Search Results for: against me

Billy Howerdel is usually the quiet giant in A Perfect Circle. Sure, the guitarist does most of the interviews, but frontman Maynard James Keenan has always been the band’s mouthpiece, even if he traditionally has been press-shy. With an important presidential election on the horizon, however, Howerdel is through keeping his thoughts to himself. “Ordinarily, I hate talking about politics,” he said. “I usually heed the warning of many elders that say, ‘Never discuss it with your friends, or certainly publicly,’ but it’s an important time to voice your opinions and feelings.” It’s hardly a secret which candidate A Perfect… Read more »

The trophy is a silly Moonman. Treasured memories include girl-on-girl kisses, a flying Fartman and the bobbling of a pasty-covered breast. Where other shows confer honors and respect, this one relishes gaffes, guffaws and giggles. Forget “The envelope, please.” It’s time to push the envelope. MTV’s Video Music Awards is among the most irreverent of awards shows. Which may be precisely why it matters. “It’s pop music; how seriously can you take it?” said MTV news correspondent Kurt Loder. “It’s not Martin Heidegger or something. There’s a lot of empty pomp associated with other shows, like the Oscars and even… Read more »

The White Stripes have gone on the offensive against a filmmaker they say has released an unauthorized documentary about the duo. “Nobody Knows How To Talk to Children,” which was recently screened at the Seattle Film Festival, was shot by George Roca over the White Stripes’ four-night stand in 2002 at New York’s Bowery Ballroom. “He wanted to videotape the entire event, stage performance and backstage goings on for his demo reel,” the band writes on its official Web site. “We said yes to his request provided he and his crew agreed to the following conditions: 1) it had to… Read more »

Universal Music maintained its status as the world’s market leader in 2003, but a combined Sony/BMG would have challenged its dominance. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), a music industry trade group, released market share figures that show BMG and Sony had an aggregate share of 25.1% in 2003. Universal posted a 23.5% share, down from 25.4% in 2002. The Sony-BMG merger plan cleared a major hurdle June 17 when European competition commissioner Mario Monti gave his approval of the deal. BMG was among the companies posting a share gain in 2003, increasing to 11.9% from 9.6% in… Read more »

Green Day’s first studio album in four years will be titled “American Idiot,” a spokesperson told Billboard.com. The set is tentatively due Sept. 14 via Reprise. It’s the follow-up to 2000’s “Warning,” which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 998,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Along with No Doubt, Foo Fighters, Bad Religion and others, Green Day is expected to lend a track to “Rock Against Bush Vol. 2,” the second in a series of politically minded compilations due this August. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong will also contribute two songs to… Read more »

A week after the compilation Rock Against Bush Vol. 1 was released, a sequel to the politically minded compilation is taking shape. The Foo Fighters will contribute their cover of “Gas Chamber,” a song originally recorded by L.A. punks the Angry Samoans, which appeared as a B-side to the Foos’ 1996 CD single “Big Me.” The original tune appeared on the Angry Samoans’ second album, 1982’s Back From Samoa. The inclusion of Bad Religion’s “Let Them Eat War,” from June 8’s The Empire Strikes First, is also confirmed for Rock Against Bush Vol. 2, which is expected to drop in… Read more »

“American Idol” fans who cringed when contestant Jon Peter Lewis appeared in a banana suit as part of a promotional segment for Ford during a recent episode can take comfort in knowing they are not alone. “I’ll be honest with you, on a personal basis, I hate the damn things,” Ken Warwick, co-executive producer of the show, admitted. “I come from a whole television system in England that absolutely forbids any interference within the program by any sponsor, by any advertising, or any product placement whatsoever. It’s just completely forbidden. So in truth, yes, I find a lot of them… Read more »

British rock band Oasis has fired drummer Alan White, according to a terse post on its official Web site (http://www.oasisinet.com). “Alan White has been asked to leave Oasis by the other band members. There are no plans to replace Alan. The band’s scheduled recording sessions remain unaffected.” Oasis, headed by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, is expected to hit the studio in the near future with Death In Vegas’ Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes to work on the follow-up to 2002’s “Heathen Chemistry.” No release date has been set. White joined Oasis just prior to the recording of the 1995… Read more »

Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Outkast are among the latest performers added to the 46th annual Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy announced Tuesday (January 13). The acts will join previously announced performers the White Stripes at the February 8 ceremony, to be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Former “Mickey Mouse Club” co-stars and 2003 tour mates Justin and Christina will, of course, perform separately, while Andre 3000 and Big Boi will be joined onstage by George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic; Earth, Wind & Fire; and Robert Randolph & the Family Band for a tribute to funk music. Outkast… Read more »

A former tour manager for ‘NSYNC has filed suit against the group, alleging that Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick are racists. Ibrahim Duarte is seeking $10 million from the boy band for firing him for what he claims were racial reasons, according to the office of his attorney, Douglas Wigdor. The suit was filed in New York State Supreme Court on November 25 against the members of ‘NSYNC as well as the group’s entertainment holding companies, Zeeks Inc., Skeez LLC and ‘NSYNC Inc. Duarte, who is black, alleges that Timberlake once used the “n”… Read more »