Our Bigger Than the Sound columnist is taking credit for that and five other moments in rock history.
By James Montgomery
James Montgomery interviews the Foo Fighters
Photo: Jonathan Mussman / MTV News
Honestly, I don't know if I should be flattered or outraged right now. On Tuesday, the Foo Fighters released their (genuinely excellent) Wasting Light album, a snarling, knotty thing that, as anyone who bought a copy can attest to, also comes packaged with a snippet of the master tapes it was recorded on. I'll be the first to admit that it's a rather brilliant little marketing ploy, especially since I may have been the one who thought it up in the first place.
See, last month, when I sat down with the Foos for the premiere of their "Rope" video, we spent a fair amount of time discussing Light's recording process — and the band's much-covered decision to make...
By James Montgomery
James Montgomery interviews the Foo Fighters
Photo: Jonathan Mussman / MTV News
Honestly, I don't know if I should be flattered or outraged right now. On Tuesday, the Foo Fighters released their (genuinely excellent) Wasting Light album, a snarling, knotty thing that, as anyone who bought a copy can attest to, also comes packaged with a snippet of the master tapes it was recorded on. I'll be the first to admit that it's a rather brilliant little marketing ploy, especially since I may have been the one who thought it up in the first place.
See, last month, when I sat down with the Foos for the premiere of their "Rope" video, we spent a fair amount of time discussing Light's recording process — and the band's much-covered decision to make...
- 4/13/2011
- MTV Music News
Michael Hoffman is a bright up and coming presence in the horror community who directs amusing homages in the horror genre. He is also heading a DVD distribution label that has plans to make President's Day its first release. However, he also has plans to release some of the lesser known titles of the genre along with some camp classics. His most well known title to date is Spring Break Massacre starring Reggie Bannister and Linnea Quigley in their only on screen role to date. Rumors are running rampant that there will either be a sequel to this film or a remake to it with Hoffman behind the director's chair yet again. Here's what he had to say about his career to date:
So you've been directing entertaining homages to the horror genre for the past 9 years, what made you want to get into directing?
You know, I'm not really sure.
So you've been directing entertaining homages to the horror genre for the past 9 years, what made you want to get into directing?
You know, I'm not really sure.
- 8/24/2010
- by Big Daddy aka Brandon Sites
- Big Daddy Horror Reviews - Interviews
Looking back on the way that the three Twilight series soundtracks have been composed, marketed, and revealed, there is certainly a trend.
With Twilight's soundtrack, artists like Paramore and Robert Pattinson contributed exclusive songs for the album, and they themselves became a part of the process - doing interviews, promotions, and the like. The same was true with The Twilight Saga: New Moon, whose feature band Death Cab for Cutie was the musical guest at the big Hot Topic New Moon event in California last year (which brought in nearly all of the cast). This year, it was Metric which could be seen around, promoting the album for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, while The Bravery's Sam Endicott took on MySpace's Artist on Artist with Kellan Lutz and Peter Facinelli. In other words, album contributors become part and parcel of the Twilight Saga films with this franchise.
According to Variety, this is a major,...
With Twilight's soundtrack, artists like Paramore and Robert Pattinson contributed exclusive songs for the album, and they themselves became a part of the process - doing interviews, promotions, and the like. The same was true with The Twilight Saga: New Moon, whose feature band Death Cab for Cutie was the musical guest at the big Hot Topic New Moon event in California last year (which brought in nearly all of the cast). This year, it was Metric which could be seen around, promoting the album for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, while The Bravery's Sam Endicott took on MySpace's Artist on Artist with Kellan Lutz and Peter Facinelli. In other words, album contributors become part and parcel of the Twilight Saga films with this franchise.
According to Variety, this is a major,...
- 8/18/2010
- by thetwilightexaminer
- Twilight Examiner
Looking back on the way that the three Twilight series soundtracks have been composed, marketed, and revealed, there is certainly a trend.
With Twilight's soundtrack, artists like Paramore and Robert Pattinson contributed exclusive songs for the album, and they themselves became a part of the process - doing interviews, promotions, and the like. The same was true with The Twilight Saga: New Moon, whose feature band Death Cab for Cutie was the musical guest at the big Hot Topic New Moon event in California last year (which brought in nearly all of the cast). This year, it was Metric which could be seen around, promoting the album for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, while The Bravery's Sam Endicott took on MySpace's Artist on Artist with Kellan Lutz and Peter Facinelli. In other words, album contributors become part and parcel of the Twilight Saga films with this franchise.
According to Variety, this is a major,...
With Twilight's soundtrack, artists like Paramore and Robert Pattinson contributed exclusive songs for the album, and they themselves became a part of the process - doing interviews, promotions, and the like. The same was true with The Twilight Saga: New Moon, whose feature band Death Cab for Cutie was the musical guest at the big Hot Topic New Moon event in California last year (which brought in nearly all of the cast). This year, it was Metric which could be seen around, promoting the album for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, while The Bravery's Sam Endicott took on MySpace's Artist on Artist with Kellan Lutz and Peter Facinelli. In other words, album contributors become part and parcel of the Twilight Saga films with this franchise.
According to Variety, this is a major,...
- 8/18/2010
- by thetwilightexaminer
- Twilight Examiner
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse movie soundtrack. Twilight fans – there’s a specific name for them, isn’t there? Sounds like the word ‘Twilight’ crossed with the title of a popular ‘80s action blockbuster, doesn’t it? Twi-thal Weapons? Twi-ders of the Lost Ark? The Twi-minators? Nope, can’t think what it is; we will have to proceed regardless.
We’ve already been treated this week to pictures of the aforementioned Twilight devotees lined up outside movie houses, waiting for the still-days off opening of the third movie in the box-office rampaging series – the David Slade-directed Eclipse – with all the steely determination of those waiting to snare the last few available berths in an underground shelter ahead of an unusually well forecast atomic apocalypse. But it’s not just the movies themselves which have proved bigger than that giant lizard that ate Tokyo – the tie-in soundtracks have also been runaway successes.
We’ve already been treated this week to pictures of the aforementioned Twilight devotees lined up outside movie houses, waiting for the still-days off opening of the third movie in the box-office rampaging series – the David Slade-directed Eclipse – with all the steely determination of those waiting to snare the last few available berths in an underground shelter ahead of an unusually well forecast atomic apocalypse. But it’s not just the movies themselves which have proved bigger than that giant lizard that ate Tokyo – the tie-in soundtracks have also been runaway successes.
- 6/26/2010
- by Paul Martin
- Movie-moron.com
Two of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse's stars, Kellan Lutz and Peter Facinelli, recently teamed up with Sam Endicott from the Eclipse soundtrack band The Bravery for MySpace's "Artist on Artist" feature to talk about their involvement in this leg of the Saga.
In the interview, Facinelli asks Endicott how The Bravery came to be a part of the soundtrack, and he replied, "We had written a song - not with this in mind, just a random song - and Alex Patsavas . . . heard the song and was like, you know, 'we'd really like to use this.'"
While Endicott stated that this was not the first time The Bravery had been on a film's soundtrack, he found that the "the Twilight soundtrack series is really its own thing . . . A lot of people are like that aren't familiar with the movies, the books, have the soundtracks . . . That is a style of music now,...
In the interview, Facinelli asks Endicott how The Bravery came to be a part of the soundtrack, and he replied, "We had written a song - not with this in mind, just a random song - and Alex Patsavas . . . heard the song and was like, you know, 'we'd really like to use this.'"
While Endicott stated that this was not the first time The Bravery had been on a film's soundtrack, he found that the "the Twilight soundtrack series is really its own thing . . . A lot of people are like that aren't familiar with the movies, the books, have the soundtracks . . . That is a style of music now,...
- 6/21/2010
- by thetwilightexaminer
- Twilight Examiner
As you've probably heard by now, there's a fairly good chance that, come March, we'll have a new Britney Spears single on our airwaves. Not much is known about the song, except that it's apparently produced by current "It" guy David Guetta (perhaps you've heard "I Gotta Feeling," the ultra-ubiquitous song he did for the Black Eyed Peas).
There's reportedly also an album due this summer, featuring work by Darkchild and 21-year-old producer/musician Jon Asher, who recently told the New York Post that it will be "Epic … music that has meaning. Something that truly moves you."
Sounds epic indeed. So while Spears' label, Jive Records, told MTV News that they "cannot confirm" anything, we here in the Newsroom figured that it's never too early to begin rampant speculation about Brit Brit's new project. Which is why we've complied a wish list of artists and producers we can only dream she'd collaborate with.
There's reportedly also an album due this summer, featuring work by Darkchild and 21-year-old producer/musician Jon Asher, who recently told the New York Post that it will be "Epic … music that has meaning. Something that truly moves you."
Sounds epic indeed. So while Spears' label, Jive Records, told MTV News that they "cannot confirm" anything, we here in the Newsroom figured that it's never too early to begin rampant speculation about Brit Brit's new project. Which is why we've complied a wish list of artists and producers we can only dream she'd collaborate with.
- 1/6/2010
- by James Montgomery
- MTV Newsroom
Singer takes electronic approach with a slew of collaborations on new LP.
By James Dinh
Whether she's working with legendary hip-hop producer DJ Premier or making a song that's a throwback to the 1940s, Christina Aguilera has never been afraid to experiment with her music. And on her new album, Bionic, due in March, the singer is looking ahead: In next month's issue of Marie Claire, the songstress says that the album "is about the future," crediting son Max as a musical inspiration who's "motivating me to want to play and have fun."
Although Aguilera has always been known for her soaring vocals, she's brought in a softer style of singing on this album. She admitted to the magazine that easing up is something "that maybe I've been afraid to do in the past, to allow myself to go to a place of 'less singing,' " she said. "I'm more...
By James Dinh
Whether she's working with legendary hip-hop producer DJ Premier or making a song that's a throwback to the 1940s, Christina Aguilera has never been afraid to experiment with her music. And on her new album, Bionic, due in March, the singer is looking ahead: In next month's issue of Marie Claire, the songstress says that the album "is about the future," crediting son Max as a musical inspiration who's "motivating me to want to play and have fun."
Although Aguilera has always been known for her soaring vocals, she's brought in a softer style of singing on this album. She admitted to the magazine that easing up is something "that maybe I've been afraid to do in the past, to allow myself to go to a place of 'less singing,' " she said. "I'm more...
- 1/5/2010
- MTV Music News
The Bravery has weathered detractors since its 2005 debut, but the constant Killers comparisons weren’t fair: The band deserved at least some recognition for its light, synth-happy take on the new-wave revival. “Fearless” and “The Ring Song,” from The Bravery’s self-titled debut, could be appreciated as inoffensive, competent dance-rock, though the band sucked the fun out of the sound for 2007’s sparse, occasionally glum The Sun And The Moon. An attempt to rebound from that flop, Stir The Blood tries to straddle both territories and finds success in neither. It’s clear that frontman Sam Endicott can ...
- 12/8/2009
- avclub.com
Following last week’s Super Monday, releases slow slightly before picking back up the rest of December. However, the flow of major-label debuts from “American Idol” contestants continues unabated as we see the third effort in as many weeks with Allison Iraheta’s “Just Like You.” R. Kelly returns with his ninth studio album, full of slow grinds and salacious come ons, and Kanye West protégé, British singer Mr. Hudson, continues his quest for stateside stardom. The Bravery, “Stir the Blood” (Island): After moonlighting on Shakira’s new album (co-founder Sam Endicott co-wrote title track, “She Wolf”), rockers release third full-length studio album, produced by...
- 11/30/2009
- Hitfix
For all the craziness surrounding it, Shakira's latest is a straightforward, oddly personal record, in Bigger Than the Sound.
By James Montgomery
Shakira
Photo: Ben Hider/ Getty Images
Conventional wisdom states that you shouldn't review a record after it's already been in stores for more than a month (overseas, anyway), but when the record in question has been described as "endearingly bonkers" and "fantastically strange" and leads with an Italian-disco-indebted first single that features the word "lycanthropy," well, sometimes you have to ignore conventional wisdom and just go for it.
So, yes, this is my take on Shakira's She Wolf (which hits stores here in the U.S. next week with a surplus of bonus tracks), a slinky, sexy, spirited pop/disco bonbon that's all hips and lips and handclaps, with the occasional cowbell or clarinet (or mouth trumpet/ electro urchin/ Matt Damon shout-out) sprinkled in for good measure. It's...
By James Montgomery
Shakira
Photo: Ben Hider/ Getty Images
Conventional wisdom states that you shouldn't review a record after it's already been in stores for more than a month (overseas, anyway), but when the record in question has been described as "endearingly bonkers" and "fantastically strange" and leads with an Italian-disco-indebted first single that features the word "lycanthropy," well, sometimes you have to ignore conventional wisdom and just go for it.
So, yes, this is my take on Shakira's She Wolf (which hits stores here in the U.S. next week with a surplus of bonus tracks), a slinky, sexy, spirited pop/disco bonbon that's all hips and lips and handclaps, with the occasional cowbell or clarinet (or mouth trumpet/ electro urchin/ Matt Damon shout-out) sprinkled in for good measure. It's...
- 11/18/2009
- MTV Music News
The Bravery's third album, "Stir the Blood," will hit stores Nov. 10. But first, the band will hit the road. The NYC group's fall outing starts Oct. 1 at Denver's Ogden Theater. "Slow Poison," the first single from the John Hill-produced "Stir the Blood" is at radio now and available on iTunes. Like OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder, who writes more hits for others than he does for his own band, The Bravery's lead singer, Sam Endicott, has been spreading his songwriting prowess around. He wrote "She-Wolf" for Shakira. "Stir the Blood" is the group's first release since 2007's "The Sun and...
- 9/24/2009
- Hitfix
The producer thinks their 'natural chemistry' will come through on She Wolf tracks.
By Akshay Bhansali, with reporting by Andrew Millard
Wyclef Jean
Photo: MTV News
With one of the more successful collaborations in radio history under her belt, it's only natural that Latin crossover queen Shakira, would return to working with her old friend Wyclef Jean for her forthcoming album, She Wolf, due out this fall.
When MTV News caught up with Wyclef in his New York recording studio recently, he conceded that yes, the pressure was on for their new material. After all, their 2006 hit "Hips Don't Lie" landed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, spent 25 weeks on the chart, has over 2 million digital downloads and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
"I mean, you know, unfortunately my life is based around pressure," Jean said. "But you gotta treat it like Kobe Bryant, you know?...
By Akshay Bhansali, with reporting by Andrew Millard
Wyclef Jean
Photo: MTV News
With one of the more successful collaborations in radio history under her belt, it's only natural that Latin crossover queen Shakira, would return to working with her old friend Wyclef Jean for her forthcoming album, She Wolf, due out this fall.
When MTV News caught up with Wyclef in his New York recording studio recently, he conceded that yes, the pressure was on for their new material. After all, their 2006 hit "Hips Don't Lie" landed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, spent 25 weeks on the chart, has over 2 million digital downloads and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
"I mean, you know, unfortunately my life is based around pressure," Jean said. "But you gotta treat it like Kobe Bryant, you know?...
- 8/6/2009
- MTV Music News
The producer thinks their 'natural chemistry' will come through on She Wolf tracks.
By Akshay Bhansali, with reporting by Andrew Millard
Wyclef Jean
Photo: MTV News
With one of the more successful collaborations in radio history under her belt, it's only natural that Latin crossover queen Shakira, would return to working with her old friend Wyclef Jean for her forthcoming album, She Wolf, due out this fall.
When MTV News caught up with Wyclef in his New York recording studio recently, he conceded that yes, the pressure was on for their new material. After all, their 2006 hit "Hips Don't Lie" landed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, spent 25 weeks on the chart, has over 2 million digital downloads and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
"I mean, you know, unfortunately my life is based around pressure," Jean said. "But you gotta treat it like Kobe Bryant, you know?...
By Akshay Bhansali, with reporting by Andrew Millard
Wyclef Jean
Photo: MTV News
With one of the more successful collaborations in radio history under her belt, it's only natural that Latin crossover queen Shakira, would return to working with her old friend Wyclef Jean for her forthcoming album, She Wolf, due out this fall.
When MTV News caught up with Wyclef in his New York recording studio recently, he conceded that yes, the pressure was on for their new material. After all, their 2006 hit "Hips Don't Lie" landed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, spent 25 weeks on the chart, has over 2 million digital downloads and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
"I mean, you know, unfortunately my life is based around pressure," Jean said. "But you gotta treat it like Kobe Bryant, you know?...
- 8/6/2009
- MTV Music News
After a music video for Shakira's new single "She Wolf" made its way out, another music video this time to promote the song's Spanish version, "La Loba", arrived. Though having similar scenes featured in "She Wolf" video, this new one is indeed different, including a wolf which is not seen in the previously-debuted video.
Commenting on dance moves she performs in both of the videos, Shakira told MTV that they were an improvisation. "I start doing all kinds of outrageous stuff and hanging upside down and doing stuff that wasn't planned. But it was kind of an improvisation. I just got caught in the moment," she said.
"She Wolf" and "La Loba" are set to be included in Shakira's upcoming new studio album "She Wolf". The tracks were written and produced by Shakira alongside John Hill and The Bravery's frontman Sam Endicott.
Shakira's "La Loba" music video...
Commenting on dance moves she performs in both of the videos, Shakira told MTV that they were an improvisation. "I start doing all kinds of outrageous stuff and hanging upside down and doing stuff that wasn't planned. But it was kind of an improvisation. I just got caught in the moment," she said.
"She Wolf" and "La Loba" are set to be included in Shakira's upcoming new studio album "She Wolf". The tracks were written and produced by Shakira alongside John Hill and The Bravery's frontman Sam Endicott.
Shakira's "La Loba" music video...
- 8/1/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
'We just made the thing independently of her, and then she liked it a lot,' he tells MTV News.
By James Montgomery
Shakira in "She Wolf"
Photo: Sony
On Thursday night, much to the delight of her fans and lycanthropes everywhere, Shakira premiered the video for her totally batty, completely amazing new song "She Wolf."
And while most of the chatter has (somewhat understandably) centered on her howling, hanging and hip-popping, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that the song itself is actually pretty mind-blowing too: a whirling, pulsating take on the slinky Italian disco tracks of the '70s and '80s, the kind of thing you just don't hear in pop tunes anymore. But given the instant success of "She Wolf," it's a style we expect to be emulated by producers everywhere any day now.
You'd probably never guess it, but the song is the...
By James Montgomery
Shakira in "She Wolf"
Photo: Sony
On Thursday night, much to the delight of her fans and lycanthropes everywhere, Shakira premiered the video for her totally batty, completely amazing new song "She Wolf."
And while most of the chatter has (somewhat understandably) centered on her howling, hanging and hip-popping, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that the song itself is actually pretty mind-blowing too: a whirling, pulsating take on the slinky Italian disco tracks of the '70s and '80s, the kind of thing you just don't hear in pop tunes anymore. But given the instant success of "She Wolf," it's a style we expect to be emulated by producers everywhere any day now.
You'd probably never guess it, but the song is the...
- 7/31/2009
- MTV Music News
Singer does amazing body contortions in first clip from her forthcoming LP, She Wolf.
By James Montgomery
Shakira in "She Wolf"
Photo: Sony
On Thursday (July 30), Shakira premiered her brand-new, much-anticipated "She Wolf" video on MTV.com (and at 8 p.m. on MTV). And having now watched it about 15 times, I'm hard-pressed to say more than "Wow!" Seriously, it's one people will be talking about for a long time.
Why? Well, basically because it's either the most insanely brilliant (or brilliantly insane) song you'll hear in 2009. The beat could best be described as a gloriously slinky update on every Italian disco tune recorded in 1979: all slithering beats, funky bass, horny horns, snapping snares and even a handclap or 13. Lyrically, there's the fact that Shakira uses the term "lycanthropy" and, seconds later, compares herself to a coffee machine (both of which are surely firsts in the history of pop music). Oh,...
By James Montgomery
Shakira in "She Wolf"
Photo: Sony
On Thursday (July 30), Shakira premiered her brand-new, much-anticipated "She Wolf" video on MTV.com (and at 8 p.m. on MTV). And having now watched it about 15 times, I'm hard-pressed to say more than "Wow!" Seriously, it's one people will be talking about for a long time.
Why? Well, basically because it's either the most insanely brilliant (or brilliantly insane) song you'll hear in 2009. The beat could best be described as a gloriously slinky update on every Italian disco tune recorded in 1979: all slithering beats, funky bass, horny horns, snapping snares and even a handclap or 13. Lyrically, there's the fact that Shakira uses the term "lycanthropy" and, seconds later, compares herself to a coffee machine (both of which are surely firsts in the history of pop music). Oh,...
- 7/30/2009
- MTV Music News
Shakira offers fans a chance to download her brand new single "She Wolf" for free on ABC Music Lounge starting from Sunday, July 12 at 7 P.M. Et / 4 P.M. Pt. In addition to giving away the song, she is also preparing to debut its music video later this month.
"She Wolf" which Spanish version is titled "Loba" is scheduled to be released for digital purchase on July 14 as the first single from Shakira's upcoming studio album which is yet to be titled. Its music video is described as "an inventively sexy video directed by Jake Nava and featuring the metamorphosis of a woman told through her unique dance techniques."
Furthermore, a cover art for the track which is produced by Shakira, John Hill and Sam Endicott has also been outed. It sees the singer wearing a gold leotard and being locked up inside a cage.
Beside working with John and Sam,...
"She Wolf" which Spanish version is titled "Loba" is scheduled to be released for digital purchase on July 14 as the first single from Shakira's upcoming studio album which is yet to be titled. Its music video is described as "an inventively sexy video directed by Jake Nava and featuring the metamorphosis of a woman told through her unique dance techniques."
Furthermore, a cover art for the track which is produced by Shakira, John Hill and Sam Endicott has also been outed. It sees the singer wearing a gold leotard and being locked up inside a cage.
Beside working with John and Sam,...
- 7/13/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
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