Search Results for: blur

Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Blur’s Damon Albarn, Beck, the Neptunes, and the Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi are among the judges for the 2002 Shortlist Music Prize, which spotlights lesser-known acts for their artistic merit. Others musicians accepting the role as so-called “listmakers” for the second annual Shortlist are Mos Def, Paul Oakenfold, Iggy Pop, Jill Scott, the Roots’ Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson, and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon. They are joined by directors Baz Lurhman and Spike Jonze, producers Dan “The Automator” Nakamura (Gorillaz) and Gustavo Santaolalla (Cafe Tacuba), as well as journalists and radio personalities. Through the summer and… Read more »

Puddle of Mudd are planning the follow-up to Come Clean, only they won’t do that with the details. While the producer and song ideas are “top secret,” singer Wes Scantlin revealed the schedule for recording the album, which should be released early next year. “After the European tour, we’ll be back in September and doing a lot of just jammin’,” Scantlin said backstage at KROQ Weenie Roast. “We have a lot of new songs and they are ready to go, and we can’t wait to get back in the studio [in October].” Puddle of Mudd, whose Come Clean has scored… Read more »

Ozzy Osbourne and his family are outraged by Ted Nugent’s criticism of The Osbournes TV show. “I think it’s an indictment to the soullessness of modern man that we get a kick out of witnessing a magnificent creature reduced to a blithering hopeless idiot,” Nugent was quoted as saying in the New York Post’s Food section. The quote appeared in an article published Wednesday (May 15) on Nugent’s new book Kill It & Grill It: A Guide To Preparing Wild Game And Fish. LAUNCH caught up with the Osbournes at a Wednesday (May 15) press conference to announce the June… Read more »

Having recently produced songs for New Order and Beth Orton, the Chemical Brothers are ready to man an entire album. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are just waiting for the right project to come along. “We would have to find an artist who we’re really excited about so there would be a point to it,” Simons said, sitting in his trailer backstage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Saturday. “People that have good ideas,” or, he quipped, “people that haven’t got any ideas. I’m very intrigued to hear this Fatboy Slim and Blur thing. I can’t imagine what… Read more »

In Jimmy Eat World’s video for “Sweetness,” the band remains essentially stationary as the world around it changes at a blurring pace. It’s an example of art imitating life, as the band’s self-titled latest album has brought about a change never before experienced in the Mesa, Arizona, quartet’s eight years together: mainstream success. “It’s loosely based on a general journey of what a band goes through as they start and as they progress,” drummer Zach Lind said of the clip. “There’s not really a story line to it. It’s more of a very cool, unique-looking video that will hopefully look… Read more »

No disses, no DJs and no drama – just rock. The Los Angeles band Puddle of Mudd, whose current single “Blurry” is a #1 modern rock hit, tore through an hour-long headlining set of blue-collar rock Thursday night at a sold-out Electric Factory. Puddle of Mudd – Wes Scantlin (vocals and guitar), Paul Phillips (guitar), Doug Ardito (bass) and Greg Upchurchperformed on a stage devoid of props or ornate backdrop. Frontman Scantlin wore everyguy clothes: jeans, T-shirt, windbreaker jacket and a reverse baseball cap. But what the band lacked in show-business dazzle they made up for in verve and intensity.… Read more »

Fresh from his Grammy win for Best Short Form Music Video, Fatboy Slim – a.k.a. Norman Cook – is touring the U.S. looking for samples, prepping for the follow-up to 2000’s Halfway Between the Gutters and the Stars. “I just generally needed the turnover of new source material to work with, and L.A.’s a good place to do it,” Cook says. “I’m just looking for weird noises and little loops. I tend to go on the haircuts on the [album] sleeve. It’s got to be 1970 to 1976. Pre-1970s production wasn’t really too hot, and post-’76 everyone went disco. So… Read more »

Now that their month-long U.S. tour is but a recent memory, animated supergroup Gorillaz are fading into the funny pages for a while, but the individual members will remain active. Vocalist Damon Albarn is releasing an album of West African music and focusing his attention on his longtime outfit Blur, producer Dan the Automator is working on a solo disc as well as producing records by Zack de la Rocha and Peeping Tom, and the remaining Gorillaz will be busying themselves with various other projects. But that doesn’t mean Gorillaz will remain locked up for an extended period of time.… Read more »

Numerous critics and closed-minded fans have been less than kind about cartoon supergroup Gorillaz’s decision to play live shows hidden behind large projector screens displaying comic images of the characters. But the minor agony of journalistic slings and arrows is nothing compared to headaches the band experienced right before the tour launched in Toronto on February 23. “We lost our original bass player on the first day through something slightly dubious that happened 15 years ago,” said vocalist Damon Albarn, who also fronts the band Blur. “Basically, he’s in prison now. But fortunately, at the 11th hour we found a… Read more »

“How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Michael Stipe asked the crowd soon after R.E.M. took the stage Thursday night at the venerable venue. “Practice,” the crowd blurted in unison. “Well, we didn’t,” Stipe responded. “So if you hear a bum note or something that doesn’t sound right, I urge you to sing louder in your head.” The tour-shy Athens rockers and granola-pop folkie Jewel were among those on hand for an evening of spirited entertainment at “You Gotta Have Friends: Partners in the Fight Against AIDS,” a benefit for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis. ( from the event.) Judging… Read more »