Search Results for: decade

“It’s a huge part of history and it’s still as good a comedy as anything out there,” MxPx lead singer Mike Herrera says of Animal House. Herrera understands the importance of the film, which starred John Belushi. Released in 1978 – four years before Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and two decades before American Pie – Animal House is arguably the movie that launched the teen comedy genre. So for Herrera and his MxPx band mates, it was a huge honor when they were invited to re-record the movie’s theme song and the Isley Brothers’ classic “Shout,” a staple of… Read more »

Long an artist’s sanctuary, the commercial recording studio is becoming a virtual fortress, guarding against the potentially devastating consequences of theft. The thieves’ targets are the rough mixes, outtakes, alternative takes and finished masters that traditionally have been loosely handled, even by the artists themselves. Leaks of this material are nothing new, but the advent of unauthorized file sharing on the Internet has greatly increased the consequences of this phenomenon. Recent albums by Eminem, 50 Cent, Korn and Radiohead were all available online prior to release, because unauthorized copies were leaked to unknown parties. In such cases, marketing strategies are… Read more »

Ozzy Osbourne may have weathered the lowest lows that drug addiction has to offer, but the news that his son Jack was seeking treatment for substance abuse taught him a lesson that his own decades of addiction never did. “I used to think they should legalize pot, but you know what? They should ban the lot,” Osbourne told MTV News, addressing Jack’s battle for the first time. “One thing leads to another. Coffee leads to Red Bull, Red Bull leads to crank. “When I found out the full depth of him getting into OxyContin, which is like hillbilly heroin, I… Read more »

Assembling a promotional campaign for a veteran band that has been out of the spotlight is a tough enough feat. But Capitol Records is facing the daunting task of reintroducing a group that hasn’t released a new album in 13 years. Luckily, the campaign behind pioneering alternative rock outfit Jane’s Addiction’s “Strays,” due July 22, has had a huge prerelease boost from first single “Just Because.” The song is No. 4 on Modern Rock Tracks after four weeks, returning Jane’s Addiction to the top of the format at which it scored five top 15 hits between 1988 and 1991. The… Read more »

Their profanity-laced rock shows in the 1970s and ’80s drew the ire of the U.S. Senate, where Al and Tipper Gore accused them of endangering the morals of America’s youth and undermining parental authority. Two decades later, Twisted Sister is playing New Jersey’s two most family friendly venues – the Meadowlands State Fair, and Six Flags Great Adventure – and the “F” word is strictly off limits, by mutual agreement. Lead singer Dee Snider, who uses it dozens of times in a 90-minute concert, said the costumed, mascara-wearing band best known for hits like “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and… Read more »

Ozzy crooned, mooned and squirted his water guns, Disturbed bellowed, and Marilyn Manson vamped it up, but Ozzfest has always been just as much about the lesser-known acts, and Sunday’s show was no exception. Though bands like Kilgore, Pushmonkey and the perhaps aptly named No One have proven that Ozzfest exposure alone won’t make you famous, second-stage alumni System of a Down and Slipknot can attest that it certainly doesn’t hurt. Killswitch Engage’s potential spot in the Slipknot category seemed all but assured even before they appeared at Dallas’ Smirnoff Music Centre. Even though it was only the second show… Read more »

Ticket sales are down, and big tours are scaling back to smaller venues. It looks to be a long, hot summer for the touring industry. On the cusp of the industry’s peak period, a number of high-profile tours and festivals have already hit snags, among them highly touted outings from Mariah Carey, the Field Day Music Festival, Lollapalooza, and Beck and Dashboard Confessional. Faced with a crowded tour market combined with high ticket prices, permit hassles, a sluggish economy and poor buzz, these tours and a handful of others have either had to scale back the size of the venues… Read more »

The time has come. A fact’s a fact. Peter Garrett’s quit Midnight Oil and he’s not going back. But his name could yet appear on an election ballot paper. The musical maestro and conservationist today spoke for the first time about life after Midnight Oil, since quitting as the band’s frontman last year. He had close to three decades of living his vision to write strong songs about national issues, and the days of trekking around the pub scene are gone. He told the National Press Club today that his musical career had begun in the national capital, “touring pubs… Read more »

With ice on both ears, Justin Timberlake set out to prove that on his own he can accomplish the mission that was set for ‘NSYNC – to generate a little respect for pop. On Wednesday, the crowd at the sold-out America West Arena turned the venue into a balls-out dance club for the opening night of Timberlake and Christina Aguilera’s Justified and Stripped Tour. The fans, most of whom were women in their late teens and early 20s, screamed at Justin and Christina’s every move and word. Aguilera’s set began with images of her on a video screen showing her… Read more »

When her new album, Hotel Paper, hits stores June 24, Michelle Branch wants you to remember what Aaliyah said almost a decade ago: Age ain’t nothing but a number. “I just want [people] to actually listen to the record and, I guess, give me a chance,” the 19-year-old singer said recently. “I don’t know, younger artists, people kind of write us off as being this novelty kind of thing, and people forget that George Harrison was 17 when he was in the Beatles, U2 was my age… the Rolling Stones, everyone. It doesn’t matter how old you are, it shouldn’t… Read more »