'We did two records for her that she really, really loved,' the Jugganauts producer Verse Simmonds tells Mixtape Daily.By Rob Markman
Verse Simmonds
Photo: MTV News
Behind the Beats: Verse Simmonds
After finding success crafting the music for Rihanna's "Man Down," the production duo known as the Jugganauts — Sham "Sak Pase" Joseph and Verse Simmonds — are looking to recapture the magic on the Bajan beauty's upcoming sixth album.
"From what I understand, she is closing the album up now, and we did two records for her that she really, really loved and I'm really excited about them as well," Simmonds told Mixtape Daily. "They are records that we wrote and produced as the Jugganauts."
Simmonds is hoping that he and partner Sak Pase land another track on Rihanna's album. And while he couldn't confirm the Jugganauts' contributions will make the final cut, he said was "99.999 percent" certain for now. For those wondering whether the singer's new tunes will sound anything like the reggae-infused "Man Down," Simmonds says no.
"Nah, definitely not, because we always try to constantly — as producers, as artists — we try to always come with something different, a whole new sound," he said without elaborating on what that new record would sound like.
As far as his chemistry with Sak Pase, with whom he did production work on Jay-Z and Kanye West's upcoming Watch the Throne album, the two seem to have a pretty organic working relationship. "In the studio, it can go one of two ways: Most times I'm writing and he's creating the track, and we produce a lot of records like that," Verse said. "Sometimes it'll flip; he'll be writing and I'll be producing the track so it depends on the vibe, and who comes in there first, who's got an idea or concept."
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Related Artists
Rihanna
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Michael Jackson - Gone Too Soon
Gone Too Soon
Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Director: Bill Dicicco
Album: Dangerous
Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Director: Bill Dicicco
Album: Dangerous
Paramount's 'Fun Size' to Have Wide Release October 12, 2012
Jay A. Fernandez The Josh Schwartz-directed Halloween-themed comedy is now set for some box office trick or treating.read more
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Five Reasons You Need To See 'Attack the Block'
We're more than a little obsessed with "Attack the Block," which crash-lands in theaters today. The film has been a massive hit with UK audiences, and it won the midnight feature award at SXSW this year, along with the best narrative audience award at the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival. We're also willing to bet [...]
Lady Gaga Dishes On New Music Video
Clip, likely for 'You And I,' is about how 'when you're away from someone you love, it's torture,' Gaga says.By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga
Photo: FilmMagic
Lady Gaga is giving her little monsters some juicy details about her forthcoming music video, which she just shot in Nebraska. While she never confirms or denies that the video is for her track "You And I," reading between the lines gives it all away.
"Well, I shot my new music video here," she dished to Omaha radio station 94.1, hearing the track on the radio for the first time. "I've got to tell you, I don't think there's anything hotter than being in a cornfield in Nebraska.
"It was so sweet, and I looked out and it's so beautiful, that tall corn. ... Then all of a sudden you start to see these monsters pop up.
I love this place so much, and it really comes from a genuine place.
The person who I wrote this song about has been my buddy and my best friend since I was 19 years old, and he's from here," she added of her pal Luc Carl. "And I love this state so much."
While not revealing whether a previously promised mermaid will make a cameo, she did share quite a lot about the plot for the video.
"Well, it was actually kind of perfect the way it worked out 'cause the premise of the video is that I've walked all the way from New York City to Nebraska to get him back," she said. "I'm walking with no luggage and no nothing and it's just me and my ankles are bleeding a little bit and there's grass stuck in my shoes and I've got this outfit on and it's real sort of New York clothing and I'm sprinting.
"And the [video is about the] idea that when you're away from someone you love, it's torture," she continued. "I knew I wanted the video to be about me sprinting back and walking hundreds of thousands of miles to get him back."
Related Artists
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga
Photo: FilmMagic
Lady Gaga is giving her little monsters some juicy details about her forthcoming music video, which she just shot in Nebraska. While she never confirms or denies that the video is for her track "You And I," reading between the lines gives it all away.
"Well, I shot my new music video here," she dished to Omaha radio station 94.1, hearing the track on the radio for the first time. "I've got to tell you, I don't think there's anything hotter than being in a cornfield in Nebraska.
"It was so sweet, and I looked out and it's so beautiful, that tall corn. ... Then all of a sudden you start to see these monsters pop up.
I love this place so much, and it really comes from a genuine place.
The person who I wrote this song about has been my buddy and my best friend since I was 19 years old, and he's from here," she added of her pal Luc Carl. "And I love this state so much."
While not revealing whether a previously promised mermaid will make a cameo, she did share quite a lot about the plot for the video.
"Well, it was actually kind of perfect the way it worked out 'cause the premise of the video is that I've walked all the way from New York City to Nebraska to get him back," she said. "I'm walking with no luggage and no nothing and it's just me and my ankles are bleeding a little bit and there's grass stuck in my shoes and I've got this outfit on and it's real sort of New York clothing and I'm sprinting.
"And the [video is about the] idea that when you're away from someone you love, it's torture," she continued. "I knew I wanted the video to be about me sprinting back and walking hundreds of thousands of miles to get him back."
Related Artists
Lady Gaga
?The Muppets? Releases A Final One Sheet Movie Poster
We are still about 4 months away from the release of The Muppets movie but the final one sheet poster for the film has already been released. Now, I’m not sure what makes a “one-sheet poster” special but I suspect it refers to a “main poster” (ie. with multiple characters) as opposed to individual “character [...]
Britney Spears - Womanizer
Womanizer
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
Director: Joseph Kahn
Album: Circus
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Zomba Label Group/Jive
Director: Joseph Kahn
Album: Circus
Natasha Bedingfield Natassia Malthe Nelly Furtado Nichole Robinson
Friday, July 29, 2011
'Breaking Dawn' Sex Scene Was 'Kind Of Fun' For Bill Condon
'They are so comfortable with each other,' director says of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.By Tom Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1"
Photo: Summit Entertainment
"Twilight" fans gearing up for the franchise's last two films already have the cast and crew's word that the much-discussed wedding and birth scenes will be everything they've imagined since reading Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Dawn." But what about porting the book's passionate sex scene from page to screen?
When MTV News caught up with director Bill Condon at Comic-Con, he was happy to report that shooting in Brazil was a breeze. "It was kind of fun!" he told us. Apparently Stewart and Pattinson's electric onscreen chemistry was enough to diffuse any and all off-screen awkwardness among cast and crew.
"They are so comfortable with each other," Condon said. "They made the whole thing ... it was kind of fun. Those things are always a little strange. They get to be weirdly technical at certain points."
Stewart and Pattinson's realistic closeness comes as no surprise, given that rumors about their real-life relationship have been circulating since the initial "Twilight" film hit theaters in 2008.
"They managed to put all that aside and turn it into something. That's a very real moment," he noted.
For his part, Pattinson told fans at Comic-Con that there were some not-so-romantic moments during the shoot in Brazil.
"Brazil was amazing," Pattinson said. "It was really amazing the day we got there, and really beautiful and warm and everything you'd expect. Then it suddenly, for the remainder of the shoot, was not only raining but like hurricane storms. ... It was kind of like having a honeymoon in England. We were playing board games instead of, like, making love on the beach."
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
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Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1"
Photo: Summit Entertainment
"Twilight" fans gearing up for the franchise's last two films already have the cast and crew's word that the much-discussed wedding and birth scenes will be everything they've imagined since reading Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Dawn." But what about porting the book's passionate sex scene from page to screen?
When MTV News caught up with director Bill Condon at Comic-Con, he was happy to report that shooting in Brazil was a breeze. "It was kind of fun!" he told us. Apparently Stewart and Pattinson's electric onscreen chemistry was enough to diffuse any and all off-screen awkwardness among cast and crew.
"They are so comfortable with each other," Condon said. "They made the whole thing ... it was kind of fun. Those things are always a little strange. They get to be weirdly technical at certain points."
Stewart and Pattinson's realistic closeness comes as no surprise, given that rumors about their real-life relationship have been circulating since the initial "Twilight" film hit theaters in 2008.
"They managed to put all that aside and turn it into something. That's a very real moment," he noted.
For his part, Pattinson told fans at Comic-Con that there were some not-so-romantic moments during the shoot in Brazil.
"Brazil was amazing," Pattinson said. "It was really amazing the day we got there, and really beautiful and warm and everything you'd expect. Then it suddenly, for the remainder of the shoot, was not only raining but like hurricane storms. ... It was kind of like having a honeymoon in England. We were playing board games instead of, like, making love on the beach."
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
MTV Rough Cut: 'Breaking Dawn' Director Bill Condon
Related Photos
'Breaking Dawn' Stars Take Over San Diego Comic-Con
Young Jeezy Changes His Thug Motivation With The Times
The Snowman explains how his TM 103 reflects the economic hardships of the day.By Rob Markman, with reporting by James Smith
Young Jeezy
Photo: Monica Morgan/ WireImage
The folks on Capitol Hill aren't the only ones focused on the world financial crisis. Young Jeezy is well aware of the economic woes of the day, which play a role in his upcoming album TM 103.
Starting with his 2005 debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, Jeezy stood as a voice of the streets his entire career. In 2006, he dropped The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102 and two years after he dropped his third LP, The Recession. On September 20, the Snowman will return to motivate the thugs on his oft-delayed TM 103, and for him the evolution of the TM album reflects the hard times that many Americans have fallen upon.
"TM 101 dropped at a time when money was so plentiful that you could've had too much of it at some point, and everybody was happy," Jeezy told MTV News on Tuesday while backstage in Atlanta at the second of his Thug Motivation 101 six-year anniversary concerts. "Everybody was flamboyant, everybody was living, and nowadays it ain't like that. So when I dropped TM 101, my whole focus was, we're gonna get this money and that's what it's about. We're gonna get this money, we're gonna live life, we're gonna have fun."
In 2011, people can't spend money as frivolously as they once did, so Jeezy wasn't about to stick to the old topics.
"The evolution of that, 103 is more sort of like situations, like, OK, yeah we got to the money, we lost it two or three times, but what are we gonna do to maintain?" Jizzle asked before rattling off a few more hypothetical questions. "Are we gonna maintain? Are we gonna get back? Are we gonna stay focused on the get back, or we gonna get off track? Are we gonna pay attention to what they're talkin' about, or pay attention to what we need to do? That's what the evolution is about."
The Georgia rapper has seen his music labeled as trap rap — a brand of hip-hop that focuses primarily on the Southern drug dealer. While that is a fair assessment of Young Jeezy's sound on the surface, the rapper also believes that he is spreading a motivational message that can help his fans make it through their own trials and tribulations. It's a musical tactic that he credits to the late Tupac Shakur.
"It's about knowing what to do. When I was growin' up and I was listening to 'Pac, all his situations apply to me today. I never knew that, I was just listening to the music and I thought it was good music," Jeezy said. "Everything that he said applies to me today. Keep ya enemies close, money over bitches — that's real talk."
Related Artists
Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Photo: Monica Morgan/ WireImage
The folks on Capitol Hill aren't the only ones focused on the world financial crisis. Young Jeezy is well aware of the economic woes of the day, which play a role in his upcoming album TM 103.
Starting with his 2005 debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, Jeezy stood as a voice of the streets his entire career. In 2006, he dropped The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102 and two years after he dropped his third LP, The Recession. On September 20, the Snowman will return to motivate the thugs on his oft-delayed TM 103, and for him the evolution of the TM album reflects the hard times that many Americans have fallen upon.
"TM 101 dropped at a time when money was so plentiful that you could've had too much of it at some point, and everybody was happy," Jeezy told MTV News on Tuesday while backstage in Atlanta at the second of his Thug Motivation 101 six-year anniversary concerts. "Everybody was flamboyant, everybody was living, and nowadays it ain't like that. So when I dropped TM 101, my whole focus was, we're gonna get this money and that's what it's about. We're gonna get this money, we're gonna live life, we're gonna have fun."
In 2011, people can't spend money as frivolously as they once did, so Jeezy wasn't about to stick to the old topics.
"The evolution of that, 103 is more sort of like situations, like, OK, yeah we got to the money, we lost it two or three times, but what are we gonna do to maintain?" Jizzle asked before rattling off a few more hypothetical questions. "Are we gonna maintain? Are we gonna get back? Are we gonna stay focused on the get back, or we gonna get off track? Are we gonna pay attention to what they're talkin' about, or pay attention to what we need to do? That's what the evolution is about."
The Georgia rapper has seen his music labeled as trap rap — a brand of hip-hop that focuses primarily on the Southern drug dealer. While that is a fair assessment of Young Jeezy's sound on the surface, the rapper also believes that he is spreading a motivational message that can help his fans make it through their own trials and tribulations. It's a musical tactic that he credits to the late Tupac Shakur.
"It's about knowing what to do. When I was growin' up and I was listening to 'Pac, all his situations apply to me today. I never knew that, I was just listening to the music and I thought it was good music," Jeezy said. "Everything that he said applies to me today. Keep ya enemies close, money over bitches — that's real talk."
Related Artists
Young Jeezy
Jennifer Gareis Jennifer Garner Jennifer Gimenez Jennifer Love Hewitt
Taylor Swift, Rihanna Dress To Impress At Billboard Awards
Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha, Selena Gomez also make fashion splash on red carpet, as showgirl style rules at the Las Vegas event on Sunday night.By Jocelyn Vena
Taylor Swift at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards
Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images
On Sunday night, some of the biggest names in the music industry hit up the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas and decided that sparkles and sequins make for the perfect additions to any red carpet get-up. Well, it is Sin City after all.
Taylor Swift always seems to bring some of that Nashville sparkle to any red carpet. She arrived at the show in a pale-hued, sequined Elie Saab gown. Nicki Minaj showed off her signature sense of style in her baby-blue, body-hugging spandex Mark Fast catsuit.
Selena Gomez turned up the style dial in a sexy, cut-out black Dolce & Gabbana gown that she paired with red strappy sandals with sparkly bow detailing. Like Gomez, Ke$ha opted for some cut-out detailing in her sparkly, slate-gray dress with tulle skirt. Rihanna looked white hot in her men's tailored Max Azria suit, which she kept sexy and feminine by not buttoning her shirt all the way.
Fergie went S&M chic in her little black bandage-type dress by Hervé Léger. Nicole Kidman also wore black. She paired a casual braid hairstyle with a long black gown and Keith Urban. British pop cutie Kyle Minogue looked funky in her little black lacey dress. Inside the show, Britney Spears sat in the audience wearing a skimpy black dress of her own, her hair in loose curls, with little-to-no accessories.
While some stars kept the color scheme low-key, Keri Hilson decided to stand out in her billowy little yellow dress paired with a turquoise-colored belt. Kelly Rowland showed off some of her best assets in a body-hugging, bright pink bandage dress.
The fellas also looked tight on the carpet. Joe Jonas wore all black with white sneakers, Ne-Yo paired his periwinkle suit with a Yankees cap and Justin Bieber wore black tuxedo pants with a gold-lamé tuxedo jacket.
Which stars' styles caught your eye at the Billboard Music Awards? Tell us in the comments.
Related Photos
2011 Billboard Music Awards
2011 Billboard Music Awards Red Carpet
Related Artists
Taylor Swift
Nicki Minaj
Ke$ha
Selena Gomez
Rihanna
Taylor Swift at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards
Photo: Jordan Strauss/ Getty Images
On Sunday night, some of the biggest names in the music industry hit up the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas and decided that sparkles and sequins make for the perfect additions to any red carpet get-up. Well, it is Sin City after all.
Taylor Swift always seems to bring some of that Nashville sparkle to any red carpet. She arrived at the show in a pale-hued, sequined Elie Saab gown. Nicki Minaj showed off her signature sense of style in her baby-blue, body-hugging spandex Mark Fast catsuit.
Selena Gomez turned up the style dial in a sexy, cut-out black Dolce & Gabbana gown that she paired with red strappy sandals with sparkly bow detailing. Like Gomez, Ke$ha opted for some cut-out detailing in her sparkly, slate-gray dress with tulle skirt. Rihanna looked white hot in her men's tailored Max Azria suit, which she kept sexy and feminine by not buttoning her shirt all the way.
Fergie went S&M chic in her little black bandage-type dress by Hervé Léger. Nicole Kidman also wore black. She paired a casual braid hairstyle with a long black gown and Keith Urban. British pop cutie Kyle Minogue looked funky in her little black lacey dress. Inside the show, Britney Spears sat in the audience wearing a skimpy black dress of her own, her hair in loose curls, with little-to-no accessories.
While some stars kept the color scheme low-key, Keri Hilson decided to stand out in her billowy little yellow dress paired with a turquoise-colored belt. Kelly Rowland showed off some of her best assets in a body-hugging, bright pink bandage dress.
The fellas also looked tight on the carpet. Joe Jonas wore all black with white sneakers, Ne-Yo paired his periwinkle suit with a Yankees cap and Justin Bieber wore black tuxedo pants with a gold-lamé tuxedo jacket.
Which stars' styles caught your eye at the Billboard Music Awards? Tell us in the comments.
Related Photos
2011 Billboard Music Awards
2011 Billboard Music Awards Red Carpet
Related Artists
Taylor Swift
Nicki Minaj
Ke$ha
Selena Gomez
Rihanna
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Robert Plant And Alison Krauss Win Grammy Album Of The Year
Raising Sand, from Led Zeppelin vet and bluegrass superstar, wins five Grammys on Sunday night.By James Montgomery with MTV News staff
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant accept the award for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
"I'm bewildered," Robert Plant said onstage as he accepted the Grammy Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss on Sunday night. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday."
He was probably one of the few who were surprised, because Raising Sand, which won five trophies at Sunday night's show, is in many ways the perfect Grammy album. It features two respected veterans, a critically lauded producer, some sandpaper-and-velvet vocals and a baker's dozen of time-tested standards.
You're probably familiar with Robert Plant from his Led Zeppelin days, and you might be aware of producer T-Bone Burnett's work on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002). And if you don't know who Alison Krauss is, she possesses a haunting set of pipes and is one of the meanest fiddle players in the world. Oh, and she's won 21 Grammys, more than any other female artist and the seventh-most in history.
Really, she's the key to Sand's success, and not just because of her voice (or her fiddle playing). She and Plant first met in 2004, at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to legendary bluesman Leadbelly, and the former Zeppelin man was amazed by her knowledge of American Roots music — so much so that they began kicking around the idea of recording an album together. Three years later, Sand was released.
And while Plant possesses the more famous voice, the album's finest moments radiate from Krauss. Whether she's getting bluesy on Little Milton's "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" or entwining with Plant's husky voice on songs like "Please Read the Letter" and Roly Salley's winsome "Killing the Blues," she more than carries her end of the bargain.
And perhaps that's also due to producer Burnett, who handpicked the 13 songs the duo cover on Sand. His arrangements are sparse — giving the two voices ample room to breathe — yet dense, warm and crackling at the same time. It's a testament to his work that he's often given just as much billing as Plant and Krauss on the project ... and it's certainly justified.
To date, Sand has sold more than 1 million copies, heaped tons of acclaim and actually earned a Grammy last year — "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" took home the award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
One expert was surprised not by the album's success, but by the fact that it's actually quite a good album.
"At first, the album seemed like a vanity project. ... Two names, clearly a one-off record, didn't have to be any good, you know?" New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica said. "Led Zeppelin fans would buy it because of Robert Plant, Alison Krauss would get a check. But it actually turned out to be a really thoughtful, really good record. So when you combine all that with the fact that the Grammys love to lionize one of their own, I could really see it taking home some awards."
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Alison Krauss
Led Zeppelin
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant accept the award for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards on Sunday
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images
"I'm bewildered," Robert Plant said onstage as he accepted the Grammy Album of the Year award with Alison Krauss on Sunday night. "In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday."
He was probably one of the few who were surprised, because Raising Sand, which won five trophies at Sunday night's show, is in many ways the perfect Grammy album. It features two respected veterans, a critically lauded producer, some sandpaper-and-velvet vocals and a baker's dozen of time-tested standards.
You're probably familiar with Robert Plant from his Led Zeppelin days, and you might be aware of producer T-Bone Burnett's work on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack (it won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002). And if you don't know who Alison Krauss is, she possesses a haunting set of pipes and is one of the meanest fiddle players in the world. Oh, and she's won 21 Grammys, more than any other female artist and the seventh-most in history.
Really, she's the key to Sand's success, and not just because of her voice (or her fiddle playing). She and Plant first met in 2004, at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to legendary bluesman Leadbelly, and the former Zeppelin man was amazed by her knowledge of American Roots music — so much so that they began kicking around the idea of recording an album together. Three years later, Sand was released.
And while Plant possesses the more famous voice, the album's finest moments radiate from Krauss. Whether she's getting bluesy on Little Milton's "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" or entwining with Plant's husky voice on songs like "Please Read the Letter" and Roly Salley's winsome "Killing the Blues," she more than carries her end of the bargain.
And perhaps that's also due to producer Burnett, who handpicked the 13 songs the duo cover on Sand. His arrangements are sparse — giving the two voices ample room to breathe — yet dense, warm and crackling at the same time. It's a testament to his work that he's often given just as much billing as Plant and Krauss on the project ... and it's certainly justified.
To date, Sand has sold more than 1 million copies, heaped tons of acclaim and actually earned a Grammy last year — "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" took home the award for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
One expert was surprised not by the album's success, but by the fact that it's actually quite a good album.
"At first, the album seemed like a vanity project. ... Two names, clearly a one-off record, didn't have to be any good, you know?" New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica said. "Led Zeppelin fans would buy it because of Robert Plant, Alison Krauss would get a check. But it actually turned out to be a really thoughtful, really good record. So when you combine all that with the fact that the Grammys love to lionize one of their own, I could really see it taking home some awards."
Related Videos
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Related Artists
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Alison Krauss
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Watch: Bj�rk Releases A Music Video For ?Crystalline?
Last last month we got our first listen of Bj�rk‘s new single Crystalline, the first from her new album Biophilia. Today we get to check out the just-released music video for the track. As you might expect from an inventive artist like Bj�rk, the video is appropriately weird … but, IMHO, very fun and beautiful. [...]
Sundance Selects Grabs U.S. Rights to 'Habemus Papam'
Jay A. Fernandez Sundance Selects has acquired U.S. rights to director Nanni Moretti?s "Habemus Papam," which had its world premiere in competition at the Festival de Cannes in May.read more
Vietnam's kids sing for their supper
Ho Chi Minh City is known for its street vendors. Hawkers with pushcarts or simple shoulder poles travel from street to street selling roast chestnuts or mangoes or noodle soup.
But here it's not only food that comes to you -- music does too.
In many parts of the city formerly known as Saigon, especially in the poorer, traditionally blue-collar areas like Districts 4 or 8, "xe keo-keo" are a common sight.
Young men, either in pairs or alone, pull up in front of restaurants and fire up the basic karaoke machines that are strapped to rickety old bikes, then sing, roaming tables to sell cheap peanut candy for about VND 3,000 a stick.
?I like this job, my brother showed me how to do it,? says one who didn?t want to give his name.
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read more
But here it's not only food that comes to you -- music does too.
In many parts of the city formerly known as Saigon, especially in the poorer, traditionally blue-collar areas like Districts 4 or 8, "xe keo-keo" are a common sight.
Young men, either in pairs or alone, pull up in front of restaurants and fire up the basic karaoke machines that are strapped to rickety old bikes, then sing, roaming tables to sell cheap peanut candy for about VND 3,000 a stick.
?I like this job, my brother showed me how to do it,? says one who didn?t want to give his name.
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Lady Gaga 'Monster Ball' Special Nabs Five Emmy Noms
Mother Monster's HBO special will vie for honors at September 18 awards show.By James Montgomery
Lady Gaga
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
It's time to break the meat dress out of deep storage, or perhaps polish up the space egg, because Lady Gaga has another awards show to attend.
On Thursday morning (July 14), her "Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden" HBO special picked up five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, top-lined by a nod for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special. In that category, Gaga will face off against the annual Kennedy Center Honors telecast and a trio of rather, uh, unique challengers: Carrie Fisher, Bette Midler and Pee-Wee Herman, each of whom earned noms for their respective HBO specials.
The "Monster Ball" special also earned a nomination for Outstanding Directing (Gaga's creative director, Laurieann Gibson, picked up the nod), and three technical noms: Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Outstanding Lighting Design/ Lighting Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special; and Outstanding Picture Editing for a Special. In each of those categories, Gaga will take on the usual spate of awards telecasts (the 83rd Academy Awards, the 53rd Grammy Awards, etc.), not to mention comedians Ricky Gervais and Louis C.K., each of whom earned nods for their comedy specials.
Elsewhere, Gaga's favorite show, "Glee," was among the most-nominated programs, landing a nod for Outstanding Comedy Series. Stars Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer also earned nominations, as did guest stars Kristin Chenoweth, Dot-Marie Jones and Gwyneth Paltrow.
The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 18, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
Will you be rooting for Gaga on Emmy night? Tell us in the comments!
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Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
It's time to break the meat dress out of deep storage, or perhaps polish up the space egg, because Lady Gaga has another awards show to attend.
On Thursday morning (July 14), her "Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden" HBO special picked up five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, top-lined by a nod for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special. In that category, Gaga will face off against the annual Kennedy Center Honors telecast and a trio of rather, uh, unique challengers: Carrie Fisher, Bette Midler and Pee-Wee Herman, each of whom earned noms for their respective HBO specials.
The "Monster Ball" special also earned a nomination for Outstanding Directing (Gaga's creative director, Laurieann Gibson, picked up the nod), and three technical noms: Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Outstanding Lighting Design/ Lighting Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special; and Outstanding Picture Editing for a Special. In each of those categories, Gaga will take on the usual spate of awards telecasts (the 83rd Academy Awards, the 53rd Grammy Awards, etc.), not to mention comedians Ricky Gervais and Louis C.K., each of whom earned nods for their comedy specials.
Elsewhere, Gaga's favorite show, "Glee," was among the most-nominated programs, landing a nod for Outstanding Comedy Series. Stars Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer also earned nominations, as did guest stars Kristin Chenoweth, Dot-Marie Jones and Gwyneth Paltrow.
The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 18, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
Will you be rooting for Gaga on Emmy night? Tell us in the comments!
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Seth Rogen Vs. Zac Efron, Harrison Ford Sticks With 'Cowboys'
Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, it's time to square off.
The Judd Apatow staple and the former "High School Musical" star are butting heads in an untitled comedy where Rogen plays an average guy going toe-to-toe against Efron's frat boy character. That's a team up we never really expected to see, but it's one we're interested [...]
The Judd Apatow staple and the former "High School Musical" star are butting heads in an untitled comedy where Rogen plays an average guy going toe-to-toe against Efron's frat boy character. That's a team up we never really expected to see, but it's one we're interested [...]
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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Led Zeppelin
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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Photos | Lady Gaga Joins Her Little Monsters At Best Buy Signing
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Monday, July 25, 2011
Lady Gaga, Adele, Others Get Record Industry Back In Black
Strong sales by female artists have put industry in positive territory for first time since 2004.By Gil Kaufman
Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Beyoncé may have been on to something with that whole "Run the World (Girls)," business after all. Though Queen B's single didn't set the world on fire, in the first half of 2011, a number of her fellow divas — Adele, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry — have helped the music business achieve something it hasn't been able to in nearly eight years: positive growth.
According to figures released on Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan, overall album sales rose 3.6 percent to 221.5 million during the first half of this year. That marks the first time since 2004 that sales have been in the black for an industry that has suffered a decade-long slide thanks to rampant Internet piracy and slumping album sales as a result of fans cherry-picking singles on iTunes and other download services.
As we continue to hash out which songs will win this year's Summer Jam crown, a number of the female contenders are among the artists who've helped turn the sales tide, including Perry, Nicki Minaj, Adele and Gaga. (Eminem hasn't been a slouch either, thanks to his smash comeback Recovery, which recently passed the 1 million album download mark.)
Adele has already moved more than 2.5 million copies of her breakout hit 21 since February, along with 4.1 million single downloads of "Rolling in the Deep," while Gaga's Born This Way has shifted more than 1.5 million units. Perry has been doing her part as well, scoring a string of hit singles, including "E.T.," which has sold more than 4.1 million digital units this year.
Britney Spears' tourmate Minaj has the year's ninth best-selling album so far with her debut, Pink Friday, with 1.4 million in sales to date, 556,000 of which have come in this calendar year.
Like Nicki, Rihanna has helped boost numbers this year with an album that came out in late 2010. Loud has sold more than 1.3 million copies to date, 598,000 of which came in 2011.
According to Billboard, the ladies aren't alone, as British folk rock revivalists Mumford & Sons have been doing some heavy lifting too, selling 982,000 copies of their album Sigh No More so far this year. Country singer Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party has also done its part, moving 763,000 units, as has Bruno Mars' debut, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which has sold 686,000 copies.
It's unclear at this point if the trend can sustain itself through the rest of the year. But with strong summer tour sales by Perry and rescheduled dates from Adele on the horizon, not to mention the promise of new albums from Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Jay-Z, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Willow Smith, Rick Ross, Coldplay, and "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery, the industry may just be able to breathe a (small) sigh or relief for the first time in a long time.
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Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Beyoncé may have been on to something with that whole "Run the World (Girls)," business after all. Though Queen B's single didn't set the world on fire, in the first half of 2011, a number of her fellow divas — Adele, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry — have helped the music business achieve something it hasn't been able to in nearly eight years: positive growth.
According to figures released on Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan, overall album sales rose 3.6 percent to 221.5 million during the first half of this year. That marks the first time since 2004 that sales have been in the black for an industry that has suffered a decade-long slide thanks to rampant Internet piracy and slumping album sales as a result of fans cherry-picking singles on iTunes and other download services.
As we continue to hash out which songs will win this year's Summer Jam crown, a number of the female contenders are among the artists who've helped turn the sales tide, including Perry, Nicki Minaj, Adele and Gaga. (Eminem hasn't been a slouch either, thanks to his smash comeback Recovery, which recently passed the 1 million album download mark.)
Adele has already moved more than 2.5 million copies of her breakout hit 21 since February, along with 4.1 million single downloads of "Rolling in the Deep," while Gaga's Born This Way has shifted more than 1.5 million units. Perry has been doing her part as well, scoring a string of hit singles, including "E.T.," which has sold more than 4.1 million digital units this year.
Britney Spears' tourmate Minaj has the year's ninth best-selling album so far with her debut, Pink Friday, with 1.4 million in sales to date, 556,000 of which have come in this calendar year.
Like Nicki, Rihanna has helped boost numbers this year with an album that came out in late 2010. Loud has sold more than 1.3 million copies to date, 598,000 of which came in 2011.
According to Billboard, the ladies aren't alone, as British folk rock revivalists Mumford & Sons have been doing some heavy lifting too, selling 982,000 copies of their album Sigh No More so far this year. Country singer Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party has also done its part, moving 763,000 units, as has Bruno Mars' debut, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which has sold 686,000 copies.
It's unclear at this point if the trend can sustain itself through the rest of the year. But with strong summer tour sales by Perry and rescheduled dates from Adele on the horizon, not to mention the promise of new albums from Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Jay-Z, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Willow Smith, Rick Ross, Coldplay, and "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery, the industry may just be able to breathe a (small) sigh or relief for the first time in a long time.
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Sunday, July 24, 2011
Photos | 2011 BET Awards Show Highlights
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Photos | Chris Brown And Usher Perform In Jamaica
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Saturday, July 23, 2011
Justin Timberlake, Taylor Lautner To Appear On MTV's Comic-Con Live Stream
We'll also have exclusives from 'Cowboys & Aliens' and 'Thundercats' at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT Friday on MTV.com.By Terri Schwartz
Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried in "In Time"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
SAN DIEGO — The "Breaking Dawn" panel and MTV live stream have come and gone, but the movie-friendly nerdery at San Diego Comic-Con is still in full swing. MTV News has a lot more excitement lined up for Friday's live stream at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT, including several surprises up our sleeves.
Looking forward to "Cowboys & Aliens"? We've got you covered. A sucker for the highly anticipated new "Thundercats" animated series? We have an exclusive clip under wraps. Plus, there's even more Taylor Lautner goodness to look forward to.
It all kicks off with MTV's Josh Horowitz sitting down with "Cowboys & Aliens" director Jon Favreau in anticipation of the film's release this weekend. And in case that's not enough Western-style alien-invasion goodness for you, we've been rolling out interviews from the "C&A" junket in Montana all week.
After that, Channing Tatum and Gina Carano are sitting down to talk about their upcoming Steven Soderbergh action thriller "Haywire." They'll be sure to spill the beans about the 2012 release before its Hall H panel later in the day.
In addition to the new "Thundercats" clip, there also will be first looks from our interviews with Taylor Lautner for "Abduction" and Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried for "In Time" tossed in during the live stream. MTV News also will have the scoop on an exciting surprise Robert Rodriguez is developing that we'll unveil during the hour-long event. Keep it locked to MTV.com and our Splash Page for all the latest, greatest Comic-Con news. It's going to be a crazy four days.
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SAN DIEGO — The "Breaking Dawn" panel and MTV live stream have come and gone, but the movie-friendly nerdery at San Diego Comic-Con is still in full swing. MTV News has a lot more excitement lined up for Friday's live stream at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT, including several surprises up our sleeves.
Looking forward to "Cowboys & Aliens"? We've got you covered. A sucker for the highly anticipated new "Thundercats" animated series? We have an exclusive clip under wraps. Plus, there's even more Taylor Lautner goodness to look forward to.
It all kicks off with MTV's Josh Horowitz sitting down with "Cowboys & Aliens" director Jon Favreau in anticipation of the film's release this weekend. And in case that's not enough Western-style alien-invasion goodness for you, we've been rolling out interviews from the "C&A" junket in Montana all week.
After that, Channing Tatum and Gina Carano are sitting down to talk about their upcoming Steven Soderbergh action thriller "Haywire." They'll be sure to spill the beans about the 2012 release before its Hall H panel later in the day.
In addition to the new "Thundercats" clip, there also will be first looks from our interviews with Taylor Lautner for "Abduction" and Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried for "In Time" tossed in during the live stream. MTV News also will have the scoop on an exciting surprise Robert Rodriguez is developing that we'll unveil during the hour-long event. Keep it locked to MTV.com and our Splash Page for all the latest, greatest Comic-Con news. It's going to be a crazy four days.
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'Breaking Dawn' Wedding 'Cathartic' For Kristen Stewart
'I don't want to say it felt like a real wedding, but it definitely felt like a ceremony,' she tells MTV News at Comic-Con.By Terri Schwartz, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"
Photo: Andrew Cooper/ Summit Entertainment
SAN DIEGO — For her third visit to San Diego Comic-Con, Kristen Stewart was happy to report to MTV News about getting married and giving birth — onscreen, that is.
While "The Twilight Saga" star was quick to specify that it was Mr. Cullen she shared these milestones with, not rumored beau Robert Pattinson, she spilled the beans about filming the hotly anticipated wedding scene in "Breaking Dawn - Part 1."
"I think the most surreal experience was getting married," Stewart said. "It was right at the bitter end. I was amping up to it the entire time. They left me on my toes for six months. And then it was just sort of very cathartic to see the entire cast in the pews and everyone excited to see how it was all going to go down.
"It had a kind of feel of everyone kind of excited to see how it's all going to go down," she continued. "I don't want to say it felt like a real wedding, but it definitely felt like a ceremony. It definitely felt ceremonial and celebratory."
This is the first time Stewart has had an opportunity to get in on the action with the boys of "Twilight," and from what we've heard, she's held her own against them. Stewart especially got to face off against Taylor Lautner, which she said was a lot of fun.
"Taylor's funny about it too. He's like, 'You're so cute,' " Stewart said. "I think he was a little more intimidated then he led on. Maybe not."
"Breaking Dawn" isn't the only movie Stewart is promoting at Comic-Con this year. She also has "Snow White and the Huntsman," which has its panel Saturday. Stewart shared her enthusiasm about the movie without giving too much away about the plot.
"I am so, so excited. We're in pre-production right now. I think [Snow White] represents so much that I can't wait to get across to the entire world," she said. "Rupert [Sanders], the director, we're so in the middle of forming the story and getting into it that it's hard for me to talk about. I mean, I'm training. I'm riding horses all the time."
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.
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Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"
Photo: Andrew Cooper/ Summit Entertainment
SAN DIEGO — For her third visit to San Diego Comic-Con, Kristen Stewart was happy to report to MTV News about getting married and giving birth — onscreen, that is.
While "The Twilight Saga" star was quick to specify that it was Mr. Cullen she shared these milestones with, not rumored beau Robert Pattinson, she spilled the beans about filming the hotly anticipated wedding scene in "Breaking Dawn - Part 1."
"I think the most surreal experience was getting married," Stewart said. "It was right at the bitter end. I was amping up to it the entire time. They left me on my toes for six months. And then it was just sort of very cathartic to see the entire cast in the pews and everyone excited to see how it was all going to go down.
"It had a kind of feel of everyone kind of excited to see how it's all going to go down," she continued. "I don't want to say it felt like a real wedding, but it definitely felt like a ceremony. It definitely felt ceremonial and celebratory."
This is the first time Stewart has had an opportunity to get in on the action with the boys of "Twilight," and from what we've heard, she's held her own against them. Stewart especially got to face off against Taylor Lautner, which she said was a lot of fun.
"Taylor's funny about it too. He's like, 'You're so cute,' " Stewart said. "I think he was a little more intimidated then he led on. Maybe not."
"Breaking Dawn" isn't the only movie Stewart is promoting at Comic-Con this year. She also has "Snow White and the Huntsman," which has its panel Saturday. Stewart shared her enthusiasm about the movie without giving too much away about the plot.
"I am so, so excited. We're in pre-production right now. I think [Snow White] represents so much that I can't wait to get across to the entire world," she said. "Rupert [Sanders], the director, we're so in the middle of forming the story and getting into it that it's hard for me to talk about. I mean, I'm training. I'm riding horses all the time."
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.
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Katy Perry, Adele And More 2011 VMA Nominees ... Possibly
Bigger Than the Sound tries to predict the nominees for this year's Video Music Awards.By James Montgomery
Katy Perry
Photo: Amy Sussman/ Getty Images
I've been told that the nominations for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards -- which air live Sunday, August 28, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV -- are going to be announced on MTV and MTV.com on Wednesday night (July 20) at 11 p.m ET, and that means you should probably get ready for a whole lot of Katy Perry. And Adele. And Britney Spears. And Lady Gaga. Oh, and Rihanna too.
That's because, to paraphrase Beyoncé (oh yeah, she'll probably get nominated too), it's been girls who've run the world in 2011, and the VMAs will probably be no exception. Perry — who has basically been unstoppable since last summer — figures to be the most nominated artist, with this year's breakout star, Adele, close behind. Britney, Gaga and all the rest figure to be in the hunt too. In fact, one has to wonder if the folks behind the show will just go ahead and eliminate the Best Male Video category altogether. More room for the ladies that way.
Of course, we won't know for sure until those nominations are officially revealed, but while we wait, I figured it was time to dust off the old Prognostication Cap and try to predict the 2011 VMA nominees in advance. I've done this for seemingly every awards show in the past, and sometimes I even manage to avoid embarrassing myself completely (not always, though).
So without any advance knowledge — and using as many sweeping generalizations as humanly possible — here are my picks for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Accuracy not entirely guaranteed.
Best Male Video
In a year dominated by females, I suppose someone has to win Best Male Video. I think it's a given that Bruno Mars, Chris Brown and Eminem all land nods here, and I suspect Justin Bieber will sneak in too, if only because it builds off his Best New Artist win last year. The fifth spot is up for grabs, though in a pinch, I'll go with Pitbull, if only because of the recent success of "Give Me Everything." Lupe Fiasco or Trey Songz are also viable choices. My picks:
» Bruno Mars, "Grenade"
» Chris Brown, "She Ain't You"
» Eminem feat. Rihanna, "Love The Way You Lie"
» Justin Bieber, "U Smile"
» Pitbull, "Give Me Everything"
Best Female Video
Sure, Video of the Year is the night's biggest award, but given the success of every artist with a pair of X chromosomes, the Best Female Video might be the toughest — and not just to win. Predicting who even gets nominated is a challenge, considering there are only five spots available. Adele and Katy Perry seem mortal locks, and Rihanna is close. Britney will probably earn a nom too, which means that either Beyoncé, Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj will be left on the outside looking in. Told you this was going to be tough. My picks:
» Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
» Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"
» Beyoncé, "Run the World (Girls)"
» Katy Perry, "E.T."
» Rihanna, "S&M"
Best Rock Video
My official title at MTV News is "rock editor," but even I had a hard time coming up with five nominees here. Since 30 Seconds to Mars won last year, I suspect they'll be back to defend their crown. Folks were excited about the Foo Fighters' return, so pencil them in too. Mumford & Sons may very well be the year's most unexpected success, which should earn them a nod. The other two slots? I'm not gonna lie, I just picked names out of a hat.
» 30 Seconds to Mars, "Hurricane"
» Foo Fighters, "Rope"
» Foster the People, "Pumped Up Kicks"
» Linkin Park, "Waiting for the End"
» Mumford & Sons, "Little Lion Man"
Best Hip-Hop Video
A wide-open category, and one that raises several questions: Can Eminem win for the second year in a row? Will Nicki Minaj manage to bum-rush the boys' club? Is Kanye West's epic "Runaway" mini-movie even eligible? I'm not going to pretend to know all the answers, but it certainly makes for an interesting field. In the end, I left Em off — since "Love the Way You Lie" was released in such a nebulous time (August 2010, a month before last year's VMAs and a full 12 months before this year's) — and went with the Beastie Boys, since I have a creeping suspicion they'll earn a nod or two, and this seems as logical a place as any. Nicki and Kanye are in (though I went with the latter's "Monster" video), and so is Lil Wayne. For the last spot, I went with Lupe Fiasco, though it wouldn't surprise me to see Tyler, the Creator here instead.
» Beastie Boys, "Make Some Noise"
» Kanye West (featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver and Nicki Minaj), "Monster"
» Lil Wayne (featuring Cory Gunz), "6 Foot 7 Foot"
» Lupe Fiasco, "The Show Goes On"
» Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass"
Best Pop Video
Another big-time category, another bunch of deserving artists destined to be left out. I like Britney's, Katy's and Gaga's chances, and I'll toss Rihanna into the mix too. For the fifth spot, I went with Bruno Mars, since, otherwise, this category would basically just be Best Female Video, Part II. Of course, in doing that, I excluded Adele, Beyoncé, Ke$ha and about a dozen other worthy acts too. Prognostication is hard work, people.
» Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"
» Bruno Mars, "Grenade"
» Katy Perry, "E.T."
» Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
» Rihanna, "S&M"
Best New Artist
Who will follow in the footsteps of Biebus Christ (and Lady Gaga) and take home the Moonman for Best New Artist? Good question! This is always one of the hardest categories to predict, and this year is no different: The only sure things seem to be Mumford & Sons and Wiz Khalifa, and though Robyn isn't exactly new, she's new enough here (and made some terrific strides over the past 12 months), so I think she's a lock. In a pinch, I'll pick Foster the People (big radio hit) and Tyler, the Creator (big buzz), though Kreayshawn could sneak in too.
» Foster the People
» Mumford & Sons
» Robyn
» Tyler, the Creator
» Wiz Khalifa
Video of the Year
Last year's Video of the Year race featured a trio of underdogs — 30 Seconds to Mars, B.o.B, Florence and the Machine — thrown into the mix. Will 2011 follow suit? Probably not. Adele seems to be a no-brainer, even if most folks have never seen the video for "Rolling in the Deep." Katy, too, but it remains to be seen which of her videos gets the nod. (I went with "Firework." It's mad inspirational.) Em will be back — though one has to wonder if "Love the Way You Lie" peaked too early to be considered a genuine front-runner — and Gaga should return also. I went dark-horse with my fifth pick, taking the Foo Fighters' "Rope" over bigger clips from Beyoncé and Rihanna, mostly because I've got a sweet spot for VHS.
» Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
» Eminem (featuring Rihanna), "Love the Way You Lie"
» Foo Fighters, "Rope"
» Katy Perry, "Firework"
» Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
Did we get it right? Share your picks in the comments!
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Photo: Amy Sussman/ Getty Images
I've been told that the nominations for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards -- which air live Sunday, August 28, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV -- are going to be announced on MTV and MTV.com on Wednesday night (July 20) at 11 p.m ET, and that means you should probably get ready for a whole lot of Katy Perry. And Adele. And Britney Spears. And Lady Gaga. Oh, and Rihanna too.
That's because, to paraphrase Beyoncé (oh yeah, she'll probably get nominated too), it's been girls who've run the world in 2011, and the VMAs will probably be no exception. Perry — who has basically been unstoppable since last summer — figures to be the most nominated artist, with this year's breakout star, Adele, close behind. Britney, Gaga and all the rest figure to be in the hunt too. In fact, one has to wonder if the folks behind the show will just go ahead and eliminate the Best Male Video category altogether. More room for the ladies that way.
Of course, we won't know for sure until those nominations are officially revealed, but while we wait, I figured it was time to dust off the old Prognostication Cap and try to predict the 2011 VMA nominees in advance. I've done this for seemingly every awards show in the past, and sometimes I even manage to avoid embarrassing myself completely (not always, though).
So without any advance knowledge — and using as many sweeping generalizations as humanly possible — here are my picks for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Accuracy not entirely guaranteed.
Best Male Video
In a year dominated by females, I suppose someone has to win Best Male Video. I think it's a given that Bruno Mars, Chris Brown and Eminem all land nods here, and I suspect Justin Bieber will sneak in too, if only because it builds off his Best New Artist win last year. The fifth spot is up for grabs, though in a pinch, I'll go with Pitbull, if only because of the recent success of "Give Me Everything." Lupe Fiasco or Trey Songz are also viable choices. My picks:
» Bruno Mars, "Grenade"
» Chris Brown, "She Ain't You"
» Eminem feat. Rihanna, "Love The Way You Lie"
» Justin Bieber, "U Smile"
» Pitbull, "Give Me Everything"
Best Female Video
Sure, Video of the Year is the night's biggest award, but given the success of every artist with a pair of X chromosomes, the Best Female Video might be the toughest — and not just to win. Predicting who even gets nominated is a challenge, considering there are only five spots available. Adele and Katy Perry seem mortal locks, and Rihanna is close. Britney will probably earn a nom too, which means that either Beyoncé, Lady Gaga or Nicki Minaj will be left on the outside looking in. Told you this was going to be tough. My picks:
» Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
» Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"
» Beyoncé, "Run the World (Girls)"
» Katy Perry, "E.T."
» Rihanna, "S&M"
Best Rock Video
My official title at MTV News is "rock editor," but even I had a hard time coming up with five nominees here. Since 30 Seconds to Mars won last year, I suspect they'll be back to defend their crown. Folks were excited about the Foo Fighters' return, so pencil them in too. Mumford & Sons may very well be the year's most unexpected success, which should earn them a nod. The other two slots? I'm not gonna lie, I just picked names out of a hat.
» 30 Seconds to Mars, "Hurricane"
» Foo Fighters, "Rope"
» Foster the People, "Pumped Up Kicks"
» Linkin Park, "Waiting for the End"
» Mumford & Sons, "Little Lion Man"
Best Hip-Hop Video
A wide-open category, and one that raises several questions: Can Eminem win for the second year in a row? Will Nicki Minaj manage to bum-rush the boys' club? Is Kanye West's epic "Runaway" mini-movie even eligible? I'm not going to pretend to know all the answers, but it certainly makes for an interesting field. In the end, I left Em off — since "Love the Way You Lie" was released in such a nebulous time (August 2010, a month before last year's VMAs and a full 12 months before this year's) — and went with the Beastie Boys, since I have a creeping suspicion they'll earn a nod or two, and this seems as logical a place as any. Nicki and Kanye are in (though I went with the latter's "Monster" video), and so is Lil Wayne. For the last spot, I went with Lupe Fiasco, though it wouldn't surprise me to see Tyler, the Creator here instead.
» Beastie Boys, "Make Some Noise"
» Kanye West (featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver and Nicki Minaj), "Monster"
» Lil Wayne (featuring Cory Gunz), "6 Foot 7 Foot"
» Lupe Fiasco, "The Show Goes On"
» Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass"
Best Pop Video
Another big-time category, another bunch of deserving artists destined to be left out. I like Britney's, Katy's and Gaga's chances, and I'll toss Rihanna into the mix too. For the fifth spot, I went with Bruno Mars, since, otherwise, this category would basically just be Best Female Video, Part II. Of course, in doing that, I excluded Adele, Beyoncé, Ke$ha and about a dozen other worthy acts too. Prognostication is hard work, people.
» Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"
» Bruno Mars, "Grenade"
» Katy Perry, "E.T."
» Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
» Rihanna, "S&M"
Best New Artist
Who will follow in the footsteps of Biebus Christ (and Lady Gaga) and take home the Moonman for Best New Artist? Good question! This is always one of the hardest categories to predict, and this year is no different: The only sure things seem to be Mumford & Sons and Wiz Khalifa, and though Robyn isn't exactly new, she's new enough here (and made some terrific strides over the past 12 months), so I think she's a lock. In a pinch, I'll pick Foster the People (big radio hit) and Tyler, the Creator (big buzz), though Kreayshawn could sneak in too.
» Foster the People
» Mumford & Sons
» Robyn
» Tyler, the Creator
» Wiz Khalifa
Video of the Year
Last year's Video of the Year race featured a trio of underdogs — 30 Seconds to Mars, B.o.B, Florence and the Machine — thrown into the mix. Will 2011 follow suit? Probably not. Adele seems to be a no-brainer, even if most folks have never seen the video for "Rolling in the Deep." Katy, too, but it remains to be seen which of her videos gets the nod. (I went with "Firework." It's mad inspirational.) Em will be back — though one has to wonder if "Love the Way You Lie" peaked too early to be considered a genuine front-runner — and Gaga should return also. I went dark-horse with my fifth pick, taking the Foo Fighters' "Rope" over bigger clips from Beyoncé and Rihanna, mostly because I've got a sweet spot for VHS.
» Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
» Eminem (featuring Rihanna), "Love the Way You Lie"
» Foo Fighters, "Rope"
» Katy Perry, "Firework"
» Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
Did we get it right? Share your picks in the comments!
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Friday Drama
Friday DramaCelebrities Who Stormed Off During Interviews–The Frisky Miley Cyrus Gets Invite to Marine Ball–HollyWire Breaking Dawn Love Scenes Leaks Out–Right Celebrity Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dress [...]Friday Drama Stupid Celebrities GossipStupid Celebrities Gossip News
Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Portman Natalie Zea Natasha Bedingfield
The death of publishing: Where are Tokyo's English magazines now?
You should excuse Greg Starr for
waxing nostalgic. After all, as editor in chief of ?Tokyo Journal? during
the first half of the 1990s, he presided over an age of hard-hitting,
irreverent and money-losing local journalism that would be forever upended by
the Internet.
He was editor in 1992 when the
magazine published a piece by James Bailey called ?The Incredible Inflating
Man,? which revealed TV talent Dave Spector?s penchant for inflating his resum�.
The magazine ran investigative
pieces on the plight of Filipino laborers, the murder of a Thai hostess and
revelations of HIV-contaminated blood in government-run blood banks and a subsequent bureaucratic cover-up.
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waxing nostalgic. After all, as editor in chief of ?Tokyo Journal? during
the first half of the 1990s, he presided over an age of hard-hitting,
irreverent and money-losing local journalism that would be forever upended by
the Internet.
He was editor in 1992 when the
magazine published a piece by James Bailey called ?The Incredible Inflating
Man,? which revealed TV talent Dave Spector?s penchant for inflating his resum�.
The magazine ran investigative
pieces on the plight of Filipino laborers, the murder of a Thai hostess and
revelations of HIV-contaminated blood in government-run blood banks and a subsequent bureaucratic cover-up.
var OutbrainPermaLink = 'http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/life/death-publishing-where-are-tokyos-english-magazines-now-607670';
var OB_raterMode = 'none';
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if ( typeof(OB_Script)!='undefined' )
OutbrainStart();
else
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document.write(str);
}
read more
Friday, July 22, 2011
Michael Jackson - History
History
Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Album: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
Artist: Michael Jackson
Label: Epic
Album: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
Photos | MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Pop Star Brides
MTV Buzzworthy Blog: Pop Star Brides
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Justin Bieber Won't 'Limit' Himself On Next Album
'I just want to make music,' he tells MTV News.By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images
It's been a minute since Justin Bieber released new music, and it sounds like the waiting game continues for Beliebers. The singer is currently in the planning and recording stages for his next record and has not set any deadlines for himself. At the moment, Bieber said, he's still creating.
"I want to work a lot with myself," he told MTV News about any plans to expand his collaboration résumé, after working with artists like Chris Brown, Kanye West, Ludacris and Rascal Flatts. "And [I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour."
So what is Bieber focusing on in this new batch of songs? "[I'm] writing about how I feel and producing. I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer," he said. "I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge."
It may be a while until new stuff comes out, but it's not like fans don't already have plenty of Bieber music to listen to in the meantime. Only a couple of years into his career, Bieber has already managed to release the chart-topping albums My World, My World 2.0, Never Say Never — The Remixes and My Worlds Acoustic. He's also dabbled in a number of genres, like pop, hip-hop, R&B and, yes, even country. With so many interests in so many different sounds and so much to draw from, Bieber said he's not boxing himself in on his next release.
"I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's gonna have that vibe," he explained. "I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music, and genre — I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is different. My voice is not meant for any style. I just want to make music."
Are you excited for Bieber's next album? Tell us in the comments!
Related Artists
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ Getty Images
It's been a minute since Justin Bieber released new music, and it sounds like the waiting game continues for Beliebers. The singer is currently in the planning and recording stages for his next record and has not set any deadlines for himself. At the moment, Bieber said, he's still creating.
"I want to work a lot with myself," he told MTV News about any plans to expand his collaboration résumé, after working with artists like Chris Brown, Kanye West, Ludacris and Rascal Flatts. "And [I want to] write a lot myself. I will be working with a lot of other producers and stuff like that, but I'm just writing a lot, writing on tour."
So what is Bieber focusing on in this new batch of songs? "[I'm] writing about how I feel and producing. I've been producing on my laptop and on my computer," he said. "I've been really into it and, hopefully, this next album will be huge."
It may be a while until new stuff comes out, but it's not like fans don't already have plenty of Bieber music to listen to in the meantime. Only a couple of years into his career, Bieber has already managed to release the chart-topping albums My World, My World 2.0, Never Say Never — The Remixes and My Worlds Acoustic. He's also dabbled in a number of genres, like pop, hip-hop, R&B and, yes, even country. With so many interests in so many different sounds and so much to draw from, Bieber said he's not boxing himself in on his next release.
"I've done a lot on my acoustic guitar, so it's gonna have that vibe," he explained. "I'm not gonna really limit myself. I think music is music, and genre — I mean, I know there's country music, there's rock music, but my music is different. My voice is not meant for any style. I just want to make music."
Are you excited for Bieber's next album? Tell us in the comments!
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Thursday, July 21, 2011
'Friends with Benefits': Win Tickets to Screening and Party
David Simpson Winner will be selected on Friday, July 15.read more
Photos | Michael Jackson's 'Michael' Cover Decoded
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Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Photos | Performances At The 10th Annual BMI Urban Awards
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'Crazy, Stupid, Love': Second Trailer and Additional Scenes Released (Video)
THR staff The ensemble comedy, starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone, premieres on July 29.read more
Five Reasons You Need To See 'The Myth Of The American Sleepover'
by Danielle Genet
While "Harry Potter" may be blowing up the box office right now, on the quieter side a film called ?The Myth of the American Sleepover? will sneak its way to select theater locations this Friday (July 22). MTV News was lucky enough to catch a special screening at the Ace Hotel in New [...]
While "Harry Potter" may be blowing up the box office right now, on the quieter side a film called ?The Myth of the American Sleepover? will sneak its way to select theater locations this Friday (July 22). MTV News was lucky enough to catch a special screening at the Ace Hotel in New [...]
Photos | Justin Bieber's Grammy Night
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011
First Look: ?Two And A Half Men? Releases A First Promo Image
Back in May we got our first look at the NEW cast of Two and a Half Men all together on the set of the show but today, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly magazine, we get our first official look at the cast in the first promo image for the upcoming new season. As you may [...]
Photos | Buddy Movies Justin Bieber And Ashton Kutcher Should Remake
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Photos | Justin Bieber's 'Never Say Never' L.A. Premiere
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Monday, July 18, 2011
Ke$ha Wants 'Till The World Ends' Remix To 'Take Over Airwaves'
Singer says her collaboration with Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj made a 'supergroup of three hot, strong women.'By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias
Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News
Earlier this week, Britney Spears, Ke$ha and Nicki Minaj dropped their femme-fatale-friendly remix of the Spears club track "Till the World Ends." The already fun song got super-charged thanks to Minaj's cutting verses and Ke$ha's recognizable vocals.
"I'm a massive fan of both the ladies I share the track with," K told MTV News on Wednesday at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "I wrote 'TTWE' for Britney with [producers] Dr. Luke and Max [Martin] and she killed it and I loved it, but I just thought a supergroup of three hot, strong women could just take over the airwaves."
Ke$ha went on to give props to both the ladies. "I'm such a massive fan of Britney and I'm such a massive supporter of Nicki and a fan, and chicks sometimes don't team up. I don't know why, but I'm, like, huge on the girl power, so I just wanted to make a power girl track take over."
The remix quickly won praise from fans who seem to think the new features step up the song's game. "You know, with the three of us, I wasn't necessarily surprised [people like it] because I'm such a massive fan of Nicki Minaj and obviously with Britney I'm a fan of it, [taking] myself out of the equation," she said. "I'm just happy people like it."
So did Ke$ha (who once sang backup for Spears) feel any pressure writing a song for Britney? "There was no pressure. Writing for somebody else is really fun 'cause I consider myself a songwriter first and foremost," she explained. "So it was so much fun to put my brain in the sexy Britney Spears brain and express myself almost as if I were possessed by her."
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Ke$ha
Photo: MTV News
Earlier this week, Britney Spears, Ke$ha and Nicki Minaj dropped their femme-fatale-friendly remix of the Spears club track "Till the World Ends." The already fun song got super-charged thanks to Minaj's cutting verses and Ke$ha's recognizable vocals.
"I'm a massive fan of both the ladies I share the track with," K told MTV News on Wednesday at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "I wrote 'TTWE' for Britney with [producers] Dr. Luke and Max [Martin] and she killed it and I loved it, but I just thought a supergroup of three hot, strong women could just take over the airwaves."
Ke$ha went on to give props to both the ladies. "I'm such a massive fan of Britney and I'm such a massive supporter of Nicki and a fan, and chicks sometimes don't team up. I don't know why, but I'm, like, huge on the girl power, so I just wanted to make a power girl track take over."
The remix quickly won praise from fans who seem to think the new features step up the song's game. "You know, with the three of us, I wasn't necessarily surprised [people like it] because I'm such a massive fan of Nicki Minaj and obviously with Britney I'm a fan of it, [taking] myself out of the equation," she said. "I'm just happy people like it."
So did Ke$ha (who once sang backup for Spears) feel any pressure writing a song for Britney? "There was no pressure. Writing for somebody else is really fun 'cause I consider myself a songwriter first and foremost," she explained. "So it was so much fun to put my brain in the sexy Britney Spears brain and express myself almost as if I were possessed by her."
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Newly Single Marc Anthony Performs A Concert In Colombia
While Jennifer Lopez spent part of her first full weekend as a single woman working here in LA, her soon-to-be ex-husband Marc Anthony was keeping bizzy himself in Colombia where he performed live in concert. Marc addressed the news of his split from J. Lo on stage but only briefly. He made one joke about [...]
Katy Perry Stands By Her Man
I told you yesterday about Russell Brand being arrested after allegedly getting into an altercation with a paparazzo. Here are the pictures of Russell and Katy Perry arriving at the airport before the scuffle broke out.
And here's what Katy had to say on twitter about the incident:
If you cross the line & try an put a lens up my dress, my fianc� will do his job & protect me. #standbyyourman #don'tf**kwiththeBrands.
If it's true that the paparazzo was trying to get a picture under Katy's skirt, then the paparazzo is the one who should've been arrested! Talk about crossing the line. And I've heard of paparazzi trying to do that, so it doesn't sound so improbable to me.
Hopefully this will be resolved without too much fuss.
Photos by WENN.com
And here's what Katy had to say on twitter about the incident:
If you cross the line & try an put a lens up my dress, my fianc� will do his job & protect me. #standbyyourman #don'tf**kwiththeBrands.
If it's true that the paparazzo was trying to get a picture under Katy's skirt, then the paparazzo is the one who should've been arrested! Talk about crossing the line. And I've heard of paparazzi trying to do that, so it doesn't sound so improbable to me.
Hopefully this will be resolved without too much fuss.
Photos by WENN.com
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Nick Lachey & Vanessa Minnilllo Secretly Marry!
Nick Lachey & Vanessa Minnilllo Secretly Marry!Nick Lachey has married Vanessa Minnillo today in a ceremony in front of around 35 friends and family. The couple, who have dated since 2006, [...]Nick Lachey & Vanessa Minnilllo Secretly Marry! Stupid Celebrities Gossip
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Will Beyonce's 4 Be #1 Again?
Experts think B needs a hit single soon, but her latest album seems poised to top the charts again next week.By Jocelyn Vena
Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
As a contender for 2011 Summer Diva, Beyoncé is certainly making great strides to rule the airwaves this summer. After B's fourth solo LP, 4, debuted at #1 last week, it's looking likely that she'll top the charts on next week's Billboard albums chart as well.
A rep for SoundScan hadn't responded to MTV News' request for an exact number of units expected to be sold by next week, but Billboard is reporting that a lack of high-powered new releases should secure a repeat top spot for Beyoncé's latest.
The buzz around B and the album will probably only continue to grow, since she's slated to debut a video for her next single, "Best Thing I Never Had," very soon. But her album's success comes as a bit of a surprise, seeing as "Run the World (Girls)" nor any other single has really resonated with fans or radio so far.
"Beyoncé, I love her, but none of her singles thus far off 4 seem poised to be doing huge numbers," Perez Hilton told MTV News.
But we should not count B out in the singles department just yet, Us Weekly senior music editor Ian Drew said.
"You've got to remember that Beyoncé, being typical Beyoncé, her albums generally are anchored by really big hits; this album doesn't have those hits yet," Drew told MTV News. "It's not to say that it won't. There are some very strong songs on the album, but they have not been released yet. There are those songs on it, but they have not come out yet and they haven't struck yet. Beyoncé is coming out at a time when radio is very crowded."
Despite those obstacles, B is definitely marching to the beat of her own drummer. "She's going in a different direction," Drew said. "She's taking control of her own career."
Have you checked out Beyoncé's new album? Share your reviews in the comments!
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Beyonce's <i>4</i>
Photo: Columbia
As a contender for 2011 Summer Diva, Beyoncé is certainly making great strides to rule the airwaves this summer. After B's fourth solo LP, 4, debuted at #1 last week, it's looking likely that she'll top the charts on next week's Billboard albums chart as well.
A rep for SoundScan hadn't responded to MTV News' request for an exact number of units expected to be sold by next week, but Billboard is reporting that a lack of high-powered new releases should secure a repeat top spot for Beyoncé's latest.
The buzz around B and the album will probably only continue to grow, since she's slated to debut a video for her next single, "Best Thing I Never Had," very soon. But her album's success comes as a bit of a surprise, seeing as "Run the World (Girls)" nor any other single has really resonated with fans or radio so far.
"Beyoncé, I love her, but none of her singles thus far off 4 seem poised to be doing huge numbers," Perez Hilton told MTV News.
But we should not count B out in the singles department just yet, Us Weekly senior music editor Ian Drew said.
"You've got to remember that Beyoncé, being typical Beyoncé, her albums generally are anchored by really big hits; this album doesn't have those hits yet," Drew told MTV News. "It's not to say that it won't. There are some very strong songs on the album, but they have not been released yet. There are those songs on it, but they have not come out yet and they haven't struck yet. Beyoncé is coming out at a time when radio is very crowded."
Despite those obstacles, B is definitely marching to the beat of her own drummer. "She's going in a different direction," Drew said. "She's taking control of her own career."
Have you checked out Beyoncé's new album? Share your reviews in the comments!
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Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover
Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.By Gil Kaufman
Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox
Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."
That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.
The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.
For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.
Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox
Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."
That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.
The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.
For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.
Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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Tom Felton 'Grateful' He Wasn't Cast As Harry Potter
Actor also auditioned to be Ron Weasley before landing the part of Draco Malfoy.By Terri Schwartz, with reporting by Josh Horowitz
Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
Photo: Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.
With the "Harry Potter" film series ending this Friday, it's hard to imagine actors other than Daniel Radcliffe or Rupert Grint playing the roles of Harry Potter or Ron Weasley.
Tom Felton, best known as Draco Malfoy in the films, says that very easily could have been the case, though. He apparently originally auditioned for the role of Harry and then went on to try out for Ron before finally landing the role of Draco. He admitted to MTV News that he would have been a "very different individual" had he been cast as either of the other two characters originally.
"I'm very grateful I am in the film at all, but even more grateful that I got the character of Draco," Felton said. "I think Rupert and Dan, there's no question in my mind, there's no one else in the world that, A) could have played the character better, but B) could have handled the behind-the-scenes pressure those guys have dealt with over the last decade."
Felton said there was never any sense of jealousy or rivalry on the set of "Harry Potter" after he, Radcliffe, Grint and the rest of the ensemble were finally cast in the roles they would hold for more than a decade. Instead, the crew became a family.
"There was a great sense of kind of being on a team, and Daniel kind of flew that flag from day one," Felton explained. "He was always the most excited, the most eager, he had the most fun on set, and through that, I think everyone just kind of latched on to him and sort of followed his lead. So he's definitely been like the godfather over the years, and he's definitely been the one that's been the most inspirational, for sure."
Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy
Photo: Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.
With the "Harry Potter" film series ending this Friday, it's hard to imagine actors other than Daniel Radcliffe or Rupert Grint playing the roles of Harry Potter or Ron Weasley.
Tom Felton, best known as Draco Malfoy in the films, says that very easily could have been the case, though. He apparently originally auditioned for the role of Harry and then went on to try out for Ron before finally landing the role of Draco. He admitted to MTV News that he would have been a "very different individual" had he been cast as either of the other two characters originally.
"I'm very grateful I am in the film at all, but even more grateful that I got the character of Draco," Felton said. "I think Rupert and Dan, there's no question in my mind, there's no one else in the world that, A) could have played the character better, but B) could have handled the behind-the-scenes pressure those guys have dealt with over the last decade."
Felton said there was never any sense of jealousy or rivalry on the set of "Harry Potter" after he, Radcliffe, Grint and the rest of the ensemble were finally cast in the roles they would hold for more than a decade. Instead, the crew became a family.
"There was a great sense of kind of being on a team, and Daniel kind of flew that flag from day one," Felton explained. "He was always the most excited, the most eager, he had the most fun on set, and through that, I think everyone just kind of latched on to him and sort of followed his lead. So he's definitely been like the godfather over the years, and he's definitely been the one that's been the most inspirational, for sure."
Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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Saturday, July 16, 2011
Ke$ha, Adam Lambert, Ne-Yo Have A Few Royal Wedding Gift Ideas
From 'guyliner' to American delicacies like Uncrustables, Kathy Griffin, Mike Posner and more tell us what they'd get Will and Kate.By Terri Schwartz
Kate Middleton and Prince William
Photo: Ben Stansall/ Getty Images
What kind of wedding gift do you give the royal couple who has everything?
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is on Friday (April 29), so MTV News reached out to some of our favorite Hollywood celebrities — from Ke$ha to Adam Lambert. Fortunately, they had some solid ideas!
"I haven't met them, so it would be kind of awkward," the "Tik Tok" singer admitted to MTV News. "I might paint them something. Maybe I'll paint them a guitar."
Like Ke$ha, other celebs had suggestions that were from the heart, even if they weren't the most practical.
"I will go out on a limb and say these two individuals maybe haven't had Uncrustables before in their life. I would get them a strawberry Uncrustable," Mike Posner said about the pastry.
David Cook followed up on the all-American food idea. "I feel like they have everything except maybe they probably don't have an Applebee's gift card. I'll go [with an] Applebee's gift card," the "American Idol" alum said.
Other stars said they'd gift the British prince and soon-to-be-princess with an item they were personally best known for.
"I'd probably buy William some eyeliner," Lambert said. "He could do that, he could rock that look. I think."
Ne-Yo was more empathetic, saying he would give gifts that could help shield them from photographers and blend in with everyday people. "Three years' supply of sunglasses. Yeah, put them on. A bunch of baseball caps, throw those on, and try to move around like regular people," the singer said. "I can't imagine what it would be like having to live under that big of a magnifying glass your whole life ... and fake mustaches, that's what I'd give them."
Brooke Burke went the more traditional route, saying she would get Will and Kate a journal to record the big event. "I would ask them to really take the time to write down thoughts and phrases and wishes," Burke said. "And not really to lose sight of how they feel about each other now and to really hold on to that feeling."
Kathy Griffin had good intentions but the comedian couldn't resist a puke joke.
"If I had to get the royal couple a gift, I would get them the Royal Couple Vomit Bag, which someone sent me a photo of," Griffin told us. "So you can actually buy vomit bags with their image on it, and I think that that is an honor and I hope that they see it as such."
What would you give to William and Kate? Share your ideas in the comments section!
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What kind of wedding gift do you give the royal couple who has everything?
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is on Friday (April 29), so MTV News reached out to some of our favorite Hollywood celebrities — from Ke$ha to Adam Lambert. Fortunately, they had some solid ideas!
"I haven't met them, so it would be kind of awkward," the "Tik Tok" singer admitted to MTV News. "I might paint them something. Maybe I'll paint them a guitar."
Like Ke$ha, other celebs had suggestions that were from the heart, even if they weren't the most practical.
"I will go out on a limb and say these two individuals maybe haven't had Uncrustables before in their life. I would get them a strawberry Uncrustable," Mike Posner said about the pastry.
David Cook followed up on the all-American food idea. "I feel like they have everything except maybe they probably don't have an Applebee's gift card. I'll go [with an] Applebee's gift card," the "American Idol" alum said.
Other stars said they'd gift the British prince and soon-to-be-princess with an item they were personally best known for.
"I'd probably buy William some eyeliner," Lambert said. "He could do that, he could rock that look. I think."
Ne-Yo was more empathetic, saying he would give gifts that could help shield them from photographers and blend in with everyday people. "Three years' supply of sunglasses. Yeah, put them on. A bunch of baseball caps, throw those on, and try to move around like regular people," the singer said. "I can't imagine what it would be like having to live under that big of a magnifying glass your whole life ... and fake mustaches, that's what I'd give them."
Brooke Burke went the more traditional route, saying she would get Will and Kate a journal to record the big event. "I would ask them to really take the time to write down thoughts and phrases and wishes," Burke said. "And not really to lose sight of how they feel about each other now and to really hold on to that feeling."
Kathy Griffin had good intentions but the comedian couldn't resist a puke joke.
"If I had to get the royal couple a gift, I would get them the Royal Couple Vomit Bag, which someone sent me a photo of," Griffin told us. "So you can actually buy vomit bags with their image on it, and I think that that is an honor and I hope that they see it as such."
What would you give to William and Kate? Share your ideas in the comments section!
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Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Gets R. Kelly Treatment
Following all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, R&B singer proffers his own mix of the song.By Jocelyn Vena
R. Kelly
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images
Did R. Kelly place his vote for his pick for Song of the Summer by jumping on a new remix of Britney Spears' monster smash "Till the World Ends"? Following the all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and the song's writer, Ke$ha, this new version of the Femme Fatale single gets some love in the club from Kells.
On the new mix, after Brit sings the first verse and the chorus, Kelly comes in singing, "Slide up in this club/ This beat's got me in love/ Till I just don't care/ It's like I'm walking on air/ It's a party right here." He then goes on about partying till the world ends, his Auto-Tuned vocals dancing over the track until the song's breakdown, where he mixes his vocals with Spears'.
Toward the song's end, Kelly does some vocal runs over the song's chorus as it plays out, keeping with the integrity of the Dr. Luke-produced track.
Remixes certainly aren't new for Kels, who's reworked several of his own tracks, including "Ignition" and "Bump N' Grind," spinning new life into the songs that had already become fan favorites. He's also remixed tracks for an eclectic galaxy of stars like Whitney Houston, Usher and soul legends the Isley Brothers, to name a few.
As for Spears, several of her Femme Fatale songs have been remixed in various ways including the Bollywood "Till the World Ends and the house version of "Hold It Against Me." A Neptunes remix of "Boys" dubbed the "The Co-Ed Remix" climbed to the top of "TRL" back in 2002, and she released a remix album in 2005 called B In The Mix: The Remixes, with club-ready up versions of "Me Against the Music," "Everytime," "Toxic" and more.
"Till the World Ends" isn't the only Song of the Summer contender that's getting reworked by a male pop star. Over the weekend, much to the delight of Mother Monster herself, Nick Jonas put his own signature acoustic singer/songwriter stamp on her summer contender "The Edge of Glory."
Lady Gaga tweeted, "Swoon! Nick Jonas singing 'The Edge of Glory.' On my way to press conference in Taichung, listening to it. So dreamy! X."
Using only his acoustic guitar, Jonas played his version of the triumphant pop track to a audience of fans who seemed charmed by his rendition of the Born This Way single. "@ladygaga the pleasure is all mine," he later tweeted. "That is a beautiful song. Keep inspiring the world."
Which reworked track do you like better? Tell us in the comments!
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Did R. Kelly place his vote for his pick for Song of the Summer by jumping on a new remix of Britney Spears' monster smash "Till the World Ends"? Following the all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and the song's writer, Ke$ha, this new version of the Femme Fatale single gets some love in the club from Kells.
On the new mix, after Brit sings the first verse and the chorus, Kelly comes in singing, "Slide up in this club/ This beat's got me in love/ Till I just don't care/ It's like I'm walking on air/ It's a party right here." He then goes on about partying till the world ends, his Auto-Tuned vocals dancing over the track until the song's breakdown, where he mixes his vocals with Spears'.
Toward the song's end, Kelly does some vocal runs over the song's chorus as it plays out, keeping with the integrity of the Dr. Luke-produced track.
Remixes certainly aren't new for Kels, who's reworked several of his own tracks, including "Ignition" and "Bump N' Grind," spinning new life into the songs that had already become fan favorites. He's also remixed tracks for an eclectic galaxy of stars like Whitney Houston, Usher and soul legends the Isley Brothers, to name a few.
As for Spears, several of her Femme Fatale songs have been remixed in various ways including the Bollywood "Till the World Ends and the house version of "Hold It Against Me." A Neptunes remix of "Boys" dubbed the "The Co-Ed Remix" climbed to the top of "TRL" back in 2002, and she released a remix album in 2005 called B In The Mix: The Remixes, with club-ready up versions of "Me Against the Music," "Everytime," "Toxic" and more.
"Till the World Ends" isn't the only Song of the Summer contender that's getting reworked by a male pop star. Over the weekend, much to the delight of Mother Monster herself, Nick Jonas put his own signature acoustic singer/songwriter stamp on her summer contender "The Edge of Glory."
Lady Gaga tweeted, "Swoon! Nick Jonas singing 'The Edge of Glory.' On my way to press conference in Taichung, listening to it. So dreamy! X."
Using only his acoustic guitar, Jonas played his version of the triumphant pop track to a audience of fans who seemed charmed by his rendition of the Born This Way single. "@ladygaga the pleasure is all mine," he later tweeted. "That is a beautiful song. Keep inspiring the world."
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Michael Jackson Doctor Conrad Murray's Trial To Be Televised
Judge rules that camera will be allowed in the courtroom for manslaughter case.By Gil Kaufman
Conrad Murray
Photo: AFP/ Getty Images
For what promises to be one of the most bizarre and riveting legal proceedings in years, a Los Angeles judge ruled on Monday that a television camera will be allowed in the courtroom when Michael Jackson's doctor goes on trial for involuntary manslaughter.
Reuters reported that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, approved the presence of a camera in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray as long as it does not interfere with the proceedings in the closely watched case.
The judge asked for the "absolute least-intrusive placement" of a TV camera in the courtroom, but blocked cameras from documenting jury selection.
Pastor also announced that he would bump up the opening date of the trail by four days to March 24, at which point jury selection will begin. Murray, who faces up to four years in prison if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the trial is expected to last around six weeks.
Cardiologist Murray was hired to be Jackson's personal physician in the run-up to the King of Pop's planned 50-date comeback series of shows at London's O2 arena in the summer of 2009. The doctor told police that he provided Jackson, 50, with sedatives and the surgical anesthetic propofol in order to combat the singer's chronic insomnia. He said he did so on the morning of June 25, 2009, when Jackson died of what a coroner deemed acute propofol poisoning.
TMZ reported on Tuesday (February 8) that Murray's lawyers plan to argue that Jackson was already in weak health before he died and that it's unfair to blame propofol for his passing. Unnamed sources close to the case told the gossip site that at the time of his death, Jackson's body was already failing him in part because concert promoter AEG Live had "driven [him] over the edge" with a rigorous rehearsal schedule for the shows.
Murray's lawyers reportedly plan to call witnesses to say that Jackson was not showing up for rehearsals and when he did he showed "clear signs" of frail health. They also reportedly plan to argue that it was Jackson who administered the final, fatal dose of propofol to himself while Murray was out of the room.
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For what promises to be one of the most bizarre and riveting legal proceedings in years, a Los Angeles judge ruled on Monday that a television camera will be allowed in the courtroom when Michael Jackson's doctor goes on trial for involuntary manslaughter.
Reuters reported that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, approved the presence of a camera in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray as long as it does not interfere with the proceedings in the closely watched case.
The judge asked for the "absolute least-intrusive placement" of a TV camera in the courtroom, but blocked cameras from documenting jury selection.
Pastor also announced that he would bump up the opening date of the trail by four days to March 24, at which point jury selection will begin. Murray, who faces up to four years in prison if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the trial is expected to last around six weeks.
Cardiologist Murray was hired to be Jackson's personal physician in the run-up to the King of Pop's planned 50-date comeback series of shows at London's O2 arena in the summer of 2009. The doctor told police that he provided Jackson, 50, with sedatives and the surgical anesthetic propofol in order to combat the singer's chronic insomnia. He said he did so on the morning of June 25, 2009, when Jackson died of what a coroner deemed acute propofol poisoning.
TMZ reported on Tuesday (February 8) that Murray's lawyers plan to argue that Jackson was already in weak health before he died and that it's unfair to blame propofol for his passing. Unnamed sources close to the case told the gossip site that at the time of his death, Jackson's body was already failing him in part because concert promoter AEG Live had "driven [him] over the edge" with a rigorous rehearsal schedule for the shows.
Murray's lawyers reportedly plan to call witnesses to say that Jackson was not showing up for rehearsals and when he did he showed "clear signs" of frail health. They also reportedly plan to argue that it was Jackson who administered the final, fatal dose of propofol to himself while Murray was out of the room.
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'Harry Potter' Finale Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know
Before saying goodbye to the series, check out our handy guide.By Terri Schwartz
Daniel Radcliffe in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.
It all ends Friday (July 15), as "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" marks the last time a "Harry Potter" movie will premiere in theaters. Almost a decade ago, MTV News was writing about how "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" had beaten Eminem's "8 Mile" at the box office and about the exciting news that Gary Oldman, known as Count Dracula at the time, had joined the cast of "Prisoner of Azkaban."
Our news coverage of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" began three years ago with the announcement that the big-screen adaptation of the final "Potter" novel would be split into two movies, and it's strange to think that after all that time the film series has finally come to an end. To honor all the time we've spent covering "Deathly Hallows, Part 2," we're taking a trip into the MTV News archives to cover the entire history of the flick for our latest MTV News cheat sheet.
Filming the Final Parts
MTV News caught up with leading man Daniel Radcliffe in late 2009 when the cast was knee-deep in shooting both "Deathly Hallows" films, and he said that the set was "absolutely madness." That makes sense considering the combined running time of both movies is around five hours and they feature some of the most emotional and climactic moments in the entire series. Radcliffe dreaded shooting the big scene where he walks into the forest to face Voldemort, while Tom Felton was really looking forward to filming the epilogue. When he finally did shoot the scene, Felton was lucky enough to have his real-life girlfriend Jade Olivia play his onscreen wife. But it was the final battle sequences that were most emotional for co-stars Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright, the former of whom was brought to tears by the scenes on set. Robbie Coltrane agreed with them, saying that they were among his favorite scenes in the movie. Composer Alexandre Desplat was chosen to create the score for the final film, and he chatted with MTV News about his creative process. Finally, on June 14, 2010, filming on the "Harry Potter" set wrapped for the last time.
The Decision to Shoot 3-D
But production wasn't done yet. In keeping with the popular cinematic trend, the creative team behind "Deathly Hallows" decided to post-convert the film to 3-D. Producer David Heyman spoke to MTV News during 3-D week and said he was optimistic about the change, adding that he thought the films would be "even more epic" in 3-D. "Deathly Hallows, Part 1" didn't end up getting converted in time, so "Part 2" marks the first time a "Harry Potter" movie has been released entirely in 3-D. There is also the hope that all the "Harry Potter" films could be converted to 3-D and receive a re-release.
Getting the Epilogue Right
Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and the cast of young stars who played the next generation of wizards were brought together again months after filming ended to reshoot the pivotal epilogue scene because the original scene that was filmed was not considered to be good enough. Felton was lucky enough to have his first time filming be done up to par, though, so he and Olivia did not have to shoot a new scene. A few other new stars, including Kelly Macdonald of "Boardwalk Empire," were cast in roles that had to be added in post-production and became the final few castmembers to join the "Harry Potter" franchise. An early cut of "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" was screened to fans in February and was received well, reducing many viewers to tears. Radcliffe's response to that news? "Good!"
The Trailers Arrive
The first "Deathly Hallows" trailer hit the Web on June 28, 2010, and it teased both of the final "Harry Potter" installments. It would be 10 more months before a trailer specific to "Part 2" premiered, and then new trailers came fast and furiously. Warner Bros. released one of the opening scenes from "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" back in April, and then MTV was able to premiere an exclusive clip from "Part 2" during the 2011 MTV Movie Awards that was received well by fans.
Saying Goodbye to "Potter"
The "Harry Potter" films have been released over the course of a decade, so it's no surprise that the stars of the franchise are finding it hard to say goodbye. Watson planned on having a "really big brunch" after the last New York "Potter" premiere, while Grint walked out of the London premiere screening because the movie was too emotional for him. But the man finding it hardest to say goodbye is Radcliffe, who plays the series' namesake. "I think that we proved in doing 'Potter' that you can bring integrity and perpetual growth to a franchise. It doesn't have to be a law of diminishing returns after the first film comes out," Radcliffe reflected to MTV News.
Send us your video review of "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" and we just might use it on MTV News!
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Photo: Warner Bros.
It all ends Friday (July 15), as "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" marks the last time a "Harry Potter" movie will premiere in theaters. Almost a decade ago, MTV News was writing about how "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" had beaten Eminem's "8 Mile" at the box office and about the exciting news that Gary Oldman, known as Count Dracula at the time, had joined the cast of "Prisoner of Azkaban."
Our news coverage of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" began three years ago with the announcement that the big-screen adaptation of the final "Potter" novel would be split into two movies, and it's strange to think that after all that time the film series has finally come to an end. To honor all the time we've spent covering "Deathly Hallows, Part 2," we're taking a trip into the MTV News archives to cover the entire history of the flick for our latest MTV News cheat sheet.
Filming the Final Parts
MTV News caught up with leading man Daniel Radcliffe in late 2009 when the cast was knee-deep in shooting both "Deathly Hallows" films, and he said that the set was "absolutely madness." That makes sense considering the combined running time of both movies is around five hours and they feature some of the most emotional and climactic moments in the entire series. Radcliffe dreaded shooting the big scene where he walks into the forest to face Voldemort, while Tom Felton was really looking forward to filming the epilogue. When he finally did shoot the scene, Felton was lucky enough to have his real-life girlfriend Jade Olivia play his onscreen wife. But it was the final battle sequences that were most emotional for co-stars Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright, the former of whom was brought to tears by the scenes on set. Robbie Coltrane agreed with them, saying that they were among his favorite scenes in the movie. Composer Alexandre Desplat was chosen to create the score for the final film, and he chatted with MTV News about his creative process. Finally, on June 14, 2010, filming on the "Harry Potter" set wrapped for the last time.
The Decision to Shoot 3-D
But production wasn't done yet. In keeping with the popular cinematic trend, the creative team behind "Deathly Hallows" decided to post-convert the film to 3-D. Producer David Heyman spoke to MTV News during 3-D week and said he was optimistic about the change, adding that he thought the films would be "even more epic" in 3-D. "Deathly Hallows, Part 1" didn't end up getting converted in time, so "Part 2" marks the first time a "Harry Potter" movie has been released entirely in 3-D. There is also the hope that all the "Harry Potter" films could be converted to 3-D and receive a re-release.
Getting the Epilogue Right
Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and the cast of young stars who played the next generation of wizards were brought together again months after filming ended to reshoot the pivotal epilogue scene because the original scene that was filmed was not considered to be good enough. Felton was lucky enough to have his first time filming be done up to par, though, so he and Olivia did not have to shoot a new scene. A few other new stars, including Kelly Macdonald of "Boardwalk Empire," were cast in roles that had to be added in post-production and became the final few castmembers to join the "Harry Potter" franchise. An early cut of "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" was screened to fans in February and was received well, reducing many viewers to tears. Radcliffe's response to that news? "Good!"
The Trailers Arrive
The first "Deathly Hallows" trailer hit the Web on June 28, 2010, and it teased both of the final "Harry Potter" installments. It would be 10 more months before a trailer specific to "Part 2" premiered, and then new trailers came fast and furiously. Warner Bros. released one of the opening scenes from "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" back in April, and then MTV was able to premiere an exclusive clip from "Part 2" during the 2011 MTV Movie Awards that was received well by fans.
Saying Goodbye to "Potter"
The "Harry Potter" films have been released over the course of a decade, so it's no surprise that the stars of the franchise are finding it hard to say goodbye. Watson planned on having a "really big brunch" after the last New York "Potter" premiere, while Grint walked out of the London premiere screening because the movie was too emotional for him. But the man finding it hardest to say goodbye is Radcliffe, who plays the series' namesake. "I think that we proved in doing 'Potter' that you can bring integrity and perpetual growth to a franchise. It doesn't have to be a law of diminishing returns after the first film comes out," Radcliffe reflected to MTV News.
Send us your video review of "Deathly Hallows, Part 2" and we just might use it on MTV News!
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Friday, July 15, 2011
Beyonce Shrugs Off 'Fear' In 'Year Of 4'
'I've never been afraid to fall,' she says in the special, which debuted Thursday on MTV.By Jocelyn Vena
Beyoncé in her "Year of <i>4</i>" special
Photo: MTV
It's a good time to be Beyoncé. The singer just released her latest album, 4, and fans were taken behind the scenes of its completion in the special "Beyoncé: Year of 4," which debuted Thursday (June 30) on MTV.
The intimate special opens with black-and-white footage of the singer swimming. "I'm always happy when I'm surrounded by water," she says. "I think I'm a mermaid or I was a mermaid. The ocean makes me feel really small, and it puts my whole life into perspective. ... It humbles you and it grounds you and it makes me feel almost like I've been baptized. Am I the same Beyoncé? Absolutely not."
The special is footage of B's life, complete with montages of the frenzy surrounding her: Video shoots, rehearsals, studio time and photo shoots all pepper her life as she prepares to release her fourth solo studio effort. However, she is quick to point out that, before she got back to work, she needed to decompress in a major way.
"After I finished the last tour, I was a bit overwhelmed and overworked, and my mother was the person that preached to me ... 'You really need to live your life and open your eyes and you don't want to wake up with no memories,' " she explained.
Beyoncé shows what she did on her off-time, which included playing aunt and wife. "I was able to spend time with my family and pick my nephew up from school, and it gave me time to reflect," she said.
In that reflection time, Beyoncé made a major business decision: Her father, Mathew Knowles, would no longer serve as her manager. While explaining the decision, fans are taken back in time thanks to vintage video of the Knowles family. "A real change meant separating from him," she said. "It was scary, but it empowered me, and I wasn't going to let fear stop me."
Fans are once again on Beyoncé's whirlwind world tour as she continues work on her album. "I am a workaholic, and I don't believe in 'no,' " she said. "If I'm not sleeping, nobody's sleeping."
"My focus is not bigger; it's quality, and I want to make sure it's something I'm proud of years from now," she says later on. "It's very difficult managing myself. Every night when I go to sleep, I ask hundreds of questions. I'm making mistakes, and I'm learning from them. I've never been afraid to fall — and I say all these things, but now I'm being tested."
As the special closes, Beyoncé shoots her "Run the World (Girls)" video and continues work on her album, including meetings with record executives. It all ends with B swimming once again, as she says, "I'm learning to drown out the noise. I only have to follow my heart. I run my world."
What did you think of Beyoncé behind-the-scenes world? Let us know in the comments!
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Beyoncé in her "Year of <i>4</i>" special
Photo: MTV
It's a good time to be Beyoncé. The singer just released her latest album, 4, and fans were taken behind the scenes of its completion in the special "Beyoncé: Year of 4," which debuted Thursday (June 30) on MTV.
The intimate special opens with black-and-white footage of the singer swimming. "I'm always happy when I'm surrounded by water," she says. "I think I'm a mermaid or I was a mermaid. The ocean makes me feel really small, and it puts my whole life into perspective. ... It humbles you and it grounds you and it makes me feel almost like I've been baptized. Am I the same Beyoncé? Absolutely not."
The special is footage of B's life, complete with montages of the frenzy surrounding her: Video shoots, rehearsals, studio time and photo shoots all pepper her life as she prepares to release her fourth solo studio effort. However, she is quick to point out that, before she got back to work, she needed to decompress in a major way.
"After I finished the last tour, I was a bit overwhelmed and overworked, and my mother was the person that preached to me ... 'You really need to live your life and open your eyes and you don't want to wake up with no memories,' " she explained.
Beyoncé shows what she did on her off-time, which included playing aunt and wife. "I was able to spend time with my family and pick my nephew up from school, and it gave me time to reflect," she said.
In that reflection time, Beyoncé made a major business decision: Her father, Mathew Knowles, would no longer serve as her manager. While explaining the decision, fans are taken back in time thanks to vintage video of the Knowles family. "A real change meant separating from him," she said. "It was scary, but it empowered me, and I wasn't going to let fear stop me."
Fans are once again on Beyoncé's whirlwind world tour as she continues work on her album. "I am a workaholic, and I don't believe in 'no,' " she said. "If I'm not sleeping, nobody's sleeping."
"My focus is not bigger; it's quality, and I want to make sure it's something I'm proud of years from now," she says later on. "It's very difficult managing myself. Every night when I go to sleep, I ask hundreds of questions. I'm making mistakes, and I'm learning from them. I've never been afraid to fall — and I say all these things, but now I'm being tested."
As the special closes, Beyoncé shoots her "Run the World (Girls)" video and continues work on her album, including meetings with record executives. It all ends with B swimming once again, as she says, "I'm learning to drown out the noise. I only have to follow my heart. I run my world."
What did you think of Beyoncé behind-the-scenes world? Let us know in the comments!
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John Stamos Rumored To Be Dating ?Squinty? Renee Zellweger
John Stamos Rumored To Be Dating “Squinty” Renee ZellwegerRenee Zellweger and former “Full House” actor John Stamos are reportedly hooking up. The Oscar-winning actress, 42, who split from “Hangover” hottie Bradley Cooper several [...]John Stamos Rumored To Be Dating “Squinty” Renee Zellweger Stupid Celebrities Gossip
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Harry Potter's Weasley twins: 'Haggling at Hong Kong markets helps with the jet lag'
The final instalment of the Harry Potter movie franchise, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," opened this week in Hong Kong and the Weasley twins flew into town for the occasion.We met with the 25-year-old twin actors James and Oliver Phelps who play Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter film series. The boys wouldn't tell us on the record about the hilariously terrible pranks they play on the other stars of "Harry Potter" but they did divulge which stars' roles they would like to take over as well as some cheeky ways to get over jet lag. See the official website of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows Part 2."
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It's a Royal Affair...
... in Brooklyn!
Bev has decided to wear an asymmetrical fascinator to celebrate Kate and Wills' big day, while Mary opted for a hat with a little tropical flavor.
Cheerio!
(By the way, this wasn't an easy photo to get:)
Bev has decided to wear an asymmetrical fascinator to celebrate Kate and Wills' big day, while Mary opted for a hat with a little tropical flavor.
Cheerio!
(By the way, this wasn't an easy photo to get:)
Leeann Tweeden Leelee Sobieski Leighton Meester Leila Arcieri
Adam Lambert's 'Whole Lotta Love': The Story Behind The Cover
Glam rocker tackled the legendary 1970 Led Zeppelin song for 'American Idol' rock night.By Gil Kaufman
Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox
Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."
That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.
The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.
For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.
Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
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Adam Lambert performs "Whole Lotta Love" on "American Idol" on Tuesday
Photo: R. Mickshaw/Getty Images/ Fox
Imagine a freight train speeding toward you at midnight. Or a rockslide barreling down a hill as you try to outrace it. That's the feeling of the ominous, chugging Jimmy Page riff that kicks off Led Zeppelin's 1970 Stonehenge of rock, "Whole Lotta Love." And that's before singer Robert Plant leans into one of the nastiest, ecstatic rock screams this side of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."
That's the song Adam Lambert chose to sing on "American Idol" rock night Tuesday (May 5), and, needless to say, it was a challenge that the eyeliner-loving Los Angeles stage veteran was more than up for, hitting a series of high notes and rock screams that would have made Plant proud. It was a risky maneuver that paid off for Lambert, who chose a tune that came in at #75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004.
The legendary British rock act recorded the tribute to Chicago blues icon Willie Dixon during their second U.S. tour after working it out in their live show, including it on their 1969 classic album Led Zeppelin II. Like many of the songs Zeppelin performed early in their career, "Love" was a blues standard turned on its head with a heavy dose of crunching psychedelic guitar and thundering drums, courtesy of late drummer John Bonham. The song was based on a 1962 tune by another blues forefather, Muddy Waters, called "You Need Love," which was penned by Dixon.
For Zeppelin's version, Plant customized the lyrics by adding some lyrical quotes from a few other songs Dixon wrote for Howlin' Wolf, "Back Door Man" and "Shake For Me," nailing the tricky vocal in a single take. It was also inspired by 1966's "You Need Loving" from the British rock group the Small Faces, for whom Zeppelin had great affection, but they also did not credit Dixon for his part in writing the original lyrics. The song became Zeppelin's first U.S. single and their only U.S. top 10 hit. Though their manager would not let them release singles in the U.K. because he thought it cannibalized album sales, the song was finally released as the band's only British single in 1997.
Dixon sued Zeppelin over the song in 1985, claiming it borrowed too heavily from his "You Need Love," and Zeppelin reached an agreement with him, with Dixon using the money he received to set up a program that provided musical instruments for schools. A cornerstone of heavy rock, the tune -- which was the theme song for the long-running British countdown show "Top of the Pops" in the 1970s and '80s -- has been covered by dozens of artists over the years, from Tina Turner and Ben Harper to Prince, Slash, Leona Lewis, Train's Pat Monahan, the London Symphony Orchestra and Jane's Addiction.
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related Videos
Adam Lambert's Theatrical Roots
Related Photos
Adam Lambert's Wild "American Idol" Journey
Related Artists
Led Zeppelin
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