Search Results for: one direction

Pelle Almqvist never could understand the connection between loud guitars and being miserable. You’re up on a stage jumping around, making a loud noise with women adoringly gazing at you. What’s not to like? “It’s just such a naturally exciting and fun thing,” said Almqvist, lead singer of the Swedish rock band the Hives. Acts like the Hives, White Stripes, the Strokes and the Vines are leading a new vanguard with a raw, adrenalized sound best described as garage rock. And after a decade dominated by dense, morose grunge or the angry rants of Limp Bizkit and its sound-alikes, rock… Read more »

After offering politically correct comments regarding their future with Sean ” P. Diddy” Combs’s Bad Boy Records, Combs’s protege group 112 said they are parting ways with Combs, and have signed a recording deal with the Island Def Jam music group. The Atlanta-based quartet that includes members Daron Jones, Quinnes “Q” Parker, Michael Keith, and Marvin “Slim” Scandrick released its 1996 self-titled debut on Combs’s label that also featured the late Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, and Craig Mack. 112 signed with Def Jam after it was relieved of its commitment to Bad Boy, Scandrick revealed, “We’re already signed to Def… Read more »

No Doubt is putting the finishing touches on the video for “Underneath It All,” the third single from its latest album, Rock Steady. The group shot the clip earlier this month in Los Angeles with director and longtime collaborator Sophie Muller and the direction team known as Logan. The clip is set to premiere July 16. No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani explains that the video’s concept goes along with the song’s title. “It is pretty simple,” Stefani says, writing on the group’s official website ( nodoubt.com). “It starts off with me totally made up with loads of makeup and hairdos, clothes,… Read more »

In an attempt to explain the evolution from SR-71’s major-label debut to their upcoming release, singer Mitch Allan suggested a similarity to the progression from the Beatles’ Revolver to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Then he caught himself. “Not to compare our albums to those albums,” Allan said. “Maybe it’s more like the difference between Sugar Ray’s first and second albums.” It may not be Sgt. Pepper’s, but Allan couldn’t be happier about SR-71’s Tomorrow, which abandons the pop-punk focus of 2000’s Now You See the Inside for a more anthem-rock approach. “When people hear the first single they’re… Read more »

Acknowledging that online piracy is forcing dramatic changes in the music industry, the world’stwo largest record companies are poised to make it easy and cheap for fans to buy-rather than steal-songs off the Internet. The moves by Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment accelerate the industry’s transition to an era in which music is distributed electronically. Other major labels are likely to follow as the record business grapples with the rise of online music copying through unauthorized services such as Napster, Kazaa and Morpheus and potentially billions of dollars in lost sales. Rather than trying to force consumers to… Read more »

There’s apparently still a little Muhammad Ali in Will Smith, who accepted his Best Actor MTV Movie Award last week in the voice of the boxing legend and later talked about his new record with equal confidence as “The Greatest.” “I don’t want to gas it up, but it’s definitely the best album that I’ve ever done,” Smith said backstage at the ceremony. “I think people are going to be really surprised, the direction that I decided to take.” Like the first single, “Black Suits Comin’ (Nod Ya Head),” the rest of Born to Reign finds the former Fresh Prince… Read more »

The guys in IMX promise that their Scream 2 Tour this summer with B2K and headliner Bow Wow is going to offer just as much excitement as one of those Hollywood blockbusters that drop around this time of year. However, the trio also revealed last month that some of the most action-packed and suspense-filled moments are going to take place behind the scenes at the concerts: A lot of the guys are practical jokesters and it’s going to come down to who gets who first. “They never got me,” IMX’s Romeo bragged. “[B2K’s] Lil’ Fizz is my brother, we’ll think… Read more »

Trey Anastasio spent 17 years ripping genres apart and sticking them back together at odd angles with the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink uber-jam band Phish. So maybe it’s no surprise he’s whipped up another unusual concoction: a jam/swing hybrid dotted with sugary-sweet love songs and chamber music. The self-titled release has the elements you’d expect from Anastasio, from the drawn-out, frenetic jams to the catchy guitar riffs. But it’s also a departure: It’s got horns, it’s got soul, it’s got more horns. It’s clearly not a Phish album hiding under a different name. “I’ve been listening to a lot of big band music,”… Read more »

Bush guitarist Nigel Pulsford’s break from touring now looks to be a permanent vacation from the band he co-founded a decade ago with frontman Gavin Rossdale. The British rockers will continue with ex-Helmet guitarist Chris Traynor instead of counting on Pulsford’s return, Rossdale said Sunday, shortly before Bush performed at Rock Im Park music festival. Traynor had been subbing for Pulsford on Bush’s tour while he spent time at home with his newly expanded family. “He didn’t get kicked out. He didn’t want to be on tour, and you can’t kick someone out that isn’t there,” Rossdale said as he… Read more »

Despite Liam Gallagher’s claims to the contrary, Oasis will be touring America this fall – because his big brother and bandleader, Noel, said so. “We’re coming back in August,” the elder Gallagher asserted, contradicting comments his predictably unpredictable brother made to the British press. “Liam’s invited. If he wants to come, he’ll come, if not, we’ll do it without him.” The group’s tour, which kicks off August 2 in Pompano Beach, Florida, is in support of the forthcoming Heathen Chemistry, Oasis’ first studio album in over two years. “Liam’s always – you know what he’s like,” Noel said, smiling. “I… Read more »