- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: BMG International
- Director: Bille Woodruff/Mona Lisa
- Album: My Prerogative
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Britney Spears - Do Somethin'
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Usher's 'OMG' Gets Celeb Endorsement As Song Of The Year
'It's undeniable,' Travie McCoy says of the track that topped MTV News' Top 25 Songs of 2010.
By Jocelyn Vena
Usher
Photo: Getty Images
2010 had some great jams, and all week, MTV News has been counting down some of its best. Everything from Lady Gaga's "Telephone" and Rick Ross' "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" to two of Kanye's West's killer My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy tracks, "Power" and "Runaway," made the top 10. But it was Usher's bombastic party jam "OMG" that rose to the top and came in at #1.
So what made that song such a party anthem? "Oh my God! That's exactly what I would say! Oh my God!" Pauly D joked about 2010's top party jam. "Dope, dope track. I love playing it. The crowd goes crazy when I play it. Usher's the man!"
Travie McCoy added: "It's a great song. It's undeniable, you know what I mean?"
"Dancing With the Stars" pro Lacey Schwimmer admitted that "OMG" was the track that got dancers, both professional and amateur, on the dance floor. "You guys got a great dance anthem," she said. "So be prepared for people who do not know how to dance just going to town!"
Producer Alex Da Kid gave props to will.i.am for the song's epic beat. "I love 'OMG.' I think it's definitely something different for Usher," he said. "And it still has all the dance performance elements Usher's known for, but it's something slightly different and done in a will.i.am kind of way, and it's different and that's why it connected to so many different people. It's a great song."
Celebrities also weighed in on their favorite jams of 2010, choosing everything from Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" to B.o.B and Hayley Williams' "Airplanes."
Why did you love "OMG" in 2010? Tell us in the comments!
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Britney Spears - Do Somethin'
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: BMG International
- Director: Bille Woodruff/Mona Lisa
- Album: My Prerogative
Justin Bieber, Katy Perry Top Google's 'Zeitgeist' List Of 2010
Eminem, Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj also rank high on Google's lists of the year's most popular searches.
By James Montgomery
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
It may not come as a surprise to you, but Justin Bieber is very popular. The latest evidence of this is the just-released Google "Zeitgeist" chart, which aggregated the billions of queries the search engine received in 2010 and compiled them into one list of the most-searched topics of the year. And Bieber came out on top.
JB edged out Katy Perry, Selena Gomez and the omnipresent Kim Kardashian to claim the #1 spot on Google's "Fastest Rising People" list, which took the most popular people searches of the year and compared them to data from 2009. Eminem came in at #5, followed by Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Lautner, Megan Fox and Robert Pattinson.
Bieber was also #1 on the "Fastest Rising in Entertainment" list (ahead of Shakira, Eminem and, uh, Netflix), and landed at #3 on the general "Fastest Rising" list — bested only by Chatroulette and Apple's iPad — making him the highest actual human being on the list.
And that's using data from the entire world; if you narrow the list to include only searches done in the U.S., Bieber is #1 once again — by an even larger margin. The teen star's total searches more than doubled those of Ke$ha, who comes in at #2, followed by Wiz Khalifa, Nicki Minaj and "Mad Men" star Christina Hendricks. Heidi Montag, Katy Perry, Kid Cudi, Kim Kardashian and Lindsay Lohan round out the rest of the Top 10.
Are you surprised Justin Bieber was one of the most popular Google searches of the year? Tell us in the comments!
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Britney Spears - Break the Ice
- Artist: Britney Spears
- Label: Jive/Zomba Label Group
- Director: Robert Hales
- Album: Blackout
Usher Most Admires Justin Bieber's 'Excitement And Innocence'
Bieber's mentor tells MTV News the teen sensation has 'so much more in store for the future.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Tim Kash
Usher and Justin Bieber at the 2010 AMAs
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
With so much accomplished in 2010, Justin Bieber has certainly set the bar high for 2011. But the teen singer is already gearing up for next year. Bieber will not only release his much-anticipated 3-D flick, "Never Say Never", but he has also teased that he'd like to release an album of all-new material sometime later next year.
His mentor, Usher, thinks that at this point, the sky's the limit.
"As far as music and entertainment, that's the beginning," Usher told MTV News at Sunday's AMAs, where Bieber performed and took home four awards.
"There's so much more in store for the future, or at least there's a ton of things we can do and will, and with the support of his fans who will continue to just grow and grow and grow."
At 16, Bieber has accomplished what few manage with many more years in the music business, but Usher said he wants to ensure that Bieber doesn't stop enjoying it all as his popularity continues to grow and his schedule gets busier.
Asked what he admires most about Justin, Usher said, "His excitement and innocence in it. And I don't mean that in a light way because I think that he's absolutely enjoying every moment of it, as any young man his age would, but in a different way because [of] the hard work that has gone in and led to the dream that has become a reality. And every time you have an opportunity do something incredible, I tell him to do his best and be conscious that what you're doing today should last forever and eternity."
What did you think of Justin's AMA performance on Sunday? Tell us in the comments!
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In spring 2009, just as Heaven & Hell (Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio) were getting ready to put out their debut full-length, 'The Devil You Know,' Dio and bassist Geezer Butler sat down in an apartment in New York's East Village to talk about the making of the disc, the sorry state of the [...]
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'Tourist' Star Angelina Jolie Talks Catwoman, Working With Brad Pitt
During our rapid-fire questions, MTV News also asks about Lady Gaga, 'American Idol' and retirement.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Angelina Jolie
Photo: MTV News
It's time to play "Address That Rumor" with Angelina Jolie!
Interviews with the Oscar winner don't come along every day, and when you actually have the opportunity to chat with her, you've got to maximize your time. Thus, when MTV News sat down with Jolie in Paris while she was promoting "The Tourist," we took the opportunity to throw out some rapid-fire questions about upcoming projects, persistent rumors and pop-culture preferences. OK, Angie, let's get down to business!
Rumor has it that your husband, Brad Pitt, is going to have a cameo in your directorial debut, a drama set during the Bosnian war. True or false?
Jolie: "Possibly."
Cryptic! Moving on: There's another Jolie/Pitt rumor floating around the Web, this one that you guys will reunite onscreen for "The Tiger," possibly directed by "Black Swan" helmer Darren Aronofsky. Yes or no?
Jolie: "I don't really know much about that, but I love Darren Aronofsky."
Fair enough. Christopher Nolan is hard at work on his third "Batman" film, "The Dark Knight Rises," and the Internet has decided you'd be perfect to play Catwoman. Whatcha think?
Jolie: "I haven't heard anything about it, but I thought they did it."
Well, yes — once with Michelle Pfeiffer in Tim Burton's "Batman Returns" and again with Halle Berry in 2004's "Catwoman" — but never in Nolan's version of the franchise.
Jolie: "I see. Thank you. Flattering."
Enough with rumors, Miss Jolie. Let's talk about leisure-time activities: Do you prefer "American Idol" or "The X Factor"?
Jolie: "I'm not really familiar with both. I would assume 'X Factor'? But I'm not sure what I'm saying!"
Oh, awkward. We promise we're almost done! Lady Gaga or Kanye West?
Jolie: "Ask my kids!"
Lame! And finally, when it comes down to it, will you ever retire or will you act to the bitter end?
Jolie: "Retirement. Certainly not act to the bitter end. I'd like to think I'd do other things."
Check out everything we've got on "The Tourist."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Friday, December 10, 2010
Beyoncé - Halo
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
- Director: Philip Andelman
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce
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Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz Pop Up In New 'Pirates' Pics
First official 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' photos are out.
By Eric Ditzian
Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"
Photo: Disney
After more than a three-year absence from the big screen, Captain Jack Sparrow popped up again recently. But the appearance wasn't tied to "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." Rather, in October, Johnny Depp donned his seafaring garb and headed over to Meridian Primary School in Greenwich, England, to surprise a classroom of 9-year-olds.
The photos that surfaced online presented a rather unauthorized look at Captain Jack. Now we've got our first official peek at the fourth "Pirates" film, which is scheduled to hit theaters on May 20, 2011.
USA Today has delivered two new photos, both featuring Depp's dreadlocked pirate. In one, Depp and Penelope Cruz (who joins the franchise as a former flame and future love interest) wade through a waist-high swamp. In the other, Depp is being dragged through the Old Royal Naval College by King George II's guards.
As established toward the end of 2007's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," Sparrow has had his eye on finding the Fountain of Youth. So, too, does the king, who's recruited Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) for the task and is determined to hire Sparrow for the quest as well. Sparrow eventually sets off to find the fabled treasure, which is how he encounters Cruz's character.
"We have our bouts in the film, but there's also this residue of what might have been. It's a kind of love/hate thing," Depp said of their onscreen relationship. "There's a little flavor of both."
Though the film is the fourth installment in the franchise, it's the first some respects: The first to be directed by someone other than Gore Verbinski ("Chicago" helmer Rob Marshall has assumed those duties), and the first to be shot and presented in 3-D. "Stranger Tides" also stakes out fresh narrative territory.
"It's a completely different beast," co-screenwriter Terry Rossio said. "The three previous films are a trilogy, with an intricate, interwoven tapestry of characters. I would call this a stand-alone type of story."
Check out everything we've got on
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Johnny Depp On A '21 Jump Street' Cameo: 'I'm In!'
'I've said I'm into it, but no one's actually approached me,' Depp tells MTV News.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Johnny Depp
Photo: MTV News
Here's what we know: Jonah Hill has penned a cameo for Johnny Depp in the upcoming big-screen adaptation of "21 Jump Street." Depp, who starred as Officer Tom Hanson in the '80s TV series on which Hill's flick is based, is open to the idea of popping up in the movie, telling MTV News last year, "If we find the right thing to do, it could be very funny."
Here's what we don't know: Why haven't Hill and Depp been in contact about the possibility? Because as we learned while Depp was promoting "The Tourist" in Paris last week, he hasn't heard a peep about "21 Jump Street."
"I've said I'm into it, but no one's actually approached me," he told us.
As recently as last month, Hill said he's still hoping Depp will sign up for a part — "Just do it, dude. Don't be an a--hole," he joked — but as of now, Depp remains in the dark.
"Call him. I'm in. I'm in," Depp said. "I think it'd be pretty easy."
There's no word if Depp would reprise his role as Hanson or step into a new part, but Hill has told us in the past the film won't be a spoof of the original show but a "a hard-core, R-rated movie" that focuses on the fish-out-of-water scenario of cops returning to high school to pose as students in the name of undercover investigative work.
"What happens is, they get caught up in the high school-ness as opposed to the police work," he said last year. "And whenever they get too caught up in the high school drama, police work comes in. And whenever they get too caught up in the police work, high school drama comes in."
Check out everything we've got on "21 Jump Street."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Thursday, December 9, 2010
Chris Cornell Filling In For Robert Plant On Led Zeppelin Tour? That's News To Him
'I have not been approached to fill in for Robert Plant on the Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be,' singer says.
By Chris Harris
Chris Cornell
Photo: MTV News
Former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell has spoken out for the first time about rumors that he's been asked to fill in for Robert Plant on a proposed Led Zeppelin reunion tour. The trek would feature original guitarist Jimmy Page, original bassist John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham taking over on drums for his late father, John Bonham.
Cornell has been mentioned — along with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, White Stripes mastermind Jack White and Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy — as a potential Plant fill-in. Plant has already said that he wouldn't take part in the tour.
"I have not been approached so far to fill in for Robert Plant on the upcoming Zeppelin tour, but that isn't to say I won't be," Cornell told MTV News. "I've heard that from about 200 people now, and it might be one of those situations where it's just an online rumor or it might be true. But if you see anyone from Led Zeppelin around, let me know. I think I should actually fill in for Jimmy Page on the Robert Plant/ Alison Krauss tour."
Cornell's denial comes just a day after Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford confirmed reports that frontman Steven Tyler recently met with Zeppelin for an impromptu jam session. "They did it for fun," Whitford said during an appearance on the syndicated show "Todd N Tyler Radio Empire." "I actually think Jimmy wanted Steven to come over and play a little bit because I think he was trying to light a fire under Robert."
Rumors of a Zeppelin reunion tour have abounded since the iconic band played a single reunion set last year at London's O2 Arena. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider added fuel to the fire last month when he revealed that the group was thinking of touring, with or without Plant.
According to Snider, the rest of the band told Plant, " 'We're all rehearsed, we're ready to go. Here's a gazillion dollars on the table. If you don't do it, we're going out with this kid [Myles Kennedy].' "
"And he can sing the sh-- out of Zeppelin," Snider added. "They're going to hope that Robert, at the last minute, will go, 'OK,' and step in."
In a recent interview, Jones told BBC Radio Devon that a new singer was being sought to take over for Plant. "We are trying out a couple of singers," he said. "We want to do it. It's sounding great, and we want to get on and get out there."
But Jones insists that he, Page and Bonham aren't interested in finding a Plant clone. "It's got to be right," he said. "There's no point in just finding another Robert. You could get that out of a tribute band, but we don't want to be our own tribute band. There would be a record and a tour, but everyone has to be onboard."
Of course, even if Zeppelin were to approach him, Cornell might be too busy to take over vocals for the band. His upcoming Timbaland-produced solo LP, Scream, will be released within the next few months. Cornell told MTV News last month that some of his fans might consider Scream something of a departure, but he doesn't see it that way.
"It makes me happy that there's this perception that I have a group of fans that I'm now sort of throwing a curve at and what their reaction will be," he said. "But I've been in this situation so many times already. When I put out [1999's] Euphoria Morning, my main goal was to create an album that sounded like nothing I'd done in Soundgarden, and I did that. I also had that with Temple of the Dog, where I showed up with songs that weren't necessarily riff-based. And then, of course, the pairing of me and members of Rage Against the Machine had everyone sort of speculating about what that would sound like.
"It feels like I've done this so many times that when it's presented to me as being a departure, I feel that's a misconception," he added. "I feel like that's my theme at this point."
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Coldplay, Led Zeppelin Album Covers Featured On New British Stamps
Album art from Pink Floyd, Blur and David Bowie also included.
By James Montgomery
Coldplay's new British stamps
Photo: Royal Mail
On Thursday (January 7), the U.K.'s Royal Mail unveiled a series of 10 new stamps, honoring the most iconic album covers of the past 40 years.
The albums featured in the new series are the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed, Led Zeppelin's IV, David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, The Clash's London Calling, New Order's Power, Corruption and Lies, Primal Scream's Screamadelica, Pink Floyd's The Division Bell, Blur's Parklife and — the most recent album on to make the cut — Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head.
Meant to honor "the most potent graphic images of modern times, many of which have provided a visual soundtrack to people's lives," the series is the end result of a lengthy research process by the Royal Mail, who looked through thousands of album covers by British artists before deciding on the final list. And, during a Wednesday night BBC Radio broadcast, it was revealed that the queen herself actually approved each design.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page — who helped design the cover for IV — was on hand to celebrate the release of the stamps and recalled the mysterious nature of the album's iconic imagery.
"Almost 40 years after the album came out, nobody knows the old man who featured on the cover, nor the artist who painted him," he said. "That sort of sums up what we wanted to achieve with the album cover, which has remained both anonymous and enigmatic at the same time."
Of course, any great honor is befitting of an equally great contest, so, on the same day the stamps were made available to the general public, Coldplay decided to give one of their Rush of Blood stamps away. In a message on their official site, the band held a contest to send one lucky fan "a letter using a Coldplay stamp, postmarked with today's issue date."
"We visited our local post office earlier today and bought some of the Coldplay stamps," the message read. "Very nice they are too."
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Justin Bieber, Ke$ha, Katy Perry Pick Up Platinum Certifications
Releases by Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, B.o.B, Bruno Mars also recognized by recording-industry organization RIAA.
By James Montgomery
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ Getty Images
On Wednesday, the Recording Industry Association of America handed out their latest round of gold and platinum certifications ... and if your name was Ke$ha or Justin Bieber, well, then it was a very good day for you.
Ke$ha's Animal was certified gold (meaning it passed the 500,000-sales mark) and a spate of her digital singles went multiplatinum, with "Tik Tok" being downloaded more than 5 million times and "Your Love Is My Drug" racking up another 2 million. "Blah Blah Blah" and "Take It Off" both were certified gold, meaning that, all told, she's sold more than 8.5 million downloads to date.
Bieber earned his first-ever multiplatinum award, as the RIAA certified sales of his My World 2.0 album at more than 2 million copies. "Baby," his team-up with Ludacris, also was certified as double platinum.
Wednesday also was a great day to be the Black Eyed Peas, as their massive tune "I Gotta Feeling" was certified 6-times platinum (that's more than 6 million downloads) — making it the RIAA's highest-ever digital-song certification.
Following (somewhat) close behind the Peas were the likes of Katy Perry, B.o.B, Taio Cruz and Rihanna, who had their respective mega singles "California Gurls," "Airplanes," "Break Your Heart" and "Don't Stop the Music" certified as triple platinum. Perry and Rihanna also each picked up a double-platinum certification — for "Teenage Dream" and "Rude Boy," respectively — bringing their total hauls to more than 5 million units sold.
The Bruno Mars track "Just the Way You Are" was certified platinum, giving the crooner his very first solo plaque. B.o.B's "Magic" and former "American Idol" champ Kris Allen's "Live Like We're Dying" also picked up platinum certifications.
Related ArtistsAngelina Jolie, Johnny Depp Discuss 'Perverse' Humor
Actress tells MTV News she agrees with 'Tourist' co-star's assessment.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Angelina Jolie
Photo: MTV News
Johnny Depp recently shared with Vanity Fair that his "The Tourist" co-star Angelina Jolie has a very specific sense of humor. He told the magazine that his lovely leading lady in the film, which opens Friday, has what he calls "a wonderfully kind of dark, perverse sense of humor."
Noting that she was very "normal," Depp likened Jolie's personality to that of a certain screen legend's, one that is a fitting choice, given that she's rumored to assume the role of Cleopatra: "I've had the honor and the pleasure and the gift of having known Elizabeth Taylor for a number of years," he says in the magazine. "You sit down with her, she slings hash, she sits there and cusses like a sailor, and she's hilarious. Angie's got the same kind of thing, you know, the same approach."
When MTV News caught up with Depp, we tried to get him to clarify what he meant. He explained, "It can go in many directions. There's a degree of certainly sophomoric kind of humor, but that always leads up to some sort of, unfortunately, some degree of scatological kind of interpretation."
While that didn't really clear up what exactly makes Jolie such a jokester, the actress admitted to MTV News that Depp's claim is valid: "It's true. I will agree."
So, does Depp also have a perverse sense of humor?
"Yes, he does," Jolie revealed, adding that figuring out which of them is more perverse "was a part of the question during the film, but I don't know if it was completely answered. That's a whole other interview."
Check out everything we've got on "The Tourist."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Beyoncé - Ego
- Artist: Beyoncé
- Label: Columbia, Music World Music
- Director: Beyonce, Frank Gatson, Sheryl Murakami
- Album: I Am...Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition]
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- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Epic
- Director: Bill Dicicco
- Album: Dangerous
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Justin Bieber, Ke$ha, Katy Perry Pick Up Platinum Certifications
Releases by Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, B.o.B, Bruno Mars also recognized by recording-industry organization RIAA.
By James Montgomery
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ Getty Images
On Wednesday, the Recording Industry Association of America handed out their latest round of gold and platinum certifications ... and if your name was Ke$ha or Justin Bieber, well, then it was a very good day for you.
Ke$ha's Animal was certified gold (meaning it passed the 500,000-sales mark) and a spate of her digital singles went multiplatinum, with "Tik Tok" being downloaded more than 5 million times and "Your Love Is My Drug" racking up another 2 million. "Blah Blah Blah" and "Take It Off" both were certified gold, meaning that, all told, she's sold more than 8.5 million downloads to date.
Bieber earned his first-ever multiplatinum award, as the RIAA certified sales of his My World 2.0 album at more than 2 million copies. "Baby," his team-up with Ludacris, also was certified as double platinum.
Wednesday also was a great day to be the Black Eyed Peas, as their massive tune "I Gotta Feeling" was certified 6-times platinum (that's more than 6 million downloads) — making it the RIAA's highest-ever digital-song certification.
Following (somewhat) close behind the Peas were the likes of Katy Perry, B.o.B, Taio Cruz and Rihanna, who had their respective mega singles "California Gurls," "Airplanes," "Break Your Heart" and "Don't Stop the Music" certified as triple platinum. Perry and Rihanna also each picked up a double-platinum certification — for "Teenage Dream" and "Rude Boy," respectively — bringing their total hauls to more than 5 million units sold.
The Bruno Mars track "Just the Way You Are" was certified platinum, giving the crooner his very first solo plaque. B.o.B's "Magic" and former "American Idol" champ Kris Allen's "Live Like We're Dying" also picked up platinum certifications.
Related ArtistsStone Temple Pilots Reunited In Hopes Of Opening For Led Zeppelin, Bassist Says
'If time allows, there will definitely be new music,' Robert DeLeo adds of STP's future.
By Chris Harris
Stone Temple Pilots' Robert DeLeo and Scott Weiland
Photo: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images
There are a number of reasons why Stone Temple Pilots decided to reunite after nearly five years apart — some are obvious, and others, not so much.
Of course, the financial windfall of reviving the grunge stalwarts for an extensive U.S. tour was too good to pass up, and bassist Robert DeLeo readily admits as much. And then there are the fans, the ones who had been with STP since the very beginning as well as those who discovered the band only after it first split back in 2003 and who, woefully, have yet to catch the Pilots live.
On a more personal level, though, Stone Temple Pilots' resurrection was purely selfish, and very much an anticipatory (not to mention optimistic) move on the band's part: If, after the months and months of rumors and denials, there ever is a full-on Led Zeppelin reunion tour, STP wanted to be ready to offer their services as an opening act.
"Believe me, that was one of the reasons," laughed DeLeo. "We thought, 'We should get together now, in case Zeppelin does tour.' I'm serious, man. That would be one hell of a bill: STP and Led Zeppelin. I mean, we could play a doghouse, out in the middle of the ocean, and if I got to play with Zeppelin, that would be a highlight of my life."
Yes, DeLeo — and the rest of the band — had several reservations about raising STP from the dead — a feat DeLeo jokingly referred to as "Mission Impossible." For the band's members, the idea of regrouping was terrifying at first, but with time, the boys settled their differences and tried to think positive.
"For me, it was about putting down some of the things that I was used to getting bitten by," explained the bassist — who, with guitar-playing brother Dean DeLeo, has been collaborating with Peter Frampton on material for his next LP. "After you get bitten, it's hard to go back. I wanted to go into this with an open frame of mind and a positive attitude and just have fun with it. We should have fun with it, which God knows we didn't always have with our career when we were younger. If that's all I can say, and that's what I can get out of this reunion, great.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say there's a lot of unfinished business that we didn't get around to the first go," he continued. "Enough time has gone by, and it feels really good to be back. I don't really want to put too much thought into how it feels — I'm just kind of going with it and keeping a good positive attitude about it. I just needed to get over the things that we all needed to get over, and that's been working so far. If everyone shows up and does this thing, I think it's going to be really amazing."
DeLeo claims that during recent rehearsals, STP were "sounding as good as ever," and he credits sobriety as part of the reason the band's in tip-top shape.
"My brother's going on four years of sobriety," he said. "We have a lot more clarity in the band now, and I think with clarity comes appreciation. I saw that the other night, when we played [a secret gig in Los Angeles]. I saw it in my eyes, and in the eyes of the rest of the band. There's a lot more rock in this band now."
As for an STP record, DeLeo is not 100 percent sure that's going to happen. The goal for STP over the next few weeks, he said, is to reacquaint themselves with their songbook and prepare for their return to the road. Once the band is back in that mindset, the bassist said new STP material is very possible.
"I've always got stuff written, and there's always a long list of songs that are always there — it's a matter of timing," DeLeo said. "If time allows, there will definitely be new music. I think it would be silly not to release new music. I'd like to believe we still have a writing relationship, but the first step is getting reacquainted with what we know."
While STP were on hiatus, frontman Scott Weiland teamed up with Velvet Revolver, and the DeLeo brothers joined forces with Filter's Richard Patrick for Army of Anyone — who are now on hiatus after releasing a poorly received self-titled LP. Does DeLeo foresee an AOA reunion somewhere down the line?
"You never know," he said. "It's just like STP — I didn't know if I was going to return. Whether we get back together and do anything, I think we made a great record, bottom line. That's all that matters to me. If we make another one, I want to make sure it's great, and that applies to STP and anything I do. But I was pretty heartbroken over [the feeble response to AOA's album]."
Related Photos Related ArtistsTuesday, December 7, 2010
Beyonce Says She Wants To 'Make My Own Genre Of Music'
Singer is in the studio working on Sasha Fierce follow-up.
By Gil Kaufman
Beyoncé
Photo: Getty Images
Beyoncé doesn't have that much left to prove in her career. She's a megaplatinum artist, an accomplished actress, half of one of the most successful musical couples in history and a fashion icon.
But on the follow-up to her smash 2008 Grammy-winning album I Am ... Sasha Fierce, the singer is aiming to carve an entirely new lane for herself.
"I love to dance, I love to sing, and I'm actually in the studio now writing songs and producing," the singer told "Entertainment Tonight" from the set of a new commercial she's filming for Vizio televisions. "I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music." The commercial will debut on Thanksgiving day, just after the singer rocks prime-time TV with an ABC Thanksgiving special entitled "I Am ... World Tour."
Among the producers and songwriters working with Beyoncé on the new, as-yet-untitled album is Ne-Yo, who helped write one of the 29-year-old singer's biggest hits, "Irreplaceable."
Ne-Yo told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Beyoncé's fourth solo effort is "coming along nicely. I can't speak too much on it, but it's another direction for her, and she's carving out her own niche. ... In a minute nobody will be in Beyoncé's lane. They really can't get in her lane now, but they really can't get in her lane after this album."
In the meantime, producer Jim Jonsin, who produced her song "Sweet Dreams," has also said he has some new directions in mind for Beyoncé. "I'd like to take it even more Depeche Mode-ish, like '80s electro with just some hard drums," he told Rap-Up TV. "I'd love to go there."
That fits with what songwriter Sean "The Pen" Garrett recently told Entertainment Weekly. Garrett, who was behind such hits as "Video Phone," "Diva" and "Upgrade U," said that he was slated to hit the studio with Beyoncé in September and that the results would be hard-hitting.
"I think we are doing a lot of uptempo records for this one," he said. "She's in such a good place right now in life that she is interested in making party music, definitely."
Related ArtistsJessica Simpson's Fashion Company Worth Nearly $1 Billion
Ex-'Newlyweds' star's growing empire had retail sales of $750 million in 2010.
By Jocelyn Vena
Jessica Simpson
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images
Jessica Simpson may be less active on the music scene these days, but the singer has been quietly building a fashion empire. Women's Wear Daily reports that Simpson is the face and boss of a nearly $1 billion business.
According to the report, Simpson's lines — which include shoes, accessories, denim, swimwear, watches and fragrances — have seen a combined gross of $750 million in retail sales this year.
So, what's the secret to her success?
"People like her," Vince Camuto, founder and CEO of Camuto Group, the main licensee of her merchandise, said of the recently engaged star. "People look at her as a style icon."
And Simpson shows no signs of slowing down. For fall 2011, the singer is launching a contemporary sportswear line that will include separates and dresses in the $39 to $129 price range; it will be available in more than 650 stores in the U.S. and Canada. The singer explained, "This new sportswear line reflects my evolving style, which combines comfort, femininity and flirty fun."
While Simpson hasn't announced any plans to start designing bridal gowns, she's currently planning her wedding to ex-football player Eric Johnson.
"We have not started planning," Simpson said recently. "I'm trying to get through all this promotion [for my Christmas album]. ... Who knows what will happen?"
Describing the upcoming ceremony as "simple," Simpson added that she wanted to be married by Christmas 2011. "I personally have no idea. I have not set a date and I can't even think about putting together, like, table settings and all that," she said. "We're just going to enjoy the engagement and we'll get married the moment we feel like it."
What do you think of Jessica's fashion empire? Do you swear by her products? Tell us in the comments!
Related Photos Related ArtistsBritney Spears Producer Dr. Luke Calls Singer 'An Amazing Vehicle'
Album's co-executive producer expects new album out by early 2011.
By James Dinh
Britney Spears
Photo: Jeremy Cowart/ WireImage
While "Glee" was spot-on in its tribute to Britney Spears in September, it's safe to say her fans are ready for the real deal. The pop princess, who has remained relatively low-key since wrapping up her Circus Tour, is currently working on her new album with a few familiar faces, including producers Dr. Luke and Max Martin.
"She's such an icon, I don't want to let anyone down," Dr. Luke said last week at the Hollywood Reporter/ Billboard Film & TV Music Conference. "But most importantly, I want to make good music."
Luke said that he is anticipating that Britney's album will see an early 2011 release, and a source told THR it would hit stores before March 31.
In addition to Dr. Luke ("Circus") and Martin ("... Baby One More Time"), Darkchild and newcomer Billboard are also said to be working with Spears.
When asked if there were anything else he could reveal about the heavily guarded project, Luke wouldn't say much. "Just that I'm excited to be co-executive producing with Max Martin, the person who kind of invented Britney, and to make good music," he said. "And she's such an amazing vehicle to getting that music out to a lot of people in every country."
With Luke and Martin helming the project, fans may expect to hear Spears sounding like the producers' frequent collaborators Katy Perry and Ke$ha. But there have also been indications that Brit will take a fresher approach. Last month, Spears' manager Adam Leber spoke to Entertainment Weekly about her next album, promising that it will introduce a "progressive" sound from the pop star.
''It'll be a departure from what you've heard,'' he added.
What producers would you like to see Britney team up with? Sound off below!
Related Photos Related ArtistsMelissa Howard Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Rycroft Melissa Sagemiller
Michael Jackson - Thriller (Long Vers.)
- Artist: Michael Jackson
- Label: Epic Records
- Album: Thriller [Bonus Tracks]
Beyonce Can't Pick Her Favorite Jay-Z Song
'I can't tell you which one is my favorite. It's just too many,' singer tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé arrives at her "I Am ... World Tour" DVD screening on Sunday
Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images
Jay-Z is letting fans into his world with two major releases this month. He just published his book, "Decoded," in which he takes a closer look at his career, and on Monday (November 22), Hova is releasing a greatest-hits album, The Hits Collection, Volume 1.
The album features Jay's most memorable tunes, including "Big Pimpin'," "Hard Knock Life," "99 Problems" and his collabo with his superstar wife, Beyoncé, "03' Bonnie & Clyde."
But when MTV News caught up with Bey Sunday at a New York screening for her DVD concert special, "I Am ... World Tour," she admitted that "Bonnie & Clyde" isn't her favorite Jay-Z track.
"God, that's not my favorite, even though I like it," she laughed. "I can't tell you which one is my favorite. It's just too many. You're putting me on the spot!"
While the pair may be releasing fresh products at the same time, the singer insists there is no competition in the Carter-Knowles household.
"No absolutely not, [there is no competition]," she told reporters at the DVD event, going on to praise "Decoded." "That book is unbelievable, and I think we're all really proud of it. And this DVD [out this] Thanksgiving — it's the holiday season of everyone's [material] coming out."
The DVD shows a new, more intimate side of the usually private Beyoncé, and Jay-Z admits that his book also sheds new light on his persona and career. "A lot of people listen to music, but they don't really listen to it," he explained. "You may know the words and you may bop your head to it, but you don't really understand what you're singing."
Open the floodgates! It's Mega-Release Week, with Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Ke$ha, My Chemical Romance and Lloyd Banks all dropping new albums. Stick with MTV News for everything you need to know about the brand-new music.
Related Videos Related ArtistsUsher Dazzles On The VMA Stage With 'DJ' And 'OMG'
Ush combined his legendary dance skills with spectacular special effects.
By Rochell D. Thomas
Usher performs at the 2010 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage
Call it what you will: talent, swag, skills. But one thing's true about Usher Terry Raymond IV: When he steps on the dance floor, some mysterious thing comes out of him and puts the G in groove. After he was tapped to perform at the 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards, executive producer Dave Sirulnick challenged Usher to "show why you're king," and the 31-year-old Grammy winner didn't disappoint.
As predicted by the lucky few who got a peek at Thursday's practice performance for his hit "OMG," Ush pulled off moves that would make the late great Michael Jackson jealous in a mammoth stage production that included more special-effects bells and whistles than a summer blockbuster.
Usher opened the performance with "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love," perched two flights above the stage on a ledge surrounded by blinding green laser lights. Then he slid, with the help of barely visible wires and mounts, down a flight, all the while popping and locking. When the father of two finally ticked his way down to stage level, he was surrounded by an army of dancers also clad in black suits with white stripes designed to toss and catch special effect lights.
Directed by Anthony Mandler, Usher's "OMG" clip earned Best Male Video, Best Dance Music Video and Best Choreography Moonman nominations. During the pre-show, Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" beat it in the Best Dance category, where Raymond was, for many, the lead contender.
If Usher was disappointed, he didn't let it show. When he launched the "OMG" portion of his performance, the stage seemed to disappear, as red laser lights moved forward in blinding configurations spelling out O.M.G. and Usher's name. More dancers lowered from the ceiling on Cirque du Soleil-esque contraptions, dipping in and out of the red beams. Such a 3-D light display could probably have been seen from the moon, if it weren't for the roof of the Nokia Theatre.
Usher ended his set standing, head back, with his arms outstretched in the Jesus pose. He didn't say a word. Didn't need to.
The Moonmen have all been handed out and the stars have gone home, but there's plenty of 2010 MTV Video Music Awards news, interviews, behind-the-scenes scoop, party reports and more still to come, so keep it locked on MTVNews.com.
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsMonday, December 6, 2010
Teaser For Michael Jackson's 'Hold My Hand' Video Released
A 30-second preview of MJ's duet with Akon promises epic images.
By Gil Kaufman
Michael Jackson
Photo: Ebet Roberts/ Redferns
It's hard enough to finish a song by a noted perfectionist such as Michael Jackson after the singer's death, but the challenge of filming a video for the first posthumous single from the most celebrated video maker in music history has got to be even more daunting.
So MJ fans must have been eager to check out a 30-second teaser of the clip for the Akon collaboration "Hold My Hand," that was posted on Jackson's website over the weekend, just over a week before the King of Pop's first posthumous studio album, Michael, is slated to hit stores.
The quick-cut preview opens with Jackson, bathed in a spotlight on stage and dressed in a black leather jacket, black pants and a gold lame unitard, blowing a kiss to unseen fans and spreading his arms wide. With the song's swelling, cinematic strings and Jackson and Akon's vibrant vocals on the chorus pumping behind, we then see a succession of images, including a mother holding a smiling baby, MJ on stage during his prime, a lit-up Ferris wheel, a grade-school girl stretching her arms toward the sun, a baby in a diaper learning how to walk and the track's title graffitied on a cement wall.
The action then moves inside to a dark venue, as a blinding light emerges in the distance from the point of view of an ecstatic, clapping crowd. It quickly becomes clear that the audience is awaiting Jackson's arrival on stage, as his unmistakable profile appears in shadow on the curtain. More quick cuts reveal a b-girl in a gold lame top busting a few moves while swinging chains and a child MJ impersonator shuffling his feet amid classic images of Jackson on stage at various points in his career.
Those clips are then interspersed with shots of a huge chorus singing the song's refrain while waving their arms in the air on a set that looks like a reservoir or a dam. The teaser ends with a montage of children's hands and a close-up of a grand piano cued to the tune's haunting keyboard break.
The duet with Akon was recorded in 2007 and, as a message on MJ's site points out, "a handwritten note from Michael belonging to his estate indicated his desire that 'Hold My Hand' be the first single on his next project."
After an unfinished version leaked in 2008, Akon recently went back into the studio to complete production on the track.
What do you think of the "Hold My Hand" teaser clip? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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