Search Results for: when we were young

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 »

Jam Master Jay, a founding member of the pioneering rap trio Run DMC, was shot and killed at his recording studio near the New York neighborhood where he grew up, police said. Two men were buzzed into the second-floor studio shortly before shots were fired inside its lounge at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, police said. As of early Thursday, police had made no arrests. The 37-year-old disc jockey, whose real name was Jason Mizell, was shot once in the head in the studio’s lounge and died at the scene, said Detective Robert Price, a police spokesman. Urieco Rincon, 25, who… Read more »

The seminal album of British punk rock celebrates its 25th birthday on Monday and shows no sign of growing old gracefully. On October 28, 1977, the Sex Pistols unleashed their debut album, “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols,” on an unsuspecting world. It shot straight to the top of the album charts and stayed there for an astonishing 47 weeks. Everything about the album was designed to shock, from its provocative title, its 12 short, explosive songs and its garish pink and yellow pop art album cover. The names of the tracks were printed on the album sleeve… Read more »

Good Charlotte consider themselves fortunate their first album wasn’t huge. “Our first album did moderately well (by) industry standards, but to us, it was a huge success,” said singer Joel, who goes by only one name. “There was a little bit of pressure, but we were lucky we didn’t have some multi-platinum CD we had to follow up.” According to Joel, such an outcome worked to their advantage when the band started recording their second album, “The Young and the Hopeless.” He said the only real pressure was from themselves, to branch out musically. “My brother (Benji) and I enjoy… Read more »

With songs like “Fat Lip” and “Motivation,” Sum 41 developed a reputation for cheekiness and tomfoolery. Their new album doesn’t exactly transform them into tree-hugging environmentalists or pulpit-preaching activists, but it shows the bandmembers leaning toward maybe growing up just a little… kinda. Many songs on Does This Look Infected?, due November 26, aren’t about downing brews, scamming chicks or teenage angst. Instead, Sum 41 singer and lyricist Deryck Whibley addresses issues a little more sobering. “I guess I watched too much CNN while making this record,” he said. “Also, I guess I’m getting older. When you’re young you have… Read more »

The past two years have been a turbo-charged merry-go-round for Maryland punk-pop group Good Charlotte. The band’s debut single, “Little Things,” from its eponymous 2000 album, drove the group to the top of the “TRL” heap, and a Warped tour and outing with Blink-182 helped spread the Good vibes far and wide. The group’s new single, “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous,” is currently heating up airwaves, and a video for the song, which features cameos by ‘NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick, Tenacious D sideman Kyle Gass and former Minutemen and Firehose member Mike Watt, is getting lots of love as well.… Read more »

Britney Spears, the U.S. pop idol who is taking a six-month sabbatical at the tender age of 20, said on Tuesday she planned to return to the recording studio after a break hosted by Italian designer Donatella Versace. “I think I may just go to Los Angeles and record a little bit. But other than that I just plan to hang out,” Spears told Reuters before taking her seat in the front row of Versace’s spring/summer 2003 fashion show. “It’s like a dream come true being here right now,” said Spears, who in August decided to take six months off… Read more »

Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix is having trouble concentrating on the conversation. Interrupting the lead singer’s discussion about the in-your-face band’s latest album is the cry of a baby. “Can you hold on? I’ve got to get the baby a bottle,” he says. It’s the first sign there’s something afoot for the band that burst onto the musical scene in 2000 with the rap-rock triple platinum album “Infest,” which included the single “Last Resort.” First, there’s the name change from the irreverant Coby Dick to the more respectable Jacoby Shaddix. “Call me the artist formerly known as Coby Dick,” jokes the… Read more »

If music school grades are a barometer of success, John Mayer should be living under a bridge busking for nickels. During an abbreviated tenure at Boston’s Berklee College of Music in 1998, the now platinum singer/songwriter found himself out of his element and overwhelmed. He had no formal musical training and his class marks reflected his lack of preparation. “They were pronounced like ‘d-d-d-f-f-f-f-f ‘ – like static,” he said of his grades during an interview in New York’s Central Park. “So I had to kind of totally burn that bridge because I didn’t know what I was doing. But… Read more »

Pop star Lance Bass’ dreams of going into space have officially gone “pop!” The Russian Space Agency notified NASA on Monday that the ‘N Sync singer won’t fly to the international space station next month. Bass had hoped to rocket away from Kazakhstan on Oct. 28, boosted by corporate sponsors and a seven-part television documentary. But TV producers failed to raise the estimated $20 million fare, and Russian space officials last week kicked Bass off the upcoming crew. With the launch of the Soyuz rocket just seven weeks away, there’s not enough time to put anyone else on board. Russian… Read more »