Goo Goo Dolls

'Next Great American Band' Tryouts Draw Aliens, Can-Bangers, Jazzy Grandmas

19 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EDT

'Talent' show debuts Friday night; final 12 bands contain wide range of sounds.
By Gil Kaufman

You've seen some of the "talent" that doesn't make the cut on "American Idol." And if you've ever been down to the local indie-rock club on a Monday night, you know that some acts can rival William Hung on his best night. So, you can imagine the parade of wacky bands that lined up to get their moment in the sun on the "Idol" spinoff "The Next Great American Band," which debuts Friday night (October 19) on Fox.

"Band" follows a recipe similar to its benefactor: a pair of well-known judges and an unfamiliar-to-America wild card who plays the role of the, well, in this case, his name is revealing: Dicko. The latter is Ian "Dicko" Dickson, a tart-tongued former Australian "Idol" judge who will take his place alongside former Prince protégé Sheila E. and Goo Goo Dolls singer Johnny Rzeznik. After combing through more than 14,000 audition submissions, the judges sat through performances from 60 finalists during a hot couple of days in August in the Arizona desert, where they culled the group down to the final 12 band that will compete for a recording contract, with the winner based on audience voting.

Nigel Lythgoe, who produces "Band" as well as "Idol," answered one of the most pressing questions about the show in a recent interview with journalists: Will America be able to bond with a band versus the solitary-singer format of "Idol," and might audiences think it's too similar to another rock-band reality show, "Rock Star"? Lythgoe said no to both, explaining, " 'Rock Star' was about individuals. It was about individuals auditioning to be part of a band that had been successful years ago. This is not about that at all. It's about creating a market for a band that has been around for many years, to be honest, and it's about recognizing the talent that is so obviously ignored nowadays."

Unlike "Idol," the new show will not have a results program but will eliminate bands during its weekly one-hour time slot, with two acts going home the first two weeks. But each week's show will have a musical theme, similar to "Idol," with week one concentrating on Bob Dylan tunes.

Rzeznik, who Lythgoe described as a "deer in the headlights" when it first came to judging other people's music, said he was initially reluctant when he got the call about the show. "I like being in the recording studio and playing gigs, so when my manager called, I was like, 'I don't know, it's TV,' " Rzeznik said. "But then I met with the producers and they told me it would be real bands, not manufactured artists, and they would get to do their own original material, and I would get to give my honest opinion. And that sounded like fun."

Though Rzeznik could not reveal who made the final cut, he did say there were a few bands music fans might have heard of, such as Boston-area two-time major-label flameouts Damone and Detroit fuzz-rockers the Muggs. "The end game is a record deal, but I don't know how much of a prize that even is anymore," Rzeznik admitted. "It's interesting to me because it's a 21st-century battle of the bands at a time when it's getting harder and harder to sell records and to get noticed. A lot of record companies don't have the marketing budgets to push bands anymore, so this is a great way for bands to showcase themselves on a massive scale."

Rzeznik said he saw it all during the auditions, from polka to hip-hop played by bands featuring pre-teens, a group of women in their 80s doing old-time swing jazz, and a "Stomp"-like act that did a "performance piece" using trash cans and other unorthodox percussion. There were, of course, also bands who were just trying to get their few seconds of TV exposure, such as the group with a guitarist playing a Jimi Hendrix solo using a rubber chicken.

And then there were Zolar X. The glam-rock group, signed to former Dead Kennedys leader Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label, have been around since the mid-1970s and are best known for dressing in alien drag 24-7 and speaking in a manufactured alien language, and for a stint as the house band at famed Los Angeles DJ Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco club in the '70s. Self-proclaimed "Plutonian Midget" leader Ygarr Ygarrist (born Stephen Della Bosca) said the band's manager saw an ad for the show and submitted the name figuring it had nothing to lose.

No doubt due to its outlandish résumé and look, the group was invited out to Vegas for an audition, but Ygarr said its time in the spotlight was brief. "We only got to play 40 seconds, not even two songs, and we didn't even get to the hook of our song 'Retro Rockets,' " lamented Ygarr, who said one of the judges (OK, Dicko), clearly didn't care for them. "This was a strange ordeal. All I know is that it was nice the first two and a half days and they interviewed us twice as long as the other bands. They asked what we would do if we won, and they asked us to talk some Zolarian language."

Did Ygarr really think the band had a chance? Kind of. "There was a point after we did a whole day of interviews where they had us built up, we were feeling pretty good," he said. "But how can Zolar X be the next great American band when we're not from the planet?"

For Rzeznik, the ultimate appeal of the show might be the fact that bands will get to play original music, but Lythgoe said "Idol" has avoided that in the past because the prospect of a budding songwriter going up against a classic Motown hit might not make for particularly compelling television.

"It's not about a single artist getting up there and playing with a slick session band and doing vocal gymnastics," Rzeznik said. "Plus, it's 10 blocks from my house and I only work one day a week, which is a great job if you can get it. I think there's definitely going to be more than one band getting a record deal out of this."

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Iconic Album-Cover Kids: Where Are The Nirvana Baby, Korn's Little Girl And Others Now?

15 Aug 2007 08:01:00 EDT

We also meet the boy named Goo, the Violent Femmes girl and the girl from the first Lemonheads LP.
By Chris Harris

Most of us buy records for the music, but an album's cover imagery can also play a role that can't be overlooked. Think back to some of your favorite records: Don't the covers of those discs immediately jump to mind? A cover image can help a band's earnings: From posters and T-shirts to key chains and lunchboxes, that single image is an important promotional tool used to market an LP.

Some of the most vivid album covers in history featured young kids — where are they now? MTV News tracked down some of our favorites to see what they've been up to since finding their ways into our CD collections — and to find out how being on some of rock's most iconic album covers has affected their lives.

(Check out then-and-now snaps of the Nirvana baby, Korn's little girl and more.)

Spencer Elden
Famous For: His appearance on the cover of Nirvana's breakthrough 1991 LP, Nevermind

When Spencer Elden's parents agreed to let their friend, photographer Kirk Weddle, snap a whole roll of film of their infant son swimming underwater in a crystal-clear swimming pool, they couldn't have known that, eventually, more than 9 million people would own a picture of their naked son.

"Yeah, it's kind of creepy that that many people have seen me naked," Elden said. "I feel like I'm the world's biggest porn star."

While that might be a stretch, Elden has become something of a celebrity because of his appearance on Nevermind, and often sits for radio and camera interviews (he gets a fee for the latter) to discuss his life as the Nirvana baby. But otherwise, now-17-year-old Spencer is like most teens. He's about to enter his junior year at Eagle Rock High School in Eagle Rock, California, and works a typical high-school job at a local juice shop. He has aspirations of one day becoming an airline pilot; he surfs, snowboards and loves playing water polo.

"It's kind of cool, knowing that I've been on an album cover, but I feel pretty normal about it because growing up, I've always known I was the Nirvana baby," he said. "It never really struck me as like, 'Oh, sh-- — that's me on the cover.' It's always just been whatever for me. At the time, my parents didn't know who Nirvana was. No one really knew who they were. And then all of a sudden, it took off, and I just happened to be on the album cover."

Elden said he is a true Nirvana fan but has never met any of the bandmembers. He's had a platinum record for Nevermind hanging in his bedroom since his first birthday. But Spencer hasn't seen any royalties from the record's sales; his parents were paid just $200 for allowing him to be photographed.

"My dad went to art school over here in Pasadena, and while he was going there, he had a good friend named Kirk, who was, at one time, a Navy Seal and an underwater-demolition expert," Elden, who is often asked to sign copies of the album, explained. "And so, to go to art school, he gave up diving. One day, he and my mom were sitting at the dinner table during a party, and my mom actually came up with the idea. He was saying how he missed scuba diving, and she said, 'Why don't you just do underwater photography?' When he graduated, the first gig he got was the Nirvana album, and he needed a baby. So they just threw me in the pool, snapped a whole roll of film in like a second, and that's how it happened."

Of course, being the Nirvana baby has helped him with the ladies: "I have to use stupid pickup lines like, 'You want to see my p---s ... again.' " But being on the album's cover has led to some strange encounters as well. He was once invited to swim in a rather wealthy woman's pool for the mere fact that he was the Nirvana baby. Another time, he even met "Weird Al" Yankovic, who famously lampooned the cover on his 1992 disc, Off the Deep End.

"I ran into him when I was going to do a TV interview," Elden said. "He was in the hallway, and he actually signed the back of my platinum record."

Billie Jo Campbell
Famous For: Gracing the cover of the Violent Femmes' self-titled 1982 debut

Believe it or not, that little girl on the cover of the first Femmes record wasn't posing. In fact, she wasn't even aware that she was being photographed. Really, that 3-year-old girl, named Billie Jo Campbell, was perturbed at the moment that picture was snapped.

"I remember looking into that building, and they kept telling me there were animals in there, and I was pissed off," explained Campbell, who's now 27. "I didn't know why they were making me look in this building. I had no idea there were photographers there. I was ... pissed off that I couldn't see the animals and I was all cranky by the end of it."

Like Elden, Campbell, who is engaged and plans to wed next spring, was paid a paltry fee for being part of rock and roll history — $100. She was chosen for the album cover after being discovered by a photographer outside her mother's work.

"My mom is a designer, and I went with her to work one day," she said. "We were walking down the streets of L.A., and this guy came up and said, 'Your daughter is adorable,' and that he wanted me for the album cover. My mom is a free spirit, and thought it was great, and they set it up — I guess that house is somewhere in Laurel Canyon. It wasn't this crazy photo shoot, because the band was unknown at the time."

These days, the graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder lives in Los Angeles and works with her mother running Hangover Designs, their women's-casual-wear company. A framed copy of the vinyl album's cover in her apartment often strikes up conversation during dinner parties.

"People are always like, 'Wow, you're like a Violent Femmes junkie,' and I tell them the truth," said Campbell, who notes that she is a Femmes fan. "You always have people who go, 'Oh you're lying.' It's something I am very proud of. It's a neat thing. It's not like being on the cover of a Britney Spears album. I do get some respect from people when they find out. Sometimes people are totally shocked and they can't even believe it. You will find people my age who [say] that's their favorite album of all time. It's just a cool aspect of who I am, and I think it makes me more dynamic."

The album didn't really resonate with her until her teens, when she'd hear "Add It Up" and "Blister in the Sun" at high-school dances and bat mitzvahs. And when she was in school, and even in college, Campbell said she used to get a great deal of attention because of the picture.

"If it came on at a party, people would point out that I am on it, but it never dawned on me what a huge deal it was until I got to college," she said. "This was my bragging point. I'd be at parties, and if the girls in the dorm knew you were trying to meet cute boys, they'd tell them I am on the cover."

Campbell said whenever she's in a record store, she checks to make sure the album is in stock, and yes, she has been asked to sign several autographs. There was one time when she was actually recognized.

"When I was in junior high, a bunch of us went to a record store, and our whole day was shaped around going to see how many stores we could find my picture in," she recalled. "So we were looking at the CD, and some guy was just like walking by, and was like, 'Oh my God.' He actually recognized me, and was like, 'That pointy nose — I'd recognize it anywhere.' It gave me quite a complex, especially for a girl at that age: 'Oh my God — is my nose that pointy?' "

Justine Ferrara
Famous For: Being the little girl on the cover of Korn's 1994 self-titled debut

All Justine Ferrara can remember from the shoot that eventually led to her being on the cover of Korn's inaugural studio outing was how nice the man standing in front of her was. He stood there, innocently casting a long shadow across the sand beneath her swing — but later on, the image was digitally manipulated so that it appeared he was carrying some lethal tools.

"It confused me," she said, recalling the first time she held the record in her hands. "He was a super-nice guy; he was doing me a favor, by blocking my eyes from the sunlight."

Ferrara, who was 6 at the time of the shoot, is now a 20-year-old communications major at New York University. She was approached for the album cover by her uncle, Paul Pontius, who had signed the band to Immortal/Epic Records. "They were pretty insignificant at the time, and no one knew who they were, and they needed a little girl for the cover," she said. "My uncle was like, 'I know one.' "

Ferrara, who was paid $400 to be a part of nü-metal lore, never thought being on the album's cover was a big deal; she was in second grade at the time, and it took a while before the record became popular. Her parents, though, were somewhat miffed by the imagery inside the album sleeve, and feared their daughter might get in trouble for wearing her actual private-school jumper in the picture. Oh, and the idea that Korn fans would always recognize her wasn't something her folks were too kosher with.

"I think my parents were a little shocked," she said. "They didn't want a lot of our acquaintances to see it because they thought it might have made them look a little crazy. I never was really one to let people know. My close friends knew, and [a platinum Korn record] is in my room at home. It's weird that millions of people have my picture in their house. It's weird even seeing the CD in the store; it's something I'll never get used to."

But a Korn fan, she is not — she prefers bands like Bright Eyes, she said. She does, however, have aspirations of working in the music industry; she has interned for Island Records, and hopes to one day work as a publicist. "But I appreciate Korn and what they did for their gen

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Then And Now: Nirvana Baby, Korn Girl And More

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Daughtry Reclaim Billboard #1

07 Mar 2007 12:11:00 EST

'American Idol' rocker's band takes top spot from Norah Jones in another slow sales week.
By Chris Harris

After a week in which none of the records comprising the Billboard albums sales chart cleared the 100,000-sold mark, and any mention of "American Idol" immediately prompted discussion of controversial season-six contestant Antonella Barba, the #1 spot on the top 200 belongs to Chris Daughtry.

The "Idol" veteran's band rode a 7 percent sales increase to the top — without any compromising photos of its chrome-domed frontman making the rounds on the Internet.

Daughtry, the self-titled debut from the rock collective, returns to Billboard's apex — dropping the chart's previous champ, Norah Jones, to the #2 position. Daughtry sold close to 90,000 units, giving the singer his second taste of retail domination since late January; the 15-week-old LP first assumed the #1 slot six weeks ago, and has drifted between the #2 and #9 spots since. Jones, whose Not Too Late topped the two previous charts, slips one position after scanning nearly 74,000 copies.

Following Jones at #3 is Akon's Konvicted, which climbs two places with sales reported at 73,000, according to the latest SoundScan data. Fall Out Boy's Infinity on High falls one spot to #4, with 67,000 sales, while Robin Thicke's The Evolution of Robin Thicke claims the #5 position, selling 57,000 units. Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds finishes at #6, with close to 54,000 copies flying off store shelves, while Nelly Furtado's Loose returns to the top 10, surging ahead seven slots to #7 with 45,000 scans.

The soundtrack to "Dreamgirls" is also back in the top 10, thanks to a 19 percent sales boost that amounted to 45,000 copies sold. Selling just 58 fewer copies is Corrine Bailey Rae's self-titled LP, which finishes the week at #9. Rounding out the top 10 with 42,000 scans is the Dixie Chicks' Taking the Long Way.

It was a relatively lethargic week at retail for chart veterans and new releases. The week's biggest-selling debut comes from New Orleans rap group B.G. and the Chopper City Boyz; their latest, We Got This, opens at #21 with 27,000 scans. Returning to the latest chart is the Goo Goo Dolls' updated and reissued Let Love In. The CD/DVD special edition occupies the #48 slot, selling 15,000 units.

Slim Thug's Boss Hogg Outlawz bow at #63, having sold 12,000 copies of their latest, Serve & Collect, while "Blue Collar Comedy" affiliate Bill Engvall's 15 Degrees Off Cool pops up at #93 with 9,000 sold. Marco Antonio Solis' La Historia Continùa ... Parte III opens at #95 with 9,000 scans.

Former "American Idol" contestant Kellie Pickler scores one of the week's biggest gainers with her debut effort Small Town Girl. Sales of the disc rose 37 percent following Pickler's appearance last week on "Idol." The album moved close to 12,000 copies, earning Pickler the chart's #66 spot.

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For The Record: Quick News On Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, John Legend, John Mayer, Rakim, Common & More

26 Apr 2006 17:27:00 EDT

Jolie talks pregnancy; Legend, Mayer on for jazz fest; Dave Matthews Band pitch in for New Orleans.
By MTV News staff report

Angelina Jolie opens up about expecting a child in an interview with NBC News, scheduled to air Thursday at 7 a.m. on "Today" and Sunday at 7 p.m. on "Dateline." Jolie's sit-down took place in Namibia, where she's currently focused on a new venture — and it's not delivering a baby (Jolie says she her pregnancy is not yet eight months along). The actress/activist is promoting Global Education Week, an effort to ensure that education is available to all of the world's children, millions of whom do not have the opportunity to go to school. The actress, who says she knows the sex of her baby, did answer questions about Brad Pitt during the rare interview, saying, "I don't talk about our, my, relationship in public. But we also don't talk about it at home. You know, it's one of those funny things that like just happens, you live your life and you're a family. But you never actually discuss [it]. ... So that's why I giggle about it. I just don't know how to address that kind of thing." ...

John Legend and John Mayer are among the acts scheduled to perform at the fifth annual Jazz at Lincoln Center Spring Gala benefit at New York's Apollo Theater on June 5. Tracy Chapman, Joe Cocker and Natalie Merchant are also on the bill and Bernie Mac is hosting. ... After announcing a lawsuit against New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Monday, designer Marc Ecko just released the bill for his second annual Save the Rhinos Benefit Concert, to be held in New York on June 8. Rakim, Common, newcomer Lupe Fiasco and Rhymefest are among those tapped for the event. ...

Dave Matthews Band want to help New Orleans recover, so they're offering a $1.5 million challenge grant to help build the New Orleans Habitat Musicians' Village, which would consist of Habitat for Humanity-constructed homes and feature the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. "After [Hurricane Katrina] first struck, we were shocked by the destruction, and we knew we wanted to help," DMB said in a statement. The grant money comes from a fundraising concert in Denver that also featured the Neville Brothers and the John Butler Trio. "Many people donated their time and resources to keep costs to a minimum so we could maximize the donation," DMB said. "This is our way to get the word out that there is more work to do, and ask people to step up to the challenge and make a donation to help." Contributions, which can be made online at Habitat-NOLA.org, will be matched dollar-for-dollar through the grant, raising the total donation potential to $3 million. ... Shinedown are doing their own part to help rebuild the Crescent City. The Jacksonville, Florida, rock band will take a day off from touring in New Orleans next week to team with Habitat and help rebuild homes. Singer Brent Smith recently wrote "New Orleans" on the front of his shirt for two national television performances of their current single, "I Dare You," as a reminder that work still needs to be done in the city. ...

Mandy Moore is a home-wrecker on the season finale of "The Simpsons," voicing a character named Fiona, the sexy singing wife of a struggling second baseman who seeks marital advice from Homer and Marge. In an episode called "Homer and Marge Turn a Couple Play," airing May 21 at 8 p.m. on Fox, Moore's character seems to be getting back on track with her husband, Buck (voiced by Stacy Keach) — until Buck catches Homer giving Fiona a post-show neck massage, causing both couples to separate. ... Tom Petty's also in for some voiceover action when he returns to "King of the Hill," resuming his role as Lucky in an episode called "Edu-Macating Lucky." On the show's season finale, airing May 14 at 7:30 p.m. on Fox, Lucky gets schoolteacher Peggy to tutor him for his GED, which Peggy hopes will prod him to take a job far away from Luanne — but when she discovers he's planning to propose to Luanne, she purposely teaches him incorrect material. ...

Producer Jazze Pha has put together an R&B quartet called Cherish. The group's debut, Unappreciated, is due August 1, but single "Do It to It," featuring a guest rap from Sean Paul of Youngbloodz and produced by Don Vito, was just released. ... 30 Seconds to Mars, actor Jared Leto's band, recently shot a video for "The Kill" that he is calling an homage to "The Shining." Leto will debut a portion of the video during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on May 2, the night before the band performs on the show. ... Ben Folds recently helmed the soundtrack for "Over the Hedge," the animated comedy featuring the voices of Bruce Willis and Steve Carell. The album is due May 16. ...

A new Web site — NationalDayofSlayer.org — is calling on all metalheads worth their salt to celebrate the legendary thrashers on June 6. According to the site, "6/6/06 isn't a date that comes around very often ... and while plenty of stupid horror movies and terrible albums will be released for the hype value of the day that bears 'the number of the beast,' [we've] decided that this would be a perfect day for Hessians across the country to come together and engage in something upon which we can all agree — listening to Slayer." The site suggests that Slayer fans honor a National Day of Slayer by listening to the band's albums "at full blast" in their cars, homes, workplaces and in public because "national holidays in America aren't just about celebrating; they're about forcing it upon non-participants." The site also suggests staging a "Slay-out" by staying home from work and listening to Slayer all day. ...

Mick Jagger has signed on for a sitcom pilot for ABC's fall schedule, with a working title of "Let's Rob Mick Jagger." The Rolling Stones singer shot his scenes for the pilot last week in an Auckland, New Zealand, hotel room, although the show would take place in New York. In the series, the janitor for Jagger's building would try to rob his apartment over the course of a 24-episode season. If the pilot is picked up, Jagger would appear occasionally, but not in every episode, as the plot revolves around the would-be thieves. Meanwhile, the Stones deny reports that they refused to give up their reservations at the Imperial Hotel in Vienna, Austria, to accommodate President Bush this June. The band's camp issued a statement saying that no one associated with Jagger, other members of the Stones, the tour director or those responsible for travel arrangements for the tour were ever contacted by the Imperial Hotel, Bush or anyone on his behalf requesting them to change their reservation. ...

Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls are joining forces this summer for a 45-city North American tour. The jaunt, which kicks off June 17 in Las Vegas and wraps up September 9 in Dallas, marks the first time the two bands are heading out on the road together. They'll hit cities including Denver, Detroit, Atlanta and Boston, as well as the Crows and Dolls' respective hometowns, San Francisco and Buffalo, New York. ... The Lemonheads have been playing reunion shows since they re-formed last year, and now the Boston alterna-folk rockers are making it official by signing to a new home, emo/punk label Vagrant Records. The band is currently putting the finishing touches on what will be its eighth studio album, due in the fall. The record was self-financed and co-produced by Lemonheads impresario Evan Dando and drummer Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag). The band is rounded out by bass player Karl Alvarez (Descendents).

04.25.2005

BET is developing a new DMX reality series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Revolving around the rapper's life, "DMX: Soul of a Man" is slated to be part of the channel's next season of programming. ...

Coldplay, Gorillaz, James Blunt and Kaiser Chiefs are among the artists nominated for the 51st annual Ivor Novello Awards, songwriting honors presented by the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters. Coldplay lead the list with three nominations — "Speed of Sound" is up for International Hit of the Year as well as Most Performed Work (running against Blunt's "You're Beautiful" in both categories), while "Fix You" faces off with Arctic Monkeys' "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" and KT Tunstall's "Suddenly I See" for the Best Song Musically and Lyrically prize. The awards will be presented May 25 in London. ...

In related news, a songwriters panel consisting of Jimmy Jam, Linda Perry, John Rich of country duo Big & Rich and Michael Giacchino — the composer for "Lost" and "Mission: Impossible III" — convened on Thursday in Hollywood for the "I Create Music" Expo. The first-time event, put on by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, also featured Tom Petty, Jill Scott, Glen Ballard, Mike Elizondo and John King of the Dust Brothers sharing words of wisdom with 1,000 budding songwriters and composers. "Songwriting is interesting because it's done behind the scenes and everybody kind of has their own way of doing it," said Jimmy Jam, who took a break from producing Janet Jackson and Jessica Simpson's new records to attend. "The artists make the songs come alive, but without the songs, the artists don't really have anything. Songwriting is the backbone of music, so this is all about music creation, the music creator and to shine a little spotlight on them, which I think is fantastic." ...

The funeral for Keith Bender Jr., the 35-year-old Detroit man police say was shot by D12's Proof a

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New Releases: Rihanna, Taking Back Sunday, Godsmack, Bruce Springsteen, Secret Machines, Streets, Vacation & More

25 Apr 2006 06:00:00 EDT

Also due Tuesday: the Coup, Goo Goo Dolls, Om, Rakes, the Fever, Riverboat Gamblers.
By Kurt Orzeck

Wasting No Time: It's only been eight months since Def Jam princess Rihanna stepped out with her Music of the Sun debut, but that's not keeping the singer from already pumping out her second record. Look for "Break It Off," a duet with Sean Paul, and "Dem Haters" (featuring Dwayne Husbands) — or, if you're in a collectible mood, check out the import-edition bonuses "Coulda Been the One" and "Who Ya Gonna Run To" (Japan), the original versions of "If It's Lovin' That You Want" and "Pon De Replay" (U.K.), and the "Full Phatt Remix" of "Pon De Replay."

Taking Back Take Over: Despite having sold more than 1.4 million copies of their two indie-label releases, Taking Back Sunday are hoping for even bigger numbers with their Warner Bros. debut, Louder Now. The punk band's "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)" is a lot darker than what fans are used to, while singer Adam Lazzara has called "What It Feel Like to Be a Ghost" a song about "a pre- pre-midlife crisis."

Folked Up: Everyone knows Bruce Springsteen is one boss rocker, but he's spending his 21st record sowing his folk roots on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, featuring 13 traditional tracks affiliated with acoustic legend Pete Seeger. The E Street Band are nowhere to be found on songs like "Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep" and "Froggie Went A-Courtin'," but Bruce introduces his new set of players in the half-hour's worth of video content on the flipside. The DualDisc version also has a special booklet with notes from the big guy, plus the bonus tracks "Buffalo Gals" and "How Can I Keep From Singing."

Oh God: For his band's fourth studio effort, Godsmack singer Sully Erna holed up in his Spiral Recordings Studio in Los Angeles — not Boston, where they're from — to sit at the decks and twiddle the knobs for the first time. The dudes sifted through 40 songs and settled on 11, including the first single, "Speak"; "Livin' in Sin"; and "Voodoo Too," a quasi-sequel to the 1998 tune "Voodoo." Wicca awesome.

Streets Hits the Pavement: The Streets is the latest artist to stream his entire album, Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living, for free on MySpace prior to its store release, and he's gone a step further by throwing some new videos on there too. Mike Skinner comes clean about everything from speeding around Vegas in a Ferrari without a license to sleeping with an unnamed female pop star on songs like "Pranging Out," "Never Went to Church" and "Fake Streets Hats."

California Civil War: If L.A. and San Fran ever wanted to duke it out musically, this'd be the week. From the Southland comes the Vacation's self-titled American Recordings debut, originally titled Band From World War Zero and released in the U.K. last year but now spruced up by Rick Rubin; "Betty Blowtorch and Her Amazing True Life Adventures," an expanded edition of the DVD chronicling the ill-fated potty-mouths; and the 13-song The Stories Are True digipak by street punks Time Again, who tread the path blazed by Rancid and TSOL.

From the Bay is Pick a Bigger Weapon, the latest batch of controversial tunes by leftist hip-hoppers the Coup that includes "Babyletshaveababybeforebushdosomethingcrazy" and "My Favorite Mutiny" and features guest spots by Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello, Talib Kweli and Jello Biafra; pure-pop collective Push to Talk's colorful eponymous first release; the self-explanatory Bay Area Funk 2: Funk and Soul Essentials From San Francisco, Oakland, and the Bay Area, featuring Project Soul, Mary Love and Soft Touch; the dronish Conference of the Birds by meditative metallers Om; and the Invaders compilation, which features sludge-meisters High on Fire. The North wins this civil war too.

Fighting for a Cause: A handful of comps try to bring attention to important topics this week, beginning with Voices From the Frontline, a 24-track journal of spoken-word confessions and songs by U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. The frank recordings include love letters back home, existential musings and harrowing near-death experiences with improvised explosive devices. Part of the proceeds go to Operation AC, a nonprofit group that provides soldiers with noncombat supplies.

The two-disc audio-and-video set "Red, Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter" doubles, oddly enough, as both a salute to the eminent American composer and a benefit for AIDS research and relief. U2, Tom Waits, Sinéad O'Connor and the Neville Brothers redo classic compositions on the CD — which originally came out as a standalone set — while directors Jonathan Demme, Wim Wenders and Jim Jarmusch contribute clips that address the impact of AIDS on the DVD, also featuring interviews with Richard Gere and John Malkovich. All proceeds from the set go to the Red Hot Organization.

Last but not least is Unexpected Dreams - Songs From the Stars — no, not Dreamz — a 14-track set that gives actors Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Garner, Teri Hatcher and Ewan McGregor an excuse to belt out a few choice numbers with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. John Stamos singing "Goodnight My Angel" should be reason enough to nab this gem, which supports the Philharmonics' educational arm, Music Matters.

Meet the Metalheads: There's a deluge of heavier-than-thou debuts this week, including threatening Sacramento, California, metalheads Abominable Iron Sloth's nine-track self-titled LP; doom-lovin' Black Cobra's Bestial; Austin, Texas, heavy rockers Cardinale's 31:13; and German classic-metal mavens Motorjesus' Deathrider. Enjoy.

Song Title of the Week:

"The Song We Used to Call 'Wasting Time' " from the Riverboat Gamblers' To the Confusion of Our Enemies

Other Notables:

The Secret Machines' Ten Silver Drops: The New York psych-otics nod to avant-gardists Kraftwerk and La Dusseldorf on their second outing, which consists of eight songs revolving around isolation that were mixed by Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, Yeah Yeah Yeahs). The eight-minute "Daddy's in the Doldrums" highlights the set of effects-heavy tunes, which also features the slightly more upbeat "Lightning Blue Eyes" and "I Hate Pretending."

Amel Larrieux's Morning: Larrieux hails from L.A., but her third opus melds straight-up R&B and soul with Middle Eastern and West African sounds. The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and Groove Theory member spends the title track ruminating on insomnia, uses innovative sound delays on "Mountain of When," and devotes the last track, "Weary," to hardworking bachelors everywhere.

... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead's Live Slew: The exhaustively named Austin, Texas, post-rockers have an even more exhaustive heap of limited-edition live discs this week, including 12 individualized 2005 gigs from their hometown, Detroit, San Francisco and Boston. Call it pulling a Pearl Jam.

New Releases:

10 City Run - Somethin' Else (Universal South)
Abominable Iron Sloth - Abominable Iron Sloth (Goodfellow)
... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Axis Nightclub - Boston, MA 4/12/05, 'Canes - San Diego, CA 5/28/05, Canopy Club - Urbana, IL 4/21/05, Emo's - Austin, TX 4/30/05, Fillmore - San Francisco, CA 5/25/05, First Ave - Minnesota, MN 4/25/05, Granada Theater - Lawrence, KS 4/27/05, Gypsy Tea Room - Dallas, TX 4/29/05, Irving Plaza - New York NY, 4/10/05, Majestic Theater - Detroit, MI 4/20/05, Metro Smart Bar - Chicago IL 4/22/05, Sokol Auditorium - Omaha NE 4/26/05 (limited-edition sets; Instant Live)
Natacha Atlas - Mish Maoul (Beggars)
Avant - Director (Geffen)
Buy Now: Director (Geffen)
Bob Belden - "Three Days of Rain" soundtrack (Sunny Side)
Tab Benoit - Brother to the Blues (Telarc)
Black Cobra - Bestial (At a Loss)
Blanco Diablo - Paper Poison Revolution (Rock Ridge)
The Cardinal Sin - Hurry Up and Wait (Grey Flight)
Cardinale - 31:13 (Arclight)
Chas Mtn - Hugs (Western Vinyl)
Christ.O - Vanden Plas (Inside Out)
Clan of Xymox - Breaking Point (Metropolis)
The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon (Epitaph)
The Drips - The Drips (White Drugs)
Eleventh Dream Day - Zeroes and Ones (Thrill Jockey)
Elf Power - Back to the Web (Rykodisc)
Buy Now: Back to the Web (Rykodisc)
Fermata - Vessel (EP; Dough Main)
The Fever - In the City of Sleep (Kemado)
Buy Now: In the City of Sleep (Kemado)
Filastine - Burn It (Soot)
Freeheat - Back on the Water (Planting Seeds)
Godsmack - IV (Republic)
Read: "Godsmack Finishing Up 'Killer' Fourth LP, Working On Football Theme"
Rihanna
Taking Back Sunday
Godsmack
Bruce Springsteen
Secret Machines

Goo Goo Dolls' Katrina-Relief Song Inspired By 'Unfairness In This Country'

21 Nov 2005 21:42:00 EST

Song began as a holiday single, ended up a symbol for Katrina survivors.
By Brandee J. Tecson

When Johnny Rzeznik started to write songs for the next Goo Goo Dolls album, the lead singer couldn't have known that one of them would become a symbol of hope during one of the nation's most devastating disasters.

Soon after it hit the streets, "Better Days," the first single from the band's forthcoming, still-untitled ninth studio album, was used by CNN during the channel's coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its subsequent relief campaign for the displaced victims along the Gulf Coast (see "Katrina Devastates New Orleans; Mississippi Death Toll Rises To Over 110").

"It was like, 'Whatever we can do, let's do it,' " said Rzeznik, who also appeared with the band on MTV's ReAct Now: Music & Relief benefit in September (see "Reznor, Kanye, Green Day Reflect On Disaster, Inspire Relief For MTV Special").

Rzeznik started the song intending for it to be a holiday single, but it ended up being something different. A self-pronfessed news junkie, Rzeznik said "Better Days," which was recorded a few months ago, was largely inspired by our nation's social and political landscape.

"Right now, I feel as though there's a huge amount of unfairness going on in this country and it's really starting to annoy me," he admitted. "I know I'm not an authority on it, but I just wanted to speak my piece — I don't know if I'm speaking for anyone else, although that would be nice."

With lyrics like "I don't need boxes wrapped in string/ And desire and love and empty things/ Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days" and "Tonight's the night the world begins again," the song's message of starting anew is one many Americans can relate to.

It's also a message that Rzeznik himself knows. The singer was battling some dark days when the Goos recorded their last studio album, the somber Gutterflower, nearly three years ago, but he says that the band's upcoming release will be more positive.

"You know, it was a really strange time in my life when we made that record," he said. "I was really unhappy at the time, but it's like, who cares? I did feel like I was losing [sight] of what we were supposed to be doing, and now I feel as though I've regained my traction."

So far, the band has recorded about 15 tracks for the disc, which is being helmed by producer Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette, No Doubt, Dave Matthews, Christina Aguilera).

Formed some 20 years ago in Buffalo, New York, by Rzeznik and bassist Robby Takac, the singer says the bandmembers (who include drummer Mike Malinin) are grateful they can still make a living making music. The band reaped multiplatinum success with efforts like 1995's A Boy Named Goo and 1998's Dizzy up the Girl, but has also had some rough spots (see "Are The Goo Goo Dolls Calling It Quits?").

"We've had hits and we haven't had hits, and that's OK," Rzeznik said. "We've been through so many different kinds of musical styles, but as long as you follow your gut and don't worry about the outcome as much as the process, then you'll be fine."

Rzeznik uses the familiar analogy of saying the band is "like a marriage." The singer has branched off in the past to work on solo projects, like producing Ryan Cabrera's debut LP (see "Ryan Cabrera Finds Soul, Considers Tour With Kelly Clarkson") and writing songs with Replacements leader Paul Westerberg, but says his heart lies with the boys.

"I went and did a couple things on my own, but after I had those opportunities, I realized that I'd rather be here with them," Rzeznik said, before adding quickly: "I would love to do a song for Avril Lavigne. I think she's really coming along and growing into a great artist. I'm looking forward to seeing what she does next."

For now, Rzeznik has his hands full finishing up the new Goos record, which is slated to drop early next year.

Related Artists

Goo Goo Dolls

Are The Goo Goo Dolls Calling It Quits?

29 May 2003 07:54:00 EDT

Band just shot clip for 'Sympathy,' latest single from last spring's Gutterflower.
By Corey Moss

BEVERLY HILLS, California — Johnny Rzeznik enjoyed doing solo work for last fall's "Treasure Planet" soundtrack, but his heart still lies in Goo.

"That was fun, but I missed my band," the Goo Goo Dolls singer and guitarist said last week at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "It's like, you've got your own little gang that you travel with, sort of this safety in numbers, and I was out there by myself and it was like, 'Maybe I should go home to my wife.' "

Rzeznik is back on the road with the Goos this summer, but he hinted that the band might be coming to an end. "We will hopefully go do another record — me, Robby [Takac] and Mike [Malinin] — but um, after that, who knows?"

So if the author of such hits as "Iris" and "Name" isn't going solo or making long-term plans with his band, what is he doing?

For one, Rzeznik is producing the debut album from Dallas singer/songwriter Ryan Cabrera, due later this year on Atlantic.

"I kind of lucked into it," he said. "I was writing songs with him and then they asked me to produce it and I was like, 'Yeah, are you kidding me?' It's great fun."

Although he refused to name names just yet, Rzeznik has also been writing songs for other artists, mostly young singers.

"I get a vibe hanging out with girls and writing songs with them," he hinted. "It's more fun to me."

The singer is also staying active with the Goo Goo Dolls, who just shot a video for "Sympathy," the latest single from last spring's Gutterflower, with director Tony Bongiovi, Jon Bon Jovi's brother.

"We did a spoof on 'Taxi Cab Confessions,' and it turned out pretty well," Rzeznik said. "We went to Vegas and shot it. We shot it all in like eight hours and then we just went out all night."

The Goo Goo Dolls will spend the first part of the summer touring with Bon Jovi and then later hit the state-fair circuit (see "Bon Jovi Announce 16-Date Summer Tour").

Related Artists

Goo Goo Dolls

Bon Jovi Announce 16-Date Summer Tour

22 Apr 2003 15:33:00 EDT

Sheryl Crow, Goo Goo Dolls to join month-long road trip.
By Gil Kaufman

Bon Jovi will Bounce into outdoor sheds this summer for a monthlong U.S. tour that will culminate in a two-night stand at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 16-date tour is scheduled to kick off on July 11 at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, Illinois, and run through the August 7-8 dates in New Jersey, according to an Island/Def Jam spokesperson.

Sheryl Crow is set to open four dates on the tour and the Goo Goo Dolls will join up for 13, with both acts sharing the stage for three of the shows.

Before coming home for their summer run, Bon Jovi have a 17-date European tour on their agenda, starting with a May 20 show in Barcelona and winding up on June 28 in London's Hyde Park, which holds more than 75,000.

Singer Jon Bon Jovi and keyboardist David Bryan will be on hand in Red Bank, New Jersey, for an April 29 benefit show called the Hope Concert. The show, to be held at the Count Basie Theatre, will also feature a number of other New Jersey-affiliated musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Gary "U.S." Bonds and Southside Johnny. The concert is a fundraiser benefiting the ailing Robert Bandiera Jr., son of Asbury Jukes guitarist Bobby Bandiera.

Bon Jovi's North American tour dates, according to Island/Def Jam:

7/11 - Tinley Park, IL @ Tweeter Center
7/12 - East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley
7/15 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
7/17 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
7/19 - Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park
7/22 - Boston, MA @ Gillette Stadium
7/24 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
7/26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Veterans Stadium
7/27 - Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
7/29 - Columbus, OH @ Germain Amphitheatre
7/30 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
8/1 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
8/3 - Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga PAC
8/4 - Hartford, CT @ Meadows Music Centre
8/7 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium
8/8 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Giants Stadium

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Goo Goo Dolls' Rzeznik Makes His Mark With Disney Flick

27 Sep 2002 07:55:00 EDT

Two tracks appearing in animated adventure 'Treasure Planet.'
By Jon Wiederhorn

Goo Goo Dolls frontman Johnny Rzeznik, who once penned a song called "Broadway," has gone Hollywood.

The songwriter penned two songs for the upcoming Disney film "Treasure Planet," an animated space adventure adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic pirate tale "Treasure Island." The first is a melodic pop song called "I'm Still Here," and the second is the more upbeat rocker "Always Know Where You Are," which will play over the closing credits.

Rzeznik was first approached about writing a song for the movie early last year. When the film's producers heard "I'm Still Here," they asked him to write another, but he wasn't quite sold on the proposition.

"When they asked me to do it, I was like, 'Uhhh, I don't know,' " he admitted. "Then they showed me the movie, which is amazing. But I stressed to the guys at Disney, 'I can't write show tunes,' and they said, 'Cool, we don't want something from "The Little Mermaid." We want you to be you.' "

Rzeznik is proud of both songs, though he's armed with an excuse for anyone who badmouths the tunes.

" 'It was for kids,' " he exclaimed. "That's gonna be my rationalization and justification to my critics. 'It's for kids. Leave me alone.' "

While Rzeznik sings both of his tunes in the film, BBMak will sing on the soundtrack album version of "Always Know Where You Are." The rest of the record, which comes out November 17, will be composed of score music by James Newton Howard.

A video for "I'm Still Here" was shot last month by Tim Hope (Coldplay, Jimmy Eat World). Rzeznik was there for the shoot, but he couldn't begin to say what the clip is about.

"They did the whole thing on green screen," he explained. "So I was basically standing in this green room and then walking on a green treadmill and then running on a green treadmill. It was really insane.

"I think it's gonna be me with a lot of animation from the movie in the background, but I'm not sure," he continued. "They're spending six weeks on post-production because it all goes in the computer. I'm just glad I ain't paying for it."

Rzeznik accepted the project not to get back in touch with the kids, but because he thought it would be fun. He also recognizes that Disney's global trademark can offer him career longevity.

"Doing a song for a Disney movie is cool," he said, "because long after my band is gone and forgotten that song and movie will still be here."

Rzeznik and his Goo Goo Dolls bandmates will play themselves and perform "Big Machine" on an episode of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" tentatively scheduled to air November 1. At the end of October, the band will head back out on another national tour.

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Third Eye Blind To Tour With Goo Goo Dolls

05 Jun 2002 18:39:00 EDT

Bands hit the road together July 29 in Phoenix, Arizona.
By Jon Wiederhorn

Goo Goo Dolls are currently on the road with Sense Field to support their new album Gutterflower, and in about six weeks the star power of the bill will magnify when Third Eye Blind join the Goos for 29 additional dates.

The summer outing begins July 29 in Phoenix, Arizona, at Cricket Pavilion, and will end September 13 in San Francisco.

During the tour Third Eye Blind will road test many songs from their upcoming album, Crystal Baller, which is tentatively scheduled for release in October (see "Third Eye Blind Recruit Fred Durst, Andrew W.K. For Third Album").

Goo Goo Dolls/Third Eye Blind tour dates, according to Elektra Records: