John Lennon

Cee Lo Green Angers John Lennon Fans With 'Imagine' Lyrics

03 Jan 2012 11:51:09 EST

Green changed a key line in Lennon's song during his New Year's Eve performance.
By James Montgomery

How did you spend your New Year's Eve? Well, if you were Cee Lo Green, you began by royally ticking off John Lennon fans, then briefly apologizing for your transgressions before finally agreeing to disagree.

Yes, Green caught some heat after changing a key line to Lennon's 1971 classic "Imagine" during his performance on NBC's New Year's Eve telecast — he turned the pointed "And no religion too" into the far more, uh, inclusive "And all religion's true" — a move that drew criticism from longtime Lennon fans. In a flurry of tweets, they chastised him for everything from messing with the song's true message to causing the late musician to roll over in his grave, a response that had Green on the defensive.

After his performance, he took to his Twitter account to apologize, writing, "Yo I meant no disrespect by changing the lyric guys ... I was trying to say a world where u could believe what u wanted, that's all." Of course, soon after, Green apparently had a change of heart, deleting his mea culpa (and all related tweets), and replacing them with a simple "Happy new year everyone!"

In a follow-up tweet, he took a subtle jab at his detractors, writing that he was currently listening to "We Just Disagree" by Dave Mason, though, in response to a fan's question, he said that his playlist choice had nothing to do with the "Imagine" flap and everything to do with "indifference in general." Of course, Lennon fans will probably be happy to know that, according to Green's latest tweet, he's also been listening to "I'm Only Sleeping," a Beatles track from their seminal Revolver album.

A spokesperson for Green could not be reached for comment on the matter by press time.

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Michael Jackson's 'Hold My Hand' And More Posthumous Music Videos

09 Dec 2010 17:37:54 EST

Aaliyah, Tupac Shakur, Elvis Presley and more late superstars have popped up in videos after their deaths.
By James Montgomery

On Thursday (December 9), the late, great Michael Jackson returned to the music-video world with "Hold My Hand," a clip from the upcoming Michael album, which pairs his vocals with production work from some of today's top producers.

And much like that album, the "Hold My Hand" video is very much a retrospective affair, loaded with triumphant MJ performance footage and uplifting imagery (smiling children, sunrises, bright blue skies), not to mention a whole lot of Akon. And while fans can debate whether the clip is a worthy addition to the King of Pop's massive music-video legacy, it certainly carries on the tradition of the posthumous video, a rather ignominious — and incredibly profitable — wing of the music-industry machine.

Yes, ever since Elvis Presley shuffled off this mortal coil, record labels have been churning out videos by deceased stars, for reasons that run the gamut from tribute to pure profit. Out of necessity (since the star is no longer with us), these videos are usually by-the-numbers affairs, full of stock footage and performance clips, the occasional use of animation and, of course, the odd celebrity cameo. More often than not, fans love them — which is why we keep seeing them. And since "Hold My Hand" has just been unveiled, we decided to take a look back at some of the most notable examples of stars who may no longer be with us, but continue to make music videos. Here's our Posthumous Playlist.

Aaliyah
She died tragically in a 2001 plane crash, but her videos kept showing up on MTV. "I Care 4 U" was a collection of clips from the Japanese anime "Macross Pluss II," which feature her as a ghostly figure. "Miss You" was a tribute vid, starting with a heartfelt monologue by DMX and featuring cameos by the likes of Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim and Toni Braxton. "Don't Know What to Tell Ya" is a combination of footage from her old videos and newly animated bits, which reimagine Aaliyah as a superhero in a skintight getup.

Elvis Presley
He died in 1977 but found chart success once again in 2002, when a remixed version of his song "A Little Less Conversation" was featured in a Nike World Cup commercial. A video, featuring performance footage of the King playing on a TV monitor (and a bunch of hyperactive dancers and models re-enacting his famous "Jailhouse Rock" video) was quickly assembled to capitalize. It was appropriately massive.

John Lennon
Murdered outside his New York City home in 1980, Lennon's (then) just-released Double Fantasy quickly rose to #1 on the album charts and even won the Grammy for Album of the Year. The follow-up, Milk and Honey, was also a hit and featured the single "Nobody Told Me," which came with a posthumous video, complete with photos of Lennon as a child, his iconic wire-frame specs and even some of his illustrations.

Nirvana
After the death of Kurt Cobain, there was no shortage of Nirvana sundry released, though the video for "You Know You're Right" — one of the last songs he recorded with the band — is the true standout, full of performance clips and backstage footage that capture the grunge icon at his most powerful, moody and, strangely enough, happy.

The Notorious B.I.G.
He was killed in 1997, but his talent — and the prodigious amount of pre-recorded material he left behind — survives to this day. There truly is no shortage of posthumous Biggie videos, though the most notable are probably the flossy, glossy "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems," Spike Jonze's riotous "Sky's the Limit" (which stars nothing but children) and "Notorious Thugz," a team up with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony that features his ghost rapping inside a studio.

Sublime
Frontman Bradley Nowell died just before the release of the trio's breakout self-titled album, and so — mostly out of necessity — Nowell (and his beloved dog, Lou) continued to turn up in the band's videos, including "What I Got," "Santeria" and "Wrong Way."

TLC
Just before the release of their 2002 album 3D, founding member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was killed in a car accident in Honduras. The group's two remaining members pressed on, releasing a series of videos that paid tribute to their late friend. In the video for "Girl Talk," they wear outfits emblazoned with her name, and she shows up in animated form too. "Turntable" is a more traditional posthumous clip, made up of performance footage of the trio taken from their live shows and videos.

Tupac Shakur
Unlike most late stars, Tupac left behind so much material that he never really left. The vaults were mined for more than a decade following his 1996 death, to the point where some believe he may actually still be with us. Not surprisingly, there are no shortage of posthumous music videos out there, including "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto," which picks up after he was shot (and was filmed from his "point of view"); "Changes," a solemn tribute clip made up of news footage, scenes from his videos and movies and still photos; and "Until the End of Time," a more sparse affair, featuring clips of him onstage and in the studio.

What is your favorite posthumous clip? Let us know in the comments.

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John Lennon's Final Rolling Stone Interview Published On Anniversary Of Death

08 Dec 2010 09:44:02 EST

Rolling Stone releases full-length interview conducted three days before Lennon's death in its year-end issue.
By Gil Kaufman

It was 30 years ago today that former Beatle John Lennon was murdered by a crazed fan outside his home in New York. To mark that tragic event, fans around the world are planning commemorations of the singer's life and legacy on Wednesday (December 8), remembering his message of peace and love and paying tribute to one of the premier songwriters of the modern era.

As part of that celebration of Lennon's life, Rolling Stone magazine has devoted its final 2010 issue to a nine-hour interview the singer did just three days before his death on December 8, 1980. Select excerpts from the interview writer Jonathan Cott conducted with Lennon ran in a tribute issue put out by the magazine in January 1981, but the full talk sat on a shelf in Cott's closet for nearly 30 years.

"Earlier this year I was cleaning up to find some files in the recesses of my closet when I came across two cassette tapes marked 'John Lennon, December 5th, 1980,'" Cott told the magazine about Lennon's final print interview. "It had been 30 years since I listened to them, and when I put them on, this totally alive, uplifting voice started speaking on this magical strip of magnetic tape."

On the tapes, Cott found a Lennon who was still angry at fans and critics who had taken him to task for a five-year musical hiatus, during which the singer devoted his time to raising his son Sean with wife Yoko Ono and decompressing from more than 15 years in the intense media spotlight. "These critics with the illusions they've created about artists — it's like idol worship. They only like people when they're on their way up," he said. "I cannot be on the way up again. What they want is dead heroes, like Sid Vicious and James Dean," he added in an eerily prescient screed. "I'm not interested in being a dead f---ing hero ... so forget 'em, forget 'em."

With Bruce Springsteen then the face of rock's future, Lennon expressed fear that the Boss would fall victim to the same kind of pressures as he did. "And God help Bruce Springsteen when they decide he's no longer God. ... They'll turn on him, and I hope he survives it."

Seemingly recharged after his hiatus, Lennon also contemplated going back out on the road to play some shows. "We just might do it," he said. "But there will be no smoke bombs, no lipstick, no flashing lights. It just has to be comfy. But we could have a laugh. We're born-again rockers, and we're starting over. ... There's plenty of time, right? Plenty of time."

In audio excerpts from the interview on Rolling Stone's website, Lennon laments, "I cannot live up to other people's expectations of me, because they're illusory," he said of his efforts to include positive messages of hope and togetherness in his music and the pressure to live up to his legacy. "Give peace a chance, not shoot people for peace ... I only put out songs and answer questions ... I cannot be 18 and a be a punk ... I see the world through different eyes. I still believe in love, peace and understanding, as Elvis Costello says."

At the time of his murder, Lennon, then 40, had just released what would be his final album, Double Fantasy. In excerpts from the Rolling Stone tapes, he discusses the musical hiatus he took before that time, going on at length about an electric guitar he had purchased before the Fantasy sessions and how it had never seen any "professional" work until he used it on the album. The ex-Beatle sounds at times reflective and whimsical when discussing the winding road he took back to music, while also hitting on a note of bitterness about the loss of innocence and privacy he's endured as part of the biggest band in music history.

Ono released a statement on Tuesday night in tribute to her late husband, telling fans, "On this tragic anniversary, please join me in remembering John with deep love and respect," Ono said. "In his short-lived life of 40 years, he has given so much to the world. The world was lucky to have known him. We still learn so much from him today. John, I love you!"

Share your thoughts on John Lennon in our comments section below.

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Lady Gaga Early Demos, Autographs Up For Auction

04 Oct 2010 12:24:31 EDT

Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction begins Wednesday and also includes items from John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson.
By James Montgomery

Demos from Lady Gaga's early days will be up for bid in a new online auction, alongside handwritten lyrics, clothing and various ephemera from the likes of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Michael Jackson.

It's all part of an expansive collection going under the gavel as the Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction, starting on Wednesday at GottaHaveRockAndRoll.com. And for Gaga completists, there's plenty to get excited about.

In total, six CDs of early recordings will be up for auction, including a pair of demo discs from her first days as Lady Gaga. One, from 2006 and complete with a handwritten track listing, features six songs ("Wonderful," "Retrosexual," "Rock Show," "Spin You Around," "Yay Ha" and "Oh Well") and was donated by her then-manager Bob Leone. The second disc, also from '06, is a single version of the song "Wonderful."

The four other albums in the auction feature music recorded by Gaga when she was still going by her real name, Stefani Germanotta, and include a CDR (labeled "Stefani Germanotta, 2001") with four songs, and three albums: Stefani, Red And Blue; Stefani Germanotta; and Words, which is credited to the "Stefani Germanotta Band." A performance DVD, shot at the Cutting Room in New York, is also up for bid.

Bidding on all six CDs will start at $1,000. Two autographed items — an 11-by-14 photograph and a copy of Gaga's The Fame album — are also up for auction, with opening bids starting at $100. That's a pretty good deal, especially considering that bidding on a life-size Arnold Schwarzenegger-autographed T-800 prop from "T2: Judgment Day" begins at $79,000. And Arnie has never even had a hit record.

Will you check out the Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction featuring rare Lady Gaga items? Tell us in the comments.

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Lady Gaga To Perform At Yoko Ono Concert

01 Sep 2010 08:46:49 EDT

Perry Farrell, Iggy Pop, RZA alsojoin We Are Plastic Ono Band shows in Los Angeles next month.
By Gil Kaufman

There's no word yet if she's going to take a seat at the signature white piano again, but Lady Gaga has signed on to perform at one of the Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band concerts taking place in Los Angeles in October.

According to Ono's website, Gaga will join a star-studded list for a pair of We Are Plastic Ono Band shows at the Orpheum Theater on October 1 and 2 that will include performances by John Lennon's widow, Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell, Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, experimental solo artist Tune-Yards, punk icon Iggy Pop and Lennon's youngest son, Sean. The shows will take place a week before what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday and will presumably include tributes the the ex-Beatle.

Gaga is slated to take the stage on the second night on a bill that also features married Sonic Youth duo Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore. Among the other acts listed on the poster promoting the show: Cornelius, actress Carrie Fisher, director/actor Vincent Gallo, Harper Simon, Mike Watt, Nels Cline, Yuka Honda and Haruomi Hosono.

Though her name stands out on the bill, Gaga's inclusion is not that unusual. She performed "Imagine," Lennon's signature song of hope, at last October's Human Rights Campaign gathering in Washington, D.C., where she tweaked the song's lyrics a bit to make references to the 1998 murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard.

To celebrate Lennon's birthday on October 9, Ono is hosting a series of events and a Plastic Ono Band concert in Iceland. EMI will reissue spiffed-up versions of Lennon's solo albums on October 5, along with some previously unreleased home recordings.

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Lady Gaga Upsets Beatles Fans By Playing John Lennon's Piano

13 Jul 2010 11:33:33 EDT

Lennon's son Sean posted a photo of Gaga playing the piano, later removing it after fans complained.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Lady Gaga has once again stirred up fans with another one of her unique performances. However, this time, it's not her little monsters who are getting riled up but rather fans of John Lennon, who are upset that Gaga played the late Beatles legend's white piano.

The brouhaha began when Lennon's son Sean posted a picture of Lady Gaga tinkling the ivories — in a skimpy bodysuit and fishnet stockings — on his Twitter page, accompanied by the caption, "With gaga at mom's house, she's belting on the white piano." Sean later removed the picture after fans complained that Gaga shouldn't have been allowed to jam on the instrument, which was a gift to Lennon's wife and Sean's mother, Yoko Ono.

One tweeter in particular blasted Sean, writing, "WHY WOULD YOU LET LADY GAGA PLAY ON JOHN'S PIANO? I'm disappointed," capping off the tweet with a frowning emoticon. The tweeter insisted Gaga was not up to snuff and later added, "Would you let just anyone play it? I mean geez, c'mon."

Although he removed the offending pic, Sean defended Gaga from the haters. "Pianos meant are to be played. Why is everyone so uptight? What should we do, lock it away in a dusty room? So judgmental," Sean tweeted. The musician also replied to another fan, insisting that John wouldn't be bothered by Gaga taking to the keys. "Firstly, he gave that piano to my mother for her birthday, it is hers, secondly, he was not uptight the way you seem to be," Sean tweeted. Ultimately, the musician called for the offended fans to calm down and focus on other issues. "Come on, lighten up ... life's too short, there're enough real problems in the world."

Are John Lennon's fans being "uptight," or is the piano too sacred to be played by current pop stars? Sound off in the comments.

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'Jealous Guy': The Story Behind The 'Idol' Cover

07 Apr 2010 10:43:00 EDT

On Tuesday night, Casey James took on a John Lennon solo favorite from 1971.
By Gil Kaufman

Casey James took some bold chances on "American Idol" on Tuesday night. He was the only contestant to venture outside the Beatles catalog to choose a solo song by John Lennon, "Jealous Guy." Gently picking out the melody on an acoustic guitar, James played a measured, emotional version of the song, accented by a mournful cello. Changing up and slowing down the arrangement, he gave it a bluesy feel, turning it into a Ben Harper-style lament.

The song was recorded for Lennon's 1971 Imagine album, the ex-Beatle's second studio effort after leaving the group and his most popular solo work. It was written while Lennon was still in the Beatles during a trip to India to visit the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and was demoed with the title "Child of Nature," with the lyrics later reportedly changed to comment on Lennon's relationship with wife Yoko Ono. Along with the iconic title track to Imagine, "Jealous Guy" has become an enduring favorite target for cover versions, one of the most famous being the 1981 hit take recorded by English act Roxy Music just months after Lennon's murder in 1980. Among the other acts that have taken it on are the Black Crowes, the Deftones, late indie singer Elliott Smith, Collective Soul, Gavin DeGraw, Joe Cocker, Starsailor, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, former Go-Go's singer Belinda Carlisle, James Morrison, Lou Reed, Luna, Donny Hathaway and Rod Stewart. The song's simple lyrics — which are allegedly about the possessive feelings Lennon had for Ono during the tumultuous breakup of the Beatles — tell a story of emotional insecurity and fear. "I was feeling insecure/ you might not love me anymore/ I was shivering inside/ I was shivering inside," he sings. The original includes a breakdown in the middle, in which Lennon whistles the melody over piano, strings and a simple backbeat.

The original video features images of Lennon and Ono looking somber and strolling through misty fields, as well as dancing, embracing, kissing, frolicking on the beach and playing chess.

The judges had nothing but kind words for James' version, with Randy Jackson praising his acoustic-guitar playing and saying the heartfelt song was a strong glimpse of what kind of artist he could be. "That, to me, was your best performance to date," Ellen DeGeneres said.

What did you think of Casey James' take on "Jealous Guy"? Share your reviews in the comments below.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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'Hannah Montana' Tour Extended Through January; Plus Shia LaBeouf, Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard & More, In For The Record

12 Dec 2007 20:29:00 EST

LaBeouf's criminal trespassing charge is dropped; Alba reportedly pregnant; Howard set to make Broadway debut.
By MTV News staff

More Miley! The "Hannah Montana" star has freshened up her Best of Both Worlds Tour schedule with 14 additional January dates, meaning more of her fans will be thrilled and more opportunities will be had for raging ticket controversies. Instead of capping off her tour January 9 in Albany, New York, Cyrus will hit the following cities: Detroit (January 11); Milwaukee (January 13); Chicago (January 14); St. Louis (January 15); Las Vegas (January 18-19); Glendale, Arizona (January 22); Austin, Texas (January 24); Lafayette, Louisiana (January 25); New Orleans (January 26); Orlando, Florida (January 28-29); Jacksonville, Florida (January 30); and Miami (January 31). The Jonas Brothers have been opening for Cyrus but will be replaced by Aly & AJ from January 11-24, after which a yet-unannounced supporting act will take over for the remaining shows. ...

Shia LaBeouf's criminal trespassing charge has just gone poof. Walgreens Co. and a security company announced via a letter read in a Chicago court Wednesday (December 12) that they will not continue a case involving criminal charges against the actor for refusing to leave one of the chain's stores in early November. The "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" star, who reportedly appeared intoxicated at the time of the incident, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing. ...

"Fantastic" news for Jessica Alba: The actress is pregnant, People.com reports. According to the site, the "Awake" star's representative said her boyfriend Cash Warren is the father. Alba reportedly met Warren on the set of "Fantastic Four" in 2004, at which point they began dating. The actress was reportedly in talks to go to Broadway for a revival of the David Mamet play "Speed-the-Plow." ... Relatedly, it's hard out here for a ... Broadway star? Terrence Howard has signed on for an all-black version of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" that will debut March 6 at New York's Broadhurst Theatre. James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose of "Dreamgirls" will also star in the third revival of the production, which marks Howard's stage debut. He will play Brick, the aging alcoholic ex-football player. ...

What do John Legend and Eddie Vedder have in common, besides a great set of pipes? The singers are joining together to provide music for an upcoming documentary miniseries based on Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States," a 1980 book that is widely read in high schools and colleges, and its companion piece, "Voices of a People's History of the United States," according to Billboard.com. "The People Speak" will begin production in Boston in January and also involve Viggo Mortensen, Josh Brolin and other actors. Vedder brought Zinn, a Boston University professor, onstage at a Pearl Jam show in Boston three years ago. ...

Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe have more than their Australian backgrounds in common. Forbes has named the actors as the most overpaid celebrities in Hollywood, according to a complicated formula involving the stars' salaries, budgets and returns for movies in which they have appeared, and more. Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler also made the list. ...

Just in time for Christmas comes news that Britney Spears has been offered to play the role of the Virgin Mary in the upcoming film "Sweet Baby Jesus," a humorous retelling of the nativity story, according to Us Weekly. "I had to convince my partners because they were like, 'Oh, no. Britney?' " Philippe Rebboah, the film's French producer, reportedly said. "But I thought it was brilliant. It's a bit ironic that she would play the Virgin Mary, no? ... She likes the idea, that's what I heard." Rebboah added that the singer is reviewing the script and will make a decision soon whether to act in the movie, which will be filmed in March. ... You could say this year's "Idol Gives Back" charity special was a wee bit successful — it only raked in a mere $75 million, for charities in the U.S. and Africa. "American Idol" will give the fundraiser another go on April 9 at 8 p.m. with a two-hour special featuring performances and appearances by yet-unnamed celebrities, according to Variety. The show itself will be back January 15 with a two-hour special. ...

Sigur Rós are plotting a batch of theatrical screenings for "Heima," the new documentary film they released late last month. The movie, which revolves around a series of free shows the band played in its native Iceland last summer, will be shown Tuesday (San Francisco, Denver); December 19 (Boston, Atlanta); and December 20 (Austin, Texas; Seattle). ... A lock of John Lennon's hair that went up for bid Wednesday had been estimated to sell for $4,000 to $6,000 — but an unnamed telephone bidder actually shelled out $48,000 for it in the Beatles memorabilia auction, The Associated Press reports. The items in the auction had been collected by the legendary group's hairdresser, and a photo of the band dedicated to her — it was signed "George 'Dandruff' Harrison" — went for $13,000. ...

Music/social-networking site Mog.com relaunched on Wednesday with some seriously beefed-up content. As the result of a deal with Rhapsody Music Service — a joint venture with MTV — Moggers can now listen to millions of full-length songs on their own pages and on the pages of others, and a new search function provides instant access to specific music anywhere on Mog. Using the "play all" function, users can hear what like-minded people are listening to, while the "play this page" function lets users instantly create a playlist of every song mentioned on another Mogger's page. ... Maybe this is where those Led Zeppelin tour rumors came from: Nashville's WSMT-TV is reporting that Zep frontman Robert Plant and bluegrass star Alison Krauss will take the stage together at the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee, in June to perform songs from their collaborative CD, Raising Sand. The fest will be held June 12-15.

12.11.07

Like Jay-Z rapped once before, "Money Ain't a Thang." The Def Jam prez has denied a report in New York's Daily News indicating that salary was a sticking point in negotiating his return to the hip-hop label. His original contract is up at the end of this month, and so far, his return hasn't been announced. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly shortly after the Grammy nominations were announced, Jay — who nabbed five nods — revealed the two sides were "close." But he wouldn't guarantee anything. He said salary wasn't even near the top of his list of considerations. "I don't know [if I'll be back]," Jay explained in the interview. "We'll see how it goes. But seriously, it's not about money. That's really the last thing. Of course, as a person that does these type of things and puts his heart and soul into it — and it's effective, as the [Grammy nominations] would indicate — you want to be compensated for what you do. But it's really not about money. It's really about the future of the music business, and not wasting anyone's time. I don't ever want to sit in a seat just to sit in a seat. I could be off doing something else that's beneficial to the future of the music business as well as myself. So it's not about money! I mean, you couldn't pay me enough. And I don't mean that in a cocky way." In other Jay news, he'll ring out 2007 with a performance of American Gangster on December 29 in Las Vegas, at the Palms Casino Resort's Pearl. The intimate show in the 2,500-seat venue won't be cheap: Tickets start at $128 and top out at $228. ...

Panic! at the Disco have pegged March 25 as the release date for their second album, which they still don't have a name for yet, according to Billboard.com. Guitarist Ryan Ross told the site the band is "working backwards" for the release, stripping down its sound and going for a more classic-rock approach. Songs will include "Things Have Changed" and "Nine in the Afternoon," a song the ensemble tried out during shows over the summer. Speaking of which, Panic are sketching out a tour that will see them playing U.S. theaters in March. "We're not going to do a circus show again," Ross promised. ...

Gwen Stefani made good on her promise to donate proceeds from her October 30 concert at San Diego's Cox Arena to victims of the wildfires by giving a whopping $166,000 to local charity the San Diego Foundation, which is helping the community recover. The Southern California singer's donation will be used in the form of Gwen Stefani After-the-Fires Scholarships distributed to students who lost their homes in the fires. ... And for all her problems, Britney Spears still has a heart too — the singer's Believe fragrance is teaming with MondoNation.com an eBay auction to benefit the Make a Wish foundation, Autism Speaks and the Nelson High School Africa Project. Limited-edition gift sets, fragrances, T-shirts and more are all up for bidding, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the charities. ...

Though Green Day didn't even have an album out this year — not counting their new rumored side project, Foxboro Hot Tubs — the band topped Lycos' list of most-searched bands of 2007. Th

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Wu-Tang Clan And Ja Rule's Failed Holy Grail Quest: Why Couldn't They Clear Beatles Samples?

09 Oct 2007 14:46:00 EDT

Rappers had to resort to interpolations instead of original master samples.
By James Montgomery

There are probably bigger challenges in life than trying to clear a Beatles sample. We just can't think of any right now.

Just ask the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, or maybe Ja Rule, both of whom recently attempted the musical equivalent of scaling Mount Everest with one hand tied behind your back: clearing original master Beatles samples for use in their songs.

Of course, both did a whole lot of shouting from base camp, which seemed rather ill-advised, considering the treacherous climb ahead. And when neither was successful in their attempts — the Wu's "The Heart Gently Weeps" and Ja's "Father Forgive Me" feature not original Beatles samples, but rather reworked (or "interpolated") versions of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Eleanor Rigby" (see "Wu-Tang Clan's 'First-Ever Cleared Beatles Sample' Claim Is Incorrect") — it was hardly news. After all, these are the songs of the Beatles (and the myriad of corporations, limited partnerships and publishing companies associated with them) we're talking about here. They can't be had without a fight.

"If a recording artist wanted to build a song around a Beatles sample, they have to go through three different license holders," said Janice Brock, a spokeswoman for Sony/ATV, the music-publishing company that owns the famed Lennon/McCartney Northern Songs catalog (and as such, also owns roughly 90 percent of the entire Beatles song output). "They have to go to the original master-license holder, which is EMI Records. They have to go to the Beatles themselves, who are represented by Apple Corps Ltd., and they have to go to Sony/ATV, which represents the song itself.

"It's a fairly difficult, lengthy process, which is why most people probably don't bother," Brock continued. "And as you know, the Beatles have never granted a master-license sample."

And it's that challenge, that finality, which makes an original Beatles sample the Holy Grail of song-building. Which is probably why both the RZA and Ja made big noise about clearing Beatles samples — even if, you know, they actually hadn't. There's a certain amount of swagger that comes with even securing permission to rework a Beatles song into one of your own. After all, even that doesn't come for free.

"With a sample, it's not an issue of difficulty of clearing it. If somebody doesn't want to let you have it, you can't use it," said Todd Brabec, a vice president at ASCAP, the international society of composers, songwriters and music publishers. "A lot of songwriter/publisher deals give the writer the ability to approve usage. And in the case of a sample — using someone else's song to make a new one — it's a negotiation of what your share of all this new song's earnings is going to be. In the case of most high-profile compositions, the new songwriter forfeits all their songwriting royalties."

"If you're going to put someone else's song in your song and build a song around it, you'd have to give away 100 percent of the copyright," Brock added. "So you don't actually earn songwriter royalties for doing that. It generally goes to the original writers. In the case of Ja Rule's ['Father Forgive Me,'] the song sample is an interpolation, it's not an original master use, so in turn for doing that, his songwriter royalties go to the Beatles."

So just for reworking a pair of Beatles compositions in their new songs, both the Wu-Tang Clan and Ja Rule agreed to turn over all songwriting royalties to the original songwriters — in this case, the estate of George Harrison and Lennon/McCartney, respectfully. Also, for each copy of the Wu's The 8 Diagrams or Ja's The Mirror that is sold or downloaded, the rappers will pay both the original writers and their publishing companies (Harrisongs and Sony/ATV) 9.1 cents, an amount mandated by federal law.

Is it all worth it? Well, we guess that's up to the artists themselves. But just getting to this point has been a battle. Then again, nothing in the realm of music publishing — and all its marvelous facets, including sample clearances and statutory fees — is simple.

Publishing is probably the least understood, most complicated (and most unsexy) aspect of the music industry, yet it's also one of the most lucrative: a near billion-dollar-a-year business that's as much about corporations and copyright law as it is creativity and compositions. It's the bizarre point where artists looking to make a statement crash directly into songwriters looking to make a living. And as record sales continue to bottom out, artists trying to have their music heard (and get paid) are exploring every facet of publishing ... which means it's only gonna get more, uh, complicated from here.

"Most people think of the music business only as records, but the big money — the continuing money — is in writing and publishing songs. Because now a song can be used in several TV series, a lot of films, video games, ringtones — all these different uses, not just in the U.S. but throughout the entire world," Brabec said. "And you're getting royalties every time you get one of these new uses. And it's only going to get more interesting. Record sales are going down the tubes, but I'm optimistic about all the other areas in which songwriters can exploit — in the best possible way — their songs.

"Radio and TV performances are the biggest areas, but you can make a lot of money on just having a song in a singing fish doll," he continued. "You'd rather have a singing fish doll than a million-seller, believe me."

And with more and more money up for grabs, does that mean we can expect to see less of these high-profile sample battles? It's doubtful.

"I think there's a certain quality to some of these songs, that no matter how daunting it might seem, there's always going to be an artist who wants to use a sample of them," Brabec said. "There's always going to be a desire for that timeless quality."

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Lindsay Lohan Sued By Car-Chase Passenger; Plus Britney Spears, Wu-Tang Clan, Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse, VMAs & More, In For The Record

14 Aug 2007 17:05:00 EDT

Spears, Kevin Federline try to block media; Wu cover Beatles song; Ronson to be joined by Winehouse's touring band at VMAs.
By MTV News staff

Lindsay Lohan is getting sued again — this time for assault and negligence by one of the passengers who was traveling in the car the actress allegedly chased last month while driving under the influence. Tracie Rice, the woman who filed the suit and was in the car driven by Michelle Peck — the mother of one of Lohan's former assistants — claims that Lohan "put me through one of the most frightening experiences of my life," according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press. "What Miss Lohan did that night was extremely dangerous and reprehensible. Someone could easily have been killed or seriously hurt because of her irresponsible decisions that evening." The suit also alleges that Lohan intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon the woman, and it seeks unspecified damages as well as payment of medical and other emotional-distress-related expenses. ...

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's divorce lawyers were supposed to help resolve their clients' child-custody dispute at a Los Angeles Superior Court hearing on Tuesday (August 14), but instead the attorneys used the court date to try to protect the former spouses' privacy. According to a court clerk, legal representatives from Los Angeles TV news channel KNBC, "Access Hollywood" and People magazine jointly filed papers Tuesday morning to prevent court records in the former couple's child-custody battle from being permanently sealed. The move came after news outlets got wind that Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan was planning to bring to court a folder of documents "about an inch and a half thick," according to a source close to the matter. Federline's team has already subpoenaed Spears' cousin and former assistant, Alli Sims, and Spears' bodyguard Daimon Shippen; more subpoenas to give depositions about the care of the children are due to come for those close to Spears, the source said. Superior Court Commissioner Scott M. Gordon will hear the opposition to seal the records in a separate hearing on September 14, while the custody dispute will continue in court on September 17. ...

Wu-Tang Clan covering the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" ... with George Harrison's son Dhani ... and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante playing along? That's the news the RZA spilled to RollingStone.com late last week, saying the collabo for the ages will surface on the Clan's November 13 album, 8 Diagrams. The track will sample the original George Harrison-written song, with the group rapping over the track, Frusciante wailing on lead guitar and Dhani Harrison playing acoustic. ... Amy Winehouse's touring band, the Dap-Kings; Jamiroquai's Stu Zender and other to-be-announced singers will make guest appearances with Mark Ronson when he mans the decks at the VMAs on September 9. ...

Don Imus back on the airwaves? AP reports that the shock jock has reached a settlement with CBS Radio over his contract and is in negotiations with New York's WABC-AM radio — home to another inflammatory jock, Rush Limbaugh — to return to broadcasting. The settlement would preempt Imus' threatened $120 million breach-of-contract suit, a CBS spokesperson told AP, although the terms were not disclosed. ...

Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem must really be enjoying each other's company these days — the tour partners are planning to release a split 7-inch while on the road, RollingStone.com reports. The record will include the Fire's cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son" and LCD's take on Joy Division's "No Love Lost." ... Perry Farrell and his Satellite Party will descend on jam-band Moe.'s eighth annual Moe.Down fest, to be held August 31-September 2 in Turin, New York. The Party will be filling in for Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, who had to bail from the fest for personal reasons. ...

The tentative track list for the soundtrack to the upcoming film "Resident Evil: Extinction" has been announced. The set will include cuts from Shadows Fall, Flyleaf, Bayside, the Bled, Chimaira, Poison the Well and It Dies Today. Look for it to hit stores September 18 and the film to hit theaters three days later. ... Gwar have been added to the Viva la Bands Tour, which will also feature Cradle of Filth, CKY and Vains of Jenna. The trek kicks off September 24 in Baltimore and runs through November 3 in Worcester, Massachusetts. ... The lineup for the Radio Rebellion Tour has been released, and extreme-metallists Job for a Cowboy and Polish death-metal specialists Behemoth will be co-headlining. Gojira and Beneath the Massacre will be the opening acts on the trek, which will hit 28 North American cities, beginning October 18 in Baltimore and wrapping November 18 in New York. ...

Lana Clarkson's mother Donna took the stand Monday in the Phil Spector murder trial, testifying about shopping with the deceased actress shortly before she was shot on February 3, 2003, the Los Angeles Times reports. Refuting claims that Lana Clarkson was despondent over a failed acting career — the defense has argued that she was driven to suicide — the prosecution attempted to show instead that she was optimistic about the future. The defense asked Donna Clarkson to testify about apparently forged documents the actress used to try to get a loan, but prosecutor Alan Jackson said the documents would only provide "a look at what kind of person she is, not who pulled the trigger." Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has allowed the letters to be admitted. ...

Sixteen solo albums by John Lennon debuted on iTunes on Tuesday, and for the next 30 days, exclusive video content will accompany six of them — including John Lennon/ Plastic Ono Band and Milk and Honey. The albums are available in iTunes Plus, which offers DRM-free tracks, and each song costs $1.29. ...

Phil Rizzuto, the New York Yankees shortstop who later became a longtime announcer for the team and was best-known for catchphrases like "Holy cow!" and "Unbelievable!," died Tuesday. He was 89. Rizzuto, whose nickname was "Scooter," will also be remembered as the voice providing the play-by-play commentary in Meat Loaf's infamous 1977 song, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."

08.13.07

Britney Spears' assistant was served with court papers Sunday morning to give a deposition in a legal matter between the singer and Kevin Federline. Mark Vincent Kaplan, Federline's attorney, told The Associated Press that Alli Sims will be asked to offer a statement "in connection with the Britney Spears/ Kevin Federline issue," although he didn't elaborate. He added that Sims is "believed to have relevant information" but didn't go into specifics about that either. On Wednesday, Kaplan filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court for primary physical custody of Federline's two sons with Spears. ...

Diddy will executive produce the upcoming biopic of the Notorious B.I.G., Variety reports. "Soul Food" director George Tillman will be behind the lens for "Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.," for which an open casting call was launched nationally on Sunday. ...

Jennifer Lopez has pegged October 9 as the release date for her English-language album Brave, her second LP of the year and sixth studio disc overall. The set is highlighted by the just-released single, "Do It Well," and will be produced by J.R. Rotem (50 Cent, Christina Aguilera), among others. J. Lo's other album this year, Como Ama Una Mujer, is the best-selling Spanish-language debut LP ever. ... Amy Winehouse, who was hospitalized last week for severe exhaustion, has scrapped two planned shows in Germany opening for the Rolling Stones, RollingStone.com reports. The singer told Britain's News of the World, "I don't know how to explain what happened. ... I can't remember what I looked like. I couldn't recognize myself. It was terrifying." ...

Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Kid Rock and Velvet Revolver will anchor Los Angeles radio station KROQ's Inland Invasion fest — which has been renamed the L.A. Invasion, since its relocation from a venue in Devore, California, to one in Carson. Against Me!, Chris Cornell, Hot Hot Heat, Satellite Party, Paramore and Cypress Hill round out the bill for the show, which will take place September 15. ...

The French publisher of the "Harry Potter" series will not seek damages against a 16-year-old who allegedly posted online an unauthorized French translation of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," publishing house Gallimard Jeunesse said Monday (August 13), The Associated Press reports. The case is still being investigated by French authorities, who will decide whether to bring it to trial. ... Robert Smith of the Cure, Julian Casablancas of the Strokes, Frank Black and Tom Waits will judge this year's International Songwriting Competition, RollingStone.com reports. ...

Bloc Party, Múm, Of Montreal and more have been confirmed for the ninth annual Iceland Airwaves festival, set for October 17-21 in downtown Reykjavík. ... The Shins have beefed up their fall tour schedule with a smattering of new U.S. dates. After playing Seattle's Bumbershoot festival on September 1 and Chicago's Download Festival the following day, the band will take a month off, then hit

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