Toby Amies on Robert Fripp and In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50: “It’s an interrogation into what I find around me and the circumstances in which I find myself and especially the relationships that I observe and I’m involved in.” Photo: Toby Amies
Toby Amies’s perceptive and imaginative In the Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson At 50, captures the essence of the individual current and former members of King Crimson through candid and forthcoming on-camera interviews, sound checks, and the cost of being on the road. The director pulls the curtain back with precision to give us a distinctive look into Robert Fripp the master himself, the groups leader and disciplinarian.
Toby Amies with Anne-Katrin Titze on In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson At 50: “I was in a very interesting position making this film because on the...
Toby Amies’s perceptive and imaginative In the Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson At 50, captures the essence of the individual current and former members of King Crimson through candid and forthcoming on-camera interviews, sound checks, and the cost of being on the road. The director pulls the curtain back with precision to give us a distinctive look into Robert Fripp the master himself, the groups leader and disciplinarian.
Toby Amies with Anne-Katrin Titze on In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson At 50: “I was in a very interesting position making this film because on the...
- 10/20/2022
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
An upcoming documentary will provide a rare look at the inner workings of King Crimson, one of rock’s most respected but also mysterious bands. Titled In the Court of the Crimson King, after the group’s legendary 1969 debut, the film will premiere at South by Southwest this March, and a new trailer is available to view now.
As seen in the trailer, the film follows the most recent incarnation of King Crimson, a three-drummer “double quartet,” on tour in 2018 and 2019. We see intimate, fly-on-wall footage of the band onstage,...
As seen in the trailer, the film follows the most recent incarnation of King Crimson, a three-drummer “double quartet,” on tour in 2018 and 2019. We see intimate, fly-on-wall footage of the band onstage,...
- 2/2/2022
- by Hank Shteamer
- Rollingstone.com
Recently, Dusty provided me a golden opportunity: in connection with the release of Three-Piece Suite -- a remastering of some compositions from Gentle Giant's first three albums -- their media team offered an interview with Derek Schulman, lead singer for the group, and now a high-level record company executive. Knowing my love of Gentle Giant, Dusty offered the interview to me. There was no constraint on content, only on the number of questions (an even dozen). So, with thanks to Anne Leighton (of Anne Leighton Media), who coordinated, here is my interview with one of progressive rock's most iconic figures, both as an artist and as a rep:
1. There has been a sort of minor resurgence of things Gentle Giant, including the induction of the band into the Portsmouth Hall of Fame, and the imminent release of Three-Piece Suite, a collection of compositions from the first three Gentle Giant albums,...
1. There has been a sort of minor resurgence of things Gentle Giant, including the induction of the band into the Portsmouth Hall of Fame, and the imminent release of Three-Piece Suite, a collection of compositions from the first three Gentle Giant albums,...
- 10/4/2017
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
R.I.P., Mr. John Wetton, you provided many of the songs for the soundtrack of my youth with your bass playing, and vocals, in Roxy Music, King Crimson, Uriah Heap, Asia, and your debut album with the quartet U.K. embedded above. For me you reached the zenith of your artistic expression with said progressive rock super band. From 1977 until 1980, you, keyboardist/electric violinist Eddie Jobson (Curved Air, Roxy Music, Frank Zappa), guitarist Allan Holdsworth (Soft Machine, Tempest, The New Tony Williams Lifetime, Gong) through 1978, and drummer Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, tour drummer for Genesis), who was later replaced by drummer Terry Bozzio (formerly of Frank Zappa's band). There is some tremendous Youtube footage of the reformed U,K, with Wetton, Eddie Jobson and Terry Bozzio from their 2012 world tour. No doubt King Crimson, circa 1972 - 1974, boasting guitar maestro Robert Fripp, Wetton, violinist/keyboardist David Cross and drummer...
- 2/5/2017
- by Dusty Wright
- www.culturecatch.com
John Wetton, the progressive-rock bassist whose numerous credits include fronting King Crimson and the supergroup Asia, has died, his former bandmate Geoff Downes said Tuesday. He was 67. Downes said that Wetton died “after a long and tenacious battle with cancer.” “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart, that I have to report we have lost my dearest friend, brother, bandmate and long term musical collaborator, John Wetton,” Downes said on Facebook. “He will be remembered as one of the world’s finest musical talents, and I for one of many was wholly blessed by his influence. It was a.
- 1/31/2017
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Asia frontman John Wetton died Tuesday morning in his sleep after battling cancer ... according to the band. Wetton was a fixture in the '70s and '80s British rock scene, playing with bands like King Crimson, Roxy Music, and Uriah Heep -- but his biggest popularity came when he formed the supergroup, Asia, in 1981. The group is best known for its huge hits "Heat of the Moment" and "Only Time Will Tell." Wetton eventually...
- 1/31/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Nile Rodgers is being honored at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, despite the fact that the groundbreaking funk and disco act he fronted, Chic, will not be joining him. It’s a bit odd for one person to be inducted without their musical brethren, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has a habit of actually doing the opposite of what happened to poor Chic — inducting bands and ignoring the things that their respective members have gone on to do.
Iggy Pop
Considering that most people know Iggy either through off-time boogie of “The Passenger...
Iggy Pop
Considering that most people know Iggy either through off-time boogie of “The Passenger...
- 12/20/2016
- by alexheigl
- PEOPLE.com
Music and Sex: Scenes from a life - A novel in progress (first chapter here).
Walter had been so busy with midterms that he hadn't gone record-shopping recently. Neither had he spent his income on anything else, other than eating on the weekends, though he'd eaten better than usual. He'd wandered into a fast-food place on Broadway called Amy's and, for the first time in his life, had tried a falafel sandwich. Well, not really a sandwich, at least not as he thought of a sandwich, which was (mostly) meat between two separate pieces of bread, but he didn't know what else to call these things stuffed into pita bread. He'd liked it, not least because just one sandwich was very filling, so he had gone back regularly for lunch on weekends. It was a nice change of pace from the food at John Jay cafeteria. There never seemed to be many customers,...
Walter had been so busy with midterms that he hadn't gone record-shopping recently. Neither had he spent his income on anything else, other than eating on the weekends, though he'd eaten better than usual. He'd wandered into a fast-food place on Broadway called Amy's and, for the first time in his life, had tried a falafel sandwich. Well, not really a sandwich, at least not as he thought of a sandwich, which was (mostly) meat between two separate pieces of bread, but he didn't know what else to call these things stuffed into pita bread. He'd liked it, not least because just one sandwich was very filling, so he had gone back regularly for lunch on weekends. It was a nice change of pace from the food at John Jay cafeteria. There never seemed to be many customers,...
- 6/6/2016
- by RomanAkLeff
- www.culturecatch.com
The Flaming Lips visited The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Tuesday for a riveting, trippy cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," which the band recently released as a digital single and music video. "My next guests fell from space, or Oklahoma," Colbert said.
Coyne and company were originally scheduled to perform on Late Show in March during the Music of David Bowie tribute concerts, but their appearance was bumped thanks to last-minute guest Elizabeth Warren. In their rescheduled appearance, the Flaming Lips relived their tribute concert performances, from Coyne's...
Coyne and company were originally scheduled to perform on Late Show in March during the Music of David Bowie tribute concerts, but their appearance was bumped thanks to last-minute guest Elizabeth Warren. In their rescheduled appearance, the Flaming Lips relived their tribute concert performances, from Coyne's...
- 4/20/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Aphex Twin: Syro (Warp)
Though the length of Richard D. James's absence from the electronic scene has been overstated by people who neglect his less famous aliases, it Has been almost a decade since we got new music from him, and yes, the release of Syro is a welcome surprise. It is less abrasive (by my tastes, at least) than the aggressive beats found on his previous Aphex Twin album, Drukqs (I'm thinking of the blast-beat assault of 'drill-n-bass' tracks such as "Omgyiya Switch 7"); like Drukqs, Syro offers a wide variety of styles, but the whiplash factor is absent; there are no juxtapositions of frenetic computerized beats and beatless ambient piano pieces here.
Instead, the album flows. Drukqs was hard to listen to; Syro is downright ingratiating -- funky at times, occasionally even sexy or at least sensual. Even though the fastest track comes right before the closing ambient track,...
Though the length of Richard D. James's absence from the electronic scene has been overstated by people who neglect his less famous aliases, it Has been almost a decade since we got new music from him, and yes, the release of Syro is a welcome surprise. It is less abrasive (by my tastes, at least) than the aggressive beats found on his previous Aphex Twin album, Drukqs (I'm thinking of the blast-beat assault of 'drill-n-bass' tracks such as "Omgyiya Switch 7"); like Drukqs, Syro offers a wide variety of styles, but the whiplash factor is absent; there are no juxtapositions of frenetic computerized beats and beatless ambient piano pieces here.
Instead, the album flows. Drukqs was hard to listen to; Syro is downright ingratiating -- funky at times, occasionally even sexy or at least sensual. Even though the fastest track comes right before the closing ambient track,...
- 10/16/2014
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
Since 2011, Legendary has launched its comic book division Legendary Comics that features original comics and movie tie-ins with Legendary Pictures. Some in the comics included “The Tower Chronicles” series, “Godzilla” and “Pacific Rim.”
In a new six-issue series, Legendary Comics presents “Annihilator,” an original graphic novel from Grant Morrison (“Animal Man,” “Batman,” “Jla”). The cover art and interior art is provided by Frazer Irving (“Necronauts,” “Judge Death,”).
The story is about a washed-up Hollywood screenwriter Ray Spass is caught in a downward spiral of broken relationships, wild parties and self-destruction. Out of luck and out of chances, he’s one failed script away from fading into obscurity. Little does he know he’s about to write the story of his life. As his imagination runs rampant, Ray must join forces with his own fictional character Max Nomax on a reality-bending race to stop the entire universe from imploding…..without blowing...
In a new six-issue series, Legendary Comics presents “Annihilator,” an original graphic novel from Grant Morrison (“Animal Man,” “Batman,” “Jla”). The cover art and interior art is provided by Frazer Irving (“Necronauts,” “Judge Death,”).
The story is about a washed-up Hollywood screenwriter Ray Spass is caught in a downward spiral of broken relationships, wild parties and self-destruction. Out of luck and out of chances, he’s one failed script away from fading into obscurity. Little does he know he’s about to write the story of his life. As his imagination runs rampant, Ray must join forces with his own fictional character Max Nomax on a reality-bending race to stop the entire universe from imploding…..without blowing...
- 9/10/2014
- by Gig Patta
- LRMonline.com
As we rightfully celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' rockin'-vasion of America, it is also worth noting the 40th anniversaries of progressive rock albums released in 1974 -- a banner year for the genre.
In alphabetical rather than chronological order, here is just a short list, along with links to a representative composition from each album.
Enjoy!
Apostrophe (Frank Zappa)
Although Zappa had been "at it" since 1966 -- as one of the earliest progenitors of progressive rock -- and although he had already put out over a dozen important albums, Apostrophe (and the immediately prior album, Over-Nite Sensation) arguably brought him to the masses through his cross-over "hit," "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow," which, despite its length, received regular airplay on FM stations. It didn't hurt that the album also included two of his funniest, most fun songs, "Cozmik Debris" and "Stinkfoot."
Hamburger Concerto (Focus)
For those who only know Focus via their 1971 novelty mega-hit,...
In alphabetical rather than chronological order, here is just a short list, along with links to a representative composition from each album.
Enjoy!
Apostrophe (Frank Zappa)
Although Zappa had been "at it" since 1966 -- as one of the earliest progenitors of progressive rock -- and although he had already put out over a dozen important albums, Apostrophe (and the immediately prior album, Over-Nite Sensation) arguably brought him to the masses through his cross-over "hit," "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow," which, despite its length, received regular airplay on FM stations. It didn't hurt that the album also included two of his funniest, most fun songs, "Cozmik Debris" and "Stinkfoot."
Hamburger Concerto (Focus)
For those who only know Focus via their 1971 novelty mega-hit,...
- 3/30/2014
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
Seconds Before Landing: The Great Deception (Sbl)
First, let me say that, setting aside a quibble or two, this is almost certainly my favorite album of 2013. And that has less to do with any specific personnel, "song," or individual aspect of the album than it does with the fact that the old adage "they just don't write 'em like that anymore" does not apply here. This is a "progressive" album in every sense of that term, and is somehow able to both evoke the heyday of a particular genre of progressive rock (i.e., have a certain "timeless" quality to it) and to be both timely and relevant in the present.
The primary writer here is John Crispino, about whom little seems to be known except that he is a "composer and musician." (He plays drums, keyboards, and percussion, and provides most of the vocals.) He is joined by a distinguished group of musicians,...
First, let me say that, setting aside a quibble or two, this is almost certainly my favorite album of 2013. And that has less to do with any specific personnel, "song," or individual aspect of the album than it does with the fact that the old adage "they just don't write 'em like that anymore" does not apply here. This is a "progressive" album in every sense of that term, and is somehow able to both evoke the heyday of a particular genre of progressive rock (i.e., have a certain "timeless" quality to it) and to be both timely and relevant in the present.
The primary writer here is John Crispino, about whom little seems to be known except that he is a "composer and musician." (He plays drums, keyboards, and percussion, and provides most of the vocals.) He is joined by a distinguished group of musicians,...
- 2/3/2014
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
Frog and Peach Theatre Company will present a star-studded reading of Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' today, September 17 at The Player's Club, 16 Gramercy Park South, with a cast including Len Cariou, Richard Kind, Susie Essman, Darrell Hammond, Alan Zweibel,Scott Adsit, Maulik Pancholy and Alan Zweibel. An original score by Ian McDonald King Crimson, Foreigner will be performed live by Mr. McDonald.
- 9/17/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
As a passionate fan of Trent Reznor's music for nearly a quarter-century, I knew this review would be quite an undertaking, but now the time has come to step up and swing. My initial thrill came early this year, when Nine Inch Nails' founder announced that his legendary band would not only be returning to the stage in 2013 after a four-year hiatus (and five years away from the studio), but had already been at work on the new album Hesitation Marks, so the excitement and anticipation was understandably high. The title, which refers to the tenuous flesh wounds made by someone contemplating suicide, suggested we were about to visit another very dark corner of Reznor's psyche – an idea reinforced by the return of mixed media artist Russell Mills, who created the cover for the band's darkest, most emotionally devastating album The Downward Spiral. But then came that inevitable...
- 9/4/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
These past few months, I've grown weary trying to find albums that engage me from start to finish. In fact, I've yet to find one album in the past few months I can listen to top to bottom. I truly believe that we are back in the land of "singles." Not saying that a Blood on the Tracks, Dark Side of the Moon, Ok Computer, or (What's The Story) Morning Glory? isn't lurking in the shadows, but.... I'm old enough to have bought 45s back in the '60s when I was a young pup; my first was The Beatles' "Rain"/"Paperback Writer." In the land of digital, I'm happy to download one song from some new noteworthy act and let it fall into my enormous random shuffle playlist (over 8,700 songs and counting). And that "single" is not always the band or label's choice; in the age of iTunes, we...
- 7/3/2013
- by Dusty Wright
- www.culturecatch.com
Apparently these Aussies from Perth are much beloved in a music genre that often gets hammered by my fellow rick critics. I just discovered them, and I have to give them high marks for terrific songs, playing, production, et al. "We Are" is their latest single from their latest album, Asymmetry, due later this summer. If you dig the prog metal of Tool, A Perfect Circle, and dare I say, King Crimson, then you will dig Karnivool. Prog is not dead, long live Prog!
- 6/18/2013
- by Dusty Wright
- www.culturecatch.com
Only a day after the announcement of a new album, a new song, and a new, huge North American tour seemed to indicate that everything within the reformed Nine Inch Nails was looking as optimistic as things within in a dark, goth-industrial band possibly can, now comes the news that Adrian Belew is already out. The King Crimson guitarist played a crucial role in the band getting back together in the first place, with Trent Reznor saying he’d been inspired to “re-think the idea of what Nine Inch Nails could be” after the two considered collaborating on something else ...
- 6/7/2013
- avclub.com
As Nine Inch Nails mounts their comeback, the band's longtime fans are being hit with the holy grail of updates: We now have a new song, an album title and a plethora of tour dates.
The totally revamped rock band -- which will now feature Eric Avery of Jane's Addiction, Adrian Belew of King Crimson and Josh Eustis of Telefon Tel Aviv alongside original members Trent Reznor, Alessandro Cortini and Ilan Rubin -- has unveiled "Came Back Haunted," the first Nin single since 2008's "Discipline." The song will feature on the upcoming album "Hesitation Marks," slated for a Sept. 3 release and labeled "frankly f—ing great" by Reznor in a press release.
Nine Inch Nails will also hit the road on a massive world tour with Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor on hand to open. It's the first set of concerts since 2009's Wave Goodbye Tour...
The totally revamped rock band -- which will now feature Eric Avery of Jane's Addiction, Adrian Belew of King Crimson and Josh Eustis of Telefon Tel Aviv alongside original members Trent Reznor, Alessandro Cortini and Ilan Rubin -- has unveiled "Came Back Haunted," the first Nin single since 2008's "Discipline." The song will feature on the upcoming album "Hesitation Marks," slated for a Sept. 3 release and labeled "frankly f—ing great" by Reznor in a press release.
Nine Inch Nails will also hit the road on a massive world tour with Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor on hand to open. It's the first set of concerts since 2009's Wave Goodbye Tour...
- 6/6/2013
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Huffington Post
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno has led a multi-faceted life. To modern rock fans he's perhaps best known as the imaginative producer of U2's, David Bowie's, and Talking Heads' most adventurous work, and secondarily remembered as an early and eccentric member of Roxy Music. To new age and techno fans, he's the de facto inventor of the ambient music genre. Pop fans can thank him for the best work by James, Coldplay, and Ultravox. Punk fans owe him one for No New York's introduction of the four most iconic No Wave Bands.
His collaborations with Harold Budd (favorite: The Pearl), Robert Fripp (favorite: (no pussyfooting)), David Byrne (the groundbreaking My Life in the Bush of Ghosts), John Cale (especially the delightful Wrong Way Up), and others sometimes find him as much a facilitator as a creator, yet still have an ineffable Eno-ness to them.
His collaborations with Harold Budd (favorite: The Pearl), Robert Fripp (favorite: (no pussyfooting)), David Byrne (the groundbreaking My Life in the Bush of Ghosts), John Cale (especially the delightful Wrong Way Up), and others sometimes find him as much a facilitator as a creator, yet still have an ineffable Eno-ness to them.
- 5/15/2013
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
The original U.K. (1978) was almost unquestionably the greatest "supergroup" (i.e., made up of known musicians from other top-flight groups) in rock history. The first iteration consisted of Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson) on drums, John Wetton (King Crimson) on bass, Eddie Jobson (Frank Zappa) on keyboards and violin, and Allan Holdsworth (Soft Machine, Gong) on guitar.
They recorded just one album (U.K.), but for progressive rock fans it remains among the greatest prog-rock albums of all time. Holdsworth left due to creative differences, and Bruford left to rejoin King Crimson and was replaced by Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa). The remaining trio also produced just one album (Danger Money). The members then split, and U.K. was no more. However, Jobson and Wetton apparently retained joint title to the group's name, and there were a few later iterations of U.K., though never with both of its founders.
They recorded just one album (U.K.), but for progressive rock fans it remains among the greatest prog-rock albums of all time. Holdsworth left due to creative differences, and Bruford left to rejoin King Crimson and was replaced by Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa). The remaining trio also produced just one album (Danger Money). The members then split, and U.K. was no more. However, Jobson and Wetton apparently retained joint title to the group's name, and there were a few later iterations of U.K., though never with both of its founders.
- 4/22/2013
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
Among the seminal progressive rock groups of the late '60s and early '70s, Yes has undergone its share of personnel changes. The group started out with Chris Squire (bass), Peter Banks (guitar), Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), and Tony Kaye (keyboards), and released two albums, the eponymous Yes, and Time and A Word. Banks either left or was fired (it depends on who you believe), and was replaced with Steve Howe. [N.B. Peter Banks passed away in March 2013.] This new line-up produced just one album, The Yes Album.
Kaye left due to band friction, and was replaced by Rick Wakeman. This line-up produced two albums, Fragile and Close to the Edge -- the latter being the band's tour-de-force, and one of the most revered progressive rock albums of all time (see my Cc article, The Absolutely Essential Progressive Rock Albums), as well as one of the first albums on which the entire first side...
Kaye left due to band friction, and was replaced by Rick Wakeman. This line-up produced two albums, Fragile and Close to the Edge -- the latter being the band's tour-de-force, and one of the most revered progressive rock albums of all time (see my Cc article, The Absolutely Essential Progressive Rock Albums), as well as one of the first albums on which the entire first side...
- 4/12/2013
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
Monks of Mellonwah: Neurogenesis (Gatcombe Music)
There are two definitions of "progressive" with respect to music. One is the progression of a band: how it develops over time, finding itself, setting its style (assuming it finds one), channeling its influences, etc.
The other is a genre of rock music, one which I have defined as "a mindset, a conscious and deliberate approach to writing rock music based on certain elements, which usually include some or all of the following: incorporation of Western (classical, jazz et al), Eastern (Indian, Middle Eastern, et al.) and/or 'world music' (African, Latin, et al.) influences; use of non-standard (for rock) chord progressions; use of odd and/or shifting time signatures; use of non-standard (for rock) instrumentation (from sax, flute, or violin to sitar, bagpipes, or African percussion); an 'orchestral' (i.e., scored) approach to arrangement; extended compositions, often including extended instrumental passages; virtuoso musicianship,...
There are two definitions of "progressive" with respect to music. One is the progression of a band: how it develops over time, finding itself, setting its style (assuming it finds one), channeling its influences, etc.
The other is a genre of rock music, one which I have defined as "a mindset, a conscious and deliberate approach to writing rock music based on certain elements, which usually include some or all of the following: incorporation of Western (classical, jazz et al), Eastern (Indian, Middle Eastern, et al.) and/or 'world music' (African, Latin, et al.) influences; use of non-standard (for rock) chord progressions; use of odd and/or shifting time signatures; use of non-standard (for rock) instrumentation (from sax, flute, or violin to sitar, bagpipes, or African percussion); an 'orchestral' (i.e., scored) approach to arrangement; extended compositions, often including extended instrumental passages; virtuoso musicianship,...
- 3/12/2013
- by Ian Alterman
- www.culturecatch.com
Frog and Peach Theatre Company will present a star-studded reading of Shakespeare's 'Measure for Measure' today, February 26 at The Player's Club, 16 Grammercy Park South, with a cast including Austin Pendleton as Angelo and Darrell Hammond as Pompey, together with Frog and Peach company members Ted Zurkowski as Lucio, Amy Frances Quint as Isabel, Eric Doss as Provost, Ryan Tramont as Escalus, Erick Gonzalez as Claudio and Jonathan Reed Wexler as Elbow. An original score by Ian McDonald King Crimson, Foreigner will be performed live by Mr. McDonald.
- 2/26/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Nin assemble! That's the gist of Trent Reznor's announcement today on Pitchfork.com (linked directly from the title page of band's official site, shown above), wherein he revealed that the legendary electro-rock phenomenon would be “reinventing itself from scratch” and returning to the stage this summer in its new incarnation. The most significant part of Trent's new post was the revelation of the band's lineup, which will include some past collaborators as well as new core members. The band's last stage incarnation was the “Wave Goodbye” tour, which was chronicled in the amazing concert film Another Version of the Truth, which made FEARnet's best-of list for 2010 (viddy some excerpts from that show at the end of this article). “I was working with [guitarist] Adrian Belew on some musical ideas, which led to some discussion on performing, which led to some beard-scratching, which (many steps later) led to the decision to...
- 2/25/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
After nearly four years of distracting himself with soundtrack work, side projects, unsettlingly omniscient streaming services, and some bicep curls, Trent Reznor has confirmed what he's been saying since late last year: Nine Inch Nails is back, with live dates planned for this summer and on into 2014, including a “full-on arena tour of the Us this fall.” The official Nine Inch Nails website has been updated with a “Nine Inch Nails — Twenty Thirteen” teaser that leads to this Reznor-written release on Pitchfork, wherein he talks about some tentative musical collaboration with King Crimson’s Adrian Belew that “led ...
- 2/25/2013
- avclub.com
Frog and Peach Theatre Company will present a star-studded reading of Shakespeare's 'Measure for Measure' on February 26 at The Player's Club, 16 Grammercy Park South, with a cast including Austin Pendleton as Angelo and Darrell Hammond as Pompey, together with Frog and Peach company members Ted Zurkowski as Lucio, Amy Frances Quint as Isabel, Eric Doss as Provost, Ryan Tramont as Escalus, Erick Gonzalez as Claudio and Jonathan Reed Wexler as Elbow. An original score by Ian McDonald King Crimson, Foreigner will be performed live by Mr. McDonald.
- 2/19/2013
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Michael Chiklis went through a very dramatic transformation when he went from playing friendly and easygoing characters like Anthony “Tony” J. Scali on The Commish to the brutal and corrupt Vic Mackey on The Shield. That tough guy image that Chiklis earned through sheer determination has stayed with him through the Fantastic Four movies and the TV series Vegas, and it serves him well in Taylor Hackford’s crime thriller Parker.
In the movie, Chiklis plays Melander, a professional thief with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. While you could kind of root for Vic Mackey, Melander is a flat out bastard who you really want to see get his comeuppance.
While speaking about the film to me in a one on one interview, Chiklis said he enjoyed playing such an amoral character and spoke about what attracted him to this particular role. He also touched on the research he did for...
In the movie, Chiklis plays Melander, a professional thief with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. While you could kind of root for Vic Mackey, Melander is a flat out bastard who you really want to see get his comeuppance.
While speaking about the film to me in a one on one interview, Chiklis said he enjoyed playing such an amoral character and spoke about what attracted him to this particular role. He also touched on the research he did for...
- 1/26/2013
- by Ben Kenber
- We Got This Covered
If you want to know about contemporary British jazz or prog, you go to Downtown Music Gallery, where between them Bruce Gallanter and Manny Maris are an encyclopedic repository of knowledge and infallible taste. So when on my most recent trip there, Bruce passed me a sampler called Who Is Phil Gibbs? and told me the titular guitarist would be playing a series of shows in NYC (including his USA debut), I played said disc as soon as I got home, and was immediately intrigued.
In its listing, Tony calls Phil Gibbs "a staunch free-improviser" and goes on to compare him to Derek Bailey, but that's just one facet of his multi-stylistic habits. Drawing from a variety of contexts, with recording dates ranging from 2000 to this year, the CD's eight tracks reveal a far more versatile musician than Tony suggests.
"The Sound of One Who Loves" is just Gibbs, apparently...
In its listing, Tony calls Phil Gibbs "a staunch free-improviser" and goes on to compare him to Derek Bailey, but that's just one facet of his multi-stylistic habits. Drawing from a variety of contexts, with recording dates ranging from 2000 to this year, the CD's eight tracks reveal a far more versatile musician than Tony suggests.
"The Sound of One Who Loves" is just Gibbs, apparently...
- 10/27/2012
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
For our monthly feature on up-and-coming bands, Wot Gorilla? fill the July spot.
Formed in 2008/2009, Wot Gorilla? quickly made a name for themselves with their blend of math, pop and progressive rock with heavy melodic breakdowns. They’ve played with the likes of Tubelord, The Get Up Kids, Tera Melos and Cursive. The band have also played Reading and Leeds festival and their debut album, Kebnekaise, is due for release in August.
You can check the guys out here: bandcamp facebook website
*
Wc: For people who might not have heard about you guys before, can you give us some history about the band?
Wg: Si (the drummer) and I have played together in various bands over the years, we’d had a break for a while but decided to get back on it. The initial idea of this band was to draw on all our prog influences, Yes, Genesis, King Crimson...
Formed in 2008/2009, Wot Gorilla? quickly made a name for themselves with their blend of math, pop and progressive rock with heavy melodic breakdowns. They’ve played with the likes of Tubelord, The Get Up Kids, Tera Melos and Cursive. The band have also played Reading and Leeds festival and their debut album, Kebnekaise, is due for release in August.
You can check the guys out here: bandcamp facebook website
*
Wc: For people who might not have heard about you guys before, can you give us some history about the band?
Wg: Si (the drummer) and I have played together in various bands over the years, we’d had a break for a while but decided to get back on it. The initial idea of this band was to draw on all our prog influences, Yes, Genesis, King Crimson...
- 7/23/2012
- by Rhys Milsom
- Obsessed with Film
Asia: XXX (Frontiers)
That title's not triple-x as in porn, it's Roman numerals marking this supergroup's thirtieth anniversary (though I bet the confusion will increase this page's hits). Yup, three decades ago, "Heat of the Moment" was a massive hit. However, critics have tended to dislike Asia, either for dealing in pop rather than the glorious prog-rock of its members' previous bands -- Yes, Elp, and King Crimson -- or (if said critics are on the other side of the great divide) as dinosaurs still too proggy for naysayers in the post-punk era. Not this critic, through; I have always enjoyed John Wetton's voice, layered vocal harmonies, and melodic sense in every context, and never found Geoff Downes's keyboards and catchy songwriting/production the sacrilege that purist proggers did.
While there are some slight production differences from thirty years ago, basically this third studio album since the original lineup (Wetton,...
That title's not triple-x as in porn, it's Roman numerals marking this supergroup's thirtieth anniversary (though I bet the confusion will increase this page's hits). Yup, three decades ago, "Heat of the Moment" was a massive hit. However, critics have tended to dislike Asia, either for dealing in pop rather than the glorious prog-rock of its members' previous bands -- Yes, Elp, and King Crimson -- or (if said critics are on the other side of the great divide) as dinosaurs still too proggy for naysayers in the post-punk era. Not this critic, through; I have always enjoyed John Wetton's voice, layered vocal harmonies, and melodic sense in every context, and never found Geoff Downes's keyboards and catchy songwriting/production the sacrilege that purist proggers did.
While there are some slight production differences from thirty years ago, basically this third studio album since the original lineup (Wetton,...
- 7/7/2012
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
Frog and Peach Theatre Co., Inc. will present an all-star benefit reading of King Lear on July 9 at The Player's Club with a cast including Jeffrey DeMunn The Walking Dead as King Lear, Bebe Neuwirth The Good Wife as Goneril, Darrell Hammond Saturday Night Live as Edgar, Rich Sommer Mad Men as Fool, Wrenn Schmidt Boardwalk Empire as Cordelia, Ted Zurkowski Boys on the Side as Edmund, John Rothman Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter as Kent, Peter Gerety Public Enemies as Gloucester, David Wohl Saving Private Ryan as Albany, Amy Frances Quint Radio Deluxembourg as Regan, Eric Doss Love Songs as France, Ryan Tramont The Hurt Locker as Oswald, Erick Gonzalez Two Gentlemen of Verona as Cornwall, and Jack Sochet A Midsummer Night's Dream as Burgundy. The original score is by Ian McDonald King Crimson, Foreigner and performed live by Mr. McDonald.
- 7/2/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
June 10: Singer Shirley Alston Reeves of The Shirelles is 71. Actor Andrew Stevens is 57. Bassist Kim Deal of The Pixies and The Breeders is 51. Singer Maxi Priest is 51. Actress Gina Gershon is 50. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn is 49. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins, Zwan) is 48. Actress Kate Flannery ("The Office") is 48. Model-actress Elizabeth Hurley is 47. Guitarist Joey Santiago of The Pixies is 47. Guitarist Emma Anderson (Lush) is 45. Country guitarist Brian Hofeldt of The Derailers is 45. Singer Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) is 42. Singer JoJo of K-Ci and JoJo is 41. Singer Faith Evans is 39. Singer Lemisha Grinstead of 702 is 34. Actor DJ Qualls ("Hustle & Flow") is 34. Actor Shane West ("ER," "Now and Again") is 34. Singer Hoku is 31. Actress Leelee Sobieski is 30.
June 11: Actor Gene Wilder is 79. Actor Chad Everett is 75. Comedian Johnny Brown ("Laugh-In") is 75. Singer Joey Dee is 72. Actress Adrienne Barbeau ("Maude") is 67. Drummer Frank Beard of Zz Top is 63. Singer Donnie Van...
June 11: Actor Gene Wilder is 79. Actor Chad Everett is 75. Comedian Johnny Brown ("Laugh-In") is 75. Singer Joey Dee is 72. Actress Adrienne Barbeau ("Maude") is 67. Drummer Frank Beard of Zz Top is 63. Singer Donnie Van...
- 6/7/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Art rock has a long and storied history perpetuated by bands like Jethro Tull, King Crimson and the Velvet Underground. And then, of course, there are so many performers who have become artists as well, ranging from Brian Eno to Bon Jovi’s Tico Torres, with too many modern acts to name. Now, one more talented musician can be added to this list of cross-media artists, as Echo and the Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant opens his first major American gallery exhibition tomorrow....
- 5/17/2012
- Pastemagazine.com
Frog and Peach Theatre Co., Inc. will present an all-star benefit reading of Hamlet on February 21 at The Player's Club with a cast including Darrell Hammond Saturday Night Live as Guildenstern, Austin Pendleton My Cousin Vinnie as Claudius and the Ghost, Shirley Knight Our Idiot Brother, Sweet Bird of Youth as Gertrude, David Margulies Ghostbusters, Sopranos as Polonius and Gravedigger, Fred Willard Anchorman, Waiting for Guffman as Horatio, Anna Chlumsky In the Loop as Ophelia, Ted Zurkowski Boys on the Side, co-founder of Frog and Peach Theatre Co. as Hamlet and Ryan Tramont The Hurt Locker as Laertes. Music is by Ian McDonald King Crimson, Foreigner and performed live by Mr. McDonald.
- 2/13/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Back in February, we brought you the news when William Shatner was is in the recording studio, putting together his “flying in space” themed rock concept album titled Seeking Major Tom. Shatner hit the studio with the likes of Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society), John Wetton (King Crimson), Peter Frampton, Bootsy Collins, Ian Pace (Deep Purple) and Steve Howe (Yes) to record his version of some classic space-themed rock songs.
One of those songs is one of the most iconic and no doubt legendary rock anthems of all time, Queen‘s epic Bohemian Rhapsody. What would a video for Shatner’s version of that tune look like? I’m glad you asked… check it out below!
Music Video: William Shatner – Bohemian Rhapsody
Click here to view the embedded video.
If you’re so inclined, you can preview all the tunes on Seeking Major Tom and download the single, or the...
One of those songs is one of the most iconic and no doubt legendary rock anthems of all time, Queen‘s epic Bohemian Rhapsody. What would a video for Shatner’s version of that tune look like? I’m glad you asked… check it out below!
Music Video: William Shatner – Bohemian Rhapsody
Click here to view the embedded video.
If you’re so inclined, you can preview all the tunes on Seeking Major Tom and download the single, or the...
- 10/25/2011
- by Jason Moore
- ScifiMafia
For over 40 years bass player Tony Levin has been one of the very best in the business. He has played with King Crimson, released a number of solo albums, and has recorded and played with countless artists including Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Brian “Head” Welch, and Alice Cooper to name a few. Recently he teemed up with guitarist David Torn and Yes drummer Alan White on the fantastic new album, Levin Torn White.
The original blogger (he was doing it before it even had a name) gave me some great answers to my email questions, and explains just what in the name of prog ‘funk fingers’ is.
Geeks of Doom: Hello Tony, how are you?
Tony Levin: Quite well. Writing from the tour van, on a 7-hour drive from Atlanta, Ga to Carrboro, Nc - doing what I love to do (well, not driving in the van...) bringing my music to people.
The original blogger (he was doing it before it even had a name) gave me some great answers to my email questions, and explains just what in the name of prog ‘funk fingers’ is.
Geeks of Doom: Hello Tony, how are you?
Tony Levin: Quite well. Writing from the tour van, on a 7-hour drive from Atlanta, Ga to Carrboro, Nc - doing what I love to do (well, not driving in the van...) bringing my music to people.
- 10/18/2011
- by Obi-Dan
- Geeks of Doom
The Theatrical Event Of The Season!
An All-Star Staged Reading to Benefit The Frog & Peach Theatre Company, New York's most exciting classical theatre ensemble,
presents William Shakespeare's shockingly modern thriller
Julius Caesar
Starring
Rip Torn (Men In Black, The Larry Sanders Show), Shirley Knight (Our Idiot Brother, Sweet Bird of Youth), Austin Pendleton (A Beautiful Mind, Orson's Shadow), Tom Noonan (Damages, Synecdoche,NY), Ryan Tramont (The Hurt Locker), Academy Award Winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie & Clyde), Lenny Ciotti (Twelfth Night), Amy Frances Quint (Macbeth), and Joseph W. Rodriguez (Much Ado About Nothing).
Directed by Lynnea Benson
Music composed by rock legend Ian McDonald (King Crimson, Foreigner) and performed by Mr. McDonald & Ted Zurkowski (Honey West)
Tuesday, October 4, 8Pm at the legendary
Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South.
Join us for an elegant evening of cocktails and special guests at the most remarkable theatrical event of the season.
Tickets are $149 at the door,...
An All-Star Staged Reading to Benefit The Frog & Peach Theatre Company, New York's most exciting classical theatre ensemble,
presents William Shakespeare's shockingly modern thriller
Julius Caesar
Starring
Rip Torn (Men In Black, The Larry Sanders Show), Shirley Knight (Our Idiot Brother, Sweet Bird of Youth), Austin Pendleton (A Beautiful Mind, Orson's Shadow), Tom Noonan (Damages, Synecdoche,NY), Ryan Tramont (The Hurt Locker), Academy Award Winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie & Clyde), Lenny Ciotti (Twelfth Night), Amy Frances Quint (Macbeth), and Joseph W. Rodriguez (Much Ado About Nothing).
Directed by Lynnea Benson
Music composed by rock legend Ian McDonald (King Crimson, Foreigner) and performed by Mr. McDonald & Ted Zurkowski (Honey West)
Tuesday, October 4, 8Pm at the legendary
Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South.
Join us for an elegant evening of cocktails and special guests at the most remarkable theatrical event of the season.
Tickets are $149 at the door,...
- 9/27/2011
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Emerson, Lake & Palmer "40th Anniversary Reunion Concert", available on DVD and Blu-ray August 23, 2011, captures the 40th Anniversary Reunion of the British progressive-rock band:
"...Elp headlined the 'High Voltage Festival', Sunday, July 25th 2010, furthering their musical legend as the predominant force that laid the foundation for progressive rock..."
Emerson, Lake And Palmer are Keith Emerson, keyboardist from the Nice, vocalist, bass player Greg Lake from King Crimson and drummer Carl Palmer, formerly of Atomic Rooster.
The DVD also features new interviews with Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Emerson, Lake & Palmer "40th Anniversary Reunion Concert"...
"...Elp headlined the 'High Voltage Festival', Sunday, July 25th 2010, furthering their musical legend as the predominant force that laid the foundation for progressive rock..."
Emerson, Lake And Palmer are Keith Emerson, keyboardist from the Nice, vocalist, bass player Greg Lake from King Crimson and drummer Carl Palmer, formerly of Atomic Rooster.
The DVD also features new interviews with Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Emerson, Lake & Palmer "40th Anniversary Reunion Concert"...
- 7/28/2011
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Getty Duncan Sheik
Though he emerged from the ‘90s pop scene, singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik is now probably best known as a Broadway composer, whose rock score to “Spring Awakening” earned two Tony Awards in 2007. Since then he’s been juggling multiple theater projects, but recently carved out time to record an album. Set for release Tuesday, “Covers 80s” is a collection of hits and obscurities by acts such as New Order, Tears for Fears and the Thompson Twins, which Sheik presents in hushed acoustic arrangements.
Though he emerged from the ‘90s pop scene, singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik is now probably best known as a Broadway composer, whose rock score to “Spring Awakening” earned two Tony Awards in 2007. Since then he’s been juggling multiple theater projects, but recently carved out time to record an album. Set for release Tuesday, “Covers 80s” is a collection of hits and obscurities by acts such as New Order, Tears for Fears and the Thompson Twins, which Sheik presents in hushed acoustic arrangements.
- 6/3/2011
- by John Jurgensen
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
The world is Willow Smith's sandbox in her new video for "21st Century Girl" where the rising star gets summoned from a pile of bones, beads and toy guitar on the ground by a medicine woman. Soon after Willow, who does what she likes, runs around the desert with wolves before getting her "Inception" on -- conjuring all manner of fun things from nothing, before raising an entire city from sand.
Why? So she and her girls can dance and sing in the streets, wearing a shirt that says "boys need training," of course. I wish she pulled some King Crimson out of the sand too, but I appreciate the spectacle. With over a minute and 30 seconds of screen time before the song even starts, and such a point at establishing her in this cinematic context, I think Willow may be turning in a serious big screen role sooner than expected.
Why? So she and her girls can dance and sing in the streets, wearing a shirt that says "boys need training," of course. I wish she pulled some King Crimson out of the sand too, but I appreciate the spectacle. With over a minute and 30 seconds of screen time before the song even starts, and such a point at establishing her in this cinematic context, I think Willow may be turning in a serious big screen role sooner than expected.
- 3/7/2011
- by Brandon Kim
- ifc.com
As Pandora rumbles toward a possible Ipo, its founder and Chief Strategy Officer Tim Westergren talks to Fast Company about the secret ingredient in its future formula (hint: it's not an algorithm).
Probing the brain of Internet radio service Pandora is like watching Tron backward. It starts in the digital realm with busy bits of data serving a giant, whirring master control program but zooms back out through the wires to an Oakland, California, office full of headphoned humans staring at glowing screens--a scene not too different from the one in Flynn’s arcade, circa ’82.
Instead of feeding quarters into games, though, these music analysts are feeding data into Pandora’s “Music Genome Project,” a music discovery and recommendation algorithm that crunches users’ interests and matches them with song and artist attributes. But the tech and code alone can’t completely explain how Pandora knew you, a staunch Lady Gaga fan,...
Probing the brain of Internet radio service Pandora is like watching Tron backward. It starts in the digital realm with busy bits of data serving a giant, whirring master control program but zooms back out through the wires to an Oakland, California, office full of headphoned humans staring at glowing screens--a scene not too different from the one in Flynn’s arcade, circa ’82.
Instead of feeding quarters into games, though, these music analysts are feeding data into Pandora’s “Music Genome Project,” a music discovery and recommendation algorithm that crunches users’ interests and matches them with song and artist attributes. But the tech and code alone can’t completely explain how Pandora knew you, a staunch Lady Gaga fan,...
- 1/21/2011
- by Tyler Gray
- Fast Company
Epic single marks Kanye's comeback and lands on our Top 25 Songs of the year.
By Kyle Anderson
Kanye West
Photo: Getty Images
The MTV News Top 25 Songs of 2010 marches on. The top spot is within sniffing distance, but first we make a pit stop at #3 to take in Kanye West's "Power."
It's still sort of staggering to think that the story arc Kanye West has gone through in the past 14 months has been 100 percent real. The rapper/producer managed to turn himself into public enemy #1 with a single bottle of cognac and a couple of lines into a microphone at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. After taking a browbeating from Jay Leno, West slipped into the ether for the first time since he broke out in 2004 with his watershed debut, The College Dropout. He slowed down his blogging schedule and wasn't photographed for a while, and it was unclear...
By Kyle Anderson
Kanye West
Photo: Getty Images
The MTV News Top 25 Songs of 2010 marches on. The top spot is within sniffing distance, but first we make a pit stop at #3 to take in Kanye West's "Power."
It's still sort of staggering to think that the story arc Kanye West has gone through in the past 14 months has been 100 percent real. The rapper/producer managed to turn himself into public enemy #1 with a single bottle of cognac and a couple of lines into a microphone at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. After taking a browbeating from Jay Leno, West slipped into the ether for the first time since he broke out in 2004 with his watershed debut, The College Dropout. He slowed down his blogging schedule and wasn't photographed for a while, and it was unclear...
- 12/9/2010
- MTV Music News
The end of 2010 is almost upon us, which is why MTV News is rounding up the Top Songs of 2010. We had over two dozen MTV News staffers submit their own personal lists of their 25 favorite songs, and from those lists we derived a master list whose top 10 will be slowly rolling out over the course of this week. Check out one of the 25 lists below, with an argument or two for the greatness of some of the under-appreciated tunes of the year.
By Joel Hanek
1. "Power," Kanye West
2010 is Kanye's year. Just to illustrate how far this man has risen, two presidents have directly commented on his actions. After his incident at the 2009 VMAs, he disappeared, and everyone anticipated that the loquacious West would have some retort to his vilification. Months of silence passed when all of a sudden in May he dropped "Power." The Internets promptly exploded. The song...
By Joel Hanek
1. "Power," Kanye West
2010 is Kanye's year. Just to illustrate how far this man has risen, two presidents have directly commented on his actions. After his incident at the 2009 VMAs, he disappeared, and everyone anticipated that the loquacious West would have some retort to his vilification. Months of silence passed when all of a sudden in May he dropped "Power." The Internets promptly exploded. The song...
- 12/8/2010
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
The end of 2010 is almost upon us, which is why MTV News is rounding up the Top Songs of 2010. We has over two dozen MTV News staffers submit their own personal lists of their 25 favorite songs, and from those lists we derived a master list whose top 10 will be slowly rolling out over the course of this week. Check out one of the 25 lists below, with an argument or two for the greatness of some of the under-appreciated tunes of the year.
By Steven Roberts
25. "It Kills Me," Melanie Fiona
24. "X.X.X.O," M.I.A.
23. "O.N.E.," Yeasayer
22. "Hit," LCD Soundsystem
21. "Barbara Streisand," Duck Sauce
Every year, there's one novelty song that captivates the masses, and your aunt asks you how to do the song's dance. No offense to A-Trak and Armand van Helden, but "Teach Me How to Dougie" easily wins that distinction. But if you...
By Steven Roberts
25. "It Kills Me," Melanie Fiona
24. "X.X.X.O," M.I.A.
23. "O.N.E.," Yeasayer
22. "Hit," LCD Soundsystem
21. "Barbara Streisand," Duck Sauce
Every year, there's one novelty song that captivates the masses, and your aunt asks you how to do the song's dance. No offense to A-Trak and Armand van Helden, but "Teach Me How to Dougie" easily wins that distinction. But if you...
- 12/7/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
Hov's diabolical Swizz Beatz record (and its snarling video) blaze onto our Top 25 songs of the year.
By James Montgomery
Jay-z
Photo: Mark Metcalf/ Getty Images
Last week, MTV News kicked off our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010, a list that's already featured the likes of Rick Ross and Robyn, Lady Gaga and Kanye West, to name just a few. On Monday, we began rolling out our Top 10 — starting with Gaga's "Telephone" and rolling on to Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie."
Now, we're set to unveil our pick for #8 ... Jay-z's "On to the Next One," a diabolical track that floored pretty much everybody, thanks in no small part to its snarl, its swagger and, yes, its sorta-Satanic video too.
First things first: Yes, this song is from an album that came out in 2009. And, yes, it was technically released to radio in December of that same year.
By James Montgomery
Jay-z
Photo: Mark Metcalf/ Getty Images
Last week, MTV News kicked off our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010, a list that's already featured the likes of Rick Ross and Robyn, Lady Gaga and Kanye West, to name just a few. On Monday, we began rolling out our Top 10 — starting with Gaga's "Telephone" and rolling on to Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie."
Now, we're set to unveil our pick for #8 ... Jay-z's "On to the Next One," a diabolical track that floored pretty much everybody, thanks in no small part to its snarl, its swagger and, yes, its sorta-Satanic video too.
First things first: Yes, this song is from an album that came out in 2009. And, yes, it was technically released to radio in December of that same year.
- 12/7/2010
- MTV Music News
Hov's diabolical Swizz Beatz record (and its snarling video) blaze onto our Top 25 songs of the year.
By James Montgomery
Jay-z
Photo: Mark Metcalf/ Getty Images
Last week, MTV News kicked off our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010, a list that's already featured the likes of Rick Ross and Robyn, Lady Gaga and Kanye West, to name just a few. On Monday, we began rolling out our Top 10 — starting with Gaga's "Telephone" and rolling on to Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie."
Now, we're set to unveil our pick for #8 ... Jay-z's "On to the Next One," a diabolical track that floored pretty much everybody, thanks in no small part to its snarl, its swagger and, yes, its sorta-Satanic video too.
First things first: Yes, this song is from an album that came out in 2009. And, yes, it was technically released to radio in December of that same year.
By James Montgomery
Jay-z
Photo: Mark Metcalf/ Getty Images
Last week, MTV News kicked off our countdown of the Top 25 Songs of 2010, a list that's already featured the likes of Rick Ross and Robyn, Lady Gaga and Kanye West, to name just a few. On Monday, we began rolling out our Top 10 — starting with Gaga's "Telephone" and rolling on to Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie."
Now, we're set to unveil our pick for #8 ... Jay-z's "On to the Next One," a diabolical track that floored pretty much everybody, thanks in no small part to its snarl, its swagger and, yes, its sorta-Satanic video too.
First things first: Yes, this song is from an album that came out in 2009. And, yes, it was technically released to radio in December of that same year.
- 12/7/2010
- MTV Music News
It's a given that Kanye West's new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy will be a commercial hit, but considering West's erratic personality and his ever-evolving relationship with the media, it was never a sure thing that the album would be reviewed well. Most of West's past albums have been written about well, though they do tend to be polarizing (this was especially true of West's previous album 808s & Heartbreak, which fiercely divided everybody). But the first batch of high-profile reviews for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, it turns out that critics are absolutely in love with West's latest opus, and it's on track to be one of the best-reviewed releases of the year and a sure-fire "Album of the Year" candidate for many publications and sites.
The review in Rolling Stone turned heads immediately. The venerable rock magazine gave the album five stars, which is not something that...
The review in Rolling Stone turned heads immediately. The venerable rock magazine gave the album five stars, which is not something that...
- 11/22/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
Back in the mid-80s, horror fiction had become more than a little complacent. In most people’s minds, what passed for cutting edge genre fiction was the work of word generators such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, or Anne Rice. It was all spooky kids, rabid pets, daddy issues, and whiny, homo-erotic vampires.
By and large that was fine, but it is important to remember that the punk music scene had landed with both feet on the next of the public zeitgeist and stories of such archetypical monsters and mayhem didn't resonate with readers like they once did. The public had a new attitude and wanted a new breed of monsters to go with it...ones that better fit in line with their new nihilistic outlook.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere and to everybody’s surprise, came a group of young iconoclasts like Clive Barker, Poppy Z. Brite, Jack Ketchum,...
By and large that was fine, but it is important to remember that the punk music scene had landed with both feet on the next of the public zeitgeist and stories of such archetypical monsters and mayhem didn't resonate with readers like they once did. The public had a new attitude and wanted a new breed of monsters to go with it...ones that better fit in line with their new nihilistic outlook.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere and to everybody’s surprise, came a group of young iconoclasts like Clive Barker, Poppy Z. Brite, Jack Ketchum,...
- 11/17/2010
- by Carnell
- DreadCentral.com
The release of Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, one of the most hotly-anticipated albums of the year. The 13-track LP completes something of a comeback narrative for West that began with the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards (when he was ostracized for crashing the stage during a Taylor Swift acceptance speech and went underground for a while) and was built up over the course of the past year with some key live performances, the "G.O.O.D. Friday" download series and the recently-released short film "Runaway." In fact, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is so dense and full of gems that it's necessary to take each song and break it down to its bare elements. This time around, we take a look at the references on "Power."
King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man"
The signature track from perhaps the definitive prog rock band. Formed in England...
King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man"
The signature track from perhaps the definitive prog rock band. Formed in England...
- 11/16/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
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