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Break-Up: Aerosmith Worried About Tyler’s Sobriety

Published November 19th, 2009 by Karen

ABOVE: After 40 years, Aerosmith’s train may have finally stopped rolling. Will fans accept a new singer?

It has been a dramatic few weeks for Aerosmith, to say the least.

After a seemingly jinxed tour plagued by injury, both common (twisted knee) and bizarre (singer dances right off the front of the stage), the band recently made headlines as guitarist Joe Perry announced that singer Steven Tyler had left the band. Set to celebrate its 40th anniversary, the band is now faced with the challenge of finding a new singer.

(VIDEO: Top Rockers Audition for Aerosmith)

Of course, break-ups are never quite that simple.

Tyler then shocked everyone as he Continue reading »

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Katy Perry Unplugged—Most Unnecessary Album Ever?

Published November 10th, 2009 by Karen

There was a time, when MTV’s series of Unplugged concerts and albums offered a unique look at bands and songwriters by taking them out of their comfort zones and stripping loud bands down to their barest elements (think of appearances by Nirvana, Alice in Chains and even Eric Clapton, for example).

However, in recent years, it seems that every two-bit pop-tart with a hit song gets this once reverential treatment, case in point: Katy Perry.

Having burst onto the pop scene in 2008 with the insufferable, and almost equally inescapable, “I Kissed a Girl,” Perry may be surpassed only by Lady Gaga in terms of vapid pop sensibilities.

These songs are hits, but hardly classics, and the idea of Continue reading »

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New Sublime Reunion Tour: Cool or Creepy?

Published October 27th, 2009 by Karen

13 years after Sublime singer Bradley Nowell died of a heroin overdose, the Long Beach, CA ska-pop reunited and hit the stage for a performance at the Smokeout Festival in California over the weekend, with plans for a full tour in the works.

We’re curious to know what Sublime fans think about the reunion, which included an array of Sublime hits, including “What I Got.”

Spin and other sources report that Nowell’s estate is seeking to squash the reunion and prevent the remaining members from using the band name.

(Read: Alice in Chains Reform After Singer’s Death)

BELOW: How well does new vocalist Rome Ramirez do with Sublime?
Check out videos below and tell us what you think.

"Care Bears on Fire are absolutely awesome1"

Steven

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2009 CMJ Schedule, Top Picks

Published October 20th, 2009 by Karen

photo credit: rick

During the five days that the massive CMJ music and film festival takes over venues around NYC, one of the hardest things is plotting your schedule so that you don’t miss something you really wanted to see.

Thankfully, in one of the site’s better innovations in recent years, CMJ now offers a way to plan and share your CMJ schedule online.

Of course, it’s still up to you to decide whether to check out A Band Named Ashes, UUVVWWZ or any of the hundreds of bands in between (you could even be very specific and only see bands from, say, Nashville) but at least keeping track of your must-sees will be a little easier.

Fun fact: Superdrag and Type O Negative are still around and playing CMJ. Who knew?

Which bands are on your ‘must-see’ list for this year’s CMJ?

CMJ 2009 runs 10/20-10/24.

Complete CMJ 2009 line-up, schedule and highlights: Continue reading »

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POLL: Should Gov’t Regulate iPod Volume Levels?

Published September 29th, 2009 by Karen

photo credit: guspim

On the street, on the bus, on the train, on airplanes, in line at the grocery store-everywhere you go, people are sure to be wearing headphones attached to portable music devices.

While the government hasn’t yet outlawed people from listening to bad music (consider yourself lucky, Kanye West), lawmakers are considering legislation that would regulate the volume at which you can listen to those tunes.

Government officials in the European Union Continue reading »

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Indie Rock Homes in Brooklyn. Do Pop Stars Get Paid Too Much?

Published September 28th, 2009 by Karen

photo credit: K.Luu

If you want to see the extravagant Hollywood homes of lip-syching superstars, pop tarts and rappers, you can check out MTV’s Cribs or any number of other glamorous TV shows and fashion magazines.

(POLL: Is it unfair that pop singers make more money than real bands?)

If you want to see the Brooklyn home of an actual musician who has made a name for himself writing solid songs and touring almost non-stop, you can check out the recent feature Continue reading »

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Rock’n'Roll Hall of Fame: Do Abba, LL Cool J Belong Here, Really?

Published September 23rd, 2009 by Karen

photo credit: Andrew 94

Kiss, LL Cool J and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are considered frontrunners for induction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, according to an Associated Press report.

According to the AP, they are part of a diverse group of 12 acts in contention for the 2010 class. Other first-time nominees include Genesis, Jimmy Cliff, The Hollies and songwriter Laura Nyro. There are also names on the ballot that have been there before, including Donna Summer, Darlene Love, ABBA, the Chantels, and the Stooges.

The nominees are selected by a committee composed of music historians and are then voted on by roughly a thousand experts, including academics, journalists, producers, and others with music industry experience.

Only five acts make it in to the Hall each year. The 25th annual induction ceremony is slated for March 15 in New York City. The inductees will be announced in December.

MORE Music News:
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COUPLES: Weekend Wedding: New Moon Musician and Actress
BREAK UP: The End of Pela
BREAK UP?: Aerosmith Over? Joe Perry and Steven Tyler, Not Speaking

"ok? how was chris's apology not sincere? get a life you dumb---"

WOW

2 Comments

Worse Apology: Kanye West or Chris Brown? (With Video)

Published September 15th, 2009 by Karen

ABOVE: Chris Brown’s half-hearted apology for beating his girlfriend to a bloody pulp.

Kanye West has a knack for making a fool out of himself on television, a talent he demonstrated over the weekend at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards when he interrupted 19-year-old country star Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech to declare that Beyonce should’ve won instead.

The loudmouth was back on TV Monday night, when he appeared on Jay Leno’s new show and offered a rambling apology for his actions.

Frankly, we think his apology seemed about as sincere as Chris Brown’s apology for beating Rihanna (video above).

What do you think?
Do Kanye’s actions influence how much you like or dislike his music?
Do you think Jay Leno should have banned West from the show?

MORE Music News:
POLL: Boycott Kanye? West’s VMA Rant Ruins Teen Taylor Swift’s Win
TV: Record Labels Sue Ellen DeGeneres Over Illegal Songs
RIP: Patrick Swayze Dead at 57, Singer, Dancer, Actor
MONEY: Taylor Swift Wants Fans to Pay for Album, again.
IDOL: Kanye West Lip Syncs (Poorly) on American Idol

BELOW (video): Kanye West “apologizes” on Leno. Do you think he’s sincere? Continue reading »

"[...] Of course, when Knowles’s “Single Ladies” lost the Best Female Video award to country singer Swift’s “You Belong with..."

Beyonce on VMAs: “Kanye was Standing up for Art” | Music Vixen Blog

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Boycott Kanye? West’s VMA Rant Ruins Teen Taylor Swift’s Win

Published September 14th, 2009 by Karen

photo credit: Girl.in.the.Green.Scarf

Kanye West has managed to make an idiot out of himself on TV once again-this time at the VMA Awards (video below).

When Taylor Swift won Best Female Video for ‘You Belong With Me,’ Kanye jumped onstage, grabbed the mike from the country singer’s hands and opened his mouth: “Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’m a let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.” Swift had beat Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies’ for the award.

A flabbergasted Swift staggered and didn’t get to finish her acceptance speech. The crowd booed West, who shortly after was asked to leave the show and left the building.

Of course, some skeptics are already starting to wonder if this whole thing is just a publicity stunt organized by MTV, Swift and West in order to boost ratings for everyone. After all, the station is no stranger to controversy (Madonna kissing Britney, Seth Rogen and James Franco “smoking pot” at the MTV Movie Awards, etc).

Swift got a chance to recapture her time in the spotlight. Near the end of the evening, when Beyonce won video of the year for “Single Ladies,” the pop star promptly invited Swift out on stage to properly “have her moment.”

But it was too little, too late. Kanye West had again succeeded in making the event all about him.

MORE Music News:
TV: Kanye West Sucks! We Finally Said It! Now What?
MONEY: Taylor Swift Wants Fans to Pay for Album, again.
IDOL: Kanye West Lip Syncs (Poorly) on American Idol
CRIME: Will Kanye Be Chris Brown’s Cellmate? Yeah, Maybe.

BELOW: Kanye VS Taylor at th 2009 VMAs and Taylor Swift’s winning video for “You Belong with Me.” Not good enough for Kanye, apparently... Continue reading »

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Gay Adoption OK? Gov’t Refuses Elton John’s Adoption Request

Published September 14th, 2009 by Karen

photo credit: OsvaldoROVE

As celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Madonna continue to add adopted children to their families rapidly, one celebrity is being forbidden to adopt a child in need–because he is gay.

AP reports that officials in Ukraine have denied British pop star Elton John’s request to adopt an HIV- positive child, in part because he is a homosexual. Ukrainian law does not recognize same-sex unions as legal marriages. John is therefore considered a single parent and thus ineligible to adopt a child.

Further complicating matters, the age difference between a child and adoptive parent may not exceed 45 years. John, 62, is nearly 60 years older than the child in question.

It remains to be seen whether or not John and his partner will attempt to challenge the ruling in this case.

John and his partner, David Furnish, entered into a civil union in 2005. Although he has no biological children, John is the godfather of ten children, including Sean Lennon (son of the Beatles’ John Lennon), and Posh Spice’s sons Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham.

MORE Music News:
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FAMILY: Pop Star, 41, Pregnant Again. Good Idea?
MUSIC: New Alice in Chains CD, New Singer: Elton John?
FAMILY: Malawian Court to Hear Madonna Adoption Appeal
FAMILY: Punk Star’s New Baby=Another Weird Celebrity Baby Name

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