Kamis, 28 Juli 2011

Remembering Amy Winehouse's talent

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Amy Winehouse's rise to fame and struggles with addiction escalated on similar trajectories; that combination might be one of the things she's remembered most for, but when it comes to purely professional successes, her first might well be considered her "Back to Black" album. The musical effort won her five Grammys. Below, the title track from the album.

"I didn't go out looking to be famous," Winehouse told the Associated Press when "Back to Black" was released. "I'm just a musician." But between critical acclaim for "Back to Black" (as well as accolades in the U.K. for her freshman effort, "Frank") and her public battles with drugs and alcohol, the 27-year-old singer became incredibly famous. Among the songs she might be remembered most for is one that became a sad and tragic anthem of sorts, "Rehab."

The cause of Winehouse's death remains unclear. She appeared on stage during Dionne Bromfield's performance of "Mama Said" on July 20 at the iTunes Festival in London. You can watch her appearance below.

Crowds are currently gathering outside Winehouse's London home, and at a pub she frequented, The Hawley, in Camden. You can leave your remembrance of the singer below. 

(scoop today)

Sabtu, 23 Juli 2011

Demi Lovato Sets Sept. 20 Album Release Date


One day after her ballad "Skyscraper" notched a Top 10 debut on the Hot 100, Demi Lovato announced a Sept. 20 release date for her third album on Thursday (July 21) during a live video chat on Cambio.

"September 20! Exactly a month after my birthday!" Lovato exclaimed in the chat. When asked about a follow-up single, the teen star replied, "I've actually recorded about like 20-something songs, so we have to cut it down to fit the album, and then we'll choose the next single."
 
Lovato also hinted at an upcoming tour in support of the still-untitled album: "If I was to tour, I would announce it soon and maybe, possibly, I'm in the works of putting together a tour. Maybe. And maybe it'll be all around the world."

The album news arrives after Lovato released the somber new single "Skyscraper" on July 12, and a sparse music video for the track was released days later. "Skyscraper" showcases the 19-year-old singer's resilience after she entered a treatment facility for "physical and emotional issues" late last year.

"Skyscraper" also gave Lovato her highest career debut on the Hot 100 when it entered the chart this week at No. 10. Her first chart entry, "This Is Me" with Joe Jonas, debuted at No. 11 and peaked at No. 9 in July 2008.

(billboard)

SLIPKNOT EYE U.S. TOUR IN 2012

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SLIPKNOT are eyeing a U.S. tour next year (12) after a series of comeback shows in Europe left them feeling more "positive" about the future of the band following the death of bassist PAUL GRAY.
The rockers recently played dates in the U.K. and across mainland Europe as part of the Sonisphere travelling festival, marking their return to the stage following the tragedy last year (10).

They had previously thrown the group's future into doubt by warning fans they might never record a new album - but frontman Corey Taylor has now confirmed they have held talks about a U.S. tour next year following their Sonisphere success.

He tells Hard Drive Radio, "Definitely after this tour, I'm definitely much more positive than I was. Am I ready to run into a studio? No. Everybody just slow down, because it's still very fresh to me. It still doesn't make sense yet, you know, there's still a lot of healing that we've got to do before we can get there.

"Am I open to more tours? Absolutely. I mean, we've talked about doing something next year in the States and, you know, letting the fans kind of celebrate as well. So time will tell." Taylor also thanked fans who attended their set at Sonisphere shows and observed the two-minute silence in honour of their late bandmate, adding: "The whole tour has been great. Thank you to everyone who came and everyone who participated in the two minutes of silence for Paulie - he would have been so proud." Gray died from an accidental drug overdose in a motel room in Iowa in May last year.

Vedder, Flea & Cyrus Remember Nirvana’s Nevermind

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Eddie Vedder, Flea, R.E.M’s Peter Buck and even Billy Ray Cyrus have paid tribute to Nirvana’s Nevermind as part of a Spin magazine special to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of the iconic album’s release.
Vedder reveals he can no longer listen to the 1991 album because it’s “too difficult”, while Flea recalls it came out on the same day as Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik – and took a lot of radio play away from his band.

Buck remembers Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and his bandmates staying at his house in Athens, Georgia following a local gig a month after the album had become an instant cult hit, adding, “It’s hard to believe that in the year Nevermind was released, they weren’t the biggest band in the world… I had them stay at my house; they didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

But the oddest tribute comes from Achy Breaky Heart hitmaker Cyrus, who recalls living in his Chevy Beretta car when the album hit stores.

He says, “I was 29, my life had fallen apart – I was going through a divorce, losing my home and my cat. It was the background music for the drama unfolding in my world.”

Cyrus admits he and Cobain became unlikely friends after meeting on the road in between shows, and he was thrilled when his daughter Miley decided to cover Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit track from Nevermind on tour in South America.

He adds, “The crowd just went crazy and I thought, ‘How beautiful, man,’ because I do believe Kurt’s spirit is very much still on this earth, through his fans and his music.

“I did have a very surreal moment watching my little girl do their song, realising, ‘Wow, these kids are singing along to this in English, every word. And I’m sure that Kurt loves it.”

Others offering up tributes to Cobain and his music in the Spin special include Ray Davies, Henry Rollins, the Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne, Mark Ronson, Nikki Sixx and Sammy Hagar.

Jumat, 22 Juli 2011

Archive immortalizes East German Punk rock scene

(Reuters) - A punk rock pioneer of former communist East Germany (GDR) has opened the world's first archive about the underground GDR youth culture which survived oppression and infiltration by the state's repressive regime.

Michael Boehlke, who fronted a band called Planlos ('Aimless') told Reuters that choosing to be a punk rocker in affected every aspect of your life.
To be a punk in the communist state meant an end to job prospects or further education. Interrogations, jail time, and pressure from the secret police to become an informant on the local punk scene characterized day-to-day life.

"The police interrogated me every day," said Boehlke, adding that prison time was an ever-present possibility for everyone.

And while the feared Stasi secret police never managed to infiltrate Boehlke's band Planlos, two members of another major East German punk band -- Wutanfall ('Tantrum') -- turned out to be government informants.
To bring this history to a broader audience, Boehlke has collected 5,000 photographs, hours of 8 mm video material and original tapes of almost the entirety of the East German punk music in an archive in Berlin's northeast district of Pankow.

"I don't want some West German to tell me how the punk scene was in East Germany," Boehlke said, now sporting short grey hair and business attire, rather than the ripped clothes and black leathers of a punk.
"We were a part of that scene, have explored its history and have something to say about it," he said, adding that East German reality is often misrepresented in various media.

Punk reached the GDR in the late 1970s and early 1980s where it developed in urban centers like Berlin or Leipzig, following the trends in Britain, the United States and western Europe.
"We all listened to Western radio stations in Berlin and the weekly BBC radio show of John Peel played a major role in my discovery of punk music," Boehlke told Reuters.

CHURCHES SHELTER PUNKS
"There was no public space for us, and we would hang around in the streets all day long."
After a time, East Germany's protestant church provided rooms where punks could meet and play music, feeling it was its duty to shelter youths discriminated against.

"The church was soon totally overwhelmed by the mess we caused," Boehlke said, adding that "big concerts took place there, with hundreds or even a thousand coming."

These gatherings soon attracted the attention of East Germany's secret police, the Stasi.
"Outside pressure was enormous," he told Reuters, adding that the Stasi especially targeted punk bands, believing it provided them with a way to get at leaders of a subversive youth culture.

"But the movement had no leaders, and was organized more along anarchic lines," he said, adding that the Stasi never succeeded in breaking up the scene. Many informants fed them wrong information.
But then there were also many who did spy on their friends for years and gave them away to the state's security apparatus.

Boehlke learnt many of these stories only when he prepared an exhibition about the GDR's punk scene back in 2005 which toured Berlin and other East German cities and forced him to revisit his own history and that of former companions.

Following the fall of the wall, Boehlke and many others turned to all the things they had not been able to do as punks in the GDR. They went back to school or got jobs and adapted to the new realities of a unified democratic Germany.

But it is hard to get the punk out of the system, even years later. "Punk is foremost an attitude," Boehlke said, adding that he will never really lose his sense of skepticism when it comes to the authorities and state power.

(reueter)

Indonesia’s Premier Rock Music Festival: Java Rockin’Land

The Cranberries fronted by Dolores O’Riordan is among the headliners at this years Java Rockin’land concert in Jakarta, Indonesia. (EPA Photo)  
The Cranberries fronted by Dolores O’Riordan is among the headliners at this years
Java Rockin’land concert in Jakarta, Indonesia. (EPA Photo)  

Even though it’s only three years old, Java Rockin’Land is already being seen as the premier rock music festival in the country. While a few other rock festivals have tried to promote themselves using similar concepts, none match the stature that JRL has established in just two editions. The news of the festival’s lineup each year is always one of the most-anticipated musical events on the calendar. With 10 different stages showcasing a variety of musical styles, there is a wealth of bands and musicians, both local and foreign, for fans to watch every year.

This year’s JRL, which will run from Friday to Sunday at Carnaval Beach in Jakarta, is headlined by emo rockers 30 Seconds to Mars and The Cranberries, the veteran Irish rock band.

The JRL festival has built its reputation by consistently managing to put together solid musical lineups of bands that, while not the hottest, still have legions of dedicated fans.

Previous festivals have included former alternative-rock titans the Smashing Pumpkins, Australian garage rockers Wolfmother and The Vines, as well as successful British act Stereophonics, among many others.

Rolling Stone journalist Wendy Putranto considers JRL “not only the biggest, but the best” festival of its kind in the country.

“The festival is a triumph in terms of lineup, ambience, sound quality, stage lighting and scheduling, which, for the most part, is always on the clock,” he said. He added that it was also important to see the festival’s success in the context of how segmented the market for rock music still is here.

While some of the festival acts may be past their prime, Wendy says this is an understandable consequence of the summer festival seasons going on in Europe and America. “The organizers have had trouble, I guess, in booking bigger name acts that are probably already set to play at other festivals overseas,” he said.

While not all of the headliners may be considered major acts, some are — or once were — considered international stars.

Though previous actor-led bands have, for the most part, met premature demises (for a good example, consider Keanu Reeves’s grunge-lite Dogstar), 30 Seconds to Mars, with movie star frontman Jared Leto, has had a commercially successful career.

Its second album, 2005’s “A Beautiful Lie,” sold 1.2 million copies in the United States and 3.5 million worldwide. Images of the band adorn the majority of JRL’s promotional posters, highlighting its crowd-drawing power.

This year’s other big headliner is the Cranberries. With uber-popular singles such as 1993’s “Linger” and “Dreams,” and 1994’s “Zombie” and “Ode to my Family,” the band reached the apex of its stardom in the mid-’90s with its unique brand of melancholy alternative-pop. Lead singer Dolores O’Riordan’s chant-like vocals also gave the band a strong personality, which influenced numerous Indonesian female singers.

The band went on hiatus after the release of 2001’s “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee” and a greatest hits album in 2002, but reunited in 2009. They are set to release their first album in almost 10 years in the fall of this year, titled “Roses.”

Other acts appearing at this year’s festival include pop-punk rockers Good Charlotte, Ed Kowalczyk, the former vocalist for alternative rock band Live, New York City indie rockers We Are Scientists, Australian folk alternative group Frente, which hit it big on these shores with its cover of New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle,” and a slew of newer acts such as indie-lite hipsters Neon Trees and Californian rockers Young the Giant.

One act that stands out is influential Manchester alternative rock group Happy Mondays, one of the major forces to come out of Britain’s “Madchester” scene during the ’80s. Though the Happy Mondays have gone through numerous lineup changes — this being their third incarnation ­— old-school music fans will certainly be happy at the chance to see them.

JRL has also received praise for its support of local independent acts, many of whom have graced the stages of the festival over the years. Some of the hot independent acts set to perform this year include grunge band Alien Sick, post-punkers Morfem, electronic rockers PAL/NTSC, songstress Sarasvati and many more.

Singer-pianist Luky Annash, an independent artist who will be promoting his just-released debut album at the festival, said he felt “very honored to be part of this annual greatness.”

“[JRL] has been very active in exposing, supporting and providing opportunities for local indie acts to showcase their music,” he said.

Luky also said that the festival had “opened the gates for quality Indonesian music to be something that is highly significant again.”

To avoid too much repetition, the festival has avoided booking independent acts that appeared at the festival the previous two years, which is why some critics say the quality of acts has gone down a bit this year.

“I understand that they are avoiding repeating themselves, but I also think that they should consider each band’s fan base and popularity. Or they could let the bigger indie acts that played last year play on the larger stages,” Wendy said.

Nevertheless, the bands that will be playing seem eager to do so. Jimi Multhazam, who sings in the band Morfem, said, “It’s like a dream to take part in a rock festival where the sound mixes are of the same quality for every performer. The only bad thing I can say about JRL is that they have yet to invite punk legend Iggy Pop to perform.”

Bass player Deta Beringas, whose band Kelelawar Malam (Night Bat) is set to perform on Saturday evening, said his band getting booked at JRL was already opening new doors for him.

“I just enjoy the fact that girls have been coming up to me and saying ‘You’re a hit,’ now that they know my band will be playing there,” he said.

(Jakarta Globe)

Kamis, 21 Juli 2011

Katy Perry leads MTV nominations

Katy Perry 
US pop star Katy Perry leads the way at this year's MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) with nine nominations.

The singer's nods include video of the year for Firework, best pop video and best special effects.
British singer Adele and Kanye West picked up seven nominations apiece. Other multiple nominees included Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars.
The VMAs are scheduled to take place on 28 August in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live in the US.
Perry, who married comedian Russell Brand last year, was also nominated for best female video, best collaboration, best art direction and best cinematography.
"I have nine nominations. I thought that was a typo or something," the star told MTV.

"That's the most nominations I've ever gotten for anything."
In the video of the year category - considered to be the most prominent award of the night - Perry will compete alongside Adele, Mars, the Beastie Boys and Tyler, The Creator. 

After a record-breaking 13 nominations last year, Lady Gaga received just three.
She will take on Perry, Adele, Beyonce and Nicki Minaj in the best female video award.
Last year the Bad Romance singer dominated the awards ceremony, taking home eight prizes.
Mars and West will do battle in the best male video category, alongside Justin Bieber, Cee-Lo Green and Eminem.
And Perry, Adele and Mars will take on Britney Spears and Pitbull in the battle for best pop video.

BBC

30 Seconds to Mars Biography




Formed in 1998 by frontman Jared Leto and his older brother, 30 Seconds to Mars found success in the 2000s with a mix of post-grunge, screamo, and hard rock. The band gained a modest audience with its debut album, but it was the platinum-selling sophomore effort A Beautiful Lie that officially opened the flood gates in 2005, securing the band a frequent presence on MTV while paving the way for a number of successful tours. By placing all-access passes into 12 copies of the album, the bandmates also showed a savvy appreciation for marketing, which they revisited several years later by putting fans' photographs on the cover of their third album, This Is War.

Initially known for his work as an actor (most notably on the '90s TV drama My So-Called Life, as well as movies like Requiem for a Dream and Fight Club), Jared Leto decided to flex his musical muscles as he approached his 30s. He enlisted the help of his brother, drummer Shannon Leto, and co-founded 30 Seconds to Mars in 1998. The group made its studio debut four years later, releasing a self-titled album whose post-grunge sound showed an affinity for groups like Chevelle and Incubus. Although only modestly successful, the album convinced the bandmates to continue making music in spite of Jared Leto's busy acting schedule, which had filled up with roles in Panic Room, Highway, American Pyscho, and Requiem for a Dream.

It took three years to record A Beautiful Lie, with the bandmates traveling to four different continents to work with Leto on his movie sets. Released in 2005, A Beautiful Lie widened the band's sound by sampling from metal, neo-prog, and screamo. It also expanded the group's audience by going platinum in America, reaching gold status in several foreign countries, and spawning two Top 10 modern rock hits. 30 Seconds to Mars toured heavily as a result, sporting a new lineup that included lead guitarist Tomo Milicevic and bassist Matt Wachter (both of whom had also contributed to the album) in addition to the two Letos. Although Wachter threw in the towel in 2007, the band continued to tour around the world for the rest of that year, making stops at several major festivals (Roskilde, Pinkpop, Download) and opening shows for bands like the Used and Linkin Park.

Despite their growing momentum, 30 Seconds to Mars soon found themselves at war with their label, EMI/Virgin Records. The band had attempted to sign with a new label after the Beautiful Lie tour, prompting EMI to file a lawsuit for 30 million, claiming that 30 Seconds to Mars was contractually obligated to produce three more albums before signing with another company. The legal dust settled as the band relented and returned to EMI's roster, and This Is War -- the band's third album, not to mention a stylistic return to the sound of their self-titled debut -- arrived in December 2009. To encourage audience participation, the band solicited photographs from their fans, the first 2,000 of which were used to create the album's 2,000 different covers. Andrew Leahey, Rovi


Selasa, 19 Juli 2011

Red Hot Chili Peppers return with new single 'The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie'

RHCP

The last time the Red Hot Chili Peppers released a debut single from a forthcoming album, Barack Obama was still a freshman senator, Rebecca Black was only nine years old, and the music world was irrationally obsessed with Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day.”

Today Obama is president, Black is a pop star, and people remember Susan Powter better than they remember Daniel. And in the middle of it all, the Red Hot Chili Peppers remain steadfast. Sure, they have a new guitarist (longtime collaborator Josh Klinghoffer, replacing the once-again-departed John Frusciante), but if their new single “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” (the first track from their end-of-summer album I’m With You) is any indication, things are still cool in Pepperland.

Sticking with the same mid-tempo groove that colored recent successes like “Dani California” and “Can’t Stop,” “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” lays out a checklist for RHCP hits. Extra-funky Flea bassline? Check. Easy walking drum beat? Yup. Complementary shards of funk guitar? Indeed. Chaise-lounge philosophizing care of Anthony Kiedis? Of course. A heaping ton of cow bell? Yes and yes.

And yet something might be missing. Maybe the chorus isn’t as big as past hits, or perhaps the “Hey now” in the hook evokes too many memories of the sleepy “Snow (Hey Oh).” Still, it does feel like a back-to-basics return for the band after the circus rock excesses of their 2006 double album Stadium Arcadium, and any time the Chili Peppers take a step back (as they did on the now-classic 1999 album Californication), good things tend to happen. “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” is no “Scar Tissue,” but the groove still feels good.

Sabtu, 16 Juli 2011

Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony to divorce

Image: Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony

Singers Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are getting a divorce, PEOPLE Magazine reports.

"This was a very difficult decision," the couple told the magazine. "It is a painful time for all involved and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time."
The couple also said they have reached "amicable conclusions on all matters."
They wed in 2004 and have 3-year-old twins, Max and Emme.
Lopez was a judge on "American Idol" last season, but has not yet announced if she will return to the show. In addition to her musical career, she has starred in films including "The Wedding Planner," "Maid in Manhattan," and "The Back-up Plan."

In April, the pair announced plans for a television show together, "Q'Viva! The Chosen," with Simon Fuller, the creator of "Idol." The show was to feature the superstar couple as they traveled the world to find the best performers in Latin music, dance and other arts with the goal of creating a live extravaganza.
The show had no airdate, and it's unclear if it will continue.
Lopez released her latest album, titled "Love?" this year. Her career, which had lulled in recent years, has surged since she became an "Idol" judge.
Slideshow: Jennifer Lopez's rise to fame
In April, People put her on its cover declaring her the "World's Most Beautiful Woman."
 
The marriage was the third for Lopez, 41, and the second for Anthony, 42. He was previously wed to 1993 Miss Universe winner Dayanara Torres. She was married to dancer Cris Judd and before that, to waiter Ojani Noa. Each of their previous three marriages lasted just a year.

msnbc

Blink-182 release their first new song in eight years, 'Up All Night'

blink-182

The last time Blink-182 released new material, people loved Harry Potter movies and talking about Britney Spears.

Yes, in some ways, the world hasn’t changed a whole lot since 2003. And Blink sound similarly unaltered on their new track, the thunderous, midtempo rocker “Up All Night.”

Up All Night” is the lead single from the trio’s forthcoming, currently untitled studio CD. Back in February, drummer Travis Barker told EW that the album sounded like “where you would think Blink would be right now if you left off with our last album with us, and you follow[ed] each of our careers, and you know what we’ve done [since].”

ew.com

Chris Brown's 'Today' performance draws biggest crowd of all Summer Concert Series' concerts

Al Roker tried to take a quick head count, but there were just too many fans out at New York City’s Rockefeller Center this morning for Chris Brown to track.

Roker and fellow Today show anchor Matt Lauer estimated that 18-20,000 folks made their way to the show’s midtown NY stage to see the young star, besting any other performer’s audience attendance for their Summer Concert Series (including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Bruno Mars). Today screamed the news on Twitter, writing “The crowd for Chris Brown concert is now the biggest @todayshow crowd ever!”

The love Brown got was so great that authorities were forced to shut down an additional two blocks to accommodate those who wanted to catch a glimpse of his set, which included “Yeah 3X,” his 2008 smash “Forever,” and his latest single “She Ain’t You.”

Considering the negative press (much of it earned) that Brown’s received in the last two years, some may be surprised that he’s such a draw. Guess that goes to show what real fans and a truly solid album can accomplish. Check out his go at “Forever” after the jump.

Brown was amazed himself, thanking his fans for their support after he left the stage. “I love Team Breezy so much,” he tweeted. “Wish the concert was longer today! Thx you Today show for your everything Love ya!”
Did you watch Chris’ performance this morning? If not, you can catch his set here. Let us know what you think.

ew.com

Timberlake tries to bring 'sexy back' to Myspace

Justin Timberlake played internet pioneer Sean Parker in "The Social Network."

(CNN)  You thought bringing sexy back was hard? Try Myspace.

Pop-star, actor and occasional reason to watch "Saturday Night Live" Justin Timberlake will apparently play a "major role" in guiding the floundering social-media site after its sale this week.
News Corporation, in effect, admitted defeat on Wednesday, selling the site for $35 million after paying a reported $580 million for it in 2005. 

The buyer was Specific Media. And the first name in Specific Media's press release was Timberlake's.
"There's a need for a place where fans can go to interact with their favorite entertainers, listen to music, watch videos, share and discover cool stuff and just connect," Timberlake says in the release. "Myspace has the potential to be that place."

So, is this a twisted version of life-imitates-art?
Timberlake, of course, appeared in Facebook biopic "The Social Network" as Sean Parker, a creator of Napster and the first president of Facebook -- which, of course, played a major role in the downward spiral of Myspace.

The singer parlayed his early success with boy band 'N Sync into movie roles and a solo music career that produced such hits as "Cry Me a River" and "SexyBack."

He's more than just a name to slap on the project, apparently. Specific Media says Timberlake will have an office at the California headquarters of Myspace (unlike the roughly half of its staff that will be reportedly laid off), and a staff of about a dozen.

So, will he be able to use his on-screen experience to parlay Myspace into anything other than a joke about The Internet of the Past? The oft-snarky world of technology journalism didn't seem convinced on Thursday.
"Justin Timberlake soon to be crying a river as partial Myspace owner," blared the headline on tech blog Gizmodo.

"We're not sure how much of his cash he sunk into this sinking-est of sinking ships, but, man, wouldn't buying a bunch of Chipotle franchises or opening a club have been an easier business deal?" Gizmodo wrote.
Of course, folks on Twitter were taking their own cracks at the deal.

"This just in: Justin Timberlake also buys Blockbuster Media and a rotary phone factory. What does he see that we don't!?! #myspace," wrote user @donovanwoods.

Rihanna topples Lady Gaga for Facebook Queen title


LOS ANGELES (TheWrap) - Sorry, Lady Gaga, but Rihanna has just passed you by. At least on the Facebook charts.

The "Rude Boy" singer has overtaken the "Judas" chanteuse to become the most popular female star on the social media site, according to Famecount.com.

As of this writing, Barbados-born singer Rihanna has amassed 40,622,133 "likes" for her Facebook page, edging out Gaga, who lags with 40,580,102 "likes."

The good news for Lady Gaga? She still easily beats Rihanna on the Twitter front, with 11,653,916 followers versus Rihanna's 6,116,687. And according to Famecount's aggregated rankings, Gaga is still tops among celebrities when her combined Facebook likes, Twitter followers and YouTube views are taken into account. Rihanna ranks third, behind Gaga and Justin Bieber.

source: reuter

Hot: Beyonce's dad denies he stole money from her

Beyonce

Beyonce's father has accused her concert promoter of lying to his daughter over claims he stole from her. 

In court papers filed in Texas, Mathew Knowles, who used to be the singer's manager, asks a US judge to make Live Nation back up their claims. 

He alleges that the company provided false information to Beyonce and her lawyer, accusing him of defrauding her. 

However he insists that his relationship with Beyonce is still "extremely amicable".
He said: "We absolutely have not taken any money from Beyonce, and all dollars will be accounted for."
"In no way have we stolen money. Again, this is about the people who have made these claims - they have to come into the light."

Business partners
Mathew Knowles and his daughter ended their business relationship earlier this year but he insists the pair still get on.
He said: "The relationship with Beyonce is extremely amicable. I want to make that clear. Where there's concern is the people that she's doing business with."
As yet, there are no comments from Live Nation, Beyonce or her lawyer on the court papers.
" I've only parted ways with my father on a business level, I love my dad dearly "
Beyonce, speaking in March
 
Part of the deposition, filed on Monday 11th July, states that "in October 2010, law firm Reed Smith LLP commenced an audit on behalf of its client Beyonce".
It continues: "Upon information and belief, based on the false statements made by Live Nation that Mathew Knowles stole or took money from Beyonce, Reed Smith accused (Mathew Knowles) of defrauding Beyonce."

Mathew Knowles was integral to Beyonce's success, overseeing the launch of Destiny's Child and guiding the singer through her solo career. 

But the 14 year business relationship ended in March.
At the time Beyonce issued a statement saying: "I've only parted ways with my father on a business level, I love my dad dearly (and) I am grateful for everything he has taught me."
The singer's also released a behind-the-scenes documentary focussing on the making of her new album, 4.
In it, she says "I'd been managed by my father for a very long time and a real change meant separating from him. 
"It was scary but it empowered me."

Jumat, 15 Juli 2011

Star Spotting: Justin Bieber, Racecar Driver

Credit: Getty Images

Justin Bieber somehow made his way onto the ESPYs red carpet yesterday (even though it's a sports award show) and he took the whole "sports" part of it pretty seriously. Arriving in what we think is like, some kind of racecar driving suit (we pretty much failed gym every semester so we're not exactly the best people to be talking about anything athletic), Biebs hammed it up for the camera, per the usual.

Wait, why doesn't anybody talk about the fact that race car drivers ride around in what are essential snowsuits for grown-ups? Have you guys seen some of these uniforms?! We know it's probably because they're fire-retardant or something but come on, it makes Justin Bieber look like a Lego man. The injustice! But never fear: Justin changed his clothes later when he sat next to Selena Gomez in the audience.


Watch A Sneak Peek Of 'Hurricane' From Thirty Seconds To Mars' 'MTV Unplugged' Performance


Credit: Picture Group/ MTV

This past May, Thirty Seconds To Mars, MTV, and a few dozen very lucky members of the Echelon (and, not to mention, a gospel choir) came together in New York City for the band's much-anticipated "MTV Unplugged" performance, presented by Starburst. But this was far from just any regular concert, or even your average up-close-and-personal, stripped-down approach to a live performance. Ask any member of the Echelon, and they'll tell you; Thirty Seconds To Mars' "MTV Unplugged" performance was nothing short of a tent revival reckoning, with the audience -- sitting on a set dressed to resemble a church, candles and pews included -- singing along in perfect harmony, rapt by the band's almost-holy re-imaginings of Thirty Seconds To Mars songs like "Kings And Queens," "Closer To The Edge," "Night Of The Hunter," and "Hurricane." The line between the suggestion of a house of worship and an actual religious experience was, indeed, blurred.

Thirty Seconds To Mars' "MTV Unplugged" performance will finally air on Tuesday, July 19 at 8pm ET on MTV.com. But before that, we've got an exclusive sneak peek of Thirty Seconds To Mars' "MTV Unplugged" performance of "Hurricane." Watch it below, and stay tuned for more sneak peeks of Thirty Seconds To Mars' "MTV Unplugged" performance -- including photos and interviews -- before the show premieres.

+ Watch a sneak peek of Thirty Seconds To Mars' "MTV Unplugged" performance of "Hurricane."
 
 

Hot: Lady Gaga's YouTube Account Suspended

 
Lady Gaga has long been the Queen of YouTube. Her videos have racked up more than a billion views on the site and fans have flocked to it in droves to post their home-brewed takes on her outfits, fashion, music and videos. 

But little monsters who were looking for their daily fix of Gaga on Thursday (July 14) were likely disappointed when they went to Mother Monster's YouTube account and found the following message, "This account has been suspended due to multiple or severe violations of YouTube's Copyright Policy."
What gives? 

According to Time Out Tokyo, Gaga's official YouTube account was suspended because she posted footage from her recent appearance on the Japanese show "SMAP x SMAP," on the Fuji TV network. The widely-circulated video of the 10-minute performance in which Gaga sang a medley of songs from Born This Way resulted in a takedown request from Media Interactive Inc. on Tuesday. 

The video features Gaga performing on a fog-enshrouded set with the popular Japanese boy band SMAP, and the issue appears to involve Gaga's failure to secure the digital rights to display their performance on her YouTube account. In the clip, Gaga emerges from an ornate box wearing a an elaborate black dust mask and sings "The Edge of Glory" before sitting down at a piano housed in a giant bejeweled hand sculpture for a solo take on "You and I" that morphs into the album's title track. 

The "Born This Way" performance features the members of SMAP standing and posing behind Gaga, joining her dancers in some high-energy choreography and singing light backup duties on the hit track.
Spokespeople for Gaga and YouTube could not be reached for comment at press time. 

On Monday, Gaga tweeted her excitement about the SMAP performance, writing, "My performance+cooking show appearance on SMAP SMAP is airing now in Japan. Kawaii Monsters!" A week earlier, she Twitpic'd a sepia-toned photo of her with the group as well. 

Minggu, 10 Juli 2011

Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl Says Drum Machines Are Bad for Rock 'n' Roll


In a recent interview with The Sun, Foo Fighters' mainman (and drummer extraordinaire) Dave Grohl was asked about the modern production techniques used by some bands, in particular the use of drum machines.
Grohl -- a long-time drummer who has manned the skins for Nirvana, Them Crooked Vultures, Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age, among others -- had plenty to say on the issue of using drum machines.
"All that shit ruins music these days," he said. "Drum machines work for pop artists but when it comes to rock 'n' roll - don't fuck with the human element."

Grohl added: "I had favorite drummers because of their inconsistencies. Modern production has robbed drummers of personalities and it really pisses me off."
You can read the full interview here.

Foo Fighters' most recent album, Wasting Light, was recorded in a garage studio to avoid what they felt was an over-produced sound that comes from many modern rock albums. The album was included on our list of the 50 best albums of the first half of 2011, which you can find here.

source: guitar world

Slipknot Sonisphere show to be made available around the world via satellite uploaded webcast


Slipknot has announced a special real-time Webcast of their Sonisphere performance at Knebworth via their website, Slipknot1.com to take place during their headline set at 9PM (GMT) on Sunday, July 10 

The webcast has been made possible through internet technology and a satellite uplink, provided by BT, direct from Sonisphere.

Set to be an epic and emotional occasion, this highly anticipated show will mark the band’s first appearance in the UK in over two years and their first British performance without founding member Paul Gray, who tragically passed away last year.

The band said of the upcoming performance:
“England has always been a special place for this band from the very beginning. We can’t think of a better way to culminate our celebration of Paul’s life than to share it with the Maggots at Knebworth and the millions more watching around the world. This is not to be missed.”

The live webcast is also a ‘first’ for Sonisphere 
Says festival producer Stuart Galbraith:
“This is the first time Sonisphere Festival has been transmitted live across the web and represents yet another major stride in its commitment to harnessing the power of the internet to engage with the rock audience at large across the planet.

“Given that this is going to be such an important event for Slipknot fans the world over, we felt it only right to allow them all to share in what is set to be a historic experience, wherever they are.”

Dave Grohl: 'Drum Machines P--- Me Off'

Dave Grohl: 'Drum Machines P--- Me Off' 

Dave Grohl has hit out at bands who use drums machines and studio techniques which tighten performances, saying it robs drummers of their personality. 

The Foo Fighters frontman, who of course drummed for Nirvana (and more recently Them Crooked Vultures) told The Sun how he's fed up of the trickery. 

"All that sh-t ruins music these days", he said. "Drum machines work for pop artists but when it comes to rock 'n' roll - don't f--k with the human element.

He explained that this sort of production was the reason he insisted on recording "Wasting Light" in his garage, and that the art of drumming was better in the old days. 

"I learnt to play the drums by listening to records", he said.
"I had favourite drummers because of their inconsistencies. Modern production has robbed drummers of personalities and it really p---ed me off.

Foo Fighters are set to play at the iTunes Festival in London on Monday, 11th July. 

source: ultimate guitar


Discography Dream Theater

This ini the Official Album Release of Dream Theater
  
When Dream and Day Unite


 
Studio Album, released in 1989
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. A Fortune in Lies (5:13)
2. Status Seeker (4:18)
3. Ytse Jam (5:46)
4. The Killing Hand (8:42)
5. Light Fuse and Get Away (7:24)
6. Afterlife (5:27)
7. The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun (8:05)
8. Only a Matter of Time (6:36)
Total Time 51:31
  
Images and Words
 

 
Studio Album, released in 1992
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Pull Me Under (8:14)
2. Another Day (4:23)
3. Take The Time (8:21)
4. Surrounded (5:30)
5. Metropolis - Pt. I "The Miracle And The Sleeper" (9:32)
6. Under A Glass Moon (7:03)
7. Wait For Sleep (2:31)
8. Learning To Live (11:30)
Total Time: 57:07  
 
Awake


Studio Album, released in 1994
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. 6:00 (5:31)
2. Caught in a Web (5:28)
3. Innocence Faded (5:43)
4. Erotomania (6:45)
5. Voices (9:53)
6. The Silent Man (3:48)
7. The Mirror (6:45)
8. Lie (6:34)
9. Lifting Shadows Off a Dream (6:05)
10. Scarred (11:00)
11. Space-Dye Vest (7:29)
Total Time: 75:01
 
Falling Into Infinity


Studio Album, released in 1997
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. New Millennium (8:20)
2. You Not Me (4:58)
3. Peruvian Skies (6:43)
4. Hollow Years (5;53)
5. Burning My Soul (5:29)
6. Hell's Kitchen (4:16)
7. Lines in the Sand (12:05)
8. Take Away My Pain (6:03)
9. Just Let Me Breathe (5:28)
10. Anna Lee (5;51)
11. Trial of Tears (13:07)
a) It's Raining
b) Deep In Heaven
c) The Wasteland
Total Time: 78:19
 
Metropolis Pt. 2:
Scenes From a Memory

 
 
 Studio Album, released in 1999  
Songs / Tracks Listing
 
ACT 1 
1. Scene One: Regression (2:06)
2. Scene TWO: I.Overture 1928 (3:37)
3. II.Strange Deja Vu (5:13)
4. Scene Three: I.Through My Words (1:02)
5. II.Fatal Tragedy (6:49)
6. Scene Four: Beyond This Life (11:22)
7. Scene Five: Through Her Eyes (5:29)

ACT 2
8. Scene Six: Home (12:53)
9. Scene Seven: I.The Dance of Eternity (6:13)
10. II.One Last Time (3:47)
11. Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On (6:38)
12. Scene Nine: Finally Free (12:00) 
Total Time: 77:12
 

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence


Studio Album, released in 2002
Songs / Tracks Listing

CD 1: (54:15)
1. The Glass Prison (13:52)
2. Blind Faith (10:21)
3. Misunderstood (9:32)
4. The Great Debate (13:45)
5. Disappear (6:45)
CD 2: (42:02)
6. Degrees of Inner Turbulence (42:02)
i) Overture
ii) About to Crash
iii) War Inside My Head
iv) The Test That Stumped Them All
v) Goodnight Kiss
vi) Solitary Shell
vii) About to Crash (Reprise)
viii) Losing Time / Grand Finale
Total Time: 96:17
 
Train of Thought


Studio Album, released in 2003
Songs / Tracks Listing

1. As I Am (7:47)
2. This Dying Soul (11:27)
3. Endless Sacrifice (11:24)
4. Honor Thy Father (10:24)
5. Vacant (2:57)
6. Stream Of Consciousness (11:16)
7. In The Name Of God (14:14)
Total Time: 68:19
 
Octavarium



Studio Album, released in 2005
Songs / Tracks Listing
 
1. The Root Of All Evil [vi. Ready, vii. Remove] (8:25)
2. The Answer Lies Within (5:33)
3. These Walls (7:36)
4. I Walk Beside You (4:29)
5. Panic Attack (8:13)
6. Never Enough (6:46)
7. Sacrificed Sons (10:42)
8. Octavarium [i. Someone Like Him, ii. Medicate (Awakening), iii. Full Circle, iv. Intervals, v. Razor's Edge (24:00)
Total Time: 75:58
 
Systematic Chaos



Studio Album, released in 2007
Songs / Tracks Listing
 
1. In The Presence of Enemies Pt. 1 (9:00)
2. Forsaken (5:36)
3. Constant Motion (6:55)
4. The Dark Eternal Night (8:51)
5. Repentance (10:43)
6. Prophets of War (6:01)
7. The Ministry of Lost Souls (14:57)
8. In The Presence of Enemies Pt. 2 (16:38)
Total Time: 78:41
  
Black Clouds & Silver Linings


Studio Album, released in 2009
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. A Nightmare to Remember (16:10)
2. A Rite of Passage (8:35)
3. Wither (5:25)
4. The Shattered Fortress (12:49)
5. The Best of Times (13:07)
6. The Count of Tuscany (19:16)
Total Time: 75:22

Disc Two: Cover songs
1. Stargazer [Rainbow] (8:11)
2. Tenement Funster / Flick of the Wrist / Lily of the Valley [Queen] (8:18)
3. Odyssey [Dixie Dregs] (8:00)
4. Take Your Fingers from My Hair [Zebra] (8:18)
5. Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two [King Crimson] (6:32)
6. To Tame a Land [Iron Maiden] (7:15)
Total Time: 46:34





  
 

 
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