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Mike Ragogna: Stop Making Sense With Jerry Harrison & Chris Frantz, Plus a Robert Francis Interview, John Mayer News, and More

2009-11-05T03:00:40Z

Interviews With Talking Heads Jerry Harrison & Chris Frantz

This year being the 25th anniversary of the release of the Talking Heads' concert classic Stop Making Sense, a new Blu-ray version of the Jonathan Demme-directed flick was prepared that includes a refurbished film transfer, new 5.1 sound, and a few interesting extras. Among them is a clip of David Byrne interviewing himself (with wardrobe changes including the "big suit"), and storyboards with multiple viewing choices. Talking Heads Jerry Harrison and Chris Frantz gave some quick insights and reflections on the cult favorite.

Mike Ragogna: How do you feel about having a 25th anniversary Blu-ray edition of the movie?

Chris Frantz: I'm very pleased to still be able to enjoy it! Who knew that the movie would have such a lasting impact, and I'm very pleased that we made it in the first place. Not only does it hold up very well, but I would say it's a really good work of art.

MR: Everything about it seems to be from an artistic angle.

CF: Well, the first band David Byrne and I had together was called The Artistics, and we kind of tried to carry that concept through to Talking Heads. The amazing thing about the movie is that everybody did such a wonderful job on it, and not only the music. The performers are fantastic, but our Talking Heads crew and the film crew were like Trojan warriors. They held up for three days of shooting, and they did a wonderful job.

MR: One of the most beautiful things about Stop Making Sense is how it builds with a minimalist approach. How scripted was the show in order to pull off the vision?

Jerry Harrison: Well, the set was the same every night, and what you see in the film is really what we performed every day. There wasn't anything done in particular for the film other than there was a terrific director of photography who added lighting to what we had as our normal stage lighting. But the basic look of it with the rear slide projections, that was all done every night, as well as the stage being built by (the adding of) musician after musician.

CF: The director of photography, Jordon Croneweth, was fantastic. We had been very impressed with his work in the movie Blade Runner.

MR: That build is the thing that many people, at the time, said that was what they liked best, how the film never stopped drawing you in.

JH: I agree. I think that one of the things--I really would give David credit for this--was that it was done with "simple tools," so it doesn't have a particular technology dating when we made it. Like if you go to big concerts now, they're going to be very defined by the current state of the art in video projection technology. You're in L.A., did you get to see U2 in the Rose Bowl?

MR: Yeah, loved it.

JH: It was fantastic, and the video screens were just amazing. But if that's going to be filmed, that video screen sets the concert in this time period as opposed to, say, five years ago when a U2 tour or any tour showed there was a certain possibility for technology. Stop Making Sense, I would say, is kind of timeless. Its technologies are something that were largely available in the 1920s, with the exception of the rear screen projection. It all has a very analog feeling with basically slides being projected. And because of that, there's nothing that seems to be rooted in a particular technology of the time period, and therefore, it gives it a more timeless and long-lasting power.

MR: Right, including the costumes that, though they may reflect a time period themselves, weren't a new technology, just good ol' staging.

JH: Yes, and that was very deliberate. Now with the Talking Heads, we always wore clothes that looked like we could be caddies on a golf course. We were deliberately trying to not have those kind of things be so flamboyant that they took away from the music and the simple artistic statement.

MR: How did you decide what would be captured on film from your concerts?

CF: Jonathan Demme's girlfriend at the time was named Sandy McCloud, and she was a filmmaker in her own right, and is to this day. Jonathan was busy doing some other movie called Swing Shift with Goldie Hawn, so he wasn't able to go to all the shows. But prior to the shooting, Sandy McCloud must have gone to twenty of our shows, and she took quite extensive notes on direction, like who does what at different times during the set. She was able to convey that to Jonathan who was then able to direct the cameras. One great thing about that movie is the shots are very long. The camera lingers on the different performers to the extent that you really feel like you're getting to know the people. That was quite different than many other concert films that were the visual equivalent of a tossed salad where there's a lot of fast cutting, and a lot of close-ups of people's fingers and stuff like that. Stop Making Sense is quite the opposite, I think.

MR: Even the editing seemed to be minimal, giving it a real graceful flow.

CF: I think you're right about that. The editor, Lisa Day, did a wonderful job. Like I said before, everyone involved did great work, from the cameras to the editing to the sound recording. You know, that was one of the first films ever made with digital recording.

MR: What are your favorite group performances from the film?

CF: There are so many favorites to chose from, but I'm especially fond of "Take Me To The River." That's one of those songs that you never get tired of playing. It was written by Al Green, and it's the only song Talking Heads recorded that we didn't write ourselves. I'm really glad we did it, it's a genius song. It's religious in a really transcendent, gospel way, and it worked really well at the end of the set there. And, of course, I love "Genius Of Love." The guitar player, Alex Weir, said to me once, "You know, my people come to the show to hear 'Genius Of Love.' That's one of the high points to me. And I've got to say, the song "This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody)" is to die for it's so good.

MR: The inclusion of "Genius Of Love" was a nice nod to the Tom Tom Club side project.

JH: Well, there are a couple of things about that. "Genius Of Love," of our combined work, was one of our most successful songs of the time. It seemed that it should be included. And it gave David a chance to change into the "big suit."

CF: Yeah, David needed a chance to change into his "big suit," that's why we did it. In 1983, the song was still huge in all the clubs and all the basketball courts across America. And it was a real contrast to the rest of the set. I know that critic Pauline Kael was kind of harsh about it, she felt it didn't work with the rest of the set. But I thought, on the contrary, it's like a little vacation in the middle of a Talking Heads set. It was a little sorbet.

MR: How involved was the band in the Blu-ray reconstruction?

JH: I was the one who was the most involved, mainly by just checking it out, and asking questions. Jonathan Demme and I got advanced versions, so I went through it comparing it to the DVD, both for sound and picture.

MR: So you were included after the fact.
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JH: I wished I'd been involved from the very beginning because, with ET Thorngren, we did all the remixes of all the Talking Heads albums in 5.1 that were put out on DVD audio. So I would have actually thought it would have been thrilling to remix it, although I don't think there would have been room to have multiple formats.

MR: Technically, it's in 5.1.

JH: Yeah it's got two 5.1 mixes of the stereo mix, and it's in DTS 96 which is great, but I had some questions in what they had done in the sampling rate. No matter, it still sounds much better, so it's a big improvement and it's great.

MR: So you feel there was a significant upgrade in the audio as well as the video?

JH: With the new dolby and DTS formats, you have something that's comparable to what DVD audio or SACD was. Potentially, it's a wonderful new world of home entertainment, you know? I think we live in a world where everyone's become so obsessed by the convenience of listening to things on their computer and iPod. There are friends of my kids, they talk about how many songs they have rather than how good the songs sound. I think people have a tendency to go for ubiquity rather than quality, so they don't care that they have highly digitally compressed versions. So, it's exciting for me to have something like Blu-ray where it's all about trying to raise the quality, and I wish there was more of it.

MR: Who was the force behind it coming out on DVD initially?

JH: It was me that put it together to come out on DVD earlier.

MR: Jerry, you oversaw the initial element transfers?

JH: That's right. And Jonathan got involved with the picture, and I left that up to him. But the deal was the result of a friend of mine, David Beal, who was running Palm Pictures, then I put the whole thing in motion. Then David (Byrne) and Jonathan and a whole bunch of people got involved.

MR: How would you rate Stop Making Sense with the rest of the Talking Heads catalog?

JH: I would say that if no one had heard of the Talking Heads, it would be the first thing I would point them to because, with the exception of the later records, it's very singular. As great as our records are, I think our performances often raise things to a higher level. That being said, thinking back, I think Remain In Light will probably go down as the most original album we ever did. I think it changed the way people thought about making music.

MR: When you watched the final cut back in the day, did the band and Jonathan sense this was going to be one of the great rock films?

JH: Yes. One of my goals when we did this was to do something that rivaled The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which a theater would start playing at midnight every week on like Saturday night. And it actually did that, it was one of the reasons why it was so important not to insert any interviews because they break the flow of concert movies.

CF: It was very popular in the art film circuit, and also in any theater near a college campus. I was just told by some friends that it was shown late at night in an IMAX theater in Chicago. I would LOVE to see it in IMAX!

MR: Were there endorsements from the art community?

CF: I know that the magazine Art Forum has featured it a few times as something that they highly recommend. It's a VERY serious art magazine, you know? I know that critics James Walcott and Pauline Kael were crazy about it.

MR: Twenty-five years later, what kind of impact do you think Stop Making Sense has had on the rock world?

CF: After we did that movie, a couple of people in rock 'n' roll decided they wanted to make a movie too. Theirs didn't fare as well as ours did. (laughs) If you don't have the songs and you don't have the performances, you can just forget it.

JH: Frankly, I don't think it's been surpassed. I think that, really, The Last Waltz and Stop Making Sense hold up as films that people keep coming back to. It's not that there haven't been some other great movies, like I think the one Scorsese did with the Stones was a terrific rock movie. But nothing's come along that just draws you in more. It is very exciting to have it in Blu-ray, where if you have a good 5.1 system, you really can have a more theatre-like experience than you ever could before. It's really, really satisfying.

MR: So what will Stop Making Sense's place be in rock history?

JH: I'd like that it could make as much money as that movie about Miley Cyrus, but I don't think it's going to. (laughs) But I do think it will just continue being one of THE rock performance movies.

MR: What do you think Talking Heads' legacy will be?

CF: My feeling is that it was a wonderful group and I'm so glad that we actually managed to pull it off. Talking Heads was really remarkable in many ways, especially in the fact that we sort of rewrote what a rock band should be like. Great rock bands before us were like The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones--bands that were a great influence on us. But we felt like those guys had already done such a great job at that, there's no way we can outdo them at what they do. So we came at the rock band thing from a different angle. Thanks to that, a lot of normal kids from the suburbs feel like they don't have to dress up in leather clothes and stuff like that in order to get their message across. Also, we were one of the few bands who could have artistic credibility and commercial success at the same time. We could really kind of have our cake and eat it too which was remarkable. Especially today, it's very hard to balance artistic ability with commercial success. You don't see too much of that.

An Interview With Singer-Songwriter Robert Francis

Mike Ragogna: Your new album, Before Nightfall, seems to capture some of the same desperateness as Bruce Springsteen's Darkness On The Edge Of Town because your characters' lives and relationships are challenged by the times. Are all these adventures based on a certain relationship or a few different ones?

Robert Francis: I think this record is pretty much based around one relationship, though I've gone through a few stages in my life where I've had many different girlfriends. But this one was the end-all-be-all that shaped why I think about things in such a different way, that's how I started formulating the songs.

MR: You use "darkness" as your theme throughout. Was that due to the nature of the relationship, or was it more about fighting personal demons?

RF: I definitely was bailing her out a lot, there's so much ground that it covers. A lot of the darkness is literal and metaphorical, but it mainly had to do with memories and how I remember things during that time when I was sort of abusing a lot of substances like alcohol. The way my mind gathers these memories is sort of in black and white. I remember how the night, that darkness, actually felt, waking up, and the way that the light would fall across different objects. So, a lot of it is about the feeling of that darkness.

MR: In the song "Darkness," you have the line "No one's gonna find you if you ever get lost this time..." which captures how dangerous it is to fall into society's cracks. And most of your songs have at least one or two lines that dig this deeply. With your material coming from personal experience, it seems like feel you've had an intense life.

RF: Yeah. Definitely, I was thinking about it the other day. It feels like I'm so young still, but I've been through a lot already.

MR: "Junebug" also is a powerful yet addictive song with still more very original perspectives on life. It's also pretty hooky, and your falsetto kills. Is this your single?

RF: I think iTunes is featuring it as the single. I think Atlantic wants to get the album out there first as a body of work before they do the label thing with a single. But I think when they decide to go there, yeah, that'll be it.

MR: You can hear snippets of a few classic artists on Before Nightfall. Who are some of your influences?

RF: There are so many musicians that I love but those that really inspired me where the greats--Dylan, Neil Young, and Townes Van Zandt. The way those guys made records is real rare. There are no fillers, all the songs are heartfelt. You could take any of their songs and they're great.

MR: Who else?

RF: Other people that I love? John and Beverly Martyn, Karen Dalton, Glen Gray, Alexander Spence. I loved The Band, of course. They made records, and that's what I want to do.

MR: You got your National guitar from Ry Cooder. What was it like having him as a family friend?

RF: It was pretty incredible. I read an interview with him the other day on how he'd sit in a room with the Reverend Gary Davis. You could give him a dime and sit in a room with him and watch him play. I remember reading that you had to be there with that person, it's not something you can just see "live" or watch on TV.

MR: Like being within the presence of the teacher itself to pick up on subtleties, unconscious communication, all that.

RF: Yeah, it was the same thing with me, sitting there with Ry, being that close to him and watching him play throughout my childhood. It's that energy and magic you can't get otherwise. It isn't having that "sound," since that can only go so far. You kind of get removed from space and time, and I would just be able to sit there and soak it in. It was something I was extremely lucky to have done. He plays like no one I've ever heard, and he definitely gave me a real firm understanding of what "soul" really is and how it can be expressed at a really young age. I never got confused or got in on the technical part of guitar playing; I was always searching for that "soul," and that's what I got from Ry.

MR: So feeling is the most important element of your writing process?

RF: Yeah. What'll happen is that something will come over me like a feeling of elation or sadness, whatever it is, and that will spring some sort of melody or idea. I'll probably end up writing the chorus before I write the rest of the song, and figuring out the verses lyrically is how I find a way to pinpoint what I'm singing about in the chorus.

MR: Speaking of Ry Cooder, he supplied the music for Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas, and you've said it affected you profoundly.

RF: When I saw that movie when I was young, it was one of the most inspiring (films) I'd ever seen. I knew right then that I had to pursue my dreams, and I think it made sense--how people need to be searching for something, though it's never really clear what that is. I wanted to figure out exactly what it was that I was searching for. So that's how I began to play music, to envision what I'm doing now, to get this dream together and follow it.

MR: And eventually, you traded a college education for your first record, right?

RF: Pretty much. I was trying to get through school, and couldn't do it. I just dropped out and hit the road pretty quickly with my sister's band playing bass. Then I made my first record.

MR: Did your family have your back when you made the decision to pursue music?

RF: Without the support of my sisters and my parents, I wouldn't even come close to be doing what I do now. If they hadn't been as supportive and raised me the way they did, life would be very different from the way it is.

MR: How would you describe your first album, One By One?

RF: The first record's real innocent, and so much has changed since then, though it was just three years ago. Everything's changed in my outlook on life, on human beings, and relationships. Even my voice has changed a lot since then.

MR: Was it centered around the same cast as Before Nightfall?

RF: Yeah, it was the beginning of that same relationship.

MR: So trusting in yourself paid off since your first album was well received.

RF: Right, it got great reviews.

MR: Then you hooked-up with Atlantic. How did that come about?

RF: After One By One came out, there was probably more interest coming from labels than fans, press, or anything else. I think there were about five record deals on the table, and I was going to go with one of them. But my manger called this A&R guy at Atlantic, Sam Riback, and he got it to him and asked if there was anything that we were missing, like was there a label we should be going to, general opinions. Sam heard the record and fell in love with it. He got it more than anyone else did. The label then pursued me, and I got to know them after a while.

MR: How did you land Dave Sardy as your producer?

RF: I was trying to produce the record myself, and the label supported me. They gave me money to build a studio in the desert, so the band and I went out and demoed these new songs. But when I handed-in the recordings, well, looking back at it, I did need a producer. I heard Sardy always wanted to do the record. I met him in London about two years ago when I was playing a show there for One By One. He was doing the new Oasis record at Abbey Road (Studios). His reputation as a producer was that he's pretty intense, he'd tell you if something's not right. And I wasn't interested in a producer who wanted to make it all comfortable and cozy, I wanted to be around one that was as serious as I was about making it. So, I met with him and began recording the record about a week after that.

MR: And you set-up in the studio like it was your home.

RF: Yeah, we really made it like that. I brought a whole lot of furniture from my house, and we did it in the same way we'd do it in my living room, real intimate and personal. It definitely was a lot of fun.

MR: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

RF: I hope to have at least four or five more records, to try to keep creating as much as I possibly can, and for the records to be as successful as they can be. There's nothing that I enjoy more than just playing songs for my fans and for people who enjoy the music. I'd just like to see that go as far as it could. I have no real plans on intentionally burning out or stopping, this is just what I love to do, and I've always loved doing it. Hopefully, it will take me to a place where I can settle down on a little piece of ranch property and get some old cars, sort of relax one day...

Robert Francis - Before Nightfall

Tracks:
1. Darkness
2. Junebug
3. Nightfall
4. Climb A Mountain
5. I Like The Air
6. Keep On Running
7. Mescaline
8. Where You Came From
9. One By One
10. Hallways
11. Playground
12. Do What I Can

PRESS RELEASES DU JOUR:

JOHN MAYER ANNOUNCES "BATTLE STUDIES" TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUEST MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD

MAYER'S NOV. 17 RELEASE TO BE CELEBRATED WITH LIVE CONCERT BROADCAST ON FUSE IN THE U.S. AND MILITARY BASES GLOBALLY VIA AMERICAN FORCES NETWORK

Today Show, Nightline, Late Show w/David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Jay Leno Show, Larry King Live Appearances Planned
(New York, NY - November 4, 2009) - There is no substitute to seeing John Mayer perform live and the release of Battle Studies later this month will kick off a North American tour beginning February 8th in Charleston, SC and feature special guest, Michael Franti & Spearhead (dates below). Tickets for the majority of dates are planned to go on sale to the general public on Nov. 21, with an American Express cardmember pre-sale window from Nov. 16-20. For those starting their holiday shopping early, a special offer on www.johnmayer.com allows fans who pre-order Battle Studies now through November 10th to access their own exclusive tour pre-sale to purchase up to 12 tickets before they're available anywhere else. Further information for on sale dates to be released soon on www.johnmayer.com.

Kicking off release week, Fuse today announced that their "Fuse Presents: John Mayer Live From the Beacon Theatre," broadcast will now be broadcast overseas to U.S. troops and their families by AFN, The American Forces Network, to reach those stationed in 175 countries and on 140 U.S. Navy ships at sea. Fuse, Madison Square Garden's national music television network and Madison Square Garden Entertainment have teamed up with the American Forces Network (AFN) - now Mayer's performance will air live on Fuse, in HD and SD, on November 17th at 9pm ET in the U.S. and will be simulcast live that night via AFN Radio. Additionally, AFN Television's "Spectrum" channel will air the concert on December 6, 2009 at 8pm and on New Year's Eve.

In addition to an intimate performance of his current single, "Who Says" on the Today Show on Thursday, November 19, Mayer has another special event up his sleeve with The Late Show with David Letterman. Mayer will perform as Letterman's musical guest, and then take over the studio for an extended concert for fans that will be webcast on Letterman's website. On November 19, Mayer will appear on The Late Show as a both a sit-in artist with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra and as the show's musical guest before performing a post-show fan concert, which will stream live and remain online through the beginning of the Battle Studies Tour. Other television appearances and special announcements are planned for December, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Jay Leno Show and Larry King Live.

Battle Studies is the fourth studio album from the seven-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter/guitar player/producer and incorporates the warmth, melodies and simplicity of 70's and 80's California rock and pop. Battle Studies is a confessional, relaxed and liberated album recorded in a private home in California where Mayer lived and worked over the course of six months before wrapping at the famed Capitol Studios in Los Angeles. The album was co-produced by John Mayer and Steve Jordan and will be released on November 17th, 2009 on Columbia Records.

MAYER'S BATTLE STUDIES TOUR W/SPECIAL GUEST MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD:

February
8 Mon Charleston, SC North Charleston Coliseum
9 Tue Birmingham, AL BJCC Arena
10 Wed Nashville, TN Sommet Center
12 Fri Auburn Hills (Detroit), MI The Palace of Auburn Hills
13 Sat Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
16 Tue Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place
17 Wed Montreal, QC Bell Centre
19 Fri Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun
20 Sat Washington, DC Verizon Center
21 Sun Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
24 Wed Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
25 Thu New York, NY Madison Square Garden
28 Sun Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena

March
1 Mon Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
2 Tue St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
4 Thu Omaha, NE Qwest Center
5 Fri Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
6 Sat Houston, TX Toyota Center
8 Mon Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center
9 Tue Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
10 Wed New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena
12 Fri Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
13 Sat Louisville, KY Freedom Hall
15 Mon Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum Complex
16 Tue Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena
17 Wed Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
19 Fri Memphis, TN Fed Ex Forum
20 Sat St Louis, MO Scottrade Center
22 Mon Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
23 Tue Denver, CO Pepsi Center
25 Thu Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
26 Fri San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
30 Tue Portland, OR Rose Garden
31 Wed Seattle, WA KeyArena

April
1 Thu Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
3 Sat Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome
4 Sun Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
6 Tue Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
7 Wed Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
8 Thu Fargo, ND FargoDome
10 Sat Chicago, IL United Center

WEEZER INTRODUCES THEIR VERY OWN SNUGGIE, AVAILABLE TODAY

FANS GET A COPY OF NEW ALBUM RADITUDE AS BONUS GIFT WITH PURCHASE OF A WEEZER SNUGGIE

"THE BLANKET WITH SLEEVES" IS A NATIONAL SENSATION, WITH MILLIONS SOLD AND STILL GOING STRONG

Alternative rock band Weezer and Allstar Products Group, marketer and distributor of the Snuggie, America's favorite "blanket with sleeves," have joined forces to create the official Weezer Snuggie. It will be launched today and will bear the band's trademark "Weezer" logo. This latest addition to the Snuggie collection will allow fans of the band to stay warm while keeping their hands free to rock out. And rock out they will; fans who purchase a Weezer Snuggie blanket will also receive a copy of the band's brand-new album, Raditude, as a bonus gift.

The Weezer Snuggie will be available for $29.99 for purchase online. It arrives around the same day as the band's latest album, Raditude. This new offering sees the band trying a brand-new approach, choosing to collaborate with a wide variety of musicians, songwriters and producers. The result of this collaborative effort is a collection of songs that amplifies Weezer's musical trademarks- deep-digging pop hooks and raucous rock riffs- while at the same time breaking new ground for the band. Raditude features appearances by Lil' Wayne, Jermaine Dupri and even a host of traditional Indian musicians.

From the subtly ironic but club-worthy "Can't Stop Partying," to the gleefully lascivious classic arena-rocker "The Girl Got Hot," to the sleek electro groove of "I'm Your Daddy," to the slow-building, anthemic "Love is the Answer" and the clanking, Motown-flavored "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," Raditude, like Weezer, is full of thrilling surprises. As lead singer Rivers Cuomo says, "It sounds like a roomful of people having a great time."

The Snuggie blanket was featured at New York Fall Fashion Week in September, where models graced the catwalk in some of the latest Snuggie designs, such Snuggie Wild Side in zebra and leopard print, Snuggie Soft Rose for breast cancer awareness and limited edition Snuggadelic Snuggie in funky tie-dye print.

The Snuggie blanket is more than a fun idea, impulse buy or kitschy TV ad; it is a truly innovative and ultimately functional product. It's made of lightweight, soft fleece that keeps people of all ages warm indoors and out, with large, roomy sleeves allowing for free movement. It answers a basic need shared by many - staying warm and comfortable while having hands free to do what you please - channel surf, snack, read a book... or crank up the volume on your favorite Weezer song.

CONGRATULATIONS TO COLUMBIA RECORDS ARTISTS WINNERS AT THE 2009 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS!

BEYONCÉ
Best R&B/Soul Artist Female
Song of the Year "Single Ladies"
Album of the Year

MAXWELL
Best R&B/Soul Artist Male

MARY MARY
Best Gospel Performance

The 2009 Soul Train Awards premiere on Sunday, November 29th at 9pm et/pt on BET and Centric

ROONEY TO RELEASE SELF-PRODUCED, LIMITED-EDITION EP, WILD ONE

BAND EMBARKS ON NATIONAL HEADLINING TOUR IN SUPPORT

L.A. five-piece Rooney is gearing up to release a new, limited-pressing EP, Wild One and will embark on a national headlining tour beginning November 27th at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre, in support. Fans can get a first listen to Wild One as the EP will be available exclusively at these upcoming shows before becoming available at iTunes in early 2010. Only 5,000 EPs will be pressed.

Wild One was produced and engineered by the band, and features four brand-new tracks. The EP was mixed by Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Built to Spill and My Morning Jacket) and mastered by Dave McNair (Willie Nelson, Patti Smith.)

After signing with a major record label and working with some of the music industry's most esteemed producers since their inception, the band is proud to showcase this collection of songs they crafted entirely themselves. Rooney's latest offering features some of their best, most inventive and original material to date.

Rooney was signed to Geffen Records in 2002 after independently releasing a series of EPs and demos. They released their self-titled debut in 2003; shortly thereafter they saw significant success with single "I'm Shakin" and a cameo appearance on hit teen drama The O.C. The band has toured with a variety of superstar acts including Kings of Leon, Weezer and The Strokes.

Rooney is Robert Schwartzman (vocals/guitar,) Taylor Locke (guitar / vocals) Ned Brower (drums / vocals) Louie Stephens (keyboard / vocals) and Matthew Winter (bass).

Wild One track listing:

1. Suckceed
2. I Don't Understand
3. Wild One
4. The Days Keep Going By

Tour Dates:

11/27 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
11/28 - Pomona, CA - The Glass House
11/29 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
11/30 - Eugene, OR - WOW Hall
12/1 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
12/2 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
12/4 - Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue- Club Sound
12/5 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
12/7 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4
12/8 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
12/9 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre
12/10 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
12/11 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
12/12 - Baltimore, MD - Club Stage
12/13 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Underground
12/14 - West Chester, PA - The Note
12/16 - Atlanta, GA - The Loft
12/17 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's Uptown
12/18 - Houston, TX - Meridian
12/19 - Austin, TX - Emo's
12/20 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
12/22 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress

ALEC OUNSWORTH TAKES FLASHY PYTHON ON THE ROAD

ANNOUNCES DATES WITH COLD WAR KIDS

Anti-Records is proud to announce tour dates for Alec Ounsworth, whose new album, Mo Beauty, was just released. Starting with four shows opening for Cold War Kids, Flashy Python, featuring Ounsworth, Matt Sutton, Peter Modavis, Brian Ashby and Jonas Oesterle, will be playing songs from Mo Beauty, Flashy Python's debut Skin and Bones and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's catalogue. The band gave their premiere performance at this year's CMJ Marathon.

Mo Beauty was recorded deep in the heart of musical New Orleans with an ensemble of local heavyweights including George Porter Jr. of the Meters and drummer Stanton Moore of Galactic, and was guided by veteran producer Steve Berlin (Los Lobos, Replacements). The album is a stunning union of powerful rhythms and imaginative arrangements in the service of evocative literary songwriting.

Praise for Alec Ounsworth's Mo Beauty has been strong:

"This sound is voluptuous and muscular, and it suits him well."- Pitchfork

"The Sharpest arrangements and best songwriting of his short career: Almost every tune on Mo Beauty equals or betters those on CYHSY's lauded 2005 debut." - Spin

"Ounsworth has crafted an album that transitions seamlessly from ballads to more frenetic tracks with a straightforward sound that lets the songwriting and hooks resonate without being over-produced." - Filter

"Strikingly compelling" - Relix

The dates supporting Cold War Kids are below. Flashy Python will be spending most of 2010 on the road. More shows will be announced soon.

January 2010
22 - Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
23 - San Francisco, CA -The Fillmore
29 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
30 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theater

Miley Cyrus Stalker Gets Plea Deal

2009-10-30T09:00:08Z

SAVANNAH, Ga. — A 53-year-old man pleaded guilty Friday to resisting police outside the set of a Miley Cyrus movie on the Georgia coast after prosecutors dropped charges that he tried to stalk the teen pop star.

Mark McLeod, who told police he was engaged to marry the 16-year-old "Hannah Montana" star, was sentenced by a State Court judge to two years probation and was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. He was also banished from Savannah and surrounding Chatham County and ordered to stay away from Cyrus and her family.

Michael DeJong: Halloween? Bah, Humbug!

2009-10-29T18:12:46Z

Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy festive holidays as much as the next person, but we eco-freaks can't help ourselves from sucking the fun out of things -- particularly when it comes to harming children.

Do you remember growing up and the only thing to worry about on Halloween was getting an apple with razor blades in it? First of all, what an Urban Myth. All one kid needed to do was point out which house gave out the fatal fruit, and the entire neighborhood would have been out with pitchforks and flaming torches. And, if anyone on my Halloween route had the nerve to stick a piece of fruit in my Trick-or-Treat bag (razor blades or not) I'd have put it in a paper bag, lit the bag on fire, rang the bell and ran. What kid wants fruit?

So now we come to my fun-sucking dilemma. For the sake of full disclosure, I feel it's important for me to admit that as an adult I hate Halloween. The thought of being in a parade or at a party with drunken strangers in masks is like some people's irrational fear of clowns--it just gives me the willies.

But Halloween, everyone says, is for the kids. And let's suppose for the sake of this blog that that's true. Here is how I see it:

1. Jack-o-Lanterns: Thanks to years of Martha Stewart one-upping herself each Halloween, carving a traditional buck-toothed, triangle-eyed pumpkin just doesn't cut it anymore--it's your kid's equivalent to having last year's X-Box games. So, one either has to have the carving talents of Rodin, or else Mommy goes to the big box store and buys one of those foam "pumpkins" made in China from God-knows-what toxic petrochemicals. The carbon footprint of making, packing, and flying that fake gourd alone could prevent us from ever reaching 350. And now that we no longer carve real pumpkins from the pumpkin patch for fear of being accused of All Hallows Eve banality, we lose out on one of Mother Nature's greatest once-a-year secrets--scraping the pumpkin seeds out, rinsing them off, sprinkling them with salt and then baking them at a low temperature until they are toasty, golden, and crunchy delicious. Foam pumpkins don't even come with foam seeds.

2. Costumes: Here, you have your two types -- Mommy-made or store-bought. Mom-made costumes are going the way of the horse and buggy, 8-track tapes, and analog clocks. First, most of the mom's I know, if they are lucky enough to be employed, are the second breadwinner in the family, and are too exhausted to sew and dye fabrics that any self-respecting six-year old wouldn't be caught dead in. Show of hands--how many moms out there even know how to sew or have a sewing machine? And when did "What Tiffany is wearing for Halloween" become the equivalent of the Bar Mitzvah wars? Now stores of all stripes have racks and racks of adorable, perfectly appointed ready-made costumes that can put mom back anywhere from $15 to $50--and in today's economy, that ain't hay. But what's worse is that unlike pajamas that were mandated to be flame retardant years ago, the materials that most store-bought witches, ghost and goblin get-ups are made from can't be made fire retardant--100% nylon, acetate and acrylic tend to resist flame retarding, and foreign made materials often have unknown chemicals in them to enhance bulk or texture. These "unknowns" can cause problems. So not only isn't junior's Frankenstein or Spiderman costume not flame retardant, it's also off-gassing into his poor lil' pores.

3. Mask or Make-Up? Neither is a good choice for a little one. Remember when you were a kid and you got one of those hard plastic masks with the rubber band that went over your ears and behind your head? And do you remember how wonderful it smelled when you had it on--kind of a kid's version of new car smell. Well, now we know that when plastic smells, watch out--there's toxins in them thar' masquerades. And let's say that you are one of the lucky mom's with kids still young enough to go for the bed sheet-turned-into-ghost costumes. No sewing required, just a scissor to cut out a hole for the head, and to trim off the bottom so baby Justin doesn't trip over himself trying to carry all his trick-or-treat booty home. Well, little Justin can't just have his everyday head sticking out of that ghostly sheet--who would that scare? So, mommy either buys ghoul make-up at the local drug store, or pulls out her old discarded Revlon, Cover Girl, Maybelline, etc., from the bottom of some forgotten bathroom drawer, and paints the kid's face. For anyone concerned about the chemical contents of make-up, I refer you to Womens Voices for the Earth's report, "Pretty Scary," about the heavy metal content in make-up made specifically for kids at Halloween time (http://www.womenandenvironment.org/pdf/PrettyScary_Oct2009.pdf) as well as their report "A Little Prettier" as part of their ongoing Campaign for Safe Cosmetics investigations and lobbying efforts to make the adult cosmetics industry manufacture healthier products (http://safecosmetics.org/search.php).

And if you wanted to be creative in a retro sort of way, and make a mask out of a brown paper bag, try and find one made from either recycled pre- and post-consumer waste or one made with paper approved by the Forest Stewardship Council. Most are still made from virgin trees.

4. The Booty: And even though the "razors in the apples" scare has died down, parents warn their children to not eat anything that is not store-bought and wrapped in its original foil or plastic hermetically sealed protective coating. Industrial sized bags are now available for sale at every big box store and large supermarket. As a kid, my favorite Halloween treat was Candy Corn--and not the yellow, orange and white ones either--no sir--the neighbors that gave out handfuls of the yellow, orange and brown Candy Corn were my heroes. Today, loose candy is immediately thrown away when mom and dad investigate the contents of the night's take. So we're left with individually wrapped miniatures of 60s classic candy bars, and by the time little Allison can unwrap one of those impervious Tyvak-like wrappers, her arms, already tired from carrying the haul home, are numb, and her little fingers are frostbitten from the sudden drop in temperature between 6:00 and 10:00 pm, and she just thinks, the heck with it, I'll handle this in the morning, only to wake and find mommy and daddy sprawled out on the living room floor in a massive sugar crash from having eaten all the goodies. It's probably for the better because mommy has already indoctrinated 10-year-old Allison that she is too fat and if she wants to be the next Miley Cyrus she had best be dieting and not eating all that sugary crap.

5. TPing: Oh the days when throwing roll after roll of toilet paper into the neighbor's tree brought endless joy, and belly-aching, roll-on-the-ground laughter. However, for the 21st Century eco-minded, not just any TP will do anymore. And since the only eco-friendly TP readily available is Seventh Generation, at $2.99 or more a roll, this "trick" is not only wasteful, but becomes a major investment.

But never fear, another Halloween will soon come and go, and lest we even try to hold onto our memories of All Hallows Eve, three weeks ago, the candy aisles were already empty, the only costumes left on the racks were the ripped and rejected, and ever since Columbus Day, it's been beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Bah, Humbug!

Noah Cyrus, Miley's Little Sis, Has An Interesting Halloween Costume (PHOTO)

2009-10-29T17:05:55Z

Here's Noah Cyrus, Miley's 9-year-old sister, at a Halloween fundraiser last weekend. Surely her parents must realize that underage sexification will be hard to pass off as an innocent misstep.

At least Noah stayed away from the stripper pole this time.

PHOTO:

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eSarcasm: Suck on This, Apple Fanboys

2009-10-22T17:16:36Z

Hey, we love a good cat fight as much as the next guy. And if anyone should get into a hair pulling, face-clawing, blood-on-the-floor tussle, it might as well be Apple and Verizon.

Verizon has taken a shot at Apple with a clever commercial titled "iDon't" that points out everything its new Android 2.0-powered phone, The Motorola Droid, does that the iPhone does not.

The Droid Web site, on the other hand, looks like it was constructed by the Arnold Schwarzenneger character from Terminator 1 (not the lovable Teutonic hero of Terminators 2 & 3). And then there's the rather ambitious claim they appear to be making:

You betcha. And if it vibrated at precisely 200 kilohertz, we'd be singing "Jizz in My Pants."

However, we'll believe that claim the day our cell phones a) fix our traffic tickets, b) get us laid, or c) explain to our significant other(s) how we managed to get laid when they weren't in the room.

Also, the name: Droid is just a little too close to the 'Noids, that execrable marketing campaign Dominoes Pizza foisted on us in the late '80s. We've been Avoiding the Noids -- and Dominoes -- ever since.

Still, anyone willing to make fun of Apple, thus taking some of the heat off us, is OK in our book. In fact, we liked the idea so much we made our own little list of things we at eSarcasm don't or won't do.

WeDon't:

... eat our own filth

... eat other people's filth (unless it's high-quality imported filth)

... give even the tiniest shit about Jon and Kate Gosselin

... believe anything Michael Arrington writes unless he's got a station wagon full of nuns as witnesses, and the nuns have all passed lie detector tests, and they can prove they're really nuns and not just guys dressed up like nuns

... party with Lindsay Lohan (and not just because she hasn't asked us to yet)

... pretend our six-year-old son is piloting a helium balloon at 10,000 feet when we've really just stashed him inside a cardboard box in the attic

... name any child 'Falcon' (heck, why not Fairlane or Taurus?)

... vomit and/or fart loudly on national television (but there's still time)

... live blog Apple's earnings announcements

... let friends use AOL

... post nude pix of ourselves on Flickr. Isn't that why God invented MySpace?

... speculate over which no-name actor/model/general douchebag is statutorily "not having sex" with Miley Cyrus

... have posters of Megan Fox on our cubicle walls*

... DM Ashton Kutcher on Twitter

... claim to be close personal friends with Ashton Kutcher just because he responded to one of our DMs (OK, we lied)

... understand why anyone over the age of 12 ever reads Digg

... use the word "manscape"

... practice any form of Tantric sex. If that's what you need, call up Sting. We're sure he'd be happy to oblige after he's done manscaping

... watch any program that uses the word "cougar" in its title and isn't on Animal Planet

... post photos of much hotter guys on Hot or Not and pretend they're us

... actually know what 'fo shizzle ma nizzle' means

... purchase any fragrance based on a character from "Sex and the City." Whatever that smells like cannot be good

... attend launch parties for mediocre operating systems

... cream our jeans over every new fucking cell phone to hit the market

... own iPhones. Not that they aren't cool and all. But there's no way we're paying AT&T $80 a month for anything

Is there anything you don't do? Post them below.

* But only because we don't have cubicles.

Crave yet more Geek Humor Gone Wild? Please come visit us at eSarcasm.com. You'll be glad uDid.

Candy Spelling: The End of the Affair in Hollywood

2009-10-16T20:30:13Z
Can it be true? Is there a Hollywood break-up with international repercussions happening behind the scenes? It's not that I like to gossip about relationships, but I couldn't miss this one.

On Monday morning, my Los Angeles Times greeted me with a story headlined, "Angry Stars All a Twitter." The sub-hed was, "It's now the go-to site for celebs to rant about each other," and went on to give examples of big stars going public on Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere with their complaints about other stars.

Guys, I know we're in a new media landscape, but that's a real no-no. That's why you have publicists and agents and managers and whomever all those other handlers are. We're not supposed to read your name in a story about stars acting up in the morning newspaper.

The Times, clearly one of the few remaining arbiters of celebrity etiquette, rightly noted: "Indeed, there's a wide gulf between what entertainers say on Twitter and in their carefully modulated public statements." Duh. That's why people collectively pay publicists millions of dollars a year.

Yet, Kirstie Alley, Spencer Pratt, Courtney Love, Mark Cuban, Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown and even celebrity veteran Demi Moore were cited in the story for their upper case, exclamation-pointed honesty, a real no-no.

I figured all the publicists emailed the story to their clients, and packaged civility would return.

But, now there's another fissure.

On today's front page of The Hollywood Reporter is a story, "Hey Showbiz Folks: Check Your Contract Before Your Next Tweet." It begins:

Hollywood is coming down with the Twitter jitters.

There's a growing number of studio deals with new language aimed specifically at curbing usage of social-media outlets by actors, execs and other creatives. The goal: plugging leaks of disparaging or confidential information about productions via the likes of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Ooops. Now executives and creatives are being warned, too. They're supposed to be watching over the stars. Twitter, Facebook, even old MySpace are terrific promotional vehicles for Hollywood. All Hollywood needs to do is to keep human emotion in check, and the relationship can thrive.

I can imagine Louis B. Mayer or Lew Wasserman advising their stars: If you can't say something nice in 140 characters, maybe you shouldn't say it at all. Can you hear it, too?

Read more: Blogs, Myspace, Twitter, Los Angeles Times, Facebook, Hollywood Reporter, Publicists, Celebrities, Miley Cyrus, Courtney Love, Spencer Pratt, Kirstie Alley, Demi Moore, Entertainment News

Miley Cyrus Raps About Twitter: Star's YouTube Video Explains Tweet Exit (VIDEO)

2009-10-11T09:17:56Z
*See video below*

After deleting her Twitter account (to the chagrin of her fans), Miley Cyrus posted a rap on YouTube to explain why she's said goodbye to Tweets.

Watch the video below for Miley's reflections on a Twitter life.

So why'd she quit?

"I want my private life private," she raps. "I'm living for me."

"Everything that I do, those lame gossip sites take it and they make it news."

Miley also tries to dispel rumors that she deleted her account because her beau, Liam Hemsworth, wanted her to, saying: "It wasn't because my friend told me to. I stopped living for moments and started living for people."

Entertainment Weekly makes a good point:

Of course, it totally makes sense to want to keep things private then release a video spelling that out--and simultaneously putting yourself back on display. I mean, yeah. Or something.

WATCH:

Read more: Miley Cyrus, Miley Cyrus Video, Miley Cyrus Twitter Rap Video, Miley Cyrus Twitter, Miley Cyrus Twitter Rap, Technology News

Miley Cyrus Twitter Saga: Billy Ray Begs Star To Return To Tweets

2009-10-09T12:33:08Z
NEW YORK — Most parents want their kids to twitter less, but not Billy Ray Cyrus.

The country music star is urging daughter Miley Cyrus to return to Twitter. The 16-year-old pop star quit the microblogging site earlier this week, puzzling her fans. She had more than 1.1 million followers on the site.
Read more: Billy Ray Twitter, Billy Ray Cyrus Miley, Miley Cyrus, Miley Cyrus Twitter, Billy Ray Cyrus Twitter, Miley Twitter, Billy Ray Cyrus, #Mileycomeback, Technology News

Miley Cyrus' Twitter Account DEAD: Star Quits Tweeting

2009-10-08T15:43:06Z
There's a little less celebrity Tweeting in the online universe today. Miley Cyrus has deleted her Twitter page after posting a message apparently referencing Australian actor Liam Hemsworth, her The Last Song costar and rumored love interest.
Read more: Miley Cyrus, Miley Deletes Twitter Account, Miley Deletes Twitter, #Mileycomeback, Liam Hemsworth Miley Cyrus, Miley Cyrus Twitter, Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus Stops Tweeting, Technology News

Miley Cyrus Confirmed For 'Sex And The City 2'

2009-09-26T08:37:09Z
For weeks rumors have swirled that Miley Cyrus will have a role in "Sex and the City 2."

Well, Gossip Cop has an answer.

Gossip Cop can confirm that in the current script, Cyrus has one scene, and in it she wears the same dress to a red carpet event that Kim Cattrall's character buys to look "hot and young." In the script, Mario Cantone's character Anthony responds by exclaiming, "Mother of God: She is wearing the same dress as Hannah Montana."
Read more: Miley Cyrus Sex and the City, Sex and the City Sequel, Sex and the City 2, Sex and the City, Miley Cyrus, Film, Entertainment News

Miley Cyrus' 'Party In The USA' Video: Better Or Worse Than Pole Dancing? (VIDEO, POLL)

2009-09-24T12:32:22Z
Miley Cyrus' video of 'Party in the USA' is out, and unlike her performance at the Teen Choice Awards last month, it does not include a pole dancing performance. You can take the stripper pole away from the girl, but you can't take away her moves...which she performs in cowboy boots and short-shorts in the bed of a pickup truck--a reference, she says, to her humble Tennessee upbringing.

"I'm like, 'This is to represent where I am from,'" she told MTV. "I'm so proud of it. All the girls trying to be Hollywood and stuff with their big glasses, me shooing them away. I love it. It's about my roots."

Watch Miley keeping in real in her video and working the pole at the MTV awards and vote for your favorite performance of the song.

WATCH the video:

WATCH the pole dancing version:

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Read more: Miley Cyrus, Video, Music, Party in the Usa, Poll, Entertainment News

Mike Ragogna: Metro Station and Miley & The Rockits Plays Staples Center

2009-09-23T05:04:46Z
First, oh discriminating HuffPost readers, please bring half an open mind to this review, okay? Second, did you know Billy Ray Cyrus has a musically talented son, Trace, and he's one of the two front men for the power-pop group Metro Station? It's all true. These hyper-pop-rockers played the Staples Center Tuesday night and pretty much set the tone for the act that followed... Miley somebody. Now, granted, they played in front of the largest, youngest audience probably ever, but those thousands of little eyeballs were hypnotized by tattoo-boy Trace Cyrus and his best friend and main guitarist, the headbanded and be-sunglassed Mason Musso, as they really did rock for a full 41 and change minutes.

During that time--normally reserved for rudeness to the opening act--Trace and Mason had full control of their screaming pre-pubescent minions, and they, along with synthist Blake Healy and drummist Anthony Improgo, supplied many faux-U2 and Clash hooks to the surprisingly receptive youngsters. Watching Cyrus and Musso cheerlead the sold out arena was impressive since they didn't have the following act's technologies with which to mesmerize, but there was a lot of onstage (and offstage) jumping, electric guitar flingings, nymph-y choreography (uh, dudes, these are little girls, come on), and a not so spontaneous shirt striptease (hey, remember the South Park episode on Disney and The Jonas Brothers?).

Musically, they chugged out infectious, punky anthems such as "California," "Tell Me What To Do," and "Kelsey" so expertly, it seemed to have all the challenge of texting; and the best compliment would be that, playing live, the boys are as good as or, occasionally, better than their studio recordings. On the other hand, "Seventeen Forever" seemed to miss the cool dynamics and textures of the recording; but on the other, other hand, the band's performance against a back-screened video of the track was a nice moment. Their new song "Japanese Girl" was sufficiently seventies and Cure-like (on speed), and their wacky "Shake It" was a cute aerobic closer. However, whatever song has the "Take It Off, Let's Just Touch" suggestion, well, I dare them to sing it to my six-year-old daughter. But this creepy faux pas probably occurred because Metro Station should be enjoying a slightly older, more rock-appreciative audience, not just little kids.

Now. About Ruby & The Rockits. David Cassidy, his brother Patrick, and their brother Shaun...what? Oh, right, Miley Cyrus. Mostly famous for being the sister of Trace Cyrus of Metro Station, Miley Cyrus always was bound to someday make something of herself with some hard work, a little luck, and about two hundred million Disney dollars. From the technological perspective, this was an amazing show to witness, sophisticated enough for parents as well as their rambunctious preteens. And there were moments of brilliance, like when Miley's song "Fly On The Wall"--complete with an audience flyover by the young lady--concluded with a mini-Thriller tribute that included Vincent Price's macabre laugh track. The sets and Broadway-style choreography were the absolute best that money could buy, with themes ranging from futuristic to apocalyptic, and effects covering colorful pyrotechnics and indoor fireworks. Nothing sucked here.

What did stink? Well, Disney was involved...can you guess what happened about three-fifths into the show? Out rolled a trailer for Miley's upcoming coming-of-age flick The Last Song. Then there was the song from The Last Song. Yay! But to be fair, Miley herself gets a pass for emotionally singing the environmentally-themed "Wake Up America" with scenes of turmoil associated with global warming projected on screens behind her during her vocals. The weird thing here is you've got Wal-Mart sponsoring Miley's tour and the more progressive Disney goliath endorsing this allegedly liberal message. Kind of makes you wonder if Wal-Mart is lightening up a little. Perhaps Disney should have the teen test the waters further with a song on healthcare reform.

As far as Miley's vocal chops, you couldn't hear any pitch-correcting gizmos if they were being used, so...they were...in tune! Actually, she is a good singer. Her repertoire included the hits "G.N.O." (that sounded like The Go-Go's), "Party In The U.S.A.," and "See You Again," a song on which "Sunglasses At Night"'s Corey Hart should be credited as co-writer. She did a fine job with Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (atop a flying red motorcycle), and her last song, "The Climb," ended the concert with a monster ballad gut-wrench that we all expect, nay, demand of our pop singers' finales. Her dancing and timing were impeccable, and she handled the stage gymnastics and minimal acrobatics like The Flying Graysons (shameful Batman reference for Jacques Lambert). If fame doesn't whack her out (translation: careful with those Annie Leibovitz photo sessions and pole dances, okay grownup handlers who should know better?), she eventually will attract that older demo and is going to mess up her competition in a major way. Why, she may even become more popular than Ruby & The Rockits. (Nah, never happen.)

Dicey iPhone Photo of Metro Station @ Staples Center (anyone know how to work the zoom?)

Read more: Miley Cyrus, Wal-Mart, The Cure, David Cassidy, Billy Ray Cyrus, Metro Station, Joan Jett, The Flying Graysons, The Jonas Brothers, The Last Song, Mason Musso, Ruby & the Rockits, The Clash, Trace Cyrus, Patrick Cassidy, U2, The Go-Gos, Disney, Staples Center, Batman & Robin, Shaun Cassidy, Annie Leibovitz, South Park, Entertainment News, Entertainment News

Tina Fey On Miley Cyrus: "Working The Pole Is A Rite Of Passage" (VIDEO)

2009-09-21T15:00:31Z
Tina Fey proved she's just as funny off-camera when she had the whole room in stitches during her post-Emmys press conference. The reporter perhaps thought he was throwing Fey a curveball by asking her about Miley Cyrus' stripper pole dance and young women "sexualizing themselves." Fey batted it right back:

Fey: I only saw it on the internet. I can't believe I have an opinion about this. I thought she was just hanging onto the pole to not fall off the ice cream cart. It didn't seem dirty to me. It seemed like a technical safety device.

Questioner: So how do you feel about young woman, teenagers, sexualizing themselves.

Fey: I think working the pole is a rite of passage in Western culture that we can expect all our daughters to pass.

Another hilarious moment comes at the end when Fey accidentally gives out co-star Jane Krakowski real hotel room number.

WATCH:

Send us tips! Write us at tv@huffingtonpost.com if you see any newsworthy or notable TV moments. Read more about our media monitoring project here and click here to join the Media Monitors team.

Read more: Miley Cyrus, Tina Fey and Miley Cyrus, Tina Fey, Tina Fey Emmys Video, Tina Fey the Emmys, Tina Fey Video, The Emmys, Entertainment News

Miley Cyrus' Mullet Dress

2009-09-18T16:52:13Z
Miley Cyrus arrived at the VH1 Divas show on Thursday night in a black dress that had a short front and long back. Speaking of short in the front and long in the back, the mullet hairstyle with a similar description was made famous by her father Bill Ray.

She later changed during the telecast.

PHOTO:

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Read more: Miley Cyrus, Poll, Vh1 Divas, Mullet, Billy Ray Cyrus, Entertainment News

VH1 Divas Concert Tonight: Paula Hosts Miley, Kelly, Sheryl & More

2009-09-17T17:20:45Z
***SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE LIVEBLOG FROM THE VH1 DIVAS CONCERT***

Paula's back! Tonight she makes her first post-'Idol' television appearance on 'VH1 Divas,' a live concert featuring performances by Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Jordin Sparks, Leona Lewis and Adele.

Special guests include established divas Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Martina McBride and Cyndi Lauper. And pop culture icons Bethenny Frankel, Lauren Conrad, Kathy Griffin and Whitney Port will be there. Basically it's a pretty amazing lineup.

Paula is not only hosting the show, but she performs. She dances! And she's still got the moves! Watch a clip of her dancing in rehearsal yesterday to her vintage hit 'Straight Up' and come back at 9 pm to participate in the live blog. We'll be tweeting from the audience.

Watch Paula's ad for 'VH1 Divas' here.

DIVAS LIVE BLOG:
Watch Divas on VH1 at 9PM EST

WATCH Paula dance to 'Straight Up':

VH1 Divas | Divas Video | Celebrity Photos

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Read more: Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, Paula Abdul, Vh1 Divas, Stevie Wonder, Adele, Jordin Sparks, Televison, Kelly Clarkson, Music, Vh1, Leona Lewis, Entertainment News

eSarcasm: iTunes Psychology: Your Playlist, Your Self

2009-09-03T15:19:28Z
I'm a rebellious and artistic guy with mixed emotions and a limited sense of responsibility. That's what my iTunes playlist indicates, anyway -- at least, according to some newly released research. (The fact that it didn't include "irresistibly charming" in my profile, I assume, was a mere oversight.)

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have been studying how our musical tastes affect people's perceptions of us. They've found certain musical preferences consistently lead people to the same conclusions -- and, especially in our connected culture, we're constantly sending out clues.

"It is now common practice to list your favorite bands on sites like MySpace or Facebook," the study's lead researcher explains. "This research shows that in doing so, many of us are also making clear public statements of who we are and how we should be perceived, whether we are conscious of that or not." (That means you, Guy Who Thinks No One's Noticed "Womanizer" In His Pandora History.)

So what persona is your choice of aural pleasure portraying? Here are some of the study's conclusions:

Rock music: You're rebellious, artistic, and emotionally unstable.

Jazz music: You're friendly, emotionally stable, and have a limited sense of responsibility.

Rap music: You're energetic, athletic, and also rather hostile.

Classical music: You're intellectual, unattractive, and whiter than John Hodgman.

We conducted our own analysis to figure out what the presence of specific artists in your playlist tells outsiders. From the eSarcasm Smartass Lab:

Songs by John Mayer: You're either (a) an overgrown frat-boy douche or (b) a horny teenage girl.

Songs by Miley Cyrus: You're either (a) a preteen girl or (b) a middle-aged male sex offender.

Songs by Shakira: You're a normal heterosexual male, as long as you're only a fan of watching her videos on mute; otherwise, you're a tone-deaf asshole.

Songs by Katy Perry or Beyonce: See above.

Songs by Uncle Kraker: You're a mullet-sportin' fella with a mouth full of chaw.

Songs by Nickelback: You're the kind of guy who, five years ago, worshiped Creed.

Songs by Lil Wayne: We won't be able to understand a word you say.

Songs by Alanis Morrisette: You're the kind of girl we don't want to date.

Songs by Flo Rida or any other rapper who blatantly promotes oral lovin' in his lyrics: You're the kind of girl we don't want to date (but will try to sleep with tonight).

For more Geek Humor Gone Wild, visit eSarcasm. You'll be glad you did.
Read more: Miley Cyrus, John Mayer, Playlists, Alanis Morissette, Lil Wayne, Apple iTunes, Apple, Music, Classical, Rap, Nickelback, Beyonce, Rock, Shakira, Flo Rida, Jazz, Creed, Comedy News

Miley Cyrus: It Sucks To Publicly Embarrass Myself (VIDEO)

2009-08-28T14:01:23Z
Miley Cyrus has been dragged through the mud for a handful of lightweight scandals, from pole dancing to Asian mocking to not-really topless photos. Things that are extra regrettable when you are famous for being a Disney starlet!

"My mistakes are kind of a little bit harder because they are in front of millions and millions of people," Miley told Natalie Morales on the Today Show Friday after performing in the rain.

"I get to go through that and I get to learn. It's hard sometimes to smile about it, because half the time, yeah, it does suck to have to go through that. But also it makes you want to try harder the next time when I know that little girls look at me and say I'm their hero."

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Read more: Today Show, Miley Cyrus, Video, Miley Cyrus Topless Pictures, Miley Cyrus Asian Picture, Miley-Cyrus-Pole-Dancing, Entertainment News

Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Miley's Stripper Pole Dance (VIDEO, POLL)

2009-08-20T16:24:40Z
Billy Ray Cyrus would like everyone to know he supports his daughter's efforts as an entertainer, even when they involve pole dances as did Miley's dance at the Teen Choice Awards earlier this month.

"You know what? I just think that Miley loves entertaining people," he told Access Hollywood when asked about the controversy. "I always tell her to love what you're doing and stay focused for the love of the art and not worry so much about opinion."

It's worth noting that Billy's youngest daughter, Noah, 9, is also acquainted with stripper poles.

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Read more: Miley Cyrus, Miley Cyrus Stripper Poll, Billy Ray Cyrus, Poll, Entertainment News

Attorney: Miley Stalker 'A Human Being'

2009-08-18T12:58:41Z
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. — A 53-year-old man charged with attempting to stalk "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus is "a human being" struggling with grief who might need help, his defense attorney said Tuesday.

Mark McLeod of Appling appeared briefly Tuesday before a Tybee Island Municipal Court judge, who postponed a scheduled hearing in the case until next Tuesday. Outside the courtroom, his court-appointed lawyer said people shouldn't jump to conclusions that McLeod is dangerous.
Read more: Miley Cyrus, Mark McLeod, Miley-Cyrus-Stalker, Entertainment News

Sisters Or Mother And Daughter? Hot Hollywood Moms (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-08-16T09:40:47Z
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree for these mother/daughter pairs. But which of them could pass as sisters? You decide.

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Read more: Slidepoll, Miley Cyrus, Melanie Griffith, Sharon Osbourne, Leticia Cyrus, Goldie Hawn, Ali Lohan, Kate Hudson Goldie Hawn, Demi Moore, Beyonce, Tina Knowles, Kelly Osbourne, Dina Lohan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Serena Williams, Brandi Cyrus, Dakota-Johnson, Blythe Danner, Rumer Willis, Hayden Panettiere, Eva Amurri, Susan Sarandon, Kate Hudson, Lesley Panettiere, Entertainment News

Paul Slansky: This Preposterous Week in Review

2009-08-14T12:49:35Z

Bachmann, Rep. Michele
•AmeriCorps, a program recently attacked by as "re-education camps for young people ... as a parent, I would have a very, very difficult time seeing my children do this," is -- hah! -- joined by the son of
•mere reporting of Harrison Bachmann's joining AmeriCorps is disingenuously attacked by as "a hit piece on one of my kids!"

Blagojevich, Rod
•new career of as Elvis impersonator

Bush, George W.
•conservative economist Bruce Bartlett places blame for current economic crisis squarely on

Cheney, Dick
•contempt of for White House insiders who went on to write tell-all memoirs is apparently being withheld by from self

Clinton, Secretary of State Hillary
•misunderstood Congolese student receives inappropriate tongue-lashing from

Cyrus, Miley
•Disney Channel declines to comment on slutty Teen Choice Awards performance by

Dylan, Bob
•Christmas album is being recorded by

Edwards, John
•imminent admission by that, despite a year of absurd denials by, a DNA test shows that Rielle Hunter's baby bears an uncanny resemblance to because -- duh! -- she was fathered by

England, Lynddie
•unrepentant comparison by of Abu Ghraib abuse to what "happens at colleges and dorm rooms or whatever here in the U.S. all the time"

Facebook
•genuinely funny song about

Family Guy
•live performance of abortion episode Fox is declining to broadcast
•Stewie is outed by the creator of

For more, including the obligatory ridicule of Sarah Palin, click here.
Read more: Week in Review, Miley Cyrus, Michele Bachmann, Rod Blagojevich, Stewie, John Edwards, News Index, Dick Cheney, Comedy News

Top Teen Celebrity Scandals: Which Is the Worst? (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-08-12T13:00:06Z
Teenage fame can lead to nervous breakdowns, embarrassing overexposure and hysterical cries for attention. Which scandal is the worst? You decide.

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Read more: Jamie Lynn Spears, Slidepoll, Miley Cyrus, Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant, Chris Brown, Britney Spears, Mary-Kate Olsen, Rob Lowe Sex Tape, Vanessa Hudgens Nude Photos, Chris Brown Rihanna, Brooke SHields, Pretty Baby, Rob Lowe, Miley Cyrus Topless, Vanessa Hudgens, Entertainment News

Short Skirts And High Heels: Brit, Miley, Leighton & More: Who Wore It Best? (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-08-10T17:09:17Z
The Teen Choice Awards were Sunday night in LA, and most of the starlets in attendance got the same fashion memo: pair high heels with a micro mini. Who do you think pulls off the look best?

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Read more: Kristen Stewart, Slidepoll, Miley Cyrus, Emma Roberts, Audrina Partridge, Leighton Meester, Britney Spears, Mini-Skirts, Amanda Bynes, Fergie, Vanessa Hudgens, Entertainment News

Miley Cyrus' Teen Choice Pole Dance (VIDEO)

2009-08-10T11:59:49Z
Miley Cyrus performed her new song 'Party in the USA' at Sunday night's Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

The awards air Monday night, but thanks to an intrepid audience member who filmed the show, there is video of her pole dancing performance from atop an ice cream cart.

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Noah Cyrus, Miley's Little Sis: Too Young For The Spotlight? (PHOTOS, POLL)

2009-08-06T16:12:50Z
*Scroll down for pics*

Meet Noah Cyrus, Miley's 9-year-old sister. She has appeared in a smattering of television shows, including 'Hannah Montana' and is an up-and-coming singer.

Her red carpet appearance at a pre-party for the Teen Choice Awards Wednesday night, during which she posed with a stripper pole, suggests she takes after her big sis in more ways than one.

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