Thursday, February 4, 2010
Country Music Still Can Be Cool: Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" is a Gem
Back when I was growing up, Country music was pretty cool. You had the outlaws in Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash.
Kenny Rogers was working with Lionel Richie and busting out hits like Lady and Through The years and 38. Special introduced southern rock into the musical equation with songs like Hang on Loosely" and "Caught Up in You".
However in recent years, country music has gone a bit glossy. There are very few if any outlaws (Sorry Toby Keith) and the guys are as pretty now as the gals.
However while I was watching the Grammy's Sunday, I heard a song that reminded me of the old days Urban Cowboy days.
While Taylor Swift was capturing the majority of the Grammy love that night, a country group I never heard of named Lady Antebellum sauntered onto the stage a sang a song called "Need You Now".
The first thing that hit was that it was a old fashioned duet duet that reminded me of one of those light rock tunes back in the day.
The second was the lyric, "It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now".
It was as if Waylon Jennings came back for a few minutes and drop an old honky tonk lyric in middle of love song.
While Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" is not a signal that the country music I listened back in the day,its cool to hear that country music still can be little rough around the edges once in awhile.
Matt Damon's iPad (Good Will Hunting Spoof)
Apple's unveiling of the iPad was big news... unfortunately, nobody told Matt Damon!
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
How to Win a Grammy for Album of The Year Like Taylor Swift
Recently, country music star Taylor Swift won the Album of the Year Award from the likes of Beyonce, Lady Gaga and The Dave Mathews Band. If you are looking for a way to win the same award in 2011, here are some easy tips.2.) Although Taylor Swift writes songs, the trick here is to find a songwriter(s) who can take your sappy teen loves songs and mold them into number one hits. You still wrote the songs, but now they make sense and you get credit for being a genius.
Read the rest of the tips @ http://www.ehow.com/how_5940192_win-grammy-album-year.html
Photos from the New "We Are The World" Recording Sessions "25 For Haiti"
(MTV.com) When it came time to record the 25th-anniversary remake of "We Are the World," the legendary African-famine relief benefit's co-writer and producer, Lionel Richie, said he wanted to approach the project from a modern perspective. That might explain why none of the singers from the 1985 single were in the house for Monday night's marathon sessions, which took place in the same studios where the original song was laid down.
Instead of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper and the late Michael Jackson (whose previously recorded voice, however, will be heard on the tune), the 2010 version will be headlined by Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Wyclef Jean, Josh Groban and Will.I.Am. It features a newly penned hip-hop break written by the Black Eyed Peas leader that makes reference to the January 12 earthquake in Haiti, the victims of which will benefit from the song's proceeds.
Among the rap artists making the cut for "We Are the World — 25 for Haiti" are T-Pain, Kanye West, Bizzy Bone, Kid Cudi, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Drake, Mann, Nipsey Hussle, Busta Rhymes and Swizz Beatz. And though rumored participants such as Lady Gaga, BeyoncĂ©, Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake were not in attendance, the sessions did feature a number of current stars such as Miley Cyrus, Keri Hilson and Best New Artist Grammy winner Zac Brown.
There were the requisite classic artists who pitched in, including Barbra Streisand; Carlos Santana; Natalie Cole; BeBe Winans; the members of Heart; Freda Payne; Harry Connick Jr.; Earth, Wind & Fire; the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson and Al Jardine; Tony Bennett; "Slumdog Millionaire" film score composer A.R. Rahman; "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson; Patti Austin; Celine Dion and Gladys Knight. A few actors were in the studio (Jeff Bridges and Vince Vaughn), as well as the offspring of co-producers Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones, Nicole Richie and "Parks and Recreation" star Rashida Jones, and the members of 3T (the sons of Tito Jackson), Taj, Taryll and TJ Jackson.
Joel and Benji Madden were on hand, as were Akon, Brandy, Melanie Fiona, Mya, Musiq Soulchild, Katharine McPhee, Trey Songz, Faith Evans, "Heroes" actor Jimmy Jean-Louis ("the Haitian") and former Michael Jackson guitarist Orianthi. Also pitching in according to a press statement from organizers were the members of Sugarland, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Mraz, India.Arie, Mary Mary, Tyrese Gibson, Raphael Saadiq, Pink, Jordin Sparks, Rob Thomas, Usher, the Fray's Isaac Slade, child prodigy pianist Ethan Bortnick, Enrique Iglesias, Robin Thicke, Jamie Foxx, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, the Jonas Brothers, Nicole Scherzinger and Julianne Hough.
Co-producer Richie said that Janet Jackson would be laying down her version of Michael Jackson's part on Tuesday, and he hinted that some other artists might also be added over the next few days.
Simon Cowell Haiti Charity Song" Everybody Hurts (Video)
Released on Tuesday, a cover of R.E.M.’s 1992 classic “Everybody Hurts,” produced by Simon Cowell for Haiti releif is expected to become Britain’s biggest-selling single in a decade.
The song features Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus,Michael Buble,Susan Boyle, Bon Jovi Westlife , Robbie Williams Rod Stewart and X-Factor's Cheryl Cole & Alexandra Burke, expects to go platinum at the end of the week.
The song features Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus,Michael Buble,Susan Boyle, Bon Jovi Westlife , Robbie Williams Rod Stewart and X-Factor's Cheryl Cole & Alexandra Burke, expects to go platinum at the end of the week.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Jezebel.com: "Young Hollywood Is White, Thin"
Jezebel.com asks the question: "What does "Young Hollywood" look like?
According to Vanity Fair, it's pretty, thin, female and white.
Amanda Seyfried, Anna Kendrick, Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, Abbie Cornish, Rebecca Hall, Emma Stone, Mia Wasikowska, Evan Rachel Wood: There's not a single woman of color on the cover of Vanity Fair's "Young Hollywood" issue. Two of the ladies — Kristen Stewart and Amanda Seyfried — were already on the August 2008 "Hollywood's New Wave." issue.
There were two women of color — Zoe Saldana, America Ferrara — on the cover of 2008's "Hollywood Issue," but apparently the next decade is not about diversity."
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