn' And Miley Cyrus Fans
| Among Britney Spears Singles, Where Does 'Hold It Against Me' Rank? Posted: 11 Jan 2011 03:26 AM PST 'It's going to stick, but it doesn't have that little pixie dust that makes a really magical Britney song,' one expert says.
Britney Spears got grimy on her newest single, "Hold It Against Me," a Dr. Luke/ Max Martin-produced thrashing club tune about lusting on the dance floor. It serves as the lead single from Brit's March album, and it follows in the tradition of other Brit lead singles like " ... Baby One More Time," "Oops! ... I Did It Again" and "Womanizer," which had Britney-philes (and even some Britney haters) on the dance floor.
But how does the track stack up against previous Britney singles? MTV News caught up with some Spears scholars to get their thoughts. "I would probably [rank this] less on the 'Oops!'/'Toxic' level and more on the 'Womanizer' [level], where it's that thing where it's a really repetitive chorus that you could fit on a fortune cookie," Entertainment Weekly music critic Leah Greenblatt told MTV News. "Two weeks later, you're, like, dreaming that song and singing it in the shower and hating yourself for singing it through your commute, so I think it's kind of insidious and it's going to stick, but it doesn't have that little pixie dust that makes a really magical Britney song." Perez Hilton seemed to feel similarly about the song, admitting that he likes the direction this track takes compared to the work she's put out on her last few records. "I think 'Hold It Against Me' is definitely better than a lot of things she's done in the past, but not quite as good as 'Toxic.' I like 'Hold It Against Me' better than 'Womanizer,' but not as much as 'Circus.' "I don't think is revolutionary," he continued. "It's not groundbreaking, but it's a fun track. It's a great setup single to remind everybody 'Britney's back.' This is Britney's 'pay attention to me' track." MTV News' very own Jim Cantiello said the song certainly isn't " ... Baby One More Time," but it's also not "3," and that's good with him. "Do I think it's better than 'Womanizer' and '3'? Hell yes! ... To me, it sounds very much like Britney," he explained. "Her voice is back, but it still has that dirty, filthy dance sound that I loved on Blackout." But what do you think of "Hold It Against Me"? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Wiz Khalifa Aims To Be 'The Best Artist Of The Year' Posted: 11 Jan 2011 08:11 AM PST With a breakout 2010 and his debut album yet to drop, the MC is one of MTV News' 11 for '11.
Last year, Wiz Khalifa bested his peers to be named MTV News' Hottest Breakthrough MC, and to kick off 2011, the "Black and Yellow" lyricist has earned a nod as one of our 11 in '11 stars to watch.
"It's great," the Pittsburgh MC told MTV News about the honor. "I got a lot of work to do. I've done a lot of work to get where I'm at, but I have to keep working. And, hopefully, I'll be the best artist of the year." The upstart artist began his ascent years ago in the underground with a series of mixtapes and independent projects, most notably the Rostrum Records release Show and Prove and last year's breakout Kush and Orange Juice. The lanky 23-year-old's breezy sound and green-friendly rhymes inspired a slew of followers, which he dubbed the Taylor Gang for their dedication to the old-school Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers and their laid-back attitude. That cult following helped Wiz soar past Jay-Z protégé J. Cole, reality star-turned-rapper Diggy Simmons and Jay Electronica in fan voting for the Hottest Breakthrough MC crown. After the win, Wiz kept the momentum going by releasing his official debut single, "Black and Yellow"; the Stargate-produced number is an ode to his city's sports teams, since the NFL's Steelers and MLB's Pirates sport the colors. After its rise up the charts, the song earned a gold plaque, and Wiz later recruited Snoop Dogg, T-Pain and Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J for the remix. Now, as he puts the finishing touches on his still-untitled debut album, tentatively due in March, he's expanding his empire by collaborating with Snoop on a movie and soundtrack and readying himself for all the challenges he'll face. "I don't feel any pressure," he said about the forthcoming year. "I know what I'm here to do, as far as working and always just building. It's good to have that. I work really hard, so now I have to work 10 times harder than I ever worked before. I'm here." Check out MTV News' 11 for '11 — actors, musicians and TV stars who are about to have a huge year — all week long. Related Videos Related Artists |
| Jay-Z And Kanye West's 'H.A.M.': Radio Programmers Weigh In Posted: 11 Jan 2011 06:49 AM PST Is 'H.A.M.' a hit? RapFix caught up with program directors across the country for their thoughts.
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| Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray Ordered To Stand Trial Posted: 11 Jan 2011 05:49 AM PST Murray faces manslaughter charges in the singer's death; his medical license has also been suspended.
Dr. Conrad Murray has been ordered to stand trial for manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. According to The Associated Press, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor made the decision after a six-day preliminary hearing during which witnesses testified that the Houston cardiologist administered a dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol and other sedatives then left the pop star unmonitored. During the course of the hearing, testimony was given that Murray ordered hundreds of bottles of propofol in the months before Jackson's death. The AP report also cited the fact that the prosecutors concluded their case with testimony from two doctors who said Murray acted outside the standard of medical care when he administered propofol and failed to provide proper care. Other damning testimony included that of Jackson's bodyguard, who said that on the morning of the singer's death, it appeared that Murray didn't know how to administer CPR to his dying patient. Judge Pastor also granted a request by the California Medical Board to suspend Murray's license to practice medicine in the state. Pastor said he made the decision in the interest of public safety and ordered Murray to notify every district in which he practices of the decision within 24 hours. Murray has clinics in Houston and Las Vegas. Murray, 57, has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys have argued that he did not give Jackson anything that should have killed him. Murray faces up to four years in prison if convicted. Related Artists |
| Will Nas Join Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music? Posted: 11 Jan 2011 06:49 AM PST 'When Kanye is out there doing his thing, he's entertaining all audiences and he's keeping it hip-hop at the same time,' MC tells RapFix.
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| Britney Spears Thanks Fans For 'Hold It Against Me' Support Posted: 11 Jan 2011 08:14 AM PST 'Seriously, I have the best fans ever,' Spears tweets.
Fans are certainly excited that Britney Spears decided to release her new single, "Hold It Against Me," early. On Monday, Spears surprised her fans by releasing the tune to radio before the song officially hit iTunes. And Spears wants her fans to know how thankful she is for their support. "Seriously, I have the best fans ever. I love you all so much!!" she wrote on Twitter. "Everything I do is for you! xoxo Brit." The singer, who is set to release her new album in March, explained why she decided to release the song hours earlier than expected. "Don't #HOLDITAGAINSTME for coming out early. I couldn't wait any longer. Hope you don't mind....." she teased. "Anybody staying up late to get #HoldItAgainstMe on iTunes? I know I'll be awake..." The singer also reacted to fans' positive reviews of the track.
Spears' manager, Adam Leber, also took to Twitter on Monday to share some news about the video for the dance track. "Going to bed people. Have to wake up early and get back to work on the HIAM video. News on that coming soon ..." he revealed. "And HIAM is a trending topic worldwide!! Britney's Fans = Unstoppable" It seemed that Team Britney was out in full force as the song quickly made its way around the world, with one-half of the tunes's production team, Dr. Luke, also reacting to its release. "So u like the new brit single 'hold it against me' ???" he wrote. "holy f--- !!!! hold it against me is a trending topic... #HIAM." Related Videos Related Photos Related Artists |
| Kanye West And Jay-Z Harness Social Media For <i>Watch The Throne</i> Posted: 11 Jan 2011 04:23 AM PST After MCs serve up H.A.M. on joint album's fan page, execs at Def Jam, Facebook reveal MCs' social strategy to MTV News.
These days, among other things, the hip-hop release playbook requires an active Facebook account, a fact rap heavyweights Kanye West and Jay-Z are obviously aware of. Just after midnight on Tuesday (January 11), the MCs gave fans a first listen to "H.A.M," the lead single from Watch the Throne — in exchange for a "like" on the Facebook page for their collaborative album.
The Watch the Throne page uses Facebook's most popular music application, BandPages, to stream the single, and it has amassed more than 57,000 fans in just three days. "It's great to see artists turning to social platforms to get their music out to their fans. The music release process isn't about radio play anymore — it's about finding fans where they live, getting songs to the people who care," said Brenna Ehrlich, news editor at Mashable.com. Indeed, this tactic is just another example of a growing trend in the hip-hop community and the music industry at large. "While people have been able to share their music tastes on Facebook since the beginning, and we saw the emergence of social music applications gain popularity when we opened our platform in 2007, we're still just at the beginning of this new world of music and technology," said Meredith Chin, a staffer at Facebook's corporate communications department. "It will be exciting to see how things evolve over time based on the creativity and imagination of musicians and their fans." And in the wake of MySpace, the self-proclaimed "entertainment destination for Gen Y," announcing a 47 percent staff reduction, Kanye and Jay-Z's release strategy is just another indication of Facebook's growing share of the social music space. Recently, both Lil Wayne and Avril Lavigne offered fans similar single-stream capabilities, but Kanye and Jay-Z made their release distinctive by directing fans to an album-specific fan page rather than simply leveraging their existing pages, which are home to 5.4 and 6.1 million fans, respectively. "I think it was smart to launch their own page, but I would have used both accounts as well. That way fans would be able to easily find the track, rather than going to a brand-new page," Ehrlich said. Representatives for Def Jam revealed to MTV News that the idea to release "H.A.M." via social-media network came from none other than Hov. "It was Jay-Z's camp who set that up," said JD Anderson, manager of new media for Def Jam. "The application also used in the strategy, RootMusic, has the capability to stream music on Facebook." According to Anderson, the two rappers took advantage of their massive combined Facebook following to showcase the first effort from the upcoming album."We launched it off of Jay's Facebook, then we were sending people to the Watch the Throne new page," Anderson explained. "Kanye has 5 million and Jay has 6 million. Everyone's on Facebook, so the only thing that was lacking was the capability to stream music." While there's still no concrete release date for Watch the Throne, a rep for Def Jam revealed the LP will drop on the Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam imprint. Are you a fan on Kanye and Jay's Watch the Throne page? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Natalie Portman Calls Fans' Response To Her Personal Life 'Wild' Posted: 11 Jan 2011 03:22 AM PST 'It's so nice, but it's a new experience to have people know that much,' pregnant 'No Strings Attached' star tells MTV News of well-wishers.
We've been hearing a lot about Natalie Portman in recent months. From her buzzworthy, Golden Globe-nominated role in "Black Swan," to her announcement that she's engaged and expecting her first child with "Swan" choreographer/co-star Benjamin Millepied, the actress has been making headlines.
But Portman has long been known to be guarded about her personal life — "indescribably happy" was the sum of her brief statement about her engagement and pregnancy — so when MTV News caught up with the 29-year-old "No Strings Attached" star as she promoted the romantic comedy, we asked how she was handling all of the public enthusiasm about her happy news. Click for photos of Natalie Portman and her fiancé Benjamin Millepied "It's very positive interactions, I have to say," Portman said of her well-wishers. "The weird thing is ... people knowing something that is so private but, I mean, you get used to that. It's just wild to walk down the street and have a complete stranger be like, 'Congratulations!' It's so nice, but it's a new experience to have people know that much about your most private things," she explained. "[But] it's all good." With all the responsibility that comes with welcoming a new life into the world, we wondered whether she'd gotten any parenting advice from her "No Strings" co-star Ashton Kutcher, who is stepdad to wife Demi Moore's three daughters Rumer, 22, Scout, 20, and Tallulah Belle, 16. "Ashton is a very good parent," Portman told us. "He would always come in with stories of what went on in the weekend or talks he's had with one of his stepdaughters and, I mean, obviously nothing that would betray their privacy, but I could just tell he's such a committed parent. And so yes, I mean, I have a while to go because he's got more of the teenage girl advice." Check out everything we've got on "No Strings Attached." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
| Ashton Kutcher A 'Huge Fan' Of 'Jersey Shore' Posted: 11 Jan 2011 02:33 AM PST 'I can fist-pump with the best of 'em,' the 'No Strings Attached' star tells MTV News.
By now, it's pretty clear that "Jersey Shore" is here to stay. In addition to the cast being all over talk shows and the blogosphere, the show's heavily hyped premiere last week netted a record-breaking 8.45 million viewers, making it the most-watched MTV series ever. Not only that, but Snooki told MTV News that she expects the cast will be game for doing the show for 20 more seasons or their "whole lives."
During our fun sit-down with the Snook-ster, she also mentioned personal highlights in meeting her celebrity fans, like Nicki Minaj and Ashton Kutcher. When we caught up with Kutcher recently as he promoted his upcoming romantic comedy "No Strings Attached," we asked the former "Punk'd" star for his thoughts on the "Shore." "I was on the 'Jersey Shore' bandwagon really early," Kutcher said with a proud smile. "I met Mike ['The Situation' Sorrentino] and Snooki and Pauly D. I met them right after the first season. A good friend of mine started showing me all these pictures of all these guidos online, and then she was like, 'Oh my God, you have to see this show,' and so I started watching," he explained. "I'm a huge fan of the show. I haven't missed an episode." Until we informed him that he had, in fact, missed the premiere the night before. "Did it start already? I was just talking about it yesterday. ... I will have it on my Apple TV tonight," he promised. And although Kutcher doesn't have a favorite catchphrase from the show, he assured us that he can hang with the crew. "I can fist-pump with the best of 'em," he said. Don't miss "Jersey Shore," airing Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Related Photos |
| Timbaland Reaches Out To Demi Lovato For A Collaboration Posted: 10 Jan 2011 10:34 PM PST Hitmaker records a video message for the Disney starlet and shares a snippet of a song he's created for her.
From Madonna to Keri Hilson, Timbaland's collaborations have spanned many genres. And while he's not hurting for longtime friends to work with (Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado), he's always looking for new talent. Next on the producer's collabo wish list? Demi Lovato. In a video message posted on YouTube, Timbo shares his thoughts about the Disney starlet, who is still checked into a treatment center for "emotional and physical issues." "Demi, I'm so ... I'm sitting here looking. Man, I'm just like, 'Wow.' You are amazing, girl," he gushed. "I'm kind of funny. I'm very hard to please, and I'm just not an easy person to please, so I'm very impressed. I'm very impressed. I got to hear you sing some of your songs, and I'm like, 'Wow.' " Timbaland was so amazed with Lovato's talents that he's already created a track for the singer/actress. The super-producer played a clip of an acoustic ballad, admitting that he has yet to add his signature touch. "I'm going to play a song that we did just for you," he said. "It ain't finished. It don't have my stamp of knockness to it yet. I'm playing a song just for you, only for you. Are you ready? It goes something like this. I wrote this for you." "You said you would take care of me/ We would always be living good/ And you said you get big one day, but you wouldn't get Hollywood/ Then opportunity called your name and you said that you didn't feel the same way I felt for you," a female vocalist sings on the demo. While a team-up with the producer hasn't been confirmed, Demi's camp has said that the teen sensation will hit the road later this year to promote a new album. Who else do you wish Timbo would collaborate with? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Britney Spears Breaks Radio Records, Rumored To Perform At Grammys Posted: 11 Jan 2011 01:23 AM PST 'Hold It Against Me' also tops iTunes chart on its release day.
It's been a big Tuesday (January 11) for Britney Spears. As her single "Hold It Against Me" became available for purchase on iTunes, it shot to #1 on the site and broke radio records.
According to a press release from Jive Records, the tune, from Brit's March album, broke all previous records for the most spins in the first day of release, according to radio-industry analyst Kevin McCabe. The song had 619 spins at Mediabase on Monday, and at BDS, she had a record-making 595 first- or one-day spins. "Top 40 outlets across the country immediately put 'Hold It Against Me' in rotation and received instant-reaction airplay at America's most-influential stations, including Z100 and WXRK in New York and KIIS and KAMP in Los Angeles," McCabe said in a statement. "When I originally heard it in December, it blew me away from the first listen, and the same thing happened when we played it on Elvis Duran's morning show [Monday]; our Facebook and Twitter pages exploded," Sharon Dastur, program director at New York's Z100, told MTV News on Monday. "People are going crazy for it. They heard the leaked version and loved it, and now they're loving the official version too. I can see it being another huge hit for her." As if that weren't big enough news for the singer, she's also rumored to be performing at the Grammy Awards next month. A rep for the show had not responded to MTV News' request for comment, but a rep for the singer did respond to Perez Hilton, who originally reported the rumor. "We have not confirmed a performance at the Grammys at this time," the rep told Hilton. If the performance does happen, a source told Perez that the singer "has been rehearsing for weeks and it's gonna be a truly great performance!" Are you hoping Britney will perform "Hold It Against Me" at the Grammys? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'James Bond 23' To Return With Daniel Craig, Studio Says Posted: 11 Jan 2011 02:45 AM PST MGM also announces a November 9, 2012, release date for the previously delayed '007' film.
There's exciting news for James Bond fans! On Tuesday (January 11), after months of rumors about the fate of MGM — which owns the rights to the "007" franchise — the studio has given the 23rd film in the series a release date and secured "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace" star Daniel Craig to suit up as Bond once again. According to Deadline, the still-untitled film will be released worldwide on November 9, 2012, with Sam Mendes directing a screenplay written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan. While plot details are, as expected, heavily under wraps, we already know that in addition to Craig's return, Dame Judi Dench will reprise her role as M. "I think I'm going to be needed in spring of 2011," Dench told MTV News way back in 2009. "That's a message I got. It would mean I could do something at the end of next year, something else, maybe be in the theater." Among the other players still to be determined are a likely Bond girl, played in previous films by the likes of Halle Berry ("Die Another Day"), Teri Hatcher ("Tomorrow Never Dies"), Denise Richards ("The World Is Not Enough") and the woman who started it all, classic beauty-in-a-bikini Ursula Andress ("Dr. No"). With regard to villains, Michael Sheen's name has been tossed in the mix for the role of Blofeld, a character perhaps more well-known these days as the inspiration for Mike Myers' Dr. Evil in the "Austin Powers" movies. But there's no rule in Bond films that says the villain has to be male — or that there will only be one. Who's your pick for the next Bond girl or Bond villain? Tell us in the comments! For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Kanye West, Jay-Z <i>Watch The Throne</i> Pairing Treads New Ground Posted: 11 Jan 2011 02:16 AM PST Album collaborations are rare in hip-hop history.
Now that their first single, "H.A.M.," has debuted, it looks like Jay-Z and Kanye West's highly anticipated Watch the Throne album is actually happening.
West tweeted about the collaboration in August, and confirmed it a few months later, saying the project would now be a full album. But few would have guessed it would be released so soon — right on the heels of West's critically lauded My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy — and there aren't too many examples in music history of two superstars collaborating on an album. Click for photos of other great collaborations in music history. There have been plenty of rock "supergroups" who have released albums over the years, starting with the likes of Cream (Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce) and Crosby, Stills and Nash (David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash) in the 1960s and continuing to Velvet Revolver (Slash, Scott Weiland, Dave Kushner, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum), Them Crooked Vultures (Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones) and Audioslave (Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk). However, there isn't as rich a history of duos and groups coming together in hip-hop. The Wu-Tang Clan and N.W.A are as influential as any groups in hip-hop, but their members' reputations didn't flourish until they embarked on their own. And they were originally groups to begin with. The Firm saw Nas join forces with AZ, Foxy Brown and Nature under the production of Dr. Dre and the Trackmasters, but besides Nas, the group's members are far from household names. More recently, Nas teamed up with Damian Marley to release Distant Relatives, but neither of these artists can touch the current popularity of West or Jay-Z. Barbara Streisand enlisted Barry Gibb to write an album for her during the height of the Bee Gees' success in the late '70s. In 1980, the pair produced Streisand's Guilty, which went on to sell 20 million records and win a Grammy. While anyone would be hard-pressed to match that success, Jay-Z is no stranger to collaborative albums. He teamed up with R. Kelly to record Best of Both Worlds in 2002. At the time, Jay-Z was arguably the most-popular rapper and R. Kelly was certainly the biggest R&B artist. The two had previously collaborated successfully on Kelly's "Fiesta" remix and Jay-Z's "Guilty Until Proven Innocent," so an album seemed like the ideal next step. By time the album would be released, however, R. Kelly was embroiled in a very public trial. The pair would try again with Unfinished Business in 2004, but tensions eventually boiled over. Amid their respective controversies, both albums were certified platinum. Jay also collaborated with Linkin Park in 2004 to release Collision Course, which saw the group and Hov reworking and mashing up their previous recordings. Jay also unofficially collaborated with Danger Mouse on The Grey Album, a mash-up of Jay's The Black Album and the Beatles' self-titled White Album. The Grey Album would go on to launch the career of Danger Mouse, who has since released albums with Cee-Lo Green under the name Gnarls Barkley and The Shins' James Mercer as the band Broken Bells. West produced the majority of Common's Be and Finding Forever albums, and he was rumored to be working with Pharrell and Lupe Fiasco on a CRS (Child Rebel Soldier) album. Are you excited for Kanye West and Jay-Z to drop Watch the Throne? Tell us in the comments! Related Photos Related Artists |
| Cake Try For 'Classy And Grandiose' In <i>Showroom Of Compassion</i> Posted: 11 Jan 2011 02:08 AM PST After a six-plus-year wait between albums, indie rockers didn't feel obligated to 'reinvent' their sound.
"It's been a long time," John McCrea sings on the second track of Cake's new album, Showroom of Compassion, which dropped on Tuesday (January 11). For fans who have been waiting more than six years for a new release from the understated indie rockers, it sure has been. And what they'll get after this long time is signature Cake, albeit with a few adjustments.
"We're not trying to change; we never have," McCrea told MTV News. "I always thought that was so wasteful for musicians to feel so obligated to reinvent themselves every album. ... That said, we do have reverb for the first time on my vocals. I think I had a moratorium against reverb all this time because I didn't want to sound grandiose." There's also more piano, which McCrea said they avoided in the past "because we didn't want to sound classy. Now we're a little classier," he deadpanned. "I think we're doing what America wants us to do: being classy and grandiose. And rude, with the song 'Sick of You.' " But none of this is news to the real die-hards, who have videotaped live performances of the new songs, studied the lyrics and are already singing along to every word at concerts. "It's pretty great, especially if you go someplace like France, where the language is French and the album has only been out for a couple months, and everybody is singing the words in English," said Vince DeFiore, who plays trumpet, keyboard and percussion. After spending years extricating themselves from a label deal, launching their own label and dealing with other issues that "musicians shouldn't have to deal with in a normal situation," Cake set about recording the album in an entirely solar-powered studio in Sacramento, California. The conversion turned out to be so efficient, they actually get a kickback from the city now. "As the value of recorded music descends to zero, we get a little check for $25," McCrea said of their power-grid surplus. But a band whose songs are perennial favorites for use in ads (Apple, Snapple), TV shows (everything from "The Sopranos" to "Chuck") and movies, shouldn't have to worry about funds too much. Are there any Showroom songs they think are ripe for commercial use? " 'Easy to Crash' — maybe that would be good for a car that has a really good safety record," McCrea offered. "I might allow that. I'm pro safety." Related Artists |
| Lily Collins Talks Taylor Lautner's 'Abduction' Abs, 'Twilight' Fans Posted: 10 Jan 2011 11:05 PM PST 'It's about his acting skills in this one,' she says, downplaying the actor's shirtlessness in the thriller.
When it comes to his upcoming thriller, "Abduction," Taylor Lautner has spoken enthusiastically about the intense training he endured — including boxing and motorcycle riding — and his excitement for what he terms the film's "amazing" story. All good stuff, no doubt, but what many of you really want to know about his first major role outside the "Twilight" franchise is one thing: Just how much shirt-free, ab-proud time is the 18-year-old going to have onscreen? Hate to dash dreams, but — despite those tantalizing set pics that popped up on the Web last summer — the answer is: not much at all. "It's not about that!" co-star Lily Collins laughed in a recent interview. "It's about his acting skills in this one. I feel everyone is going to be surprised to see how much he's grown. This movie is not about that aspect of him. It's very, very, very minimal. He brings so much more than that. I feel people are going to be blown away." Collins — who MTV News tapped as one of our 11 for '11 and who, like Lautner, is about take on a wildly popular book franchise as the star of the "Mortal Instruments" series — told us she learned a ton from watching how the "Twilight" star interacted with his fans during the "Abduction" shoot. "I would watch the way he deals with his fans. It's incredible," she told us. "We'd be shooting at nights where we finish at 7 in the morning, and one night, we had 600 fans in the middle of nowhere in Pittsburgh waiting outside, and it was probably almost 5 in the morning, and he went out and signed every single autograph. He was always there to be with his fans and to make sure they knew he appreciated them. "I watched that and I took note that it's always important to give back and to make sure the people that support you know that you support them," Collins added. "He's so humble in dealing with everyone that looks up to him." Check out everything we've got on "Abduction." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. |
| Miley Cyrus Working On 'Big Bang' Film Posted: 11 Jan 2011 12:41 AM PST Her mother, Tish Cyrus, might help turn Rock Mafia video into a movie.
Back in November, Rock Mafia's Tim James revealed to MTV News that plans were being formed to turn the sexy clip for their tune "The Big Bang" into an even-sexier movie starring its video girl, Miley Cyrus. Now it seems the project is well under way. E! News reports that Miley's mom, Tish Cyrus, has been meeting with Suzanne Todd — a producer on films such as "Alice in Wonderland," the "Austin Powers" films and "Memento" — to turn the music video into a full-length feature. Sources tell the website Miley is looking to reprise her role to pick up where her ghostly character left off. There's no word yet if Kevin Zegers will return to the project.
Rock Mafia's Antonina Armato tweeted about the project, for which her team would reportedly help write the script. "Just had a Meeting with Tish Cyrus and Suzanne Todd for 'Big Bang' To be made into a Movie!!! #fingerscrossed," she tweeted Monday. A rep for the group did not respond to MTV News' request for more information by press time. Armato said the film will be "epic." Regarding the "Big Bang" music video, James gave props to Miley and Zegers for their turn as star-crossed lovers. "The whole idea was to do something different," he explained. "[The director] had such a cool vision for it ... the vision was to let it fly, let the chemistry speak for itself. When we were watching them shoot it, we were like, 'Wow, this is going to be really cool.' "Kevin and [Miley] both brought their real acting game to it. ... The chemistry is not by accident. You can feel it, and it's intense," he continued. "I'm really proud of both of them." Are you excited for a "Big Bang" film? Tell us in the comments below? For young Hollywood news, fashion and "The Big Bang" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Photos Related Artists |
| Britney Spears' 'Hold It Against Me' Is 'Gonna Inspire People,' Skrillex Says Posted: 10 Jan 2011 11:47 PM PST 'The underground is gonna change,' dubstep star tells MTV News.
While a more complete demo told only part of the story Monday, legions of Britney Spears fans have no doubt spent the better part of Tuesday morning (January 1) reveling in Brit Brit's return with her new single, "Hold It Against Me," which was made available for download at midnight.
In many ways, Ms. Spears has served up a jam in line with popular music's current craze, EDM (electronic dance music), but make no mistake, "Against Me" is a hard-hitting thumper of a pop electro-house tune. What's especially unique about the Dr. Luke- and Max Martin-produced single is that, in typical trailblazing fashion, Spears has saluted the dance music world by including a section of dubstep in the surefire radio hit. About 2:20 into the song, the track slips into a simple dubstep break with Spears calling out, "Gimme something good/ Don't want to wait, I want it now/ Drop it like a hood, and show me how you work it out." Already, less than 24 hours after the song's official release, some are questioning whether Spears has hammered a nail into dubstep's coffin. Some of underground EDM's purist fans are worried that Spears has watered down their guarded and beloved art form. But the current prince of dubstep told MTV News he thinks Spears is doing a great thing for the genre, even though he isn't in love with the section used in "Against Me." "The more the stuff that is underground becomes mainstream, the more the underground is gonna change," Skrillex explained Monday. "I think it's gonna inspire people to obviously do something different." Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, has a background in the post-hardcore metal scene, but in the past two years, has achieved popular success in the EDM world. He signed with deadmau5's mau5trap records and, toward the end of 2010, released a slew of dubstep singles that topped beatport.com's chart, even holding eight positions on the dance-music site's top 10 at one point. "I thought the track ["Against Me"] was great overall," the face of popular new dubstep said. "I'll be honest, man: I love Max Martin. I think he's an absolute genius. And Dr. Luke did it, right? I think they are a f---ing dream team. I love the track! "I thought the dubstep part was unnecessary," he continued. "Not to say it was done wrong. I feel like it was very self-aware and consciously put in there to be 'the dubstep part.' I can see a lot of people getting pissed about it — the purist dubstep and drum and bass fans — but at the end of the day, it's cool that people are trying new things. Sooner or later, anything that happens in the underground — be it watered down or not — it always makes itself into the mainstream. It's cool to hear." To Spears' credit, Skrillex, who it would seem couldn't come from a more opposite musical background than Spears, spoke of her legacy. "I really respect her," he admitted. "From being a Mouseketeer to all the controversial stuff and to all the stuff she has been through. She does have an incredible legacy and an incredible story. The fact that she is still making records just says a lot." Do you think "Hold It Against Me" will have an impact on dubstep? Sound off in the comments below! Related Videos Related Artists |
| Ashley Greene Talks 2011, 'Breaking Dawn' And Miley Cyrus Fans Posted: 11 Jan 2011 08:11 AM PST With roles in 'LOL,' 'Skateland,' 'The Apparition' and more, the 'Twilight Saga' star is one of MTV News' 11 for '11.
Ashley Greene has spent the first days of 2011 doing martial-arts training. If we didn't know she was gearing up for some vampire fisticuffs in "Breaking Dawn," we might say the 23-year-old is getting ready to kick, punch and otherwise pound into submission the next 12 months. Because after years spent as a beloved supporting player in the "Twilight" franchise, Greene is set to take her turn in 2011 as one of the series' breakout stars.
The year begins with the debut of the Sundance indie "Skateland," an '80s coming-of-age tale. Then it's on to "LOL," a comedy in which she stars as a bad girl opposite Miley Cyrus. And don't forget about "The Apparition," a supernatural thriller that brings "Twilight" together with "Harry Potter" (Tom Felton) and "Gossip Girl" (Sebastian Stan), and the ensemble comedy, "Butter." Oh, yeah — plus the first part of "Breaking Dawn." Yep, it's going to be a big year for Greene. That's why we've named her as one of MTV News' 11 to Watch in 2011. During a break from the "Breaking Dawn" set in Louisiana, the actress answered some questions via e-mail, hitting on subjects like working with Cyrus, her most anticipated "Breaking Dawn" scene and what it was like to see Kristen Stewart as a vampire. MTV: 2011 is shaping up to be a big year for you, coming off all the "Twilight" exposure and now having some prominent roles in "The Apparition," "LOL" and a bunch of other projects coming down the line. Does 2011 feel like it's going to be a particularly big year? Ashley Greene: Definitely. I'm very excited for it. While it will be sad to finish filming the last installment of "The Twilight Saga," I'm grateful to have so much to look forward to. There's so much going on and so many wonderful opportunities popping up for 2011, and somehow I feel very Zen right now — I'm in a good place! MTV: Do you have any goals for the year beyond what you're already doing? What would you like to look back on at the end of the year and say, "I'm glad I accomplished that"? Greene: "Twilight" and my upcoming projects have given me an amazing platform. I'm looking forward to doing as many diverse projects and roles as I can fit in this year! I'm also looking forward to continuing to make strides with mark's m.powerment campaign; it's important to me that I use my voice to inspire my young, female fans to pursue their dreams, just like I did. I'm so thankful for everything in 2010 and am extremely optimistic and excited about how much more can be accomplished this year. MTV: Let's talk "LOL." We saw a lot of photos of you guys filming on location in Europe. Between "Twilight" fans and Miley fans, did you guys have to deal with a lot of paparazzi and people hanging outside set? Greene: Miley is a phenomenon — she's accomplished so much in the movie, TV and music worlds that it's not surprising how much attention was attracted during filming. But we're both professional and understand that we're there to do our jobs. Work was our number-one priority, and everything else was background. MTV: You've become a fashion icon in young Hollywood, and your "LOL" character certainly has a distinctive fashion style. Did you get to pick out any of your outfits? Keep anything? Become inspired by any of those looks? Greene: I definitely have a say in them, but it's more about what fits my character than me personally. In "LOL," my character, Ashley, wears some pretty outrageous and provocative outfits that I'd never wear in real life! With Alice Cullen, we got to draw on Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O inspirations, which is a bit more me. MTV: While filming "Apparition," did you and Tom Felton ever compare notes about "Harry Potter" and "Twilight" fans? Greene: Not so much comparing the fans as acknowledging how incredible they are. We are both so lucky to be a part of franchises that have ignited such a passion in young people. Very few actors get to be a part of that experience, so it's humbling. MTV: What "Breaking Dawn" scene are you most excited to film? Greene: Most excited to film and see would be the big fight sequence against the Volturi. As a cast, we like to do as many of our own stunts as possible, so it's fun and challenging to shoot those scenes. Jeff Imada, the stunt coordinator, is such a blast to work with as well. I'm learning so much from him. MTV: Tell us about Bill Condon's style on set. How does he differ from prior "Twilight" directors? Greene: "There's no way to describe what it's like working with Bill Condon except incredible! He is so professional, patient and a fantastic leader. I get excited going to set every day knowing I get to work with him. Each director has brought such a different energy and perspective to the films. Bill is very relaxed and authoritative, in a good way. I feel very comfortable working with him. MTV: Kristen Stewart said at the People's Choice Awards that she filmed some scenes as a vampire. What was your reaction to seeing Kristen as a vamp? Greene: Glad to have her officially join the Cullen family! Check out MTV News' 11 for '11 — actors, musicians and TV stars who are about to have a huge year — all week long. Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1." For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com. Related Videos Related Artists |
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