Search Results for: Andy Black

The city school board has voted to fire eight part-time school police officers, including four who were moonlighting as bodyguards for rapper Snoop Dogg when an unknown gunman shot at his convoy in April. After a four-hour closed session, the board voted 4-1 to fire reserve officers Leslie Gaulden, Randy Robinson and Kenny Archer, all of whom worked for the rapper. Officer and Snoop Dogg bodyguard Marcus Thompson, arrested on weapons charges after an incident at the BET Awards show in Hollywood, was fired last week. Board members declined to comment on the decision, but interim school police chief Wesley… Read more »

Need a reason to go on a road trip? How about Bumbershoot? No, we’re not talking gibberish – we’re referring to the infamous Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, WA, which is taking place at the Seattle Center from August 29 to September 1 this year. From 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. each day, over 2,500 artists will be showcasing their various artistic and musical talents. The festival, which was originally dubbed “The Festival of ’71,” has been gaining momentum since its initial inception over three decades ago. Bumbershoot Festival-goers can enjoy poetry, comedy, acrobats, theatre, graphic art, film, painting, sculpture and… Read more »

Tuesday night (July 15), the original ’80s Duran Duran lineup (singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, guitarist Andy Taylor, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor) celebrated their 25th anniversary by playing Los Angeles’s 450-capacity Roxy nightclub as a warm-up for their much-hyped brief U.S. reunion tour, which officially kicks off tonight at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California. Not only was this the group’s first Stateside performance in 18 years, but it also marked another homecoming of sorts, as the Roxy was the first American venue Duran Duran ever played back in 1981. Although Duran Duran have… Read more »

“American Idol” Ruben Studdard is lucky he has a healthy ego. Not only is “Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken beating the champ on the Billboard singles charts, but on the fifth stop of the “Idol” summer tour, the spiky-haired crooner proved that he’s winning the battle for the hearts and minds of “Idol” fans across the country. Even before the nine “Idol” finalists took the stage at U.S. Bank Arena Sunday night to perform a nearly two-and-a-half-hour medley of covers, the mere sight of Clay’s face on the two Jumbotron screens flanking the massive neon ballroom set was enough to elicit… Read more »

Sheryl Crow, an activist for recording artists’ rights, brought her own message against a possible war with Iraq to Monday night’s American Music Awards. Crow accepted her award for pop-rock female artist wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with the message “war is not the answer” in black sequins. She had the V-neck shirt specially made. “I just think there’s a really vital, sweeping peace movement out there that’s not getting covered in the press, so I just kind of try to do my part,” she said backstage. “I think war is based in greed and there are huge karmic retributions… Read more »

Until recently, it seemed only kids – and music critics – could love Eminem. Politicians condemned his obscenity-laced and violent lyrics. Gay and women’s groups blasted him as a homophobe and misogynist. The Grammy-winning Detroit rapper had millions in album sales, but little love from mainstream America. Well, he’s still not America’s sweetheart. But some of the vitriol directed at Eminem has diminished – replaced not just by grudging respect, but by downright enthusiasm from some unlikely quarters. “The guy is funny, smart, and sometimes shocking,” author Stephen King gushed on his Web site. “Those are all things I look… Read more »

P.O.D. (“Alive” and “Youth Of The Nation”), Missy Elliott (“One Minute Man”), and Eminem (“Without Me”) scored six nominations each for the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, which were announced Monday (July 22). Shakira (“Whenever, Wherever”) and White Stripes (“Fell In Love With A Girl”) garnered four nominations. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Eminem, and Pink are among the artists set to perform at the event, which will be held August 29 at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. More performers for the show, hosted by Saturday Night Live’s Jimmy Fallon, will be announced later. Here’s a… Read more »

Hobbits ruled, Kelly Osbourne came out and Jack Black and Sarah Michelle Gellar showed off their pipes when the 2002 MTV Movie Awards were handed out Saturday night at the Shrine Auditorium. The event will be broadcast Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with MTV News’ pre-show coverage kicking off at 8:30 p.m. Peter Jackson’s adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” took home the night’s most prized pile of golden popcorn, nabbing Best Movie. However, Nicole Kidman walked away from the Shrine as the night’s big winner, grabbing trophies for Best Female Performance and Best… Read more »

A sold-out suburban Detroit crowd showed its love for the red and white Wednesday at the Royal Oak Music Theatre by overzealously welcoming home the rock duo White Stripes. Fans punched their fists in the air and screamed heartily as singer/guitarist Jack White began the show in true rock star fashion – by dropping to his knees for an introductory blistering guitar solo from “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” the opening track from the White Stripes’ breakthrough album, White Blood Cells. “Good evening, children,” Jack said to the crowd. “My name is Jack White and this is my big… Read more »

Modern rock outfits Sugar Ray, Uncle Kracker, and pop artist Willa Ford have lent their fame to help promote the Six Flags theme parks. The artists will appear in a series of television advertisements hyping the parks, each performing their own songs. For its spot, Sugar Ray performs “Fly,” while Kracker and Ford offer new versions of their songs-“Keep It Coming” and “I Wanna Be Bad,” respectively-with lyrics altered to better support the advertising campaign. “The song fit,” Kracker says. “It’s an uptempo song and a feel-good song and it goes along with the feel-good Six Flags theme park.” The… Read more »