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'American Idol,' Justin Bieber And The NBA Playoffs: This Week's Deep Cuts

Posted 4/30/10 7:00 pm EST by in Deep Cuts


It's Friday again, and that means two things. First, you need to think about leaving work early so you can get a good seat for "A Nightmare on Elm Street," paint your face for tonight's NHL playoff game (that would be the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Montreal Canadiens) or just tuck into a nice juicy steak. But while you're planning your escape, you should really catch up on anything you might have missed this week at the MTV Newsroom blog, which closed out the month of April with a heaping helping of tributes to Siobhan Magnus, more speculation about Conan O'Brien's new show and at least one endorsement of the Los Angeles Lakers.

» This week on "American Idol," the nation said goodbye to Siobhan Magnus, who took her eclectic taste in fashion and headed back to her glassblowing studio in Massachusetts.

» Hopefully Magnus will stop by the MTV Newsroom next week to teach "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello a useful skill, just like fellow reject Tim Urban did.

» "American Idol" also featured the music of Shania Twain this week, and while that was an unusual choice for a theme, it didn't come close to that time people sang No Doubt songs.

» In news that doesn't involve "American Idol," Insane Clown Posse member Violent J weighed in on the fervor surrounding the "Miracles" video and implored everybody to "peep the giraffe" (which is, amazing, not code for anything).

» Justin Bieber paid a visit to Australia this week, and was met with crazy fans and canceled appearances.
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Tim Urban Talks Love Songs, Workout Videos During Visit To MTV News

Posted 4/30/10 6:37 pm EST by in Music


If "American Idol" was a beauty pageant, Tim Urban deserved to win Miss (Mr.?) Congeniality. Whether he was gamely giggling at the judges' pans or sliding across the stage like he was stealing home plate, Urban was a ray of sunshine in a particularly dreary season.

This week he stopped by MTV News to chat about his "Idol" trip (and it was a trip all right), as well as what's in store for the future. He's got the "American Idols Live" tour up first, where he'll perform alongside the rest of the Top 10 (including recent eliminee Siobhan Magnus). Then perhaps he'll do a few low-key gigs with his season nine buddy Alex Lambert in Los Angeles. But the aspiring actor/singer is also hoping for a phone call from "Glee" or the Disney family. "My style of music is always going to be upbeat," he promised.

I didn't spend too much time asking about specific "Idol" performances (if you're looking for that, check out Entertainment Weekly's entertaining four-part chat), which freed us up to talk about the stuff you guys wanted to know — like if he'll ever do a workout video, how he felt singing love songs to Usher and Adam Lambert during their rehearsals and who he'd kill to duet with on this year's finale. (He'd freak out if he got to perform with Muse, but also realizes that musically it might make more sense for a Colbie Callait collaboration.)

Who would you like to see Tim perform with at the finale? (Do you like our Kermit idea?) Would you go to a Tim Urban/Alex Lambert double-bill? Which was your favorite Tim Urban moment on "Idol" this season? Check out our interview and leave a comment below! And for more "Idol"-related chatter, follow me on Twitter at @jambajim!

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Gorillaz Live From London: Watch It Here!

Posted 4/30/10 5:08 pm EST by in Music


Tonight, animated all-stars Gorillaz will take the stage at London's legendary Roundhouse, and you can watch it all right here, as it happens (ain't technology wonderful?)

Yes, MTV.com is live-streaming the show, which means you can have a front-row seat even if you're sitting in front of your computer in your underwear. The 'Rillaz will be performing tracks off their brand-new Plastic Beach album, and who knows, maybe they'll even bring out a special guest or two (the album features the likes of Snoop Dogg, Mos Def and Mark E. Smith, amongst others.)

But why are you busy reading this? Check out the sold-out show, right now, all the way live from London!

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Happy 28th Birthday, Lloyd Banks!

Posted 4/30/10 4:23 pm EST by in Music


By Rahman Dukes

Happy Born Day to the "Punch Line King" Lloyd Banks, who turns 28 today. Banks (aka Boy Wonder, aka Blue Hefner) has a lot to celebrate this year. He has a smash record ("Beamer, Benz or Bentley"), arguably the hottest independent record label (G-Unit Records) and he's in the midst of a bidding war between labels who are vying to release the sequel to his classic 2004 debut The Hunger for More.

As a Southside, Jamaica Queens native, I've had the pleasure of watching Banks' career blossom. His success is nothing new to any cat from Queens, who will tell ya we breed Kings from the borough (Run DMC, LL Cool J, Nas, 50 Cent, Lost Boyz, Onyx, Kool G. Rap and the Juice Crew, just to name a few).

In my early days at MTV, I had the pleasure of receiving frequent visits from famed producer Sha Money, who would bring me early G-Unit mixtapes. That relationship led to myself and MTV breaking the news that 50 Cent had made a major move by signing on with Eminem. My history with the Unit goes back like beads on Stevie Wonder's braids in the '70s.

One guy that's always stuck out in the Unit was Banks, thanks to that voice and impeccable flow, a signature sign of any great rapper. A legend, as we call it in the game.

Me and big homey S. Dot had the pleasure of visiting Banks and Whoo Kid on Thursday (April 29) night just before LB tore down the Nokia Theater. "Beamer, Benz and Bentley" has the god set up perfectly. I couldn't have said it better than how PLK put it last night onstage, "I'm the hottest n---a in New York right now."

So again, happy born day to the god Lloyd Banks, who today, is celebrating Wisdom, Build and Destroy. Salute!

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The Black Keys' 'Next Girl' Video Is Tyranno-riffic

Posted 4/30/10 3:31 pm EST by in Music


By Joel Hanek

I love the Black Keys. I also love dinosaurs. Which is why I really love the Keys' brand-new video for "Next Girl."

See, the clip — which, in theory, is meant to promote the Akron, Ohio duo's upcoming Brothers album (due May 18) — stars a Tyrannosaurus Rex hand puppet named Frank (who actually appeared in the first video off the album, "Tighten Up"), a bunch of scantily-clad ladies and absolutely zero members of the Black Keys. It is either an act of cheeky self-awareness or punkish defiance, I'm not sure which.

Anyway, in the "Girl" video, Frank scuttles around, lip-syncs a whole lot and then macks on some ladies in a hot tub, while passive-aggressive captions stream along the bottom of the screen. ("This is an attempt by the record label to attract attention to the band using a ridiculous dinosaur puppet.") It sort of looks like a rap video, as directed by Sofia Coppola. And the track itself is pretty great, too —l; a return to the Keys’ classic form with dominating distorted guitar-scapes and backing vocals from Blakroc (that's their Dame Dash-approved hip hop collaborative project) fave Nicole Wray.

You can take a look at the video over on the Black Keys' official site and catch them this summer as the opening act on the Kings of Leon's summer tour. No word on whether or not Frank (or his scantily-clad ladies) will be appearing with them.

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U.S. Troops Dial Up Hilarious 'Telephone' Remake

Posted 4/30/10 1:43 pm EST by in Music


By now you’ve surely seen the video of inmates in a Philippines prison yard paying homage to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," "Ben" and "Dangerous." You've surely marveled at the "Scarface" spoof acted out by pint-sized popcorn dealers. And if you're a true obsessive, the just-out parody of "The Hills" starring grade schoolers re-enacting scenes from the MTV series might have hit your inbox.

But none of those can prepare you for today's viral phenomenon: A WTF-tastic remake of Lady Gaga's high-concept video for "Telephone," as made by a group of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

To be fair, the video is mostly of two beefy grunts in camo showing off their surprisingly nimble footwork while dancing to the song in a dusty-looking tent, complete with dart board and what appears to be a motorcycle parked outside. Later, they're joined by a group of fellow hoofers wearing homemade costumes that include a crude sandwich board with the word "telephone" scrawled on it, another one that says "Steam" (apparently a reference to the "production company" that put the clip together) and a dude inexplicably wearing a bunch of black cardboard boxes fashioned into a kind of makeshift jumpsuit. There are also some over-sized cardboard telephone receivers on the wall of the "set," which looks like a garage of some sort, and the costumes mostly consist of black skintight boxer briefs and various bits of fabulously repurposed Army gear.

According to the guy who posted the clip on YouTube, this is not even the finished version. "Prepare yourself for a fantastical journey," he writes. "Right now this is the temporary version, we have more scenes to cut and edit, however with guys always on mission it is harder to film than you think."

Really? I'd think filming a music video parody in the midst of a grinding ground war with insurgents would actually be really difficult! Can't wait for the final cut, guys.

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'A Nightmare On Elm Street' Director Samuel Bayer's Music Video Playlist

Posted 4/30/10 10:30 am EST by in Music


This weekend marks the release of "A Nightmare on Elm Street," a remake of the classic psychological slasher movie of the same name. The original "Nightmare" gave birth to Freddy Krueger, the psychotic killer who murders the children of Elm Street while they sleep. The original film was directed by horror icon Wes Craven (who ended up giving life to other classics like "Scream" and "Shocker"), but the remake is directed by Samuel Bayer. It's the first feature for Bayer, but he is a veteran filmmaker who has made a career out of making some of the most recognizable, award-winning music videos for some of the most iconic artists of the past 20 years.

Bayer kicked his career off with a bang, as his first project out of the gate was as the director of Nirvana's legendary "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video. It was Bayer who put the band in the famous pep rally from hell and inspired the anarchic mosh pit that closes out the clip. For many, the lasting image of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is of him shouting "A denial!" in an uncomfortable close-up at the end of that video.

Though you would think that Bayer would have trouble topping himself (especially considering "Smells Like Teen Spirit" regularly appears near the top on lists of the greatest videos of all time), he managed to keep up an incredible career, amassing all sorts of awards and buzz along the way. He is responsible for Green Day's "American Idiot," Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around," Blind Melon's "No Rain" and My Chemical Romance's "Welcome to the Black Parade." But it all began with "Smells Like Teen Spirit," which remains just as intense as it was back in 1991. Enjoy it along with a select collection of Bayer's greatest clips below.

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Michael Jackson's 'Beat It' Tops The Charts: Wake-Up Video

Posted 4/30/10 9:00 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


When Michael Jackson passed away last year, it allowed for his fans and admirers to look back on his game-changing career of incredible, envelope-pushing art. There were a number of images and moments that were constantly referenced: The 1984 Motown special that saw Jackson bust out the Moonwalk for the first time, the premiere of the video for "Thriller" and the Super Bowl halftime show that featured Jackson's "Heal the World" all got nods, as did his first appearance on "Total Request Live" and his work in "Captain EO."

Another one of those images of Jackson that stuck with everybody was the dance-fight he performs in the "Beat It" video. Dressed in his iconic red leather jacket, Jackson wandered through the rough streets to intercept rival street gangs in an attempt to quell the inevitable violence between them. When words are not enough, Jackson compels them with the power of one of the most famous pieces of choreography in his long career.

"Beat It" was a massive hit for Jackson, and on this day in 1983, it made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, staying there for three weeks before being ousted by David Bowie's "Let's Dance." Jackson was no stranger to the top of the charts, as his previous Thriller single "Billie Jean" had spent seven weeks at the top of the heap earlier in the year. Fueled by a guitar section provided by Eddie Van Halen (whose solo ranks among the best in his career for sheer sonic brutality), "Beat It" quickly became one of Jackson's signature songs and opened up the world of pop-fueled R&B to the type of savagery that rock could offer. And of course, the video still rules.

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Siobhan Magnus And Adam Lambert: Who Has The Better Scream?

Posted 4/29/10 5:30 pm EST by in Music


On Wednesday night's (April 28) episode of "American Idol," the country had to say goodbye to Siobhan Magnus, the 20-year-old glassblower from Massachusetts. Though Magnus didn't have the best voice, her offbeat style and willingness to experiment earned her a lot of supporters, and her elimination last night came as a minor shock (especially considering the contestants who are still left in the competition).

If there was one thing that Magnus will be remembered for as the ninth season of "American Idol" fades in the rearview mirror, it will be her signature scream. It first showed up during her performance of Aretha Franklin's "Think," and at first it blew people away. The shriek then became her signature, showing up in just about every performance she rolled out during her time on the show. Eventually, it may have become her undoing, but it certainly made her lovable and memorable.

In fact, Magnus' scream profoundly recalls another much-beloved former "Idol" contestant: Adam Lambert. During his stint on the show during the eighth season, Lambert also broke out the wail to drive home notes and finish songs in eyebrow-raising fashion. In fact, we went back to the video tape to compare the two screams head-to-head to see which one is superior.

The video footage seems to suggest that Lambert's scream seemed to function a bit better in the context of his songs, but Magnus' may be the superior when taken in a vacuum. But we leave it to you: Did Siobhan Magnus make herself into the new scream queen, or does Adam Lambert remain at the top of the shriek heap?

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Betty White Is Looking Forward To Meeting Jay-Z: The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 4/29/10 4:15 pm EST by in Music


"I'm thrilled to meet him. I'm thrilled to hear he's going to be on the show because he's the hottest thing since sliced bread, but I certainly enjoy him. I hope we'll get along well. Yes, [I have listened to his music] ... I have no idea [if we'll work together]! But I'm game to try anything. This is an adventure!"

-Actress and comedienne Betty White, telling reporters about the thrill of meeting legendary rapper Jay-Z on next weekend's episode of "Saturday Night Live." The 88-year-old White is hosting the late night comedy show for the first time in her long career, and Jigga will serve as the musical guest on White's big night. The "Golden Girls" star ended up in the driver's seat of the show via a massive online campaign to put White in that position after her Super Bowl ad for Snickers drew universal praise. Millions of people expressed their enthusiasm to get White on "SNL" via Facebook and Twitter, and the shouting of the virtual masses reached the ears of producer Lorne Michaels, who invited White to host as a part of a salute to former female cast members of the show (including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon and others).

White's episode airs next Saturday, May 8, and at the moment she doesn't have any clue as to what she will be doing. But she does have some wishes. "I have no idea what I'm going to be doing. I haven't talked to anybody. I hope I'll be with some kind of animals," she said. "They're the other half of my life. They always get me calm and tone me down."

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