Search Results for: harper

Celebrity photographer Herb Ritts, who directed videos for Madonna, ‘NSYNC, Britney Spears and others, died Thursday morning of complications from pneumonia. He was 50. In March, Ritts worked with Shakira on the video for “Underneath Your Clothes,” and last year he was responsible for the desolate apartment visuals in ‘NSYNC’s heartbroken “Gone,” the saucy bounce of Jennifer Lopez’s “Ain’t It Funny” and the sandy, sexy beach scenery in Britney’s “Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know.” Two of Ritts’ other well-known videos similarly boasted a skillful blend of sand and sex appeal – Madonna’s “Cherish” and Chris Isaak’s breakthrough… Read more »

Dashboard Confessional and Jack Johnson played acoustic, and Beck and Coldplay celebrated Christmas, but otherwise KROQ-FM’s annual Almost Acoustic Christmas was a two-day, 20-act festival all about rocking. And the sold-out event was certainly crammed with rock and roll moments, particularly the announced live debut of Audioslave (they played a secret club show the night before), and an amusing rendition of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” orchestrated by Beck and the Flaming Lips and featuring Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba, Johnson and a horribly off-key Juliette Lewis. (Click here for photos from the show.) Audioslave were the talk… Read more »

Age brings change, but the changes were decidedly for the better Tuesday when the Rolling Stones kicked off their Licks World Tour, named for an upcoming compilation that marks the British supergroup’s 40th anniversary. On their ’90s tours, the Stones had largely become a grizzled stadium jukebox. On this trip, however, in addition to mixing stadium, arena, theater and club dates – often in the same city – the band is taking new liberties with its set lists. Tuesday’s two-hour-plus tour opener at the FleetCenter included its share of rarely and never-played nuggets that thrilled and puzzled the arena crowd.… Read more »

Not even his father could have said it better. “This is diet Ozzfest,” Jack Osbourne quipped backstage at the sold-out KROQ Weenie Roast. Southern California’s authoritative modern rock radio station hosted its 10th annual summer concert extravaganza on Saturday and, yes, it did offer a glimpse of the summer’s most anticipated tours, especially Ozzfest. Ozzy himself could not make the festivities, as his daughter Kelly was performing across the valley at KIIS’ Wango Tango radio show alongside the likes of Celine Dion and past Weenie Roast favorites No Doubt. Why wasn’t Jack there? “We don’t get along,” he clarified. Representing… Read more »

While he prepares to sing at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, Friday (February 8), R&B heavyweight R. Kelly finds himself at the center of a police investigation back in his hometown of Chicago. A story broke in the Chicago Sun-Times Friday saying an anonymous source gave the newspaper a videotape that contains almost 27 minutes of footage of Kelly having sex with an underage girl. The publication also stated that the Chicago police were in possession of a copy of the tape and are currently looking into the matter. Officer Patrice Harper, a… Read more »

Rock band Pearl Jam has paid tribute to late Ramones singer Joey Ramone on a recording released exclusively to Pearl Jam fan club members. A cover version of the pioneering punk band’s song “I Just Want To Have Something To Do” is one of four tracks featured on Pearl Jam’s annual 7-inch vinyl mailing. Ramone died of cancer last April, aged 49. The cover is actually a solo acoustic performance by Pearl Jam bass player Jeff Ament. “When Joey died this year, I sat down and played Ramones songs on my acoustic,” Ament said in his handwritten liner notes. “For… Read more »

Over the past week there were explosive developments concerning the fate of American Taliban member John Walker Lindh, imploding energy company Enron and president Bush’s problems with pretzels, but very little has been changing on the album chart. That means Creed’s Weathered will hang on to the #1 slot of next week’s Billboard 200, giving the band a solid two-month run as top dogs. Linkin Park will hold tight at #2 with Hybrid Theory as they embark on their last tour before working on new material, Ludacris will remain steady at #3 with Word of Mouf and Nickelback’s Silver Side… Read more »

“This Way,” the eagerly awaited new album from Atlantic recording artist Jewel, arrives in stores across North America today, November 13th. The new collection is Jewel’s fourth album and her first set of all-new, self-penned material since 1998’s RIAA quadruple-platinum “SPIRIT.” “This Way” was produced by Dann Huff and Jewel, marking her first work as a producer. “This Way” is already reaping critical praise, highlighted by Rolling Stone’s recent 3 1/2-star rave review. “The apparent simplicity of folk presents wondrously complex and sexy possibilities for Jewel. She’s one of the most richly idiomatic female pop singers of her generation,” writes… Read more »

Madonna may be the bitchiest and bossiest woman in pop music or the most beloved. She may be an emotionally insecure manipulator – who (shock! horror!) uses men and throws them away. Or she may be just an old-fashioned girl looking for the traditional twosome: love and marriage. But one thing she doesn’t do is kiss and tell – that’s left for the biographer. Two unauthorized biographies published this month both tout supposed fresh new insights into the life and love life of the pop and cultural phenomenon who has reinvented herself with almost every one of her 14 hit… Read more »

Eddie Vedder, Sarah McLachlan, the Black Crowes and 14 other artists will deliver their takes on Beatles classics for the soundtrack to the Sean Penn drama “I Am Sam.” The album, due January 8, also features Ben Folds, the Wallflowers, Paul Westerberg, Nick Cave and Ben Harper, among others, according to a V2 Records spokesperson. All of the covers were recorded for the soundtrack album and eight are featured in the movie, which stars Penn as Sam, a mentally handicapped father fighting to keep custody of his seven-year-old daughter, Lucy. “I Am Sam,” due in theaters December 28, has several… Read more »