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"Please Remember People That You Are Innocent Untill Proven Guilty. Hopefully The Truth Will Come To Light Eventually but let us not be so quick to judge..."
  Brittany94
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Chris Brown, Rihanna Assault: Is Chris Brown’s Career Over?

Published February 10th, 2009 by Karen

After a day’s worth of speculation from various media outlets as to the identity of the victim in the Chris Brown assault case, police records now confirm that the victim was 19-year-old Brown’s girlfriend, 20-year-old pop-star Rihanna.

So, in addition to making some of the worst, most computer-manipulated and boring pop music in recent memory, Chris Brown is also a violent jerk? Nice. We’ve said it all along: Chris Brown sucks.
 
Just prior to Sunday night’s 2009 Grammys ceremony, Brown was arrested on charges of making felony criminal threats related to domestic abuse. Neither he, nor his girlfriend Rihanna, attended the awards ceremony, adding to rumors that the pop starlet was the victim.

With Rihanna now officially identified as the victim in this case, Rolling Stone quotes sources that call Rihanna’s injuries, “horrific.” The pop singer known for hit songs such as “S.O.S.”, “Umbrella”, “Disturbia” and “Shut Up and Drive” has now canceled her upcoming tourdates, with plans to reschedule at a later date.

While Mr. Brown is, of course, innocent until proven guilty, let’s hope that Rihanna has the sense to move on to a safer, happier relationship before it is too late. Famous or not, nobody should ever endure verbal or physical abuse.

If you, or someone you know, need help leaving an abusive relationship, there are plenty of great organizations filled with people who want to help you, including, Continue reading »

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Bob Dylan, Will.i.am Sing Pepsi Jingle During Super Bowl. Seriously.

Published January 30th, 2009 by Karen

 flickr photo by Mac(3)                                                                      ”Don’t wanna be a bum/you better chew gum–and Drink Pepsi!”

In what is probably one of the signs of the end of civilization, Bob Dylan is set to appear during this year’s Super Bowl broadcast.

Billboard reports that Dylan will perform during the Super Bowl with the Black Eyed Peas’ ever present Will.i.am in a Pepsi commercial singing a song written specifically about Pepsi.

So what’s so bad about that? Bruce Springsteen will be there. Heck, even Paul McCartney and U2 have performed at this overblown sporting event. So why not Bob?

Simple: We still expect more from him for some reason, even though he did appear in those super-creepy Victoria’s Secret ads a few years back…

As if Will.i.am’s spineless corporate shilling, Fergie puppeteering, and tuneless musical endorsements of President Obama weren’t enough, now Dylan’s gotten himself all wrapped up in this mess.

Unless Dylan’s Pepsi jingle includes a rant about the mercury being found in the already disgusting high fructose corn syrup, we don’t want to hear it.

Other illustrious Pepsi-endorsing stars of the past have included Britney Spears, Shakira and Michael Jackson.

And, in his unwavering attempt to completely sell out and ruin whatever shred of musical dignity he may have had left, Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins will unveil a new song, “FOL”, in a commercial for Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe during the Super Bowl. Alternative, indeed.

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Rachel Ray rockin’ South by Southwest 2009 with the Hold Steady?

Published January 29th, 2009 by Karen

flickr photo by fuzuoko The massive annual music festival South by Southwest doesn’t take over all the music venues in Austin, TX until March, but the pre-show parties are already cookin’—literally.

Love her/hate her TV cook Rachel Ray is setting up her second SXSW party. Last year’s bash was a surprise hit among indie-rock types who are normally too cool for-Oprah-approved chefs.

Ray, whose husband is in a band called the Cringe, is rumored to have lined up high profile acts such as the critically drooled over the Hold Steady for her SXSW 2009 party. Maybe she lured them in with free donuts (she is, after all, the spokeswoman for Dunkin Donuts).

While details of Ray’s SXSW 2009 invasion are still foggy, details of her February 25 shindig in NYC have been revealed. Continue reading »

"i believe that john lennon would not aprove . this kind of money making idea just makes me sick. remember john for what he stood for , not for what someone..."
  Ron Froehlich
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Dead John Lennon Makes TV ad–is a New Lennon Album Next? Legal Beatles Downloads

Published January 9th, 2009 by Karen

John Lennon has been dead and buried for over 20 years, but the poor man still isn’t getting any peace.

As if having John Lennon quotes plastered on bumper stickers and his songs butchered by every frat boy with an acoustic guitar isn’t humiliating enough, the late-Beatle is now being paraded around in television ads for laptop computers.

Thanks, Yoko.

On the plus side, the ads are for a charitable organization that provides laptop computers to some of the world’s neediest kids, so some of this atrocity is almost forgivable. Still, there’s something very creepy about seeing and hearing a digitally manipulated film of Lennon talking about laptops, especially since computers were still rather uncommon at the time of his death in 1980.

If Yoko Ono stops here with the selling of Lennon, fans might forgive her. Let’s just hope this series of faux-Lennon commercials doesn’t expand to include commercials for electric cars and vegan food, or special performances during half-time at the superbowl.

Then again, this type of post-mortem digital resurrection could hold interesting, or horrifying, possibilities for Lennon’s music. What if this process were used to record his un-released songs with a digital Lennon clone/ voice impersonator? Same thing for Buddy Holly, Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley, Elvis and all of the other dead singers who fans still want to hear more from.

Actually, that’s a really horrifying idea and we hope it never ever happens.

Do you think the Lennon laptop commercial is cool or creepy?
Leave a comment and tell us what you think!

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Axl Rose Sues Dr Pepper plus Free Guns n Roses ringtones

Published December 1st, 2008 by Karen

As if the world needed one more reason to hate Axl Rose (isn’t the white spandex reason enough?), the always affable (ahem) singer is now suing Dr Pepper over a promotion wherein the company promised to deliver free Dr Pepper to everyone in the world (except ex-members of Guns’n’Roses) if Rose would release the much-delayed album by the end of 2008

Rose unexpectedly released the album in November—after working on it for a decade and a half and cycling through a Spinal Tap-esque number of bandmates. Even more surprising was the fact that Dr. Pepper lived up to its end of the bargain by offering coupons for free soda on its website.

Or at least Dr. Pepper attempted to offer coupons. Website issues and clogged phonelines made the promotion a less-than-smashing success, as Rose points out in his seemingly only semi-serious suit.

Rose is lobbing accusations that the company’s publicity stunt failed and attempted to unlawfully cash in on his band’s popularity.

Uh-huh.

Ironically, Rose’s suit against Dr. Pepper seems to be his attempt to cash in on the company’s popularity and the publicity generated by its Guns’n’Roses-themed stunt.

While he may technically have a point, we have to admit that free Dr. Pepper is much more appealing than the new Guns’n’Roses disc (free Chinese Democracy Mp3s here. Free Guns’n’Roses downloads and free guns n roses ringtones here).

In his defense, Rose is only asking for a published apology from the company.

No word on whether Rose actually drinks Dr. Pepper.

Which do you prefer:
Free Dr Pepper or Free Guns’n’Roses mp3s?
Did you get your free Dr. Pepper?
Leave a comment and tell us!

"Hey! Why am I not on that list?? Peace and love Michael"
  Mick Nye
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Watch Simpsons Season Premiere 20th Season: Top Simpsons Musical Guests

Published September 26th, 2008 by Karen

Sure, we’re ready to gather ‘round the TV for tonight’s presidential debate between Obama and McCain (McCain just announced he’ll actually show up at the event), but we’re really looking forward to Sunday night’s season premiere of the Simpsons.

Everyone’s favorite cartoon family is celebrating its 20th Season, so we thought we’d take a look back at 20 of the show’s top music guests. We’re mostly looking at bands that actually played music in the show (Johnny Cash guest starred as a coyote, but didn’t sing. Yo La Tengo revamped the themesong but didn’t appear in the show, same for Hank Williams, Jr. who sang the “Canyonero” SUV commercial song without appearing onscreen).

Top 20 Bands on the Simpsons

20. Fake Michael Jackson/Michael Jackson
Apparently MJ did the speaking parts, but someone else did the singing? That seems just weird enough to be true! Whatever. This episode was ultra annoying, right down to the awful bar/MJ duet, “Happy Birthday Lisa.”

19. Weird Al Yankovic
Yawn.
18. Tony Bennett
Classy, as always, but still no Sinatra.

17. Smashing Pumpkins
16. Sonic Youth
15. Peter Frampton
14. Cypress Hill
These four bands appeared as part of a Lollapalooza inspired episode. It’s good for some nice alternative nation nostalgia when you catch the reruns.

13. Phish
Pot jokes? You bet. Hooray for Otto!

12. Tom Petty
11. Elvis Costello
10. Mick Jagger
9. Keith Richards
8. Brian Setzer
7. Lenny Kravitz
All part of a great episode where Home goes to rock’n’roll fantasy camp (and repeated calls Brian Setzer, “Mr. Seltzer.”). Fantastic.

6. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Meh.

5. NSync
Lame, as expected, but they did a good job of making fun of themselves and gave us the opportunity to see Ralph, Milhouse, Bart and Nelson form a hilarious boyband.

4. Aerosmith
Flaming Moes!

3. U2
Another group that seemed to have fun poking fun at its own image.

2. The Ramones
Mr. Burns ordered the execution of the Beatles after being insulted by the Ramones’ birthday song.

1. Spinal Tap
With Harry Shearer in the Simpsons’ cast, it seemed inevitable that the greatest band ever would reunite in Springfield. And the reunion was a smash hit and hilarious as always (although, if we remember correctly, the band died in a fiery bus crash during the story. Bummer.).

D’oh!!!

Did we forget your favorite Simpsons musical guest?
Leave a comment and let us know which one is your favorite!