Search Results for: one direction

Even the most heartbroken among us would benefit from distancing themselves from the pain every once in a while. For Tyson Ritter, a reprieve from his songwriting muse helped make “The Last Song” such a pleasure to pen. “I got inspired to write something that wasn’t about an all-girl topic,” the All-American Rejects singer/bassist said. “Every other song [on the band’s self-titled debut] is about one girl, so to put a song on the album that wasn’t about her, that made it a little extra special.” The second single off The All-American Rejects is one of Ritter’s favorite tracks, inspirational… Read more »

When Good Charlotte last played here in October 2002, their “Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous” was about how the other half lives and they barely filled the 1,500-capacity Rave in Milwaukee. Since then, of course, the band’s sophomore album, The Young and the Hopeless, has gone platinum, and this time through the Brew City they moved upstairs to the much larger Eagles Ballroom, where they sold out 4,000 tickets in a couple of days and packed the place for Friday’s show. They had a little help from their friends this time, too, as they were joined by New… Read more »

Madonna has decided to withdraw the violent, anti-war video for her new single “American Life” out of respect for the troops fighting in Iraq. In a statement posted on her Web site Monday, the singer said the video was filmed before the war started and was not appropriate to air at this time. “Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video,” Madonna said. The video for the title… Read more »

The president of Vivendi Universal’s MCA Records has resigned, becoming the latest casualty of the slumping music industry. Jay Boberg, 44, told MCA employees Thursday that he was stepping down from the post he has held since 1995. He said in a memo to label executives that he leaves a roster of acts that is “an artistic and musical gold mine.” A spokeswoman said Boberg wasn’t available to elaborate. Boberg joined artist manager Miles Copeland in 1979 to found pioneering I.R.S. Records, which was later sold to EMI for an estimated $20 million. He was tapped to head MCA’s publishing… Read more »

It makes sense that Backstreet Boys crooner Nick Carter is releasing his debut solo album Now or Never the week of Halloween. Some Backstreet fans will likely think of it as a delicious treat, while others might view it more as a fiendish trick. On the album, which comes out October 29, Carter leaves behind the glossy harmonies and grandiose production of Backstreet Boys and heads in a more ’80s pop-rock direction that will thrill some and alienate others. Now or Never features 12 songs pared down from 37 written for the disc. Songwriters include Carter, the Matrix, Mark Taylor,… Read more »

Sitting in an outdoor cafe for lunch the other day, Richard McDonnell mentioned he was working on just three hours of sleep. The former investment banker, who founded and runs the small, independent record label MAXJAZZ, was up nearly the entire night before in St. Louis, reading up on key buyers at record retail chains. Now he was in Washington for an afternoon meeting at the Kennedy Center, then had plans to go to Chicago the next day to see one of the singers on his roster, Carla Cook, perform at the Chicago Jazz festival. This whirlwind schedule is not… Read more »

Rapper Eminem walked off with four MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, including one for Video of the Year, in a show bookended by rousing performances by Bruce Springsteen and a rare appearance by heavy metal rockers Guns N’ Roses. Eminem, who also won awards for Best Male Video, Best Rap Video and Best Direction, said of the “moonman” statuette that was MTV’s symbol in its early days, “I’m taking this home for rap – period.” His video “Without Me” won Video of the Year honors. The rapper won four MTV awards in 1999 and 2000. The mood at the… Read more »

Should Sum 41 decide to record a cover while working on their second full-length, John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Hurts So Good” might be a fitting selection. In addition to tracking the follow-up to last year’s All Killer No Filler, the Canadian quartet are creating an EP by their alter ego, Pain for Pleasure. They hope to have both releases out in late November. Fans may remember Pain for Pleasure as the group who looked frighteningly similar to Sum 41, only dressed like metalheads, performing their namesake song as a coda to the “Fat Lip” video. But this time out, the pop-punks’… Read more »

Eminem ( news – web sites)’s “Without Me” and Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott’s “One Minute Man” topped the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards nominations list Monday, nabbing six apiece. Slim Shady earned nods for video of the year, male video, rap video, viewers’ choice, direction and editing; Elliot was recognized in the hip-hop, direction, f/x, art direction, editing and cinematography categories. Rock group P.O.D. also drew six nominations, split between its clips “Alive” and “Youth of a Nation.” The group is competing for video of the year, group video, rock video, direction, special f/x and viewers’ choice. A bevy of other… Read more »

Powerman 5000 are heading back into the studio to record a new album with a new rhythm section, bassist Siggy Siursen and drummer Adrian Ost. Last November, following frontman Spider One’s abrupt decision not to release the band’s Anyone for Doomsday? album, bassist Dorian Heartsong and drummer Al Pahanish quit the group. The album was to be the follow-up to the band’s 1999 breakthrough Tonight the Stars Revolt!, but Spider One was not satisfied with it. “We’ve had personnel changes, but the group always survives,” says Spider One of the recent turnover. Guitarists M.33 and Adam 12 round out the… Read more »